I often wonder at this time of year if my kids are very greedy or if they know and care that there are kids out there who get far less then they do for Christmas. So yesterday we went to James boat Christmas party for the kids. It was a lot of fun and the kids got to do all sorts of fun activities. They had moon bounces for them to jump in. They had a rock climbing wall that you could climb. Crafts food and Santa. Well before the kids left they all got a present. SO as we left and the kids did not know what they were getting in there present I asked them if they would be willing to give their brand new toy to a boy or girl who was going to get anything for Christmas. SO to my surprise Bethannie was very fine with this idea. She said she knew she was having Christmas on Christmas day and she wanted to share. James said he wanted to give his toy away but did pout about it for a few moments. He does not quite get it I think. Mackenzie got a game we already own and so even though she is still so little we are taking all three presents and taking them to toys for tots. I am letting them drop them off so they feel what is is like to share. I was so pleased with my little ones. They know they do not get a lot of presents on Christmas morning but it will be what they want and much more then others.

One more for catch up

So our church had a flag football game on Thursday morning. (Thanksgiving morning) SO James decided he would go out and play and I stayed at home with the kids and tried to still keep cooking. We were going to have 14 people at our house for Thanksgiving so I still had a lot of prep to do. Any how well James came home about an hour later and was looking pathetic. SO I asked if they were done and all I got was a no. I asked why he quit then and I heard I broke my ribs. I just look at him. How do you break your ribs in FLAG football. Well let me tell you how. You have a guy who in just about a month will turn 30 and still thinks his body should be able to be like it was back in high school. So when one 30 yr old body dives for the ball (because yes it was that important to win) and you are not wearing any pads bad things happen. So Chrissy was here at our house to try and help and she ends up taking James to the ER and they do not return till 2:30. I now have everyone at our house and we are waiting to see what happened with James. Well He has broken ribs. Well He was still hurting for the whole weekend so we got up on Sunday morning and he went to the boat to see if there was anything else wrong. Well they said he broke 4 ribs. He had to go to work on Monday and when he got there then they checked him out again and then they realized he has 6 broken ribs. So they have put him SIQ Sick in quarters. He has to go back in on Thursday and they will probably put him back on SIQ but we will see. Any how. He is so goofy though. Any how he hurts a ton but is hanging int there.

But I wanted to say I was one of those crazies who went to Walmart for Black Friday and got a bunch of good deals. I am so glad to say I am almost done with my shopping for our kids. I am loving to not have to be out there the closer it gets to Christmas. James went with me broken ribs and all and so that was fun to just hang out with him in the middle of total craziness from people who were fighting over a power wheel for $88. What fun times.

Our new tree

So we have tried to have a live tree now for the last couple of years and we wanted to let the kids cut them down but with James not being home last year we have never had the chance to do it so we decided to google a spot to cut your own tree. We went out this past Saturday and went and found a tree and then all the kids took a turn helping to cut it down. It was so funny watching and listening to them say it is going to fall on _____. Any how after a fun weekend of putting up all our Christmas decorations the kids are supper excited to know it is almost Christmas.

Bethannie taking her turn with the tree

James and James sawing through the tree

James wanting this tree.

This was our turkey from Thanksgiving. It was so good. We tried a smoked turkey this year. Everyone loved it so I would say it was a hit.

A long Saturday

We decided that since Jame had just gotten home the kids needed some much needed and deserved fun times out. So we had been telling all the kids we would take them to go see theses movies. James really liked his. Bethannie said she liked hers but man did Troy and Gabriella have to kiss. She said Eeeewwww. She is so funny. Any how after the movie we went ice skating at the mall. It is just a small rink but it was so much fun. I love ice skating and so being able to go out there and see the kids try was fun. Too bad the kids cried most of the time. They were to scared they were going to fall. Any how when the had the guts I would skate around with them and help them. I did not let any of the kids fall when they were with me which made them feel a lot better about it. James did not like it. Mackenzie loved it but had to hold on because she did not know how to make herself move but she was not scared. Bethannie did a lot of whining while we were there but right before we left she got around 2 times by herself and she said she likes it. Last thing we did that night was watch a parade that was downtown. It was a lot of fun and the kids liked it but man it was so cold out there that you really could not move by the end. Oh well still a lot of fun.

