Christmas was wonderful, full of family and the spirit of love and giving! The kids were spoiled, each getting their wish, even Alison and her 3 lb chocolate bar! CarliAnn was so cute in the morning, when we went out to see the stockings and one present each from santa, all the kids were excited, and Carli got in on it too yelling "Saaaaaannnnttttaaaaaaa!" and then again when we helped her open her present she yelled "Baaaaaaaabbbbbbyyyyy"!! Very cute! Tyler was excited for everything he got and also yelled out each item including when he open his stocking he yelled "Santa brought me an apple!!!!!!" what a fun time with the kids, and they loved giving us presents the best were the calandar Alison made for daddy at school, and the Christmas card they picked out for me that even had changing colored lights on a tree. Tyler also made a very precious ornament for the tree, I just love the homemade ones with the kids pictures on them.

We even got to run over to my parents and talk to Elder North, the kids at the house he was calling from insisted on Elder not Karl! He sounds great, and alot like Kenn.

Above is a digiscrap page I made of our traditional nativity with most of the grandkids, I handed the camera over to my sister in law and got tons of great pics! even a few candid shots of Jarin and I, I never get them of myself.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!!

Ginger Bread Houses

Isn't this sweet? Tonight we invtied Jarin's sister and family over to make candy houses and had lots of fun! Alison made a manger, she had it planned out earlier in the day. Complete with Shepards, and candy cane canes, Mary is the red gumdrops, Joseph the green ones and the three chocolates are the wise men gifts. She used yellow marshmellows to make a star and even used white cotton candy for the ground snow. ( I did tell her that he was born in April but it is snowy outside now and now is when we celebrate!) She later told us she made ot to help herself remember why we celebrate Christmas!

Mike made a Train, looked great! Ronda and I helped the kids so we were to tired to make our own. No big deal though, the kids are the ones that we do it for!

Tyler made a chimney with cotton candy smoke but it was on the ground, when we asked him about it he said it was a chimey to the underground level! These guys are so creative! I love to see their minds at work.

We also made our cookies for santa, cute snowman and reindeer out of nutter butter dipped in white chocolate.

This month has been so busy and since you can tell I love pictures I have just one more from Alison and Tyler's Choir concert, it was fun, with songs like All I want for Christmas is Chocolate, No No Mistletoe and many more. They did so good!

Santa lists for the kids are

Alison asked Santa for Chocolate! Hershery ba, Crunch bar and giant hershey kiss.

Tyler asked for the Cars Mack truck play town

and Trevin asked for an alarm clock, not sure why!

Merry Christmas!!

We would like to share our Christmas letter with you, to see go here for dial-up users
and here for broadband. We would love to see yours!! Please share!

Putting up the Christmas Tree

I thought since we are finally putting up the Christmas tree at our house I would put one up here on the blog header. I love the sparkles on this tree! That is what I love about digi scrapping, so many neat and diff things out there to play with!!

Alison insisted that the first ornament on the tree be her new one Great Gma gave her for her baptism, it is so sweet! And of course our tree is never complete without our first ornament! Jarin and I actually couldn't find an ornament we liked for our first Christmas then we went up to Park City just after Christmas and found the all year round Christmas store and found the ornament we both loved. It was perfect and hangs near the top ofthe tree in the middle every year since.

Carli took a nap while we put up the tree and when she got up she was very surprised at the new addition to the family room, I swear her jaw dropped. But then she wouldn't go near it, Jarin had to take her to it while she clung to him, now she loves it and has so far been very gentle with the ornaments, we put up a gate around the tree so there is only some she can touch.

Our friends came over after we were done and brought me these awsome neighbor and friend gifts. Isn't she great!! She is making these and many other to raise money for her daughters medication, you can see some others if you click on Kris and Erik's blog on the right ==>

Their daughter got playing in our dressup box,

isn't she a cute pirate! Arrrrggg!

Alison's Special Day

The world was so excited for today it dressed up in white too! (a little corny I know but cute still) Today was the first big snowfall of the season, everything was covered in white 6 or 7 inches of it! A bit hard to drive through and the driveway was shoveled 3 times but so beautiful and fitting for Alison's Baptism.

In the morning Dad and Alison went to her friends baptism at 10:00 am while I took the other 3 kids with me to Sam's club to pick up the last of the food. While we were there checking out, cute Tyler old the checker that today was a special day for his sister, she asked him if it was her birthday, he said no, that was in November, she is getting baptized today. She commented to me on how sweet he was!

