"It's like we didn't even miss a year!"

 That was the quote of the New Years weekend thanks to Uncle Matt!  And it did feel like we didn't miss a year!  Here we all are after church!

Ruthie wasn't having it.  We're not quite sure what Halie's doing to her dress.  Dad's eyes are closed and Matt is talking but hey there is 17 people what do you expect.

The little boys getting lessons from their big cousin!

Cooking with Aunt Megan... Bread pudding that was divine!

Brock didn't leave my side much but he did like this  box.

FAVORITE GIFT EVER!

Who needs gifts when you have wrapping paper!?

LOVING THEIR GRANDMA BAGS!

THE LITTLE BOYS!  The big one and little ones.

LOVING THEIR GIFTS!

The girls and their "matching" American Girl Dolls!

The girl cousins!  These 3 are going to have so much fun growing up together (kind of)

The babies!

Micah loving his gifts!

What a great time we had in California for New Years.  It's loud and crazy and busy but that's what it's suppose to be!  So fun!  Thanks Mom and Dad for all the fun traditions, yummy food, and fun memories!  We Love yoU!

Letters to my children...

About a year ago I opened email accounts for each of my children.  I email them often private letters just for them about various things.  It has been so fun to send them letters that they will only read in the future about their childhood.  Most of the letters are short and sweet, some are silly, and some are serious.  But I am glad I have done this.  I forgot to blog about Micah's first "baring his testimony" experience but I knew I wrote him a letter about it.  Here is the letter.  I want it in our family blog book and that is why I am sharing.

He ripped his church clothes off before I could take his pic.  But this is the day he bore his testimony!  

Micah,

I'm a proud mom today! While sitting in sacrament today you came and sat close to me leaned over and said... I think I want to bare my testimony! You said you were a little nervous and didn't know what to say but you wanted to get up and say something ... We talked about it and you wanted me to bare my testimony too. We both walked up and you got up first. Your testimony was short and sweet... 

I'd like to bare my testimony , I know this church is true, I'm grateful for my teacher, in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

I can't tell you how proud it made me as a mom. You are getting so brave and growing leaps and bounds!! You know the church is true and are going to be the best missionary one day!

Thankyou for being such a good boy. Halie and brock are so
Lucky to have you to look up to!!

Love mom

Jeff's Grandma

We were so happy to have Jeff's Grandma come visit us in St. George in November.  She has had a tough year after battling cancer and at the age of 91 was a walking miracle!  We didn't see her often.  But the kids would call and talk to her and we enjoyed hearing about her busy life.  She was always doing something wonderful with all of her many friends.  Sadly, on Christmas day we found out that she had passed away after being in a hospice center for just over a few weeks.  In the few weeks she was on hospice everytime we talked to her she was upbeat and so positive.  She told us how she watched the football games on the "BIG SCREEN" and how wonderful it was and how she loved the little Christmas tree we had sent her.  She was the life of the party at the hospice center!  What a great example of happiness and joy.  She truley looked for the best in life and we ail miss our visits with her and her positive attitude!

Zip Lining in St. George

Love Micah's art and that it says "True Story!"  He is a great writer.

One of our favorite things about our Hawaii trip was Ziplining.  We have shown the kids pictures of it and told them how fun it was.  Micah has been dying to go zip lining since then.  He has even started writing a book about zip lining.  So when we saw there was the opportunity right here in St. George we had to go!  And it was a blast.  If I hadnt been sick the night before I would have gone too!  

After their first ride!  Micah kept saying "THAT WAS AWEOME!!!"  Can we do it AGAIN!

There they are way at the top!

Micah was screaming the whole ride!  THIS IS AWESOME!

Halie's friend Brynlee tagged along on our adventure.  The girls both got American Girl dolls so they played in the car and had a blast!

Favorite Gifts of the Season

Halie was so excited to make presents for everyone this year!  She spent many nights writing and drawing pictures for each and every person in our family.  She even wrote a note to Micah that she would make his bed.  Here are a few pictures!  Love them!

 This is what Micah made for us at school ^

 Halie little handprint poem.  I may have teared up reading this.  So cute!

Simple and sweet.

Love my gifts!