James Little James and Mackenzie went to go see Madagascar

Bethannie and I went to see High school musical 3

Mackenzie showing how easy it is to walk in the skates.

James hanging on for dear life

Bethannie in the kiddie rink. It was so small

Mackenzie relaxing with daddy

Bethannie and I at the very end. She started to get the hang of it.

Another float I guess the pic was a little blurry sorry.

Only along the beach would you see a giant crab in a Christmas parade. We laughed at this. There were tons of fish and sea life in the parade.

Just fun little floats we saw

Santa of course at the end

Twilight?

Ok to all my fellow twilight junkies. All I have heard from so many people is all the hype around Twilight so I tried to become one of you. I was unsuccessful though. There was a group of girls that decided to go to the midnight showing and so I thought sure why not I will go too. This was on Sunday night. So on Tuesday night I decide to pick up the book and start reading. Now it was a good book to read, not quiet what I was expecting but in a good way and so I found it easy to read. I always tell every one how much I do not like to read and so I was dreading the thought of trying to get through 500 pages in 2 days. But I did do it. I was finished reading yesterday about 5 and so I thought I am going to need some sleep before I try to go to a midnight show. Well I was not successful with that either. So instead I just decided I would drink some diet Pepsi to stay awake and off to the movie I went last night. I did not have any expectations because I have honestly not obsessed with this for the last months or year. So to me it was not bad however it was funny acting and bad writing but oh well. It was a fun night out with some girlfriends. We all should have gone and gotten breakfast or something but as it was I did not get home till after 3 and not to bed before 4. Oh and Thanks Chrissy for watching the kids sleep. I really appreciate it. Any how Thanks for a great night girls.

First off

It was snowing this morning. I have heard over and over how it really does not snow here and to not plan on seeing it here. Well to our surprise we wake up to white flurries falling. It was pretty. Of course now it has stopped and it never stuck it was still cool to see it fall. You never realize how much you miss snow till you live in it for a year and then are told you will not see it again in VA. Oh well

What a weekend

Well we had a huge past weekend. I am still recuperating from it all. My mom and Grandma came to stay here at my house and then my sister and my dad and step mom went and stayed with my other sister. We only live about 10 min apart and so it is not a long drive at all. But my sister and her husband we going to the temple and we all wanted to be there for them. James had been gone and was suppose to come home on Friday, but due to bad weather he never got to pull in till Saturday at about 3 or so. So he was still at home. So we all drove to Washington DC and it was so wonderful. It was fun to see every one. On Sunday morning the kids were doing their primary program and so Almost every one came to see them there as well. It was fun for the kids to see so many people in the audience since they were up front. Any how well everyone is home now and we are even James less. He was only home for 36 hours and left again on Monday Morning. Well I just wanted to tell everyone I love them and thank you for seeing us while you were here for Chrissy. We appreciated it.

James Birthday party

Well James got to have a birthday party with friends this year. he had a blast. I thought I might of gone crazy with all the kids because we were stuck inside because of course it decided to rain the day of his party. Oh well it was still a lot of fun and James was so happy to have so many friends come.

A transformer cake

All the candles got blown out. He had some help though

Every one waiting for the cake

The other side of the table

James opening up his presents

What is in there?

Thank you every one.

Happy Birthday James

So today was James birthday and now that he is five I just wonder where all the time has gone. He is off to school now and loves meeting new friends and having fun being him. But I miss out on the days where he would snuggle up any time I wanted him to or get a hug and a kiss..... Oh who am I kidding, he is such a mamas boy. He is not 15 just 5. But one day I am going to turn around at that is what it will be like. I just miss him being a baby. Well i just wanted to share some pics from his birthday tonight and then pic of him when he was younger. i do not have the photo card from him being a baby at my finger tips so they are from a little older till now. Oh well still supper cute.

James opening a present

Oh what to wish for. Him good presents. Not any thing in particular just good stuff.

Yummy cake.

James when he was little.

