A fresh start!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Life is busy especially this time of year and things finally feel like they are settling down, a little. Atleast enough to sneak in a post. We had a wonderful Christmas surrounded by family and friends that we love and thinking of thoughs who are far away. This year has been different than any other year for our family for so many reasons, some good, some not so good. But we feel so blessed for all that we have been given, trials and all. I love the New Year, I feel like we get a chance to start over with anything and everything in our lives. Danny and I sat down yesterday to right our new years resolutions and let me tell you we finished off with 5 sheets of paper. Will we be able to stick to them all, who knows but we sure are going to try! We had things ranging from going to the Temple monthly , no soda, to making sure we have a regular date night! The best was planning all of the trips we'd "like" to take. Think big right. But most importantly we would like to get settled in roseville again!

This is Lauren sleeping Christmas Eve. She likes to put her head bands over her eyes to get her "beauty rest". She says and does some of the best things ever! She always keeps us laughing.

Here's the munchkins before we let them go to see the fun things Santa brought. Poor Lauren woke up first and had to wait "Patiently" for the rest of them. I get so excited to see there faces.

Jake ran for the stockings first and he would have been completely happy if Santa only brought play dough and bubble gum!

Lauren was very happy to get a guitar. She is the greatest air guitar girl I know. If there is ANY music playing anywhere this girl is out of her seat and rockin out!

Santa brought Aydon a new bike but he was more interested in what new video game came his way! Gotta love it, or hate it depending on who you are. I am more of a non lover!

Lindsey became a new Mommy of her Baby Alive. This is the greatest doll. I have enjoyed being a new "Grandma" too. I just read on my sister in laws blog about the baby alive her daughter got from Santa and I was dying laughing. She got the one that poops and she is having a great time with it. Needless to say I am happy to have only a peeing baby! Her name is Ella Bella, just like her other babies!

Jake finally made it to his toys! We got him a Thomas the train track mostly because Aydon LOVED Thomas when he was little so we thought Jake would too! He did but he doesn't like him to stay on the tracks. He tried to make him go around the toilet and in the bath tub. I have a feeling we are going to go through alot of trains. We went to my sisters house for the afternoon where the paper flew and the kids enjoyed playing with thier cousins. Family is the greatest blessing in the world and I am so grateful for them all. We are all so happy and relieved that Jeff is doing so much better. He is going in for surjury on the 7th and we expect him to be 100% soon!

We had a great 12 days of Christmas with lots of crafts and baking and fun family time.

Ornament night, where we gave the kids theirs for 2008. Aydon was Mater from the movie Cars because of his cute teeth. He is a great sport about it. He loves to say the line " She just likes me for my bOdy!" Jake got Lightening McQueen from Cars as well because he is a speed racer... that child is so fast and can turn a room upside down before you can get off of your chair to stop him. Good thing he is so dang cute or we'd sell him!!!LOL Lauren got a Hannah Montana guitar ornament because she is our little rock star! And Last but certainly not least Lindsey got an Aurora Princess because that is exactly what she is .. a PRINCESS with an attitude. When ever she wants something from Lauren she says" Princess should share" however that rule doesn't always apply to her.!

Pajama night was fun for the girls because who doesn't LOVE HM3! Troy is SOOOOO cute! (Lauren and Lindsey both have a crush)

We hope this Holiday finds you happy and healthy. We love this time of year when everyone is a little kinder and we can remember the reason for the season. We love you all and we hope this next year brings wonderful blessings to you all.

A post for Jen!

Jen, I hope these are the pictures you had in mind. Let me know. I can't find any others that have costumes. Let me know if they print off ok.

Family Traditions!

Well a new post is long over due and this one requires some participation. Last night at 10pm (way past the kids bed time and mine!) we put up the Christmas tree. We "traditionally put it up the day after Thanksgiving, but this has not been a normal year for our family by any means. We are at my Mom's house right now for the next few weeks and so it felt like I was a kid again to be here with her. We always play Christmas music (usually the old Alvin and the Chipmunk CD). We got everything put up and turned out all of the lights before we turn on the tree lights. The kids ooh and aah and so do the adults and at that moment, for me at least, it feels like Christmas! SO here is where you come in. We have alot of fun family traditions for instance a family photo. Which we have not done yet. There is always some one doing their own thing in each picture so we just pick the best and go with it. Any how I will list some of ours and I would love if any and all of you would share your favorites so that we might be able to pick up something new this year. My sister in-law Jenni had a few on her blog today that were fun. We usually give the kids their Christmas pj's on Christmas eve, but this year she gave them to them on Dec. 1 so they can wear them all month long. Good idea. I haven't purchased all of ours yet so we will be a little behind on that but were planning on it.
* We get each of the kids a personalized ornament to hang on the tree with their name and the year on it. Then each year they have several to hang of their own.
*We have a girls baking day at my Mom's usually mid December with all of the women in our family (little girls included) and we all bake tons of yummy goodies and then split it up and take to our friends and neighbors. Of course we keep plenty to eat ourselves. I always enjoy that day with just the girls.
*Danny LOVES hot Chocolate more than the average person. So each year I make his Mom's mixture of Oh so yummy Hot cocoa and every time we go out looking at Christmas lights we fill up are thermos and bring it along for the ride.
*As far as gifts go, we get each of our kids 3 gifts representing the gifts of the 3 wise men and stocking suffers.
* We have a Christmas Eve party at mine or my sisters house were the kids open all of their gifts from extended family members. We read the Christmas story Luke 2 before any gifts are opened. We pick 2 kids to be "Santa's Helper's" and they pass out all of the presents under the tree. They LOVE to do that and it keeps everyone under control.
* I love all of the food we have on both days! On Christmas Eve we do every kind of hor d'oeuvers (how in the heck do you spell that) and sweets, hot cider and hot Choc. and Christmas Day is like Thanksgiving all over again. Turkey, ham, stuffing cranberries the works. My mouth is watering just thinging about it.
* We are doing the 12 days of Christmas where each night we will suprise the kids with doing something new.

Anyhow, those are a few of the things we do I'll add more later but he natives are getting restless and one is stinky. I hope your holidays are getting off to a great start! Don't forget to share your ideas.