CHRISTMAS 2012

Christmas was a little different this year.  We stayed home, by ourselves.  No family in town.  No one to gather with.  But we made the best of it!  I was worried I wouldn't be able to make it magical enough for my kids.  It's alot of work to be festive Im learning!  But we had a great day (minus Jeff being ill and the death of his grandma)  The kids loved having all the attention on them.  I had to rally and played games, baked, fed, put together toys, and didnt sit down till about 9 at night!  But in the end we had a fabulous day.

Love this picture.  Shows the big kids excitement and shows how unhappy Brock was.  He was not quite sure why on earth we would wake him up out of his peaceful nights sleep!  He perked up as soon as he walked out to the family room!

Micah is always BEYOND excited on Christmas Morning.  Halie takes her time... doesnt rush to anything.  We have to prompt her to be excited.  Brock was in shock untill he saw his hoop!

Brock rushed right over to the basket full of balls.  Grabbed one and started shooting.  Didn't care about anything else and to this day could care less about any other gift.  He loves his hoop!

Halie was shocked to get an American Girl Doll!  She loved that it looked just like her!  In this pic she was saying :  SEE WE LOOK LIKE THE SAME!

Micah wanted his own set of scriptures.  It was the first gift he asked for this year.  Jeff and I were happy to buy these for him.  No better gift could I give my children.

Jeff woke up throwing up at 6 am and didn't stop till 8pm.  He was a trooper.  He would leave the room, throw up then come back out and lay and watch the kids open.  His grandma also passed away on Christmas Day.  Not the best of Christmas' for Jeff.

Halie's Bike.

She was in doll Heaven!  Loving all the fun things to play with.

Brock loved searching through his stocking!

LOVE THIS AGE!

Micah HAS THE BEST REACTION TO EVERY GIFT!  "IT"S JUST WHAT I WANTED!!! The night before he asked for a fireman Lego Set, this is a police one, but IT WAS JUST WHAT HE WANTED.  He also wanted a black and GRAY bike and he got a Black and Blue one, but again..  IT WAS JUST WHAT HE PICTURED!!! SO CUTE!  HE IS THE BEST!

Brock checking out what Halie got!

What a wonderful Christmas!

Christmas Eve

I think Christmas Eve was the hardest part of staying home this year for Christmas.  Christmas Eve in my house growing up was even bigger than Christmas Day most times.  There are so many traditions that we did to get ready for Santa to come.  I missed the hustle and bustle of going to my Grandma Rosell's house, and all that fun things that come along with that.  I missed having family to gather with. We've enjoyed Christmas Eve's at Jeffs home as well with lots of yummy food and it's always nice to just be with family.  So I did miss that this year.  But it was nice to just be focused on my little family.  To spend time with just them.  We woke up that morning and started the day off right by opening some gifts they had gotten from their cousins!  The toys they got kept them pretty entertained while we finished the last minute things we needed to get done for Christmas Day.  We decided to go out to dinner, and Olive Garden was the place.  On our way home we picked up a darling sugar cookie kit  from "THE" Sugar Cookie to get ready for Santa.  We went home, decorated our cookies, wrote letters to Santa, re-inacted the Nativity and enjoyed some hot chocolate before going to bed.

Halie and Jeff working on a puzzle.

Dinner at Olive Garden

Brock enjoyed every bite!

We didn't realize that this might gynx Jeff on Christmas Day!

The kids opening gifts from Big Guy!

Opening Gifts from Gma and Gpa Hyde!  They loved what they got!

The Nativity!  Loved that Brock was the donkey.

Might need to frame this one!

Halie was in her element!

Jeff filled in as a substitute donkey considering the fact that Brock would not cooperate.

Seriously she was made for this role!

So excited for Christmas!

Decorating Sugar Cookies.  Pretty sure Santa was THRILLED with the yummy cookies this year!

We ALWAYS HATE SAYING GOODBYE TO ELFEE!

Halie's Letter:  I WANT A BIKE AND BABY STUFF AND A BABY CHAIR AND A BABY.

READING MICAH'S LETTER TO SANTA YOUD THINK HE WAS PRETTY DISSAPOINTED CHRISTMAS MORNING!  BUT "HE GOT EVERYTHING HE WANTED"  THANKS GOODNESS!

We tucked the kids into our bed.  Jeff layed with them for an hour they were too excited to sleep!  I finished putting our gifts under the tree... and sometime in the night Santa arrived and made magic happen!

Merry Christmas!