Little Giggle Moments

 A few things to keep us smiling:

Lucy quotes--"I don't want to sleep in Maddie's room, she smells like hair and cheeks." or "You smell like jewlery."  "When I see those hives on Jane, it makes my hips hurt."

 43 pictures of Spencer using a new selfie stick he got free at the Jazz game this weekend :). 

 Jane being SO excited...about bubbles, the fire (HOT!), Nursery (cannot calm down until she's there), stories (over and over and over), about Grandma and Grandpa visiting (Where Gama?! Where Gama!?), and even getting her haircut!

AND, Jane's independence!! She was a little too impatient to wait for her bath, and climbed in (and SPLASHED!!) with her clothes on last night!!

Anne's Baptism Day

Such a great day yesterday celebrating Anne's baptism! Snow fell like Heaven was cheering for her, and we were grateful for family braving the travel to be with us! Since Brent is just old enough, he got to baptize Anne, and Brian confirmed her.  We enjoyed a great talk from Brian's Dad on the 4th Article of Faith and likening the Liahona to the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  Emily got to lead the music, and Maddie played.  There were 3 girls from the stake all being baptized, and we were the last group, getting to hear testimonies from our Bishop Suchan, Primary Leader Sister Brown, Maddie, and Mom after she was confirmed.  Anne's sweet Primary class all came together too.  We came home and enjoyed crepes and family time, a visit from Missionary Grandma M (and opening her "Comforter" quilt) and then going swimming/to the gym w/ G&G! Special day for a special girl!

 

New Fears, New Years

Maddie & Emily started off the morning of Dec 31 to visit friends/cousins in Syracuse for the day, and 45 minutes after they left, I got a call from Emily using Maddie's phone saying, "We're all right; we were in an accident on the freeway with a semi, but we didn't get hurt, and the car's not too bad, and the police are here now..."

I drove down to Ogden where they were, and Brian came from work as well.  A semi had just caught their right corner as it was passing them from behind (following way to close), and set them in a spin, across another lane of traffic before they ran into the median w/ the front bumper.  The truck kept driving, so we got no info there, and it turns out our little Honda was totaled due to the rear damage + front bumper impact.  They were pretty shaken up, but THANKFULLY, they really were FINE!!! A little sore the next day, but able to continue their visits, and handle things really well.  After getting all of that taken care of, I came home, LOVING the sounds of all my children--even Anne's whining or Jane's screaming--my perspective was really shifted! SO GRATEFUL they were so watched over in such a recipe for disaster.  

That night we enjoyed a fancy schmancy buffet Dinner @ Logan Marriott w/ 2 darling couples in the ward who invited us for their tradition--I can't get enough of good people, and Brent went to the Youth Dance w/o his sisters (still in Syracuse) while Spencer partied w/ his little sisters until we got home :).

Not a real fear, but Spencer started NEW Basketball this year, and he's having a real blast.  He's quite a hustler, and scored the first shot AND 1/3 of the points in his last game!!

Spencer w/ ball

Spencer w/ ball

Brent's entering the NEW world of dating, getting invited to Girls Choice by creative friends: (and hilariously, by a 2nd cousin--one of Kurt's granddaughters--way to make us feel like we've really "

Gone Country"!--all good friends though--he assures us there's not anything to worry about w/ awkward family reunions, etc.)

In between putting our new snow blower to (REALLY) good use w/ SO MUCH SNOWING, we've helped w/ Temple Cleaning, gone to Book Club, Ward Temple Night, Bridal Showers, library storytimes, taught Relief Society mini-classes, subbed in Primary, worked HARD on the basement--clearing out sheetrock messes, painting and painting and painting, then supporting Brian tiling the bathroom!, 

AND celebrated our two January Birthdays (we now have to include "Happy Birthday in our Lullaby rotation since it is Jane's FAVORITE song, and makes us sing it w/ EVERYone's name when tired!)

 We had a family lunch @ McDonald's per Anne's request on Saturday, then came home for her Chocolate Coconut Cream Bars for dessert and presents.  We did her birthday dinner today (Sunday) since we had Ward Temple Night last night, of Macaroni & Cheese :).  Happy Girl to be turning 8,--her favorite number! She is SO excited to be baptized!!

Birthday Lunch @ McDonald's

Christmas 2015

 A little snapshot of our Christmas Celebration.  We may have had real life bits like a pouting stand off with Dad and Brent, last minute pajamas that were too small, and dry turkey meat, but there was also enough joy to outweigh any fuss.  Emily had organized (while we had been at ward choir practices) a sweet musical program after our Christmas Eve Dinner that all the children sang/played in.  We feasted on ham, turkey, sides, and Gingerbread Toffee Trifle, w/ Dad's Cranberry and Tonic Water to drink.  After the music (programs had even been printed!), we acted out the Nativity, and then everyone opened up new pajamas.  It was a pretty late night, as Brian miraculously spruced up a hand-me-down play Kitchen we had been given (THAT day!!--I wasn't sure when it would be dropped off, but when it came in time, we had to try!), and then collapsed in a bad headache while I finished up other preparations myself (not an easy one person job!).  I love that feeling on Christmas Eve though, knowing there's NOTHING more to worry about for days, while we just cuddle together as a family for a great while :). 

Christmas Morning was lovely and relaxing--we tried baked eggs in cream with our Cinnamon rolls and stocking cereal (YUMM!), and otherwise grazed on leftovers and played games and relaxed.  We had been SO dumped on with snow all month, that it was a very White Christmas, even without fresh snow.  (Thank Goodness for that Snow Blower this year!!!).  The older kids were content with clothes (and a rubix cube/ sketch pad), Spencer has made many cool Snap Circuit creations, and become a pogo stick pro, the little girls (especially Jane) have LOVED the play kitchen and Loving Family dolls, and we were excited to get an outdoor fire pit and pool membership from grandparents! We've gone swimming almost every weekend at our nearby Natatorium, and I'm even trying to get better at doing laps in the morning! We've also become pretty addicted to the card game "Cover Your Assets."  It was a cozy fun year to be together and healthy and so relaxed!

Lucy, Maddie, Anne, Brian, Spencer (snorkeling)