MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I love Christmas! I love that Kenidee was excited bout it this year. We counted down days we made treats for the neighbors, saw Santa a few times. This is the only time of the year I love going and getting the mail to see all the Christmas cards from our friends and family.We hang them all on the pantry door so we can see them all season. Christmas day was so much fun. When we got home from Grandma Luanas we went out on the porch to give the reindeer some food and we found a box on our porch filled with gifts and some yummy jam and homemade rolls. It was a great surprise. I have no idea who it was, but they were so thoughtful of our family but I know they will be blessed for the kindness they showed my family. Thank you so much.

When we finally got the kids to bed, after 11:30, Santa came! Before I put Kenidee to bed I reminded her that when she wakes up she needs to come to our room. Well I guess Bennett didn't get that lecture because Christmas morning I woke up to him holding his remote control car that Santa brought saying "mom what this". so we went and woke up Kenidee so we could all enjoy Christmas morning together.

After we opened all of our gifts at home, we went to my mom and dad's for breakfast and gift opening there. It is kind of sad but Robin had to work on Christmas day, so that night he went to work and the kids and I went to Grandma Lu's for Christmas dinner and more gifts. I really didn't take any pictures that night. what was I thinking. Oh well. We got so spoiled from everyone this year. We are so blessed.

I Love my Christmas tree. It did get redecorated almost everyday. I had to let go of my OCD and just let it go.

SANTA CAME!

Dress up and a night gown for Kenidee and Remote control car and a Book of Mormon for Bennett.

It's so fluffy I could die!!!! A last min. request from a Little girl to Santa. That Santa always pulls through.

Learning how to use his remote control car.

So many fun things found her her dress up box I don't think she really got dressed for 3 days. she was always some sort of princess.

Sporting his new Sea Hawks hat from Aunt Kari and Uncle Nick and his cousins.
the toy he is playing with is from JuJu and Papa Skip. he loves that thing! more boy toys

Sometimes waiting for Everyone to come gets a little frustrating. LOL

Head lamp and night gown Kenidee got for Christmas. She loves them both. Santa should have gotten more than one nightgown. Who would have known that she would love nightgowns so much.

Christmas Eve

Before I start this post I want to say that I must be a blogger virgin again. Things have change and I am a bit confused. So this post you get to see pictures from the end of our night to the beginning. I hope by the next post I will have it figured out.

So Christmas Eve! I love every second of this night. I am so glad that my children are going to have some of the same memories of Christmas eve that I have.  This year things got done a little different. But I still loved it.

Christmas jammies are done every year but the rule is when you get married you are out of the loop. So many of us almost didn't get married because we wouldn't get Christmas pj's :)  My mother, being the most fantastic lady there is she gets us all matching pj's. I love it.  I also love that it was the year that we were all to be home for Christmas. We missed Liz this night but not to worry she got home with her family Christmas day.

Christmas pj's are opened at Grandma LU LU's for those of us that are not married yet. The numbers were small.But we still had so much fun. We always do pictures in front of lu lu's fire place.

Things are so out of order but Rod and Justen having a little Christmas cuddle.

Every Christmas eve Santa brings the kids their p.j's. We are running short of kids so Justen was brave enough to be Santa.  Bennett didn't really care but would much rather be off this strange mans lap.

Kenidee on the other hand even though she knew it was Uncle J, was so scared. She wanted nothing to do with him.

Something we have started doing because our number have become so small is wide elephant gifts. We all get such grand treasure. Some we want to keep such as an ab roller some we just want to save for next year so others can enjoy that same gift for the next year. such as the vote for Pedro hat.

Rebecca got Vintage glass grapes.

Robin got a little carved bear. SO cute.

Rod got a Hand mixer from the 60's  I think his quote was "no one touch this or I will punch your face in" I guess he really wanted it. :)

We started our night out at the barn. This was something new for our family. My dad has wanted to do it for years. So Papa Bear (Bruce) read us the Christmas story, we sang Christmas songs and Papa Glen bore his testimony of the birth of our savior, and Andria played a few songs on her Cello.  It was a special night. After that we had hot chocolate, yumm we all needed that, and headed back to Grandma Lu's for french dips and games.

Bennett all bundled up. He is such a cute boy! I need to work on his animal noises all night he kept pointing at the horses and saying"cow, MOOOOOO!"  I love him

Mitchell and Kenidee are such funny kids they really had a good time being with each other in the barn.

