Christmas Pics at last!

Well as usual It has taken me forever to get my pics from my camera. Our computer is so old it won't recognize my camera so I have to download them onto Chris' laptop and then burn a disk. It's a little ridiculous, but a new computer is not really at the top of the priority list right now, maybe for my birthday! Anyways here are Christmas pics at last, and a few of the new family room paint.
Can you tell they're a little wound up with anticipation?

My favorite picture of the kids opening presents. Cai is admiring Cole's new lego's while Cate has just ripped her little pony from the wrapping paper. You can see that the wrapping paper is still midair from her exhuberance!

Cole and Cate giving Santa hugs. Last year Cai was the only one to sit excitedly on his lap and this year he was the only one who wouldn't get near him. Go figure.

Sledding at Grandma Pope's the one and only shot I got before my battery died.

The freshly painted upstairs addition and mural.

The new garage/playhouse from the south windows. Looks a bit different from the last post eh. the little side part with a door is a playhouse for the kiddos and then there will be a platform with a ladder to reach the loft area above, for many sleepovers to come, and probably lots of storage too!

One crazy Christmas!

Well we managed to pull off Christmas in the middle of an apparent war zone. We managed to cram our Christmas tree into an already overflowing living room, and got all the presents shopped for despite staining the floor in the basement and painting the upstairs. We even managed to accomodate Chris' family overnight. The kids didn't mind "camping" in their new tent on blowup matresses in the half finished addition. What a crazy mess! I must say, I have never been more relieved to get Christmas put away! Without the tree I feel a little less cramped.

We did have a really great Christmas though despite all the chaos. We went up to my parents the monday before and stayed until Christmas Eve day. We were surprised to discover that my sister from Colorado (who we didn't think was coming) came for Christmas after all. Unfortunately for them a few hours after leaving they got a call from the Pueblo police department. I guess that shortly after they left their house it was broken into, and all their electronics were stolen. They were shaken up and pretty devastated, but we were so glad they weren't home when it happened, and even happier that they could be surrounded by family as they dealt with all that stress, and fear.

We went sledding, played with cousins and ate way too much food. Then we came home Christmas eve. I did some last minute shopping and then we came home to make cookies for santa. We've been a little lazy the past few years and did the ready bake variety with christmas pictures on them. We watched "Joy to the world" the church DVD about the nativity and the kids got to open up their new christmas p.j's and a "little people" nativity set, which they loved. We all went around and decided what gift we were going to give Christ this year and put it in a little blue box my friend gave us. She sent the cutest little poem with a little empty box to put your "gift" (acts of service or improving yourself) to Christ in. The kids really got into it, and it was such a spiritual evening, they really got it this year. I am so proud of my kids. They have such a sweetness about them, and try so hard to be good (most of the time).

After hatching a few schemes to "catch" santa the boys finally agreed to go to bed like they should, but took forever to go to sleep. Then of course Chris and I didn't get to bed until about 3 a.m. nothing like procrastination.

Cai was the first to wake up and he had to practically pry Cole out of bed but finally managed. They ran in to check out their stockings and found the air hockey table. So they played a few games before Cate finally woke up. They got completely spoiled as usual. The boys got the hockey table, a Wii with different games and some smaller toys. It was pretty funny, they kept opening up Wii games and finally Cole said "mom you have to have a game system" (like I was a total idiot) They didn't notice that Santa had already set it up. The way he says things is sooo funny. When he really wants to emphasize something he talks really slow and with almost a southern drawl. "Mawm, yu haf tu have a gaym siyustum." Cate got a princess sleeping bag, a sleeping beauty doll and horse, a princess makeup and hair kit (pretend), can you tell she's into princesses lately. She is totally obesessed. She actually asked me the other day, "mom will you marry me?" I told her she will have to find a boy to marry when she is big, big, big. So now she always asks "mom will a boy marry me?" when I say yes she jumps up and down and says Yaaahhy! SOOOO SCARY!

My in-laws were kind enough to take the kids for five days so we could get started painting. I can't believe it took us 4 days to paint the upstairs family room. It had alot of trim work and I did a mural on one wall, but still, it was ridiculous. We thought we would be getting the hardwood down by now! Chris about had a heart-attack when I put the colors on the walls and ceiling to test them. I really wanted a pale chartreuse green ceiling to tie in the mural and grey/taupe walls. He was extremely skeptical and kept asking what's wrong with white. I promised him that I had been contemplating this color scheme for about 6 months and I probably spent more time contemplating that than my decision to marry him (totally joking, we dated for 2 years before marriage). After asking him if he had ever been dissapointed by a room I had painted and he had to admit no (even though I have painted some wild rooms they pull together). New Year's Eve we went out for Taco Bell at about 9:30. we really wanted to go someplace nicer, but were covered in paint. So we opted for one of the few drive-thru's that were open, and painted in the New Year!

Re: Nativity

For those requesting info on the live Nativity, it was just south of the Celebration Center, but I believe that the night we went was the last night they were doing it for the season. I'm sure it is an annual thing though, so there's always next year, SORRY! This was our first year going. but speaking of live Nativities look at this AWESOME pic of my friends family here. Totally the best Christmas card idea ever!

Enjoying the season!