Alison was a little nervous in the morning, but when we finally got there and I helped her into her baptism clothes she got so excited and giddy, jumping around, she couldn't hold in her excitement! I wish I had a picture of her sitting with her dad on the front bench in the Chapel, his arm around her, as she was holding onto to his arm and hand with both of her hands with an excited smile on her face. When they asked our group to go first to the font almost half the congregation came with us! There were4 or 5 others to be baptised but we had the largest group! What a wonderful group of family and friends we are blessed with!! After the baptism she wanted to get back in the warm water she said felt so good! After we went back into the room with everyone, Jarin gave her a beautiful blessing with the gift of the Holy Ghost, the circle was huge, I remembered back to her blessing day when the circle was also very large. I hope she always knows how many people love her!

I then was asked to bare my testimony, looking at her while I did I couldn't help but cry a little, she was listening so intently, and I know I felt and said what she needed to hear. Jarin also bore his testimony and we sang "I am a Child Of God" Jarin played the piano but since the song wasn't planned I stood up to lead but looking at Alison and her eyes teared up during the song as she felt the spirit I couldn't keep the beat. My friend Jenn tried to help me when I looked in her direction but with her being a mirror image it just made it worse. I decided in my mind, oh well, you all know the song don't watch me!

Everyone at the baptism got the chance to write down their testimony and or a special thought for Alison while she dressed, the pile is so thick and filled with warm testimonies, advice and words of love. We are so grateful for this day and the decision Alison made to be baptized and the wonderful example she set for the younger ones, and for our family and friends who support us in everything we do.

Afterwards we all went back to our house for lots of food, and just enjoying each others company. Alison made Thank You cards for everyone for coming There wasn't room for everyone to get a chair, just so many people, we are so blessed!

to her baptism, it was her idea!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was great! Since we were able to see Jarin's family the day before for the funeral and a dinner afterwards, we didn't have to go to two diff houses. That was a bit more relaxing. My grandma came up, that was fun to talk with her, Ali and I went down a bit early and Ali and her great grandma played a game of Chinese checkers with a twist, they had fun! All the food wasgreat, mom's rolls were perfect and the yams with marshmellows sweeter than normal, very yummy. The turkey was wonderful, and everything else was delicious! Then of course dessert!! My friend Erik made the two cheesecakes I brought and my sisterinlaw brought a pumpkin cheesecake, mom made Pumpkin, My brother made some great rich brownies, and oh yeah I also brought a banana cream pie, but it was gone so fast I bet my broher hid it for later!!! J/K

The missionaries living in my parents basment joined us at the end and shared a message, the one is from the Philipines and this was his first Thanksgiving, the other it was his second day in the field. The kids are really missing my lil brother and they seem to think other missionaries should all know him! I guess there is logic to it but they won't know him, totally diff missions!

Gotta run to bed, Goodnight, I will post later about Alison's Bishop interview for her upcoming baptism this Saturday!

The Funeral

Today was Jarin's Grandpa's funeral, it was beautiful! Many wonderful things were said by his children and each of his grandchildren, the grandchildren got to go up and say there fondest or most memorable thing about him. Jarin touched on how important education was to his grandfather, he always stressed that everyone should go to college and work hard. His sister put together a wonderful picture montage and it was on the program and the paper that told the story of his life. Alot of work went into everything and it all was wonderful. Afterwards we went to dinner at Golden Corral cause that was how grandpa wanted it! We spent time with the whole family more than we would have at Thanksgiving, it was fun to catch up with everyone.

The kids took everything well, Alison and Tyler made their great grandma cards, and tole her they loved her. Alison mentioned in the car that she didn't think she had ever told her great grandpa that she loved him, she then wrote that in her card to her great grandma. Trevin was cute, he fell asleep through the funeral sitting up in his chair, before the funeral when we got to go to the viewing Trevin mentioned something to me about the man in the "Treasure Box" I thought it was sweet and didn't correct him. After the gravside we wondered over to Jarin's brothers grave and his other grandpa's grave, and Alison leaned more about the word Ancestor.


Our friend Krista made a flower arrangement for the funeral and it was perfectly beautiful with live plants and a purple pointsetta. It also had gold pine cones and gold glitter on the pointsetta. These pictures don't do it justice!

Long weekend!

Our weekend started with visiting Jarin's Grandpa, he was in the hospital and not doing well so we went to visit him on Friday and had a nice time talking with family and letting him know we were all there. He then passed away this morning. He is a great man with alot to share with us all, he was always interesting to talk to. He will be missed, the kids took the news well and have just asked little questions all day long about their great grandpa who would give them pennies for the m&m machine every time we visited for family dinners, holidays, birthdays, General Conference. They last saw him at Halloween when we went up two days early to trick or treat there and show off their costumes. On that day he was very happy and smiling and teasing the kids a bit, a good way to remember him.

I also went on a scrapbook sleepover with my friend in Lehi, we actually went back and slept at her house then she treated me to a fabulous lunch (thanks to secret shopping it was free!) and a bit more scrapping, then I had to get home since Jarin had places he needed to go. When I walked in the door the houe was pretty clean, he got the kids to do their chores and he did the dishes and cleaned to counters, very sweet! I only wish I could have stayed with my friend longer, it was a nice relaxing time with no kids, we never get that!

