Christmas Eve 2010....

This month has few by and I can't believe Christmas is almost over. We have been so busy the last couple of months that we really haven't been able to enjoy the holidays. My goal was to have all my stuff done by Christmas Eve so we could have one day to actually enjoy the season, but that didn't happen and I ended up running around crazy trying to get things done.

I had a hard time decided what to give this year for neighbor gifts. At the last minute we decided to do sugar cookies and suckers (for all the diabetics out there).

We then went to my mom's for our annual Jammie opening. Thanks Mom & Dad!

We ended the night by having dinner at Chris & Jakoye's. Shari's mom had sent these cute Santa ornaments for the kids to do. They loved putting them together and it entertained them for a good 5 minutes.

After dinner we went and delivered the rest of the neighbor gifts. We were so late that most of the people were expecting Santa at the door not a procrastinating elf.

Santa arrived just before we went to bed. I can't wait to see their faces in the morning....:)

a day with the girls...

The Smith girls that is.... Kaitlyn and Abbie spent the day with us while Chris & Jakoye went to a Dr. Appt in SLC. We love having the girls over and the kids always play well together. We had reached the point in the day where they all started to get bored with the toys. That is when I got out my old "Polly Pockets". They loved them and played for hours. Cael even enjoyed them. I love toys and still have most of my childhood favorites. I'm so glad that I saved these especially since I found out that some of these are going for over $40 on ebay.

We then headed outside for some sledding behind the house. Since we built our house on a hill our backyard has a slope seperating our lot from our neighbors which makes a good sledding hill. It was perfect sledding weather with it being warm, but still a lot of snow. The kids had a blast and we stayed out until dark. The girls cried when Chris showed up to get them and I was literally draggin my kids back in the house.

Abbie

Raden & Rody....

A couple of months ago Nikki took Cael & the kids to the Animal Ark in Orem to check out all the pets. They did this more for a field trip and when she called me after they had left, she informed me that she had bought him a hamster!!! I tried to keep my cool and act like it was OK, but I was dying inside. I hate RODENTS!!! She then started to laugh and calmed me down by informing me that he would be coming home with frogs. I can handle frogs. :) Grandma Linda dug out an old fish bowl and they joined the crab on his dresser. He didn't name them right away, but after a couple of weeks he declared their names would be "Raden & Rody". Which ironically sounds alot like the two boys Nikki babysits, Braden & Brody, who Cael loves playing with. Overall they have been pretty low maintenance and Cael has loved showing off his new pets. After the hermit crab disaster I thought we just weren't cut out for in-door pets, but after a few months they are still going strong and keep the one crab we have left company.

The Blizzard of 2010....

Yesterday we woke up to some beautiful snow and it didn't stop there. It snowed and snowed and snowed all day. Casey got off early and took the kids and neighbors sledding behind the RZR. By the time I got off work it was really starting to come down again. We sledded until after dark and then Casey and the boys went out to build a snowman. It was the best kind of snow for snowman making and it didn't take long for "Frosty" to take shape. We went to bed and woke up this morning to over 2 ft of snow!!! I was shocked when the news said that Nephi measured 26" of snow. I loved it!! I guess that's the Utah girl coming out in me. Gavyn had slept over and they went right out to try out the new powder. Welcome winter just in time for Christmas!!

You can barely see the snowman and his top hat from the night before.

Where are my deer????

Gavyn & Cael

Cooper & Braxten

Kensie & Dad

Gavyn

Frosty

*sidenote* a couple of days later Nikki & Wyatt were up north shopping with the kids when my mom called to invite them to go sledding at the farm. Nikki said she talked to my mom for a minute about sledding and then said "Love you" and hung up the phone. Gavyn then asked from the back "was that Casey?" Wyatt then asked him why he thought it was Casey on the phone especially since Nikki had told the person "I love you" on the phone. Gavyn said because Nikki was talking about sledding not because she said "love you". We have laughed about this and I guess Casey must be a sledding god in Gavyns eyes.

Wasp Wrestling...

Cael was excited to start wrestling this year. Last year he didn't know quite what to think, but this year he has loved it. His buddy from school Jimmy Rosenbeck started this year and they have had fun learning the moves together. He is actually quite good if he applies himself. Sometimes he just wants to play and not pay attention, but we've been trying to encourage him to do his best every time. During one wrestle off he took down Will Harmon who is very good and well trained by his older brothers. He was so excited because as he put " Will was picking up all the kids and carrying them on his shoulder, but not me I got him down!" I love to see him grow and enjoy sports. Go Wasps!!!!

Cael & Jimmy