Home

There is really no place like home. Scott just got back from his trip to Mexico (with his brother, Barry). They were lucky enough to be 2 of the pilots to fly gifts down to Mexico...AND deliver them!! What a blessing this trip was to them both! They visited a school for the blind (which hits home with us!) as well as a prison. Scott came home very inspired to do more trips like this one and take our girls along too.

It is wonderful having him home! Lindsay woke up EVERY day to ask if THIS was the day Daddy would be home! The day finally came yesterday, we got home in time for him to meet her bus. When she realized it was him she shouted "Daddy, I KNEW you would come home!!" Shae said several times during the week that it seemed like he had been gone for a month, and Anna couldn't wait for him to read with her again! What a great feeling to be missed. (especially by a teenager!!)

Scott and I were able to do some shopping in Sacramento, have dinner at Ruth's Chris (yummy!) and spend the night before heading back home! We had a fun, relaxing time. I am so glad to have such a sweet, thoughtful husband! I know he was dying to see the girls, but, he made time for me! This morning was wonderful having the extra help!! Yippee...Dad's home!

Snow!

This is Shae. Shae wants to go somewhere. Anywhere. She needs pencils at Target. Okay, since we have 5,307 pencils at our house she needs to get gas...oh, her tank is 3/4 full? Well then don't I need something from the grocery store? Nope. Shae is staying HOME tonight.

This is why Shae is staying home! Redding got snow, Shae has had her driver's licence for 3 months, and Mom is "overprotective"!!

We really thought there would be more! {{Boo!}} Anna could hardly sleep, and Shae just KNEW school would be cancelled!

Here is our "Blizzard" this morning!

*I did let Shae drive to school, she said she "had" to because last year when it snowed during school, all the kids who drove themselves got out early!! Duh!

Humphrey

This is the cute Christmas book I got for my nephews (and us!) this year! It is a precious story about a camel on his way to see a King, poor guy thinks he is sooo mistreated having to carry the heavy gifts, but when he meets this "king" his perspective changes! The pictures are gorgeous too! I got the last one at Barnes and Noble, but I found it at Amazon.com for only $8.oo, new in hardback.

Christmas Decorations

I finally got around to taking a few pictures of my house decorated for Christmas. ( I can see in the pictures that it is time to paint, though!) . I really LOVE these "Believe" blocks! I was originally going to make some, but found them already done at a cute gift shop here in town, so I figured my time was worth more. I do think I will try them on my mantle next year though!

This is my living room-the room you see when you walk in the door. This is my first year to have a tree in the living room AND the family room. Ever since I was teaching school in Texas I have wanted 2 trees! Our school secretary had the whole staff over one night, she had a tree in her living room that was so formal and beautiful AND one in her family room with all the colored lights and kid ornaments! I was soooo impressed!

My living room tree is not exactly the way I want it, but it is there! I have all thePrecious Moments ornaments on it, I will hit the sales after Christmas with this tree in mind!

This is the family room "Cowboy" tree. My Texas SILs have sort of started a tradition for me. Ever since we moved to California, they have sent me the cutest western ornaments for my tree! Beckie (who live here in town) even got me a darling long horn belt buckle ornament this year. Yee Haw!

* One extra great thing about today is the invitation the girls and I received for tonight! Since Scott is gone we have had some pretty "lame" dinners, I must admit, so when we were invited to go over to Brad and Beckie's house for dinner tonight, we were so happy! The bonus is , we get to see Austin and Gavin! Lindsay has been planning her strategy to sit by Austin all afternoon! Gotta go...it's time to eat!

Christmas Blog Swap! Thankyou, Denise!!

Today has been one of those" I think I am feeling sorry for myself because I have so much to do" days! Just when I was putting sheets on another bed, I heard the big brown truck coming down my street-AND IT STOPPED AT MY HOUSE!
*Williams Sonoma* I would recognize that paper anywhere..it always contains delightful things!




My package contained this absolutely adorable set of 4 "Nordic Elf" mugs. My note from Denise said to sit down and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while imagining snow gently falling! Wow! I am in a completely different frame of mind....Thankyou Denise! I don't know how you managed to pull this off with a new baby!

Two Special Birthdays

Today is the birthday of two very special people in my life! My mom and my husband share their December 8th birthday!

Scott is 46 today! Wow! How did we get to be, uh, middle aged?! He honestly only gets better with time! He is a sweet, loving husband and especially a wonderful Daddy to 3 lucky girls! Lindsay always says "Daddy, you are a good man!" She is exactly right! He makes breakfast every day and empties the dishwasher and makes the girls' lunches! He also takes Lindsay to school every day! She really prefers him to brush her teeth and tuck her in too! It is funny that when she needs ANYTHING and I offer to help, she usually says "Daddy will do it!"
He is so thoughtful. He leaves cards and flowers (and not just for me! I went to the bank one day and one of the tellers asked if I was Scott Luff's wife, I said yes, then she started to cry and showed me the beautiful roses he had brought to her that morning. It was her 30th anniversary and her husband had recently died. He had a conversation with her earlier that day and had come back with flowers! She was so touched by his kindness). He has been known to do other sweet things too! One of the best things about him is his big heart , he is so sweeet to all of us! I am thankful for this godly man that God so graciously gave to me! Happy Birthday, Scott! I love you!!

