Christmas Morning!

We had a wonderful Christmas! Here is a slide show of our Day! Santa got us a Wii! We all love it....not sure if the kids or the parents love it more! Then, Matthw and I gave the kids the games, and a few clothes! Games we got for the Wii were Legos Star Wars, Car Racing, Diego, High School Musical, Rock Band and Outdoor Adventure.

Christmas Eve Fun!

Christmas Eve Morning.....Matthew, Jared and Kayleigh made some peanut butter balls! Yummy!!!

Kayleigh was the chocolate tester!

*After that project, we went and played in the snow for a while. (pictures below)

*Our friends, the Gallups came over for Christmas Eve dinner....it was fun to have them, and especially fun to see their new little baby, Jaxon who was born on Sunday, Dec. 21 (I forgot to take pics of dinner.....I suggested that we all sit around the table again....but the kids were busy playing, and the other adults didn't seem to support my idea!)

*After Gallups left, the kids got busy writing notes to Santa, leaving cookies for Santa and carrotts for the reindeer, then we did our traditional sing by the tree, and talk about Jesus' birth, and Matthew read 'Twas the Night before Christmas.

It was a fun day full of excitement and anticipation!

More Snow Fun!

Are you getting tired of all of our snow pictures? This is what we have been up to for the last week....playing in the snow, drying the snow clothes in the dryer, and playing in the snow some more! I love it!!! The kids came up with a "snowboarding" game! They would ride the scooter down the driveway, and crash it into the snow!
Matthew made a snow tunnel for the kids....Jared and Kayleigh were able to fit in it!

Matthew, the shoveler!!! (I know he missed it last year!)

Our big snow man....not as big as my brother's 6 footer!

Kayleigh's New Dress

Kayleigh got a new dress for Christmas. She got to wear it today to church. Notice all of the shades of blue!!! She looked so pretty, and you could tell that she thought she was pretty, too! She kept "fixing" her dress so it would lay just so....and then she would cross her legs! She was quite the lady today!!!

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE......

.....AND HERE IS THE PROOF......

JARED ATE APPLES TODAY FOR LUNCH!!!!

(SO I PUT A LITTLE BIT OF CARAMEL SAUCE ON IT, BUT NOT MUCH....THIS IS A HUGE STEP FOR US!)

JESSICA AND KAYLEIGH THOUGHT I SHOULD TAKE A PICTURE OF THEM EATING THEIR APPLES, TOO!!

Fun in the Snow

We are enjoying our winter wonderland!!

Careful what you wish for!!!

Well, as you know, from my earlier posts this week, I have been wishing for a real snowfall.....I love snow, and if my kids are going to be home from school for a snow day, I want real snow! Well, we are getting it today!!! Don't get me wrong, I am VERY HAPPY to have a good snow storm....it is pretty....but, we were supposed to be driving out to Utah today for the 2 weeks of Christmas break....so, we are a little bummed at the timing of the snow.....the snow right here where we are at is not enough to keep us from driving, but the Gorge that we would have to drive through is in blizzard conditions, from what the news is saying....and will be until Tuesday, probably. So, we will be here in our cozy home with our family for Christmas....we will definitely watch the weather reports, and should there be clearing after Christmas, we will drive out there for the 2nd week.....With my cry story over, I will say that we have had a lot of fun playing in the snow....building snowmen, riding bikes (the kids), we walked to the school, and the kids had fun going down the snowy slides, and swinging on the swings....so, we are having fun! (except for Jessica....she threw up this afternoon....so, I guess it is a good thing we are not in the car together for 13 hours with a sick child!!)

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

(then I would understand why the kids are home from school for a 2nd day due to snow....yes, the roads are a little icy...but I have been in worse!!)
It didn't keep us from enjoying our day yesterday.....after I made the kids do some house cleaning....bathrooms and bedrooms, they went out and enjoyed the "snow"--

the kids managed a snowball fight!!!
they made snow angels

and pulled each other in the iced over wagon!

Yesterday was a lot of fun....today, however, everything is muddy, it is not as much fun to be outside, and the kids are bored!

Sleeping under the Christmas Tree

One of my favorite traditions that we have at Christmas time is sleeping under the Christmas tree. We order pizza, watch Christmas movie after Christmas movie, and we sleep in the family room next to the tree. I love it, the kids love it, Matthew loves it....it is just cozy, warm and fun. I will have to admit, that the past few years, Matthew and I have "bailed out" and eneded up in our bed after all the kids have fallen asleep. This year, however, I told the kids I would for sure stay with them.....I told Matthew he could go up to our bed, but, I was determined to staying by the tree all night. Well, we had watched all the movies for the night....around 11:00, we decided it was time to be falling asleep....Matthew went upstairs....only to be followed by Jessica and Jared.....Kayleigh was already asleep by the tree....but, I decided to carry her up to bed, and sleep in my own bed, too!! So, perhaps our tradition is changing a little....but, it was still a fun night!

