Heaven

So I was talking with the little guy this morning and asking him where he came from. He had just asked me where I got something and then he asked if I bought it at Wal-mart. So I asked him where he came from. After awhile he understood what I meant and pointed to himself and said "you buy me?" I laughed and told me he came from my tummy. He said he and Tucker came from my tummy and then he looked at me and said.

"I was scared in your tummy."

why I asked

"because you eat me."

oh how do you explain it to a 3 year old. it was pretty funny. We covered the whole Heaven a little bit but eventually just changed the subject cuz he wasn't getting it.

Primary

Well my baby went to primary!!! Very reluctantly I might add! He was screaming and trying to get out of my arms protesting I no go to primary I go to nursery. That's when you know they are big enough to go to Primary. I was reluctant to let my little guy go, he's always been so behind other's his age. Will I ever stop over protecting him? I'm working on it. His teacher was awesome! I told her what room I would be in and she looked at me while holding my wormy kid and said "oh no he doesn't come to you, he stays with me!" She is a teacher and has background in special ed so she has all sorts of tricks up her sleeve. I was so glad she was his teacher! And after it was all over he had a huge smile on his face and showed me his king hat! He's getting so big! This is the first time that we've had no one either in nursery or close to going there, it's bitter sweet. I guess they all grow up some time don't they.

I guess I should tell abuot our FABULOUS new years eve of just our little family going to Del Taco and then watching "Night at the Museum" together, well all but Porter he fell asleep on the way home from our gourmet restaurant!!! oh we did get chips and salsa from Chili's so that was gourmet. We had fun though and it was nice to just be at home, we feel like we've been running ragid as most of you can probably relate. We didn't stay up until midnight, but Tim and I were close, I guess we are getting old!!! I'm kinda okay with it, a little. I guess if it's going to happen at least I have a best friend to do it with.

oh and I know you are all JEALOUS of where we went to eat. but hey no one complained and everyone was full what more can you ask for with kids!

i will post pics again some day :)

A Christmas Adventure

So we had a Christmas adventure this year. Tim's little brother Anthony called me the day before Christmas Eve to ask me appendicitis questions. long story short he had his taken out later that night. The ironic part is he is living in our old house where 10 years ago I had mine out on Christmas Eve. So if we sell our house to someone other than him do we need to disclose that it causes appendicitis around Christmas? On Christmas Eve we packed up EVERYTHING in the car including clothes for 2 days and other stuff needed for later that weekend not knowing where we would end up sleeping or what would happen. We were out of the house by 10AM prepaired to do whatever we needed to. Anthony does a driving paper route in Eden/Liberty area and if he misses not only does he not get paid but he has to pay them a fee in the hundreds of dollars.

Our wonderful old neighbors let us hangout and bop back and forth between their house and Anthony's while Tim got all the directions he would need for delivering that night. I was just a nervous wreck all day thinking about that awful storm that was predicted for Christmas and not knowing how our Christmas would turn out. Tim tried to assure me all would be fine and he'd be home before morning, (all I could think of was no one ever thinks anything is going to happen to them) they were going to start delivering at 8PM. My wonderful Dad called Tim and told him he'd go along with him and Tim gladly said yes.

We grabbed Chinese food from our favorite place in Ogden and headed to Tim's parents house where he hung out with Alice Ann for the evening, she was originally going to come down to our house along with our new friends down here so at least half of our plan came about and we got our favorite Chinese!

At about 8 Tim left and let Tucker go with him, so I packed up the other kids and went to my mom's house, I didn't feel like spending Christmas Eve alone with 2 excited kids. We got the little ones settled (kind of) and started spreading out the loot. My sis who lives a few blocks away started coming in the house with bags and boxes of presents. I guess I must have had a weird look on my face cuz she thought I was upset but I just didn't know they were coming over, she said we weren't going to do Christmas at home with you guys here.

I called the guys at about 11 to check on them before going to bed, Tim's phone rang and rang and my Dad's went straight to voice mail, I thought that meant that they weren't getting reception in the canyon and went to sleep. At about midnight I woke up from the wind chimes upstairs from me and hit redial to Tim's phone, still no answer. Okay at this point I'm starting to get worried. Anthony says this route that they were doing takes him 2 hours and they've been gone for 4. I try to go back to sleep but I don't sleep well in different places the first night. I decided to grab my laptop out of the van and stream a show over netflix to keep my mind from all the horrible things I'm thinking of such as losing my husband, father and son all in one night and on Christmas Eve no less. As I'm watching the movie I keep trying them about every half hour. when my movie ends around 3 AM I'm FREAKING OUT!!!

I have to tell you that this year the true meaning of Christmas was born to me more than ever on that night! Not that I haven't always had it with me through the season but by Christmas Eve the mind turns to the gifts and whether the kids will be happy and yada yada yada. But this year I had a prayer in my heart literally ALL night long and I could have cared less about the tree upstairs strewn with gifts, the things the kids wanted or the WII our family was getting, none of that mattered anymore if my boys didn't come home safe. By this time I finally try my dad's phone again as I've just been redialling Tim's and he answers!!! I almost burst out crying just hearing his voice on the line and I think he realized it too. Tim's battery had died and my dad's had been on airplane mode so that's why they didn't know I'd been calling them. They were all safe and having breakfast at Denny's, they were starving! They felt awful that I'd been up worrying all night but had no idea to call and let me know. They had finished about half the route and then Anthony and his friend who were doing the other one came and helped them finish it. Between the bad snow and not knowing the area it was pretty hard to see where to deliver the papers.

I almost forgot... the morning before we left our house our kids of course were a little put out. They didn't want to go and not have our party with our friends and they were sad at not knowing where we would end up sleeping at it was still unknown. I told them we were having a Christmas adventure and Abbey speaks up and says "a Christmas mystery" It was so cute!!!!

I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of the atonement and how much I felt it close to me this year. I honestly don't know how I would survive this life with out the knowledge that I have, life is hard! Even with the gospel it's hard and I just can't imagine not having it with me. Knowing where I came from and where I get to be someday with my family forever, I am truly grateful!!! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your families!

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.