Christmas Sing

Lots of Christmas Sings this year! Between chorus performances for Annabelle and Benson and just regular Christmas performances for Maxwell, I felt like we were juggling, A LOT.

I brought the whole entire crew! My kids have never had such an audience all under the age of four! Luckily Beetle saved the day and met me, and luckily this double stroller has straps that Bayliss didn't figure out a way to wiggle out of until the end of the performance.

             Poor Annabelle inherited personal space issues from me, I can so feel this awkwardness.

             Grandma Phyl and Grandma Cheryl came to the University mall performance to support.

 So did the entire Elder crew, complete with Giant Ricker, sad I didn't get a pic, Pearl was proudly representing though.

                       I don't remember the last time all seven of us strolled through the mall together.

Nothing like these performances to get you in the Christmas Spirit, I wouldn't miss them for anything!

Gingerbread House 2013

I love making Gingerbread Houses. Mainly for the candy. The candy included in this Gingerbread house was kind of weak, but as long as there are sugared gumdrops and actual gum, I am happy.

Brigham was just thinking life was awesome. His little fingers were trying to grab everything and anything.

 When I was younger, it really bothered me how you could never eat your gingerbread house after you made it. Instead it would be a decoration and collect dust until Christmas, then you could eat it. The dust and the rock solid candy never stopped me from eating it, but fresh soft gumdrops would have been better.

So after we spent about an hour creating this beautiful gingerbread house together, I let the kids go at it.

                                                           
                                                           It was delicious, and quiet. 

The Reason for the Season

 I have been anxious to drive our kids up to Salt Lake so they could experience Temple Square. Things kept getting in the way so Friday night I said to Beetle, "we are going no matter what... no excuses, who cares if it's 14 degrees we are going to make memories!"

 So it was pretty cold, but we bundled them all up and really none of them complained too much.

They really loved all the lights, Benson called this the Chicken Pox tree.

We really don't get out much, all of our kids were obsessed with the escalators! They were going up and down them while Beetle was saving our spot in line to see the Christ Statue. 

 I was touched to see how long the line was to see this statue. I love that so many people want to do anything they can this time of year to feel closer to the Savior and to become more like him. We have been the recipients of such kind acts of service this year, I get teary eyed just thinking about them. I know these kind acts of service are because of Him. I will be forever grateful for His perfect example and for others who are His Hands.

                                       
                                            These three are looking too grown up in this picture.

Someone was so nice to take a family picture for us. It's blurry but I still love it.

 Maxwell was so cute. He was really trying to figure out what Temple Square was going to be like on the way up to Salt Lake. Beetle and I were trying to describe it to him. As we were walking around in the visitor's center he looked at me with his huge smile and said "I know what this is now! It's a museum of Jesus!"

Originally we parked semi-close to the temple but then I was worried we were going to get a ticket. So Beetle offered to go find new parking while we started our walk to the temple. What we didn't know is that it was the Christmas Concert. Super Busy. No Parking. Beetle ended up parking at the State capitol building. Our kids were kind of ticked, except for Annabelle she was pretty excited to see the capitol building, since she is learning about it in school this year. 

It was a Good Night.

Happy Birthday Mindy!

Today I am high jacking Mindy's Blog to wish her a Happy Birthday.  Anyone that knows Mindy, knows how special she is.   She is the most beautiful person both inside and out.  I love showing people our family picture because the first thing they say is "Wow, you got lucky!" I really did get lucky. Not only is she a knock out, on the inside she is the most caring, nurturing, and sweet person I know.  She lives to be a mom.  While many moms will find reasons to take a break from their kids, there is no place she would rather be than home loving her 5 kids.   She devotes everything to our family.  Cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry for a family of seven is no easy task, but she handles it, and would love to do it for one or two more. She truly is one of a Kind.  She adds an element to family gatherings that no one else does.  With her bold questions, her ability to tell retell a story with more detail than the person who actually experienced the story, and her childlike taste buds.  Things are always more fun with Mindy.  Everyone in my family loves her so much, we are so lucky to have her in our family.  She is an awesome wife, mother, sister, sister in law, daughter, daughter in law, and friend.  Happy 34th Birthday Mindy.

Halloween Stuff

I can't just skip over Halloween. Every year it gets a little more crazy and I am just now starting to realize why my Mom only gave us a few choices of what we could be for Halloween....a pumpkin, clown or a witch.

Simon: pirate, Dennis the Menace, Mario. Maxwell: Ninja. Benson: Secret Agent. Annabelle: MorTiiicia. Brigham: Chubby Robot 

                                                   
                                                           Pumpkin Carving and stabbing

 Beetle made an Awesome Mr. Wilson, I on the other hand was supposed to be Mrs. Wilson and ended up looking like a sick person with blue eyebrows. When Phyllis saw me she said " Mindy honey....what....are...what are you?

Roxanne, Jonny, and Millie's costume's were pretty Awesome.

                                                   
                                                          Michelle, Roman, and Bayliss

Benson took his costume very seriously this year. He and his friends at school play secret agents at recess, they call themselves "American Cheese". Benson came up with his costume all on his own, he told me that all he needed for his costume was a hat, sunglasses and a saxophone. I don't know why the saxophone but in his mind maybe that just makes the secret agent look more secret. Obviously we couldn't come up with a saxophone but he was still pretty satisfied with his costume. I loved that he was making this face throughout the entire night.

Dennis the Menace and Mr. Wilson

So sad I didn't get any pictures of the other costumes! Every body looked really good.

                                               I really love an excuse to put my boys in tights.

                                                       

                     Charles Farley was looking good in my Dad's leather jacket from High School.

                                                                  GANGNAM STYLE!

                                             
                                                 Brig was so cute trick or treating this year.

These guys were more into strangers Halloween decor than they were trick or treating.

Can you believe this candy only lasted us about 3 days? Except for a bunch of Milky Ways, that I ended up throwing out. I was going to be a good parent and ration it, but then I just kind of gave up on that idea.

November

It has only been a couple of months since I hiked from Grove Creek to Battle Creek. It was like a completely different hike.

                                                 
                       Still pretty, but a different kind of pretty. It's officially November! What a great month.

I love it when we make it to this part of the hike. The climb is over and we usually run through this meadow. It is so Beautiful!

 Just a Cowboy, his Horse and Dog. I am pretty sure he was scrambling some eggs, the smell of them was making me wish I had eaten breakfast before I left instead of a bunch of Halloween candy.

                                                                   
                                                                      Indian Springs

                                         

                                                           
                                                                  Such a pretty day!

Battle Creek has changed too! A heavy rainstorm made all sorts of new streams and waterfalls.

                 
                            Everything was looking pretty dead but there was still a little bit of color left.

                                                          I am so blessed to live here!