Our Christmas

What a fun Christmas we had...probably because the two older boys are all old enough to understand the true meaning and the two younger are old enough to understand Santa. My Visiting Teacher brought me this great folder filled with stories you read every night. It has a scripture and song to go with it. We didn't know words to a lot of the songs so Greg and Hunter just whistled. It was fun.

Thursday night, we went over to some friends and had a fun night. We played a few games, and then read the famous story from the Bible with a song after each one. It's so much fun to share the season with dear friends (especially since we haven't been with our own families for the past six Christmas's). Thanks for the fun, Bobbi!

On Friday we went sledding with a few families. It was below zero, but I love to sled and so do my kids. Greg loves it to, he just wishes there was a lift to take you to the top of the hill. We had hot chocolate and then headed over to the Newell's for soup and rolls. The kids decorated Christmas cookies for santa and then we went home and watched some Christmas movies with the kids.

We went to bed around 11:30pm and set our alarm for 12:30 to make sure santa got everything just right. It felt like we had just gotten back to sleep when Austin is waking us up at 4:30am! He had gotten up around 3am and couldn't wait any longer (Greg is the same). Greg woke us all up and we opened presents and EVERYONE was back to bed by 6am. Hunter didn't even enjoy opening presents because he was so tired. We had a really fulfilled day on Christmas as well. Our friends, skinners, invited us over for Christmas breakfast. It was something that we used to do when we first moved to Alaska but then the tradition changed as we moved farther away and they had family move into town. Our kids enjoy each other and I was happy to spend some time with them. Then we headed over to our neighbors, the Russell's, and had a very yummy Christmas dinner with a few other families. We love all our dear friends and were so happy to spend time with you all!

Most of us were fast asleep...


Except this child. Greg took this picture before he took a picture of all the rest of us asleep.






Our family gift. We got this professional air hockey table for a steal! It was last year's model and they priced it way too high. So they slashed the price by 50%, but the store manager said, not good enough slash ANOTHER 40% off. So we got it for super cheap...thank goodness for last minute shopping, that's when we usually find the best deals!

Ryder and Peyton have not stopped playing with this batman cave! Santa knew they'd love it, since they have played with it at the store for the past year!
Alternative to banana chairs...easier to move to different rooms!

I felt spoiled this year. I kinda knew what I was going to get this year...only because Greg took the twins shopping with him and they handed me an Allen & Peterson card. I got some new cookware, which is more of a need. My pots are falling apart from the handles to the bottoms. But this new cookware should last me a lifetime!

He also got me new bedding, which I was with him when he said we should get it, but then he changed his mind.

But the best gift of all was a new wedding ring!!!!!! I was totally surprised by that. I had lost my ring a few months ago. I wear that thing all the time and in the 13 years that we have been married I have never misplaced it...Greg's dad had hidden it from me once and I thought I had lost it, but I usually knew where it was. I even took my sink apart and found nothing but a missing earring.

I thought I had gotten all my gifts until later Christmas morning Hunter says, hey I never saw this gift hidden in the tree. It was a little box...so I thought it was from Hunter...something he made for me at school. I wasn't going to open it because when I looked closer I could tell it was wrapped by a jewelry store. He convinced me that I needed to open it. So I did...and to my surprise it was a new wedding ring! Greg had planned this whole last part. He was on the phone with his dad and wanted hunter to give me the gift so it would be a surprise. I cried! What a sweet man I am married to!! My ring is a big deal. I know you are still married without it...but for the last few months I have felt really sad without it. I love tulips and so he found one that has three diamonds that look like they are in tulips! He said he has been looking since I lost mine. It was such a surprise and I love it!!

Merry Christmas!!

I try to get pictures in front of our tree every year, usually the Sunday before Christmas...that way we are already in our Christmas clothes. We didn't have enough time to do it before church and so we did it after. The boys were so not wanting to cooperate. But we did get a great picture with everyone smiling, but the picture is a little blurry. Oh well, it will have to do since there is no way I will get cooperation for another one.



