Christmas Quick Photo Shoot!!!

Christmas pictures...A busy time of year.. so a quick shoot with AUnt Nancy is all you get this year!!

Cambria or should we say "Rudoph's sister" It was a very COLD day!

Brett and his boys... looking good!

Kirstin and Brett... still working it after 11 years!!

the Family shot... it's what we got!

It's snowy & cold... beautiful & white.. but take the picture before we get FROSTBITE!

cute one.....

Mom & Cambria.... Nah... really, does she look like me??

Kids love to ParTy!!

We have really been trying show our kids how important reading is... so, for fun, Brett has been reading the Harry Potter books to the kids every night. They just finished Book Two: Chamber of Secrets! After they finish a book, they get a "party night" with fun, food, and of course the movie! This was their night of fun..... it was great!! and oh so yummy!!

Bet you wish you could have been here too!!

Our little musical diva and singer, Cambria! She loves to sing and now plays the guitar while she sings... (I'm trying to post a video..hopefully it works soon)

Our 2008 oh so tall... Christmas Tree!

Christmas, Christmas time is here! The kids are revved up and ready for a great delivery by Santa Claus.. I just hope he can pull through this year! The kids lists last year were 5-6 things, but this year's were very long - Colten's especially! Does he have it figured out?? We don't think so , but what 7 year old asks for an iPhone for Christmas, 5 Wii and PS3 games, ski stuff, Webkins,.. the list goes on and on?

It's Beginning to look a lot like CHriStmAs!

Again, we had our annual Christmas tree hunt & found the tallest one we could bring home on top of the car! I never knew our mini-van would come in ever so handy. I still have no clue why up to this day people make fun of mini-vans... they are just so cool!

Cambria always wanting to climb to the top of the tree.... she did this over and over! She has no fear! -  I get scared standing on the top of the ladder putting on my angel ornaments; maybe the fear just comes with age!

"Our stockings are hung by the chimney with care.." My mom made all these of course (after I picked them out). I grew up with these stockings and am absolutely happy to have them for our family! Thanks mom!! They look amazing!! (these took a few years to complete)

A home voted "the Griswalds' of our neighborhood. Brett & I were in charge of a movie for our ward party and I have to say that "we rocked"! It took a lot of time videoing, editing and producing, but it was absolutely hysterical!

Thanksgiving in Cali

It was finally time to go spend Thanksgiving with my family in California!  It seemed like forever since we had been there. We had a great time and saw lots of family! The cousins love playing together and it gets harder and harder to leave each time we go because they have such an amazing time! Here is my brother, Kasey & his family with our grandparents, G'pa Bill & Charlotte.

Girls taking it easy after the big Thanksgiving dinner! Aunt Sarah, Cambria, cousin Sierra and Aunt Teresa! Just so cozy!

Our family with my grandparents, G'pa Bill (my mom's dad) & Charlotte - And my Uncle Bryan!

Our family with my grandparents, G'pa Cal (my dad's dad) and Lorene!

Cousins.. growing up! Wish we lived closer! Can't wait to see you again soon!

Colten, Kaden, Sierra, Karsen, Cambria & Blake

The whole gang.... thanks for an awesome Thanksgiving!

Colten's final PG League Basketball game

Colten and basketball buddy, Conner enjoying their last game of Pleasant Grove Basketball. They are excited to play in the Cedar Hills Basketball league starting soon.... Good Luck boyz!

Sleepers vs. Readers!

Cambria came into my craft room the other day and said: "Mom, look! Two cute princesses!!" Of course I had to take a picture! She loves to dress up and play with "friends"and since she has no 'sisters' to play with (which she is still complaining about), she finds others to play with!  If you know Cambria, she is not a quiet little thing. She came to Brett and I in our room a few days ago and said that her 'brothers' need to play with 'their little sister MORE'!! We talked to the boys about it and as always, She got her way!, but this was a definitely good way!

Okay, so tonight Cambria told me that she was tired & ready for bed at 8:40. I was finishing the dishes & she said she'd wait in the TV room so I could carry her to bed. Not more than 2 minutes later, I found her! When she's tired, she's definitely tired!!

I then walked down to the basement to give the boys a kiss and found.. Karsen sleeping in a bean bag. "Why"? He fell asleep listening to dad read "Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets! When he's tired, he's tired too! Karsen always falls asleep the FASTEST!! 

One word to add to this picture:  LEGS!

This picture was taken first, all cuddled and cozy - but this kid has the longest legs. They seem to go on forever when he's in his undies!!.. We're not kidding! We had to buy him more pants today because he is outgrowing most of what he has. He's wearing 7 slims, but needs 8 skinnys (do they make those?).  He needs the length for his oh so long legs! 

Back to the sleep thing.. Cambria & Karsen are a piece of cake when it comes to enjoying sleep! Colten, on the other hand, doesn't want to miss a thing! He actually has sleeping issues because he is always so worried about everything! Like what mom & dad are watching on tv; if his alarm is going to go off in the morning; if mom & dad can remember to come check on Karsen for school (when Colten was sick this week), & he also stays awake for hours in the early AM hours just because he is watching the clock. So, this was normal to see at 9:15pm. Little brother & sister sleeping, while he is wide awake reading Harry Potter. He just wanted to see what happened next... something he figured out at a very young age! I can't recall how many nights Colten would say "Just one more book mom!" which would lead most likely to 3 or 4!

