New Years Eve

We are so lucky to have friends that are willing to drive all the way from Fairview to spend time with us and help us finish moving the big things over to the new house.  Jered and Stephanie came with all their kids and spent time with us. 

I love that we try and spend New Year's Eve together.  We have so much fun playing all night long and yelling at midnight.  Norma loves Madie to pieces and loves that she came to play with her.

Katy and James finally found something to do together on the ipad and spent most of their time here on the couch.

Thank you for making us feel special and for coming to help and just spend time with us. We miss having so many friends closer by to spend time with and do fun things with.  I really hope we can make it on a camping trip with the Taylors this year.  It's just not camping without the Taylors.

First Night

Tonight we are sleeping at the new place!  The girls bed has to wait for Nate to have a day off to move over but we got their mattresses here and they like jumping on them anyways. :0)

Tucker is so excited to have his own room!

So is Thad.  Draco is in here with him so he has to deal with the light from his cage but he thinks it is worth it.

The dogs even have to get use to sleeping by each other.  At the other place they had their beds on opposite sides of our room but here I am making them sleep by each other.

What a blessing this has been for us.  I could care less about the raise Nate is getting with the promotion, this house is a raise enough for me.  I feel so much more like this is a home and not just somewhere we are living.  I can finally breathe.

Nathan's Christmas Present

Nate got a remote control helicopter from his parents and it has been killing him that is was wrapped under the tree, unable for him to play and fly with.  He took a few minutes from moving things over to take it for a fly.

I love watching him fly.  We are going to be able to get all his stuff for his planes out of storage too now that we are going to the bigger house and this will be nice for his down time.  If he gets any down time.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!  Driving home late last night we didn't get any pictures of the kids in their new jammies and today we opened presents and started moving things over to the new place.

The boys both got bb guns for Christmas and walked around like soldiers with them. 

Katy got jewelry from Nana and Papa and wanted a picture of her beautiful side.

Norma got a karaoke machine that got taken over to the new house still in it's box.  I feel bad because Christmas was not a relaxing day for any of us.  Nate went to work right after opening presents and I started packing and walking things over to the other house.  This was the best present we could have gotten, moving to the bigger place, and we couldn't be happier.

Christmas Eve

Love Christmas Eve and the laziness we can all have.  Oh wait, the kids can have.  I loved that Gerald's dogs just loved up to the boys while they were playing.

This was also a huge day for our family as well.  We found out that Nate had gotten the Sergeant position that he tested for her in Wendover.  Huge for us because this means we get to move next door to the bigger house.  The boys will be able to have their own rooms, the girls will be in a room that is twice as big as the one they are in now and we will be able to have all our stuff back and not in a storage shed in Grantsville.

Way to go Nate!  We are so proud of you and all your hard work and know that you will be wonderful in this position and will be perfect for the job.

Draco

A bearded dragon.

And a HUGE home for him.  I looked at that thing and wondered how we were going to get it home and where were we going to put it when we did.

Welcome to the family Draco.  He will get to be about 2 to 3 feet long and the boys can't wait.

Us Girls Get Gwen All Day and the Boys Get...

This is my most favorite part of babies.  Holding them while they sleep.  Isn't she beautiful!

Norma got to hold her today too.  And was done just as soon as the picture was taken.  Which I was fine with.  I didn't really want to give Gwen up.

By this time, Katy was very done with me holding Gwen all the time. This picture was taken right before she very slowly tried to push Gwen off my lap but didn't do a very good job at it because she didn't want me to know that she was doing it.  She didn't like that I would hold them both either.  She just wanted someone else to take the baby so I could hold her.  Good thing there are no more babies coming to this family, Katy would not be able to handle it well.

Gerald and Deborah had taken the boys shopping with them to get them a Christmas present.  Gerald had talked to me about what they were doing.  Little did I know what they would come home with.

