The after party!

I'm waiting for some photos to be e-mailed to me from my much better prepared Mom and D&Kat....hint, hint (of the kids from Scott Breen's studio)....but I thought I would also wrap up the after-parties! We have been to SL so much this week! And it's been a lot of fun!

Wednesday, Mike called us from work and suggested we take the kids to a movie! We went to see 'Alvin & the Chipmunks' and the kids loved it! Brandon actually sat through the entire thing! We were laughing because we used a gift card to go to this movie that we received LAST Christmas! I guess we don't get out much!

Thursday, my Mom had the Hook party at her house. We had a little dinner and enjoyed visiting with mostly the Openshaws....although we did chat with Don & Noorda. Roger brought over his Guitar Hero and so all the big and little kids hung out in the basement rocking out! I'm not sure if that's where my Mom would have preferred us being, but there was no turning back! I was particularly impressed with Cozette and her guitar skills! YOU ROCK!

We have been excited to have Evan & Jamie and the kids with us. They left to go back home today...which also happens to be Evan's birthday! I remember when I got the call that he was born. I was 11 years old and hoping for a sister. This was long enough ago that we didn't get the sneek peak. I was told he was a boy, and I just said, 'That's ok' but I was thinking, bummer.

But, he is such a fun brother and I really miss him since he's lived away from me for what feels like forever. I know I have blogged before that my brothers crack me up. I was remember when Evan was leaving for his mission from MO and the other brothers and I flew out for his farewell. None of our spouses were able to come that time. We all were out in the motorhome for some reason and got on one of those insane and stupid moments and I about pee'd my pants from laughing so hard! I love you boys!

And Happy Birthday, Evan! Be safe driving with your darling family.

Baby Chase and Jamie!

Cutie Carsyn, she's a kick! And she really loves this dress she got from D & Kat!

Rog & Evan
We got together with the Gibby's for a family photo yesterday. Like I have said before...with 10 kids 3 years and under we were prepared for a cry-fest, but they were awesome! We even got McKenzie with us and it was so fun to see her. I can't believe she's 11 years old! Hopefully, she knows how much we love and miss her. I'm looking forward to seeing how the pictures turned out. Afterward, we went back to my parent's house and had dinner and played more Guitar Hero. Now, Mikey wants one! Thank goodness he still has Christmas money left!

I picked up Scott & Kellie's kids for a sleep-over and that brings us to today! Amanda is taking ski lessons again and today is her first lesson. Zach went with Amanda and Mike to Snowbasin this morning. The other kids are just playing in the basement and having a good time from the sounds of it! Since I didn't send the camera, here are some photos from Amanda's first time skiing a couple of years ago. Next week, Mike will ski with the other parents we know while Amanda does her lesson. She LOVES to ski and I'm so glad she gets to go!

Wrapping Up Christmas!

Here's some more about Christmas! The kids were so excited about Christmas, but actually slept in until 7:30am! We were so happy! The girls were so surprised with their new bikes! Amanda loves her DS and plays it constantly. Luckily, a couple of her friends also received DS's and they have been 'chatting' Did you know the DS's talk to each other when in range? That's kind of fun for the girls....and keeps them pretty quiet! Sydney loves her Baby Alive. What a horrible doll! It's too 'realistic' and poops and pees everywhere. We seriously had a 'blow-out' of clothing like a real baby! Sydney said to me, 'This baby is a lot of work' I hear you, sister! I have told her to quit feeding it for awhile.

Brandon loves, loves, loves his train table! And he's very protective about it. He's not really into sharing it with anyone. He totally got the present thing this year and told me at one of the Grandma's houses, 'I need more presents' Ummm, that's about the last thing you need.

Brandon doing the present dance.
We headed toward Salt Lake around 12:30ish for a quick stop at Grandma-Great's. Brandon had fallen asleep in the car, so I stayed out with him to see if we could get him a little more rest. Grandma & Papa Arvy were also visiting Grandma Great and Mike and the girls were treated to some good lunch food. Thanks, Grandma!
We ended up at my parent's house about the same time as everyone else (except Dan & Stacie) and that was fun so the kids could play again. They love their cousins and it was fun to have all 10 little ones running around playing with the 3 older girls.

Amanda and Brandon playing the DS at Grandma's. I love how Brandon snuggled up to his sister to 'play'....I'm not sure Amanda was feeling the same warm fuzzy.

