Christmas is put away, Nate is working an overtime shift tonight and the kids are watching a movie, eating popcorn so I thought I would write a few more things from this Christmas that I wanted to remember. My kids thought the the song, "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus" was the funniest song ever! Tucker would blush every time it came on. I asked him if he didn't think I would kiss Santa. He said no and that it didn't matter because we didn't have any mistletoe. I said it would be easy to get some. I was telling my Mom about this talk so she bought some mistletoe and hung it at their house on Christmas Eve. Tucker was embarrassed! He wouldn't even walk under it. So Nate and I showed them how it works. You stand under the mistletoe and you get kissed. Norma loved this! The only thing is she insisted on kissing on the lips. HARD! She would just stand there and wait for someone to walk by. Or if she saw them walk under it she would shout, "You're under the mistletoe, you need to be kissed!" It was the funniest thing ever. Everyone wanted a picture of her with her lips puckered.

One other thing that I wanted to remember was how much the dog has enjoyed Christmas too. He was as bad as the kids on Christmas morning. Wouldn't stop sniffing at his stocking til we got out his toys. Then he couldn't decide which one to play with. He was running around here just like the kids. I thought for sure he would tare apart his toys, like he does with any other toy we get him, but it has been 5 days and not one of them is missing its stuffing or any plastic! He loved them. It helps that we bought "big dog" dog toys, he can barely fit his mouth around.

I love this time of year and I am so excited for 2010. It will be a fun filled year. Tucker turning 8 and getting baptized, a new baby and my brother coming home from his mission in August are just a few of the things we get to do this year. Not to mention all the little things in between. I hope everyone can look forward to the new year with much love and health. Remember to not sweat the small stuff and always remember the love that the Savior has for all of us.

Christmas Day

We have had such a wonderful Christmas! I just had to share some of the highlights from yesterday since we were much to busy to stop and take pictures. Christmas Eve was great! We always go over to my parents for dinner with family and friends. This year we had quite the full house. Cindy, Angela and Larry came. Terry, Kelly, Kaleb and James were there along with Melissa and Rick. Add in all my crazy kids and it was a loud but loved house. I got to talk with my brother Jeremiah for a little bit and wish him a Merry Christmas. After a lovely dinner where everyone stuffed themselves, my brother Gerald called from New Jersey where he is serving on a mission. He sent the craziest things for Christmas. He told us that the neighbors had moved out and left this stuff in the basement. Cd's and some old decorative pillows and I'm not sure if he found or bought these but he sent the whole 12 month collection of Winnie the Pooh figurines for my sister Winni. The kids hoped that Santa had come while we had been at Nana's but were okay that he hadn't when they remembered they hadn't left out milk and cookies. We all got new jammies and went to bed really well. Norma was up at 3 with a nightmare and after an hour of kicking me out of bed I made Nate take her back to her own bed. Nate had to work on Christmas but they had worked it out so that he just needed to be in uniform for most of the day and only had to be out on the road from 10 to 2. But he had to be up and ready at 7. He was ready and the kids still were asleep. This is our 8th year with kids and we have woken them up every year. I could have totally sleep in this year too. The kids were so happy that Santa had come that they weren't to upset about getting woke up by Daddy.

Tucker has done nothing but play his DS and with it being Christmas, I'm trying to let him do what he wants. With a few breaks inbetween, he has almost defeated the new game he got. Thadd has just bounced from one thing to the next. He is loving everything he got. The same goes for Norma. She got a kitchen set from Nana and Papa and loves making everyone food. It came with a phone that she loves to call on. She will bring you the "invisible" phone and call you to see if you are ready for the food she has made you and then call you back to see if you have finished.

Even with Nate working, it was a wonderful day! I hope everyone else's Christmas was just as wonderful as ours and we wish you a Happy New Year!

Cabin 09'

Nate's grandparents own a cabin in Star Valley Idaho and every year we try to go up for Christmas. We usually go after Christmas but Nate had the time off before so...

Thank you to Heather for having everything planned out so well for all of us to be up there. All I had to do was bake and watch a sleeping baby(Jennifer). It is so nice to enjoy being with family so much!

The kids LOVE the cabin! Whether it is down stairs playing ping-pong and fuse-ball, upstairs playing games and coloring or outside sledding and building snowmen. No matter what they are doing, the cabin is the best Christmas tradition of the year!

Can't figure out what is going on with the pictures. I can't put them in any order but as long as you can see them that is all that matters, right?

Christmas Letter

(Because I didn't get a chance to make cards this year, this is what I'm sending family. Merry Christmas!)

Hello Family!

