A Much Needed Update

Whew-ee, it's about time for an update. Life has just been crazy busy around here for me physically and emotionally. I can barely think. I haven't even had the time or desire to do things I like to do, which makes me sad. I have taken very few pictures in the last while, with the exception of Chrismas, and those haven't even been downloaded. Totally not like me. Here's a few to recap the last few months.

Hunter received Principals Pride the first Friday after school started for this assignment. I was a good mom this year and DIDN'T FORGET TO GO like I did last year. It's a picture of Sunflowers and the words say "Sunflowers are like dozens of camoflagued starfish."

I ended up going to the pumpkin patch twice. The first time was just Carly, Fisher and I. They wanted to decorate them with the Potato Head pieces the minute we walked in the door. Those poor pumpkins were so rotten by the time Halloween rolled around.

The second time at the patch was with the whole family. Hunter chose the biggest pumpkin he could find. I told him as long as he could carry it, he could get it. Pumpkins were expensive there! We walked away spending over $20 and everyone had 1 pumpkin. Note to self, next year: a) buy pumpkins at Winco and pay 6 cents per pound b) grow my own, or c) suck it up and pay the prices at the patch. After all, you're paying for the experience and the kids love it!

The kids were so cute at Halloween. They wore their costumes a lot this year including to the halloween festival at Hunter's school. Fisher was a cowboy, my favorite part being his cowhide chaps. Carly was a witch, I found her dress at DI for five bucks and then we got the hat and tights to match. Hunter was Darth Vader. He already had the mask from Nana and then I found the costume and light saber at Savers and paid $7 total. Not too shabby :) I hope the with dress fits Carly again next Halloween.

In November we had the opportunity to go to Provo for the great rival BYU/UTAH game with Eric, Katherine, Dan's parents and my parents. We left way early and were able to park right by the stadium and we had our own tailgate party. Dan took down our BBQ grill and we hung out together until the game started. I was glad to have my camera and got some great shots. At Christmas I took the couples pictures and made them into ornaments and gave them away as gifts. They were a hit.

Katherine was the only Utes fan in our group. The guys clad in BYU shirts just down the way from us that were roasting a whole pig offered to put her on the spit and put her out of her misery (being a ute fan, lol.)

The game was AWESOME! I have never enjoyed watching football as much as I did that day.

We all know BYU won. Kat was sad. We went to Krispy Kreme on the way home and got fresh melt in your mouth doughnuts right off the press. Thanks for the fun times!

It's tradition every year to decorate gingerbread houses at Nedra's house. Everyone brings candy and other items to share. This year Hunter did a train, Fisher did a little graham cracker house and Carly did a big house. I love this tradition!

Heather, Madi (With her short hair that she cut off all by herself!) Paul and Mason (with a sticker on his forehead from the baby wipes) Nathan and Camille.

Eric and Katherine came and did their own house. She said her's was the Ghetto Gingerbread House when it was done.

As a tradition every year we go and cut down our Christmas Tree. We were running short on time and had only about 15 minutes of daylight to find a couple of trees. Hunter set the small one up at the end of the hall and placed signs on the walls with arrows pointing Santa to it. We also got a tree for Nedra and it looked fabulous all decorated up.

In the beginning of December, we braved the cold and traveled down to Temple Square to see the lights. We went to the trax station and knew a train was coming soon. In the middle of the guys trying to buy tickets, the train came. The women and kids all got on and the guys were still waiting for tickets to print out. In the mean time, the doors closed and the train left and they were still standing there. So here we are with no tickets and our husbands back at the station. We traveled along, hoping they wouldn't check us for tickets and then kick us off. They never did and we were laughing about it the whole way. We got downtown and waited and waited in the 8 DEGREE weather for the guys to come. We saw the train go by, saw them standing on it and thought, they'll be here soon enough, it's just a minutes walk back to where we are. We waited and waited and waited and they never came! I called Dan and they hadn't gotten off because they couldn't figure out how to open the doors to do so! So they had to ride on to the next stop. We all figured they would get off there and just walk the two stops back to where we were. They didn't, lol. They waited there for another train to bring them back to the stop we had gotten off at. Needless to say we had a good laugh!

The temple was Beautiful! And I loved this manger scene on the water.

I hadn't been down to see the lights in a while and it was well worth it. We all traveled back to the trax station TOGETHER and then we had some hot chocolate when we got home.

I made calendars for the second year in a row for Christmas on my computer and this was the collage I put on front. I printed them at home, and then binded them together.

Heather Jo did some calendars at my house as well and this was the collage of pictures I put together for hers. I took all these pictures of her family last spring at Gardner Village.

Christmas pictures and Carly's birthday pictures should be here in the time line, but like I said, I haven't even downloaded them yet. That will be my next project.

For New Years, we went to Luke and Cara's for the evening. Cara took this picture. I love it, because we hardly ever get pictures together because I'm always behind the camera!

Dan has already taken Hunter and Carly ice fishing multiple times this winter. They've been to Yuba where Hunter caught those Perch, to Flaming Gorge where Hunter caught this 27 inch Burbot and to Strawberry where Hunter caught a 21 1/2 inch Cutthroat.

Kiss a "Fish"

This is my baby, Fisher. Well, not so much a baby anymore, he's 2 :)
(Watch Eric in the background.)


This is Fisher's long lost cousin named "Fish". Isn't that funny? He's actually got his eyes closed and has his lips puckered up on it!


Now he's making his loud "MUAH" kissing sound.


I think I'll have him kiss Dan next :)

Math 101, toddler style...

This...


+ This...


+ This...


= This...
Sitting at the end of the hall in the naughty spot bench.