January 2, 2010 

All of the lady cousins: Bailey holding Addie, Emma, Laura, Kate giving Kylie a hug, Allie and Eden.

One of the reasons we stayed a whole week in Idaho was that Bailey, the oldest cousin, was baptized and confirmed by her father, Michael Stafford, on January 2nd.  I wish I could have gotten a picture of them all sitting in front of the font watching, but I was chasing the boy.  Did you know they now have plastic partitions from keeping the other kids from jumping in?  That almost happened at my cousins' baptism, maybe Garth inspired them to put it up.

Bailey looked beautiful in her white dress that Grandma Martha made for her, and set a wonderful example for her younger cousins.

After Christmas we went up to Idaho to spend the week while Brent and Laura were out of school and work.  For Christmas Brent and I gave each other a little mini vacation up to West Yellowstone.  We stayed overnight at my parent's condo and cross country skied along the Madison River inside the park.  It was so beautiful.  I forgot my camera in the car the first day but the ice along the edge of the river was all bubbled up and there were big chunks of ice floating.  It was freezing!  But we were smart and brought some hot chocolate in a thermos along.

 After dinner at the Gusher restaurant we had a Psych marathon and then got to an entire night's sleep.  It's amazing how refreshed you feel after just a night away.  The kids were good and had fun playing with Grandma and the cousins while we were gone.  In fact when we got back Laura told me she didn't even miss me. 
Little stink.

Christmas Morning 2009

Santa found his way to our house and left a few surprises.  L got Barbie-ish dolls, Eden got a Cabbage patch with clothes, and Ryan got a workbench that lights up and sings.  Santa brought Brent a new chopsaw and dropped off Season 3 of Psych for me.

 

We spent the afternoon in Midway with Great Grandma and Uncle Wayne.  We played in the snow and had fun finger food (little smokies, oranges, and stuff) for dinner.

Christmas morning Brent surprised us all and put letters he had written to each of us on the tree.  The kids loved reading theirs with him and I got all teary.  That guy has a way with words.
 

Christmas Eve 2009

We spent Christmas eve afternoon and evening in Salt Lake with Lanna and Scott and co.  The kids loved playing with their cousins and making a gingerbread house.  Lanna and I tried to make donuts, next year we'll use the trusty Huffy Puffy Jemmett recipe.  We had easy and delicious pizza for dinner and the boys had another showdown on the Chess board.   

After dinner the kids, with Lanna and my help, put on a classic Nativity play.  The costumes were part of our Christmas present to the Whetsels, and before dinner I wrote up a short and kid friendly script.  We saw the angel (Kayla) tell Mary about the baby Jesus.  We watched Mary (Laura) and Jospeh (Eden) ride to Bethlehem, and saw the Shepherds (Ryan and Braydn) and the Wise Man (Dylan) come to worship the newborn King.  We even sang some appropriate hymns and primary songs.  It was really sweet, I think we all really enjoyed it.   

After we got back we made sure that Santa had a yummy snack, sprinkled reindeer dust on the snow, and tucked the girls in bed.  Then Santa got to work filling the stockings!

 It says: Dear Santa, I hope you like all these fruits.  Thank you for bringing us presents. Love Laura and Eden.  It was getting late so I helped write the body of the note and the girls signed it.

December 23, 2009

 

 Two days before Christmas:

jammies

no school for anyone

puzzles

lots of cleaning up after lots of playing

 

My Mom and Dad came down the weekend before Christmas to pick up some hardwood flooring and stayed the night.

It was great having them to ourselves and they were able to come to both of the Sacrament Christmas Programs that I played in.  I really really really enjoyed playing 'Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring' with a fantastic opera student and an organist.    It was wonderful.  Total goosebumps.  I especially loved that my parents were there. 

                                                            It makes me feel like I'm giving a little back to them for how much

                                                              they supported me through all my years of practicing and school. 

December 18th, 2009

Visiting the lights display at the Layton Park.  Totally cheesy and fun.

