Christmas Eve

I love when I find my kids happy and keeping themselves busy.

Carter loves his barn and animal toys.

Sydney loves her big sister Marlee.

Sydney met Grandpa Jeff for the first time. He and Lucy are here for the evening.

We spent lots of time in the kitchen today.

Sydney is impressed with Laun’s caramel.

Laun has been cooking and grilling a lot today. We had our traditional steak dinner.

Brandon and Mary Hall’s family joined us.

We added Laun’s amazing caramel this year, along with our regular treats: french mint brownies, divinity and toffee.

piñata time

There was fun coins, $2 bills, glow in the dark balloons and glow sticks, truffles, candy milk straws, etc.

Sydney is out!

Ornament time:

Clayton- soccer goal ornament (for playing keeper this season), one for his chukar bird (first time shooting one), Yellowstone and Utah.

Porter-  Pheasant (first time shooting one), cucumber (for all his help in our garden), Yellowstone and Utah.

Marlee- cucumber (for helping in our garden), Utah, Yellowstaone and Dance (she was in a 4H dance club at school).

Carter- Yellowstone, Minion (he watched the movie over and over again at Shriner’s when he had his hip surgery), Batman (for his batman designed body cast), Superman (for his Superman shoe inserts/braces), Utah and Batman (his Halloween costume).

Sydney- Utah, 1st Christmas ornament onesie, Christmas tree (1st time to go with us to cut down our tree), Yellowstone.

Laun- Cucumber (for his garden), Fish (longest fish this year- in AK), Yellowstone, fishes (Alaska fishing trip), BYU cougars (Laun and I went to a BYU football game).

New PJ’s!

We end the night with the most important part of the holiday, the scriptures and reading of Christ’s birth.

almost the holidays

I’m obsessed with babies grabbing their feet. They look like little monkeys and I love it!

Sydney is wearing pj’s that her cousin Georgia wore as a baby and I think she’s around 16 now!

Carter thinks he knows how to drive.

daddy snuggles

Laun went to Bob Bown’s dairy and they sent him home with 14 pounds of cheese!

my hipsters

When you’re in a body cast, your parents break their no TV in bedrooms rule. He can enjoy in for the next several months and then it’s outta there.

friends

I’m so thankful that my boys have good friends. Today Clayton and Thomas went duck hunting at Sandy beach. I dropped them off and came back after running errands. They didn’t get any ducks but they had a good time.  And Clayton tried out his new waders, which are actually a Christmas present.

safe & warm

I think I take way too much for granted. I have so many blessings, that it should be easy to stay positive, but sometimes I’m so negative. I need to do better and see all I have.

Like healthy kids (Carter may be in a cast, but he is healthy).

The mystery person who ding dong ditched us 2 nights in a row and left a stash of cash. Talk about helping to make our Christmas bright. It’s killing me not knowing who it is, but thank you whoever you are.

I’m grateful for my husband. He’s my best friend and my greatest gift.

Laun has a good job, that he enjoys and a warm truck to drive in. That dairy sure looks cold.

We have health insurance.

I’ve been jamming in every appointment we possibly need since we’ve reached our out of pocket a while ago. Here I am at the physical therapist to try to help my back and hip muscles feel better and stronger. I’m hooked up to some machine that sends pulses and stimulates your muscles. I’m buying the smaller version of this machine for Laun, his back will love it.

My kids have a safe and warm place to sleep at night.

They look like angels when they sleep. I love that Marlee has my old bed from childhood.

And sweet Carter, who has handled this whole body cast ordeal like a trooper. I love that he’s holding his bear with the matching batman cast. I’m also so so grateful for his amazing orthopedic surgeon who takes good care of him.

I’m very thankful for Clayton and Porter who serve their younger siblings so much and help me and their neighbors out by shoveling snow.

He’s back!!

Carter made it for nursery today! His first time back since his surgery. He was too tired last week to stay for all of church. He was so excited to be back and I stayed with him for part of the time, until the leaders told me they were fine with me going to class. Which is awesome, since I figured I might always have to go to nursery with him while he’s in a cast. Then we went to Trent and Lindsie’s for dinner. I’m so glad we only live 10 minutes away from them. We are always happy to visit with them, especially since the only have 1 sibling in the state of Utah and they live an hour away. It’s nice to be with family.

getting out

Carter needed to get out of the house. With a body cast and the winter weather, he doesn’t get out enough. We went to Cabela's, which is the closest thing to an indoor zoo for him. I love how he points to the animals.

Sometimes when the whole fam damily goes out, we look like a train.

I left this cute toe sucking girl to go to the beautiful Payson temple tonight.