Just showing how beautiful the winter wonderland is here (view from my bedroom...reason we built where we did). It just keeps snowing and snowing. Great for sledding!
Two years ago Hunter was coming down the stairs and knocked my beautiful Jesus picture off the landing. It broke in pieces and I just never got it fixed. My dear friend Robyn surprised me by getting it re-framed. We had them stay with us while they were waiting for their house to be finished and she wanted to do something nice in return. It turned out beautiful!!

Hawaii Happiness!

Our trip started by surprising the boys that they were going with us. They thought that only mom and dad were going...again...by themselves. So when we checked them out of school and asked if they wanted to go with us, they were so excited!!

We went with some of our favorite people, the Mason's and the Coomb's. Although we didn't see the Coombs as much as we would've liked to. The Mason's stayed with us in the house and so we had a lot of fun...especially because the twins love their daughter's Abbi and Kenny. They were troopers, Bobbi is sick all day with morning sickness and Rizz hurt his back before we went, so he couldn't lift anything...not even the kids. But they kept up with anything that we wanted to do.

I have so, so, so, many pictures (and they are all way out of order)...but that's because we had the best time ever and we were on the go all the time. What a great vacation!!

Had to get a family picture in.

Boys acting like monkeys in the tree...Ryder really wanted a banana!

Look at those muscle men, off to board in Waiop'io Valley. Rizz, Hunt, Greg

Beautiful view of Hawi...we hiked down to the beach, not to play in water, but in forest of trees and swing on ropes.

Bobbi, Kenny and Rizz at Lua'a last night.

Ryder & Peyton in Hawi

True love! They were like this alot!! Abbi & Peyton

Thanksgiving Day. Melinda, Bobbi, Cathie, and Christy (cathie's sister)

Our non-tradiditonal Thanksgiving dinner. Took ham and turkey to beach with rolls and pie...it was great and so much fun to spend it with the mason's and coomb's!

We saw a little sign off one of the dirt roads and of course greg, hunter and austin had to check it out. It was this cool little place to swim, close to one of the beaches we had just been to.

Sea turtle sun bathing.

Greg's sand skills: Austin as merman

Again Greg's sand skills: Peyton as mermaid.

Always flexing those muscle's. Getting ready to board at Waiop'io valley. Awesome black sand beach that you have to 4-wheel drive down to.

Melinda and Ryder at Lua'a. Ryder's been funny with his smiles, but look at that sunset!

Rizz & Greg at Lua'a

Beautiful sunset at the Marriott where we were at Lua'a

Hunter got chose to dance at the Lua'a. Shake those hips, Hunt!

Ryder just hanging around! (kona house)

Hunt on paddle board at the Hilton...great man/sea made area for us to play in.

Greg, Peyton, & Ryder on paddle board. Those things are hard to balance on...can you imagine the local's that are out on the real waves.

Peyton watching the dolphins at the Hilton.

Regular occurance...at least one of the twins peeing somewhere...ususally where they shouldn't be.

All my guys practicing their budda pose at the Hilton.

We bought nine throws at the guy in the tank and I got him with the last throw! This was downtown Kona. They close off the main street every third sunday and have vendors everywhere.

Greg did NOT hit the target.

Hunter did NOT hit the target. Only mom!

We stopped at a park for lunch and Hunter saw the local's playing football and was itching to join in...he doesn't stand out, right?

Abbi & Peyton...so cute!

At history site...lot's of lava and sooo hot. Lot's of red faces after this visit!

Hunter pretending to torment Aust. Usually he's not pretending!!

Kids playing ancient board game...something like checkers.

Greg's sand shark

Greg & Hunt admiring the end result...what a great sand artist greg is!!

We went to Mauna Kea beach one of the days...one of the best beaches in Kona and you have to have a permit to get into because it's behind a hotel. Hunter and I went out snorkeling and it was lot's of fun!

Bobbi and Rizz first day on beach (Hapuna beach)...hang loose!

Austy with snorkel mask ready for a swim.

Ryder and Austin checking out the beautiful flowers.

Austin playing in sand. He really likes playing in the sand...I think more than the twins.