A Birthday And A New Year Party

Sunday, December 30, 2012, was my sister Lauren's Birthday.  We went over to her house on Sunday for dinner and birthday cake.  The next day we went to Boondocks to celebrate her special day.  We had so much fun and are so glad she chose to include us in her celebration.

 We bowled a few games and played video games and ate pizza.

Aubrey won over 1,000 tickets from one of the games she played.  Oh the power and the joy that comes from having whatever you want behind the ticket redemption counter.  We came home with the most giant blue soccer ball and many many other semi-precious trinkets.

We played several games of laser tag.

And bowled some more

Sweet Aubrey

Not so sweet Aubrey

 Goofy Aubrey

Cute Aubrey

Lauren and my mom had already had their fill of Boondocks hours earlier.  When we got to the point that we all had pretty much had enough ourselves, Addy had a breakdown because she hadn't played in the play place yet.  So we all sat around and let her play for a while.

Emily got tired of waiting and she joined Addy.

It was New Years Eve so when we got home we had a little family party.  Steve and Addy made steaks.

Then we played some games and watched a movie.  We watched Forever Young.  You know, that way old movie that came out the year I graduated from high school with Mel Gibson where he gets frozen and then thaws out 50 years later.  Yeah.  So if you, like Steve and I, haven't seen that movie since it came out 20 years ago- be warned- there is a naked Mel Gibson booty silhouette when he first wakes up.  And if you show this movie to your innocent children, they will tell everyone they see that you made them watch a movie with a naked man in it.  I'm just sayin'.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAUREN AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE ELSE!

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Last Thursday it started snowing and it didn't stop.  It snowed non stop for a few days.  When looking at the weather forecast it said 100% chance of precipitation every single hour for 24 hours.  My children went to bed Thursday night praying for a snow day on Friday.  Their prayers were answered.  My phone rang at 6:00 AM with a recorded message saying school was indeed canceled.  Thank goodness!  I crawled back in bed and turned my alarm off.  My kids were a little shocked when they woke up on their own later that morning.  Once they realized why I hadn't woken them up for school they started celebrating.

Here is Steve during one of his many snow-blower passes on the driveway.  Within a few hours the driveway was completely covered again.

Zac and Aubrey and Addy built a snow fort.  

They stayed in here for hours and even took their luncheon in the fort.

When I went out to take pictures I saw that the 3 of them were in the fort and several feet behind them Emily was sitting against this bale of hay.  I told them they should be nice and let Emily in their shelter.  They said that there wasn't enough room.  I told them they could scoochie over and make room and they would stay warmer all bunched up.  Zac told me that they asked her to help them build the shelter and she instead chose to stay inside watching TV.  He said, "MOM!  That's a basic fundamental lesson on preparing!  We did the work and she stayed inside where it was warm and watched TV and now that she is outside and cold she wants to be in our shelter!  If we let her in she won't learn anything!"  I found it completely impossible to argue with that logic so I went back in the house where it was warm and left poor Emily leaning against her hay.

OK, I don't know why this child has her head buried in the snow.  I will say this though.  I have learned from this snow storm and my childrens desire to swim through the snow all day long, that my children are most certainly Utahans.  The blood that flows through their veins in not like my Texas blood.  They are cut out for things such as burying their head in the snow.  I am not.

Steve and the kids decided to pull out the 4 wheelers and have some fun.  I took pictures from the warmth of my house.

There is a bottom strip on that fencing that is a few feet off the ground that is completely covered up by the snow.

Aubrey knocked this huge icicle off the house.  I am glad she didn't break a window or better yet, her head in the process!

A few days ago I went to wake my kids up for school and found this cute owl sleeping on our deck.

The snow is still here.  I think it probably will be for a while.  We are having some pretty darn cold weather around here.  My street is still covered with snow a week later (Um, hello!  Snow plows?).  And my kids are still having fun in the snow.  We truly are walking in a winter wonderland!