Look at this cute boy

James catching a fish. he needed help and so grandpa was there to lend a hand

Well what do you expect when he has an older sister

But one day this will be so worth blackmailing over

Say cheese

My silly little boy.

Awaiting the poll

Well after an hour and 30 minutes of waiting to make my vote count I have voted an now am waiting to see how the country has voted.

Fun pictures

Well I have decided instead of taking the kids to get their pics done I would just take them. So we went out to the beach on Saturday and went and did some pics. They were a lot of fun to take but the kids did not all want to cooperate at the same time so I might have gotten a few that were good but who knows. Any how here are the pictures I took.

Trunk or treating

Here is Bethannie being a bride

Since our ward decided to do trunk or treating on Halloween that was all we were able to do this year which turned out to be OK. The kids had a lot of fun seeing their friends and getting to walk around with them. So we got a bowl full of candy in about 45 min and then went in for a costume contest. The kids did not win and so they decided we should of just left instead of doing that but oh well.

Here is James as Lightening McQueen race car driver.

Mackenzie was a chicken. She was so cute.

Here is all the kids together. It was a fun night.

Well I haven't posted for a while and so it has been crazy around here. James left again and so we are all awaiting his return soon. The kids have had a count down of when Halloween is. They have been trying to figure out who they are going to be this year. I did not make or buy any costumes this year which was weird but I already had them or one was mailed to me by a good friend of mine. So you will have to wait till Friday night and I will post pics of what the kids have decided to be. But they are all so cute.
Well we are winding down on soccer. Both the kids have their last game this week. James is done tonight and Bethannie is finished this Saturday. I am actually kind of glad for that because we have been running wild with all the practices and everything. So the end is near and I am excited. Bethannie is in a girl scout troop now though and so we meet with them every other week which is not to bad. She seems to be enjoying it so far.
Well I have still been painting. I have more rooms to still go but I am liking having the colors in our home now instead of white walls. They give our home some charm and warmth. But I am having fun doing it all. other then all that we are all doing good. James is supper excited about his Birthday coming up in just over a week and so he has lots of plans for that. I can not believe that he is going to be 5. Well I will post again later this week with pics of our fun Halloween evening.

Working hard

So while James was gone I have decided to get some painting done. We have been debating about doing it since we got here but I am so glad I did now. I have only done two rooms so far. Mackenzies room is done and hers is a nice pink color. And then I painted the front room. I picked Cappacinno. So Now I am busy trying to paint going up the stairs. It is a little more difficult but it will look good. In the pics what you see is done. But I am still having to get the area closer to the ceiling done. Any how well James came home last night and I am so glad to see him. He had been gone for about 3 weeks, and is leaving again next week for 2 more or so. So I am ready for it all to be over for a little while. I am so grateful he will be home for the Holidays this year and that we will have that with him before he leaves for such a long time in Feb.

Elmo here we come

So last Saturday we had made the plans that as soon as Bethannies soccer game was over we were going to go wait in line to see Sesame Street Live. It was a free show on Base and it was said to be first come first serve. Well not thinking about how many people would be able to get in or how big the theater was. We got there about 2 hours early. Not the biggest deal because they just played in the little grass area right beside where we had to be. So we are sitting there also eating lunch and all of the sudden we spot a familiar little face. It is a sweet little girl from church and she is all waving and some what excited to see Bethannie. But I am not sure who the person walking with her is. Well we soon start talking and I find out she is the sister to one of the guys at church. How funny. So any how but the kids are started playing together and they had a blast. Our other really good friends James and Kristen and their kids all had planned to come up and go with us as well so we are all in line and ready to go in. Walking in all the kids got a cute little spinning Elmo toy that lights up. It was good though it helped pass a little more time while we had to wait for the show to start. Well long story short. We waited 2 hours for a show that lasted 30 min. It was cute but so short. The whole show was trying to help learn about deployments and how to act while your daddy or mommy is gone. Nice story line but man oh man it was a long time to wait for a short story. Well here is pictures of all the kids we had with our little group.

Gracie, Bethannie, Caden, and Austin. They are all so funny.

Kelli, Hailey,Neiko, Landon, James, and Mackenzie.

Every one playing with the toys



Every one singing. It was a fun time.