Happy Birthday Gage!!.........

How old are you? TWO! (He can't hold up two fingers on one hand so we showed him how to use two hands.) Just blew out his candles. First try and everything! (not really, this was the second shot, the first time I had the cake turned around and they were too far away)

Gage's Cupcake Cake. He loved it and had been waiting patiently all afternoon to try it out. When it was all said and done, he just licked off the icing..... and left the cake.

Wow! How the time goes! I can't believe my baby is two years old! It just seems like last year when I was in the hospital for thanksgiving and shopping on the internet from bed for christmas! That was a hard year, but still had some good times and great blessings that we wouldn't trade. Happy Birthday my sweet boy! We love you and are so grateful you're a part of our family!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!...........

Kristian opening her presents with some help....... She got a digital camera and an I-Dog.

Kassie got an American Girl doll named Kit. She thinks it is so cool that they have the same haircut. Poor Kassie...... stomach flu on christmas for the second year in a row! But on the bright side we got to stay at home in our jammies all day!

Gage with his fisher price shake-n-go crash ups speedway. It looks like Dad likes it just as much as Gage!

Kambree loves her fisher price loving family doll house. She played with it all day..... well... and Gage's race track too! She was so excited! As far as she is concerned..... everything she got was from Santa. She thinks he is the coolest!

We had a great Christmas, and hope you all did too!

SNOW DAY!.....

Yeah! Finally SNOW in Northern Utah! The kids were so excited! Gage wouldn't even eat breakfast, he just wanted on his boots and to be let loose! Kassie had to wait til after school, but still had some fun. Yes, that's Gage in the dark puffy suit, he could barely move, but didn't seem to mind. He was just having so much fun!

Kassie and Kambree's attempt at building a snowman!

They were so proud of it!

5 hour a week adventure...

Well, today was my first day on the "out of the house" job. It went rather well, I really liked it. It is only 5 hours a week (Friday mornings) but it was nice to be in the medical field again. I really love it, think it's so interesting...... I am just always intrigued with "diseases" and all other cool and weird stuff the human body has to deal with. (As long as it's not mine or my families) Not that I am glad anyone has such things, or is sick. I just find it fascinating. I know..... I am weird. Anyway, I am working for Dr. Walker in Tremonton. Same doctor I take my kids to, so I knew everyone a little bit. Hopefully I can handle my measly 5 hour a week adventure.

Christmas Mayhem.....

Wow! I cannot believe how busy we have been! I can even say my shopping is done.... but there is still always something to be done or going on! I pity those of you who don't have your shopping done yet! So Sorry!! Here is just a few of the things we have been doing............ Kassie and Kambree had their Christmas concert for their Harmony singing group tonight. They both did a great job and really love their classes. Thanks Kari!

Kambree wouldn't go up and stand with her class without me. "Lucky Me"!

Kambree made Reindeer Antlers at preschool today. She loves them. I had dinner ready, and she took one look in the crockpot and told me that reindeer don't eat people food and she needed something else! Guess BBQ ribs didn't look to great to her. Too bad.... mom made her eat them anyway!

At our family party last Saturday.

If Ye Are Prepared.....

....ye shall not fear. Well, I'm starting to get a little nervous. Every year I tell myself I am going to be more organized and get more done before thanksgiving for the holidays. This year I started a Christmas notebook, where I make my lists, and notes about what I wish I would have already had done at this point and when I think I should have done it. Maybe this book will be helpful for next year, I don't know, but I hope. Just when I think I have a handle on it, I remember something that I need to be doing, or thinking about. I wanted to teach my kids more about service, and the true meaning of Christmas this year, so I wanted all of the "worldly" things out of the way and done so I could focus on that more. So far I am failing. I keep thinking that I only need to get 4 more things and I will be done..... and then I remember something or someone else. Maybe by the time I am a grandma I will be getting it right..... but by then it won't matter. Oh-well! All I can do is try! right? Monday. That is when my mom and I are going to try and go shopping. If it really happens. We have already tried to plan this and things just come up. Maybe after monday I will feel better about things..... I just hate to leave things to the last minute. I know, November 30, or December 4, doesn't really qualify as the last minute, but I will feel much better when it is done. Maybe.... Maybe.... Maybe.... we shall see!

Family Time........

Grandpa and Uncle Aaron let Kassie and Kristian do their hair. We were thinking Grandpa should go for the wavy slicked back look permantly........ what do you think? Grandpa commented afterward that he still had water running down his neck and back! What good sports! Thanks!!