Jessica makes baby blankets!!!

Jessica has completed her first Young Women Value Project.....Making baby blankets! Her teacher at school had twins, so Jessica decided she wanted to make baby blankets for them....she has spent a lot of time....she enjoyed some parts of the process, and other parts, not so much! But, they are done, and I am happy for her!! tying the blankets
a lesson from mom on how to use the sewing machine

Jessica sewing

The finished product!!!

The rest of the story....

So, today we get a phone call at 5:45 am (the school district has a new way they can call to let students know when school is cancelled, delayed, etc)....and, find out the kids had a 2 1/2 hour delay!!! Perhaps somewhere in our school boundaries there is a patch of ice on the road that would cause scary driving conditions for someone....but, the ice isn't on our street!---Kristen, is it on your street? Could you please go scrape that patch of ice next time so we can just get the kids to school!!!! Anyway, the kids are off to school....I hope they make it ok, and don't find the patch of ice along the way and fall and crack their head open,--- then all of this wouldn't seem so comical to me!!!

STILL NOT SEEING IT......

SNOW, THAT IS!!!

Today was our first Sunday on a 9:00 schedule!!! WOOOO HOOOOO! Anyway, as I was getting ready to teach my sunbeam class, we were told we are going home early (50 minutes early) due to the weather! As of now, it has snowed a TRACE (to be generous!).....I want to make it clear, I am not complaining, as this means that Matthew is home with us for the rest of the afternoon....we will get a cozy day around the tree, playing games as a family, etc. I am laughing a little....ok, a lot.....but, whatever!!! I am ready to see some real snow next week!!!

Pet Free

Well, we are now pet free!!! (well, not including 2 goldfish).....As you may remember, back in March, Matthew "compromised" his lack of wanting a pet, and let us get a cute rabbit.....after having him for a few months, I started realizing I just wasn't the pet person I thought I was.....the fur, the boxes around the house to block him from areas, the fact that he could care less about being held....we were just his means to get out of the cage to run around, but there was no true pet affection from him to us....sort of like I would imagine a dog would be....Cookie Dough just wasn't that type of a pet....and, well, when it came down to it, I realized he just wasn't for us! Jessica wasn't loving the cleaning and taking care of him, etc. So, I posted him to craigs list a few times, and never got any results from that. Jessica has a friend at school whos guinea pig just died, and she mentioned to Jessica that she thought she was going to get a rabbit to replace him....to which Jessica offered her Cookie Dough!! So, today, Jessica's friend came by, and brought him home! We are happy he will be in a home where he will be loved and well taken care of, and we are glad we don't need to figure out what to do with him over Christmas break!!

I was feeling a little concerned for Jared, because of all of us, he seemed to be the most connected.....Jared would come down every morning and have a "bunny chat"---so, Matthew went shopping, and took Kayleigh and Jared with him so they wouldn't be too sad....it ended up that they got home before Cookie Dough was gone....but, funny thing is, when it came down to it, Jared was not sad at all, until we threw the card board boxes away....he said he still wanted to use them for space ships!!!!

Biking with my hubby!

Sorry, no pictures for this post....

Matthew has had a few more day of vacation time that he has not used, and he either needs to "use them or lose them"....so, he took last Friday off, and again today off....he will take off one other day this week....but, the fun part is, last Friday after the kids went to school, Matthew and I loaded our bikes and the car, drove to some nearby waterfalls, and biked on a path that goes right by the waterfalls. It was gorgeous, and a lot of fun.....so much fun, that we decided to do it again today....this time, we waited for Kayleigh to get home, and we brought the bike trailer....I pulled her about 1/2 way (that was the up-hill, harder way, I might add!!!), and Matthew pulled her the rest of the way! Once again, it was sooooo much fun, so pretty....I just loved it! I asked Matthew if he could just do this everyday....who needs work????---Just kidding!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!!

I love this time of year....and here are a few reasons why.....
1) Decorating the Christmas tree! --- the kids putting up their new ornaments.

2) The finished tree! It is so cozy....and, I love the town around it!

3) I even love the "ornament clusters!" that my kids put up! You know, where all the ornaments they put up are right next to each other!!!----just a little side note....when I was growing up, every time we would decorate the tree, my mom would stay up late, moving the "ugly" ornaments to the back....confession, I think I sort of purposefully put the ugly ornaments up front, knowing she would move them....sorry, Mom!!!....anyway, I told myself I would NEVER move the ornaments.....sometimes, though....these clusters tempt me! But, I am enjoying the clusters one more year....it makes me smile.....and, that is what matters at this time of year!

(above) one of Jared's clusters for the year....his clusters come with a story....he said the golden balls were stairs for garfield santa to climb!

4) Count down to Christmas!....this year, Kayleigh and I made the chain!....she even helped me cut and staple....it was a fun project for us to do together!

5)Watching the anticipation, excitement and happiness of ALL my kids as they count how many days until Christmas!

I hope all of you are enjoying this Christmas season as much as we are!