Tis The Season

This is on the ice I was going crazy hoping they wouldn't fall in.

First game night for Jack and Conner with aunt Haley and Kylee.

Grayson's second cake at aunt Terry's house on his birthday

We went bowling with Mikes family the weekend after Thanksgiving the kids had a blast.

Christmas parade in our neck of the woods the day after Thanksgiving we love going each year.

My cousin Karlee's baby and Max on Thanksgiving

I know it has been way too long. but we are back! We have had one heck of a holiday this year and I am excited to share it with you! We had Thanksgiving at my Grandmas house. My aunts did a great job hosting and we had a good time considering it was without our beloved Grandma.

We had a lot going on this Christmas. We started with Grayson's 3rd Birthday. He had a great time. We really try to make it as special as we can considering his birthday is on Christmas Eve. We had a "Cars"Movie Themed birthday party for him. He even decorated his own cake I had finished with it and he was so excited to see it. When he did he ran and got another Mater and stuck it right in the middle. He was happy with his work and really I was to because that is just Grayson it wouldn't be right with out that!

On December 23rd we had a Christmas party for some of the kids friends. This is the first time we did this. It turned out to be a hit. All the guests showed and it consisted of baking sugar cookies, playing pin the nose on the snowman, a gift exchange, finding the pickle on the tree, unwrapping a present with mittens and ended with decorating the sugar cookies. I think everyone had fun we had 15 kids total. I think I will be having this party every year now! I had al ot of fun doing it and it created a lot of memories for the kids.

On Christmas Eve we went to Grandmas house. Our family all got together and exchanged gifts and had a lot of food. I would have to say Christmas Eve was really hard with out Grandma this year something just wasn't right. I missed her a lot and was just waiting for her to be there. Or just wishing I guess. The children went to bed good we ran out of time we did not make sugar cookies this year we left cake and ice cream for him instead. It was available and the kids were OK with it so that is what Santa go this year. The children woke up around 7:30 am and we started opening presents around 8 am. We had fun but it all ended to quickly. We had a total of 23 people over for Christmas dinner. We started this many years ago we decided that we would not leave our house on Christmas. Everyone was invited to our house. This year it was more then ever before Mikes family came it was crazy but fun. We had roast for dinner with everything else you can imagine. We ended the night with our first Nativity with our kids and nieces and some of our other family. That was something to watch it was great and made a good end to the night.

We had been pretty lazy days after Christmas until New Years Eve. We went out and looked at the lake it was frozen. Mike let the children walk on the lake much to my dismay that is a good way to get killed. They loved it of course. Then we went to the river and fed the ducks there were so many ducks and the children loved it. We met aunt Terry there and she gave us a fun New Years package that we have been using all night! We are celebrating New Years right now! After it is over I will do another post and feel you in on how it went unitl then Happy New Year can't wait to write in 2010! GOODNIGHT

Friday Fun!

I have never went shopping on black Friday before. It was actually a lot of fun I went with a friend of mine and her sisters. We started at Toys R Us at about 11:45 p.m that did not last long the line was crazy! So we decided to go to Target and wait in line for 5 hours when we got there the line was short. So thanks to my good friend Jenny who lives close to Target we borrowed some chairs and blankets. I got everything I wanted and had some fun while we waited. I am not sure I will do it each and every year but maybe, we will see.

Pretty Bear

Grayson has a lemur beanie baby that has become his best friend for a long time now. He lovingly calls it "bear". This animal has been lost several times and has been beat up so bad the beads are falling out, the fur is hard and stiff, the eyes are all scratched from being washed in the washing machine one too many times. We have often wondered what we would do if we lost this beloved friend. Mike was at a gun show this weekend for work and happened to find a couple he bought 2. While Grayson was sleeping we switched old bear for a brand new model. We woke this morning to Grayson happy as ever saying things like. "look at bear he is soooo soft!" "look at his eyes they are not scratchy" and "he is so pretty now!" This could have ended up bad but he was so excited! We told him that we fixed him all up for him. We also told him that he needs to take good care of him and not to chew on him, and that he could not loose him anymore. We have played one too many find the bear games!