I hope this will find all of you happy and healthy. I feel terrible that I am sending this out later that I usually do. I didn’t get time to make cards this year but I still wanted to let you know how our 2009 year went.

Nathan has been with the Highway Patrol for a year now. It seems like this is what he has always done though. He has also been taking a math class at UVU and is signed up to take another one next semester. We only see him every other month with the way his schedule works but it has been worth it.

Bobby is enjoying being a stay-at-home mom. Right now she is PREGNANT! After a lot of praying and fasting, we decided to add another little one to our family. Kathryn Kristine (Kate) will be joining our family the first part of March. This also happens to be the same weekend that Tucker will be getting baptized.

Tucker is in second grade and is really enjoying math and of course reading. It is hard to find books that don’t take him a day to read. He played soccer this year and loved it! He was the best one on the team. (Which means he could kick the ball where he wanted it to go.) He has also been my human garbage disposal. I can’t keep this boy feed enough to have him not say to me, “What else can I eat?”

Thaddeus is in kindergarten and to say he loves it would be an understatement. Every day I get the same question, “Do I get to go to school tomorrow?” His teacher Mrs. Earl has been wonderful with him and it really helps that his best friend Ira is in his class. He has loved being able to read a few little books. Now he wants to read everything from the hymn book at church to the phone book at home.

Norma is the queen of the house. I can’t believe how much she has grown in the last year. Her hair is so long, she talks all the time and her favorite thing to do is color with Thadd. It has been such a pleasure to be just the two of us while the boys are at school. She was a little disappointed when she found out she was getting a sister. She didn’t want to share her shoes. But now she has warmed up to the idea and can’t wait for Kate to be here.

We want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May it bring you much love and joy and happier times.

Love Nathan, Bobby, Tucker, Thaddeus, Norma and soon-to-be Kate

Visit with Santa

We went to our ward Christmas Party yesterday. I just have to let you know, it has been really hard being a single mom for the last few weeks. Nate has had his bad switch over at work were he worked nights all week long and then had one day off,(which wasn't a real day off because he spent the day doing reports) and has worked long days because of the storm this weekend. I have to say I am so proud of myself for even going to the party on my own with 3 little kids and we even made it to church today.

Sorry, just had to be said. So they were having breakfast for the ward. French toast, omelets, bagels, hot chocolate and milk. Kathryn was so wonderful to come and be with us. When they came and told us that Santa was here and ready for the kids to come line up, Kathryn went with the kids so that I could sit and visit. Norma came back with her 3 times to tell me that she had seen Santa and that they were getting closer to him in line. The last time Norma came back to get me because they were next in line. She dragged me past everyone else in line saying, " Hurry up Mom!"

Thadd was so excited to sit on Santa's lap and got in there, wouldn't sit on his lap, wouldn't talk to him and just stood there with his hands in his pockets. When we left he said to me, "But I didn't tell Santa what I wanted." Silly boy. :)Norma was cute. She wouldn't talk to him either but she did sit on his lap and I love this picture I got of him helping her smile for the picture!Tucker of course talked to him. But told me he forgot to thank him for the treat bag. I told them they can put all of that in their letters that they still need to write. All in all it turned out pretty well. Norma was the only one to have a melt down and that was because, one- I didn't cut her french toast right and two- they didn't have spoons for her hot chocolate.
I love Christmas time and I am so happy to be busy this time of year. I'm baking up a storm to go to the cabin and really looking forward to the holidays! The only thing about the holidays being over will be the baby is that much closer to being here.

Santa's (aka: Build a Bear) Workshop

Because Grandpa and Diane are on their mission they had given us money for the kids for Christmas. We decided that taking the kids to Build a Bear was a perfect idea! They could pick out their own bears and enjoy making them knowing they were from Grandpa and Diane. They had so much fun! Norma has a few bears from here and every time we would go to the mall she would go crazy wanting to go in. The boys were so excited that this time they would get one! I love this picture of Thadd when he found the one he wanted!
They had so much fun getting to fill their animals and put the hearts in! Then finding the perfect clothes to go with them was a little bit of a challenge but we did it and made it home all in one piece. The boys really liked getting their animals dressed and once Thadd had his Camo Bear dressed he had to show him around the house. Norma had enjoyed her pony-unicorn and Tucker got the softest dog that he named Happy. They have loved playing with them and I hope they will think of Grandpa and Diane when they play with them! Thank you so much Glade and Diane! They love them!

