My Favorite Present

For Christmas I wanted to make Dean a quilt out of his old childhood T-shirts. I was relatively sure I could do it but I knew my odds would better if I had the help of a well seasoned quilter. I called her up... she told me that I didn't have enough time, that it wouldn't be as easy as I had planned and that the way I was planning to do it wouldn't work. Then just like I knew she would she told me she would help. I worked with her for two days, I learned a lot and I loved every minute. The quilt turned out fabulous just like I knew it would with my grandmas touch. Dean loved the quilt but when I gave it to him I realized that it will always be more special to me than him. I love my sweet grandma so so much and loved spending one on one time with her.

New Years Eve

Dean got a new snowmobile, so by defualt so did I (his old one). Dean took me snowmobiling on New Years Eve. It was so fun, he was really sweet and kept checking to make sure I was warm enough and having fun. We had a good time and I'll be honest by the end I was getting pretty good. Now we just need some more snow!

Christmas 2011

Josie may have got her bouncing horse on Christmas Eve. Dean and I have a real problem with waiting til the actual day. But she was really excited and loves her pony.

Here is a close up of that great hair do. She does about 58 different beautiful hairdos a day each time she comes and asks me, "tut mom?" they are all cute, well until we go out in public then she requires a little help.

On Christmas Josie got a easel. She loves it but honestly I was probably more excited about it. My dad gave me one when I was little and I loved it so I wanted Josie to have one too.

Our adorable little man was entirely happy just chewing on a necklace from the toy room. He is my favorite little man.

We had a great Christmas. We our annual Hall family party was fun as usual (this year the missionary letter writing table was a great addition - I think we have 5 out on missions). When we were leaving Dean said, "That party is getting way to big, I didn't even get a chance to talk to everybody". It's so true its so big and I'm so glad that we just wanted to chat with everyone, I love them all. Next we had Jerusalem dinner at my moms that really was wonderful, followed by a great after party. We all missed my mom and dad; they wrote a letter to us and there was definitely tears but it was fun to video chat with them after dinner.

We spent Christmas and Christmas Eve with the Fox family. We had good food, presents, and good company. What more could you ask for?

"play mine titchen mommyyyyyy"

Today when I put Josie down for a nap she was not having it. She tried yelling all sorts of things to me. She yelled that she needed to go potty so I took her and put her back and bed. Then that she needed a book, then to kiss boy, then she yelled "Pay" (pray) until I went in to pray with her, last she yelled that she wanted to play with her kitchen and so I went in to get her, caught this cute little face on camera and got her out to play kitchen. How could I resist!

Skiing

I got to take this cute little 11 year old skiing for her birthday! She learned quickly and was a really good sport. She had it down by lunch so after lunch we were able to make every run with no falling. She was really sore the next day and I got food poisoning so the after math was awful but well worth the fun day we had!

McDonalds

We took Papa to get a hamburger the other day. He and Josie took good care of each other.

Gingerbread Houses

Some of our neighbors came over to make make graham cracker houses. I was sure mine was going to be the coolest, so lets just say it was a humbling experience.

Making it worth it

2010 is on its way and I'm just waiting for 2011 to be over so I can print it!

Help Yourself Son

I ran downstairs to get something and Trig stole Josie's waffle. He was inhaling it when I caught him, he couldn't get enough.

Cameron would NOT be impressed

This morning on my way home from piano lessons I got a flat tire. I called Dean to come and rescue me and like a knight in shining armor he did. He came up to my car and told me to take his truck home. I was a little nervous because he had his big horse trailer hooked on and the roads were covered with snow. I was a lot more nervous when I opened the door and saw this.

-Dean was watching the kids while I was at piano so he threw them in the truck like this-

I knew he would have to bring Josie without a car seat because it was in my car but I thought she would at least be in a seat belt. But Trig's car seat was just unoccupied because and there he was laying on the passenger seat; at least he was happy.

So I buckled the kids in and Dean told me to hurry home because Trig had a really bad dirty diaper. I asked him why he didn't just change it (He does not change diapers). He replied, "A, because I would have thrown up". O right I should have known.

Sometimes Josie helps me out in the mornings by doing her own hair.

It is What it is

For the last five years we have had a family tradition to go to the mountains in the freezing cold snowy conditions and cut down a Christmas tree (it is a tradition the Dean is Hell-Bent on keeping though I may not be too fond of it... I'm learning. I don't really have a problem with going to cut down a tree; more of a problem with the way they look. I have so many cute Christmas decorations and could have a really pretty tree if it had enough limbs to hold lights or the limbs were strong enough to even hold an ornament.) This year because it was freezing, our babies are babies, and they were sick, the kids and I stayed home. I'm pretty sure Dean was just trying to teach me a lesson so I'll never let him go alone again by getting the worst tree in history. He brought back a tree; it had no shape to it at all; it did however have an elk rub which apparently is super rare. anyway I digress... I trimmed it as well as i could, put on some lights and well, it is what it is.

We got family pictures taken with the Fox family last week. They babies were sick and my husband was super ornery so consider the circumstances they turned out pretty good. Trevor wasn't able to make it but we were pretty lucky to get that many people at one place at one time. I'm so glad I have my very own picture with Jose in it (Jose is the Fox's foreign exchange student from Ecuador). I really really like Jose he is such a nice boy; well he makes fun of me sometimes but I think he is adorable!

Fail

Today I got to tend the White's. Rio woke up from her nap first; she asked to watch Ariel. When all the kids had woken up I told them it was time to turn off the TV and do something productive (a little because it was a good idea but honestly it was so Rio didn't tell her mom she just watched movies all day). In effort to get Rio to happily turn off the TV I went to the computer to print off some paper dolls for her to color. While I was printing them she took innovative and moved the table in front of the TV and informed me that now we didn't need to turn the TV off; she could still color paper dolls and watch Aerial!!! She is so smart and I'm a bad babysitter.

P.S. Krey is coloring big foot on a bike; and because Krey is going to catch Bigfoot when he gets big he was really excited when i showed him the coloring page. That has got to win me some good babysitter points back.

Around our house

We have been sick around our house. My kids had the flu and then got a bad cold. Dean and I both got it, and of course Dean got it worse (his story, whatever). Our babies are growing up so fast they have been a lot of fun lately. Trig has two teeth, he is pulling himself up to stuff and still babbles non stop. He is generally pretty happy to meander around the house exploring and still doesn't mind his sister beating him up.

He pulls this face all the time. I'm pretty sure he does it just to make me laugh and it works every time. I'm not lying I look at him he looks at me with this face and then we both laugh. He is so enjoyable!

My babies really are two years apart they just look the same size.

They weighed the same at our last Dr. appointment.

Joise is talking so much, if I ignore her she just repeats herself again and again louder and louder. She knows all of her colors and is getting very smart. She tells me that she is three every time I ask and when I say No your not she says she is five, which also is not true but she is stuck on it. Today during testimony meeting she thought the people at the pulpit were praying, she would close her eyes and fold her arms and when they closed with amen she clapped. Maybe she is starting to like church after all. She loves to color, sing, and do hair. Today she came out of the toy room like this and said, "I cute mom". She is doing pretty good on the potty, but time will only tell.