Birthday Boy

So I lost my blogging mojo for a while. Now there is a ton to catch up on.

Since I have one dedicated follower..(love you Julie) I will do my best.

Here goes...

Thanksgiving we spent in St. George with Dave's family. Sadly Chris and Lauren's family didn't make it out, but we got Mikes family back on the main land!

I got some cute iron ons for the kids and they made reindeer and elf shirts. I think the biggest kids liked it the most. I think goofy is in.

Zachary earned his arrow of light in Cub Scouts.

I love scouts, and I am so grateful Dave's love of it is rubbing off of the kids.

We had some family pictures taken for Christmas cards.

I am always surprised that though the chaos there are a few of us smiling and looking normal.

Dave's cousin, Nate, got a mission call to Brazil. We headed up to Salt Lake for the farewell. It has been way too long since our last trip up North. I don't even think Oliver was even born our last trip.

We took the kids to see the sites, including Temple Square.

We stayed with Jenny & Arnold, and the kids thought that place was the best site to see. They have a whole bedroom set aside for their grandkids with bunk beds, toys and the works. The kids felt right at home. Ben was in love with their dog. So much so that it put a crack in my too sizes, too small heart and made me think that maybe, possibly, one day...we might be able to get an animal.

Oliver was in awe over the Mickey bathroom.

I am so proud of Nate for going on his mission. He is really the first person going on a mission in the family that my kids were old enough to realize. I love that they have a great example like him to look up to. (No pressure Nate!)

Also upon our trip to Salt Lake, Coleman (my little fashionista) realized that Skinny jeans can come in the form of church pants as well.

His life is now complete.

On a sadder note.

Coleman's best bud Davis moved to St. Goerge.

Coleman literally spent several nights crying over this. It broke my heart. Luckily St. George isn't that far and we have had Davis over a few weekends already. He is such a great kid. Good friends is always one of my deepest prayers for my kids.

Sadder? Kids growing. We had our good friend Esperanza over one night to watch the kids on a date night-and realized that at 10 years old, Zach was taller than her!

A few months ago Zach started stealing my socks. Overnight they went from being a perfect fit to me needing new socks because all mine were terribly stretched out.

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Christmas eve we had our friend Jim over to the house. Poor guy came over for a meal and got attacked by kids. Wearing a Minnie Mouse headband....that is true love.

The kids have always loved Jim, but Oliver especially has a bond with him. Although considering Oliver calls him cookie monster...I think that bond is formed over chocolate chips.

I am teaching senior primary in our ward. Oddly enough I am actually enjoying it. But as the Christmas season rolled around I wanted to do something to calm the sugar demons down and get them to focus on the Savior more.

I LOVE this picture.

Perhaps I love it because Jesus looks so real, a real vulnerable baby. A real human who feels love and pain....making the sacrifice more real. He wasn't a super hero fighting kryptonite. He felt every emotion we feel, even fear. I think that makes his sacrifice braver.

But this picture really made me think this year.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized why it appealed to me. It takes the traditions we all know, and ties them into the Savior and the meaning of Christmas. Usually people try to pick one side. In saying that we are going to remember the 'reason for the season' people often shy away from presents and Santa thinking that it would distract too much. Although we should defiantly focus on the Savior, I think we should hold on to traditions, and focus the traditions around the Savior. What says that more then Santa kneeling before the babe in a manger?

So on that thought I decided to share a tradition of mine with my primary class this year.

It is the White Stocking.

If you have not heard of the White Stocking...it is Jesus stocking. It comes out each Christmas with the rest of the stockings. And each year, it is filled with 'gifts'. Each family member writes down a goal, or promise to work on the following year to give to the Savior and places it in the stocking. These are things like, 'say daily prayer, read scriptures more, do a kind deed daily'...etc. As I explained to my class-

"What if on your birthday a party was thrown for you all your friends came but didn't acknowledge you. All the friends exchanged gifts, but gave none to you."

I gave each child a stocking and remind them to 'Remember the Birthday Boy."

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Deep thoughts aside...one of my favorite gifts that were given to others....

Oliver's red bow tie. Is anything cuter?

Oliver was digging through some old ties and found a little black bow tie Zach wore in a wedding. He insisted on wearing it every Sunday for months. As Christmas came around we were discussing getting him another one. Then Dave went into a store and saw this Red one. (which if you know Oliver is the only color in existence worth mentioning)

Of course second place would be the wood tools Dave got....

Or rather all the things Dave will need to make me now that he got said tools!

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New Years came, and with it new changes.

Like my all evil decision to stop eatting chocolate or drink soda for 6 months.

I am pretty sure I have never made a more insane decision. (and that is saying something from the girl who once got sent home from grade school for dressing like Cindy Lauper.)

My friend Brooke had been one to inspire me to do this.

She has gone over a year without either. (and no Brooke, six months is enough for me!)

Too make the transition more bearable she did make me cookie with Reeses Pieces

(no chocolate in them...who knew!?)

And for some reason...yes, it does make me feel better to drink water from this cup.

I did decide to quit these things on my own...but since Brooke was my inspiration...It is nice to blame her. It makes me feel better.

I was giving her a lot of grief over it, (can you blame me...I was caffeine deprived!?)

So I decided to give her a box of doughnuts with a Thank You note.

But I think my Hyde side saw one of Dave's soda sitting on the counter just then, cause the inside of my sweet thank you note ended up like this..

Oh well, close enough.