Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

I'm going to let the pictures do most of the talking. We had a fun Christmas eve with my mom's side of the family, then we had a fun Christmas morning, and then a fun Christmas day... Whew that's a lot of fun. I do have to add...We were short on girls so the ONE got to play Mary the rest...well let's just say we improvised... (take a good look at Todd, he had to be an angel)
It was nice though, the older boys once and a while, would remind us what Christmas is truly about and it was nice to stop and reflect that Christ is the meaning. I always feel super blessed this time of year to have such great family and friends to spend the Holidays with.

My tiny guy loves pudding

I think it's so funny that Tanner seems to find pudding, everywhere! First from the trash and then dad even feeds it to him for breakfast! Oh-well it's still stinkin cute!

Snow....Men?

My guys had tons of fun playin in the snow. We went out with some friends down the street and built a "Calipiter" according to Tate. Then a few days later the boys helped Todd build a snow cave. They had so much fun. Like I said the snow is good for something!

Merry Christmas

We wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! We are glad to be all of your friends and family and thankful that we have so many loved ones to share our happenings with.
Thank you for all the cards and letters we have received and if you didn't get one from us I'm sorry, I have been a little bit of a slacker this year. Please know you are all in our thoughts and prayers and we appreciate all that you do.
May we all remember what the season is truly about! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year... Here's to 2009!

Love,
Todd, Connie and Boys

How are You?...

I've decided those three words are something else...We use them as a greeting. They are considered polite and nice and I would assume are meant to be used with sincerity. But so often I find that those three words are used a liitle too carelessly. Let me explain.
You see someone in a hurry, either you are in a hurry or they are, you wave across the way and say "Hi, How are you?" Do you really think they are going to stop and really tell you how they are doing? Do you really mean how are you...
Another example, I have been to the emergency room before, like a mother of all boys would expect to be at some point, and the first thing I hear from the nurse is "Hi, How are you today"
Sometimes it is all I have in me not to say the honest truth "My baby is screaming while standing in a crowded hospital room, with a child that has just fallen down and broken is arm, I have spaghetti all down my brand new pink shirt, the only pink thing in my house and my husband is on an overnight call for work...How are you?" But usually I smile and say "fine, thanks" and we go on with the real reason I am standing in the emergency room with a crying boy...
Point three and we all know we have been there done that...Is you use these words out of habit and some one you don't know very well breaks into a deep discussion about how their cat, that has been with them for the past 10 years, has suddenly been diagnosed with a rare form of cat cancer, but it's ok because the family will be coming from across town to keep them company as they decide what action should be taken. And it is a blessing because it has been two weeks since they have seen cousin Mertle from Springville and this is a great opportunity to get re-acquainted with them. But because we used those words we are bound to listen to them for the next 20 min.
I know we all use these words when we truly mean them, and I am NOT trying undermine that fact, but sometimes it just makes me laugh. Maybe they should come with a disclaimer.
Sometimes these posts are as pointless as the greeting but life goes on and I will continue to write pointless posts, once and a while, and to say the three words "How are you?" when maybe I should choose my words more carefully.

A list...

Todd and I were talking the other day about things that happen in our house that probably don't happen in a house with girls...

(Disclaimer: some might be gross)

1.Fist Fights...and were not just talking about the older boys...the younger ones have their fare share.
2. Burp wars
3. A low toilet paper budget
4. Spending 3 days in Disney Land and not stepping one foot onto Princess territory.
5. hearing "Mom! ___Peed on me!!!" (aka...pee sword fights)
6. Using the stuffed animals as Kung -Fu targets
7. Going 3 weeks with out watching 1 chick flick....(thank heaven for girls night out!)
8. Not owning ANY princess movies....oh-wait don't tell I think we have Little Mermaid...
9. Except for one...ok..maybe two exceptions,ever, we DON'T paint fingernails.
10. CUTE is a four letter word in our house :-)

We MIGHT be wrong about a few of these things...but I'm pretty sure we're not :-D

Santa

I have never made my kids sit on Santa's lap before. It's just always a little weird to me to say "Here child sit on a strange, scary, mans lap and lets take a picture" But this year for our ward party we had Santa come and Tobyn and Tanner were completely fascinated by him so I figured why not...So this is one of the very few picture we have with Santa...Kind of goofy but they had fun, I think...

Loved the ward party BTW...totally fun!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

I love the snow...Have I said that before? It's hard to drive, fly and walk in, but it sure is pretty and at least there is a reason it's cold outside! It's also good to play in if you are a 9,7,5,3 or 1 year old boy...

Too Cute!

These posts seem to be filled with video... I love it when you get to hear the kids first full belly laugh...I just LOVE IT!!

African Drumming

TC has worked hard in an after-school program, African Drumming. He has stayed after school Tuesday's and Thursdays for the past couple of months. He has had so much fun. We had the opportunity to go listen to him play. The kids did AWESOME!
Way to go TC!

A Man's Best Friend

Todd and I have talked about having a dog for a long time. We spent many nights talking about what kind it would be when the time finally came. I was always open... big, small, it didn't really matter to me. Todd would always tell me "I need a big dog...something the boys can use as a small horse" He would usually tell me when I commented that I wouldn't mind a small dog "Well I don't want a little dog that I have to put clothes on."

All I can say is look at him now. Max sleeps by him, plays with him, thinks for sure they are BFF!

I think it's cute

(wait, did I just put the word cute on blog that is full of boy stuff?! Yup guess I did!)

Some Wii Adventures..

We have a Wii (had to type it, sounds funny if you say it out loud, go a head I know your trying it right now) Anyway....It's fun to play and Todd ALWAYS beats me at the game...it doesn't matter what it is! So we were playing a basket ball game and I was getting pretty good. I kept beating Todd!! That NEVER happens in the family. Usually TC can beat me.

But this time I had him, score: Me 82 Todd 52...HA! I had done it....."This has to be documented!" I said "let me get the camera!"

But of course he HAD to spoil the fun. I won't say the score it's too much....*sigh* but at least I had him for a while...and the boys had fun watching mom go down...as always.... and we had some good family time...priceless!

Black Friday...

Two VERY sleepy people on Friday morning...

I go shopping every year on Black Friday. I sit with all of Todd's family and looking through ads and map out what store we are going to hit first, and second.... then we decide who is going where in which store.
Todd's cousin and I ended up with the wal-mart shopping list. But we had a problem, huge list and only two of us...we needed more man power! So for the first time ever...I got my sweet Todd, to come. He vows NEVER again, up at 2:30 and a bunch of crazy women seemed to be too much. :-)
Thanks to my brilliant idea we went down to Payson wal-mart. It was CRAZY! Usually the stores have maps of where things are going to be out and you can walk around before and put the 2-day sales things in your cart and then stake out and wait for the blitz items. Nope, not this year...at least at payson. We were at wal-mart for THREE hours (I'm usually in and out in no more than 2 if it's out first store...1 if it's not)
Anyway...even though this year had it's some never again's.... I still got some supper good deals and most of my Christmas shopping done. And I am sure I will do it agian next year.


oh- We had a wonderful thanksgiving...It was nice to be closer to home and back with the big family (Todd's immediate and extended family) we haven't done that in a few years.

Twilight

Todd took me to go see twilight with a few other friends. I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't seen it so I'll keep my oppinions to myself, However, I will say....I liked the soundtrack :-)

oh-PS
Todd didn't feel too un-manly going to see it. There were other men in the theater, But I will say he did cheer when Edward first came on the screen ;-)