A Classic Shumway Christmas Dinner!

Christmas Dinner is always lots of work especially if you have to cook it all. It will be nice when we are with family so we can all share the hard work! :) Here is what a classic Shumway Christmas Dinner is:

Ham

Christmas Green Salad

Scalloped Potatoes

Ribbon Jello

This is our family and Susana a neighbor and ward member. We did the 12 days of Christmas to her and she came by to say thanks so we asked her to stay for dinner. The kids love her and she is great to be around.

Christmas!

On Christmas Eve we had the Woodard Family over for dinner and reading the Christmas story out of the scriptures. The kids loved dressing up and acting out their parts. It was fun to have a girl in the house to play Mary.

The boys got thermals, hats, and scarves for Christmas this year! They also toys and plenty of candy.

Here they are so excited to see what Santa brought them. Spencer and Zachary got basketballs, Rex got a horn for his bike, and Brandt got a ball and net game.

A Great Conversation with Zach

After school I usually sit down at the table and do homework with the kids. Right in the middle of writing his "j's" Zachary says very seriously "It is not nice to use the Lords name in Spain"! All I could do was smile but I really wanted to laugh out loud. But since he was so serious and I didn't want him to feel bad, all I could do was smile and say " You mean the Lords name in vain." Then he put his hands on his head and said "Oh..ja...I forgot...Lords name in VAIN!"

Oh what a cute kid!

A Message of Hope

On Sunday the Relief Society lesson was on Hope. I could not attend because I am in Primary and our very nice Relief Society president sent us this You Tube video that she used in her lesson. It is only two minutes and it is by Elder Utchdorf.

Switzerland

Close your eyes and think.....mmmmm......Swiss Alpine Milk Chocolate!

In Interlaken the boys wouldn't let us pass up a toy store. Too bad is was all really expensive. :( Brandt and me had to stay outside. He just doesn't understand the whole don't touch policies. :) But he was happy to play peek a boo with this brother through the window.

Switzerland

Lauterbrunen was beautiful!

The lower Swiss Alps.

Here we are going up in a gondola to the villages on the cliffs.

View from on top of the cliffs.

Switzerland

Staubach Waterfall. Europe's highest free falling waterfall.

Fun shops in Lauterbrunen.

The walk around Lauterbrunen Valley was a big hit with the kids. They love throwing rocks. :)

We took a hike into the snowy forest in Grindelwald.

Happy Halloween!

We had a great Halloween! Spencer was a transformer again, Zachary was Zoomer Flash (his own creative super hero), Rex was a dog, and Brandt was a penguin. It all started with a ward party at Aukamm and then trick or treating around Aukamm Housing. The kids got way too much candy but are loving it. :)

Spencer's Baptism

Spencer was baptized on October 11th. Just before it started I asked him if he was nervous. He said he wasn't because we swam so much in the Netherlands that he wasn't scared of the water. Then he said that we need to work with Zachary and get him ready. The baptismal service went really well. We had lots of ward members and other friends that we have met here in Germany. It was also fun to have Amy, Alan and Joshua here to share this special day with us. Spencer is a very special person. I am proud he made the right choice to be bapitzed.

Happy 8th Birthday Spencer!

Spencer has just turned 8! We had a fun birthday party for him. He invited four friends over and they had a great time. First they started with building towers with marshmallow and pretzel sticks. After they ate them put and it was a great after school snack. Then they went upstairs to the guest bedroom and had a Pokeman battle. Then we had two games. One was simple gifts wrapped multiple times and they each took turns unwrapping one layer. The person who unwrapped the last one got the gift. Then we played a dice and candy bar game. Then it was time to make there own pizzas. They loved customizing their own pizzas and they got creative. Next was presents and cake. Spencer has been into origami and one day we made rockets so that is what he wanted on his cake. They were just white so Spencer the Dad and I stayed up late the night before and painted them and put glitter on them. It wasn't the most attractive cake but it was just what Spencer wanted. I guess that is all that counts. Also every gift that Spencer got from his friends were Pokeman. I guess that is what boys do at age 8. Happy Birthday Spencer!

Soccer Again!

The boys are playing soccer again. It keeps us really busy in the evening but they really enjoy playing. Spencer is coaching Zach and Rex's team again. GO FIREBALLS!

Just so cute!

Brandt is such a good baby! I love having him so much! He is so curious and gets into everything. He is so cute! We love to squeeze him and give him kisses!

Back to School

I know I am really late at posting these pictures but I am now ready to update my blog. Here is Zachary's first day of Kindergarten! He was excited but still a bit nervous. He has the same teacher Mr. Kuntz that Spencer the Younger had. He is always happy to go to school and happy to do his homework when he gets home. :) He loves being big like his big brother Spencer!

Spencer the Younger started second grade and he is in Mrs. Bochow class. He is enjoying reading and is doing good at math.

