January 2010: New Year's

Daniel and Jodie drove down from Utah on New Year's weekend. We had so much fun with them and their kids while they were here.
This is Liesel and Emma Kate at one of our favorite hamburger places. These girls are such good friends.

The restaurant takes a picture of you with this giant hamburger if you can eat some ginormous hamburger. No, Nathaniel did not do it, but some other kid did while we were there and they had left the prop sitting out so we snapped a picture of Nate with it.

We took care of the kids while they were here so they could do some fun things downtown. Here's Annika with Sadie.

Here's what happens when Ben watches the kids. Can you believe these pictures?!

Did we scare you?! I know I was a little startled when I saw these. Ben took the kids to the top of a hill at a park near our house. He assures me that it's not as dangerous as it looks! He says the ground was actually only a few feet below the girls so they would only get a little hurt if they fell.

December 2009: Christmas

On Christmas Eve, T.Jay (Ben's brother) was flying from Texas to Utah and had a layover in Las Vegas so we picked him up and went out to eat for Christmas Eve. Then we took him back to the airport and went downtown to the Billagio to see the amazing Christmas displays. There was a giant Christmas tree, giant polar bears made out of flowers, huge snowmen made out of flowers, a huge rocking horse, reindeer flying near the ceiling and so many other magical things. It was pretty amazing!

Outside of the Billagio we watched an amazing water display synchronized to Christmas music. While we waited for it to start I tried to distract the kids from looking at some inappropriate advertisements going on in the distance. Do I look worried?!

And then it was Christmas morning. Maybe not as spectacular as what we had seen the night before but still plenty of fun.

We got a family gift of Lego Rock Band for the Wii. It is so much fun and better for little kids than the regular Rock Band. You can also see two of Liesel's most favorite toys she got. I wish I had a better picture but you can see laying on the floor a little mermaid my sister Beth made and a doll Grandma Kit made. The girls each got one and they absolutely love them. And Aunt Shaunna sent the kids all pajamas to open on Christmas Eve. Liesel's wearing hers here. We are so spoiled!!!

The girls got these adorable dresses from Aunt Colette! They absolutely love them and would wear them every day if I let them!

The day after Christmas we headed up to Cedar City where we met Ben's parents and his brother T.Jay and his wife Crystal. We all stayed in a hotel, swam, and just enjoyed each other's company as much as you can while being crammed in little hotel rooms with little kids (mostly James)who don't want to sit still! The kids also had a chance to play in a little snow! Each of them had different reactions. Actually, they all liked it except for James!

And these following pictures are of Sunday night, back home, relaxing enjoying some of our Christmas presents and just enjoying a time of no stress!

December 2009: before Christmas

The girls have been taking ballet from one of our sweet friends in our ward. She comes to our house and teaches a couple little groups of girls in our big empty living room. We are in no hurry to get furniture for now because having ballet in our own home is just so convenenient! And Miss Crystal is the best, sweetest, dance teacher!
The three classes taking a bow at their dance recital which was held outdoors on a beautiful day. Nathaniel tripped on the way in and skinned his knee pretty bad so he and Ben missed the whole performance while they went to clean it up! I tried to video it while James climbed on me like a monkey so it didn't turn out too well! But the girls did a great job and were so cute!

My parents came up for a few days before Christmas to help us get ready for Christmas Day. They let Ben and I shop all day and late into the night, and helped us get our house in order, and helped the kids make us a cute Christmas book, and took them all on an outing to the park and to Bass Pro. We had so much fun while they were here! They were such an answer to my prayers! Christmas is such a wonderful time but can be a stressful time too, but they helped bring the spirit of Christmas into our home so that we could feel the joy of the season!

Ben had been gone out of town for work for the first two weeks in December! It was to hard but we survived. The day he got back Kit came to stay with the kids while Ben and I went to his Christmas work party. She spent a whole day helping me shop for an outfit to wear and then took care of the kids for us! Ben and I have such kind, generous parents! They always do so many things that help us with the challenges of raising five kids! I hope I remember to be as thoughtful and helpful to my kids when they are grown with their own families!