Tucker is EIGHT

I can't believe my little guy is EIGHT! and I've slacked because his birthday was last Friday :-)

We had so many mini parties for the kid this year, so I guess that helps having it so close to Christmas. 

Friday we sent the kids to school with food in their back packs and space blankets, just in case. Well the snow was pretty bad here so a neighbor (who is 9 months prego) was nice enough to offer her husband and 4-wheel drive to go get the kids from school, her son was even already home. (we have 2 tracks) Well come to find out her hubby couldn't go so she went herself.  My other friend gave her a talking to about that, she said what if you got stuck and went into labor with 4 little kids to help. I personally hadn't thought of that scenario yet and thanked my friend for one more thing to worry about. The kids finally arrived home a little after 5:00. It took her quite awhile to get there since they closed down the road that so many people were stuck on last year. I later heard that the buses were sent out and then came back back to the school before they finally brought kids home. I think they arrived about the same time as our kids. I was glad to know that Tucker was with someone he knew and had food and blankets in the car. 

We didn't get to spend much time with our little guy on his actual b-day because Tim's work party was the same day. Tucker opted to go to his cousins house and play verses a babysitter. We were sure glad we had already done his birthday when we found out about the work party. My sis was awesome and bought him a birthday cake. Abbey was very concerned on the way to my sister's house that Tucker didn't have a cake, how could he have a birthday without a cake? My sister showed her the cake when we arrived and she was very relieved!

SNOW

I HATE SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!

puppy

My brother sent me these pics of Porter being a puppy in their dog's kennel. Porter thought it was so funny!!! He loves his unca John. he is his "mini me"

And I just realized it's unca John's birthday today!!!

So happy birthday old man. ha I can say that cuz he will always be older than me!

Santa

All the kids were excited to see Santa, but especially Porter he knew he was going to ask for a certain dinosaur. But then I realized he was thinking he was going to be able to take it home that day too...... he was not thrilled when I tried to explain that he still had to wait until Christmas. he got the waiting part but I think he is starting to wonder when the "day" is going to get here.

nose

So this morning little Porter broke a part of a game and so he needed a time out. Especially since he said "haha I broke it" oooh he does this right now haha I hit her or what ever I don't like it! anyway I told him he needed to go to his room for a time out and he said "nose in the corner" I did this once awhile back. So he was standing there with his little nose in the corner with his PJ's still on looking so cute I had to take a picture and share it with you all.

Here's my little stinker.

Yoga

Here's my little stink doing yoga before bed.

I've been doing yoga lately and I guess he's been watching.

I looked over and saw him like this and he said " I'm exercising"

So I ran and got the camera and said do some more. And boy did he....
I have to say I didn't show him what to do he just did it all himself.

If you've never done any yoga this might not be too funny but I laugh each time I see it.

This one is my favorite!!!

Nativity

So for LAST weeks family night (yes I'm a blog slacker!!!) We went to the most wonderful Live Nativity. It was truly an amazing experience, I hope to make it a new tradition with our family and go EVERY year. The weather was a bit cold but it was worth it. Even as I type this the wonderful feeling of it all comes back to me, it was truly spiritual.

First you park in a church parking lot and wait for your turn to ride in a horse trailer sitting on bales of hay. The kids would have been fine if that was all we did. When you arrive in "Bethlehem" you are greeted by a native and he tells you the story of Christ's birth. Then we walked up a hill towards the first barn. It was a VERY BIG barn. The line was a little long but as we waited we saw Roman soldiers on horses go by yelling "make way."

After the soldiers came by a nice shepherd came over to warn us that they were looking for little boys. It was just so fun to have so many characters helping make it such a wonderful experience.

Inside the first barn we saw a real camel (who was nicer than most from what I've heard) and sheep and a donkey. We also saw what a black smith would have been doing, pottery, bakery, weaving looms, basketry, and kids playing games. We even got to eat a small piece of bread.

