Bear Lake Sledding

After Christmas we headed up to Bear Lake for the weekend.  It's been really nice to just escape the normal demands of the house for a couple of days.  The kids brought up some of their christmas toys, and also their sleds.  We watched a lot of movies and football games.  The kids also had a great time sledding.  Bear Lake looks like a winter wonderland right now.  It's so beautiful.

 

Christmas Day

It looks like Santa Claus found our home this year.  The kids must have been good this year because we all had a really wonderful Christmas.  Dan and I bought ourselves our own christmas gift.  A new mattress.  Our mattress was pretty old (it was Dan's mattress from when he was a teenager).  We were way over due for a new one.  We love our new bed.  I love our new bed so much that I don't want to wake up in the mornings.  The kids had a great christmas too.  They got some new sheets for their beds, and a few new toys.  Kirk got a lego set, toy boxing gloves and a scooter.  Kate got a barbie dress sewing kit and a doll.  Benjamin got some teenage mutant ninja turtles.  I can remember my little brother having TMNT toys.  Ben also got a skate board (TMNT of course), and also a TMNT truck.  All of the kids also got a new sled.  We took them up to bear lake and went sledding.   Dan was so sweet to me this year and did the twelve days of Christmas.  He got me a little something for each day of christmas.  On the last day he got me a dozen red roses.  The flowers were so beautiful.  He made this christmas my most memorable because of all the heart felt effort he put into each note, and gift.

  I am so grateful for the wonderful christmas we had this year.  We've been blessed with beautiful children, who make life so meaningful, and fun.  We are also grateful for our health, home and country.  Most of all we are especially grateful for our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ.  I believe in Christ, I know he is God's son.  "Though my sins be like scarlet they shall be white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool".  I know that the little babe born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago made it possible for all of us to live again.  He lived for us, he died for us, and because of his sacrifice we shall all live again.  "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that all men might live again".   May this knowledge of our Savior bring us peace in our hearts, and an understanding of how magnificent the love of God is in our lives.

Christmas Eve

This had to be one of the most memorable Christmas Eves we have had in a while.  Robbie Dan's brother got engaged right there in front of all of us after we did our usual Christmas eve traditions.  It was so touching to watch.  I couldn't be happier for the two of them.  They make the most perfect couple.  We are so thrilled and excited!  But now I'm jumping ahead of myself.  We started off the night by going over to Dan's parents home for a delicious prime rib dinner.  Then we always have the children act out the nativity.  Kate got to be Mary, Kirk was a wise man,  Benjamin was a cow, and Jence was a camel.  Kate had a couple of speaking parts she was practicing.  Benjamin asked me what his part was.  I told him he got to mooo.   He took his part very seriously and moooed, moooed, and moooed during the whole song.  It was so cute.  Kate did something new this year by sharing a talent.  She sang and did an amazing job!  I hope to be able to convince Kirk to share his cello next year.  He wasn't really ready for performing yet.  Then the kids got Pajama's from their Grandma and Grandpa Mower.  We love this tradition it's so fun for the kids to wear their new pajama's on Christmas eve.  Then Robbie purposed to Lyndee and it made the night just perfect!  Then we headed home and the kids got to open their stockings.  We always do stockings on Christmas eve.  I can remember loving this tradition so much when I was a child.  They each got some underwear, DVD, and some candy and chocolate Orange sticks. 

Santa Claus visit

We caught up with Santa Claus at RC willey's this year.  This kids were excited to ask Santa for their gifts this year.  Kate asked for a barbie clothes designer kit.  Benjamin asked for a skate board, and Kirk asked for a surprise.  I love taking pictures of the kids with Santa claus.  I was proud of Benjamin becasue he never wants to get his picture taken with Santa.  Last year I had to photo shop him into the photo.  This year he told me he wouldn't want to take a picture and I said that it was okay.  As we got up to the front of the line I asked if he would just stand close to Santa instead of sitting on his lap.  That was a good enough compromise and he was able to ask Santa for a skate board then smiled for the picture.  I was so proud of him.  I love to get the Santa picture.  The kids have been very excited for Christmas this year.  It is so magical for the kids.

 Benjamin also had his preschool Christmas program.  He did such a cute job and sang all of the songs and did all of the actions.  He is in such a cute age now.  I just love the preschool age, they say the sweetest things.  Benjamin is always happy to give mom really big hugs.  Everyday I drop him off at preschool he asks me "are you wearing lipstick mommy"  before he'll let me kiss him.  He doesn't like me to kiss him with my lipstick on.  This will be Ben's last year in preschool.  I can't believe that he will be starting kindergarten in the fall.  It's so crazy to see all our kids turning into such big kids.  I know Benjamin will love school.  He is our social little guy who loves playing with kids.

Christmas lights at Temple Square

We went down to Temple square the night after Thanksgiving.  I had gone shopping most of the day on Black Friday (if you know me, you know I love a good sale.  Black friday is my favorite day to shop of the year).  When I got back we had to run to Salt Lake to pick out a Christmas tree for Dan's parent's since they are in New York right now.  It was a fun experience to pick out a real tree, we have never done that since we go for the convenience of artificial trees.  On the way to get the tree we stopped at Temple Square, and so did everyone else in Utah.  Okay that was a hyperbole, but it was super crowed, barely walking space.  We still had a great time in spite of the crowds.  I'm glad we didn't loose any of the kids.  I almost lost my purse.  Thank heavens I chose to leave it on the ground at temple square.  There are probably few places that you can leave your purse, and come back a few minutes later and find it exactly where you had left it!  Jence has learned what Christmas lights are.  He gets really excited when ever he sees them.  He says "Christmas lights, Christmas lights".  He is talking like crazy now and repeats everything that he hears (which is sometimes a really, really bad thing).  Tonight we were reading the scriptures and he was repeating every last word Dan said even "bloodshed".  I was laughing. 