Here's cute Makayla eating a book. D & Kat, could you feed this baby, please?
We went to the Arvy's around 4pm. Wonderful food....Thanks, Renae! We were starving! I was amazed at how well the kids were listening when Grandpa started telling us of their experiences in New Zealand. We were very touched by the stories and are so happy that Jim & Renae were able to return to his mission field. More wonderful presents and minor chaos and more fun playing with cousins.

What a wonderful time we have had with our families this season. I was glad when the kids were finally out of school. It seems like things slowed down a little after that. We made one trip shopping on Saturday the 23rd with the kids and just happened to end up at Build-a-Bear. We usually take the kids each Christmas season, but didn't make a plan this year. When the girls saw the store...it was all over. The big problem was the other million people doing the same thing! We waiting in line probably an hour! UGH! But, while I waited in line with the kids, Mike ran around the mall and gathered up our last few gifts. That works for me! The girls were so happy with their stuffed animals....Brandon-not so much. He just wasn't feeling the love for this darling dino.
I am so grateful to have such a wonderful family! They are everything to me. My whole life! I know that I am blessed and my Heavenly Father loves me. I am so grateful to my Savior for his ultimate sacrifice and eternal gift to me. Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas wrap-up

Let's go over some of the activites of the past couple of weeks! First, Sydney's Kindergarten did a program for the parents on Friday the 21st. The songs they sang were so cute and Sydney knew all the words! Thanks to Mike's Mom for the photos. This one is for Mike as payback! I was playing the piano for the kids to sing (there's another story) and Mike was on his way home from the Utah bowl game in San Diego (yea for the win and a happy hubby!). I got Amanda out of class to come to the program. Both Grandma's made the trip to Kville and after we went to Taco Time (Syd's choice) for lunch. After a short visit to Mrs. Backers (for my birthday), the kids and I picked up Dad from the airport and headed to Grandma G's to play for a minute while Mom and Dad shopped. Then, the kids got to sleep over at Grandma Arvy's while Mom and Dad went to Dad's work party.

Mike and I enjoyed a sleep in on Saturday morning, got up and shopped some more (I was really behind this year) and went to lunch at Market Street for my birthday celebration. We must have celebrated a little too long because Renae was getting worried thinking we were going to pick the kids up in the morning. Oops!

Christmas Eve was spent with the Gibby's. We had our traditional Chinese food dinner with food from Dragon Diner. Roger and Cozette helped renew an old tradition of the family poem on the back of a Chinese restuarant placemat with their stolen placemat from Chin Wah! The poem was beautiful as always and included the additions from first-timers Kat, Jamie, Amanda and Kate.

We open the kids gifts to each other and the sibling gifts to each other since it's harder for everyone to meet at one time on Christmas.

With 10 kids age 3 and under there was a bit of chaos, but in a good way! The west-side brothers!Our beautiful and happy kids!
Ready for Santa in our Christmas jammies!

More Christmas Fun!

We have a 'Doug-in-training.' You must ask me in person what this means.

For Doug, you know what this means!

Merry Christmas and happy wrapping!

Christmas magic

The other day I was taking Sydney and her friends to ballet. We got stopped by a train on the way to the studio. And no lie, every car in that train was filled with coal. SO, I told the girls how that was the train filled with coal for the bad kids and it was on it's way to Santa. We couldn't believe how many cars there were and they were sure glad they were good this year and wouldn't be receiving some of the passing train's coal. My favorite part was the look in their eyes! I'm so glad I have good kids that will be receiving presents from Santa!

Favorite Things....

Not the song, but actually my favorite things. I was thinking today that I'm finding it hard to feel the Christmas Spirit this year. It's overly busy....like not even a moment to put a load of laundry in the washer, let alone dry and fold. Mike is once again stressed at work. This happens a lot this time of year for him. He came home tonight and told me that he's not enjoying the Christmas season, either. It made me wonder what we are missing?

We've tried all the usual traditions with our kids. We've attended parties, church and seen the lights on Temple Square. We've decorated the house top to bottom (well, except for the last strand of lights on the outside and the one tree without lights). We've listened to Christmas music and sent out cards. We've Sub-for-Santa'd and taught our children the true meaning of Christmas.

So, today, as our whole little family has had some hurt feelings by others in our life, I decided to write down some of the things I enjoy about this time of the year.

1. My wonderfully beautiful perfect-for-me family: And the realization that when all is said and done, it's really all about my wonderful hubby and these beautiful children who were sent to us.

