merry christmas!

all I want for christmas

is...a JOB.
my mom does a great job collaborating with Santa every year,
and I don't think we ever really appreciate the effort it
takes to ask for, and then purchase

{8 christmas wish lists}.

I think it's the "Wish" part that always throws us off...so maybe that
is what prompts us to ask for exactly whatever
it is that we feel like asking for.

She always has encouraged dreaming. Also, please note the suck-ups in this family,
made obvious through their very "endearing" requests this year. No names included.

Andre'.

I also love how what everybody asks for speaks volumes of their personality.

For posterity, here is the Hutchens' kids 2010 "Wish-Lists":

JACLYN ANDERSON:

1. DYSON vacuum
2. yellow sheets/euro pillows
3. clothes for Ben
4. blu-ray player
5. clothes for Jaclyn
6. sunday socks for ben
7. sherlock holmes dvd
8. perfume for jaclyn (COACH Poppy, DKNY Pure, True Religion)
9. MAC gift certificate
10. tools for ben

ANDRE':

1. love at home
2. christmas spirit all year long
3. a sugar mama (I'll raise the hijos)
4. lots of snow
5. jeff and grandpa to visit
6. costco pack of capri suns
7. new pair of vans
8. clothes (jeans, plaid shirts)
9. blu-ray player
10. a job in provo

ROBBIE:

1. new cowboy hat
2. new cowboy boots
3. adobe photoshop
4. byu/texas clothes
5. jeans (straight-fit)
6. shirts
7. g's
8. TV
9. car stero, iPod transmitter
10. hats

ROXY:

1. black boots (or short brown furry uggs)
2. black lacy tights
3. vera bradley villager tote for traveling
4. juicy couture perfume
5. gift certificates - j.crew or banana
6. black purse
7. bare minerals makeup
8. wii
9. wal-mart or costco gift cards
10. dvd rack

HOLLY:

1. snowboard bindings
2. hard computer cover
3. light brown flat leather knee-high boots
4. season pass to the canyons
5. movies, money, iTunes gift cards
6. betsey johnson perfume
7. kitchenware
8. records, food gift cards, movie tickets
9. vacuum, best buy gift card
10. gift cards (makeup, clothes, target, wal-mart)

HUNTER:

1. iPod touch
2. iPod player for my car
3. red, yellow and green NEFFO beanie
4. long sleeve/thermal shirts
5. some sweet TOMS
6. new pair of basketball shorts
7. jump rope

SAMANTHA:

1. iTunes gift card
2. personal dance studio
3. iTouch
4. moonlight magic (book)
5. happy family
6. massage
7. barnes & noble gift card
8. 2011 calendar
9. a 'sam i am' shirt
10. surprise me!

CARMEN:

1. gmail
2. new nintendo DS
3. 2011 calendar (animal planet)
4. herbal essences (red raspberry)
5. barnes & noble gift card
6. dragon hunters (book)
7. celtics basketball shorts
8. art canvases
9. earphones
10. khaki pants

Santa Claus and my parents have been very busy this year.
I can't wait for tomorrow! the buddies are going to be so excited.



quote of the night: santa, take off your beard so I can see if you're uncle glen!

Merry Christmas everybody!

home for the holidays

I really love being home. Today, we had a perfect Christmas day,
including, Christmas shopping, and lunch with the girls.

Followed by, running errands with mom, and
card games with the family.

Carmen and I share a room now. Actually, I just don't have one.
So she is nice enough to share hers. We stay up late and share
facts like: did you know that emus and elephants can't walk backwards?
followed by: no. did you know that rhinoceros beetles are the strongest animals
in the world, because they can move 350 times their own body weight?

Yes, we are nerds, and share a bond of loving animals.
I love my little Mowgli.

I love our home always, but especially at Christmas. My mom
is so cute, and works so hard so that everything is just perfect
for her kids to come home.

she fancies her nutcrackers, I've counted at least 9. this one, is life sized.

and my most favorite room in the house! christmas tree, scripture reading,
game-playing, multi-functional fun place to be.

and Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a list. Elizabeth's includes some things
I probably should have asked for this year.
she's really got her head on straight.

my list only says: JOB.

Santa, seriously. Please.

You've got 2 days.

christmas miracles.

I have so many things to be grateful for all of the time, but most particularly this season. My life has been so blessed this year, and continue to be astounded by the Lord's tender mercies. Andre', Holly, and I drove from Provo to Reno right after finals (Andre' basically left from the testing center, barf.) We didn't leave for Reno until about 8:30pm, meaning we arrived around 4:30MST. Long. And awful. And heavy fog the whole way. The only ones missing for Christmas are Jaclyn & Ben.We typically have weather similar to Utah, but it has been super cold here recently! We arrived in Reno to about 2 feet of snow on the ground, and hasn't melted yet. It wasn't exactly a white Christmas by the time Christmas finally got here, more like a grayish-blue.

Since being home, we've done nothing but eat, sleep, shop, and watch movies. Even the 'rents stay up until 2am visiting and chatting with us. I love being at home with siblings. Carmen has gotten verrrry savvy with that DVR, and has taken the opportunity to DVR all of her favorite shows, including 6 episodes of TLC's Cake Boss recorded for us when we got home. Thank goodness. We watched those with her in a hurry.

A LOT OF SHOPPING.

We also went to go see the new movie Avatar (Andre', Holly, Hunter, Samantha, Carmen, and myself). Sort of like Fern Gully meets Dancing with Wolves meets Surrogates. So weird. And about 2 1/2 hours too long.

Robbie: this movie was NOT "epic".

But fun to watch anyway. I splurged on large popcorn and Diet Coke. Always tastes better at the movies. Tuesday night was Blindside, round 2. I loved it just as much the second time. And on a second note, Andre' thought it would be fun to have a "Harry Potter" marathon every night since we've been home. I'm not sure why everything turns into a marathon, but at least we know he can't do anything halfheartedly.


Christmas Eve dinner was supposed to be Thai, but they happened to be closed. We've postponed until New Year's. Instead, we had lobster, crab cakes, green beans, lion house rolls, and baked potatoes. So good.


On a last note, I LOVE being at home with family during the holidays. We are so blessed to have the home and room to have all of our family stay, as well as tacking on two more families of 4 and the missionaries this year. That brought the Christmas Joy total = 24. It wouldn't feel like Christmas unless it was a full house.

Back to Provo on the 5th...