Christmas 2017

This Christmas season wasn't our best. 

About 2 weeks before Christmas everyone began having their own turn being sick. Like throwing up, diarrhea, fever's and the such. It lasted 2-3 days for each individual. Even Kory stayed home from work one day in bed! That has never happened in our 17 years of marriage.  It wasn't fun! I was the last to get it. It hit me during the night of December 23rd. Christmas Eve I was still suffering pretty bad. I had plans and most of those plans didn't happen......  

I did already have everything we needed for our gram cracker nativity scenes but never got a picture of the finished products.  

My kiddo's did get to open their one present on Christmas Eve but I never did take a picture of them in their new ones. The kids didn't pose as siblings, didn't stand on their heads, didn't play the stick game. Instead Kory turned on the X Box and everyone played Pac Man, Dig Dug, and other oldies he and I played as kids. I was so, so sick I let them at it and put myself to bed, hoping that Santa Clause would make it!

Christmas morning came pretty fast. We had told the kids the night before that they needed to stay in bed until 6am. Here they are up and ready! 

As my kids are getting bigger, gifts are getting harder. We have never done a lot of electronics in our family. The kids don't have phones or ipads. When our kids turn 12 they get an ipod but that's it. It's up to them to replace it or up grade it. This year seemed to be a bit harder than most. We still continue to do the 3/4 gifts per child each year. Everything else comes from siblings, grandparents and friends. 

Santa brought Hunter a RC car and left a book in his stocking. Mom and Dad gave him an electric guitar with amp, a new sleeping bag for all of his scout camps, the Maze Runner series and a Nike jacket. The rest came from siblings.  

Santa brought Madelyn a globe that she has been asking for along with the book Wonder in her stocking. Mom and dad gave her new black/brown boots, a new outfit, a US map to hang on her bedroom wall and a boogie board. 

Santa brought Emily a Magna Doodle board and a book. Mom and Dad gave her new boots, a new outfit, and a string art kit and a chocolate pen to decorate her cupcakes with. Her siblings bought her a fingernail polish kit and then put together a rock kit. Her rock kit consisted of smooth rocks the kids have been collecting along with craft paint and brushes. She paints them and then leaves them for other to find. She loves it!

These older kids of mine can be so hard but they all seemed to enjoy their gifts. I miss it when they were little and so easy to know what they would like!

Santa was good to this young man. He brought him an RC car just like Hunter. These boys are going to have a great time with them. Mom and Dad gave him a case of hex a bugs, a butterfly kit to watch a butterfly grow, a package of Zoob builders (similar to legos) and a new outfit. His older brother and sisters spoiled him!

Miss Kylie must have been pretty good this year. Santa brought her a purple Suprise Puppy. Her momma dog came with 3 puppies inside. She was so thrilled. Kylie was also left a new book in her stocking. Mom and Dad gave her a new doll with several fun accessories for her. We also gave her a new outfit, and a puzzle. Once again her older siblings spoiled her too!

Mom was feeling better this day but definitely not her normal self!

After lunch we took the family to the Goodfellows to play with the boys RC cars on the track. There were a total of 4 families playing with the new RC cars received for Christmas. 

Lots of fun!

Despite this momma being sick we had a great day!

It's Beginning To Look A lot Like Christmas!

Oh how I love Christmas!

 I love our break from school and the time I get to spend with my family. I love that we have family parties to attend. I love the time we get to spend with our friends and extended family members. I know many people who hate the hustle and bustle Christmas can bring but I feel like I keep it pretty simple around here so that I can enjoy our extra time together. 

I love decorating our tree. I love talking about the memories of previous Christmas's or the memories of specific ornaments. I love that my kids love to help decorate the tree. 

I love watching my "little's" during this magical time of year. 

I love her tip toes, trying to reach so high!

Even Hunter who is 14 will still participate!

He wanted a real tree again this year but after last years fiasco, pretty sure it tipped 4 different times, I said No way!! We were a bit disappointed that with our slanted ceilings the tree topper wouldn't fit. Oh well..... 

Many years ago when money was tight I went ahead and ordered the Little People Nativity Scene. I absolutely love this piece and am so glad I still have it.  I love that it's all plastic and can easily be washed in the dishwasher. This is probably a set I will hang on for my grand kids! I love that even my 8 year old loves playing with it. 

Although this year he brought his army men into their little game. The army men were keeping baby Jesus protected from the wicked King Harod!

Love, love, love!