I'm so grateful that I was chosen by them to go through this life together.

2. Our parents and siblings: We really do have the greatest families! Mike and I both feel blessed that we married into such great supportive and loving families.

3. Snow: I love having snow for Christmas! It's hard for me to imagine or enjoy the season without snow. I know....shallow, but I need the atmosphere!

4. Christmas movies: From 'It's a Wonderful Life' to 'A Christmas Carol' to 'Elf' to 'A Christmas Story. I love to snuggle up and watch a good flick.

5. Christmas decorations: I love the lights on when the house lights are off. I love how Mike and I enjoy finding a new addition to our decorations every year.

6. I love to see our childrens excitement about Christmas. It's fun to surprise them with that wanted gift. And I love to spend time at the grandparent's houses on Christmas Day with all the cousins and the chaos. It wouldn't be Christmas without it (like I said....I need atmosphere.)

7. My Savior: What a humble beginning, so simple. Yet He did the most important thing for me....

So, there is the short list. And I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for hearing my prayers.

Each time we struggle, there is a little something that helps keep us strong...Love.

As I was blog-stalking tonight, I had tears as I read this paragraph. I realized that no matter how someone else may hurt our feelings, we can be an influence for good. We can rise above the problems and grow stronger.

......we both laughed. And I went on my way, shaking my head at this chance meeting, which couldn’t have been chance. I thought about how ideas come, out of the blue. How one thing leads to another, how things come together. I pictured myself giving this man a copy of my book when it was finished, and giving Eric a copy. I thought about how these two men’s lives and choices had played an important part in a stranger’s story–mine. How my story was nothing but a series of relationships, big and small, weaving a fabric of meaning. And how my story might play a role in someone else’s. A stranger’s, a friend’s.

Merry Christmas!

WHEW!

Our ward party is over! It was a huge success! We set up 20 tables (with 10 chairs each) and had to set up 3 more tables when everyone arrived! It's so hard to tell how many people are planning on coming. We usually just estimate from the food sign-up list, but that wasn't a good idea this time! We estimated we had 250 people there without counting the committee's families. It was tight as we have a newer, but smaller building. We were very excited at the turn-out and very busy all night! Our kids were fantastic! Amanda is the oldest of anyone's kids (on the committee), so we all have very young families and these kids were troopers! We even had to give their table to others and put them in a room off the kitchen. They had been at the church all day with us while we decorated and

still were happy and under control during the party!

What a blessing! We love you kiddos!

We served the food family-style, by putting the food on each table. This was the best way to efficiently feed this many people. It took 10 minutes, if that, for everyone to have food and start eating! And those parents with younger kids loved that they didn't have to get up and get plates for their kids! That was an inspired thought! We also were inspired to go get 2 more lasagnas and bake 2 more dessert cakes or we would have been short on food!

The video Casey did was fabulous! Truly funny and touching all at once! The decorations were great! Thanks to my Mom for the fresh pine boughs and Nicole's Mom for the cute lanterns and Renae for the battery candles ....I'm going to buy some of the lanterns, so I may post a picture later. Mike went in to get a picture beforehand, but it didn't quite happen. We were just too busy. We had Bro. & Sis. Elliott do a musical number before the video and it really brought the Spirit and tied the evening together. Our Bishop spoke for a minute after the show.

We just couldn't be happier with they way things turned out!

So, today I was feeling more tired than I was yesterday! But, now that the party is over I really started to focus on Christmas gifts!

Panic!

I can't believe we are down to a week! Luckily, my parents watched our kids for an hour on Friday so we could get some things for them, but we still aren't done. Mike drove to St. George to pick up one present for Brandon that I had purchased during Thanksgiving in case we couldn't get it back home. When we couldn't...he made a trip down south with Amanda!

Eight hours in one day...
OH! What a great Daddy!

I just finished one present on-line and just ordered some vinyl from a place up here in hopes I get it before Christmas, too.

Cross your fingers!

I'm hoping some friends take pity on me this week and take my kids so I can get out and finish shopping! A couple of friends "owe" me and I hope that they can do it this week. Mike is being a Utah superfan again by going to San Diego with his Dad and Scott to see the game on Thursday and coming home on Friday! Somehow we will pull this "party" off, too! Although our committee is smaller since it's just Mike and I doing the party for our 3 kids!
Merry Christmas!