Kassie, Gage, Britton, Kambree, Connor, and Lindsey (standing behind)

The cousins at Grandma Arlene's house on thanksgiving........ they were throwing that giant kush ball that Gage is holding down the stairs and then Kassie would bring it back up for them. Don't ask me why...... but they all thought is was soooo funny!

We had a really great thanksgiving and hope it was just as awesome for all of you! We are so grateful for the reminders of this time of year...... and we are looking forward to celebrating Christ's birth this next month!

Thanksgiving.....

I have been thinking alot about what I am thankful for this month. There are so many things that I could not list them all today. I am truly blessed. This year we are having thanksgiving dinner at my mom and dad's with all of my brothers and sister. I have not had thanksgiving with them for four years. 2 years ago I missed it with them because I was in the hospital with pre-term labor with Gage. I would not have changed that now. It gave me a greater appreciation of my family. And It gives you a greater appreciation of the times that you do get to spend together. I am looking forward to it. I wish you all a wonderful thanksgiving full of gratitude!

Just Plum Wore Out......

We just recently got out the winter stuff..... hats, gloves, boots..... and Kambree's snow suit. By the looks of this picture do I need to tell you that she loves it? She fell asleep watching a movie with her sister..... Cory took this picture and then put her on top of her covers on her bed. I came home about an hour later to find her as red as a lobster! When I took it off of her, of course she woke up, but she was soaking wet. We had a talk about why we don't wear show suits in the house for very long....... I think she gets it now!

A Hannah Montana Sunday......

Okay, so I admit it.....Cory and I usually always take a nap after church on Sundays. We usually come home, have lunch, put Gage down for a nap, and the girls are on their own for a couple of hours. They are usually really quiet, but today this woke us up. They were all rockin' out to Hannah Montana and dancing in the living room. I couldn't resist..... I had to take a picture. They even had Gage totally in to it. He had just woke up (probably from the noise too) and I took off his church clothes. (he actually fell asleep on the way home from church today)

My Bro......

My brother Aaron......Isn't he handsome? Just don't ask him that. He thinks he's totally hot. This picture was taken during the rehearsal. He's just standing up there waiting to be told what to do.

Aaron and Amy during the rehearsal. Listening to instruction. I didn't get a chance to take actual pictures during the ceremony because I was walking the flower girl down the isle because she was too "chicken" to go by herself. Welcome Amy to the family!! We love you!

Wedding Dinner....

My Mom put me in charge of the table decorations for my brother's wedding dinner at the Ruby River Steak House in Ogden. I thought they turned out pretty well. The picture above is the dessert table. (I should have waited to take the picture until all the desserts were on there.... they were sooooo good!) The picture below is from one of the banquet tables. There were two centerpieces per table.

October was so hectic for me.... where did it go? Today is already the 15th of November.....half over already! Christmas will be here before we know it!

Kristian.....

Wow! My daughter is 11 1/2 and so Beautiful!

And so smart too! We just had parent teacher conferences at her school and she is a great student with straight A's! Way to go Kristian!!

She is such a great help and my right hand girl....literally!

I hate it when she is gone to Brian's because I not only miss her around, but I notice how much she really does help me. I don't know what I would do without her.

This picture is from my brother's wedding last month. She loved her hair. She is such a girly girl. Loves the up-do's with curls and glitter. Where did she get that??? I don't care...... I am just so glad that she is a part of our family and we have her.

What a week....and it's only Tuesday......

Wow!.... How can so much go wrong in one day? Do you ever wish you could go back to bed and start over? And then maybe not.......maybe it's good that today is over? Yesterday one of our plumbing vans broke down on I-15 on it's way to tremonton. Okay, so we can handle that...... it's not like it hasn't happened before. Our 2 employees rode with the tow truck to the repair shop in tremonton, cory picked them up with our old work truck, the dodge. No big deal right? Yeah, that's what we thought, until I remembered that we never registered it when it came due since all it was doing was sitting in the back yard. Oh, and did we cancel the insurance?.... yes. Okay, so now I will drive to brigham on tuesday, register it and the secretary will call and have it insured. Tuesday am......... the other plumbing van starts making loud noises and there is something wrong with it! But the first one is fixed, so tyler (employee who drives the first van) picks it up and leaves the piece of dodge so that when shawn (employee who drives the second van) drops off his van, he can drive it. Meanwhile...... on his way to his job for the day in his newly repaired van, Tyler notices the check engine light on and then his van does not want to go anymore. So we have 2 vans in the shop now. One piece of crap dodge for 3 employees who are going in 2 different directions tomorrow, and to top it all off, I go in to register the peice of dodge and they tell me it needs to be inspected first! The way this week is going, someone is going to get severely unlucky and get pulled over for expired registration. There is just some days.....or weeks..... that you just can't win. Cory and I are not really sure we want to wake up tomorrow..... does anyone want to volunteer to be president of our Plumbing company for tomorrow? Maybe things will go more smoothly....... Let's hope. I still think this is better than sick kids though....... I think.