Thanksgiving Weekend

This year we had Thanksgiving with the Christensen Family in Hurricane. 

Several months ago my dad's brother, Rod and his wife Kathy moved from California to Hurricane. They had a few of their kids come to town for the holiday and we decided to get the two families together. Thursday morning before our big feast we met at the local elementary school to play some football and soccer.  Emily is always saying how much she hates playing sports and I think of all the kids she's the one that had the most fun this day. 

While the bigger kids played on the field the younger ones played on the play ground. 

I just love the relationship that Brayden and Kylie have. They are the best of friends. Brayden is always so willing to help his little sister and watch out for her. 

 Madelyn likes to play sports but her cousin, Carlaya does not. So these two kicked the ball to each other and just wandered around.  

After the fun and games we all went back to our houses to get ready for the big feast! 

After our Thanksgiving dinner Jason and Travis and helped Kory lift the walls to our future garage!

Hunter was thrilled with our help. We were able to get the walls sheeted to before night fall!

For many many years my sister's and sister in laws and I have always participated in "Black Friday Shopping". It's something each of us looks forward to each year. We love the hustle and bustle, the searching of the "best" deals and just being together. As the years have come and gone society has changed their Black Friday ways. The best deals are no longer on Friday in the wee hours of the morning but now on Thanksgiving Day. I hate it! So us girls boycott the shopping on Thanksgiving day and try to get what we wanted on Friday instead. However, last year and this year I was able to find even better deals a few weeks before Black Friday on my computer with free shipping! Woo Hoo! But I still miss the fun we girls use to have.  So Friday morning, my sister in law Camille wanted to go into town to Target. Hunter and Noah and Madelyn and Carlya went with her. The younger grand kids were feeling a little left out and wanted to participate in Black Friday shopping too. So I took them to Wal Mart. 

We walked up and down every craft and toy isle looking at all the goodies. After Wal Mart we went to the new Dollar Tree in town and I let them each pick one thing to buy. They were so excited to get back to Grandma and show her what they had each bought on Black Friday. These girls are fun!

 Friday night we went to Uncle Rod's house and played some fun games with everyone.

Uncle Rod with his brother Grandpa Christensen 

A fun little balloon game. 

Lots of treats to eat! 

A ball of saran wrap that is full of candy. The person in the middle had to put a pair of gloves on and try to unwind the plastic wrap to get to the candy. Meanwhile everyone sitting around in the circle is taking turns with a pair of dice. When doubles are rolled that person gets to be in the middle trying to get some candy. 

The flour game is the most popular game to play at any Christensen get together! 

What a fun weekend we had with our extended family!

Cedar City Temple

We've been pretty excited for the Cedar Temple to be built. Part of it is pure selfishness. I have been trying to take Hunter and Madelyn to the temple to do baptisms before school once a month. The baptistry opens each morning at 6 am. There have been many occasions that when we walk into the temple at 5:55 or 6:05 a.m  there is already a 45 min - 1 1/2 hour wait! It's crazy!!!! If it's more than a 30 min wait we end up leaving because the kids won't make it to school on time.  So the selfishness in us is hoping that once the temple is dedicated our temple will be less crowded! 

We chose to get our tickets to the open house in the middle of the week. It was still super crazy busy!

Afterwards we took the family to Brad's Food Hut for some dinner.  

Maddie wanted a selfie with all the girls! 

She tried to get the boys involved but being typical boys none of them wanted their picture taken!

What a fun evening for our family! 

Butterfly

One early Saturday morning while the family was working at cutting the cement in the master bath Brayden was sent outside to collect a tool. He came back in with no tool but something pretty amazing! He had seen a butterfly outside that landed on top of a wood pile. Brayden said all he did was hold his finger right up next to it and it walked right onto his finger. To say he was excited was an understatement. This is our little scientist. He loves all insects and bugs. He loves to read about them and loves to watch them grow!

Super fun! After the family oohed and aahed he took the butterfly back outside where it quickly flew away! What an awesome moment for this little man!

Wood

It's that time of year of again! 

Got to get wood to keep us warm during the winter months. We did things a little different this year. Every time we drove to Alton to go hunting we'd spend a few hours early afternoon collecting wood. Then we'd come home, unload it and the kids would play. 

They worked on building there wood fort for several weeks. They never did figure out a way to put on a roof but they sure had fun building the walls. 

When the trailer was emptied, Dad would leave it lifted. The kids love, love, loved using it as a slide!

Silly kids!