Christmas 2010

We had a really nice Christmas and got wonderful gifts. It was great to spend time with family and friends!

Snow Much FUN!!

Right before Christmas we got the biggest snowstorm I have seen in a long to while! We got pretty close to 24" of snow! IT was crazy! It snowed for almost 4 days straight!

We set this bowl out to catch snow so we could make snow cream. We set it out at about 10:00 on Sunday night and brought it in about 8:00 Monday morning. That's how much snow we got just over night!! CRAZY!!!

Loves for Kamdyn from Kyler because he kept falling n the deep snow.


Say cheese!

Keaton all tuckered out from shoveling snow!

Anika got married!

In December Anika, my niece, married a wonderful guy named Derrick! I'm so happy for them and wish them only the best! Love you Sneaky Nik! :)


Anika and Derrick: Together Forever


Anika and I

Anika and her brother Weston

4 of my beautiful nieces! (Anika and her sisters)


Anika and her family

Keaton's Christmas play

Keaton's Christmas play was so cute this year! Mrs. Phillips always does such an amazing job with the kids! Keaton got to be the Christmas tree this year! The only 4th grader that got to be on stage the whole time! :)

We saw Santa!!

The kids were so excited to see Santa this year! Kamdyn had become obsessed with seeing him because he wanted a train so badly! Mashayla asked for a bike, Keaton and ipod touch or banana chair, and Kyler a red wii or football bean bag.

Essay contest winners

MaShayla entered a patriotic essay contest and won third place! Not too shabby for a 6th grader! I'm a pretty proud momma!

MaShayla's Birthday

WOW!! She's 12!! When in the heck did that happen? I feel like I had some years stolen or something! There's no way she can be that old! I'm so proud of the young lady she is tho and can't wait to see the woman she will become! We had a lot of fun at her birthday party! We did a mystery dinner and a funky sock exchange. I also made a concession stand and served treats for the movie. We had strawberry crepes and sausage for breakfast.

Kyler's Christmas program

Kyler's Christmas program was so cute this year and he was such a handsome boy! :)

Keaton

Every year our church puts on a sacrament meeting where the kids get to do the program. They each have a speaking part and there are songs through out it. Today was our program. It was kind of bitter sweet because it's my daughter's last year to do it before she turns 12 and moves from primary to young woman's. So I was feeling sad and and was watching h er through out the program since it was her last year. But during one of the songs (A Child's Prayer, there are 2 parts. One part the boys sing and the other part the girls sing.) I could hear this young man's voice. I look over and it's Keaton. Standing up tall and straight and singing beautifully. He then said his part and you cold tell that he was really glad to be there and he believed what he was saying. I felt so moved by the spirit and so proud of my son. The closing song was I know that my savior loves me. And the children were to sing the first verse and the congregation join in on the 2nd verse. So they sang: A long time ago in a beautiful place, children were gathered round Jesus. He blessed and taught as they felt of His love. Each saw the tears on his face. The love that He felt for His little ones I know he feels for me. I did not touch Him or sit on His knee, yet Jesus is real to me. By this time I was bawling because Keaton was standing so tall and singing so adamantly! So I proceeded to try hard to sing the second verse. Which is: Now I am here in a beautiful place, learning the teachings of Jesus. Parents and teachers will help guide the way, lighting my path every day. Wrapped in the arms of my savior's love, I feel his gentle touch. Living each day I will follow His way, home to my father above. We have struggled some with Keaton but in that moment it felt as if everything was right with the world. The last few weeks he has been a totally different boy and I know I am not the only one that has noticed! During the song today, a woman sitting behind me leaned up and said. "Keaton is doing such a GREAT job!" And then again today after church was over, his primary teacher came up to me and said, "I LOVE having him in class! He is an absolute sweetheart! This made my heart so proud! After church I told him how proud I was of him and what a great job he did and he got a huge smile on his face but didn't say much. A couple of minutes later he walked into the kitchen and put his arm around me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. This coming from a boy that a few months ago wouldn't even let me hug him and would get angry if I tried. I don't know what had changed the last little while....maybe it's him and maybe it's just me trying to be more calm and patient with him. And maybe it's a little of both. But I am loving seeing the young man he is turning into! Now don't get me wrong! I know we'll still have some bad days, but I am going to take today and relish it!!

Halloween 2010

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2010! :) We had quite a year with our pumpkins getting destroyed! Made the kids quite sad! :( But we have some wonderful family and neighbors that brought us 2 big pumpkins, 6 little pumpkins, and a plate full of Halloween goodies!! :) Thanks guys!! Here are some pics to show how much fun we had!! :)

Playing with Daddy before starting the pumpkins and apples: