LeT's bE fEsTiVe!

... So I don't know why I was having a hard time getting into the Christmas Spirit this year! It might be the fact that we got our tree a week late... and that our tree took 4 hours to find... and even longer to decorate and get to stand by itself. Who knows... maybe its because we missed the Jubilee of trees this year because I was in California... or maybe because when I go to the stores, look online or in catalogs there is nothing I really want to get my kids... I don't know but I just couldn't seem to get it together and get festive!

So anyways here was our attempt at becoming festive... and IT WORKED! Our neighbor Nancy got the kids a gingerbread house for Christmas.... so we decided to make a night of it! I cooked some yummy broccoli cheese soup.... we listened to Christmas Music and decorated our Ginger Bread house! It actually turned out better than I thought it would! Thanks to Ashley's work on the trees it made the whole house look better!

Micah did such a nice job at decorating one of the trees... don't you think?? (this project was way beyond my patience level... so I had to try to just have fun and let the kids do as they pleased!)

Notice in every picture Halie is undecorating the house... she didn't understand why we were putting candy on a house we couldn't eat ... She had enough candy that night to last her the whole season!Notice Ashley sneaking a lick of the frosting! We laughed all night at this picture! Great job capturing that moment Jeff!

Notice Halie sneaking more candy!

AND... FINALLY OUR GINGERBREAD HOUSE!!... Yeah... we are OFFICIALLY FESTIVE :)

Thanksgiving! (I know... I know it's almost Christmas!)

Halie... Helping Grandpa get the tarp ready to head up to the cabin!

Alot happened between this picture and making it to the cabin...

read about it on Megan and Mike's blog:

http://meganandmikejohnson.blogspot.com/
I didn't take pictures till' we made it there!

(LONG STORY!)

Yeah... the swings... and new ones too! Micah and Halie's favorite part of the cabin!

Our little Winter Wonderland ... (Let's not mention that my dad's truck wouldn't switch into 4 wheel drive... we had to turn around twice... we finally got to the cabin and left the keys in the Titan down the mountain... and then once we found hidden keys and got inside there was an electricity outage in the whole town for 3 hours)...

Who needs electricity to have fun though right?

Good thing my dad's video camera runs on batteries!...

Wouldn't want to miss a bit of the fun!

Here are my cute festive parents!... and finally... electricity and... on to our Thanksgiving Dinner... just in the nick of time!

Thanksgiving Dinner was delicious and right after we got ready for our early "Christmas Eve!"... and yes our Christmas Pajamas!

Oh... the stockings full of toys...

just what they needed... more toys...

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Micah loved every gift!

Halie mostly enjoyed ripping open the presents...

she has come a long way since her bday!

Oh her cute little feet!

The NEWEST MEMBER OF THE FAMILY! no it's not ours...

although this little dog makes me want to have a dog!

Lucee is Micah and Whitney's new dog!

Picture... Courtesy of Mike (missing in the photo)

Thanks Mike! :) (is Matt really in basketball shorts)

What a fun Thanksgiving/Christmas/Adventure!

I forget how nice it is to get a babysitter and go out with out the kids... but we made up for it last weekend! Jim and Rhea (Jeff's parents) came to town to celebrate Jim's birthday and it was alot of fun. We got a babysitter two nights and went to dinner and did a little shopping! It was so nice! The kids really like having a babysitter... so I need to get one more often. My girls in young womens are so cute and love my kids and are always so good with them! Jeff and I always have a good time when his parents are in town. It is so nice that they have a house here in St. George too... just a couple of miles away and come down to get away and visit us! Thanks for a great weekend Jim and Rhea... and Happy Birthday Jim!

Micah's First Primary Program!

Oh cute little Micah! What am I going to do with him?

All year he has been practicing, learning all the little primary songs, and for the past few weeks he has been memorizing his little part for the Primary Program!

Every night before he went to bed we would have Micah recite his two parts. And after a few nights he had it memorized:

"I will prepare to be a missionary by being faithful and obedient."
"Because, I know I am a Child of God, I will choose the right"

We were so excited for him to be on the stage... a peaceful sacrament meeting!... or so we thought!

Aunt Megan and Uncle Mike came, Uncle Micah and Aunt Whitney came for support. Apparently not a good idea.

He stayed on the stage for the first few songs... stood up for one and sang a few words... and then I could see him tell his teacher he was "bored" which in Micah language means "scared"... and then the tears... and him walking off the stage to come sit by us! Thank goodness we were sitting in the front!

Needless to say it wasn't as I pictured it... at all!

Micah sings all day... LITERALLY... and it is always a primary song.. or Colbie Colait (that's another story). So I was so sad that he would not stay on the stage and sing all the songs that he knows by heart!... We are hoping next year he just stays on the stage!! We love you Micah!

Fall... Fall... Falling Gas PRICES! CAN IT BE TRUE?

Even Halie can't believe it! I was so happy when I went to put $2o bucks of gas in my car ... and it wasn't still on empty! $20 bucks got me over a half a tank of gas! HOORAY!... So even thought I hear St. George is still the most expensive in the state... I am not complaining! I will take $2.25 over $4.25 any day!

tRiCk oR tReAt... aNd hApPy bIrThDaY!

Off to Dave and Nancy's... Trick or Treat!!

Our cute neighbor Nancy!




My cute friend Ashley


Pulling my kids!




My brothers all came down, Wayne, Danielle and Avery, My Cousin Cara and her fam! We had a blast outside visiting.


Ashley always finds the cutest purses for Halie!


Halie's cake/cupcakes!


Halie thought the highchair was for her... no it's for your dolls!!


Everytime we saw this bike at the store she would say "I love it...bike!"

It was like pulling teeth to get Halie to open her presents she was to busy having fun at her party! She has been enjoying her toys now though! She pushes her little shopping cart around all day and says "bye bye mom, I go shopping!."(definetly her favorite gift!) Micah on the other hand loves Halie's pink bike and has rode it around the house more than she has! She could care less about her new vacumm, (which when Micah turned two a vacumm was his favorite gift)... something is wrong! Anyways thanks to everyone! (Oh and Matt she loves her lil' muffin!)

Gma Rhea and Gpa Jim stocked her up on new clothes, Chris and Katey got her a darling outfit... and so did the Hyde Great Grandparents! Everyone is so nice about sending cards and thinking of our kids on their special days! Thanks for all the love and support! Halie loves all of you!

hApPy HaLlOwEeN!

So I have this thing about coordinating my kids costumes!... This year I knew Halie was going to be a butterfly but could not think of what Micah was going to be... and then it came to me... a caterpillar! The only problem was you cannot find caterpillars in Micah's size... probably because 4 year old's don't really want to be caterpillars! Anyways, I convinced him, and then had to make his costume! It turned out better than I thought it would... good thing it only had to hold together for one night!...

They were both so excited about their costumes. Micah told everyone what him and his sister were going to be! It was cute! I am sure in a few years he will look at these pictures and want to kill me but... I will take that chance!