Surprise!!

Last Friday we were able to go up to Columbus and surprise Kirsten for her half-birthday party! Her friends up there decided to throw her this really fun party and they were kind enough to let me join the fun! Nate contacted Ammon and arranged for them and the kids to hang out while we ladies had some yummy food and enjoyed ourselves. They were so nice and let us stay the whole weekend!! Poor Kirsten wasn't able to plan for us so she was apologetic the whole time about things that they had already committed to do, but we had so much fun and didn't mind a bit! After we got home from the party we stayed up a little while and hung out, but decided we'd have more fun the next day if we slept a little. Saturday was full of fun, cheer practice, Wii, basketball games, Wii, lunch, Wii, games, Wii, did I mention Wii? The boys had so much fun playing wii together and spent several hours doing it! Kirsten, Ammon, Nate and I all competed in Just Dance and I have to say I haven't had that much fun in a long time! We played some fun card games and they were kind enough to treat us to ice cream at Graders, which apparently is a Columbus must! It was awesome and they surprised Gabby with a little birthday party to celebrate a few days early! She was in heaven!! It was such an amazingly fun weekend! Kirsten and I reminisced about college days, did a fun craft and just had fun being together! I sure miss that girl! It made me wonder why we don't do this more often, I know I say that every time, but really!!! It was a memory we will all hold dear, it was just so much fun! Thanks Rasmussen's for your generosity and your friendship, we can't wait to do it again!!!!

Happy Birthday Gabs

I can hardly believe that my sweet little Gabby is SIX years old. I really didn't think that I was that old, but my kids just keep getting bigger and bigger!! It is hard to imagine my life without this amazing little angel. She is every mother's dream come true. She comes when I call, she answers when I ask, she does when I ask her to, and she hardly ever complains. Her favorite food is salad and veggies, she prefers fruit to candy, she doesn't really like chocolate and she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. She has to please everyone and will literally give you her brand new present that she just got for her birthday (just ask Lily who as soon as the present was open told Gabby that the Barbie she got was going to be hers too because they were sisters and sisters share. Then she asked if she could have a turn and before Gabby had even played with it once she was willing to give it to Lily. I had to intervene at that point.) I really can not tell you what a joy it is to have this wonderful little girl as my own. She makes me smile on a daily basis and can lighten any one's mood. She loves to give hugs and is always super concerned with how everyone else is feeling. She is an angel, really truly and I love her to pieces!!
She is the best big sister, and little sister for that matter. (She plays Lego Star Wars on the WII all the time with Luke even though she'd rather play something like Just Dance, just to make him happy)

As I look over the last six years I am reminded of so many fun things about her and all the things that make her who she is. She is such a wonderful girl, and I am still wondering how I was the lucky one to end up with her! But I am so thankful I did!!






She was a great baby and has been a joy in our family. Gabby, Happy Birthday! We love you with all our hearts and truly are so thankful to have you in our family!!!

Christmas Crafts

I had lofty plans this year to make all kinds of fun things. But I ended up only getting a few of them done, and I only took pictures of two of them. But I promised a few people I would post pictures so here are the two I actually took pictures of before I gave them away or they got packed away. This first one is of an apron I made for my friend Keertin. She is such an awesome girl and watched my kids for 6 weeks every morning at 6am to 7am while I taught seminary and Nate was gone!! I wanted to do something that showed my appreciation, but all I came up with was this apron. She is a fantastic cook so I thought it might be nice to look good while in the kitchen so much!! I thought it was cute and totally her. I think she liked it.... I also made Gabby a dress. I have Lily's all cut out, but never made it. (She has all Gabby's old ones so I justify only making Gabby one since she doesn't have any dresses. That's not exactly fair or nice, but she doesn't know...yet)

I got the fabric (5 yards) for $5 and I had everything else. It wasn't the fabric I would choose, but for what I had and all things considered I liked the way it turned out. And more importantly she did!! Anyways I will have to post more if I ever get them photographed and if not, at least I got them made!!!

Leah and her Turtle

Leah Israelsen is Lily's best friend ever. The two of them are always so concerned about each other. Almost every morning they wake up and ask about each other and every time they see each other they run to each other calling the others name and they embrace like they haven't seen each other for years! It's super cute and they really do love each other. Yesterday we spent the day together and had so much fun. That is until poor Leah needed to go #2. Unfortunately she was constipated and it was quite the ordeal to witness. Lily was so concerned about her. So tonight at dinner Lily says, "Mom, Leah had a BIG turtle in her bum yesterday and that's not good. That turtle hurt Leah. That's not a nice turtle, is it mom?! And that turtle had blood in his mouth. That made Leah cry." To which Gabby replies, "Um I'm pretty sure Leah didn't have a "turtle" in her bum because turtles don't like to be in peoples bottoms. There is poop up there." Thanks kids for the perfect dinner conversation. And poor Leah, we hope those turtles get a little bit softer!!! :)

Christmas!!

Christmas morning always starts super early in our family! From the time I was a kid I remember waking up super early and waiting for Dad to call us out by playing "Ding, Dong, Merrily on High" super loud throughout the whole house. I asked him to make me a CD with Christmas music and that song on it so I could continue the tradition. Luke was already awake, but I had to wake the girls up even with the music blasting!. Unfortunately Lily wasn't feeling well, cried and begged to go back to bed, so she missed out on it this year, but the rest of us had fun!The kids were excited to see Santa ate most of the cookies they left, he couldn't eat all of them because they left a bunch!! Santa brought them all Pillow Pets, and then Gabby got an Easy Bake oven from dad and mom. She loves it!

Luke had asked for this roller coaster set, which is why he got his own room a few months ago, I had to know his sisters wouldn't destroy it!!

When Lily finally got up, and got some medicine in her system, she was excited to find her play house. She has wanted one desperately since she first saw it a few months ago! After opening presents we went to a friends house for a yummy breakfast and the kids got more cool stuff! We sure are grateful for great friends out here!

It was a good Christmas. Best of all it snowed for us!! We got to all just sit around and enjoy each others company and play with toys! It was wonderful!

Christmas Eve

This year for Christmas we stayed home in WV. It was hard knowing that everyone was getting together in Utah, but we just could afford to fly and there was no way we could drive this year. (The kids didn't get off school until the 23rd and everyone had to start back on the 3rd, and it take 3 days each way to drive.... you do the math) But we had a nice time here as a family. A family in the ward invited us to come spend Christmas Eve with them, it was nice and everyone had lots of fun. They have older girls, that I teach in seminary, and they painted my girls nails and toe nails while we were cleaning up dinner. They were in HEAVEN!! Lily kept telling everyone about her pretty nails, over and over and over again!! After we were done there we took the kids driving around to look at all the beautiful Christmas lights. It was fun except that the kids were so excited to get home and open their jammies that we didn't go for very long. As per tradition, we came home and everyone opened their pj's and this year they all got books with them!

They were SOOOO excited for Santa to come!! Too bad Lily got sick during the night, but that seems to be becoming a tradition in our family as well. Some one ALWAYS gets sick on Christmas!! At least they all had warm new jammies to sleep in!!