Christmas Morning

Christmas morning was fun. The boys took about 2 hours to open all their presents even though there were not that many to open. They had so much fun. Building the pirate ship was the highlight, Mason had to take a break to eat some breakfast while Easton and Garet put the finishing touches on the ship. They were really cute and we had a great morning.

Idaho lodge Dec 22-24

The beginging of our adventure. Loading the snowcat.

Our first night with stockings full of presents from Grandma and Grandpa.

Brave Brikelle getting the decorations to the tip top of the tree.

Here we are happy as can be, what a great family.

My family went up to the Idaho lodge Dec. 22-24, 2008. It was quite the adventure. The morning we left there was a huge storm and it took us quite a bit longer to get to Idaho. Once we arrived we boarded the snow cat and headed to the lodge. It was pretty crazy but we made it. The lodge was FREEZING and so were the kids, once the water heater heated up a little we put them all in the tub to warm up. Grandma Jean gave them stockings full of fun pirate toys that night and we had fun playing with them. The next day we had a lot of fun cutting down a christmas tree, making decorations like stringing popcorn, making paper dolls and snowflakes, and many other fun ornaments and decorated the tree. Then we went sledding and had a ton of fun doing that. I didn' get any pictures of sledding so I will have to get some from my sister. We came inside to warm up, eat lunch, have naps, and play pool. That night we had a little nativity story, sang some songs and opened more presents. The day we left was my Dad's birthday. He was born on Christmas eve and it was fun to all be together that morning to celebrate. We packed up the snowcat and headed home.

We had our traditional Christmas eve party at my aunt Jills house that night, so we ended with one more party

We had a great time together and made some good memories. Thanks family, love you!!

My poor BABY

He did get a little bit of sleep in spite of the hourly checking and every 4 hour checking all vitals etc. He was so cute. I curled up in his crib too, but then the nurse was kind and brought a big bed for the 2 of us.

My Mom was leaving work and came to support me until Garet and Easton got there. It is a little bit emotional watching your little one go through all this. Plus I hadn't slept for about 3 night straight. Thanks Mom, you are always there for us to help in any way. I love you.

This lady was so sweet. She brought Mason lots of toys to play with and a stocking to decorate. Then she filled the stocking with fun toys for him.

Daddy and Easton came to save the day. He was so happy to see them.

This picture was when he finally got to take the IV tubing out and had a little bit of freedom to run around. We got released about 2 hours later.

Poor little Mason. He has been so sick. It started about 2 days after we arrived in Mexico. He started with a cough, then a fever and congestion. The humidity really helped him cope while we were gone. Then 2 days after we got home he started with vomiting and diarrhea. Garet Easton and I had a bit of it too, but it only lasted about 24 hours for us. I am thinking we got it all from the flights. It is a bad time of year for germs and when you are confined on an airplane with a couple hundred people and circulating air, it is not a good mix. Any how he couldn't keep ANYTHING down not even a sip of water. So because of that he got really dehydrated and that sent us to the hospital for a sleepover. Poor baby, he was so brave. He let them poke and prod him more than you can imagine. He was so sick. Since we had just been in Mexico, and I know he got some of the water there, Dr. B wanted to cover all our bases and tested for EVERYTHING under the sun. So the conclusion thus far, no Mexico bugs, just a bad virus that turned into some gastritis. So here we are a week later...still throwing up and pooping. He is doing better though and as long as the 2 symptoms don't last past Sunday we will not have to do any more testing. Please hope and pray for us to not have to go any further.

Merry Christmas Garet, we will be paying the hospital and Dr. bills instead of having Christmas this year. On the upside...I am so grateful to have Dr. B who is the BEST DOC. in the world.

Christmas Vacation 2008

Rulon & Kathy took us all on our annual Christmas vacation to Mexico. We had a great time. It was to nice to sit back and relax. The boys are at a great age and are so happy to just play in the sand and water. We did a lot of fun activities, bachi ball, kite flying, skin boarding, swimming, sand play, volleyball, pinata breaking, bon fire, board and card games, a lot of eating and most important RELAXING!!!

The last night we went to Puerta Vallarta and stayed at Los Tules. We had a great breakfast at the fiesta americana and did some christmas shopping. We had a fabulous time THANK YOU for another great year in Mexico. We love you!

2 Minutes is all it takes...

2 minutes is all it takes for these little rascals to turn our clean home into a disaster take a look.

The piece of styrofoam they found somewhere was so little, but it sure made a BIG MESS. This stuff has so much static and sticks to everything including the vaccume. This was the main area but it was through out the ENTIRE MAIN LEVEL of the house. Lots of fun playing with, not so much fun cleaning up.