O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree

Saturday was Tree hunting day! Nate had to work til 4 in the morning so we didn't get going til around 11. We got to my parents and were ready to go when I remembered I had left the tree tag at home! I felt so dumb. I had taken ours home and made a big deal about it with my dad saying I didn't want it lost or forgotten and then I forgot! Goodness. So... around 1 is when we got to the mouth of the canyon.The kids ready for some snow!

We have gone to the same place for the last few years. This year there was a lot less snow but there was still some so we weren't to disappointed. We did stop fairly soon and before we knew it we had found the trees. Mom and Dad's had a birds nest in it. I'm not sure how my dad knows which ones will have them, but he has cut down one with a nest in it almost every year. It is suppose to mean good luck in the coming year if you get a tree with a nest in it.

The kids had a blast finally being able to play in some snow. Norma has been talking about a snow fight for months. But she enjoyed eating it much more no matter how much her mother told her not too. Thadd forgot his gloves and hat but that didn't stop him for long. Tucker had a blast "trying" not to hit everyone with snow. His laugh is so wonderful! Wall-E had so much fun running around and you have to admit, he is darn cute in his coat!

I was so excited to cut down a big tree this year. With our vaulted ceiling I wanted to be able to put up a tall one. This one I was worried it was to small around, I like FULL trees. When we got it home we ended up cutting 3 more feet off it and with a little tender love and care it turned out great!We love decorating the tree every year. It is such a fun tradition for us as a family. We always put in the Silent Night DVD of the choir and as we hang all the ornaments we get to listen and look for Grandma Powell.They were coming back for more to hang on the tree so fast that most of the pictures turned out blurry.

I love this time of year. We have so much to be grateful for and so much love is shared and spread over all the earth. I love my family and I'm so glad we can be together and enjoy each other as much as we do.

The Elf on the Shelf

We started this tradition 2 years ago and it was the best thing ever! Around Thanksgiving I think all kids get the "naughties", but that is when Frisbee comes to our house. This little elf comes and goes every night. He goes back to Santa and tells them whether the kids have been good that day or not. They can't touch him but they can talk to him and tell him everything they want for Christmas.
My children love this elf! So much that on the first morning after he came to our house they were up before Eric even got here in the morning! (That is 6:30!) But he really helps with the good behavior in the house and they listen much better once this little guy has come. The dog even went crazy when we all found him the first day. Kept jumping up the wall to try to get to him and sat and whined under him forever! I was a little late getting a picture of it though.
I really recommend this tradition to everyone with little kids. I got mine at Hallmark when I was working there for the Christmas season. It comes with the cutest little book and of course, your very own elf!

Weekend

Now I have some time I can post about this weekend. I'm sure you have all seen Heather's blog and that she got to surprise Zac for his birthday with a weekend away. So her kids were here. First I'd just like to say what a wonderful baby Jennifer is!!!

I had gotten out these baby toys for Jennifer and all the kids had so much fun with them. It was fun because they all played together so well.
Eric had had a solider sign his hand at school on Friday when they came to talk to the kids. I told him he couldn't go all weekend without washing his hands and that I would take a picture of it for him.Then Jennifer saw I had the camera out and had to come over for me to take her picture too!
I am so not ready for a baby! These girls were wide awake at 6 a.m.!!! Not use to that! I'm use to Tucker getting breakfast for the kids on Saturday mornings so I can stay in bed til 9. But 6?
We put the girls that were up in our bed to watch cartoons so they wouldn't wake everyone else. (Norma's not the happiest when she gets woke up.) I wanted to take a picture of Nate curled up at the bottom of the bed with them but he wouldn't let me. :)We ended up having some of my friends over on Saturday too so there were a total of 9 kids in the house and only 2 adults for about 3 hours. It was crazy but all the kids played together so well! They even played quietly down stairs while Jennifer took her second nap! It was amazing! I also made chicken noodle soup that they all ate. It was a good weekend and I was so glad I could help out Heather so her and Zac could have this time!

Christmas Tree Permits

One of my favorite memories of the holidays from when I was a child was going to cut our own Christmas tree. We would try to go on Thanksgiving day. Bundling up, driving for who knows how long, un-bundling to find a bathroom and then walking up to the perfect tree. But to get to this point you have to go stand in the cold for hours, in a line over a hundred people long to get a little green tag that you put on that perfect tree once you find it.

My dad and I did just that this morning. I got to counting and it has been three years since we have gone to cut our own trees. I was pregnant with Norma. It must be my emotions that make me insist on cutting our own tree. But my reasoning this year is we have a vaulted ceiling and we really should make the most of it with a tree this year.

Now that I have this little green tag I want to break out the Christmas lights, the Christmas music and the egg nog in the holly shot glasses. Christmas is coming and I can't wait!!!

