WELCOME 2009!

I don't know what is coming. Will we survive another child? Will Kate start talking? Will Jared get his dream job or be stuck teaching another year of TV West? Will our house ever be finished? I don't really know or care.  I'm finally getting to a point in life were the unknown doesn't scare me. I know everything with turn out just as it should.  I have my family and the gospel of Jesus Christ, what more could I want. Each year I ask, "can life get better than this", we are so blessed.  We send our love and best wishes to all of you this new year.  

Holiday Highlights

We had a great Christmas and Holiday Break. Here are some of my favorite things...

BRUNCH WITH SANTA:

I wasn't sure I could do the party this year it just seamed like to much, but after my kids kept talking about it like it was going to happen I decided I couldn't let the tradition go. Everything turned out great and I loved having more space for all those kids. Luckily our basement was finished a couple days before the party. I love seeing all my friends I don't ever see.

SPENDING TIME WITH THE COX FAMILY:

We don't see Jared's sister and her family enough.  As you can see my kids love every minute with their cousins.

SKATING WITH SANTA:

Luckily my kids have great aunts and uncles to help on the ice. Jared can't skate because of his leg and I tried skating while pregnant with Kate (not worth it).  Grayson and Lydia had a great time but I was shocked at how much Kate loved it.  We cheated and just let Kate slide on the ice in her boots. She couldn't get enough of the ice.

ACTING OUT THE NATIVITY CHRISTMAS EVE: Always a favorite. It wasn't the same though with out Max attacking everyone like last year.

HAVING TAMI STAY WITH ME: I don't know what I'll do when the Kamerath's don't come home for Christmas or decide our house is too crazy.

KATE'S POPEYE SMILE: Kate picked up this funny Popeye smile for all of her Christmas and Christmas Eve pictures.

SEEING WAY TOO MUCH OF JOEY IN HIS ONE PIECE PJ's

MY JEDI KNIGHTS: I made these robes for the boys. I was so proud of me. I made them without a pattern and no measurements. I didn't want the boys to know I was making them, so it was a Christmas miracle they fit perfectly.  

FUNNY COMMENTS:

I can't remember all the funny things my kids said over the Holidays, but Grayson told us he was getting a Transformer because it was what he "ordered".   

Lydia on the other hand got just what she had wished for.

One of our 12 days of Christmas Presents was the Santa Clause Movies with Tim Allen.  After watching the show a few times Lydia was convinced that my Dad was Santa.  She's been calling him Santa ever since and asking him the funniest questions. I thought it would go away but as of yesterday he is still Santa and not Papa Jerry.

A VACATION AT HOME:

Jared had two weeks off. It was soooooo nice to have him home. He was nice enough to take on all six of mine and Tami's kids a few times so we could get away.  He cleaned moved a lot of stuff around for parties without any complaints.  Usually when we have blocks of time off and nothing going on we take off for St. George. I am so glad that we didn't do that after New Years instead we just hung around watching movies, playing the Wii, taking naps, and being together as a family. I don't think I went anywhere or showered for three days. It was great.