A BILLION pictures of Christmas in Idaho

We had a WONDERFUL time in Idaho for Christmas this year.
Here are a few Pictures....

Linford found this tractor at the place we had our Christmas Eve Party...
He LOVED it to say the least.

Linford in his Colts uniform he got from his Grandma and Grandpa.
He wore this ALL DAY LONG...

Hewitt with Santa on Christmas Eve...

Telling him not to forget he is at his Grandma and Grandpa's house this year.

Our little fam
(minus Harper who was already OUT COLD)
on Christmas Eve just before bedtime.
They are in their cute Christmas Jammies.

The Boys and their Daddy

Singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer for our family talent.

Me and Harper

My cute little "reindeers"

Our Fam

My adorable neice, Kingsley

Kingsley Marie

Cassidy, Shelly, Me and Harper at the Christmas Eve Party

All the girls at the Christmas Eve Party

Cassidy, Sandra, Brooke, Wendy, Me, Kecia, Brynn and Tomie

Tomie, Cassidy, Kingsley, Me, Harper and Kecia

Rote, Kecia and Ryker

Kurt, Kegan and Shell in the back smiling

Cassidy and Bryce with their baby Kingsley

Kecia, Ryker, Cassidy and Kingsley

Had to get a picture of the twins...

Brandon and Bryce chillin on Christmas Day

Harper and Daddy
Harper looks alot like Brandon in this picture

Brandon and I in our Christmas Jammies

Me and Harper again

We had SUCH an AMAZING time,

thanks to Brandon's family who made our stay so wonderful!

ALOT going on...

We have had ALOT going on!
Between Christmas shopping, parties, family, doctors offices, friends, work and our CUTE, CUTE kids......
We have been VERY BUSY

These are some random pictures I have taken during these Busy but FUN times...


This is Linford at the Doctors office. He has an ear infection and Asthma. This is him getting a Nebulizer treatment to see if they could get his oxygen levels higher.
I love nebulizers, I am so glad we have one.

This is Hewitt singing the "Shiny Cars" song in his Pre-school Program. He got to be a car and he felt SO special.
He was so cute.
I love watching him do this kind of stuff.


Every night all 3 boys hop in the tub.
They have so much FUN.
Linford is trying ot be silly of course and Hewitt cheesing it like always- So funny.
Love them.


They always have to lay with Daddy before bed.
They always ask, "just 5 minutes mom"......
its really cute so we always give in, then when 5 minutes is up....
they want 5 more.
I am the strict one, Brandon is the softy....and they know that too.

Me and Cassidy at our Husbands' work party.
It was an 80's theme.
We had a good time....We could not stop laughing at Brandon and Bryce.
It was so funny to see them dressed up like this.
Brandon had an awesome mullet wig but its not on in these pictures.
Also, you can't really see, but Bryce's pants were so tight.
He also had an earing but its not on in these pics either.
It was towards the end of the night.

First Steps

Harper took his first steps today!!!
I tried to get it on camera to show all of you, but I haven't been able to get it yet.
He takes about 5 steps at a time (so far) and he has done it over and over so I feel like its time to document it.
He just turned 9 months last week.
He also just started waving yesterday.
It is so cute.
I have been trying to get that on camera too but its kind of hard,
so we'll get it and I will post it to show all of you.
It's just adorable.

Exciting Things

Harper is trying so hard to walk.
He was 9 months old on the 7th of December.
I can't believe he is going to be walking so soon.
He just discovered this yesterday and now its all he wants to do.

This is our Little guy clapping.
Everytime I say
"yaaaayyyyy"
He starts clapping, its so cute.

Traditions

Traditions
Well I have been thinking ALOT about traditions lately.
Traditions with my growing little family.
Daily Traditions, Weekly Traditions, Holiday Traditions...
I think about it and I get overwhelmed and then I never follow through with "all"
the "traditions" I want to do.
I want my kids to have special memories of things they did growing up.
I want my children to look forward to certain activities
and for their children to look forward to these activities.
I want the "traditions" to last forever.
I want some of them to be spiritual, some to be fun, some to be self-less, some to be funny...
My New Years Resolution ( I know a little early)
is to start these traditions and follow through.

Here are some that we already do:
Birthdays, Mothers Day, and Fathers Day
Breakfast in Bed
Open Presents in Bed
Dinner with just that person that evening
Cake & Ice Cream

Umm that is really all.
Is that sad or what???
There are other regular traditions that we do, like easter egg hunts,
and decorating for holidays and what not.
I want more.

