Merry Christmas!!

I know I posted this last year, but this is my all time favorite.

Ward Christmas Party...

This morning was our wards christmas party. After breakfast there was a puppet show that the kids loved, and then of course...Santa.

Abbey asked for an her own personal elf.

Quincy asked for a video camera.

Owen asked for legos.


Jake wanted nothing to do with any of it...except for the food.

Welcome Home!!

This afternoon my parents returned home from their second mission. They served for 18 months in the Perth, Australia Mission. I have been thinking about them all day and am a little sad that I won't get to see them for a little while. But it is nice to know that they are home now and that we will be able to see them the next time we go to Utah.

I am so proud of them for the sacrifices they made to serve a mission and what a great example they are for me.

Thanksgiving recap...

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend. We had Thanksgiving dinner at my in-laws house which was really nice to not have to cook the turkey. Peter's brother Ryan and his boys were able to come down for the weekend and the kids had so much fun together. My poor girls were a little out-numbered because their chatwin girl cousins weren't able to come down, so it was 2 girls with 10 boys. It was so nice to have a few days of just focusing on spending time with family. The only problem is, I didn't take one picture...not one! So sad!

I did decide to take the kids out after church today and try and take some decent pictures of them. My kids were so good and cooperative with me, the only problem is we waited too late and the sun was too low. The shadows were so strong, but I did get one of the kids that I kind of liked.

We are planning on taking a few family pictures on saturday so hopefully we will get out at a better time of day.

random pictures...

I haven't taken many pictures in the last little while, but this is what I have.

Owen's hair was getting super long and shaggy so I cut it this morning before school. He likes his hair cut, but didn't want his picture taken.

Quincy and Owen playing together a few weeks ago...Two-Headed Monster!!

Abbey at a soccer game. Tomorrow is the last game of the season. I'm looking forward to relaxing again on saturday mornings.

Happy Halloween!!

Pumpkin Carving.

Monday night (FHE) we carved pumpkins. Peter and I helped the boys and the girls did their own. They had lots of fun making them.

2 tags..

I've been tagged (a couple of times I think) here is the first one.

Post the 4th Picture in the 4th Picture folder and tell about it.

This picture (not very good) was taken at my nephew's futsol (different kind of indoor soccer) game. I actually have 2 nephew that were playing, Haden is the blurry one running and Michael I don't think is in this particular picture. I went to Utah for a few days in January (just me) to visit my family. I froze my butt off cause I think the highest it got was 15 degrees the whole trip! I forze at this game too cause it is played at the peaks ice arena so they have to keep it cold for the hockey ice. It was a fun trip and a much needed break from everyday life. I really do enjoy hanging out with my family and that is the hardest part about living so far away from everyone.

Next tag..

In no particular order.........

8 favorite T.V. Shows

1- The Amazing Race

2- Survivor

3- The biggest loser

4- The Office

5- Grey's Anatomy

6- Chuck (Hilarious!)

7- How I Met Your Mother

8- Samantha Who

8 Favorite Restaurants

1- Olive Garden (For some reason the one in Las Vegas tastes the best!!) So true Janna :)

2- Bubba Gump Shrimp (Weird cause I hate seafood-ate a chicken sandwich! I've only eaten there once and can't stop thinking about it - it's in California)

3- Outback Steakhouse

4- Texas Roadhouse

5- Chili's

6- Casa Del Rey (Grantsville)

7- China Lily

8- PF Changs

8 Things that happened yesterday

1-woke up

2-got kids ready for school

3-family devotional (just started it)

4-ran 3 miles-very slowly

5-took a shower

6-vacuumed out my van

7-went with YW to the temple to do baptisms

8- took the non member girl to the visitor center to watch the Joseph Smith movie while the girls were inside temple. (Really good movie, let's just say that it makes my trials seem like almost nothing)

8 Things I look Forward to

1-St George weekend with my hubby. not till jan. though

2-Weekends

3-pedicure - I need one bad

4-my built it babysitter to come of age (we are almost there!)

5-Summer -even down here

6-My parents coming home from their mission - not that I will see them right away.

7-Girls trip - we really need to start planning one.

8-Holidays

8 Things I LOVE about Fall

1- cooler weather (you know like 80's and 90's)

2- Kids back in school.

3- Thanksgiving

4- Pumpkin bread, muffins, cookies

5- Hot chocolate - they might actually start carrying it at restaurants now.

6- carmel corn

7- Trick or treating in the nice weather

8- Letting my kids play outside again.

8 Things on my Wishlist

1-No debt

2- Huge Budget

3- Vacation every month

4- Guitar Hero World Tour Band Kit

5- Digital SLR Camera

6- Huge Savings Account

7- My house to magically have a basement!!

8- To get back to my married weight

8 People I Tag...

8 People who read my blog and hasn't done this tag yet!

Seriously, either tag. :)

my little troublemaker...

Owen brought this paper home and told me that I needed to fill it out so he could bring it back and get a prize or something. So I read the paper and turns out they are learning about helping others. On the bottom half of the paper there is a chart where you check off each day when you help someone. I tried to explain to him that this will take a week to complete and then I will sign it and send it with him. So I gave had him help me with something, checked off wednesday and told him to put it on the fridge. I walked by the fridge just a minute ago and this is what I found.

Apparently this process is moving too slow for him....notice the parent signature line!! You might want to click on the picture to see the full size image.

Wish me luck with this kid when he gets to high school!!

4th post today...

Here is what Abbey's hair looked like yesterday when she went to school. She now wants a perm and I am tempted...

Zion National Park

Peter's family planned a get together at Zion National Park while his brother (currently serving overseas with the utah national guard) was home on his 2 week leave. My sister in law was able to find a really nice cabin that the whole family could fit in. This cabin was so perfect. It was completely kid friendly with a playhouse and stuff in the backyard as well as an awesome little play kitchen room under the stairs that Jake loved. I totally forgot to take pictures while we were at the cabin but here are a "few" from the 2 days of hikes. We went on all family friendly hikes and the kids really did well. I really can't wait till we get to go back to Zions.

Peter's Parents and baby Jillian

My silly boys

Owen and Jake


Haley and Quincy

Owen and McKaden

The Brothers and The Dad

(Ryan, Peter, John, Scott and in front Alan)

My Family

Jake was so tired.

Probably from all the playing while hiking!

Scott and his baby Jillian

Peter and Jake

Climbing the rocks at the upper Emerald Pool.

My kids.

My family again.

It really was a fun vacation.

Verde Canyon Railroad

Peter's work gave him a gift certificate to the verde canyon railroad so we decided to use on our way up to Zion's. The kids were so excited to go on a little train ride and so were we. Until about 5 minutes into we were done and realized that it is a 4 hour ride! SOOOOOOOO LONG!! The kids were really good the whole time, didn't complain much at all. The scenery and nature was supposed to be so beautiful but it wasn't anything different than driving up through Arizona and Utah. There was an open air car that we were able to go out on which was nice.

FHE - Halloween Haunted House

Last monday the kids and I made this haunted gingerbread house for FHE. The kids really had lots of fun and now can't wait for christmas-time so they can each make their own gingerbread house.