* Please pray for Scott, he is on his way to Dallas today to meet up with his brother to fly shoeboxes down to Mexico for Operation Christmas Child! Scott and Barry will be flying 2 of the 10 planes heading to Tampico, Mexico on Wednesday!! Poor Dottie, last time they flew together in a plane (only 1 plane to worry about) now they are each flying a plane...now she will be double worrying! I am excited that they have this opportunity to use their skills as pilots to deliver Christmas Joy to some very precious kids! He brought a camera, so I will post some pictures of the trip later.
* Scott and another pilot will be flying back to California after the trip, so, please keep him in your prayers next weekend as he excitedly brings home his own plane! (nice hand me down from his brother, huh?)

Happy Birthday to my Mom too! My parents come every summer to stay at camp (they have an apartment there). My dad actually works all summer fixing things and teaching some of the staff boys how to do various tasks around the 45 acres (there is ALWAYS something to do!)
My mom is a retired Kindergarten teacher....and a wonderful Grandma! She LOVES for Lindsay to come over (it is a short walk from our room to my mom's place during the summer while we are at camp). Lindsay does puzzles, plays dress up and bakes cookies all summer with Grandma Welms....so Lindsay HATES summer to be over and Grandma and Grandpa to go back to Phoenix! I am so thankful that my girls get to spend so much time with all 4 grandparents every summer! Wish my parents were closer year round though! Happy Birthday Mom! I love you!

Lindsay's School Pictures

Okay, remember a few posts ago when I said that someday maybe Lindsay would look at the camera and be smiling at the same time?(and I was a little sarcastic when I said that , maybe?) Well, take a look at what was in her backpack today when she got off the school bus!

Guess I was shown a thing or two!

(Jen Beaver..can you believe we were just talking about this TODAY in front of Old Navy while you were suppossed to be cleaning your house for Ashley's party? HaHa!) Too bad Lindsay hadn't had her hair cut yet, but who cares..Look at that PERFECT picture! (only little left eye wants to turn the wrong way!!)

A Special Playdate

When I was dating Scott in college, I flew from San Diego to Dallas to meet his family. There was sooo much going on at that house, people coming and going, extra football players showing up for dinner, his mom cooking for an army, and those southern accents!!
Well, I decided RIGHT THEN that I wanted a piece of that action! Only child that I am, I grew up in a very quiet, controlled environment...and The Luffs had a FUN life!
So, now you can understand what a BIG deal it was for me to be an Aunt! I would not have this opportunity from my side of the family, and I am so lucky I married a guy with 4 siblings!
Austin Jeffrey Luff is not the one who first gave me my "Aunt" status (that was Cooper...in Texas). Then came the other Texas "cousins", Hannah, Jackson, Averi and Brady-I adore them all! ( It just isn't even right to live so far away!)
Austin is my nephew that lives exactly 3 minutes from my house! :) (and to add a bonus he has a little brother,, Gavin). So THIS AUNTIE was so happy the night he was born, and I was there!
We invited Austin over for a play date yesterday, Lindsay LOVED having him all to herself until Anna came home from school. I basically was out of a job when she showed up! She is a wonderful babysitter (I guess all the years she has taken care of Lindsay has given her the skills she has! )


Lindsay said her favorite thing about Austin is that "He wuvs it when I hold him on my wap" I am not so sure that is a true statement, but he is so sweet to let her, and he even kisses her when she asks him to!)

Anna said "the best thing about our flight to Mexico was when Austin came to sit with me!" (Shae loved it too, and even shared her ipod with him).

While Beckie and I were admiring the new ornament she brought me, we noticed this pacifier hanging from the tree. Both of us instantly knew who put it there, and why.

You see, Anna is a "by the booker" as my husband likes to say, a rule follower, so she knows that Aunt Beckie has a pacifier rule.....and that means no pacifier until bedtime! Austin's Dad brought his blanket AND pacifier over when he came to dinner, and let Austin HAVE the pacifier!!??!!

Resourceful Anna was "on it" and distracted Austin with the train, and then slyly hung the sweet "ornament" on the tree. I kinda wish we hadn't found it last night, because it would still be hanging on my Christmas tree.

Initial Ornaments

These are absolutely the easiest ornaments to make if you are "craft challenged". You will need:

*ball ornaments
*various patterns of ribbon
*sharpies or paint pens

Just match the pen color to whatever ribbon you choose, write the name, initial or monogram and you are finished! We are making these to go in the "goodie buckets" for the volleyball party! I have done them for boys too...usr basketball or soccer ribbon!!

