Blue Skies and Sunny!

This is how we spent last weekend - in the clear blue skies of Wyoming. We visited Tom's sis and husband and their darling girls. I took these pictures with a camera phone and just didn't quite capture the full beauty of the event but we had a blast on the snow mobiles and being pulled around on sleds with the 4-wheeler. We spent 4 hours out in the gorgeous sunshine and had sunburns to prove it. We were spoiled and loved playing cards when the kids went to bed. It was awesome and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect day!

I'm Proud to be an American

All the 1st graders at Samantha's school did a patriotic program last Friday. It was darling. Samantha's class got to dress as pilgrims. She is the cutest pilgrim if I do say myself.

Samantha with her friend Gabriella

While big sister is away...

I walked into the girl's room and found Sadie having a ball playing with Samantha's doll house.


And we have fun playing "clean up" every five minutes. Sadie is into it all. She looks so proud of herself.
____________

The kids say "You blunked" instead of "You blinked" when they play the staring game. It cracks me up everytime I hear it!
____________

This is a fun educational web site my boys (ages 3 &5) have loved!! Click on the the "Math Games" in the top menu area. It's more educational then Nick jr.

www.coolmath4kids.com

Hello 2011

This year I have been slow to make resolutions. With or without resolutions I feel like 2011 has already been a success because Sadie is weened from nursing and sleeping through the night for the first time in her entire life AND because Trey is potty trained 100 percent. I have to admit I took the lazy route to both successes. I'm just so happy to be at this point.

Trey will be 4 in April so he is definitely on the older end of the potty training spectrum. He was in size 6 diapers and the last box of diapers I bought was Parents Choice. I usually get Luvs (both Luvs and Parents Choice are in purple boxes) When I opened the box I realized that I had the wrong ones because the diapers were purple. Trey is confidant in his masculinity and said "Thats ok Mom, I'll still wear them". I guess if your child can say that he shouldn't be in diapers anyways. The purple diapers became a count down to big boy underwear. Right about Jan 1 we ran out of diapers and into underwear Trey went. After one day of three accidents Tom explained that there would be no wii playing privileges until there were no accidents. Thats what it took and we have had a potty trained boy since.

Sadie has been our doll. But I was horrible about nursing her at night. If she woke up I would get her out of her crib and bring her into bed with me. We both got to sleep that way. But the quality of sleep was questionable. I got really worn down. That led to other struggles. Dec 20th when she turned one I was ready to ween her but I didn 't really want the hormonal roller coaster during Christmas so we waited until after. We moved her crib into Samantha's room and after Samantha fell asleep we moved her to the couch to allow "crying out time" when Sadie woke up in the middle of the night. This went on for about 3 nights. Tom would help out by checking on her and all that. Now 10 days later Sadie is doing an awesome job of sleeping all night long. I'm so happy. I feel like I can now "recover" from a pretty draining year. I get to sleep and dream. I've discovered several nutritional/herbal supplements to take to nourish my body and I feel good.

So hello 2011 it's nice to meet you.

It Was Joyous!

Sledding on Jan 1st on Old Main Hill. It was gorgeous!

I've been thinking about the whole month of December. It was an eventful month some in small ways some in big ways. I've got another list for you all of our December events. Overall I just want to say thank you! I feel grateful for all the following.... here is how we spent December:

1. Planned and carried out the ward Christmas party
2. A dentist visit for me, first in 5 years
3. Tom's 35th birthday
4. Sadie's 1st birthday
5. Polar Express @ next door cousins' house. Tom's mom read the story complete with Pjs, cocoa and cookies
6. My mom's visit, her wonderful help & nutritious cooking. I was in much need of both.
7. Played pinochle with my mom and dad.
8. We sipped Sparkling cider
9. Sad accident on the highway we drive everyday where two brothers, ages 7 &10 were killed Dec 18th. (This one broke my heart. So heartbreaking. two Christmas stocking were hung at the sight of the accident. This definitely had an impact on our December and our prayers went out to the family)
10.Sadie walking alot more
11. Boys played the wii Tues & Thurs
12.Christmas decorations up; lights on the outside of house - so lovely

13. Acted out the nativity twice. This was the first time. I love Trey's stance. His outfit was part church clothes and part play clothes. lovely.
14. Sadie was a powerhouse present opener
15.Tree up Dec 1(I think), tree down Dec 29. Trey said no to taking down the tree because he wanted Santa to bring more presents
16. Advent Calendars ( I kept forgetting to put the candy in the doors)

18. Made gingerbread houses with the neighbor boys
19. We enjoyed the gas fireplace so much and it showed with our $160 gas bill.
20. Tom put up my picture wall, I love it so much!
21. I painted my toe nails bright red, so did Samantha