Some Ideas are:
*Watching the Hot Air Balloons take Off
*Getting pajamas for eachother for Christmas
*Sledding as a family and having Hot Chocolate after
*Service for someone once a month (with the entire family)
*Sending a package to a friend for ThanksGiving (send one to each friend of the kids)
*Giving Toys we don't play with to someone who doesn't have toys (for Christmas)
*Visiting Graves on Memorial Day
*Go see the lights at Temple Square (Christmas)
*Staying at a cabin in the summer with the kids
*Fishing and Camping with the boys
*Give the kids something special on Valentines Day in some special way
*Something special for New Years with the kids
*Singing Christmas songs as a family
*Saving coins ALL year long and on the New Year split it into jars and have everyone guess and whoever get the closest gets it... (saw that on my friends blog)
*Have a craft day with the kids (except I don't know how long that will last with Boys)
*Take one child out for a special date, rotating months (doesn't have to be dinner just something they want to do, spend some special time with the child)
*Talking about something at the dinner table...I have heard of everyone saying what they were thankful for that day, or something someone did for them that day, or something they had learned, or just the HAPPY moment for them that day, or maybe do that once a week.
*Maybe a Sunday walk when its summer

I don't know.....

ANY IDEAS?
What do YOU do?
What are YOUR traditions???
(I need help)

(just a little picture to make you smile, you can't have a post with out a picture!)

Where does the time go...

It seems like YESTERDAY
I was laying in the hospital bed with this little angel in my arms.
He has been SUCH A JOY in our lives.
I can't really put it into words.
He is so fun and such a little sweetheart.
I can't believe it has been 9 months ALREADY.
They grow SO FAST.
We love you Harper.

1 day old

2 days old

7 weeks old

9 months old

First Shiner

Harper has learned a bunch of new things this week.
He learned how to climb the stairs, and he thinks its so cool
He has also learned how to clap. I have it on video and will post it on here soon.
He dances as well.
I love it, its so cute.

Today he was going over to the stairs and as he was climbing up the first stair his foot slipped on our tile and his head hit the corner of the stair right on his eye.
I felt so bad for him.
It already started turning blue before he went down to bed.
Poor little guy.

Cute story about my Hewy
I always sing to Hewitt.
I don't really hold back in front of my kids.
If you have ever heard me sing or even talk for that matter,
its no secret that I cannot sing worth a darn.
I mean, I am the WORST singer ever.
This is not what Hewitt thinks.
He is always telling me that he thinks I am the BEST singer.
He also makes sure to tell everyone this and I just die of emberrassment when he does.
The other night we were putting up our Christmas decorations and I was singing some Christmas songs as we were decorating...
Brandon began to tell Hewitt who Bing Crosby was.
He told him that he was a really great singer.
Hewitt said, "but not better than mom"
Brandon and I started to laugh.
Brandon replied with a big smile on his face, "nope not better than mom"
Hewitt said, "Mom is the best singer ever dad"

JUST A MOM?

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's office,
was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.

She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.

"What I mean is, " explained the recorder,
"do you have a job or are you just a .....?"

"Of course I have a job," snapped the woman.

"I'm a Mom."

"We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation,
'housewife' covers it,"
Said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself
in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall.
The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised,
efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like,
"Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."

"What is your occupation?" she probed.

What made me say it? I do not know.
The words simply popped out.
"I'm a Research Associate in the field of
Child Development and Human Relations."

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and
looked up as though she had not heard right.

I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words.
Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written,
in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest,
"just what you do in your field?"

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice,
I heard myself reply,
"I have a continuing program of research,
(what mother doesn't)
In the laboratory and in the field,
(normally I would have said indoors and out).
I'm working for my Masters,
(first the Lord and then the whole family)
and already have "Three" credits
(all BOYS).
Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities,
(any mother care to disagree?)
and I often work 14 hours a day,
(24 is more like it).
But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers
and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she
completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career,
I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 4 and 2.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model,
(an 8 month old baby) in the child development program,
testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!
And I had gone on the official records as someone more
distinguished and indispensable to mankind than
"just another Mom."
Motherhood!

What a glorious career!
Especially when there's a title on the door.

The JOYS!
I love being a mom!

Sundays

I love how my boys look on Sunday before church.
I wish Harper was in this one, but aren't these two so cute?

Me and Harper

This is right before we went to Grammy and Popps house....a Sunday tradition
Me and the boys just before church.

I love everything about Sunday.
I love taking my kids to church, I love relaxing all day with Brandon and my little boys,
I love visiting family and friends and eating a nice big Sunday dinner.
I always feel like I realize what is most important in life is on Sunday.

Fun in the Fall
My kids love playing in the leaves.
I wasn't sure how Harper would like it, but he LOVED it.
I feel like we just have to take advantage of this warmer weather while we have it,
so we have been spending alot of time outside the past few days.