We Finally Got Some Snow!

Last Saturday, the 7 of January, it FINALLY snowed. We woke up to a blanket of white. After breakfast, we all got our snow clothes on and made our way outside. It was pretty fun, until I hit pait in the face with a snowball on ACCIDENT and that ended her fun in the snow and her and I headed inside. Chad and the rest of the kids built a snowman. They had so much fun. Their little snowman turned out pretty cute too.

Trev LOVES playing outside. He was so excited to play in the snow.

Riley had the determination to keep on building this snowman, even when the snow wouldn't stick together. She found a way, and it worked.

Cami had a blast helping build this little guy.

Paityn before the snowball incident. So cute!

Poor Princess Pai-Pai!

Last Saturday morning, January 7, we were doing our normal Saturday clean up. We did our chores and I headed off to go grocery shopping. On my way home from the grocery store, I get a phone call from Cami who informs me that Paityn has cut her lip and Dad needs help. I tell her that I am right around the corner and I'd be there in a second. We hang up and I floor it home. Not ten seconds later, my phone rings again. Again it is Cami and she informs me that Chad needs to talk to me. Chad gets on the phone and tells me that he thinks Pait needs to go to the ER. At this point I am pulling into my driveway so I hang up and run inside. Riley and Cami had 5 of their friends over at the time and as I come into the house, the house is lined with excited/freaked out children, including my three which brings the total to 8. It was pure chaos. As I make my way through the crowd of children who are informing me what happened, I'm calling for Chad because I can't see him anywhere. The line of kids proceeded towards the bathroom, so I felt it was the direction I should head. I made it to the bathroom where Chad was holding a crying Paityn with a towel on her lip and Riley was holding a tissue on Paityn's nose. What happened was this. Chad was playing with Trev and Pait in Pait's room. Paityn wanted to get in her crib. Chad put her in there and she was playing around holding onto the side while jumping up and down. Well she jumped a little too hard the last time and hip her lip on the crib. The force of the crib against her lip, split her lip open. When I saw it I thought for sure she was going to need stitches. The cut was only on the outside of her lip. She didn't cut the inside. We sent all the friends home and I packed Paityn up and headed to the urgent care. Paityn was so good, never cried, never complained. Even when the doctor looked at it and cleaned it all up. In the end the bleeding had stopped and he didn't want to traumatize her by stitching it up or anything else. He told us to keep it clean and keep neosporin on it. That's what we've been doing and it is healing up really well. Paityn is so tough though. She was awesome.

At the Urgent Care waiting to see the doctor. She wanted to play with the toys.

In the doctor's chair, smiling through the hurt. The nurse gave her a teddy bear and Paityn LOVED it!

My little sweet P!

Giddy Up!!

This is how we roll at our house. After bath time, I was hanging up the towels in the bathroom, when I came into the family room I saw Trevor saddled up on this unsuspecting zebra. He thought it was so funny, and well, so did I. So I grabbed my camera. Naturally, Paityn needed her turn. So funny!

Ho Ho Ho!! Merry Christmas!!

Yeah Christmas Day!! I love Christmas. I love the smells and the excitement in the air. I love waking up early and watching the kiddos come into the room and see all the presents and head straight to their stockings like I always did. I love watching their reactions as they open their presents and see what they got. I love all of that. I do not love, however, puking babies on Christmas day. Or having to stop opening presents to catch throw up in a bowl. I do not love having to watch my little babe just sit on the couch instead of enjoy her presents because she just feels so sick. Poor paityn had the pukes on Christmas day. She did not feel good at all. However she felt well enough to open her presents in between pukes so that was good. The kids got up early on Christmas because it was Sunday and we WERE going to go to church. Those plans changed though. They came into the family room and stared at all of the presents under the tree that were not there the night before. Santa had come!! The ripped into their presents and after a quick session of wrapping paper flying and squeals of delight, Christmas was over. Well not really, but the best part of it was. The kids all got new clothes and luggage and candy and handheld learning toys. Chad and I got gift cards to go out and eat, and tickets to go see Brian Regan. I am so excited about that.We also got a new vacuum. It was a really good Christmas, minus Paityn being sick. Paityn and I stayed home while everyone else went to the King's for dinner and a party. We were sad about that but what do you do? I was excited for the kids to get home and tell me all about the party and what they got. It was a great day and I am happy that only one of us were sick.