22. Went to Temple Square on Christmas Eve. So pretty and chilly. Here we are in the Joseph Smith memorial building. My mom and dad came along and Sariah's family.
23. Missed seeing Steph and her family and Shannon from Washington. They had car trouble and couldn't come.
24. Missed seeing all members of our family that we didn't see

25. The girls Christmas morning.
26.Gave Samantha 2 hamsters for Christmas - she was so excited she cried
27. Acting out the Nativity the second time
28. Tom used his snow plow truck alot
29. Christmas cards sent 62; received 30 +

30. We had my dad over alot
31. We drove around looking at Christmas lights
32. I drank herbal tea

33. My mom read with Samantha alot over the break, that was helpful. My mom is a full fledged school teacher because she takes every chance she can to teach.

34. Seth with his pup he got for Christmas. He would love a real one.
34a. Seth sang with the primary in Sacrament meeting.
35. We hosted Christmas
36. I made Ruth's Chris sweet potato casserole. soooo yummy! I used yams because I forgot to buy sweet potatoes, so silly! That is how my head worked the whole month of December.

37. Trey with his legos
38. We watched Day & Knight, Tom and I snuggled. We snuggled alot during December
39. Tom sang in the Christmas program at church

40. Went to Hardware Ranch to see the elk
41. Took a wagon ride out to see the elk

42. Samantha had a small growth between her eyes surgically removed and she lost her first tooth all in the same day.
43. Went sledding

Fun Times

Sadie turns 1

35 Reasons I Love My Man

Tom's birthday was Monday the 13th!
Happy Birthday!
Here are 35 reasons why I love my Man~

1. He's Worthy
2. He's strong
3. He does dishes
4. He eats "Phish food" ice cream with me
5. He's hot
6. He makes me laugh
7. I can be myself and he loves me
8. He listens to my ramblings
9. He can figure out how to fix anything
10. He's the father of our children
11. He's got great parents & siblings
12. He plays the wii with the kids
13. He does things I ask him to do
14. He's awesome at sports
15. He's tall
16. He works hard
17. He reads to the kids
18. He helps Samantha with her homework
19. He sings to the kids at bedtime
20. He sings in the church choir
21. He's very patient
22. He listens to my worries and fears
23. He listens to my joys and happiness
24. He's from Montana
25. He reads the scriptures
26. He's an awesome teacher
27.He has a great sense of humor
28. I feel safe with him
29. He plays silly games with the kids
30. He owns a slow plow truck named Gene
31. He warms up the car for me
32. He takes care of the children so I can go shopping
33. He serves
34. He takes all the herbal remedies I give him
35. Because he is who he is!

Oh Yeah, Little Hands

How quick I forget what fun Christmas trees are to little ones that crawl. She is into everything. Pulling things off the tree, clearing out cupboards and unraveling toilet paper. She was so darling checking out the Nativity. She got real close and looked it over touching all the figurines.

The advent calendar from Grama is a morning delight.

Montana was Great Again!

Our Thanksgiving was such a blast. We headed to Montana and entered a winter wonderland! I love Tom's parents home. They have the wood stove so it's nice and cozy. They also have these nice big windows to look out over the fields of snow. I would say it snowed 90 percent of the time we were there. But it was the picture book snow, light fluttery snow. It's really picture perfect. Just to snuggle up on the couch, with the wood stove burning and a mug of cocoa.....we loved it.

We played lots of games and the women did crafts. We took family pictures. Thanksgiving night we stayed up all night playing games and then headed to Walmart then on to Target and Best Buy for Black Friday deals. I was low on sleep but well worth it!

I posted many pictures some I took some Samantha took.

Tom's whole family. So awesome!

Trey and cousin Nora swinging. These two are just a few months apart in age and good little buddies

Papa (Tom's Dad) He is goofy but mostly the best grandpa ever. Our kids adore him!

One of the newest additions to the family - McKay

Nora being photographed by Samantha

A view from inside the house, so lovely. I love this large great room!

All the dads making a huge snowman

The finished snowman

The little boy cousins playing on their daddies' lap tops

Tom and the boys

Seth

The boys playing in the snow

Tom , Sadie and I

Some of the girls and Cash. Leah (in the purple) celebrated her 9th birthday on Thanksgiving. She got matching Pjs for herself and her doll from grandma

Tom and his siblings. Tom is second oldest.

Darling girls!

Sadie loving the sledding. She definitely is a December baby.

Sledding

Chip, Melissa and Cash (Their other son was already asleep)

All the grandkids!