Christmas Catch Up #3 (Christmas Photo Shoot)

Christmas Catch up #2 (Disneyland)

A few weeks ago we went back to California so Craig could take his second set of the Board Exams for his schooling. A good friend of ours works at Disneyland, so we were able to go for free! Can't pass that up! I had a season pass last year and took the kids quite a bit, but this was the first time that we went as a family. It turned out to be a lot of fun!

While we were waiting in line for the carousel, ambree was watching and laughing. It was definitely her favorite ride!

Cade having fun on the carousel!

But his favorite ride was definitely the Buzz Light Year ride (are you surprised)?!

We got pictures with some of Cade's favorite characters . . .

Woody (definitely a highlight of the day)! Mickey

And of course we had to visit with Mrs. Clause . . . Santa Clause . . .
and of course the reindeer (but we couldn't find Rudolf)!

Christmas Catch Up #1(Tree Hunting)

Christmas tree hunting! Craig's family always get's a big fresh Christmas Tree, so we got to tag along and help search for just the right tree. Cade thought it was a lot of fun! We got to enjoy the beautiful tree without any of the pay or the work . . . what moochers we are! :)

Just Cade's size!

The Winner! It stood about 10 ft. tall!

To Grandmother's house we go!

Is it just me, or do things get extra busy this time of year! I tell myself every year that I'm going to get all the Christmas stuff done early so I can just enjoy the month of December without all the busy work, and every year, there is always still so much to do. . . maybe someday, I'll figure it out! A few weeks ago, while Craig was busy with work and studying for Board Exams for his school, the kids and I took a trip up to Burley, Idaho to visit my Grandma Williams. She has a lot of property right on the Snake River, and although it was too cold to go in the water, it was still a lot of fun for the kids to play and such a beautiful view! We had a lot of fun visiting with Grandma, and although she had a smile on her face the whole time we were there, I'm sure she was somewhat relieved when we left so she could have a little peace and quiet again!

Ambree and Grandma!

Cade and Grandma!

Grandma Williams didn't have any bath toys, but she had a bag of balls that Ambree and Cade loved to play with!

Gotta love the trampoline, even if it is FREEZING outside!
Ambree's first time petting a kitty! She was afraid of it at first, but warmed up to it pretty quickly.
Thanks for letting us visit you and play at your house Grandma Williams! We love you!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

We had our ward Christmas party the other day, and Santa was there! During the entertainment (ballroom dancing), Cade was coloring in the kid's room, so I went to check on him. While I was in there, Cade happened to look behind the big chalk board that was dividing the room in two. He then looked at me with big eyes and said, "Look mom, there's Santa!" Sure enough, Santa was sitting back there, just waiting for the entertainment to end before he made his big entrance, and Cade found him! Cade proceeded to go over to Santa and sat on his lap for 5-10 minutes before the entertainment ended and any other kids realized that he was there! Cade was in heaven!! Just look how excited he was! Unfortunately, Ambree was taken home early by Craig because she was VERY tired! Hopefully she'll have a chance to see Santa some other time this season.

I signed up to take an appetizer to the party and found this cute idea in a magazine! It is pita bread cut into triangles with guacamole and red pepper pieces. You then stick a pretzel in the bottom and you have cute little Christmas trees! They were fun to make, healthy, and a big hit at the party. If you have to make an appetizer for a party this season, you should give it a try!

Cute conversation with Cade:

While shopping with me at the store, Cade pulls a birthday card from the card isle and says, "We need to buy this and give it to someone." I respond by saying, "I don't know anyone who is having a birthday soon, do you?" Cade thinks for a minute and then says, "Yes, mommy, Jesus is going to have a birthday soon!"

Leave it to a child to remind me of that! Oh, and now that I think of it, Jennie Barney's birthday is this month too! I should have bought the card after all! Happy Birthday Jennie!

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow . . . NO!!