I don't know why but I love pictures of kids from behind!

After that barn you walked up to the stable. Inside it was so peaceful, quiet and the most wonderful feeling. There was Mary and Joseph just gazing at the miracle little baby Jesus. And yes it was a real baby swaddled. so snug and warm laying on the hay in a manger. I wanted to take a picture but I didn't want to risk waking the sleeping baby. But I have that picture engraved in my head. The love in their eyes and the feeling...... Evey once in awhile they would look up at you and just the look conveyed so much. It was an amazing experience.

As you left there was hot chocolate and a large container where if you would like you could make a donation to the Huntsman Cancer Inst.

They do this every year now and it's for one weekend and Monday I highly recommend it for ALL of you next year!!!!!

Family night

We decided to go see the lights for family night, it's been a loooong time since we've gone. The kids loved it of course and this is the only good picture I got of them. They move to fast for night pictures.

As we walked through the bottom of the north visitors center on our way to the Christus Abbey asked "can we go up there and pretend we are in Heaven?"

Oh I love the cute innocent things they say!

As we drove along the streets looking for a parking spot Porter saw the temple out his window and exclaimed "look a castle" he also wanted to go inside. By the end of the night he had it down that it is the "temo"

I know this pic is a bit crooked but i like it anyway.

the kids thought these pools of water were awesome!

Tim was experimenting with settings and got this picture, it's pretty cool. We are still learning about this new camera, there is a LOT to learn!

Tickets

Tickets for the Draper Temple openhouse are available online now at lds.org/reservations.

Pictures

Here are some really cute pics of my kids. I must say!

Early Birthdays

My 2 biggest boys have birthdays right before Christmas which can be not so much fun so last year Tucker opted to open Birthday gifts early and we did if again this year. It gives him a chance to enjoy his birthday "stuff" before the Christmas stash arrives. We'll still do the cake thing on his B-day. I'm no sure I'm ready for his real birthday he will be "8" where did my baby go? Who am I kidding Tucker's been an adult (or thought he was) since he was 2 :-)

I think we hit the jackpot this year with his gift, we can't keep him away from it! It's and erector set from Costco which I highly recommend if you have a boy who enjoys building and tinkering. He's already built a car and now he's onto the airplane, it will make 35 different models. He hasn't even asked to watch TV since he opened it Friday night which for him is amazing!!!

i got Tim Settlers which we have wanted forever!!!!! He always says he hates surprises but what he hasn't quite realized yet is I'm good at them :)

Here is a picture of his car he built, it is even motorized. And the set come with their own little power tools, he is a little boy in heaven!

my little princess dinosaur

okay this poor boy is going to hate me someday for all these pictures I take of him!!! He loves wearing other peoples shoes and Abbey's are the easiest for him, plus they make noise on the carpet so it's a win win.

This particular day he was in his red Pj's for bed so the shoes added the perfect touch instead of the dino feat.

Abbey thought it was so funny to trade dress-ups.

a lot of nothing

Well I don't have anything fun to post, all we've done lately is have sickies at our house. 

I did get a new vacuum and that has been the highlight! how sad is that? But I do have to say..... it is awesome. The part I love the most is it has a red and green light and the green light comes on when it doesn't sense anymore dirt being sucked up. Well..... after having it for exactly one week i have totally filled up the vacuum bag!!! can you say GROSS. did none of the people who lived here before vacuum. I know they didn't "own" the house but seriously!  I seriously vacuumed for hours everyday the past week just TRYING to get a green light, but you can only vacuum for so long even if it is a new toy :) Some areas have been successful in getting the light to turn green, so each time I vacuum I start somewhere new and still do the whole house but at least the beginning seems to get more attention by the end I can't stand doing more than 4 passes on the same part. So I hope I didn't just gross you all out! who would have thought that one or two times in each spot wasn't enough to clean the carpet.

I can't believe November is half over and I have Christmas (as do all of you) AND 2 birthdays coming up! AHHH and I'm so not prepared this year! 

hopefully my next post will be more exciting!