Before opening presents. I used to hate when my parents made me wait to open presents and now I'm doing the same thing to my kids.

All Trevor asked for this year was a light saber and he got it. He was so excited.

Sweet P smiling even though she didn't feel good. What a trooper.

CHEESE BALLS!!! This was the kids reaction when they opened the box of cheese balls. Best reaction of the day!

The girls got clothes for their American Girl dolls. They were cute.

Santa brought the kids and Chad and I marshmallow guns this year. The kids opened the box and Riley said, "We got marshmallows...and...pipes?!" It was so funny. We had a few marshmallow wars that day. They're pretty fun.

The aftermath. The sign of a good Christmas Day!!

Christmas Eve

As a family tradition, we always make sugar cookies and open our Christmas jammies on Christmas Eve. We made our sugar cookies and frosted them in red and decorated them with all sorts of sprinkles. The kids had been begging all day to open a present and I told them they could after their baths. So as soon as they got out of the bath they ripped open their presents. They all loved their Christmas Jammies, especially Trevor. He loves his lightning bolt. It was a good Christmas Eve. Everyone was mostly healthy. Everyone was anxious for the next day and wanting to see what they were going to get. So the kids set out a plate of cookies for Santa and they were off to bed. It was a good day.

Paityn enjoying the sugar cookies. No frosting needed for this kid.

Decorating time!

I love this boy!

Christmas Jammies!! Look at how happy Trev is. He loves those jammies!

Christmas Eve Nativity...By Riley

On Christmas Eve we watched some church videos on Youtube and then watched our DVD called Joy to The World. It was pretty fun for a family Christmas Eve and really put us in the true spirit of Christmas.After that, Riley decided that she wanted to do the nativity. The only one that wanted to help was Pait. So Ri got Pait dressed up and they did a little nativity for us. It was pretty cute.

Some Christmas Vacation!!

The week before Christmas, the kids started to get sick. Trevor threw up and then was fine for a day or two then he'd throw up again. This went on for two weeks and I was getting worried. Paityn joined in with the throwing up and then the diarrhea came. Then Trev got the diarrhea. Then Chad, then Riley. Then the Saturday before Christmas, Cami got strep throat and the pukes and the diarrhea. It just kept on going around and around for almost two weeks straight. We were praying that everyone would be well for Christmas. Thankfully, everyone was feeling mostly better on Christmas, except Paityn who started puking early Christmas morning and then had diarrhea the rest of the day. Poor girl. Needless to say, our Christmas break was low key. This picture was taken on one of the worst days. Cami was laid out with strep and pukes, Riley had a sick stomach, and Trev was feeling very yucky with a sick stomach as well. Paityn was in bed during this picture.

My poor kiddos. So sick. Each with their blanket and bowl.Thank goodness we got through that.

Filling Daddy's Shoes!

One night, the week before Christmas, Chad wanted to get his mission box out and show the kids pictures from his mission. It was really fun and neat to see Chad as a missionary and hear some of his experiences. The kids had a good time. Rile disappeared for a while and when she came back she was wearing Chad's suit coat and tie and church shoes and she had on one of his missionary name tags from the box. It was so cute. I love that my kids have such a great role model to follow after in Chad. If they are anything like their Dad, we'll be pretty lucky.

Riley's Choir Christmas Program

Riley joined choir this year at her school. She was very hesitant but has come to love it. They practice once a week in the morning and then they have their performance at Christmas and then again at the end of the year. I love that she's doing this. I love watching my kids gain and grow their talents. She did really good and I got emotional watching her up on stage. She's such a good girl and we love her so much.