{I can't wait to show you my family room tree...see the shot gun shell lights, chili pepper lights and bandana??}

Snowman Ornament #1

Now girls, you CAN make these! Shae and I made them with Lindsay's special ed class...so I KNOW you can do it! (and I made them with the cousins on a windy day at the pool in Cabo!)

Here are the things you 'll need:
*1 package of white girl's " casual" socks (got mine at good ol Target).The smaller sizes tend to work best.

*1 package of same style socks as the white, but colored (a little bigger than the white would be best, but the same size works too.
*scissors
*small buttons
*a piece of fleece cut into "scarves"...this needs to be long enough to tie around his neck to "form" his head
*orange pipe cleaners
*a black sharpie
*embroidery floss or strong thread
*stuffing (the fluffy stuff in the bag)

Cut the "top" (folding down part) of the white sock off.
Stuff the "bottom" with the stuffing. make sure to fill well and make the bottom nice and fat. Using the embroidery floss tie off the top of the sock. Next, cut the top (folding down part) of the colored sock off- this will be his hat. Tie off the top of the hat like you did the body, then fold the bottom up slightly to make a "beanie".
Put the beanie on the snowman's head to cover where he is tied off. Next, tie the fleece scarf (we have used regular fabric in plaid for this part too...so whatever you have on hand), around where you think his neck is and tie gently, but tight enough to separate the head from the body.
Cut a small piece of pipe cleaner long enough to kind of force into his face (it will stay better if you make it long enough.) Draw on the face with a sharpie and glue on the buttons, you are done!
One last thing I do: using a needle and some embroidery floss, I loop thread through his head so it holds the hat on and makes a "loop hanger thingy" to hold him onto the tree!

Obviously you will have enough supplies to make 12 snowmen!

Snowman #2 coming in a day or so....my hubby has to help with this one..but don't feel bad for him, he did them every year that I was teaching, then again when my girls started school!! He is kinda "used to" my projects!!

Back to Reality

We are home from our week in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Reality has set in. There is a pile of laundry taunting me. There are hungry people here who think I am responsible to feed them!


This is where I wish I could spend another week...

The Villa Del Arco Resort and Spa
{ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh}




Check out our "sweet" suite! Two bedrooms and a full kitchen AND a washer and dryer!!

Shae and Aunt Laurie (Luff child #4, only girl) didn't waste any time hitting the pool!

Here is part of the crew on the way to go parasailing. (sorry, no pictures of that, gotta wait for Steph to send me the pics.)

Another highlight was the dolphin experience. Can you believe they are strong enough to pull big boys?

This is BEFORE Lindsay had figured out what this was all about!
(Shae, Aunt Beckie, Scott, Linds, Dottie (aka Grandma) and Gordon (aka Papa)

Cute picture..but WHERE is Lindsay? Clinging to me while I was keeping Gavin happy in his stroller so Beckie could enjoy the dolphins (Beckie is a HUGE animal fan...she was in HEAVEN!)

Let's try this again with Lindsay....at least she is in a picture with the dolphin! She was scared to death!!

Here is the reason we got to go on such a beautiful trip together.

These are Scott's parents, Gordon and Dottie Luff. They have been married 50 years! Their 4 sons and their wives and their 1 daughter along with the granchildren decided to plan the whole thing as a surprise. We all saved and saved and planned and planned. On August 15th, their anniversary, we presented them with the itinerary..........and boy were they surprised!!




Here is the whole clan! Eleven from California and ten from Dallas! We waited too long to take the picture...wish it was light enough to see the beautiful view!

Barry (second oldest) and Stephanie with Averi and Brady (our twins!)

Brian (third -middle-child) and Lisa with Cooper, Hannah and Jackson

Brad (youngest child) and Beckie with Austin and Gavin

Gavin is trying to decide if he likes Mexico........

Pool Fun!!

Sott (oldest ) and me (hee hee) with Shae, Lindsay and Anna

Table for 21 please!!! The food was delicious..we are all going to be dieting after this trip!

Shae and Hannah

Scott did this for hours! I don't know how he wasn't sore!!

Anna, Hannah, Cooper and Jackson had a BALL in the waves..they did bring loads of sand to our rooms inside their swimsuits though!

Cousins :)

Lindsay is no dummy. She kept a safe distance from the water! She has told me over and over that playing in the sand was the best part of the trip!

Papa taking Austin for a dip!

Oops..repeat picture!

Part of the California Luffs on the way home! We had a wonderful time just being together and hanging out by the pool, loving on each other's kids and visiting with nothing else to do but enjoy our time together. We are usually together for Thanksgiving in Dallas or in California, so it was fun being somewhere that no one had to cook or clean! (but I gotta tell you, there were NO.Mashed.Potatoes.)


The kids and I made some snowman ornaments that I will be posting directions for after I conquer my chores.....UGH! Like I said, back to reality....but I kinda like my reality so it's okay!