MERRY CHRISTMAS

Santa Came!!! So the kids minded me (shocking I know) and didn't wake me up until 6:00 am sharp! Jacob I think woke them all up just before coming to get me because they all looked like they were still asleep when I got downstairs.

The kids enjoyed opening their gifts and seeing that Santa brought them just what they wanted... Jake a Suns Jersey, Emma a Karaoke Machine, Gabe some drums and Lauren a guitar... Now you might say to yourself... Santa are you crazy??? The answer is yes. It was a very loud Christmas with the Guitar Hero rock band, and the Karaoke Machine with speakers big enough for a small concert. But the girls love singing Hannah Montana and jumping up and down. Gabe was really quite good with the drums and Jake was happy to have a new soccer game.

Grandpa and Grandma braved the huge snow storm and came down to Lehi for breakfast. I was so grateful they could make it down since we have done that for years now. Grandma and Grandpa had to try out the new game as well. Mom was pretty funny on that guitar! She was on beginner the whole time and all she could keep saying was.. "I gotta get me one of these". It was a fun Christmas and we are blessed for all that we have and for a Savior who was born to die for us. I just want to tell my family how much I love them. I really love and cherish the times we spend together and I don't know why I couldn't have enjoyed these times sooner.... I really want my sister Angie to know how much I miss her laughter! Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

We went to Grandpa's and Grandma's for Christmas Eve. The night started out with decorating cookies for Santa...

We then had a delicious dinner prepared by Grandma Ruby and I have to say the rolls were fantastic... Yum Yum. We opened the cousin exchange gifts and then the fun pajamas from Grandma and Grandpa.

Thanks so much mom for making the night so fun for the kids and for all your hard work you put into it all. It was so much fun to get almost all of the cousins together (missed you Brian, Angie, Riley, Nick and Russ) My kids had so much fun carrying the babies all over the place. It reminded me of all the memories from my childhood and I hope my kids will remember Christmas Eve and look forward to it each year.

Christmas at the Jeffery's

We went over to Kevin's brothers house for the Jeffery Christmas party. There was lots and lots of yummy food and goodies to eat. Kevin's mom and dad are so wonderful. They made sure that me and the kids had stockings and they were filled to the rim with gifts. They also got the kids lots of fun toys. Kevin got a new coat and I got a scrapbooking tote. His family is so thoughtful and were very kind to make us feel so welcomed for Christmas with the family. The girls got pom poms and they jumped and danced all over the house with them. The boys got dart guns and you can only imagine the may ham as they all ran all over the place. But Kevin's brother and sister were very gracious in letting them run ramped through the house. We were pleased to find that nothing was broken. Whew. Thanks to the Jeffery's for making such a fun day for us.


Unwrapping presents

All the kids!

Kev with his niece

Pom Pom party!

And all the stockings were hung with care

Lauren's Christmas Program

FA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA





Lauren had a singing program for school. She was so embarrassed that her parents came to see her sing. I made sure I was front and center and it was really to much for her to look my way! HA! She did so good in singing all of her songs as long as I wasn't watching. To cute.

LIL DEVILS CHEERLEADING

It's competition time again!! Emma had two competitions so far and they have placed so far 2nd and 1st. Emma loves loves loves this. She loves to perform and has does such a great job. She is the base that lifts everyone up. She also does a back walk over in her routine. It is very long days when she competes because you have to stay and support the other teams from her academy and then wait for awards. So we have to be creative in how to entertain 15 little girls for a good 4 hours.... But Emma loves it and there is nothing better then to see your child love what they are doing and to be proud of themselves. Good job Emma!

Emma is smack dab in the middle holding them up

Waiting to compete

Waiting for awards

Thanksgiving in Moab

Kevin and I went to Moab for Thanksgiving.... I was so excited to get away and just be able to relax. Thanksgiving day we didn't get to do any wheeling because it was a full on down pour and that makes the rocks way to slippery! So we took a long drive to view Moab

As you can see there was not much of a view because it was so cloudy. That night I have to admit I was a little sad to not be with family and sit down to a big ole Turkey dinner. Instead I sat in the lobby of Denny's for a 45 min wait to enjoy my Turkey (if you could call it that) and to be disappointed they had run out of pumpkin pie! Who runs out of pumpkin pie?




The next couple of days were a lot of fun climbing all sorts of stuff. Kevin really enjoys pushing it to the very limit with what he can climb. I admit, I jump out at times because it's a little to scary for me. That's when I say "How about I take a picture of this!" LOL It was a lot of fun to spend the time with Kevin and friends. I am so thankful for Kevin and all that he has done for me and my family. He really is a wonderful man and I am so lucky to have him in my life. Love you!

Twilight

Melisa and I headed on out to the viewing of Twilight... So excited to eat my popcorn and Diet Coke and take in the movie. I had seen the previews and I wasn't to sure about who they had as Edward and of course the Movie is never as good as the book. But I just have to say that it was nothing of what I wanted it to be. Edward was not tender, caring and did not seem in love at all with Bella. To many scenes of them running around the woods. I thought that made Bella sick? Anyway needless to say I did not enjoy the show.

Afterwards we met up with Chad and Kevin for some yummy dinner at Red Robin.. This I did enjoy!

