What We've Been Up To - Part 1

I'm being VERY quiet, trying not to wake up the baby sleeping in my living room. (I've been lucky enough to babysit a two month old the last few days!) I thought I'd blog, since some people claim to be interested in what our little family is up to. :)

Right now we're in full-on sports mode. The boys and I are at swimming, soccer or gymnastics every night M-F. I cook in the afternoon for people to eat whenever they roll in the door! Saturdays we spend at the soccer park, Sundays are church and then we start all over!

So. Christmas is a big event, let's start there.

For the first time since we bought this house we were actually here for Christmas morning. We missed the craziness of family but enjoyed waking up in our own beds!

We took the boys shopping individually to buy for each other. They ended up buying the EXACT same gift for each other. (There are Nerf darts in every corner of our house!)

Alex's loot.

And Jason's loot. It was a Lego Christmas at our house!

The day after Christmas the boys and I packed up and drove to Canada. Brian conveniently had to work, so my plan to get a bunch of reading done fell through! Luckily we stopped half way in Idaho and forced Jared to follow us. It was an easy trip, just long and COLD.

The boys were excited to get to Grandma & Grandpa's. More presents! (I think they opened presents at least three separate times this Christmas!)

We left my parent's house and moved to the big city of Lethbridge. Our hotel was awesome - the boys spent as much time as possible in the water park there!

Aw! Aren't they cute? Brett (my little brother) married AJ in the freezing cold Alberta winter.

The reception was at a carriage house in Cardston. The boys and I took the tour - it was interesting!

Can't leave your car over night or it will freeze and die, and you'll be stranded in a country with no road signs!

Proof that we had finally arrived back in the US of A. This sign is at a gas station in MT. I made Jared take his rifle back to the car.

There! That concludes 2009. I'll be back eventually with news from 2010!

The problem with my mother-in-law...

is that she can't remember my name. No, seriously, the problem with her is that she's so amazing there's no way to equal it! I saw this knitted advent calendar and joked about her making it for me... and then at Thanksgiving it was mine! Click on it to get the full view. It looks perfect under my snow village!

What do your boys do when they get bored? Our boys decided to climb Mike's house. (Notice that this is the one adventure Mike isn't participating in!)

The younger boys liked the snow so much they laid down to eat it...

... and sleep in it!

Careful with Izzy Kris!

Alex reads Daddy's birthday card to him. (Brian's birthday always falls right around Thanksgiving... so he always gets presents when we go home for Thanksgiving.)

Blackmail!

I've been told that the only way I'll get Thanksgiving dinner is to blog. So, here it is, my quarterly blog!

We are done with soccer! I miss it, but it's nice to be home more than one night a week. We're still doing some kind of sport three nights a week, but that's so much better than it was. Alex started gymnastics last week and Jason is swimming with the swim team for the winter. I'll try and get some pictures of that soon! All of our recent pictures can be found on my Facebook, at the end of the album.

2009 Pics

For the first time ever, the boys carved pumpkins. First they were to little, and then carving season always came during soccer season... but this year we made time! They had a blast, and the pumpkins turned out great. I can't wait until next year!

Our Halloween pictures leave a lot to be desired. Jason had his final soccer game, and then his soccer party. THEN we rushed home and got ready for Trunk or Treat. It wasn't until we got home from there that I managed to get pictures! (Candy haul this year - 13.4 pounds total!)

Sinda was not a fan of her costume.

Harry & Ron. Alex's sweater is brand new - Mom knit it in no time flat when we asked her!

Back to School!

Well, it's the day Moms around the world (or at least, my school district) have been waiting for. It's back to school time. It's not all it's cracked up to be for me this year. Brian is in New Mexico, and the house is just too quiet with Sinda and I all by ourselves. I had to turn on the TV just to have some noise.

I'm sure it will only take one fight tonight before I change my mind. Looking at them though, I can't believe they ever fight!

I will miss summer, and our ability to just do whatever. This was our "I know, let's paint pots and go get flowers to plant!" day.

And in a neighborhood of almost all boys... water fights were a must.

The best part about cruises...

I'm trying to get everything ready for our "Hurricane Special" cruise in September. I was looking at deck plans, and Alex came in. After trying one more time to get himself included in our cruise he said, "You know what the best part about cruises is? We don't even have to hang out with you guys!"

Children have a special way of making you feel loved, don't they?

Easter
(And they say I never blog!)

Once again, Easter was celebrated at our house. It was a really fun weekend, even if we did freeze half the time! That's Brian & Mom, taking a break from being the paparazzi for just a second.

Trisha didn't let Maggie hunt eggs last year. Something about six weeks old being too young for chocolate. She got her share this year though! It was so fun to watch!

80% of the grandchildren!

They're too cute together. The wedding is JUST around the corner!

Yeah, I don't know what to say about this either.

A Dinner Conversation

Alex: Mom, could they make you and Dad get divorced?
Me: No, I don't think so, could who make us get divorced?
Alex: Them! Like if Jason and I were really really bad and blew up the entire neighborhood, could they make you get divorced?
Me: No, we'd be in big trouble, but we could stay married.
Alex: Oh, OK.
Me: Why? Do you want us to get divorced? (Thinking maybe he'd found a new improved Mom somewhere.)
Alex: No, I think you & Dad are good together.

PS. I'm blogging about the books I've read this year on my long neglected personal blog.

http://jenthehousewife.blogspot.com/