SNOW DAY!!!

Snow day!!!! The PERFECT kind of snow... Christmas snow! The big fluffy snowflakes came down that made perfect snoman making snow. And it finally warmed up to freezing which felt warm after being -27 for days and days! Nate loved the snow today and had a blast playing in it. Thayne and I were headed to town and told the kids that anyone that wanted to go to town and do some shopping should get ready and go. The only two that took us up on our offer was Willie and Kalli, and then Jace met us in later. The rest were too anxious to get outside and enjoy the snow. They made snowmen until they ran out of snow. They also started a snow fort. They were having a blast and it was a wondeful day for everyone! This is what they have been looking forward to. The girls went sledding last night in the dark and had a blast. They love it when there is snow enough to sled! Kami thought this was the greatest day... we all agree! The snow coming down, Christmas music playing, hot chocolate and snowmen and shopping and everyone happy... yep, this is a wonderful life!!!

Nate showing me their snowment.... Some of the snowmen... Kami is showing me Tiffany's snowman, she made her 'pregnant' so there is a 'Baby Gabe' bump on the snowman's belly!

Kami thought this was the GREATEST day and thinks they need to do it again soon!

Nate thought being outside was awesome!

They wanted to do the whole family but they were running out of snow!

Look at our snowmen...

Bummy and his snowmen!

Working on the snow fort!

Kailee making her snow fort with the boys!Kami told Kailee today while she was rolling snowmen that this was the best day just hanging out with her brothers and sister, that it was the greatest day and that they should do that more often!

So excited for snow they couldn't help themselves, the rolled around in it for hours!

Sweet Kami had a blast being outside all day! The snow was perfect, big, fluffy Christmas snow!

Hayden and Wyatt rolling around in the snow...after a week of sub-zero weather they were thrilled when it warmed up to 32 degrees and spent the entire day outside!

Kailee needs a nose job, and other ENT news...

We have been teasing Kailee since her appointment about getting a nose job... but it's not really that simple and I am sure it won't be fun! She will be getting a nose job, but it is to fix a septum that is so deviated it looks like a hook inside! For years we have been with constant sinus infections and headaches... she has now had 4 CAT scans for them... however while the doctor here wanted to jump into surgery telling us that she MUST have sinus surgery or never get better, we just didn't feel right about his diagnosis and felt even worse about him as a doctor after several people warned us to not let him touch her! We finally got into an ENT at Primary Children's. He wanted to do an aggressive treatment of antibiotics to make sure that her sinus infection was really cleared up so we could get an accurate view of her sinuses, and he also scoped her and found out she has severe reflux with years of damage... no other doctor even mentioned that was a possibility even when she was seen for symptoms that we now know were reflux. After her visit he took her down to get a CAT scan... the stars were lined just right that day, they fit her in within 5 minutes of being there and minutes later we were back at the doctor's office waiting to see the results. Her sinuses are perfect! The problem is that her septum is hooked so badly deep inside that her one side is completely blocked. Her options are... spend the rest of her life miserable, uncomfortable and dealing with chronic sinus issues because of the blockage, or get it fixed! He says that often it will reduce the number of migraines she has also, which would be a big plus!!! He referred her to his associate who does this type of surgery more often and is his specialty so we will see him on January 8th and get this going!

Nate was also seen and we got a lot of things rolling with him! On the 8th Nate will have an Upper GI & barium swallow study and see the speech pathologist. On the 18th of January he will also be seen by the dysphagia clinic and possibly another FEES test. We will figure out where he stands with his reflux/GERD and what meds he needs to be on now. They will find out if everything is as it should be structurally and if there are other sensory issues. He is maintainig his weight but he is barely on the chart. So, while we have to wait until January, we are one step closer to finding out answers that will improve the quality of life he has now and later.... He is such a character. He was showing off in the doctor's office and I thought the med student was going to fall off the chair when Nate winked at him. He was dancing and waving and just having a great time! The doctor came in with a santa hat on and he backed up towards his dad but waved and was so funny to watch him watch the doctor trying to figure out if he is friend or foe I am sure! :) We went to Applebees and he heard an 80's rock song he has been known to dance to at the house come on and he held out his hands to Kailee and me and we had to hold his hands so he could dance in his high chair. He just brightens up everyday and we have so much fun with this little man... and he is a little man... he's like this giant of a man inside a little body and he is constantly making us laugh!

