Tribute To Grandma Great

Yesterday we spent the day honoring one of the most loving and caring ladies I have been privelaged to know. Jeff's grandma passed away the day after Thanksgiving and her funeral was held yesterday. At 91 she was in a lot of pain for the past couple of years and even though it was hard to have her leave us I know she is now free from all the pain and loving life being reunited with her hubby. The funeral was beautiful and everyone did a wonderful job with their talks. All of us grandkids and the great grandkids sang 3 songs at her funeral. It was so hard to get through all 3 songs. You could definately feel her spirit through the whole thing. We love you tons grandma and are so greatful to have you in our lives. It was so fun to have the whole family together. Jeff's sister Jill and her family came from California and we spent the whole day with them. The kids loved playing with their cousins and can't wait to see them again. We love you Jill and Kelby and kids and miss you all the time. Ciarra cried on the way home cause she can't see her friend any more so we might have to purchase a web camera so they can still see each other until we can make it out there next year.

Jeff's Christmas Hobby!!!

My husband is worse than a little kid at Christmas time. So here is Jeff's hobby for the holidays.

My Neighbor told me I should post pictures of Jeff's hobby at Christmas Time on my blog so

here is some pictures of Jeff's favorite holiday and

how crazy he gets doing it. We have decorated our house with lights for the past 10 years that we lived here and each year he adds something new. Even when we lived in our duplex apartment he still had our whole side decked out in lights. I guess it keeps the kid in all of us alive. Our kids get so excited every year when November comes and he starts putting up his lights. It takes a long time on to put all of them up but it is totally worth it to see the excitement all of our kids get when this time of year comes. The pictures aren't that great cause my Camera sucks so hopefully we can get some better pics and post them. Better yet drive by and see for yourself. Jeff is in charge of decorating the outside and I am the inside with the exception of his Christmas

Village. I am not allowed to do that only he is. Around Christmas time we take the padding off of our window seats and display our village there.

We buy a new piece every year since we have been married to add to this also. The kids love it. It gives the house such a peaceful feel with the fiber optic lights and the waterfalls that play to the music on one of the houses. I couldn't get the whole thing in one picture so here is two shots of that. I still missed some of it with only the two shots.

As for the rest of the house I get free reign. I will

post pictures the rest of the house to the side of my bolg post. We wait all year just for this time of year. The thing that excites our family the most about Christmas is the decorating, seeing the lights, and listening to Christmas Music. This year our family has done 4 service projects to help those in need. The kids all loved participating in the food drive for Colby's Eagle project they were trying to take everything out of my pantry to help with that. Then we painted kids wood blocks for the Shriner's Hospital. My sister in law had to paint 400 blocks. So we as a family craft night at my moms painted abc's and dice and all different things on the blocks so that the children up there could enjoy them for Christmas. Lexi loved helping do that. Andrew, Jeff and I also were able to help tie quilts for Primary Children's Hospital for Chase's Eagle project. Our ward for relief society enrichment combined with the ym and yw were able to tie 36 quilts in 2 1/2 hours that night. And this Sunday Me and Jeff are so excited cause we get to go with Charri and Evan Jensen and my brother and his wife to deliver the Tree's that people bought from the festival of Tree's this year. Jeff went last year and he said it was the coolest experience he has had. So I am so excited to get to go this year since I got a sub for my primary class. This time of year even though we don't have a lot of money this year to buy the kids what they want. I still feel so blessed already. As long as we have love, family and friends what more do you need. And I am so glad my kids are understanding that early in their lives. I am so blessed to have such great kids they have already told us they don't care what they get this year even if it is a little rinky dink toy.

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving was fun and enjoyable this year. I cheated and instead of making rolls all morning I did Rhodes. It was soo relaxing. Jeff and Andrew went to the Annual Ward Turkey Bowl and their team won!! Andrew had so much fun he can't wait until next year to play again. I sat in my pajama's all morning, stayed in bed till 9:00 and made breakfast for the kids. We then went to Jeff's mom and Dad's house for dinner at 2:00. Everything was so delicious. I even challenged my nephew Derek to guitar hero where he totally kicked my but. What was I thinking. but I came back and beat Andrew so it was worth it. We then went to my mom and dad's for Dessert. The pies were so yummy. I made a Banana Cream Cheesecake it was so good. Anything besides pumpkin pie is mine and Jeff's motto. We went to a movie Friday with the adults in my family and saw Four Christmas's It was Hilarious!!! It got me even more excited for the season. We spent the rest of the day Yesterday putting up more Christmas decorations in our yard. I will have to take a pic when we are done and post it for all of you to see. Well gotta go finish decorating the house.

