Christmas 2009

Well once again we have sailed through another holiday season. It goes far too quickly but I made sure this year that I prepared early, baked ahead, sent out Christmas cards early, and made the decision that I would have a "daily Christmas activity." It was wonderful to relax and enjoy my boys who are growing so quickly. Logan only will have 2 Christmases left with us and I just can't bring myself to think about it SO I made sure it was a memorable one this year. We had fun going to Midway to see a Creche display, looking at a Gingerbread house charity auction, visiting friends and family, making our own Gingerbread house, reading Christmas stories, and watching many wonderful traditional Christmas movies. Logan got his I-pod Touch, Hayden (by a small...no LARGE Christmas miracle) got a cell phone, and Garrett got a very covetous Original Turtle Rider which I believe will be the talk of the street once he can get outside and ride it. Thank you family for another wonderful and memorable Christmas. Hopefully we have created more cherished memories to share for years to come!

Great Flick.

I know I'm just a month late, but this was an excellent movie....HIGHLY recommend it.

I feel so thankful......

Today I feel so blessed for so many wonderful things.

I am thankful for a fantastic family of BOYS. I know I am a great boy mom. The Lord knew it was what I could handle and I have acclamated quite well I may say so myself.

I am thankful for a fireplace. It makes me feel cozy and warm on those chilly days.

I am thankful for wonderful and inspiring music. I love all kinds of music. As long as it inspires me in some way I love it.

I am grateful for the best job in the entire world....teaching. Not only teaching, but teaching PART TIME. THAT is what is such a blessing. I can do what I love (my hobby) and then come home and be the mother that my boys need.

I am grateful for my cozy home. It is a gathering place for my boys and their friends which is a mother's dream.

I'm grateful for my sweet dog Sadie....who knew I would love her so much. She has truly filled that void of having a daughter (well not exactly but she is my little "baby") She offers our family so much joy. I should have done this much earlier.

I'm grateful for memories. Every Christmas time I relish in the vivid memories I have of going up to my grandparents house in Ohio during Christmas time. Sledding, smelling the freshly cut balsam pine cut by my grandpa on his property in the country, and all the wonderful smells and food that my senses remember. Oh such sweet memories....

I am grateful for fantastic friends who love me. They lift me up, think of me on spontaneous occasions, and make me laugh when I have had a rotten day. They ROCK!

I'm grateful for a supportive husband who is so loving and patient with me. He is my rock and the better half of the two of us. I don't know how I got so lucky.....I count my blessings every day I found him in that college parking lot that January day :)

I am thankful for chocolate covered cinnamon bears. I was introduced several years ago and I have never been able to stay away since.....give them a try. You quite possibly could be hooked for life!

I'm especially grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for my Savior. I know everything I have is because of him and I thank him daily for the blessings that have been showered upon me and my family. I love him so much and know he loves me too.


I hope all of you have an amazing Thanksgiving. Love and be thankful for all that you have been given. It is a wonderful time of year!!!!!

Halloween 2009

This year was a little different. I am officially an "old" mother. I only had 1 child go trick or treating.....SAD. Logan went to a party so he dressed up like Charlie Brown. Hayden didn't even dress up. He had a bunch of friends over and they gave out the candy and had a great time! Little Garrett was thrilled to go trick or treating and enjoyed dressing up as Mario. He wore Jeff and I out as he hit all of Lehi (no not really). Jeff and I enjoyed dressing up as the Queen and King of Hearts. I LOVE dressing up since I have to because I am a teacher. My costume was a HIT, and I enjoyed pointing at the children all day saying, "Off with your heads!" I have set the bar quite high and already am thinking what I could be next year! Carving pumpkins was fabulous as ever and the kids get more and more creative each and every year. Jeff is amazing to dig out all the yuck inside the pumpkins. THANKS HONEY!

My son is 16 today!!!!

