Christmas 2010......

Santa came through...  with one present each this year!  That was the deal I made with the big guy.  My kids were told that they were using, "Santa paid for it so I don't need to take care of it..." excuse a little too much and I needed leverage....and it has worked.

Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa Jensen's

As always, Santa does not disappoint in our house....but this year.....  Mommy and Daddy get credit for everything but the Razor Drifter's and Jax's new bike........  and while Santa came through with flying colors,

I think Mommy and Daddy surprised each of the crumb snatchers, as well!!!

I am sure they were excited to wake up to this spread!!!! 

CRAZY SANTA?  NOPE JUST A MOMMY WHO LOVES CHRISTMAS!

It scares me how fast this little guy mastered the, "drifting!"

There will be no drivers license in his future!!!!

Jax's new Neon for his bedroom!!!!

I finally get to wear my boyfriend's jersey!!!!!    HUGE SURPRISE!!!!

This has become the,  "favorite book,"  in our house!!!!!

A must read for anyone with January babies that are athletes or anyone who likes numbers! 

Jax's new basketball hoop!  This baby has gotten a lot of use already!!!!!

The biggest present of them all...... It was stamped

 "FRAGILE" & "OPEN ME LAST" 

This is typical for giant presents in our house.  Inside were three very small individually wrapped gifts for each little one!! 

Jax & Brinkley got new i POD i-Touches (Brinkley actually asked for an i-Pad and I got a huge laugh out of that one!!!!) and Justice got a Nintendo DSi XL.  I regretted not making the investment into the 3rd i-Touch...  but Justice is just too little .... and having a brother and sister that actually let him play on theirs has been just as good!!!!!

Daddy finally got his very, sought after "45#" rubber bumper plates!!!!!

The new DSi XL..... I am debating putting the internet on this one as well......   

Christmas lasted for 3 days around here.

Family and friends coming over everyday had the littles jumping for joy.

  It was so much fun.    

And we wouldn't have it any other way!!!  

Railroad Park

With one night off from task force we decided to head out to Railroad park to attempt a Christmas photo with Santa and a train ride with the kids.  Well, you know how that goes......  one little schmuck wanted no part in posing for pictures, some of the lights were not working on the train ride..... but we made the best of it...  and Santa was overly cool about us taking pictures with our own camera inside the train.

SHOP WITH A COP

This year I took on yet another task.  It is called the, "907 Group" through the POSA organization through the Scottsdale Police Department. I don't often advertise the things I do outside of our family or neighborhood to others.  This one I kept to myself for quite awhile.  I was even shocked when Tommy decided to get his a few guys from his squad involved.

The 907 club takes children from families of fallen and injured officers from around the state of AZ shopping for Christmas.  They are escorted by officers from agencies as a way to show families that they are still part of the law enforcement family.  In a way I think it was a form of healing for me as well.  My kids learned a valuable lesson this day.  I think they were shocked to see so many children at one time or another kissed their mom or dad goodbye for the day or night, and they never came home again.  Thankfully I only had to coordinate about 15 children to shop for my group.

When all was said and done, over 257 children went shopping, and over $47,000 was spent in just a few short hours....  and I was pretty darn tired!!

Eve

This year we were lucky, again.  Tommy's mid year transfer to the DUI squad pretty much ensured that he would be off for the Christmas holiday as long as there were no call outs. There were none.....and we got to spend Christmas eve with his Dad and Step mom with no worries.  The kids had a blast.  In the end, they were completely exhausted from spending three days before Christmas, away from home.  I needed a break from them and had to finish my last minute shopping, wrapping and organizing, so it was no surprise to me that they were absolutely ready for bed by 8pm on Christmas Eve.   Which was ompletely fine by Mom!!!

Besides....  Santa had his (or her) work cut out for him..........