Sick kids Still!!

Not to much new to post, I have had someone sick everyday! Tyler Sunday night-Monday, Jarin Monday night- Tuesday, Alison Tuesday night- Wednesday. Poor Ali even, missed her first Achievement days meeting. She thought if she could take a nap she would feel good enough to go, poor thing slept right through it, 3 hours later I woke her up. Now we are just waiting for Trevin and CarliAnn. I guess me too but I sure hope not, I have an overnight scrapbook crop with my friend this weekend. It starts Friday at 4:00 pm and goes til Saturday night at 9:00 pm. I don't think I can hold out that long. I will finish up Alison's baptism invites though. I am going to go to bed, in MY bed! I have slept on the couch with sick kids (or to avoid a sick hubby) for 3 nights. Good night all!

Training Wheels

So the other day I needed to do a little gardening, cleaning out the old planting the new bulbs for spring. I let the kids come and ride their bikes while I worked and Tyler asked, "mom, could you take my training wheels off, I think I am ready for it" so I did, well, he went up the street for his first glide down and Alison saw him and decided she wanted hers off too (we have taken them off before, only to put them back on again) So I took her off as well! About that time, Ty informs me it is too hard and he want them put back on, I told him I need him to try harder and whiled he whined and sortof tried I would put out those little bits of wisdom like, The only way to fail is not to try at all, and lots of other one liners I don't remember but that's ok he doesn't remember them either, they were completely lost on him. Which reminded me of Grandpa's old quote "convince a man against his will, he's off the same opinion still" So since I wouldn't do it Tyler decided to put them back on himself,


it didn't work so I made him a deal, do up and down the street 3 times and I will put them back on, by the time he accomplished this task it was time to go in and I told him we would talk about it next time he rides it.

Funny kid decided since he couldn't get the training wheels on he would just play with the training wheels!

Cameras

Well it's 2:30 in the morning and I can't go to bed, not because I'm not tired but because as I was about to go to bed Ty woke up sick. I always worried about the day he would get sick and be up in the bunk bed, he didn't disappoint my vision of what could happen! I cleaned several places in that room, High, Low and in the middles, yuck!!! Trevin slept through it all, even the very noisy handheld carpet cleaner. At one point he opened his eyes a little then just pulled the blanket up enough to cover his ears and was back asleep.

On to other things, we got a new camera! I am so excited, it is a digital SLR and already I love it, it takes pictures so fast, no more missing the shot just cause I had to wait for the camera! It is our Christmas present but we got it early so we could use it for Alison's baptism and Christmas day itself. Here are just a few fun pictures with the new camera!






UPDATE

After dozing off, waiting for the pictures to upload I went to bed (Ty was sleeping soundly on the couch) so I am just now posting this, Ty feels much better today, and acts fine, I need a nap since I didn't actually find my bed till 4:00am. Ali has a cold and is doing a bit better and CarliAnn woke up with a gunky eye that is a bit swollen most likely just a cold too. Trevin is the healthy one today, but he is whiny and stubborn so it makes up for it. What a fun 3 weeks off track this is going to be!!

Family Fun!

Chuck E. Cheese, where a kid can be a kid!

For Family night last Monday we went to Chuckee's a little for Ali's birthday and mostly for family fun!! We ate, the kids all danced with Chuck E. and we played the games and rode the rides, so much to do!! When Chuck came out to dance with a few employees, no other kids were going up, Ali looked like she wanted to but wasn't sure she could, we gave her the go ahead and she went!!!
She danced like crazy, the same way she did at her school Halloween party when she was given the "Queen of Dance" award because she never stopped moving! Carli danced alot too, she must get it from her sister! The boys danced too but seemed more like they weren't sure what they were supposed to be doing.












We also spent the .25 cents each and got a few of the pictures from the machine that take the pic then draws it, We thought they turned out pretty good, although these pics are a picture of the original.

Happy Birthday Ali!!!

Alison turned 8yrs old on Sunday! We can't believe she is getting to be so grown up!! We went to her friends Baptism on Saturday, her friend is one day older then her and was baptized on her birthday. Alison will be baptized on Dec. 1st, she is so excited! We invited Grandma's and Grandpa's over for cake and ice cream that night and she got some nice gifts. Here are a few pictures we took. One funny thing was when she opened her present from grandma and grandpa part of it was a bracelet g'ma made at girls camp last summer, g'ma then said "there is a story behind it, I will tell you later" Ali heard her and began looking behind and all around the bracelet and said "I don't see it" (that it the picture in the chair where she is looking at her wrist) CarliAnn loved carrying the presents all around!
















The next day I took the kids (I was watching 2 extra) and we got Wendy's and took it to Alison at school and surprised her, she loved it!!