Can you spot the 'Angel Moroni?  Laura did!

December 17th, 2009

*Ryan is getting several new teeth. He's been super clingy and kind of fussy today, but that was a little nice too because he wants to cuddle and sit on my lap. When my visiting teachers came over today he sat on my lap for a full half an hour. He's so sweet right now, I just love his little pudgy hands and his little dimple on his chin and the way he says 'Mama! Mama!'

*Today he tackled me on the floor and I smacked my head on the corner of our stepstool in my mock fall. I have a lot more sympathy for my kids when they hit their heads now!

*Eden loves to play with the King boys while I'm at Laura's school. I love to have such wonderful down to earth friends.

Laura has one more day of school before winter break. I volunteered in her class again today. She's learning to write her last name and is doing addition on the computer. She also loves music class.

*I volunteered in Laura's class again today.  Just one more day until Winter Break.  She's learning how to write her last name, is doing addition on the computer, and loves music time.  She's a really good friend and I can tell she tries to be nice to everyone, even the boys:)

*I went and delivered a book and a Christmas message to the women we visit teach. Some of them have such heavy burdens right now. I came home to a warm home, a loving husband, and three healthy energetic children. What more could I want for Christmas.

 December 11th, 2009

The Staffords came down from Idaho to visit Temple Square and see the lights.  They were kind enough to invite us to come with them.  It was sooo cold, but we had a great time anyway.  We parked at the Gateway and rode the Trolley over.  While we were visiting one of the visitor centers we were lucky to catch a pilgrim era show chorus perform Christmas songs in the lobby.  The lights were beautiful, and the temple was radiant.  But it was almost too cold to enjoy any of the outdoor sights.  We came back after eating dinner in the food court, and had birthday cake and presents for Bailey's 8th birthday.  

 

Unfortunately we tried to let the girls sleep in the same room. Disaster.  At about 11:00pm we finally split them up.  It was really fun to have them come visit us though, we're always down in Idaho, so it was a nice change to have them in our neck of the woods.

 December 5th-9th

*Ryan has started this little quick-step-in-place dance, it's absolutely adorable,

especially with his little grin.

*Laura took Eden up with her to sing a Christmas song during Sacrament Meeting.

It was so sweet, but E came back and told me, "They sang the wrong song!"

She hadn't been in primary when they practiced!

*When E gives me kisses at night she goes

(KISS) 'ONE'

(KISS) 'TWO'

(KISS) 'THREE'...

and sometimes holds up her fingers behind my neck to help her keep track.

She loves the number 3

*Tonight L came downstairs in one of my dresses.  I got upset, but Brent quietly

told me, "Be patient, she just wants to be like her mommy."

*We're doing something where if they get their jobs done by 11:15

they get a button to save for the Mommy and Daddy store. 

They have to get dressed, brush their hair, make their beds, L also does her

homework and practices piano.

*Christmas is almost here, time keeps sneaking up on me!

*We're mostly healthy right now, and I'm trying to make healtier meals, one small

baby step at a time.

*We've had a big snowstorm and Brent brought the snow in for the girls

on Saturday.

December 4th, 2009

Ryan playing with his 'computer'

Laura practicing piano

Eden watching her kitty in the washer

L and E playing computer together.  I love how different and similar their faces look.

 

December 1st, 2009

I'm sitting and writing in my journal by the light of the Christmas tree with the kids finally all asleep and Brent on his way home from taking his final.

Ryan has started coming up and sitting on my lap with a book and pointing at the pictures. Love it!

When Brent came through the door today Eden looked at him and said, "Woah, it's a big one!"

Laura's famous catch phrase right now is, "You're the best (insert: mommy, daddy, friend, piano teacher, ) in the whole world!" Her eyes just light up when she says it too.  She really wants to make everyone around her feel good.

I can't remember what she had just done in this picture but I happened to be holding my camera and caught her face:

 

November 30th, 2009