Riley and her friend and neighbor Alyssa

Such a BEAUTIFUL girl

Me and Ri after the performance

Riley and her good friends Bailey and Sammy

My Baby Paityn Is TWO!!

Dear Paityn,

Happy second birthday!! We are so excited to watch you grow. You are such a cute, fun little girl. You certainly keep us on our toes. As well as your brother and sisters. It's safe to say that you can hold your own in this family. You have red hair and you aren't afraid to show it. You are a friend to everyone and you love to play with your brother and sisters. My favorite memory so far of you is how you love to say your prayers. You start your prayer with, "Harry Potter..."We laugh every time you say that. Even when someone else is praying, you'll repeat everything they say. It gets us laughing every time. You love to say your full name. If anyone asks you what your name is, you say, "Paityn Lola." I love that. Your hair is finally starting to grow and I'm so excited about that. I have been wanting to do cute things to your hair for a long time. Now that you have hair, you won't let me do anything to it. If I can manage to get you to let me put piggies in, you take them out shortly after leaving your hair looking CRAZY!! We love your smile and your laugh. You smile with your whole face, you always have. You are such a happy girl and we love you so much. We can't wait to watch you grow and develop the talents you have been blessed with. You are beautiful inside and out. We love you Paityn Lola.

Love,
Mom and Dad

My sweet girl, one week old

One year old...still no hair

Two years old...finally getting some hair

Paityn's Birthday Party!

Paityn turned two on the 11. She is getting so big so fast. She really didn't understand what was the big deal with her birthday this year, but she picked up on the presents part pretty fast. She had a fun time eating cake and playing with her brother and sister. We sure do love this little girl.

Paityn LOVES her good goods. She has to carry around as many as she can find all at the same time. It drives us crazy.

Riley and Cami made Pait a card and gave her her presents.She's so lucky to have these two girls as big sisters

Zion's Bank Christmas Movie!

Every year, Grandpa Jim takes all of us to the theater to watch a movie. The movie is put on by Zion's bank and it's always a fun time. At the end of the movie, Santa comes and all of the kids get to sit on his lap and tell him what they want for Christmas. They also get a little goodie bag. The kids look forward to it every year. Not so much the sitting on Santa's lap part, but the movie and candy parts they love.

Paityn was not liking Santa's lap, even with Grandpa by her side

Trev wouldn't even attempt sitting on his lap. This is as close as he would get

I haven't figured out how to take good pictures in dark places yet, but this is a picture of all the kiddos that were at the movies with us. There was Riley, Cami, Trev, Pait, Tate, Tanner and Emmett.

Happy Thanksgiving!! (I know I'm behind a bit)

This year for Thanksgiving, we went to California to celebrate with my family. The drive was long as usual, but everyone did pretty good. The kids were so excited to see all of their California family. Trev had his vacation all planned out. He was going to play with his cousins, feed the chickens, ride the tractor with Grandpa and shoot guns with Grandpa. He wanted to go swimming but we convinced him that is was too cold for that this time of year. I'm so sad that we didn't take very many pictures of our trip. But the kids had fun. Trevor scratched everything off of his to do list, and we all had a great Thanksgiving. I'm so thankful for my family and for all of the other great blessings I have been given.

The kids helped Grandpa crack walnuts one day. They had a blast. It brought back so many memories of my time down in the bins. I love that the ranch ALWAYS has a job to be done. My kids can learn to work just like I did when I was their age.

Grandpa getting the gun loaded and ready for Trev to shoot. I think that next year Trev should get a Red Rider gun for Christmas...he'd LOVE that.Maybe Santa/Grandpa can be in charge of that.

Trevor loves to work at the ranch. He helped Grandpa do all of his chores. He had such a good time. He's Grandpa's buddy.