It's been snowing a lot here and I really am trying to be positive about it (hence my new blog layout), but my California blood is just not adapting too well! I keep telling myself that I will get used to it, but I did live in it for 5 seasons while I went to BYU-Idaho, and I still don't like it! I think it is pretty, and fun to play in for a little while, but it's just inconvenient, especially when it comes to driving! Wish me luck! Here are some pics of the kids and I a couple weeks ago, when it snowed for the first time.

Cade loves the snow! He said he likes it better than summer time . . . I am beginning to wonder if he really is my child. . . he must get that from Craig!

This was Ambree's first time ever playing in the snow. She seemed kind of concerned at first, but then seemed to enjoy it until she realized it was very cold. . . we still need to get her some snow clothes!

Go BYU!!!

When Craig and I were first dating and going to school at BYU-Idaho, we would frequently make the 3 1/2 hour trip to Utah to visit his family on the weekends. There was usually some reason, weather it be a farewell, a baptism, a baby blessing, General Conference, etc. It didn't really matter the reason, we were just excited to get away from Rexburg for a while and spend some more time together away from school. I remember one particular time we went to Utah and went to the BYU vs. University of Utah football game. I went willingly, not thinking a whole lot about it. I do remember, however, that I was wearing a red shirt and Craig very kindly told me that I couldn't wear that shirt. Apparently it was the OTHER teams colors and it would have been very bad if I wore it while sitting in the BYU stands! Oh, silly me, I should have thought about something like that! I graciously changed into a blue shirt, and off we went. BYU lost that game and I remember the other team going crazy after the game. They were running around, yelling, dumping ice on the coaches, and they even broke down BYU's goal posts and were carrying them around chanting something! Wow! I knew there were big fans out there, but this was a little too much. I just didn't understand what the big deal was! I mean, it is only a game . . . right!

Now, 5 years later, I am beginning to understand! BYU has a huge rival! Yes, that rival is The University of Utah! I just assumed all my life that if you were Mormon, you were a BYU fan. Well, apparently I was very wrong! Here in Salt Lake City (which is where the U of U is located), you are either a BYU fan or a U fan . . . you can't be both! According to stories I've heard from Craig and others around these parts, if your team loses the BIG game, you don't hear the end of it for weeks from people at church, school, work, neighbors, etc. So, yes it is a BIG game and a BIG deal! I am starting to get it! As much as I can really get that kind of thing, but you know what I mean. :)

So, the BIG game was on Saturday, and BYU won! They were losing, with like a minute and a half left, and then they got a touch down and won by like 5 points! I am not a huge sports fan, but I did watch most of this game and it was very exciting and a very good game! I hear they won last year in the last couple minutes of the game too (I missed that game some how)! Hopefully they will keep it up!

Of course our kids couldn't get left out of the BYU spirit . . . here they are, sporting the BYU shirts that Craig had his brother get for them from the BYU Book store!

Here is Cade in his shirt, having a Toy Story Party with all the guys from Toy Story. Between the toys my mother in law has, and our toys, there are probably around 12 buzz characters, and can you guess what Cade wants for Christmas? A big Buzz toy!! I keep telling him that he already has enough, but he seems to feel differently. . . silly kid!!

Gingerbread Houses!!

My in laws have a tradition of making Christmas gingerbread houses the day after Thanksgiving, so Cade and I (and Craig for a little while) decided to join in on the fun! Here are all the people that participated and the houses that were created. . . they all turned out very cute and creative! We had a lot of fun!

Cade and I posing in front of our houses!

Front view of my house

Back view of my house

Side view of my house

We decided to do Cade's house with gram crackers instead of the real gingerbread. He thought it was so fun to have his very own. Craig helped him for a little while and then I took over. I would put the frosting on and tell him to stick what ever kind of candy he wanted. He kept requesting all sorts of things, and I tried my best with what I had. He seemed pleased with whatever I came up with!

Front view of Cad's house

Back view of Cade's house

He just had to have a Christmas tree (Craig helped with this).

Oh, and a snowman (this was Craig's creation as well . . . isn't it cute)!

Then of course there's the sleigh with Santa and the reindeer!

And last but not least the pond with Buzz and Woodie from the "Toy Story" movie ice skating. Can you see the resemblance? Cade could and I guess that's all that really matters right?!

