Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Christmas 2009 ... Small and Quiet ..... Just Right!

It has been a Year now that we've been here in PA! I can't believe how fast the time has gone since we left our little Oasis in the desert! This is our second Christmas in our "little white house in Pennsylvania" and it has been great. We had a crazy couple of weeks before Christmas with Wes finishing finals, and me trying to get some shopping done without the kids! Once things settled down a little we got to wrapping, singing and enjoying the Christmas Season.
The Kids got WAY to much stuff thanks to their Grandparents who mailed packages that filled up all our tree space! Santa was also good to them and they had a fun day playing with their new games and toys. It was a nice and quiet Christmas just with our little family. I am grateful for the long list of gifts and blessings we receive from the Lord everyday! Christmas is my favorite!
Hope you all had a very Happy Christmas.

Monday, December 21, 2009

What Shall We Give?

What a wonderful Message for us all this Christmas and all year through! We are wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas! We are so very blessed and Thankful for our Family and Friends!

Please click the link below to view this inspiring message of love and service this season!
What-Shall-We-Give?

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Snow, Snow, Snow ...... Ho, Ho, Ho !!


We got some good snow last weekend and we hit the hills! The first sled trip of the year was Fantastic! Everyone had a great time sledding down the hills. Last year the only child who really enjoyed it was Reagan, so this year it is really fun to see the boys loving the snow, sledding, rolling down the hills and getting back up from a face plant or two!


That night we had our Ward Christmas Party! The Primary kids sang a number so we got to see Reagan doing some sign language. (Dylan stayed "backstage") Santa came for a visit and the older 2 kids were able to sit on his lap, and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Reagan's list went from an ipod to a rubik's cube, and Dylan asked for a new Wii game. Jack wasn't at all interested in talking to Santa, maybe next year when he figures it out more. It was a great party, we have a fantastic Ward! This was a really, really good day!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Right NOW!

A couple of weeks ago Dylan was playing Wii bowling and caught Jack in the nose on his back swing .... ouch! This resulted in Jack getting a pretty fast running bloody nose. From there we have the following dialog in our home:
Dylan: "Mom, Mom oh no Mom my brother I'm sorry it was an accident my brother is bleeding I died my brother, oh no my brother is died!"
Me: "No Dylan he's ok Dad has tissues on his nose he is going to be ok, he will stop bleeding soon and he is NOT going to die." Dylan then runs into his room crying ....
Dylan: "oh no Mom oh no, Jack is bleeding and I hurt my elbow at school and it was bleeding ..... (more tears and panic) Mom we need Jesus RIGHT NOW Mom Right Now!" what can I say after this .......
Me: "Yes we do Dylan, yes we do"
Jack was fine shortly thereafter and Dylan was playing the Wii again within the hour.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Palmyra ..... 1 Flat Tire, 3 Tired Kids, and Lots of Grinding Gears


So we braved a trip to Palmyra on this past snowy Saturday. I was our Ward Temple trip and we decided we needed to make sure we got there this time! (the last couple of times we have had a sick kid or been out of town) After waking up early and loading up the car we thought we were set to go we were going to pick up a Sister in the Ward and hit the road. Wes walked in the house and announced that he'd discovered a flat tire on the van, and not a slow leak a nail in punctured flat tire. So we had to switch to Wes's car, much squishier and no room for the extra gal we were supposed to bring. After a few phone calls and rearranging all our "stuff" (kid paraphernalia) we were gassing up and on the road with our kids pack in the back seat like little sardines. 3 hours later we arrived at the Inn to help watch the kids of those doing the first session. Wes and I did a session later while other ward members watched our rambunctious kids. So very nice of them, we had some of the oldest and craziest kids there! We had a great time in the Temple, it was so nice to go together! I can't wait to go back in the Spring with the family and see more sites around town, when it's warm.

Me and the kids at the Sacred Grove & The kids in front of the Palmyra Temple
They had The Life of Christ bronze sculptures up in the visitors center. We were so glad we stopped by. We got see these these Kirtland this past spring and now again, they are so beautiful and worth the drive to see again! Dylan wanted his picture near the statue of Joseph Smith, he thought that was cool. He also loved all the buttons he could push and learn about the "warrior guys with painted faces" Helaman's army from the Book of Mormon. Reagan is between a sculpture depicting the Savior in his ministry, and another display of our living Prophet President Tomas S. Monson. She thought it was cool learning more about the translation of the Book of Mormon and seeing the first one ever printed on display.

On the way home we had some really snowy weather, and some 4wheel drive issues, hence the grinding gears title. We were on the shoulder with flashers going for almost an hour on the freeway going about 35mph. After some tears from the kids, and at least a dozen prayers we were blessed to find the car running perfectly just as we hit our exit. We didn't get home until midnight, who knows when the kids got to sleep, they were too excited for the snow! .... still a great day and very worth all the effort! I am grateful for the blessings of the Temple, and the opportunity we have to attend and feel The Spirit, while we are serving there!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Jack-in-the-Sink

Jack decided to color all over his toes and legs with Reagan's build a bear marker. I told him we needed to wash off his toes. Minutes later we walked into this scene in the bathroom. Sink full of Jack, soap and water. What a Dude!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Kindergarten Thanksgiving

At the kids school the 2 kindergarten classes did a Thanksgiving program this year, it was really cute. They made their own costumes and sang a few traditional Thanksgiving songs and a few fun creative compositions of the teachers. Dylan's class was dresses as the Pilgrims and the other class were dresses as the Indians. They got to sing for their parents and have a little Thanksgiving snack after the concert. It was a fun to watch and was so great to see Dylan participating in the program and having a good time.