To back up a little, Mike was in Denver this week for a couple of days and so the kids and I decided to do something Christmasy and decorate a gingerbread house! We bought one of those great kits from Costco. I'm not good at construction or engineering, so our house had some settling problems once we were done, but we had a great time and it looks cute!

Brandon waiting for food....not ready to decorate the house yet!

It looks so cute, girls!

BIG BOY BED!

Brandon reached a rite of passage this week. The BIG BOY BED! We had everything except a matress, so we picked one up from a friend who has a design business for pretty cheap. Anyway, we put everything together late Monday night (after seeing the lights) and Brandon LOVED it! We put him to bed and he stayed! We did have to go sit with him for about 5 minutes until he fell asleep, but he slept all night! We are going on 3 nights now and I'm hoping things continue to be so great! He loves his Thomas sheets. We leave his little Christmas tree lights on for a nightlight and it seems to do the trick! We still have the crib in there, so his room isn't completely back together. (Maybe we'll have time after Saturday's party).

So congratulations Brandon!

Stop growing up so quickly! We love you!

Tis the Season

Can you see the Temple Square lights? This was my favorite tree!

Kick up the holiday stress again! Just because our ward party is this Saturday. I wasn't feeling stressed until last night. Mike had to leave town for overnight and our Friday is CRAZY! So, I'm pretty much feeling like the party is just around the corner. We have 45 families signed up to come, so it should be a full house. The Primary film that Casey is putting together is soooo good! Now, if the members would just get over the fact that there won't be a Santa there.

Plus, now I am playing the piano to accompany the Kindergarten program next week. FUN! I just came back from my first practice with them and they are going to be so cute!

Kerry, Becks, Makell, Amanda and EvaSo, I'm glad that we took some time Monday to go see the lights at Temple Square! We went with our good friends, the Westenskows and had a GREAT time! The kids went crazy. They love to play together. The lights were beautiful as always!

Halfway through, Sydney lost it because she didn't want to walk anymore (anyone who knows Sydney knows that this can be painful for the parents unless we do something). So, since we didn't bring the double-stroller (thinking it would be too crowded to maneuver), we ended up putting Sydney in the stroller and Brandon on her lap. They had a good time and it kept Sydney extra warm. Good thing because she's our warm weather gal.

Amanda and Eva

The fam - it was pretty chilly, so...on the way home, we stopped at the Chevron for some hot chocolate!

Merry Christmas!

What to do on a snowy Saturday...

This will work: http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1240564037

OR: Take my cute parents to dinner for my Mom's birthday! We met up at Paradise Bakery in Bountiful and invited my siblings & families to join us. At one point during the evening, my Mom was talking about how they raised 5 kids and didn't know how they did it, but they did! Having 3 kids of my own, I do wonder how they did it! But, they did it just perfectly! They taught us correct principles and backed it up with their actions. My parents were and still are in constant service to others. They taught us to commit to things you feel are important, such as their singing and membership in their choir. They taught us it's important to have fun family time with our camping, fishing and boating trips. They taught us to have a good sense of humor and to be able to laugh at ourselves. They taught us to be kind to one another and to others. They continue to teach us how GREAT grandparents treat their grandkids! We love you both! And, Mom! Happy Birthday!

Family Christmas Parties

Mike and I usually don't love going to the family Christmas parties. Last night we had one that we go to so we can be good kids. The food is ok (it's at Joe Morely's) and then there is usually a game, but it's kind of the same thing every year and since it's only for the adults, there is the added pressure of finding someone to watch the kids. This year we are trading with D&Kat and watching their kids tonight. We appreciated them watching ours last night, especially since they live closest to the restaurant in SEWJ.

But, last night was a BLAST! Not because anything had changed, but we sat next to Scott & Kellie and the boy's cousins, Tracy, Barry, Bonnie and their aunt June. It seems every year there is some kind of communication problem. Last year we showed up an hour late because Mike's cute Mom told us it started an hour past the real time. This year, it was the line on our invitation that read: Bring a $1 gift for games. So, we did. Kellie and Scott stopped on their way to the party and got $1 gifts. When I walked in and asked Lynn where she wanted the gifts, panic struck her face and she said we didn't need gifts. Well, it seems that all the sisters do different invitations. Mike's family and one other family got the invite that said bring gifts and no one else did. So, here come the jokes! And they went on and on and we were getting in trouble for laughing during the game. (I kind of felt like we were in school and being told to not talk anymore). In the end, we ended up donating the gifts we brought and they did a raffle while the jokes continued. We laughed and laughed and laughed. Good, deep belly laughs. It was the best time we've had at this family party EVER!

