Merry Christmas!!!

I hope that everyone is having an amazing Christmas!!

I am so happy that the stockings have been hung...then filled...then emptied...and now we can rest!!! I feel exhausted!! The rushing around this time of year really does me in. This year I feel like Christmas came so fast that I hardly got a chance to enjoy it. This next few days until school starts back up I am going to try to relax and do some reading (Eclipse) and enjoy what is left of the Christmas holiday!!! But I do hope that all of yours was wonderful!!!

A Very Happy Birthday...Hurray!!

Happy 12th Birthday McKennah!!

What an exciting Birthday!! McKennah turns 12 today!! I love her so much and am so lucky to be her Mom. She will now be saying goodbye to Primary, which is sad for me. It means she is growing up (& way too fast). She will now be going with her big sister to Young Womens.

Happy Birthday Kennah!!

Sweet Baby Boy!!

Fun With Braedon

I said a while ago that I would post an update about Braedon's progress. I know it is late but here it is. He did go in to be tested for Cerebral Palsy...and it came back that he did have it, but it is mild. I knew that he would have some. How could he not with the severity of the brain injury from when he was born. Mild is good, and I don't imagine that it will change any as he gets older. It seems to be mostly in his legs, but I am sure we will notice small things later as he gets older. He seems to be coming along great. He still is not walking on his own. He does have a walker and can use it, but someone has to hold it while he is using it because walkers have no brakes! He has been fitted for his leg braces, we will see how he does with them when he starts using them. He also is crawling now. Before it was more of a scoot with his legs being pulled behind him. Now he puts his legs under him and is using his knees to move forward...yea for him!!! He is talking a little bit more although it is hard to discern and you have to listen hard for some of the words...but they are there. I have to say I am so happy to post all of this good news...Hooray for Braedon!!

P.S. If you click on Jesse's picture on the sidebar it will take you to his story. I am working on posting Braedon's story as well. I will also be posting a fun page for each of the grandchildren...it may take a while but I WILL get it done ; )

Festival Of Trees

Christmas Spirit!!

On Friday McKennah danced at the Festival of Trees at the South Town Center. It was so much fun for the girls. It helps us to get into the Christmas Spirit. Of course we have to stop by the Sweet Shoppe and buy a few yummy things. I remember last year when we went we seen Angie Larsen from GTU there on a date night.

After we left we went to the South Town Mall...and then to the District shopping center in South Jordan and ate at the Chick-fil-a there.

And A Fun Party!

Saturday Steve and I had a christmas party to go to in Evanston, WY at the President of the AKKI's home. His home was so amazing. It was completely decorated everywhere and had 4 huge christmas trees. They had just built on and remodeled their home. It was all done with kinda a rustic feel. They had amazing wood floors, beamed ceilings and huge chandeliers. Outside they had built their own mountain range. They had tons and tons of dirt and rock brought in and built this huge thing and Saturday it had light snow on it and about 300 trees and about 30 light up deer on it. It was absolutely amazing to look at...I sure wished I had gotten some pictures!!!

Another Happy Birthday!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Brooks!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Brooks!!
We miss you and hope to see you soon!!

The Milne's Are Here!!

What a fun time!!

This is when they first got to our house...happy children!!

More excitement...they are so being monkeys!!

Madi & Kennah walked around like this for a whole 10 mins!!

We had pizza and a sleepover and friends over to visit!!

This was Sunday morning after breakfast.
It was sooo cold outside, but they all wanted it to feel like old times!!

My New Favorite Thing!!

I just wanted to share with you all one of my new favorite things to do...

I keep my laptop in the corner of my kitchen counter and now I just click one of these logo's and listen and enjoy!! Household chores are now so much more enjoyable. Try it!!

Birthdays Birthdays Everywhere

If You Have A Birthday Shout Hurray!!

Birthdays sure are abundant for us in the month of November!! First is Madi's on the 11th, then my Dads on the 12th, then Travis' on the 14th and my Moms the 15th, then Chantel's on the 19th. Whew...no wonder I am broke by the time Christmas rolls around!! So 'Happy Birthday' to all of you with November birthdays!!

Shaylee M. Happy 13th Birthday on the 11th!!
Colton A. Happy 12th Birthday on the 14th!!

Happy Sweet 15th!!

Today is Madi's Birthday!!
I love her and am so proud of the sweet young woman she has become!!

Happy Birthday Madi!!

Happy Halloween!!!

Trick or Treat!!

McKennah & Jaxon

Morgen the Princess

Jaxon is Buzz Lightyear

McKennah, Morgen, Jaxon and Averie before they went Trick or Treating

Trick or Treat!!

Trevor taking the little boys around on the buggy!

Yep!! It was that warm...no jackets!!!

Our Indoor Trunk Or Treat

Our Ward Trunk or Treat Halloween Party!!

The Beautiful Savannah Cook

Our fun neighbor John Auger

Madi with her friend Tierra...oh and the boys!!

Morgen with her friends Sophie and Ari

McKennah with her friend Bailey

What a fun night...but I do have to say that it just wasn't the same without the Milne's...Jen is sooo funny!!

Frightmares!!