Falling For Fall

We also went to Gardner Village to see the witches!

Jackson Dressed up as his favorite book character Skippy John Jones for his class party.

It has taken me a long time to finally post what we have been up to this fall. We really enjoyed the nice fall weather we have had. We went to Cornbellies which was really fun. They have so much to do there. Max had so much fun on the slides and they were really big. Max went down them all on his own, he is growing up so fast. At the end we picked out our pumpkins it was a really good day. Max and Grayson got to go twice this year. Mike took them for Grayson's preschool field trip.

We had a great Halloween the weather was great in fact I think the weather was better then they said it was going to be :] We went to aunt Terry's house and had great food and company. I also had the chance to go to Conner's Halloween party at his school that was a lot of fun. I was in charge of helping with the bracelets that is something I could do without. The kids got a lot of candy for Halloween and they still have a lot! They really enjoyed the holiday and can't wait until next year.

Getting ready for Halloween I made 4 batches of sugar cookies. While I was making them I asked the children what they wanted for dinner. Jackson replies with " we want cookies for dinner!" And I said OK you should have seen the look on his face. Later Conner asked what are we having for dinner? I said cookies Conner looks at me and said " Are you real or fake?" I said yes that we were going to have cookies, he was puzzled. We ended up having cookies for dinner with fruit and yogurt they thought it was great. I figured you have to that once and a while.

In November we went to my brother Brandon and family's house for Henry's birthday. We were able to have it outside, which was amazing! It was a dog themed party and a lot of fun. The kids really enjoyed spending the day outside. After the party we decided to go to Temple Square, something we haven't done since Jackson and Conner were very young. We were able to see the SLC Temple and grounds and the kids learned a lot about the temple.

Over all we had a great Fall, I love this time of year. If only we could skip winter, now that would be great! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

14 years ago

I can't believe it, yes it has been 14 years since I was diagnosed with Cancer. I really like this day, I like to think how far I have come and how thankful I am to be still alive. Oh what I would have missed out on if I were not here! I always wanted to be a Mom and never thought I would. This day really lets me think and be thankful for everything. Thank you to all of my friends and family who were there to support me during that time when I was so very sick. I couldn't do anything on my own not even take a shower. Thanks to my great Aunt Terry who came and ate thanksgiving dinner with me and watched me throw it up soon after I ate it! Thank you to all of you who came to visit all of the times you did even though I may not have been in the best of moods. Thank you to all of my wonderful nurses and doctor's who never gave up and stayed positive the entire time. Thank you Mom for telling me I would not loose all of my hair and stopping those who wanted me to shave it all off, and thanks for bringing me meals each and everyday because I would not eat hospital food. Most importantly thanks to My Father in Heaven for giving me a chance to live and continue to be tested here on earth. I have really learned to except trials and be thankful for them.

I am very grateful for everything and everyone. Because of having Cancer I have met many wonderful people. I have seen many people fight the battle and many people loose to this awful disease. I have had the opportunity to serve and am looking forward to doing it again any way I can, to help fight cancer. I look forward to getting involved with the relay for life just our family alone can almost make up a team! Thank you

Britt, you mean the world to us!

Every year on November 17th our family has a milestone. Brittaney was diagnosed with a rare type of leukemia 14 years ago today. She was and is very lucky and bless to be alive.

To Britt,

I just wanted to let her know that I will never understand how terrible it was, but I am so grateful every day that you are alive even if I don't show you. Our little family wouldn't exist without you Britt. I love you so much. Sorry that I am such an insensitive man sometimes. You deserve everything the world has to offer. 5 men is this world will always be extremely grateful that you had great doctors that helped you to survive the leukemia. My world wouldn't exist without you!

Love,

Michael, Jackson, Conner, Grayson, Maxwell, Xander

Where is....?

Anytime is a fun time with kids. There are so many books, games etc. that involve helping them observe things. We love looking at the "Where is Norman" books. I have created a "Where is Bear" picture series and also a "Where is Xander" picture.