Aunt Becca and Bennett all snuggled up for a wonderful start to a fantastic night.



I love this time of year. I love that the kids get so excited. I love being with my family and continuing the traditions I love most with my own children. I love the Savior and all he did for us.

starting over

I have decided to do better at blogging and spend less time on other sites.(facebook) I was using blogging as a journal for my family and I have slack big time! So I am just going to do a little fill in and start all new.
From the last time I have blogged it was Kenidee's first day of school. Kenidee LOVES school! She loves learning and singing and all her friends. When we drop her off or pick her up at school she starts yelling her friends names and waving or running and hugging them. She got her class picture and she can name everyone in her class. Kenidee sings all the time she makes up songs, and then wants you to sing along. I get in so much trouble for not knowing the words. During the primary program this year you could hear her singing louder than all the other kids. She wouldn't say her part but she sang with all her heart.
Bennett is getting to be so funny. He loves to help me. If I am doing dishes or making dinner he starts pushing over a stool and saying "me help, me help" It takes me so much longer but he loves to be my little helper. He loves anything with wheels. This year for his birthday he got real boy toys. The boy couldn't have been happier. he often has a car, truck or train in his hand. Bennett wants so bad to be one of the big kids.Bennett keeps me busy. He is all over the place, climbing running jumping.Hethinks he is a big kid all the time. Next summer I am going to have to keep an eye on him. Bennett still has a grin that just makes you happy no matter what is going on.
Robin just got his CNA and working at a nursing home in Idaho falls. He is still going to go to school to get his RN. He is doing well in school and loves what he is doing. It is so nice to see him happy. He is a hard working husband that wants to do everything he can to help make our lives better.
I am staying at home and trying to teach these kiddos the best I can. I got a new camera for Christmas and am excited to start doing photography again. I have not done it in over 11 years. I just got a new calling in church as the Relief Society Secretary and I am overwhelmed learning all that I need to do well in my calling. I really miss "my kids" in primary. I loved hearing them sing and to get to hear their small but strong and testimonies of the gospel.
This summer we found out that we are going to have a new baby in our family in April. We found out a few weeks ago we are having a little boy. I am kind of scared to have two boys, oh the trouble I see them getting into, but I am happy that Bennett will have a brother and friend so close to his age.
This year all in all has been so hard, but I know we have been blessed everyday. I am so thankful for an amazing family,good friends, neighbors, and a fantastic ward. I am thankful for the knowledge I have of the gospel, to know that there is more to this life.

new hobbie I guess

I am starting to make custom cards for Christmas check out my card blog.
www.carddesignbystephenie.blogspot.com

Preschool

PRESCHOOL!!!! I can not believe my little baby girl is in preschool. She started on Tuesday. She LOVES it. The First day I took her in to her class and she didn't even look back. In fact the teacher asked her "whats your name?" She said KENIDEE! and walked right in. Her teacher looked at me and said.. ummm.. well I guess she is ready!

When I went to pick her up she kept saying " zip it lock it put it in your pocket" I asked her what that meant, and she told me that her teacher tells them that when it is her turn and only her turn to talk. I asked her WOW! can I use that at home and she told me " no mom it is ONLY a school thing.

Today when i went to pick her up her teacher reminded her that tomorrow is show and tell day. Kenidee told me that she needed to bring something to show and tell that starts with the letter A. so I asked her what do you want to bring? she says "ummmm... i think I will bring my cousin Andria!" To bad Andria starts school tomorrow. So we will have to do with an astronaut doll of aunt Rebecca's.

What a big boy

Bennett is getting so big. He is talking and thinks he one of the big kids. He gets so sad when he can't do what they are doing. He for the most part is so happy, and he knows how dang cute he is. He also is a big tease, his favorite person to tease is Kenidee. Bennett started nursery the first of this month and so far loves it. It really hit me that my baby is no longer a baby when he was coming down the hall at church holding the first picture he colored in nursery. He started this week running down the hall yelling "me potty! me potty!"

Spanish

Kenidee was getting ready to say prayers the other night and this is how it went.
Me: Kenidee can you do it alone or do you need help?
Kenidee: I am going to do it and if I need your help I will tell you
Me: okay
Kenidee put her face in her bed and was mumbling something.
Me: Kenidee are you praying?
Kenidee: yes mom I am praying in Spanish!
Me: oh sorry
Kenidee kept praying in "Spanish" then said amen then informed me that Heavenly Father is not Spanish but he knows Spanish.
Then she got in bed.