Picture Post

I must have the camera out more since I've had Luke & Lexi.  I have several cute pictures!!

 

 Looks comfortable, right?

 One of the kids favorite things this winter has been making hot cocoa.  We have went through a TON!  Taylor & Rylee have started dipping toast in it & I think it's adorable.  Caleb wont' even try dipping.  We'll convert him eventually - maybe next year.

Luke & his father...oh wait.  Wrong picture.

Here we go - Luke & his father.

 Jordon FINALLY bonded with one of the girls.  I hate to say this, but I think it's Rylee.  I'm not positive.

 These girls are funny.  They make sure that EVERYTHING of Luke & Lexi's is buckled at all times.  The swing, the bouncers, the car seats....It's not totally convenient when I go to put the babies into one of these things, but the excitement that Taylor & Rylee get when the see any buckle undone is priceless.

 Sledding in the back yard.

Caleb loved that Eddie was eating M&M's one morning.  Shortly after this picture the unthinkable happened - the girls touched Eddie & he had to go stay at the Elf hospital at the North Pole for a couple of days.  Poor Eddie....and poor Caleb.  It was quite upsetting!

 Best helpers ever!

 Caleb playing with his remote control truck while Casey shoveled the driveway.

 Caleb & Lexi enjoying the baby mobile.

 

Beautiful Kelly

My friend was killed last night.  She was killed alongside her mother & her children in a horrific murder/suicide at the hand of her husband.  I know that her husband loved her deeply & I can only continue to wonder what went wrong.  I honestly cannot believe it.  The sobbing keeps coming in waves.  I cannot wrap my mind around this.  You always read about these horrible things and think, "Oh that's sad." and then move on.  My mind is completely blown that this actually happened to a friend of mine.  We worked together at Flying J for several years & sat right next to each other.  I hosted her bridal shower at my house 7 or so years ago.  She moved to Spanish Fork shortly after getting married & we still kept in touch.  She was a beautiful person inside & out.  Her children were some of the cutest I had ever seen.  Heaven just received so many angels all at one time.  I pray for peace for those closest to them. 

Picture Post

These pictures sure make me miss warmer weather!  Not summer warm...but fall warm.  If it is going to be cold I wish that we would get some more snow!  We haven't had much this winter season.

 

Caleb & Casey raking leaves.

 Casey ended up putting the leaves on the trampoline.  The kids LOVED it.

 Caleb helped me put this turkey together for the front porch at Thanksgiving time.  I asked him, "Do you like this turkey?  It's awesome, huh?"  Caleb said, "Not really.  I don't like stupid stuff."

 More leaves!!  This time Taylor & Rylee got to help.

Casey & I met Shelby & Malissa at the Cheesecake Factory in Salt Lake one night for dinner.  It was nice!  It was a little noisy, but everyone got delicious food & we had some fun conversation.  My Aunt Sandra babysat the 3 older kids - what a nice woman!

 Caleb & his brother.  CUTENESS!

 I don't know who these orphans are.  But they sure do enjoy dirt & sticks.

 This is what happens when I tell the kids to go play downstairs.  They ALMOST make it every time.

 Mona came & helped me out one day with the kids.  The girls LOVE when someone lets them bring out the hairbrushes & combs!

 Rylee - talking on her phone, playing some Candy Crush on the kindle.

 Caleb helping Casey one day with Alexa's bath.

Ick - Resolution Time!

I was looking at last years resolutions....I sucked big time.  It makes me not even want to make any resolutions this year! 

Here are last year's resolutions....
-Lose 30 MORE pounds.  -  Um....more like gained 40.  Thanks Luke & Alexa!!
-Give Caleb more one on one attention. -  I'm going to give myself a 6 out of 10 on this one.
-Plant Green beans & bottle them. - Fail.
-Go on a date (with Casey) once a month - We did this Jan, Feb, March & April....then stopped.
-Try one new recipe for dinner once a month - Fail.  There was no way I was standing on my feet long enough to master a new recipe.
-Save more $ - Fail
-Find joy in every day (yes...again) - I really tried on this one!
-Stop eating after the kids go to bed.  - Fail

Well - let's hope the 2014 goes much better.  No more babies for me - so I can do better at the YEARLY resolution repeat which is.....
-Lose 30 (or more) pounds.   Shocked?  I'm on day 3 of Weight Watchers...I know it works, but eating whatever you want whenever you want is fun.  To bad I can't be skinny & do that!
-Quit saying "In a minute"  Chores can wait....my kids are only kids once.  If what I am doing can be done later - I am going to try to take the 5 minutes that my kids need me to snuggle....fix a toy....dance....whatever!  I also want to have a movie night with the kids once a week.
-Budget monthly & stick to it!!
- Pay our tithing
-Stop eating after the kids go to bed. - Unless I saved the WW points for something.

Fingers crossed!

Christmas Afternoon

We headed to Colby & Tamara's house on Christmas afternoon for some fabulous food & to exchange presents.  Mona's funeral potatoes are the bomb.  You should see the MOUNTAIN of cheese she puts on top of these babies.  I need to take a picture some time.  I don't think she should EVER tell anyone how much cheese is really in those bad boys.

 

Logan got a Minecraft game card from Brad & Mona & I have never seen the boy so excited.  He was pretty much literally bouncing off of the walls.  That is one thing that is so fun about Christmas - when you see someone get a gift that they are so excited for!  Shelby's, Colby's & our families gave Brad & Mona  a gift card for family pictures to be taken this coming summer.  I am so excited for them!  Grandma Sorensen loved holding Alexa.

 I got the cutest yard gnome ever from Brad & Mona.  He is holding a sign that says Gnome Sweet Gnome & has 9 different seasonal hats!!  I love him.  Caleb ending up getting pretty sick throughout Christmas day & he was really feeling it at this point.  Poor kid.  Being sick on Christmas sucks.  Mona made the kids really cute slippers & all the boys got some sort of camouflage jacket.  I love giving my yearly calendars.  Everyone really enjoys looking at them....or they are all really good fakers :)

Christmas Morning

 As you can tell by this picture - Santa found our house & apparently the kids were good in 2013!  We ended up putting the girls new playhouse on top of their bed - they love it!

 

 

 

 Caleb asked Santa for a robot.  He got the coolest robot ever!  A zombie robot that you can shoot at!

 After presents we had a yummy breakfast of crepes & breakfast casserole.  Then we headed to my parents house to Skype with Dylan!!  It was so good to get to see him, but he seemed a little homesick.  Only 9 more months & he will be home!!

 The kids got to watch a show in Grammy & Papa Don's room while the adults chatted with Dylan.

I tried to get a picture of Grammy with the girls...this is the best one & I love it!

We then played battle of the sexes.  It was Jordon, Blake & my dad against me, Angela, Ashley & my mom.  Some of the questions were really hard and some were okay.  My favorite questions was one we asked the boys, "What is the average bra size?"

Don, "Hmmmm....34B"

Jordon, "No.  It's got to be bigger than a 34."

Done, "Ya think?"

Jordon, "Ya, think about it....36 or 38 maybe.  Maybe even a C?"

My dad was trying really hard to not peek at the 4 sets of ta ta's sitting around the table.  It was hilarious.

They decided it was 36C - and THEY WERE RIGHT!!