Snowed-In for New Year's

We've been pretty snowed in these last few days. Thankfully Mike's been able to divide his time between PTO and working from home and we've enjoyed a lot of good family time...something I cherish! Mike snapped these cute pictures of our beautiful cat snuggled up with our beautiful little reader.

We did manage to get the entire family out of the house today, but first we had to dig our way out (again). We were on a mission. A mission to find tasty snacks and goodies to enjoy while we ring in the new year. Now, I'm the first one to confess I am not really a night owl. But my husband is! And so I'll stay up as late as I can and then it's off to bed with a promise to Mike he could sleep in tomorrow morning because I know he'll be partying late with the kids. Um, to be honest I don't think the kids have ever stayed up to midnight before...I anticipate Emma will be the only one who makes it this year and that's only because she's the only one who followed our advice and took a short nap this afternoon.

As for New Year's resolutions...I used to make so many I couldn't keep up with them. Now I only make one or two I would really like to accomplish or change about myself. Personally, I think it's better to take stock all through the year, not just in January. I like to believe I am constantly renewing myself, constantly changing and (hopefully) doing better.

My husband has been a huge inspiration to me this past year. He lost 20 pounds doing the P90X and he's recently started his second round to lose the last 10 pounds or so. He listened to the Old Testament while he commuted to and from work. And now he's almost finished with the Doctrine and Covenants. This past summer he built an awesome, totally awesome shed, but as he likes to refer to it...the secondary shelter. He's going back to school to finish his degree - (starting on Monday actually - so everyone leave him alone, hee-hee). He's also a great YM's/Boy Scout leader and I know he cares about those boys so much! He gives a lot of time and energy to a demanding calling. And last but not least - he's a great dad and a wonderful husband. His devotion to his family is admirable, especially when the world belittles and underappreciates fathers and families.

You are awesome Honey!

Here's to a heathly, happy, prosperous New Year.

Happy 2011 Everyone!

She's such a pretty cat!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

These pictures pretty much speak the volumes of all the good fun we had.

Christmas Morning...

Christmas Cookies for Santa, (Christmas Eve)

My little Angels:

Is it over?!

Tradition

What is Christmas without a little tradition, right? One of my favorites as a kid was making "gingerbread" houses. I use quotation marks because in interest of time and/or ease we always used graham crackers instead of real gingerbread. As a kid I did not question the substitution too often. Now that I am the foreman of these little construction projects I will stand by my parents' tradition to the grave. I cannot imagine adding the complexity of making real gingerbread to the already complex undertaking of assisting three kids in assembling their masterpieces.

This is the first year we have made gingerbread houses since...well, before my mission. I wish I would have introduced Gail and the kids to the fun sooner, but lazy procrastination and an acute case of forgetfulness has prevented it...until now. My kids definitely inherited their artistic natures from Gail because I never came close to making gingerbread houses this nice at their ages.

Emma's

Aaron's

Rebekah's

Daddy's

My Christmas Joys

Christmas Pictures

Christmas Performances

Christmas School Projects...

& there's more to come!

It's Not Christmas...But It's Still So Cute!

Okay, okay - So these have nothing to do with Christmas BUT they're still so cute. She crawled under there and I just had to grab the camera.

I love her!

Christmas With Cousins

"Christmas is almost here - Can't you just feel it?"

I love Bekah's little pout & my little stud's smile!

Saying goodbye to our NY cousins.

(Bekah looks like she's DONE)

The 3 Amigos

"Get me out of this thing!"

Aaron and Ethan in a sea of girl cousins and sisters...

(Abigail & Lillian are also part of the female take over,

but they were not present)

Merry Christmas Cousins

We love you!

Six

My little boy is six!

I blinked my eyes and he went from that chunky-chunky baby to a skinny little man. He has my eyes and my straight hair, but I see so much of his father in him - especially when they sit side by side. Here he is sitting, (um I mean standing) on our traditional birthday rock. We've done this with our kids since Emma's very 1st birthday - it's one of my favorite traditions. One day it will be really cool to spread out 18 little birthday rock pictures on the table and watch how they grew up - (very quickly we're learning).

I love this picture...Aaron getting ready to blow out his 6 glowing candles!

Thanks Mom and Dad, it's just what I needed.

(Semi-excited.)

THANKS Mom & Dad...

(a bit more excited this time!)

Blow 'em out kiddo!

Aaron - I love the way you always like to figure things out. You definitely got that from your father. If something needs assembling, repair, or attachments put-on I'm now beginning to fear that you and your father are going to start fighting over who gets to fix it.

(But I love it! ... now let me go find that Honey Do list and you guys can get started.)

I love your eyes! It's such an incredible feeling to look into your eyes and see my eyes staring back at me. I love your mischievious little grin and the way your hair has that natural cowlick upfront - it's pretty cool to tell you the truth.

I love the way you've started to reason through things now. I love listening to your explanations of how things work and your elaborate descriptions...you definitely have a gift for fixing things but you would also make a good writer!

My baby boy is growing up so fast...it's truly bittersweet.

In some ways I really miss carrying you around on my hip all day, but then I do that with Mosey all the time and I have to admit, watching you run around instead of carrying you everywhere is a little easier on my back!

I love you so much Aaron!

Happy Birthday!

Love, Mom