Wow

OK so I know it's shocking but I'm going to get a little personal. So I did my tag post that Amy sent over and at the end there was a part of 8 things I wish for. #3 Complete Peace... Who knew that yesterday in Sunday School my teacher would prepare for his lesson all week and then half an hour before he was to teach he had a prompting to throw the lesson out the window and shoot from the hip. Well what do you think the lesson was on........ Having complete Peace!! I am always so amazed at how he teaches. I have never been taught about the church the way he has taught me. I know I tell my mother over and over again how wonderful he is but seriously he makes it so simple that it all makes so much sense. I would try to retell the lesson but I would I'm sure slaughter it and it would not come out as profound as it did yesterday. But the biggest thing was PERFECTION the Hebrew way and PERFECTION the Greek way. My how the world as just adapted and latched on to the Greek way. The Philosophies of men. How Perfection is a perfect marriage, perfect health, perfect job, perfect anything..... Um hello no one is perfect that is why we are here. We can never ever be perfect in this life and that is why if you think this way you will fail. Now the Hebrew way the way of the Prophets... the word perfection does not come up. Instead the world LOVE is replaced... you can have a wonderful marriage, wonderful job, great health but at times you will feel an emptiness you will feel incomplete. You are feeling "The Fall" from our Heavenly Father. We were surrounded by his love for so long and to have to come to earth and not have it right in front of us is more than some of us can take. So we search the earth for something we can see and touch.... We will never find that complete peace in anything or anyone here on earth. To feel and find complete peace is to just go back to him. To open your arms and go back to your Father... He can't physically come back to us because he is celestial and he can not come to a terrestial world, but his spirit can be here. You can actually wrap your arms and engulf your body in his love. There and only there will you feel that complete peace..... You are not perfect you will never be perfect... your marriage will never be perfect... you will not be the perfect mother... you will not have perfect success.... but you will have peace..... I know easier said then done, but He is always there it is us who shuts him out. So today just close your eyes for a minute, wrap your arms around yourself and just ask him to be with you. Feel the warmth that comes over your body and his love will surround you, best of all feel the COMPLETE PEACE.

Tagged

8 Things- Tagged from Amy

8 Shows I love to Watch
1. Grey Anatomy
2. Gossip Girl
3. The Hills
4. Desperate Housewives
5. America's Next Top Model
6. Private Practice
7. Survivor (still a fan!)
8. 90210

8 Favorite Restaurant
1. Cafe Rio
2. Training Table
3. Olive Garden
4. Wendys
5. Del Taco
6. Kneaders
7. Wasatch Broiler
8. Market Street

8 Things that happened yesterday
1. I slept
2. I cried
3. Talked to Surgey
4. Took a shower
5. played with my new phone
6. I watched my recorded shows
7. Got a new Relief Society Pres.
8. I saw how much I can make on my IPhone

8 Things I'm looking forward to
1. Thanksgiving in Moab
2. Making Gingerbread houses
3. Going to sleep
4. Twilight movie
5. Veterans day... I don't have to work
6. Selling my house
7. 5:00
8. Summer

8 Things I love about fall
1. I don't love the fall
2. The pretty leaves
3. warm clothes
4. an excuse of why I am wearing sweats again!
5. laying over the heater with your blanket to get warm
6. The smell
7. Cuddling in the cold
8. Turkey Dinner

8 Things on my wish list
1. Sale my House
2. Patience
3. Complete Peace
4. Get out of the Title business
5. A trip to the beach
6. Raise my kids so they know they are always loved
7. Big soft pillows
8. To always feel loved

Happy Happy Halloween

Oh the fun times of Halloween. This year it seemed so busy... with church parties, school parades, school parties, pumpkin carving, eating and of course trick or treating. Whew.... We tried to fill our pillow cases with as much candy as possible. The kids stayed out much later this year and we got waaaaay to much candy. Grandpa was a great sport and came to carve all of our pumpkins. The kids love how they can draw what they want and Grandpa is so good at carving it looks just like thier picture. The Gabrielsens also came over to enjoy food, and trick or treating. The kids loved having Ashley and Katelyn here to play with. Hope you all had a safe and fun Halloween!

Baseball season is on it's way

Gabriel was very excited to start baseball this year. He is rather good at hitting the ball... he hits it pretty far. Which is good, because we really need to work on our running skills. Oh this boy likes to goof off to the bases and only makes it to 2nd base everytime when if he actually paid attention and run he would make it home. He loves to talk to everyone when they come to his base and see how they are doing. He will ask them their name and how old they are. He then will tease them to death by hitting them on top of their helmets. We are clearly learning the rules and hopefully by this time next year we will have a home run under our belt...

First Day Of School

And another year begins......

My big 7th grader Jake ready for Jr. High... oh don't get lost or stuck in your locker!

Emma is ready to start Channing Hall... and no she is not selling cookies

Gabe and his spongebob backpack ready for the 1st Grade.

Little L on her first day of Kindergarten.. Oh she is so excited!

Yuba Lake

We took a little family vacation to Yuba Lake. We had originally planned to go to Lake Powell, but because of my work and we thought it best to stay closer incase the children lost control of themselves as they tend to do on an occasion. I have to say with Yuba Lake only an hour half away it was a lot of fun. They have sandy beaches so the kids can play and a pretty nice blue lake for all our activies in the boat. Jacob tried the wakeboard, got up for a minute... Wahooo! The kids loved loved loved the cliff jumping. They couldn't get enough of it. I was so proud of them, because the cliff was kindof high they were jumping off of. I finally can wakeboard.. what a task that has been. But now I can't get enough of it and I want to learn how to jump the wake. By the end of next summer I want to be pro!! I seriously can't get enough of it. I love having something I love to do. Oh but the muscles you use.. ouchy I get so sore. Kevin kept us fed and entertained the whole time. The only downside to Yuba Lake is it's Windy 9 days a week! But the times it's not it is a beautiful time. The kids loved it and had a blast. I think that next year we are heading down to Lake Powell with them all.