Now, the snow started while we were partying. And SL got hit hard! We only went 25 to 30 miles an hour on the freeway until we were 10 minutes from home. So, a usually 30 minute drive took us and hour and 30 minutes. Unfortunately, we didn't get pounded up here by the snow as hard. We only have about 4 to 5 inches. But....it's still snowing!

I Need a Little Help...

Hey, I need a little help from my blog buddies and readers! We are trying to find good, extremely cheap-if not free (borrowed), centerpieces for the ward party. We had originally thought we would have families sign up and bring a nativity for each table (we're looking at around 20 tables), but as we thought about some rowdy kids in our ward, we didn't want someone's nativity to get broken. Pontsettias are out because one person on the committee has a huge problem with it (and they used them last year). Our activity is Christ-centered....no Santa appearance at all this year.

So I need ideas! Please help a gal out if you have any thoughts! Much love!

Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Oh, we finally got a good ol' Utah winter snowstorm on Saturday! The big white fluffy flakes and it just snowed and snowed and snowed! We woke up to this......and our girls were out in it at 8am with the neighbor kids. Soon, McCleary hooked up a sled to his 4-wheeler and took the kids on long rides throughout the neighborhood! You can just make out Amanda to the right of the tree on the left! She stayed out forever and got the biggest kick out of the sled rides! Sydney, who is more of a warm weather gal came in a warmed up in a hot bath. Luckily, Brandon wasn't wanting to be out and cold....which would have meant Mommy would have been out in the wet and cold!

Around noon, we ventured out to SL to the Utah game! It was a good drive and I was glad that it was Saturday and that Mike didn't have to commute to work in this storm. It was an exciting game that the Utes finally won in the closing minutes. We had a nice chat with Jeri, the lady that sits next to us. She is the Mom of a former Mia Maid advisor I had! Small world. She's cute and just loves our kids.After we got back home, I got things ready to go work at the Festival of Trees. This is my 3rd year on a committee with Mardee & Sharlee. And this is the first year that we aren't doing the gift shop, but the small trees. Working in the trees was BORING! It was a really long shift for me. But I did get a chance to walk around a bit and get a scone. I guess the tradition on closing night is to have a bagpipe ensemble come at 9pm and parade through the trees with the board members marching behind. I couldn't get a great picture, but you can kind of see them over the crowd. It was really a neat thing to witness.

In the meantime, my Mom headed to Kville to stay with our kids overnight, so that Mike and I could bag trees (take the big trees and get them ready to transport). It was a fun job and this Festival is an amazing production! After we finished our 8 trees, we went to Village Inn with Orisons and Lloyds for some hot cocoa at midnight! They are fun couples and our girls play with their girls. Mike and I stayed at Jim & Renae's instead of driving back home.

Sunday morning, Mike had to go to Ward Council, so I went back to the Festival at 7am to help load the trees in the truck and headed out to deliver them. Mike has done this the past 2 years, so I was grateful when my Mom said she would stay overnight so I could go. We thought Mike and I would be going together, but by the time his meeting was done, we had enough people delivering and we decided he should just go home so my Mom could get back to her home.

I was so tired after only getting 4 hours of sleep, so I took a quick nap while Mikey tcob'd (took care of business) with the kids. He was so cute making them lunch, bacon-wrapped chestnuts, hot cocoa and getting the fire going. After Brandon and I woke up, we went back to SL to make his parent's bed (we washed the sheets after staying there) and SOMEHOW we short-sheeted the bed. What a nice thing to do to his parents who have been gone a month, huh! The girls were so excited to play this little prank on Grandma & Papa! After a fun visit with my family (and no popcorn party due to no popcorn in the house), we started to head home and found this fun house. It ended up to be the Christmas Utah house that has all the lights coordinated with music. Really fun and really popular. The kids loved it!

Monday, we had our neighborhood donation party. We started this here last year with Francis' and Jensens and although we thought our numbers were lower this year, we actually had more food donations and money donations. The Family Connection Center was very grateful again this year. We also took money donations to the womens shelter here in town and they couldn't believe the amount we had raised. I'm so glad that people in our neighborhood get behind this idea to give to a charity instead of giving a hundred plates of cookies out to the neighbors. As one friend put it, it's nice that our neighborhood can unite and do something for the greater good.