Happy Birthday Gabe

So, I'm the picture lady. That's what they call me. I always have to take a picture. And I always have to share the pictures that I take. People who are around me the most are used to it. They make excuses to others on my behalf, "Sorry, this is just what she does." I think had I have known of this obsession in my earlier years, I would have become a photo journalist. 

I love giving pictures as gifts.  A picture holds a memory, and what better gift than a memory you can relive over and over again?  This year I have decided to make a picture slide show for all the members in my extended family for their Birthday.  Today my nephew Gabe, who lives in Dallas Texas, tuned 11. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABE!
If you can't see the video, click here.

Happy Birthday Karri

OK, I can't figure out how to post this thing on Facebook and make it work right.  So here.  I know this will work!
 Happy Birthday Karri!

If you can't see the video, click here.

2012 In Pictures

I think this was the first Christmas in 20 years that I didn't sent out Christmas cards. I just didn't get around to it this year. I personally blame it on the whole Eagle Scout project thing.  In lieu of a card, here is a video of our highlights from the past year. I'm warning you, it's long. Are you in it? If you spent any time with our family in 2012 there is a darn good chance you are!

From our family to yours, we hope you had a wonderful Christmas and we wish you all the best in this  brand spankin' new year!

If you can't see the video, click here.

Christmas 2012

Christmas Eve

 We started Christmas Eve morning off Hobbit style.  

That evening my mom and sister Lauren came over for dinner.  My mom made a delicious sweet pork taco dinner.  We ate and played games.

 And took pictures.

 And more pictures...

 Then we had our Christmas Eve program.  Zac read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

 Emily and Aubrey played a duet on the flute and the ipad piano.  

Then Emily played a Christmas medley on her flute.

 My mom shared some Christmas memories with us from when she was growing up.

 Then Steve read from the scriptures as the kids acted out the birth of Christ. 

 Here is Mary after the angel to her she would have a baby.

 The shepherd watching over her flock by night.

 The entire cast.

 Lauren signed Silent Night while we all sang.

 Then we opened our Christmas PJs and got all cozy.  My mom and Lauren gave the kids these awesome pillows that light up.

 Christmas Morning

Above: The kids trying out their new stuff.  Below: Lauren and my mom came over for Christmas dinner.  The girls played Just Dance 4.

 Eating our gingerbread houses.  So much for all that hard work.

 This is a big old cake.  I'm just sayin'.  It was good.  

We still have some if you want to come over for a slice.   Or two.

I think one of the favorite presents for the girls is this Lego Lord of the Rings game.  I had never heard of it and didn't plan on buying it, but when I was at the store I heard a lot of people talking about it and they were all buying it and I buckled under the peer pressure and bought it too.  Emily and Aubrey finished the whole game in two days.

This is one of my favorite presents I bought.  Emily loves the "Keep Calm" thing and the whole mustache craze that has taken teenagers by storm.  So when I saw this shirt I knew she had to have it.  And the pants. I love the pants.  I don't get out much.  So imagine my surprise when I went to the mall for the first time in like a year and found all these floral pants that I would have worn when I was Emily's age.

Our Christmas was wonderful.  It was a time to spend with those we love the most.  And a time to reflect on our Savior and greatest gift that He has given us.  How thankful I am for my testimony of Jesus Christ.  I know that He lives.  I know that he loves me.  I know that he died for me.  I know that through the gospel of Jesus Christ that is restored on the earth today, that my family has the potential to be together forever.  What a great blessing the gospel of Christ is in my life.  I can't imagine life with out it.  I can't imagine raising my children in this world today with out it.

Steve and I had some fun things planned for the week between Christmas and New Years.  But 3 out of our 4 children have been sick.  I was a little disappointed at first, but this has turned out to be such a nice week.  It has been just our family and we have all been at home together.  Steve hasn't had to work.  We have stayed in our pajamas most days (I really should peel the Christmas PJs off everyone and run them through a wash cycle).  It really has been lovely just spending time together with nothing pressing to do, nothing to worry about.