A Day of Thanks

Yesterday we had to speak in church as a family and sing. I am so grateful that it is OVER!!! We sang I Am a Child of God as a family and Ciarra kept pulling the microphone down and practically screaming the song into the microphone it was so funny. Everybody told us how cute it was but my family is not musically enclined so I don't know if they were just being nice or if they really meant it. Either way thanks everybody for the comments on our talks and song. The kids were so excited after church when we got home and they could not believe how many people came up to them to tell them what a good job they did. That made their day so thank you!!!

As Thanksgiving is getting closer I just wanted to express our gratitude for everything I am thankful for.
1). I am thankful for my wonderful Husband Jeff. He is such a hard worker and provider and he is such a great father and lover.

2). I am thankful for my Children. My life would be one boring, depressing, and lonely life without them in it. I love their hugs and kisses and the way their smiles and laughter light up the rooms in my house.

3) I am thankful for my extended family they are always there for us whenever we need encouraging.

4). I am thankful for all of our friendships that we have made over the years. Without supporting friends and someone to vent to I would probably be in the nut house.

5). I am thankful for my home without a warm loving environment my kids would probably turn into big time rebels.

6). Last but not least I am thankful for my Freedom. To be able to choose and come and go as I please is the greatest feeling in the world.

Twilight Girls Night Out

Last night was one crazy night. I had frozen dinner exchange at 6:00 pm. Ran straight from there to a YW's Meeting until 8:40 came home and changed then went to play Volleyball cause we are in region at 9:00 got home at 10:00 hurried up and changed again and then left to go out with the girls to the Cheesecake Factory for dessert which was delicious by the way. I had a banana and cream cheesecake it was to die for. Then to Gateway to see the new Twilight Movie. It was so much fun. We didn't get home until 3:15 am but it was totally worth it even though I only got 3 hours of sleep. Even though Edward was not HOT enough for me, he finally grew on me. It was humorous and for the most part not better than the book but still good. I can't wait to see how they make New Moon. The most annoying part of the night was trying to get out of the gateway parking lot. Some people are so inpatient and annoying they kept honking their horn until the line would move. One crazy lady jumped out of her car and went to the front of the line and yelled at the car 2 cars in front of her and pushed them along the way. Man have some patience people. We had a good laugh over that one. Thanks Xela, Sheryl, and Rebecca for a fun night away from the kids. We will have to do that more often.

Congratulations Andrew

Andrew had a Court of Honor for Scouts last night where he received his Tenderfoot, 2nd and 1st class awards. We are so proud of him. He is now working on his Star. His goal is to try and earn his Eagle because it's something his dad didn't do that he regrets not finishing. So Andrew has set the goal of getting his to make his dad proud. We are so proud of you Andrew and will support you in anything you do.
Love you tons

Winter Wonderland

It snowed all day yesterday. So when the kids got home from school before we had to go to Parent Teacher Conference's we all put our snow gear on and went outside. We built a couple of snow bears for our front yard. The kids had soo much fun. Lexi had to make sure she put as much detail as possible into them. She worked on them more then the rest of the kids did. But of course our mean little Brayden loves to make his sister Lexi mad so within half an hour of building them he knocked them down. Lexi was so mad she chased him down the street and beat him up. Maybe some day Brayden will learn to be nice to his sister. It's been almost 8 years since Lexi joined our family and I've yet to see that happen. Maybe when it snows again we can rebuild them for you Lex.

Update about Halloween

Brayden is on the left, Andrew is on the right and his friend Victor is in the back

Halloween was so much fun!!! We had a spooky dinner at my mom's house on the night before Halloween and it was soo yummy we always come up with some cool spooky dishes and the kids love the variety of foods they get to eat. This year my family made Halloween Massacre!! It had 7 Layers of massacred Halloween items... as follows.... It had a layer of Pirates Poop, followed by chopped up werewolves, a layer of ghost's and pumpkins, Frankenstein Puree, more ghosts and pumpkins, bats balls, and topped with Creme of Mummy. Served with Fried Skeleton bones. We also had Witches fingers, Goblin Stew, Ghost's enchiladas, Pumpkin's brains, Graveyard brownies, Pumpkin brew, and owl cookies. The kids loved it. Last year was the first year we started this tradition and we had a lot of awesome food ideas last year also. On Halloween we enjoyed the whole day at school helping with their parties and Halloween parades. I love this time of year!! Then we got to stay home this year and trick or treat in our own neighborhood cause my parents decided not to do their Haunted House this year. So Andrew got to have a friend spend the night. We made Chicken Taco soup and Mummies toes for dinner the kids loved it.