December- here and gone

While I was a huge stress case during this special month, I did enjoy the moments as well.

Here are a few I would like to share with you.....

We started this month out with Lilli's Christmas Concert at school. It was "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". Lilli loves to sing, and we LOVE to listen.

Next we had the enjoyment of watching Maggie at dance. She is such a show-off! We know we have this girl in the right activity!

We did a lot of cookie making, and eating! The girls love the decorating and eating part the best!

We had some fun times hanging out at Grandma and Papa Green's playing games and making memories! We love cuddle time!

We made our 1st snowman this year! His name... Mr. Brown.

My muscles ached for days after building him!!

On Christmas Eve morning we opened presents with the Greens and Hankins the best surprise was meant for the girls, but I actually freaked out more than them! Thank you so much for Rock Band!!! We love playing it as a family!!!

After christmas with Joe's family, we did it with my family! Great food, games and sledding were among the popular events! After we were cold and tired, we had the grandkids do the nativity. What fun for all the kids! Emily was particularly sweet. She was an angel in the nativity, but after it was over, she put the mary costume on, and would not take it off. She played with "baby Jesus" for nearly an hour after the nativity was over! AWWWWW!

Last, but not the least.... Christmas Morning!

Here are my girls in their matching pj's that I made! Yes, I can sew!

Maggie got dress-ups. Anyone surprised?

It was Speed Racer and Trixie Barbie dolls for Emily!

All of us got these adorable aprons from my mother! I am glad that my helpers are now protected from the frequent messes of cooking!

Thankyou all for making our year a great one! We love you!

Leaves are Falling All Around

So, I raked the leaves for the 4th time, and there was still leaves on the tree. I felt bad that I had raked three previous times without my girls helping. When they help I let them jump in the leaves and we have nice leaf fights. This time I left the leaves in a big pile in the front yard and waited for the girls to get home from school.

The following commensed right after they got home.

Maggie and Katie wanted to come help with the leafs, but Lilli and Emily were too busy

watching afternoon PBS to join in the fun, and boy what fun we had!

I LOVE building warm fuzzy memories with mt children. I love some nice fuzzy filters were appropriate for the pictures!

I have since raked 2 more times! All the leaves are finally down! Thank goodness!

The Day is Saved, Thanks too...

The Power Puff Girls!!Can Buttercup-Bubbles-and Blossom defeat the EVIL cat food stealing DORA from next door? Stay tuned to find out!
Dora, the Baby Cat gets away with stealing food EVERY DAY, from the Gentle Shadow.

Katie as the EVIL MOJO JOJO! The arch enemy of the Power Puff Girls!

Lilli as Buttercup!

The whole Gang... I went as the carracter, Ms. Keane. She is the Kindergarten Teacher!

The PILE O CANDY!

What a great reward for a night's worth of crime fighting!

And once again, the day is saved. Thanks to....The Power Puff Girls!

Utah Vacation

So, we went to Utah for my big brothers wedding, but while we were there we decided to have a mini, cram as much as we can into one day, vacation.

We left on Thursday night so we would have all day Friday to play, I mean DAY, we had to be at my sisters house by 6:30 that night for a meet and greet dinner. So we CRAMMED as much as the kids could handle!

1st, we went to Thanksgiving Point and did the Museum of Anicient History! Fun, Fun, Fun!! But very Expencive. The kids loved this, plus, they weren't tired yet, so everyone stayed happy the whole time! Yeah!!
Emily hididng behind the dinosaur leg. PEEK-A-BOO!

Aren't they just soooo cool!


Happy Katie, cause she can walk around freely and touch almost eveything!

In the big room of skeletons, there was dinosaur sounds and bird sounds over the loud speakers in the ceiling. I thought there was really a bird in there, and was trying to find it.

Aaahhhh! The Raptor is going to eat us for lunch!!