HalLoWeeN weekend

Halloween started the night before for us with a ward party. The kids were so excited to dress up and go to church in thier costumes. They even kept them clean! Porter won a prize for his cute little costume!

I would have added pics of them at school too but it's just more pics of them in the same stuff LOL. but Poor Porter had to wait through 9 different stops before he actually got to his destination of choice which was Uncle John's house (my oldest brother). So first we went to the parade at the school, then back to get the kids early, then we stopped at Grandma Jenkins' house to have some lunch and give her some tech support, then off to Alice Ann's (Tim's oldest sis) or San as Porter says, to drop off a washing machine for her. We only got to see her for a second since she was at work, but she looked good. Then we FINALLY got to Uncle John's. porter just loves him! and he looks like John when John was little, kinda SCARY :).

Tim and John went out with the kids, here's a few pics I got.

Tucker didn't want his picture taken, he thinks he's getting to old.

After the treating the adults went out to dinner at John and Bev's favorite Indian restaurant. I actually enjoyed it, I'll admit I was nervous since I don't like curry but luckily not everything had curry in it.

We spent the night at their house since it is 2 hours away.

The next day our plans had changed and we didn't need to leave right away so John had a brilliant idea to go to Willow Park. It's the closest thing Logan has to a zoo.

John, Abbey, Porter, Mason

Here's an afro duck I had to unclud we just thought he was funny looking.

Porter and Maddi

Maddi, John, Abbey


Porter.

Tucker climbed on the outside of this slide and fell from the top to the ground. Bev watched it and thought his arm was broken, luckily just bruised!

Daddy holding his owie boy. Porter biffed it right after Tuck, and Abbey had biffed it right at first so we were 3 for 3!

The day didn't end there!

The kids spent the evening at Grandma and Grandpa Sanders house while Tim and I went to the Jazz game. We had great seats!!!

It was a fun busy weekend end and Abbey topped it off by getting sick on Sunday. She's fine now and hopefully Porter avoids it since Tuck had it last week.

Our little Dinosaur

Porter is our LITTLE dinosaur these days and we just had a whole slew of tests run because he is so little. They all came back fine. His growth plate was small for his age but they hope that when his peers stop growing that he will continue to grow. So his IUGR (intra-uterine growth retardation) has followed him to toddler hood. hopefully someday he will be taller than me! (He better be!)

I LOVE fall

On Sunday we went up into the mountains and it was gorgeous!!!!!!!!! I had so much fun watching my kids exploring and capturing the moments. It was hard to catch any candid moments of the big kids they had their camera radar on and when I would go to snap a picture they'd flash me a smile, don't get me wrong I love their cute faces but I love capturing the moment. Maybe with my new camera that I'm getting SOMEDAY I'll be faster.

My baby girl is six!!!!!!!

Abbey turned 6 on Oct 24th! I can't believe she is getting so OLD. I was okay with Tucker turning six (he was born an adult) so I was fine with it. But my little girl NO WAY. Tim and I tried to convince her to stay 5 but she just wouldn't. Then she went on to tell me how she'll grow up and have babies and bring them to visit me. UGH stop already!!!!

All Abbey wanted for her birthday was the latest barbie and movie, Barbie and the diamond castle. Now we are serenaded by her singing barbie and her of course singing right along with it. She also got some new paints and paint brushes which she loves and spends HOURS doing. My kitchen table is constantly COVERED in paper! (I don't know where she gets it from)

Here she is already for the presents from her friends. We had 6 little princesses in crowns and necklaces with wands running around the house. They had so much fun just being girls. Tim and the boy vacated after watching her open her gifts. The girls had fun eating, and eating did I mention eating? and watching the new barbie show while dancing around and singing!

Here's an attempt at making a cake look like the barbie she got. I'll get good as soon as she doesn't want princess cakes anymore. She liked it and that's all that matters.