Sledding

There's an

awesomely-sized

golf course hill just

perfect for sledding.

We are going again

this weekend.

Ok, I am sorry

but there is nothing

cuter than a dad

with his children.

That hubby is

handsome!

Too cold

for one daughter...

Not cold enough

for the other. She

kept complaining

how hot she was.

My little snow

bunny loved it.

Yum

I asked Emma
what she was
doing in the middle
of the afternoon
in her bed and
she said she was
a caterpillar
wrapped up in a
cacoon.






Emma fell asleep
on me one night
during Horten
Hears a Who.
awwww











Nate found this
in our freezer.
An icicle put
away for a later
treat. Hailey
was the culprit.






My birthday card from Hailey:
"Dear Mom, We hope you have a great birthday! Are you turning 30? We love you. We love you to be our mom. We hope you like this present. Do you like this present?" :)












It was a great birthday. I had chocolates from friends, flowers from Nathan, and kisses, hugs, cards, and emails. What a perfect birthday. Tyler bore me his testimony for a present. What a kid. Nathan and I then went to tithing settlement and Benjamin Button. Good movie about aging, especially when turning 30! I surprisingly felt on top of the world and feel so "wise" and mature. I feel bad for all the 20-somethings. Such babies. Plus, 30 is the new 20 AND 40 is the new 20. (Depending on who says it.) So I suppose I am 18-19 for a few more decades. I asked Nathan if I look like a blushing 19-year old bride still, and he said, "Well, I would say you are in the mid 20's". Honesty. So over-rated. Anyway, Happy New Year!!

Christmas Mid-Morning 2008

Matching clothes.
(Just painted that
back wall. But that
is another post. I have
been busy with
the paint brush!)









New Makeup salon
and stick-on earrings.













New camera's from
G and G Eaton










Off to the friends
house to see what
they got for Christmas!

Christmas Morning 2008

A little out of order,
but waiting for the
go-ahead from Dad.













Yes this is how early
we woke up. 6:15,
still dark outside.











wheeeee!!!

1 day before Christmas

Trying to take a nap so
that Christmas Eve
will get here sooner.
They were so dang
excited. (The nap
didn't work, but
they did all sleep
in the same room.
Emma slept in the
changing table.)







Candlelight dinner










Chocolate covered
strawberries and
pizza. Same menu
every year.










Emma meticulously
covering her
gingerbread cookie
with tons of sprinkles.
And she was a naked
little Indian boy with
no shirt on all day.
I have no idea why.






This is how Mason
decorates cookies.

1 Week before Christmas

Party at Dad's house!
Carol and Dad spoiled
everyone rotten. And
all we gave in return
was a hole in the wall
and my library book
that I need back.
("Never Let Me Go".
Have you seen it?)



Love Uncle Kyle!




















A 1st attempt at
the Nativity Pageant.
No matter how old
Kyle gets I vote him
the donkey every year.

We had a family
"To Do" list the
last week which
incl: play Settlers,
play Heroscape,
make gingerbread
house/cookies,
go to movies,
make snowman,
have candlelight
dinner, listen to
the True Story of
Christmas", open
family presents. Yea for traditions.





Tyler and Hailey
are great at Catan.

Merry Christmas. My house is a mess.

Um, so the magic of snow has come and gone. I am ready for summer now.

*kidding.



*(When I say kidding I really mean I am not kidding.)

Some Hailey

New jammers

































This is what "old people"
do on a Friday night.
We stay home and enjoy
the "Vernal Fashion
Show Extravaganza".
(Nathan m.c.'d)










Work it baby.

I can't believe the difference.

I keep feeling giddiness. Like today as I left the library with 9 books that I have been waiting for for weeks. And then the other day when I caught myself wondering how to apply candy canes on my wrists so I can smell Christmas-y. I think back on last year when I was insanely miserable and vomiting day after day knowing at Christmas I have 2 months of sickness left. What a difference this holiday is. While this is my year to enjoy the season, I look around wondering if there are people miserable, lonely, sad, sick. I know they are there and I try to be aware and empathetic to others. I guess that is what trials do for us. Still, it is a merry happy day, and I am going to enjoy it. Off to watch Rudolph with Mason and Emma!

Finally!

My pantry is full, the wood pile is high and my Christmas presents are purchased and wrapped. The kids have been bummed because there has been no snow, (and so have I) but alas the forecast for the entire next week is white and fluffy. Finally. Let the wet floors and the breath-seeing magic begin!

funny stuff, and so forth...

Tyler's face all day on
fast Sunday. He said he
was really going to die
any second he was so
hungry.








So in order to stay
somewhat organized
while feeding my horde,
I use a white board in
the kitchen and plan
out a weeks worth
of dinners. Tyler erased
it all and wrote "angel
hair pasta, angel hair
pasta, angel hair pasta
and so forth."
Can you tell what his favorite food is?





What happens
when you can
only scoot
backwards?









One last story: Tyler is very aware of the "secret" of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, but he won't admit it and doesn't want to have "the talk". (Trying to stay a kid as long as he can). The other day he lost a tooth and as I was putting a dollar under his pillow, I found this note:

"Dear Tooth Fairy- I lost a tooth and dropped it. I'm sorry. Please give me at least $3.17. I believe in you."

Oh geez! (He got the money, along with a note that says , "Don't push it buddy".)

A night in the life of us.

As I was making dinner the

other night I decided to

go see what the family was

doing while they waited for

their chicken and rice. Ty

and Nathan were playing chess...

....and the girls were watching

themselves sing on t.v. ...

... and so I went and grabbed

Mason (on the floor in

the first picture) and he and I

went and talked about

Christmas. I realized this

is his first one.

We held a few presents-

and licked a few

ornaments. I love

that baby.

Thanksgiving started with...

...Stucki cousins all in a row...











...followed by Hailey and Tyler
arguing so I had them go ouside
and get their screams out before
coming in...















..which created calmness
and dress-up time...








...which we celebrated
with Jamie Rolls...













...topped off with nicely basted
Grandma Linda Turkey...















...and ending with Eaton
cousins all in row...








....a little bro time...

...and a walk with Grandma Eaton.

What a perfect holiday.