Apples and Bees

Today Spencer the Younger's class had a apple picking day and they need some parents to go along.  It sounded like fun so I decide to join them.  We walked only one street from the elementary so it wasn't too far.  Rex and Brandt were excited to go.

As the kids started picking apples two girls got stung by bees.  I stayed back a bit and then decided to go help Spencer the Younger by holding his bag.  Immediately I was stung by two bees.  I totally freaked out because I didn't have my epi-pen on me.  Thank goodness my friend Kelly came on the field trip so I quickly told her that I had to run home and she watched the boys for me.  Our house was only two blocks away but I was panicking the whole way.  When I got home I quickly called Spencer and asked him to come home now!  Then I went upstairs to give myself a shot.  All I needed to do was jab my thigh with the pen but I just couldn't do it.  I kept telling myself that I could die and I better hurry and just do it.  I would count to three and then stop.  The thought of a needle going into my leg was just over the top.  Luckily Spencer came home fast and he did it for me.  It didn't hurt too bad but I still don't think I could do it myself.  I am glad that my breathing never slowed down and I didn't go into too much shock.  It has been many, many years since I have been stung.  I think I was about 12 or 13 when I found out that I was allergic.

This was my first time using the epi-pen.  Right after my leg went really stiff and sore.  My wrist, where the bees stung me, didn't swell up too bad until this evening.  Just as my leg got feeling better my wrist started to swell and itch.  I think the shot wore off.  Hopefully tonight it will get better instead of getting worse.  I just hope that I don't break out in hives tonight like I did when I was young.

It is amazing how a small little insect can create so much havoc.

The Beach, The Beach, The Beach!

We cannot get enough of the beach!  I guess if you live far away from a beach it is much more magical when you do get to play and soak up the sun!

I am glad I remembered the sunscreen.

Some liked to be buried in the sand.

Some did not.

And some did not have a choice what was done to them after they were buried.

Sunset on the North Sea

I have been dying to go see the sunset on the beach and we finally made it Thursday night.  Spencer had to get some work done so we put Brandt to bed and me and the boys went to the beach.  It was really fun and the boys loved all of the colors in the sunset.  The conversation was great!  We talked about dogs, creeping bugs, kissing girls, and Zach said he is going to marry me when he grows up.  Then Spencer the Younger reminded him that I was already married to dad.  :)  At least he loves me, right!

The boys have loved being here at the Kijkduinpark.  They are getting really good at riding their bikes, swimming, and they have loved just hanging around.  We are staying for another week because Spencer has more work to do at the contractor.  Spencer the Younger will miss his first week of second grade but that is okay, right?  We asked him to choose between going home to go to school or staying for another week.  It didn't take him long to decide. :)  Also Zachary is starting Kindergarten but his starts a week after everyone else so he will be right on time.

This trip has been really nice because it is actually a vacation for at least me and the boys.  Most places we go it is rush rush to see everything but this one is relaxing and do whatever we want.  I am glad we are staying an extra week!

Today we had a terrific day!  We woke up late, got Spencer off to work, played at a park, ate lunch, and after Brandt woke up from a nap we were off to the beach!  We stayed for three hours and enjoyed every minute of it.

We are staying at a resort right on the beach in The Hague, Netherlands.  But to be honest I have never really enjoyed the beach.  I'm not too big of a fan of the water, the sand gets everywhere, and worst of all I have to put on a bathing suit.  But today I just didn't care how I looked and I was bound and determined to have a good day with my boys.  We played in the sand and in the water and never once did I get stress out.  I will post some pictures when we get back.

Also this morning Spencer the Younger came running down saying there was a fox by the patio.  He said the fox was digging because he was trying to catch a mouse.  By the time we looked out the window he was gone.  But a few minutes later he came back.  I scared him because I got so excited so he was only around for a minute.  Spencer the Younger thought that was so cool.

Cactus vs. Chives

Tonight for dinner we are having baked potatoes, corn, and salad. So I asked Zachary to go into the backyard and cut me some of the long green spiky things. Well, he was upstairs and I called to him asking him what he was doing. He yelled down a bit distraught asking for Spencer help. Next thing I know he brought me down a bowl full of cut up cactus. I guess those are green spiky things outside on his balcony....but I don't think they will taste good on a baked potato.

Gotta love kids and the crazy things they do. :)

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

It was great timing to be in Utah for the Open House of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. We enjoyed taking the boys there and talking about eternal families inside the temple. They liked the baptismal font with the oxen.

A visit to Rex Lee's farm

In my parents ward in Malad is a guy named Rex Lee. When he heard my parents had a grandson Rex Lee he came over to meet him while we were there in Malad. Rex was a bit shy at first but warmed up pretty fast. We visited his farm and the kids loved it!

They loved gathering eggs. They also loved seeing the horses, sheep, and chickens.

He even let them walk like cattle on their way to get branded.

Here is Spencer getting branded.

The boys and Spencer hiked all the way to the top of hill. It is beautiful country.