SEW Cute!

The other day Elle approached me with the idea of wanting to learn how to sew. She's asked me to help her learn before, but this time she asked me to help her because she wanted to make a blanket for every orphan in Utah. Seriously, how cute is that. I told her that maybe we'd have to start simpler, so for now we are going to make one or two blankets for a baby girl and baby boy and take them up to Primary Childrens for a little one who is sick and can love it. I was so proud of her for being so thoughtful and determined to do something good. Her blanket turned out beautiful! One down one to go...for now:)

Happy Happy Happy!

These four people bring me so much Happiness. They are my whole world. No one I would rather be with and no where I'd rather be then with them. I mean look at their smiles!!!! Can you blame me?!!!

The Sound of Music

When I was a little girl I loved watching all the girly shows with my mom, especially because there were always so many boys around and they were constantly watching all things sports, star wars, any type of boy show you name it. So when they would go on a fishing trip or out spotlighting at night, my Mom and I would get to put on shows like Ann of Green Gables, My Fair Lady, or The Sound of Music. When my Mom and I found out that Jordan Landing was putting on old movie classics and Sound of Music was going to be one of them we knew we were going. I was so excited to take my little girl and have her experience the same thing but on the BIG screen. It was BEAUTIFUL! It's a long show and didn't end till after 10 but Elle didn't take her eyes off the screen the whole time. It was such a memorable night out just Elle, My Mom and I. So incredibly grateful I have a daughter like Elle to do these things with. I absolutely adore her.

Random Cell Phone Pics

Just some random cell phone pics that I love that I may have left out over the past year or so. Such fun pics and memories I don't ever want to forget!

Sledding, New Years Eve, and Olive Garden

Traditions, Traditions, Traditions! Not only do we have traditions all through Christmas...but we have "after Christmas" Traditions as well!:) The day after Christmas the kids were asking when Grandpa was coming to take them sledding behind the Bronco. The snow cooperated and Grandpa came through. The kids sang Christmas carols and laughed the whole time they were getting pulled. Such fun times. New Years Eve was a blast as we attended our usual party at the Jone's residence. Brandon came up with some new flags for our game of Crud and I didn't wipe the smile off of my face the entire time. Being with my life-long friends...nothing like it. Don't know why we didn't get a pic of all the girls this time. Probably cause I had to leave before midnight seeing as earlier Elle asked me if my parents used to leave me to go with their friends when I was a little girl. Yep. Got me right there. So Tob and I headed to my parents to ring in the New Year with the kids. My parents were hosting Jamie's in-laws and we all had a great time. Then the next morning Elle reminded her that I had promised her Olive Garden if she got her back bend from standing up...which she did...so off to Olive Garden we went just me, her and Taters. I love that little girls company. I don't have to order for her or ask the server for extra breadsticks or refills on her drink...she takes care of all that:) Here's to a bright and happy 2013!!!

Our Christmas Card 2012

Had to document our Christmas Card this year. Thought it was pretty Cute...especially the back:) GREATEST. PICTURE . EVER .

DONNY & MARIE

Wouldn't be Christmas without a little DONNY and MARIE!!!! Somehow I managed to drag Toby to yet another Donny concert...(which he thoroughly enjoys once he gets there I might add) the day after Christmas. We went on a lovely little double date with my parents to the Blue Lemon and the Donny and Marie Christmas concert and I loved EVERY minute of it. SO good. We also spotted President Uchtdorf there so we were in great company:) It's so fun sharing my LOVE for this music with my parents...and one day Toby. Such a fun way to keep Christmas going...I'll spread it out as long as I possibly can!!!

We BELIEVE

There is a darling little one-year old girl in our ward named Brooklyn who has a rare form of cancer called ATRT. It has been absolutely heartwrenching to watch as she has gone through Chemo/Radiation and about a million other things. Her mother is an inspiration to everyone and has been so strong through it all. Our ward members have been amazing and have gone above and beyond to babysit her other children, bring meals in, and just be there with love and support. Another friend of mine in our ward put on a big function right before Christmas to raise money for little Brooklyn. (This girl is also an inspiration to me) She arranged to have Santa there and since she's a photographer she took all these pictures for free...and just had people donated what they wanted to for this family. This pictures are absolutely priceless to me, not only because of the expressions she caught on each of their faces,(Cash whispering in his ear is so incredible) but because it was really special for me to be able to talk to my kids about this and then have them want to come up with their own money to donate. This wasn't the only opportunity our kids had to do something for others this season. Honestly this was by far the best Christmas we've had in teaching our kids about the importance of serving others not only at Christmas time but throughout the whole year. Elle and Cash were very involved in their school and dance coat drives, food drives, and charity fundraisers. I was very proud of them for going through some of their toys and donating them too. Also, as a family, we decided to pick a couple of families that we could do something for anonymously. I loved watching the excitement on their faces as they contributed what they could. I know it was sinking into them because in their prayers they would talk about how they hoped it would help and how they wanted to remember the "true reason for Christmas." What little angels. I want to be better at doing this stuff at EVERY opportunity we have...not just one month out of the entire year. At the end of my Dad's Christmas Eve lesson he gave each of the kids five 1 dollar bills and challenged them to find someone who needed it more than they did. A couple days after Christmas as we were walking through City Creek Elle spotted a woman sitting on the corner with a cardboard sign. Immediately she said, "mom I want to give my money to her!" Both her and Cash reached in my bag for their envelopes and ran to give it to this sweet lady as they told her Merry Christmas. My heart swelled. I was so grateful for the opportunity to teach them what the warm feeling was that they had inside and told them we needed to do this more often. Whenever I look at this pictures I'll think of sweet Brooklyn, as well as the friend that put this event on with all else she had going on this busy holiday season. THIS is what Christmas is all about. WE BELIEVE in Santa Claus. WE BELIEVE in CHRISTMAS. WE BELIEVE in our Savior Jesus Christ. How grateful we are for him, his sacrifice for us, this gospel, and for the opportunity it gives us to be together forever as a family. There is NOTHING I want more. MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

CHRISTMAS DAY part 2

After we had our own little Christmas morning it was off to the Christensens to spend some of the day with them. Kathy fixed another great meal and we enjoyed giving our gifts to one another. I am grateful for Kathy's foresight in giving us things that will help us be prepared for the future that we may be in for now that Romney lost the election. That's a whole additional story there. Anyway after that we headed to the Downs' where we ate more and more food and also loved exchanging gifts with each other. Jamie and I got each other the same sweaters and Jordan and I gave each other new crock pots. Somehow we do something like that every year. The kids were so happy and we just really enjoyed a relaxing day spending it with the people we love the very most. Christmas was an absolute success this year!!!

"Why It's Christmas Day!"

I've already named this the BEST CHRISTMAS we've had so far. I don't know if it's cause the kids were older this year, or cause I was so excited about their gifts, but everything went just about perfect. The word I use the most in association with Christmas is Magical!!! This Christmas truly was! The kids got up early and could hardly wait to race downstairs. They of course had to wait at the top of the stairs for the family prayer and to go down youngest to oldest...yep Taters was first. Santa had definitly come because his snow prints went all down the steps and all the chocolate milk and carrots were gone. Cash ran right past his pile and straight to Elle's where she discovered her McKenna American girl doll and a bed made specially for her room and her two dolls. Cash not only got the basketball he had asked for but a double shot that I'm not sure who likes more..him or Toby. We had so much fun watching the kids get excited and open their gifts. Such a wonderful wonderful Christmas morning.