Well despite our current chaotic living environment, this has been such a great Christmas season. I am finally feeling like I have presents figured out and almost entirely shopped for, and we can relax for a few days at least. We're going to have to start painting and staining and flooring here soon, and I may have an entirely different attitude on the season. So I wanted to be sure and document these last moments of peace enjoying the Christmas spirit. We had the chance last night to go out to dinner as a family to a real restaurant instead of McDonald's which was actually quite enjoyable. We then went to a live nativity scene in Nibley (and of course I forgot my camera.) Even the kids seemed to really understand the significance and reverence of that Holy night by seeing that scene. We walked up a long snowy road to a farmhouse with little paper lanterns lining the way. We passed the Bethlehem Inn and stood by the fire to warm up a minute and then entered the stable. There were sheep, donkeys, goats and even a camel. It really struck me how humbling and spiritual a barn could really have been. They had a narration of the story playing while live actors played it out. There were only a few people at a time in the barn so it felt very intimate, and even the kids were very reverent while they pondered what had happened that night. Cate got so excited when she saw the star and said "the star! my found it!" it was so sweet, she kept whispering to me and pointing "baby jesus, baby jesus." We even got a hayride back to the van. I hope the kids got a much out of it as I did. With all the hustle and bustle of the season that night was just what I needed to bring into focus Christ's humble birth, and the glorious gift His life was to us all. My goal is to keep that spirit fresh throughout the holidays, so simple and so powerful. Tonight we made a gingerbread house from a kit I got at Sam's. That was the best ten bucks I ever spent. It had all the frosting, candy, and gingerbread we needed, and the kids had a blast. It only half wrecked my kitchen, which was nothing compared to if I had made it myself (which honestly I wouldn't have had the energy to do). So all I need to do now is neighbor gifts and get Christmas cards out!

What a Turkey Day!

We had a blast down is St. George with my family for the holidays. It was mostly sunny so it was great to get a rest from the Arctic north, and mostly it was great to see my sisters who live out of state. The kids just loving getting together with their cousins. We played at the pool about every single day, and hiked snow canyon with the kids. They had some simple hikes that the kids could manage, but apparently not me. I totally twisted my ankle like an idiot. I wore flip flops and was holding Cate in one arm and my mom's camera in the other. So obviously I couldn't let either drop to regain footing so I went straight down on my ample rear-end, and hurt my ankle. Every time my family goes hiking or biking I end up having an accident. My most famous one was doing a complete flip over the handlebars while mountain biking slick-rock in moab. At least I had a better excuse this time. Although the flip flops were definitely a bad idea.

I also finally got to see TWILIGHT! I went with my sisters and had a total blast. Except for the fact that Cami who sat next to me actually fell asleep for most of the movie. That's right completely passed out. She didn't read the books so that's her only excuse. I kept turning to her to laugh or comment and she was snoozing away. I have to say it was great, I don't think anyone could have nailed it the way the book did, but on their budget they pulled it off pretty well. We took the liberty of hitting Denny's at midnight since the kids were asleep anyways, and laughed until I could have puked. Everyone in the joint had to have thought we were drunk. Oh my goodness I have funny sisters! We haven't been out on the town without kids or husbands ever I don't think. Thanks to our husbands and my dad for being such good sports. Dealing with a bunch of sick kids couldn't have been fun. And true to form we all got each other sick. The flu tends to be an inevitable companion to our family get togethers, but I actually think it's worth it anyways. Here's Coley passed out on the couch with the flu.

And a big thanks to my parents for sacrificing their timeshare points so that we could all get together. It was definitely the best thanksgiving ever!

From the mouths of babes

I had to share the most darling thing that Cate just said. We were sitting at the computer finding a game for her to play when she saw the picture of Christ above the computer and said "Jesus crying mommy?" I asked "why is he crying Cate?" then she said "him hand hurt, need bandaid." For any nursery workers who think that kids aren't paying attention in class you never know what they are picking up. I just know we haven't discussed that subject in any recent FHE lessons, my boys are obsessed with the Book of Mormon stories lately, and since they get to pick the lessons, that is usually what we focus on. What a sweetheart. She can barely talk and understands at least a little about Christ's sacrifice for us. Definitely one of those "makes it all worthwhile moments."

BOO!

No one was very scary for Halloween this year except maybe me. The kids were a fairytale. Cai was a Knight, Cole was a dragon, and Cate a princess of course. She recently discovered princesses and that is about all she talks about. Chris and I were Static Cling and Dirty Laundry. I had my hair ratted out and painted blue with lint all over it and blue and white sparkly makeupon my face then I had my skirt hitched up to my knee and the kids clothes and socks pinned all over me. Chris was supposed to wear a laundry basket with clothesline suspenders full of dirty laundry, but Cate fell asleep for the ward party so she missed out and Chris stayed home with her. Halloween night the kids went to the mall to trick or treat and after we were done they were so loaded up with candy they didn't really need to hit the neighborhood, but how could we not. Grandma and Grandpa Guymon came up to hang out with us so we carved pumpkins ( Cai made the one with the face and spider on the side, and me and Cole made the skeleton hand ones). We tried to hit the pumpkin walk, but apparently it is all cleaned up for Halloween night, but he kids had a great time anyways. Now we just have to get through all this candy without any cavities!