Late Night Games

The best part about us all being together is the late night games and the silly times we have together.  I had bought these mustaches for late night games and the kids couldn't wait to get them out.

As you can see, Nate didn't need a fake one and I ended up with a red one for 2 days because of the adhesive on it.  Adhesive doesn't like my skin.

Celest and I.  Love this lady!

Celest and John.  And a cookie.

The boys loved it and Tucker was so excited that they got to stay up and play cards with us.

Katy wasn't so sure about the whole thing.

I love this one of Miah and Kristy!  So perfect!

Papa and Nana.  Papa also didn't need a fake one.  He is the only one of us with a gray one though. HeHe. :0)

Winni, not me.  I know it's sometimes hard to tell.

Meeting Baby Gwen

We finally get to meet this new baby in the Montag family.  Nana had made sure that Katy knew that there would be a new baby at her house and that she wasn't going to be the baby there anymore.  I got to hold and love that girl right as soon as we came in the door that night.

I wanted to make sure that Katy knew her well because I didn't plan on putting her down at all!

Headin to Town for the Holidys

We are heading to town and because we are going for so long we get to take the dogs with us.  I did not want to let Eva be in the back, it's cold!  So I get to deal with her... between my legs... for a 3 hour drive.

Coloring Contest Winner

Norma came home with this picture.  She submitted this for a coloring contest and she was the winner.  What did she win?  10 dollars!

*Update*  Gerald took her shopping to spend this said 10 dollars and what did she come home with?  10 dollars worth of chocolate.  Yes, she is mine. ;0)

Hat?

A new hat?  Katy thinks so.

A few more from the play

Katy would ask, "Where is Tucker with his mustache and his hat?"

What happens

This is what happens when I let her dress herself.

Yes, Virgina There is a Santa Claus

Today was the ASE annual play of "Yes, Virgina there is a Santa Claus".  This was not something we were really looking forward to attending.  Last year it was so long!  And really, elementary school acting...?  But this year, we had reason to go.  To both times.  Tucker was Mr. Church.

He tried out a few months ago and was so excited to be chosen to play Mr. Church.  Thad had wanted to try out as well but when he was asked to sing something he decided that it wasn't worth trying out for.

All the students sing Christmas carols at the beginning of the play and Thad and Norma have been practicing their songs all week as well.

One of the best things; you could hear Norma over everyone else. :0)

Tucker needed a mustache and was asked if I would be willing to draw one on him for the play.  I just happen to have bought a whole bunch of fake ones when I was getting some other things off line for really cheap.  I think that was one of the best things. :0)

Katy would get so sad every time Tucker walked off stage.  "Where is Tucker with his mustache and hat?" She would ask with her finger under her nose and her hand on her head.

Because of the play, Nana, Papa and Winni came out to stay the night with us so they could see it.  The kids just love having people over and someone besides Mom and Dad to pay attention to them.  They decided to take all the kids out to lunch after the play before heading home.

The second play was later and the kids got to sing again.  This time, I got video of Tucker's two major parts.  He sings a song all by himself and then the letter back to Virgina.

Here is another one of Norma and Thad.  Because so few children showed up for the second play, they got to sing together and it lucked out that they stood by each other too.

"Take a Picture"

Katy asked me to take a picture of her and Thad all ready for church.  Thad looks so tall next to her!

We needed to put the dogs out for the day while we went to church and so Walle got his coat on. :0)

FHE

This is our favorite winter pass time here in Wendover, going to the dollar movie that they have every now and then.  Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 tonight and we were the only ones in the theater again.  Love when it is just us and it feels like we are super special having it all to ourselves. 

Banks are gone

Well the Banks have moved.  They were one of our only neighbors.  They were our only neighbors with kids by us and Katy has sure missed her Bella.

Bella and Katy have always been like fire and water.  They really had a love/hate relationship but having Katy having a friend was the best thing and we have really missed her.  I have missed her mom more and am so sad that they have moved.

Bella and Katy on their last day together.