The only great pay-off for less sleep = He is an amazing reader!!

Concerts - Good for the Soul!

Little Big Town was not so little.. they can all sing.. We especially like the song "Northern Town" they usually duet with Sugarland.. It was a terrifically wonderful night!

If it wasn't for Celine Dion being cancelled, we would have been there tonight!! We just have to wait until February now! Music is definitely strong in my genes.. you should hear me 'rockin out' to some really cool Christmas music on my Baby Grand lately.. I just can't get enough of GOOD music!

It's Concert NIte!

Lucky for Brett.. I love concerts!! Wednesday night, we went to Little Big Town!

CARRIE UNDER WOOD was the main star of the night!! She is one of our absolute country favorites (along w/Taylor Swift and Sugarland) but she is way more amazing in concert! This video doesn't come close to the greatness of her voice, but we had to show off! We had a blast!! Brett even said: "He really, really enjoyed the night!"

Gas Prices - what a difference!!

I just filled our van up the other day and was not sure the meter was working right.

Here is the proof !! I just had to document this...

3 months ago 

August 1, 2008... 14.96 gallons  $4.12/gallon = $61.81 to fill up

2 days ago 

November 17,2008... 16.27 gallons  $1.63/gallon = $26.67 to fill up

If gasoline stays at this price, I can actually afford to drive my van wherever we need to go!

I like that feeling!! I can now fill up all month long for the price of just 1 fill up a few months ago.. What a relief!

Family Nite Surprise!!

Our little girl is growing up! Today, Cami just looked too cute for preschool, so we snapped a quick picture. It's amazing how fast she's grown up and maybe it's because she is our youngest and final. If we could just slow her growing up down a little, it wouldn't be so bad - but she stretches every morning in her bed just to make us more mad!! She thinks its just so so silly!

For Family Nite last Monday, we surprised the kids and took them to Color Me Mine and each decorated our very own HOT Chocolate Mugs.  Our family loves to drink hot chocolate & cider all winter long and maybe even a little longer!! Now, drinking hot chocolate & cider together is even more fun!! This was a great activity and it really means a lot to them now. They show everyone who comes over!! The boys of course had to had BYU blue colors and the girls wanted  pretty girly flower ones!

Our Mugs have  a home where everyone can all see them and our family's most favorite hot chocolate in the world is STEPHEN'S MINT TRUFFLE with added marshmallos! A tradition I guess in our home... it's a sad morning (or afternoon or evening) if the kids haven't had their hot chocolate for the day! Mmmm WARM!! It's even better after a long, cold, snowy ski day which we are dying for!!

Girls Just Wanna be Girls & Princesses!

What cuter little princesses... Snow White and Aurora

What is more fun than seeing 20 Blue Genies ice skate?? 

Watching our little girls wishes come true... We had 2nd row seats (VIP seating was in front of us) It couldn't have been any better for our girls!!!

Silly princesses ready for the show.. Samantha made silly faces all night long!

We are just happy they had a blast together!

Princess Snow White all ready for the big night to begin..

Hey girls, how was the show??

Disney on Ice 2008

Another year for the Disney On Ice show... We had a blast (even though we saw the show 2 years ago)... I didn't realize it was going to be the exact same! Cambria had fun dressing up as Snow White again & many people admired her costume!

G'ma Ann, Aunt Stephanie, Cousin Samantha, Cambria & mom had a terrificly fun time at the show! A de-ja-vu picture of our last years show with the girls!

G'ma Ann & Aunt Stephanie.. cute pic girls!

Me, Samantha & Cambria waiting for our delicious food at Crown Burger! They have really yummy french fries and shakes... Mmm!

Cambria all ready for her Girls Nite Out.. all the way in the car ride to SLC, Cambria kept saying "Girls Nite, Girls Nite.. Neener Neener the boys are at home.. It's a Girls Nite!" She was so very very excited!

Cambria's man!!

So, when I showed Cambria her mommy & daddy, she wanted to dance with Troy on High School Musical too!!

Here is her lucky debut with Troy himself!!

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We're famous!

I knew Brett should have always been a performer.. check him out! I don't know what he's going to do when he sees this! Help me! It's just way too funny! My friends Jenny & Chris gave me this hilarious idea.. thanks guys!!

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Brothers ride in Moab, Utah

Here's Brett with his brand-spanking new "dirty" mountain bike!  I thought having a new "clean & shiny" bike was cool - but he informed me quite frankly that "the dirtier it is, the better!"

Here is his brother, Chadro (as we call him), in Moab, Utah. They camped overnight and I guess it was "freezing cold!"

Chad & Brett conquered the day...(until the ride down).. it always happens the last ride of the day. Chad wasn't exactly being the big brother I needed him to be and let Brett take a huge fall.. he's still injured and trying to 'milk it' for all its worth. Next time, I'll have to send both big brothers to take care of Brett!

This was Brett before the "head over the bike" fall he took which completely tore up his right arm. He was riding down some steep rocky (2 ft) stairs as he explained to me. Anyway, he's a mess.. and to think he joined a very competitive basketball league which starts next week. Looks like we have some re-cooperating to do! He's just not as young and fit as he use to be, but we are both working on that!!