This one is for Mary

It has been over a year, and I decided to try and post... I will start with the most recent pictures I downloaded from my camera and go from there.

Over winter break we went up to the snow... It was our annual sledding trip.

 My sister and her family came with... This is Brittany with her cousin Hunter.  So much fun!

Jessica only wanted to play in the snow.  Zach was game for a little while.

Daddy and his little ones. 

Tammy and her whole gang - taking a much needed rest.  The day was sunny and warm.  The next 2 days it snowed like crazy.  So much snow we would have been stuck up north for a few days.This was Christopher's first time sledding and he was very timid at first.  I think next year he will be an animal.  Unstoppable.

Junk Cars

Last night we had an impromptu meeting at my parents house.  My sister and her family went over and our family joined them at the last minute to eat dinner and move the piano for mom.   While eating we started discussing how in highschool you need a totally junky car, that can be recongnized by the whole school.  We talked about our huge 12 passenger van.  We had the van so long that it eventually just burst into flames.  Literally, just burned up.  - A serious car-B-Q.   However, the car stories that really got us laughing were about THE BEAST.   It was a 1970 Buick SkyLark.  The ceiling was held up (barely) by a screw driver.  The lock on the driver side was actually gone.  You could reach for finger in the hole to unlock the car.  - Not even sure why we bothered locking it up.   Once, when my Dad was coming home from work the transmission was broken.  He had to drive home backwards.  The entire way!  At one point he remembers sitting backwards at a light.  When the light turned green he proceeded through the intersection while the other drivers gawked in amazement.  - We were all laughing so hard that he didn't just call a tow truck or call Mom to come and get him.  He was worried if he left the car at work it would be stolen.  Which made us all laugh harder...  Just think of it.  The theif unlocks the door (no problem) without a key.   Then gets into the car and hot wire's it - to find out it will not move forward.   I wonder if then the hypothetical theif would drive backwards to his destination.  That would almost be worth seeing the car chase on the news. - Anyway, it is good to have a very old distinctive car in highschool.  It helps keep you humble and popular all at the same time.

Rainy Day Fun!

The neighborhood girls were over - and even though I am at the counter in the pictures, I am actually working my shift.  I took a moment to stir the soup I was cooking for dinner.  The girls were making cookies (on their own).  It was a lesson in letting go for me.  They ended up using the whole wheat flour instead of the white.  Needless to say, the girls thought they were kinda gross.  Except they still managed to eat a massive amount of dow.  They never did cook these - Brian ended up cooking them later that night. In this picture you see McKensie Harrison and Lexie Taylor.

While the kids played with friends all day, Brian took his little shadow and went to see the puddles that the rain made in AZ.  It rained for 3 days straight.  That just never happens here.   He got all the way up to Canyon Lake and was a little dissappointed there were no water falls to see. 

There were ducks and birds everywhere.  I hope they realize that the water in our catch basins (the dip in the landscape with grass and trees)  will not have fish.  Nor will it stay very long. 

More fun!

Growing up!

I cannot believe how fast kids grow up...  Brittany is soon to be eleven.  She has several friends she likes to play with in the neighborhood.  I enjoy them all.  Today she asked to go to one of their houses and I just wanted her home.  I told her no, I wanted her home for a while.  I missed her yesterday while I let her stay at a friends until 7:15.   She gets the pouty look in her eyes and asked , WHY?   So I say what I always say, because I said so.  When what I really want to say is - slow down!  Don't grow up too fast!  I want to hold onto your innocence and youth a little longer.  Please just be here in the house, so I can feel you near.    - There is a reason I work from home.  I like being around the kids.  Even if I am not engaging them every second. 

Today was our first playgroup of the New Year.  I love playgroup.   Last year a friend of mine invited Zach and 4 others to join.  Basically,  you rotate houses every Thursday from Noon - 3.  When it is your turn, the only rule is you need to feed them a snack.  It worked so well I organized one for Jessica this year.  I tried to find 5 other kids entering kindergarten next year and asked them to join.  Since I am the organizer they come to my house first in the rotation, and then we go alphabetical by last name.  -  For snack they all picked an orange off of our tree in the back yard.  I also put out bowls of goldfish and carmel corn.  These six kids are so cute and play so well together!  Plus they have automatic friends in the neighborhood and maybe even their class in school next year.  However,  there are several good school choices in the area so maybe not. Now, for the next 5 weeks I have 3 hours on Thursday to run errands - clean, read, or - if I am really organized attend the temple. Jessica gets a great play date, and comes home tired.  Love it! 

Family Party

Bet you have never seen that many people on your own couch at home.
This was our family holiday / birthday for several cousins party.

Look, the five oldest cousins - in order except for Brittany, who should be on the other side of Adam for it to be perfect.  -It goes Brittany, McKenna, Morgan, Vanessa, Adam.

I stole this idea from my neighbor.  We had a a Gingerbread house decorating contest.  Well, not a whole contest, just a fun time decorating really.  I found a kit with 5 tiny houses and they kiddos had a blast putting them together and adding decorations.

Go Gracie - and Seth in the corner didn't really decorate as much as he grabbed candy and ate it.  He was rewarded with a belly ache.

Love the Card's jerseys on dad and son in this one.  Hope they do well in the play offs this year!

Christopher - how cute are you?

Chad and Carter, playing the DS games together.  Fun!

More Gingerbread mess.  It was a blast!  My house was crowded but happy for this party.  I love having everyone together.  We were only missing 2 sick ones.  Sarah and Sam.  bummer.

Snowday!

Last week, Brian and I had a few days off work together and decided to go sledding with the kids. 

We borrowed sleds and snow gear and headed up to Flagstaff for our one day adventure. As it turned out, it snowed the whole time we were driving up, sledding, and driving home.  The only time this mattered was driving home at 20 miles per hour down the hill.  However, it was worth it!

Zach was in heaven.  If we had only had boots, I doubt he would have wanted to ever stop.  Shortly after this picture, his shoe came off and would not go back on.   Brian pulled him in the sled to the car, where he cried for a while because his feet were soooo cold.  Probably, he was hungry and he needed the little boys room.  - Basically, he had hit a wall. Still so worth it!

Jessica decided to take me on a ride.  It was fun - but I don't remember it being that far down to get into the sled last time we went.   I also don't remember being the worried mom.  The whole time I kept thinking about what could go wrong, instead of just enjoying the ride.  I guess that means I am offically a parent.  Where the worry and the fun have to be in constant battle.

Brian does not seem to  have my sense of worry.  He is a little more care free in life.  I could not do things like this without him.  He did all the hard work.  Like, driving the whole way up and home. Pulling kids back up the hill  (I could only get myself up - my shoes were without any tred at all). 

Look at this Cheez!  So cute!

Once Zach learned how to go fast, this was his position of choice.  Plus - less likely to crash and burn, so it was my favorite too.

Of course, gotta love the huge snowman at the end of the day!  When did Brittany grow up!  She looks so sweet in all her snow gear.