Thanksgiving 2013

Happy Turkey Day!  I love Thanksgiving.  I love eating a ton of food and not feeling guilty, I love all the great shopping deals on black Friday, and I love kicking off the holiday season with family.  This year seemed very different because my parents are on a mission in D.C.  Dan's parents went to New York this year to be with his sister Michelle.  So we got to spend thanksgiving here at our house with my two brothers and their families that live close.  It was nice, and small and easy.  I like having Thanksgiving with a smaller intimate group it's a little less crazy and hectic.  Anyways we really miss my parents, but they got to spend Thanksgiving with my sister Karyn who lives in Maryland so they had a nice day. 

Here is Benjamin dressed up like a pilgrim.  I love the cute costume his preschool makes for the kids the day before Thanksgiving.  I just noticed the shirt he has on which makes this photo so patriotic!  Wow that's one red blooded American pilgrim through and through!  It's now time to eat some apple pie I think!

After we ate diner and digested pie, we went on to more sugar and decorated ginger bread men.  It's a tradition with Dan's family to get together to decorate ginger bread houses, with Dan's mom being gone I thought I'd still do this with the kids.  I wish I could take the credit for baking them, but it was a Costco kit.

Here is Jence biting into his gigantic cookie.

Kate had so  much fun decorating the ginger bread man, that she also decorated herself!  I have to admit that I'm pretty tired.  It was a fabulous weekend, but with all the cooking, and hosting, and shopping, and Christmas decorating I've done I'm pretty tired out.  It's crazy that Christmas will be just a few weeks away now.  I'm so excited, but a little daunted by all that I still need to get done.  I think Nutcracker the week before Thanksgiving really set me back about a full week as far as preparation goes.  I'll get it all done, but I may need to pull a few late nights. 

My Mac n'cheese My Way!

We call Jence the king of the house.  Let's just say that he's a two year old who is use to getting things his own way.  The other day I made mac n'cheese and he wanted the big pan.  He insisted (and when I say insist I mean that he screamed)  on eating it straight out of the pan.  Well I caved, I pick my battles with this little guy. 

Krispy Kreme's and Imagine Dragons

So it's already December 1st and it feels like we just had Halloween!  What's up with time.  I really can't keep up with it all.  Back in October we had a fun night with Dan's family where we picked out pumpkins from a pumpkin patch and then headed over to Krispy Kreme's for some doughnuts!  Don't you just love this picture of Jence.  He looks like the perfect little model as the Krispy Kreme doughnut boy!

Dan and I also had a chance to go see Imagine Dragon's in concert in October.  They are a popular rock band who is actually from Provo.  They are really amazing, I love their music.  It's very upbeat and fun.  Below is a photo of Dan and I.  You can tell by the purple seats that it was at Weber State.  Go Weber!  Dan and I both went there to college so it was cool to be there in concert.  Although I'm realizing how old Dan and I are getting.  We didn't fit in with the student crowd.

Kate's Nutcracker week

This week has been extremely busy.  Lets just say that Thanksgiving is going to feel like a cake walk compared to Nutcracker.  Kate had rehearsal's, and performances every night this week.  It was all worth it though because she has had an experience she'll never forget.  I asked her on the way home from closing night if it was all that she thought it would be?  She replied "it was better".  I couldn't ask for more than that.  She was able to perform an adorable dance in a gorgeous costume, made really wonderful friendships, and performed with a live orchestra.  Probably the highlight of the whole week was when she met the Ballet West Ballerina Elizabeth Mcgrath who performed as the sugar plum fairy.  This wonderful Dancer came backstage to the dressing rooms and signed autographs and took pictures with the girls.  I couldn't believe it.  She went so above and beyond to be accommodating and be patient with all the little girls.  Kate didn't have a program to have her sign.  She wanted her to sign something more meaningful than just a piece of paper she'd loose, so she had her sign her ballet shoe (her shoes were a year and a half old and we need new ones anyway).  She has cherished those shoes and put them away someplace special.  I couldn't believe how truly wonderful and kind this young lady was to take photo's with the girls.  I'll definitely be following her ballet career, and try to take Kate to watch her perform.  What a wonderful example she is.  I was so proud at how well Kate did.  She had a more difficult dance for her age group.  She did great at it.  As if to make this week any busier she also had a voice recital.  Each year her voice instructor does a Christmas recital.  Kate performed "Here comes Santa Claus".  She did a great job especially since we didn't have a lot of practice time with all the nutcracker rehearsals.  As soon as she performed her song it was off to the opening night performance of the nutcracker.  Kate had for performances total. 

Being in the nutcracker was something that my sister Karyn had the opportunity to do, but I never did make it.  Back then it was just Ballet West that did nutcracker's and the competition was pretty tough.  Being in the nutcracker would have been an experience I would have loved to have had.  I'm glad Kate was able to do something so magical.  I hope she will be able to have this experience again next year. 

 Here is Kate's Ornament group closing night.  We discovered that one tradition with Clytie's nutcracker is that all the girls give a small gift to each girl in their group.  We found this out two days before the closing night.  So we had to scramble to think of something to give the girls.  With ten girls in her group it was like Kate had Christmas all ready.  She even had one little girl give out a nutcracker.  I told her thank you so much, and she replied "yeah, my Mom goes over the top".  I had to laugh because I'm imagining her picking up that comment from her father.  At least that is something Dan would say.  In this picture you can see each girl has a flower that matches their costume.  We were so lucky and we found a big bouquet of flowers at the store all in the exact same colors as the girl's costumes (blue, pink, purple, green, and yellow for the jokers).  I bought the bunch and took it home and individually wrapped them for each girl to take home.  They loved it.