Observation......

Okay, so Cory finally noticed yesterday that I unpacked his crap. Said he noticed the day that I did it..... but just forgot to say thanks. I'm not sure I believe him, but it's done, and I for one am glad.

Men At Work...

Gage thinks it's so cool to stand with his hands in his pockets.

My Men at Work..... gage loves it, the whole tool bit and everything. It's just so funny for me..... being a mother of three girls. Boys are just a very different breed right from the get go. He gets so excited if Cory is going outside to do anything. He is his shadow. Cory loves it. He actually asks him if he wants to go. He never did/does that with the girls. So I get pictures alot. Those of you who already have boys, probably think I am nuts..... but we waited so long for a boy..... I just love it and think it's so cute!

Halloween....

Okay so I am a little late. I have been waiting for Kristian's picture but I am tired of waiting so here are the others. Gage the Monkey. Kambree the Chicken. Perfect.....because Gage IS a Monkey. And Kambree IS a little chicken.

Kassie the cat.

Krisian was a bunny. Yes, all of them were animals. No, it was not planned. But, we had fun.

Procrastination...

I love my husband.....I really do......but his procrastination gets so out of control! My personality just does not allow for it.... so I just don't get it. This is his luggage from the cruise. We have been home now for 13 days. It has yet to be unpacked. Should I really just do it for him? Yes, I have more time at home than he does, but it's not like I am just sitting and watching soaps and eating! I unpacked my luggage the Saturday after we got home and did the laundry for us and the kids. Usually I have my own and all the kids to unpack for. We left them at home so no unpacking and grandma kept up on the laundry so we were not as buried as we would be normally. However, I will at least give him the fact that he worked for half of Saturday. So maybe I should just be a good wife and unpack for him. Everyone else probably already does it for their husbands anyway.

Last March we went to St. George for a Conference for the business. After we returned home he didn't unpack until we were leaving again in June and he needed is bag! How pathetic that he has so much he doesn't even need whats in there!

Okay, I will just do it for him and we'll see how long it takes him to notice...... I will let you know!

No Ordinary Thing

I took this picture a while ago..... I just saw them by the back door one day. You know when you just "See" something so ordinary, just an everyday thing that is usually no big deal? Usually it's something really dirty, or disgusting, that you just all of a sudden notice, and you wonder how you ever missed it, and you immediately clean it up? (I hope I'm not the only one who does that. If so..... don't tell anybody!) Well this particular day, I just "saw" them by the back door. I stood and pondered on what they meant.

On any other day, I would have been bothered by them, they are always dirty, in the way of the back door, and they tend to leave a mess behind. On this particular day, they were a reminder of the man I love. The man who loves us so much that he wears those boots every day, and gets dirty and tired everyday, that walks miles everyday, just for US. So...... today I am grateful that they are by the back door, that I have to kick them to the side a little bit to open the door, that they were dirty and left a mess behind...... because that means that he is here, with us, and there is no where else I would rather he be, than right here with me.

Tomorrow? They will probably just be dirty work boots that I don't like so much, and are in the way again, but at least for today they reminded me, and for that I am also grateful.

A beginning....

I actually created this blog about a year ago, after my friend Nicole created hers, and I really liked the idea. However, as you can see, I never posted to it after I created it. After viewing some friends blogs recently, I have decided to begin.......maybe.......we'll see how it goes! This picture was taken at my brother's wedding. I have also used it for our Christmas card. (So you may see it again! :) Although we may look like a happy family.......this was not one of our favorite photo sessions, (if there is such a thing!), we had just returned from our cruise about 9:30 pm the night before, and we were not really ready to be thrown into such a busy day. Kambree and Gage (the two little ones) did not get naps and they were hungry! Not a good combo..... especially at 5:00 pm! So needless to say, this was as good as it was gonna get, not what I had in mind, but with 4 kids I need to be better at not expecting so much!