My oldest turned 16 today.....bittersweet. Logan has grown up so quickly. I feel like it was yesterday I was holding him in the delivery room. He was a big baby weighing in at 9 pounds 3 ounces. He is such a great kid who is driven at everything he does. He is such an example to all of us and we sure love him! Happy Birthday Logan! Sure are proud of you!

Hee Haw Farms

Last night for family night (minus Jeff, he was sick:) ) we went to Hee Haw farms in Pleasant Grove. It was so much fun! The weather had a little bite in the air, and there was hot chocolate to sip, doughnuts to eat, and pumpkins to pick. The boys shot cobs of corn, ran through a "haunted forest", went down a slippery slide, and even challenged me to walk through the corn maze which was HARD! We got lost and I grew restless. We cheated and cut through some corn stalks to find the exit! So naughty of us :) It was so much fun to spend time together. The highlight of the evening was seeing a 1000 pound pig! It was enormous!!!!!! Fall is here!

I love Fridays.

I love my family

I really don't have many pictures to post, but I did find an old picture from Easter that I just fell in love with. I feel so richly blessed every single day for my dear sweet family. I have such a terrific husband who works so hard for us and three wonderful boys who keep me on my feet....I will have a dating son in only 3 weeks. Heaven help me. I just need to slow down sometimes and reflect on what I have been given which is so very much.

Logans first deer...

Yesterday Logan and I (Dad-Jeff) got up really early and went for the hills on the opening day of the archery hunt. This is the third year Logan and I have hunted with a bow. We have always seen bucks, but have never gotten in position for LT to take a shot. We saw a few does early in the morning. I got excited when Logan tapped me on the shoulder, while riding to our "spot" on the 4-wheeler, and pointed out two nice bucks. We got within 40 yards, but an oppurtunity for a shot eluded him once again. That is the frustrating part of bow hunting, you see a lot of bucks, but rarely get within range for a shot. We hunted those bucks for a while and saw five other deer, three of which were bucks. We walked back to the 4-wheeler and headed down to where they were. Logan rode on the front of the 4-wheeler so he could quickly hop off and hopefully get a shot. During our ride down to the deer, the five deer had disappeared into the trees. Logan saw another buck in the middle of the road. As we approached the spot, Logan spotted the deer just 30 yards off the road. While getting to a spot where he had a shot and trying to get yardage the deer started to turn and walk away. Logan took aim and finally got his chance at about 40 yards uphill, he made it count. He shot the deer around 9:15am. He was very very excited. We packed up and headed for the truck. Just after loading the 4-wheeler into the truck it started to downpour. Talk about a cinderella hunting story. It was a great day be a Dad. In the last picture, I am taking the picture from where Logan shot and Logan is standing where the deer was.

I went DARK!

My hairdresser is getting married next week and is moving to Chicago. I am naturally SO dark that I was getting my hair colored every 4 or 5 weeks. I decided that I would make that huge step and go brown. I like it. It is very different and was a little drastic for Jeff initially but now he really likes it. We shall see how long I can stay dark.....

Fish Lake Trip

We just returned from a wonderful weekend at Fish Lake! We have always wanted to go there but never seemed to schedule it. We went with our dear camping friends and had a blast! Matt Ryan brought his canoe and Lars Anderson brought his pontoon boat as well. The boys fished and rode bikes and ate lots of marshmallows. The weather was perfect. It was much cooler at around 75 degrees the whole time. Much better than the 100 degrees here in Lehi. I sure love going with my family camping. I think these experiences will be lifelong memories for all of us. Thanks friends and family for a terrific weekend.

My brother's wedding day

We are so lucky to have had the opportunity to go to the wedding of my brother Josh to his darling bride Kendra a couple of weeks ago. They are so cute together and they are so right together. The weather was beautiful and the day could not have gone any better. I feel so grateful to have had all of my brothers and my parents there that day. It can't get better than that! I even got to hold my newest cousin of my Aunt Heather. Her name is Lola Elaine after my grandmother. I am the oldest grandchild and she is the youngest. Pretty tender! Thank you Josh and Kendra for letting us be a part of your wonderful day! I am thrilled, I have another "sister" now!!!!!