snow, snow, and more snow!

Steen loves his new show shovel that he got for Christmas...he takes it with him everywhere. In the video he is helping dad shovel the drive way.

With all the snow this week...we already have a good start on our annual snow tower to the snow gods. This is right in front of our house from all the snow we shovel off our driveway. The kids love to slide down it.

Christmas Morning 2008

The kids in their new pjs that they opened on Christmas Eve.

For breakfast, we have two traditions. I always make danish abelskievers and above you can see Steven making his yummy Christmas tree wreath from cinnamon rolls.

The girls asked for diamond castle barbies from Santa. Michaela even wrote two letters to Santa, one asking for her present and one just to make sure Andrea got a diamond castle barbie as well. What a thoughtful girl. (click play on video below to see them finding their presents from Santa)

Steen got some tools from mom and dad. After opening the tools, he didn't want to open anything else....until...

Dad showed him how to use his tools to open the other presents. He's probably using his screwdriver to open this one.

Michaela bought Andrea a tiara at the dollar store. This year the kids used their very own money to buy presents. They were sooo excited about that!

Michaela's new jewlery box to put all her earrings in.

Christmas Eve 2008

Grandma hosted us all for a yummy Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve.

Jared carving the ham.

Our Christmas tradition is to reinact the nativity on Christmas eve. This year we had dinner at my mom's house with 5 of the siblings and their family and then the children acted out the nativity. Michaela was the angel and Andrea was Mary.

Mary and Joseph were told their was no room in the inn. (Andrea and cousin Darien)

Steen played one of the wisemen, but wouldn't keep his costume on for long.

"For unto you is born this day...a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."


Caisa, Ruth and her baby Brynlee.


Grandma gave the kids all plates with their pictures on them. No more fighting over who gets what plate. The kids LOVE them!

My sister Tammy, neices Hannah and Alanna and nephew McKay.

happenings of late...

Steen just went poo poo in the potty! Yeah!

This weekend, the phone rang. We have talking caller ID and it said, "CHRCH JESUS CHR". Andrea loves to answer the phone, but since she is 4, I don't like her to answer for just anyone. She looked at the phone and said, "Is Jesus calling?" So cute!

Poor Michaela fell backwards at a friends house and had to get 5 staples in her head. I told her it wouldn't be that different from getting her ears pierced...just a few more holes. Anyway, she said it hurt a little more than getting her ears pierced, but otherwise she was really brave.

And my 4th child...that would be Steven (J/K) won a contest at work for eating the most pieces of pizza. He ate 14. I asked him if he could have kept going and he said yeah, but then he might have started to feel sick. Does he have a hollow leg or what?

Michaela got some new pets!

Today was Michaela's birthday! It was seven years ago today that she gave me the gift of motherhood...and what an adventure it has been. We are so glad to have Michaela as part of our family. She is thoughtful, caring, imaginative and creative and we love her.

For her birthday, we celebrated with a Littlest Pet Shop Party.

The kids decorated their goody bags as little animals.

They made little pet pals out of little beads that you melt together with an iron. They loved it, but they were quite time consuming.

They dropped milk bones into the bottle to see who could get the most in. It was a lot harder than it looks and the high scorer was Alanna with 4 out of 10.We played an animal match game.

The kids loved playing musical Lily pads and hopping as frogs. It was all animal fun.

One of Michaela's favorite gifts (she loved them all) was a new black cat named Midnight. Luckily, it's a webkinz so you care for it online...I can handle cleaning up online poop!

Michaela also got lots of littlest pet shop toys. Thank goodness no one brought any real pets! (Don't get any ideas Pops!)

It was a great birthday. This last picture was taken last night after Michaela got her present from mom and dad. Can you guess what it was? She was given the option of doing it at the same time to get it over quicker, but she said she'd just do it one at a time and that it was no big deal and didn't hurt. What a brave girl! (Yes...we let her get her ears pierced.)

Happy Birthday Michaela!

Thanksgiving 2008

For Thanksgiving, we were lucky enough to be invited to two turkey meals. Here is Uncle Sterling carving some turkey at meal #1. We had about 35 of Stevens aunts uncles and cousins there and had lots of fun visiting.

Steen folding his arms, patiently waiting to have prayer so we can eat!

Grandma Dixon...93 and still going!

Steven's cousin Kami...the girls ADORE her!





Melanie taught us a cool new game called Curses...it's hilarious if you're playing with the right people...we were!

Kami, Ellianna, and Andrea ...2nd cousins...

For meal #2 we got together with my mom and siblings that live here in Utah.

My brother carving the turkey!


Cute Andrea...she wasn't really hungry for meal #2.



Hanging with the family!

My beautiful mom!

Quiz...how many American eat turkey on Thanksgiving?90%

How many are lucky enough to eat it twice....not that many!