He took a drink of rootbeer right before Kailee told him to wink so he was trying to wink with a mouth full of pop! And Kailee and Nate always have to cheese for the camera!

We finally snapped the picture in time to catch 'the wink'....

Checking things out...

Showing off while we were waiting to be seen by the doctor!

Thought he was so cool for stealing his dad's hat....

He's obsessed with his dad's blackberry and looks like he even knows what he is doing with it!

Messing with Kailee in the office...

He thought this was a seat made just for him!

The blackberry again...

Kicked back and waiting for his turn to be seen...

He found the play list...

Dancing...

Winter Wonderland... or something!

We finally got some snow... we weren't sure we would before Christmas but we woke up one morning, and the skies were gray and there was snow on the ground. It was very beautiful... and then the cold, cold, cold weather hit. The girls left for seminary a couple mornings in a row this week and the Excursion said it was -30 degrees... yes, that's NEGATIVE 30. We shouldn't be so cold here! Sheesh... that's just wrong! But the snow is awesome and the kids are just waiting to get out and sled. In this bitter cold, they won't last long outside, but still, there is snow on the ground and that means the sleds come out!!! There can just be a skiff of snow and they are trying to sled down the hill... these kids are crazy!!! The bad thing is that we live at the bottom of a hill. It's a pain most years. It's not bad when you have 4 wheel drive, but darn it all... the newspaper man should know that he can't be messing around when it comes time to deliver our paper. Or at least we assume it was the newspaper man... the clues led us to believe that it was him. Thayne picked the girls up from the video store the night before, and he left for work at 4am and in between the time he came in the night before and before he left at 4am somebody had come close to hitting the Excursion, tried to make the turn as if possibly delivering the newspaper... but instead shot the gap and completely wiped out the garbage bin Thayne had built. Destroyed the entire wood and fencing and broke at least one garbage can... and continued going and flew off the hill. You can see the tracks, where they almost hit another vehicle, where they backed up and turned around... I can only imagine the fear that he must have felt the moment he knew he was going over! :) But then, I guess I don't have too much sympathy since they didn't bother to even leave a note... and no newspaper showed up that morning either.... the least he could have done was covered his tracks and left the newspaper!!!

Beautiful view across the road from our house....
There are lots of deer out there, you just can't see them in the bad cell phone picture!

There was a small buck standing by the trees watching to see if I was going to come any closer...

The smashed garbage bin and smashed garbage cans... what a ride this must have been!

Tracks going right off the road and down the hill... I am sure it was a bumpy ride!

Down the hill, almost hit the car at the bottom... then up the drive way the normal way!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Well... it is starting to feel like Christmas, especially the sub-zero temperatures. But some fun things have started happening. Like Kailee taking Kalli, Kami, Hyrum and Nathaniel to the Breakfast with Santa at the day care where she and Kimi work. Nate did NOT want his picture taken with Santa but he did wave at him. And when we were in JC Penneys that afternoon he saw Santa walking through the store and went running towards him waving... but the second Santa saw him and started walking towards him he started backing slowly away, all while waving at him! Kailee and the kids always have to get funny pictures whenever the get ready to go somewhere... hence the funny faced picture! They had fun at the party....

Kalli and Kami aren't afraid of Santa...

And Hyrum was excited to tell Santa what he wants for Christmas!

Nate taking a little nap... he had a rough night so he thought a nap would be good before we got going for the day!