Believe it or not I was on the other side of the island making lunch while they made this mess with flour. They were playing so well together. A little to well actually, I took a peek around the corner to see what they were doing and saw my flour and sugar canisters out. Mason was taking handfulls and putting it on Eastons head,oh how they laughed. Notice Mason's vacumme in the background. He was "cleaning" up the mess and Easton was scooping it and driving it to Mason to "clean up". I wanted to get mad and then decided the damage was done they might as well enjoy themselves. When they were done playing we all vacummed and mopped it up together. We actually had fun cleaning this mess up. They looked like casper by the time they were finished playing.

This is Eastons newest art project. We were having all the family over on Sunday to celebrate thanksgiving since Rulon and Kathy would be gone to Mexico on thanksgiving day. While I was hustling around getting everything ready this is what happened. Easton came to me and said " I need some paper so I can color". Okay here you go, sit in front of daddy and make sure to ONLY color on the paper. I gave him colored pencils, where he found this permanant black marker I have no idea. I just happend to hear him say "Mason I am going to color my nose too." I went running over and to my surprise here is what I found. The picture doesn't do it justice. Eastons cheeks are dotted along with his hands and feet, and Masons's head, hands, back of his neck and face were colored. Our family arrived about 2o minutes later. It wore off 2 days later.

It is surprising how fast things happen...the good and the bad. I am trying to remember to laugh and enjoy these little moments. Sometimes it is harder than others because it is always when you are in a whirlwind trying to get the house in order and as soon as you finish one room they are right behind you messing it up. However it is fun to get pictures you can laugh at.

Cute, CUTE boys that fill my life with JOY... I love you so much!!!!!

Madagascar 2

We took the boys to see Madagascar 2 and loved it. We had a great time eating popcorn and candy, and the boys LOVED the BIG screen.

I even have a new theme song from the movie for myself that I am quite fond of- actually it is quite fitting-Big & Chunky! Here is a little taste of what the song says: "I like ‘em big I like ‘em chunky I like ‘em big I like ‘em plumpy, I like ‘em round, With something, something, So nice and sassy... I love every inch, Oh yes I do, I like em' chunky, chunky, chunky Plumpy, plumpy, plumpy. Girl your crazy, she drive me crazy, I like my lady, she nice and shapely, ain't nothing wrong with lovin chunky." RIGHT- oh yeah this is a great song I seem to grow like 2 inches a day. I can't believe how big I am getting and how FAST... wow! Nothing wrong with being chunky ohhh yeah just love it.

It's a good thing my hubby loves me even when I am in my "GLORIA-fied" hippo like state. He likes my hippo size and does a great job of telling how great and beautiful I look ( I don't see it). Thank the heavens above I have a man like him.

I'm so glad when daddy is home

Our theme song these day is I am so glad when daddy comes home. The boys are ready for the hunting season to be over and get their daddy back. Who can blame them look at all the fun things he does when we do see him.

He lets them take his pictures.

Throws them up so HIGH!

They get to wear his BIG boots.

The real fun begins when they head outside...They shoot bow and arrows. Easton is really good at this believe it or not. Grandpa Larry just pointed out that Easton is a left handed shooter just like him. Kinda cool since everything else he does is right handed, Grandpa Larry is the same.

They shoot firecrackers-shhshhh it was WAY past firecracker season.

They are really good slingshooters too. Easton loves the story of David and Goliath.

Like father---like son.

He even lets Easton use his hunting knife. With supervision of course.

Easton has a few necessities that go EVERYWHERE with us. The list is: Bow and 3-5 arrows, plastic real looking knife, sword, gun, and an assortment of little whatevers. Oh yeah and his "pak-pak".

We sure love our daddy and are really looking forward to getting him back to us. HIP HOP HOORAY just a few weeks away.

Girls just want to have FUN!

This is the house we stayed at in Deer Valley. You can ski right to the lift in the winter. Gorgeous home.

Dinner on Main street in Park City

Charlotte and Brikelle

We broke out the ladder to change a battery in the chirping smoke alarm.

We all went for a girls night out to Park City. It was a BLAST to say the least. Holly's friend owns this amaizing home in Deer Valley and was sweet enugh to let us stay there. Every bedroom is a MASTER SUITE, there was a hot tub and sauna. We had a great time, shopping, eating, and talking. It is our annual get away that is always needed and always FUN. Next year we are planning a spa day at the Stein Erickson Lodge, so if you want to come let me know. Our motto is "the more the merrier."
Thanks for a wonderful time girls...can't wait until next year!

Happy Halloween 2008