Trick or Treat!

I feel a little bad. My kids have never gone "real" trick or treating. Every year, we go to my parents ward. They do "Trunk or Treating" but they do it in the gym. So we don't have to be outside in the cold, we get to see all the candy they are getting and Winni takes them around! :)

I made Norma's Dorthy costume and I will say I will NEVER make a costume like this again! It was the most involved pattern I have ever made! Very cute, but I think the 30 bucks to buy one would have been worth it.
The boys wanted to be Bugs Bunny. Random, I know. They have a Wii game with the Acme charters and that's where they got it from. I tried for two weeks to talk them into being the Scarecrow and the Tinman. I thought it would be so cool! Not to a 7 and 6 year old though. So, Mario and Luigi they were again. I loved that they picked these costumes last year. It was so origanal! Not so much this year. Thadd was the only Luigi but there were at least 6 other Mario's when we went to the school parade. But it was good.
The kids had a great day! I got chili and they got to play with friends that they haven't seen since last year. They made some really good friends when we lived with my mom and dad, (so did I for that matter) and they had a blast. Norma got scared of someone right as we were getting ready to set up for trick or treating. She wouldn't let us put her down, she would scream when ever we tried and the death grip she had on our necks, you wouldn't think a 3 year old could hold on that tight! We never found out what she was scared of but once the candy came out she was better. :)

I asked Norma what her favorite costume that she saw was and she told us a Knight. Not until I was editting the pictures to put on here did I see him...

She is so cute! Well, I hope everyone had as much fun as we did! We love Halloween and we love that we are loaded down with candy and on our way home after only a half hour of trick or treating!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

It's a Girl!

I am so excited! We are getting a girl! I didn't think there was anyway we were going to get so lucky to get 2 of each but we did. Thadd and Norma came with us to the doctors for the ultrasound. It was fun to tell Thadd that when we saw him in my tummy, he was sucking his thumb! Nate said that baby looked bigger than the other kids when we had their ultrasounds and it's because I am 22 weeks along, where with the others we were not quite 20 weeks. Both Thadd and Norma were disappointed when she said it was a girl. They were both hoping for a brother.

I can not say how happy I am for another little girl. It works out so well for us. Now we can have 2 kids in each room. Plus, when we moved into the house, I gave all my baby boy clothes to a woman in the ward that had 2 little baby boys a year apart. I would have had to get all new boy clothes. Now I can just have all the ones from Norma. Having them born in the same month is going to be awesome too!
I love little baby pictures! This is her leg. This is what Nate saw and said she was bigger than the other kids were. Her legs are so long! And she was going crazy! She has been moving like crazy the last few days anyways. It made it hard for the ultrasound lady to get good pictures. Just when she would get a good picture of her, she would move.

A tiny little foot!

As you can see, she is already the drama queen. Arm on her forehead and arching her back. This picture is a little blurry because she just was moving so much! We are so excited for March to come. Then we will get to meet Kathryn Kristine!

Just for Tucker

Tucker is very proud of him self. He got this building set last year for Christmas and has been in a building mood for awhile now. He has made a lot with this set but this last one he is particularly proud of. Its a tow truck and he wanted to show it off!






(I know, he needs a hair cut REALLY bad. He wanted me to take these pictures this morning and I told him he had to comb his hair first. It's getting cut this week.)

Family Night

Nate decided that we needed a family night last night. He has worked 10 days in a row and it was so nice to go and be us! I had found a coupon for Hee Haws corn maze and we thought it would be perfect! We picked up some dinner, "and Finger Lights from Arctic Circle" and to the corn maze we went!They had so much for the kids to do! We wished we had come earlier. They loved this train ride! Norma was on the end, by herself, so she was whipped around a lot! She loved it. It wasn't as cold as I thought it would be. This poor pig. There was a pen they let the kids go in that had sheep, ducks, chickens, a goat and 5 or 6 baby pigs. Kids were just chasing these pigs. One got caught, Holy Cow Loud! Poor thing. Nearly kicked Norma as it was trying to get away from another little boy. The duck was the best at getting caught. It just quacked but let the kids hold it.

There was a blow up Haunted Forest that was enclosed. With the Finger Lights, the kids had a blast and went through it at least 3 times!

The corn maze was very nice. We let the kids take turns picking which way to go. Untill it got to late and then just Nate and I did so we could get out. :)We picked up some pumpkins that we are hoping to carve before Halloween. When we got home though, one of them had a rotten spot on the bottom. Guess I'll be picking up one more. It was a very much needed family night and I'm glad we got to go and be together for a night.

My cowboy!

Look how big we are this year!