UEA At Frightmares!!

We went to Frightmares over UEA weekend. It turned out to be so much fun...and cold to. It was so crowded there that night that all lines were long. Baileys mom Lacie waited in line at one of the haunted houses while us and the kids rode some of the rides. It was a 70 minute wait...I owe you one Lacie!! Thanks for the fun night!!

I'm it again?

Another Tag!!

Jody is tagging me with this one...

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. Cafe Rio
2. Iggy's
3. Karen's Cafe
4. Applebee's (could be that it's convenient)
5. Crown burger
6. Maddox
7. Rumbi Grill
8. Robintino's

8 Favorite TV Shows:
1. Brothers & Sisters
2. Desperate Housewives
3. The Biggest Loser
4. Oprah
5. Good Things Utah
6. Dr.90210
7. Good Eats (Food Network)
8. Divine Design (HGTV)

8 Things I Did Yesterday:
1. Woke up
2. Painted my bathroom door (just 8 more to go)
3. Got everyone ready for church.
4. Went to church (only 10 mins. late this time)
5. Listened to 3 great talks in Sacrament...thank you Eiserts!!
6. Made sure the kids got fed.
7. Watched Scooby Doo on ABC family with the girls.
8. Just hung out...it was Sunday after all!!

8 Things I Am Looking Forward To:
1. Replacing my kitchen floor & upstairs carpet
2. Being thin & fit again
3. Paying off my house
4. Not fighting the construction when I go to the gym in the morning (475)
5. The fun holidays and listening to Christmas music
6. Replacing my fireplace
7. Having my storage room done!
8. Having a place to put my christmas tree!

8 things I wish:
1. That I wasn't so hard on myself
2. That I lived by my heart and not by fear.
3. That talking in church and saying the prayer was 'easy'
4. That my girls were kinder to each other
5. That my girls grow up to be loving responsible adults
6. That my life was less tumultuous
7. The economy would turnaround...NOW!!
8. That I had more time!!

8 People I Tag:
I appears that most everyone has been tagged...so I am only tagging Jaycee, Madi, and Kennah.

I've Been Tagged

I'm It!!

I've been tagged by Jaycee. How excited am I? I am supposed to post 7 weird things about myself...I am not weird at all so this is going to be hard (yea right).

1. I am not afraid of spiders. I mean I wouldn't pick them up with my bare hands or anything. How does this make we weird? Because everyone else in my family is petrified of them. Madi and McKennah check their beds every night before they climb in and Steve frequently goes spider hunting outside after dark with a flashlight and a can of Raid.

2. I have not read any of the Harry Potter Series or any of the Twilight Series. (I used to love to read, now I just have no time to read).

3. If it is broke I have to fix it. It makes me nuts to have something that is not working correctly. It doesn't matter if it is something in my car...or in the house...it has to work.

4. I love bargains!! I find it difficult to buy anything at regular price.

5. At 39 I have my 6th grandchild on the way. Who would have guessed? Not me for sure!!

6. I have no eyebrows. I had permanent makeup done on them about 2 years ago...and now they need to be touched up, which is painful...but it sure beats drawing them on everyday.

7. I had to have stitches on my bottom lip when I was 2 months old. Because of that I have a crooked smile and a long scar that goes down from my bottom lip.

8. (Did I say I can't count?) I cannot be on time to church on Sunday. In the almost 8 years that we have been going I think I have heard the opening prayer a handful of times.

Okay, now I am supposed to tag 7 people. Madi & Mckennah thought that it would be fun...so they are 2 of them. The others are of course Jen, Jodi, Angela, Debbie, and Kim. Now, your it!!

Where's The Snow?

Sunday Morning Snow!!

I woke up Sunday morning to a beautiful scene outside my door (it sure make up for the sore throat I also woke up with). I stepped outside and took a couple of pictures. Later that evening I proceeded to log on to load the amazing pictures onto my blog...but where are they? Someone messed with my camera, and now my pictures are no where to be found, so I thought I would load what appeared to take precidence over my beautiful pictures...McKennah doing cartwheels, and backbends, and Madi and Morgen making faces....enjoy!!!

My new four letter word

E - con - o - my!!

Okay...I am just going to say it. This economy has really gotten me stressed. My girls have even taken notice and are now talking about it. I worry if we have enough food storage...will Steve get laid-off from his job...will we end up losing everything we have worked so hard for for the last 17 years...I can't even imagine starting over.

Should we be saving every dollar or trying to spend to help stimulate the economy. How is this going to get turned around. What good can I do. I so wish that I had all the answers.

What I am hoping for is that I am worrying for nothing and that a year from now we will all be better off than we are now...or...Could it be that I am just watching too much Dr. Phil and Oprah? lol

Young Women Activity

Madi went with the young women to visit the gravesite of the prophet "Gordon B. Hinckley" and his wife Marjorie. She had her picture taken with a cell phone and sent it to me. I so wanted to go, but we had already made dinner plans. We may have to go another time as a family. I love and am so proud of my daughter Madi.

I also have to share with you this song that Madi has come home from school singing every day. She said that she sings it at school and some of the kids tease her...but she says "I don't care". Take a listen...