Lilli was truelly freaked out by this. She remembers coming to this museum 2 years ago, and remembered exactly where this head was. She kept saying, "It's coming up! I don't want to see it!" She kept closing her eyes. I had to beg her for the picture, promising it would just take a few seconds. Crazy girl! I think the shark was called MEGALADON!! Scare sounding, eh?

While the kid were busy uncovering dino bones in a giant sandbox, Joe and I had a restful cuddle time! Picture opp? You betcha!! Don't we look so cute and in love?

Next stop, Utah's very own, Hogle Zoo!!

Not so happy to be here, at the beginning. Katie and Emily fell asleep in the car inbetween the Museum and the Zoo, and had to be woken up. Neither one of them was ready! They were both little pills for the 1st half hour of the zoo, UGH! Wht happened to your smile Joe?

Almost, but not quite an ape!!

It takes all 3 big girls to feel like they are as big as the ape! STRETCH!!

Last stop before heading to the house..... This is the Place Monument!

How could we NOT stop....It's right across the treet from the zoo!

What a great learning experience for my kids. We did family home evening about it, to re-inforce what we talk about while we were there. The kids were pretty revernt there, and definetly happy. I think they could feel the spirit, testifing to them of the truths which we were teaching! I love looking at things with eyes of my children. Such AWE!

Saturday, Mt. Timpanogus Temple

LARRY AND JENN

Afte the ceremony, reading for a nap and cranky! But oh, so cute!

Jenn and Larry, what a happy couple!

The ceremony was LONG<> but Lar was so sweet to watch. Such affection and devotion to his bride. I loved every minute of watching that!

Finally, at Last! Forever!

WE LOVE YOU UNCLE LAURENCE AND AUNT JENN!

Pom-Pom Frenzy

Emily and Katie found the pom-poms yesterday, and I just HAD to take pictures!! Emily was singing the whole time, the song, "Best of Both Worlds" from Hannah Montana. It was quite funny. Katie was trying to sing along, she can do the the middle part where the song goes...."OHHHH". It was too bad that my camera that can take video got busted by that 1 year old. I have absolutly no way to capture those awesome learning how to sing moments. Hopefully Santa will get me a nice digital video camera for Christmas. Hint, hint!! Any way, here is some cute pictures of my future cheerleaders!

After playing with the pom-poms, Emily lay down on the floor for some 'pose-for-the-camera' time, and Katie thought she was inviting her for a pony ride.

Lastly, I dyed my hair yesterday, I do it every 4-6 weeks, but this time, for some reason I think I my hair color makes me resemble my lovely sister, Lori....maybe?!

How Long to Post on Dial-up?

So, I switched to dial-up, since the high-speed is getting too expensive. So, since I keep forgetting to take my computer to my mom's house when I go, I thought I would try to see if it works. If it takes too long, I definetly wont do it again, but keep my lap-top close to the door so I don't forget! So here it goes.

Lilli-the Goalie-Bully
Game 1 Score 5-2 US!
Lilli watching as her the other team scored!

As if I need to say what happened.....game 2 lost....3-5.

I have no pictures for game 3, actually the pictures are the Women's Fitness Walk. Her team did fine without her, even in the rain. The won 5-3.

Game 4, again, no pictures. It was the Women's Conference for me, and I left her game right in the middle. I enjoyed the conference though, especially Pres. Uchdorf's talk on being a "creator". That is what I am doing right now, after all. They won their game 2-1. A score that actually sounded like a professional soccer score. Way to go Pink Lightning!

Game 5-Lilli boycotted this game, for a very good reason. General Conference. We let Lilli decide what she wanted to do. We did not push her or prod her in any way. she simple said, I want to watch Conference. What a strong testimony to do the right. I am so proud of her!

As for what we learned at conference..... We learned a great many, tender and important things, nearly every talk spoke to our spirits! This was the 1st Conference in our married life that we watched or attended every session. Our children Lilli and Maggie also watched every session. What a great, family strengthening time! I can't wait to read the talks again!