I think we'll definitely have to keep this tradition alive even when we aren't with my in laws. It really was a lot of fun! Hey, maybe a healthier option would be to use veggies and other healthy snacks instead of candy! What do you think? It might get rotten too quickly, but at least my kids would be snacking on healthy stuff all day instead of candy. Oh well, I guess every once in a while is OK! :) It's the holidays right!

A few things I've learned in the past two weeks . . .

• I have to use a lot more lotion in Utah than in California.
• So do my kids . . . we very rarely used it before.
• My husband and I are very different when it comes to what kind of weather and climate we prefer.
• My joints in my knees don't like cold weather! We have something in common!
• It's a lot more difficult and time consuming making dinner for 10 people than it is for two.
• It's very nice makin dinner only two nights a week, rather than every night of the week.
• It's a lot noisier with 10 people around the house than it is with 4 people.
• Especially when most of those people practice the piano and another musical instrument regularly.
• When my kids throw up, they will throw up again right after the first mess is cleaned up.
• They prefer to do this throwing up thing all night long, rather than during the day when I am not trying to sleep.
• At least they decided to do this on different nights, two days apart.
• When one person gets sick, everyone else will too. Luckily it hasn't hit me very hard (knock on wood).
• My kids are very entertained with all the people around, which is nice in a lot of ways, but not when I am trying to get them to wind down before bed time.
• My mother in law has more energy than I do! She never sits down! I wish I could be more like that!
• I really need boots, warm nylons, a new ski jacket, thick socks, black winter dress shoes, and more warm sweaters!
• Cade is obsessed with creative play and ALWAYS wants me to be some character!
• Ambree's favorite word to say is, "No." Probably because that's the word she hears me say to her the most!
• I love having a yard for my kids to play in!
• It's very nice being able to go out after the kids are asleep and having people there just in case they wake up.
• I am considered a "Licenced Teacher" when I sub here and get paid more than I expected!
• When you put your bed over the heater vent, the room doesn't get that warm!
• When you get an old car that only costs $2,500 it will probably start smoking after a long drive from Calif. to Utah, and will cost over $600 to repair.
• Of course the car will still smoke on the way home from the mechanic after they "fixed it".
  So, you take it back a few days later, and of course it doesn't smoke at all the whole way there, or when they test drive it, but it does when you are almost home!
• It cost's a lot of money to rent a U-haul!
• It cost's a lot of money for gas to get a U-haul to Utah from California!
• It cost's a lot of money to get a crown on your tooth when your insurance doesn't cover it
• It cost's a lot of money to pay for repairs, a paint job, carpet cleaning, etc. when you move out of Las Palmas Apartments.
• Although, it would be nice to have our own place, it is really a blessing to live here while Craig is finishing up school, so we can save money.
• We were hoping to save money while we lived here and use it for a down payment on a house, but it looks like we will be using it for all the expences above instead!
• I guess I gotta have faith that it will happen someday . . . huh!
• Oh, and last but not least, I think this is proof that Ambree and Cade might actually love eachother, even thought they do fight quite often!

Ambree and her TOYS!!

So, do you think maybe I should buy Ambree a doll for Christmas?

What do you think of Ambree with glasses?

Do you think they make her look smarter?

Oh, and you gotta love the hair!
I don't think she likes them much!
But I think she could definitely pull them off! Literally! LOL!

The Many Faces of Cade!

It seems like I usually just keep pictures of my kids where they are doing their nice smiles that take a while sometimes to get. Thank goodness for digital cameras! You can take tons of pictures of the same pose and hopefully one turns out! My sister, Jenny, was babysitting Cade the other day and got a bunch of shots of him making different faces. I thought it would be fun to keep them all (even though some of them aren't the most flattering) to remember the MANY faces of Cade, rather than just the "picture smile".

Tough Cade

Guilty Cade
Fake Smile Cade
Mischievous Cade
Angry Cade
Sad Cade
Bashful Cade
"What are you looking at?" Cade
Silly Cade