Got the tree up and decorations around and the boxes put back out in the garage... I have been working so hard to get things done, shopping, wrapping, all of that ahead of time so that I can concentrate on the meaning of the season and not be so stressed out. So far it is working... I have been frustrated year after year stressing about making sure everyone had everything and haven't taken the time to feel joy in the real meaning of Christmas... rejoicing in the birth of our Savior and enjoying the joy my children feel in the season! I realize that it just doesn't matter what the kids get for Christmas... I have gleaned from conversations that the kids likely didn't think all that much of the excessive Christmases of the past not really remembering the numbers of gifts or even necessarily the gifts themselves and so I figure that since I spent small fortunes in the past and have this kind of response, it won't matter if I spend less... they won't remember that anyway! But we are having families over for dinner and games and visiting, and we are going to make cookies and do neighbor gifts and I am almost willing to bet that those will be better memories than unwrapping obscene amounts of packages that they won't remember or won't care about anyway!

Nate needing a love from his big sister... he was embarrassed that we had been teasing him about giving the big snowman kisses and talking to it like it was a person!

We shouldn't have laughed, but it was really, really, really cute. He woke up and saw the snowman standing by the tree and he ran over and hugged it, kissed it and acted like it was his newest friend... so when the kids took the snowman to him he hugged it again but then got mad that I was taking pictures!

Nate's friend... meet Mr Snowman! He is at the fun age right now, so excited about the tree and the presents and in awe of the lights...but he is such a good little man. We put the decorations and nativities out and told him not to touch, and he doesn't. He truly is an obedient little man and we are, yet again, grateful for his life and that he is healthy and growing and strong! He is going to be so much fun. We bought him a couple of birthday gifts and had them in our closet. Thayne, without thinking went into the closet to get a shirt and Nate followed him in and saw the gifts and was so excited.... his eyes lit up and he clapped and brought them out to show me!!! Way to go dad!!! Of course Thayne is a softie and ended up giving the gifts to him and saying we will get him more! So it's really exciting to look forward to Christmas this year!

Willie's Band Concert...

Willie started playing the trumpet last year for band and I have to say that I am SO impressed. He is REALLY good!!! I hear him practicing downstairs and think, "Wow, that's impressive!" But his band teacher said at their concert that he is really impressed with that group of kids and that they are probably the best band he has had and would love to just move them all up to high school band already! They played several Christmas songs and it was really awesome! What a wonderful talent to develop and I hope that he stays with it and continues to improve! He's amazing!

I love seeing the love of my children...

There is nothing greater than watching your kids interact with each other. They make me smile. It fills my heart with joy as I watch them helping each other and caring for one another so naturally. Yesterday Kailee took the little ones over to the day care that she and Kimi work at for Breakfast with Santa. The little ones love their big sisters and are always so happy to be with them. And their big sisters love them and care for them without thought... they just do it. This morning Kimi got a flat tire on her way to church. Kalli and Kami had spent the night with her. She called and had her roommate pick them up so they weren't cold. Garrett got there before us and he and Thayne got the tire changed into the little spare and then he offered to let her use their car and help her get some new tires for her car. As they pulled away together Thayne and I just looked at each other and smiled, I think with a tear in our eyes too... and he said, "I love to see them take care of each other like that!" Exactly what I had been thinking! They are amazing. They recognize what family is, what family means and they truly love each other. And I am grateful!

He asked, She said yes!!!

A few weeks ago Jace came into the living room while everyone was home and asked if we could keep a big secret.... and we all agreed... s0 he told us that he was buying a ring and was going to ask her to marry him... oh and by the way, remember it's a secret! Now, that is just a down right dirty trick to pull on this family because secrets are not our strong trait. Even Kami and Kalli knew and did not spill the beans when Cait took them all to the movie. At first it seemed the plan was to ask her at Christmas time... but once the ring was in hand, he was like a little kid on Christmas eve... he couldn't stand it. He held out for days before he finally just said he couldn't stand it any longer and was going. So off he took her to Salt Lake, and on Temple Square he asked her to be his wife! After almost passing out from excitement she told him YES! Caitlyn is such a gift to our family. She has stood beside Jace in some very trying times and her sweet spirit just shines through. Thayne and I couldn't be more pleased and excited for them. She loves Jace. It's apparent in everything she says and does. She loves him the way I hoped he would be loved and she will be a most amazing addition to our family. Thayne thought he wouldn't let himself get attached to her until he knew that she was going to really be part of our family... he gave up that act long ago as he feels like she is one of ours already! We are so blessed!!! No news on when the wedding will be as it truly was a surprise and they have been on the phone since he asked her telling everybody and anybody that will listen! After the new wears off there will be time to talk about all of that! She called me and when I answered she yelled, "HELLO MOTHER IN LAW!" and you could just hear the joy in her voice! She is such a special girl, truly there are not a lot of them out there like she is and I am overjoyed that we get to have her in our family! What a great way to start out this month.... what a great way to end another year of trials... we are truly blessed!!! Welcome to the family Cait, though it feelsl ike you have always been a part of it anyway!!! Love you!!!

1st Grade Program

Well... it was that time of year again... the annual first grade program. I say annual because it feels like every year we end up to the same first grade program... well, at least every year for the past how many years that we have had a 1st grader in our school... and for some reason it is always the same program!!! :) I shouldn't complain... really, it's sweet to watch your little first grader dressed up as either a penguin or a reindeer.... and because it is my first grader, I go every year and give up things like, oh, you know, a paid trip out of town for Thayne's work... because we absolutely could NOT miss this first grader doing his penguin act! But if truth be told, Thayne and I would sure appreciate a little shake up when it comes to programs, because you see, for many, many years we have had one kid after another move up a grade and do the very same program as the kid last year and, what horrible parents are we that we actually look at the program that was handed to us at the door and check off the songs, because we know how long we have till the program that we can say by heart because we have seen it 7 to oh, 12 times before, is over! See, we are bad parents. It's really bad! I mean... I appreciate the cuteness... and it's even cuter when they have a speaking part, but still, it's the same program we watched last year!!!

But tonight was the first grade program, and last minute we put the little white felt on the newly bought black sweats and the little red bow tie that Kassi drew and cut out from the red felt, and a rolled up penguin nose that my little Bummy dutifully left on throughout the entire program! And he looked so sweet! And he was so excited... or maybe he was excited about the promise of a treat at the store after he finished his program, I'm not sure... probably the treat. Because my little Bummy, though he sang his little heart out because you know, the teacher expected him to sing and he is nothing but an obedient child, did not really look like he was enjoying the program. In fact he looked a lot like his daddy who was sitting next to me... like it was torture to have to be there among so many people when he could be home hanging out with people he actually likes to be around! The apple didn't fall far from the tree here. There were some kids that really got into it, really enjoyed entertaining. Sweet Andrea loved it... it's totally her personality and she was moving and grooving with the music. Hyrum just sang, he sang his heart out, but still, you could see he did not actually enjoy being up on stage. But while some might say we are prejudice... we think he was the cutest little penguin on the whole stage! And we have one program down... in a month FULL of programs... we are one down! :)

Andrea saying her part.... She was one of Santa's reindeer and they were all so glad that Santa got his memory back!

The penguins were worried about Santa because he had fallen out of his sleigh and hit his head, forgetting who he was!

Ready to go... looking good Bummy!

When I say I am a Christian

WHEN I SAY I AM A CHRISTIAN

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I am saved"
I'm whispering "I was lost!"
That is why I chose this way."

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need someone to be my guide.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
my flaws are too visible
but God believes I'm worth it.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartaches
which is why I seek His name.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority.
I only know I'm loved.

November 30th.. Kailee Anne

Happy Birthday sweet Kailee Anne! I can't believe it has been 17 years since we welcomed you into our family. You are a gift to me... I can't imagine where I would be without you. You make everyday so much better simply because you are part of this family, you add so much. Your giving personality and your sweet spirit truly bring joy to all that come in contact with you... thank you for being such a wonderful young woman and for being so good to me! I am grateful everyday to have you be part of our family and such a good friend to me! I love you beautiful girl, you shine inside and out!!!