December to Remember

It's the first Sunday in December....I just love Christmas and I LOVE my kids!  Hubby was studying today, so I decided to ask a friend to see if she could come and take some pics of the kids with her TOTALLY amazing camera (and her totally amazing talent!).  She was available and these are some of the finishing touches!  I LOVE THEM! Merry Christmas everyone!

A wolf in our mist!

Ethan is a wolf now....and he is beyond excited!  I can't believe how much he is growing up!  Ready or not, it's coming!  I'm just so proud of him and his determination to be a scout (he's been asking for over a year on and off)!  Chris and I are thrilled to see what he will learn and how he'll grow!

Here are a few pics of him in his new attire!

June/July summer fun!

WOW! I can't believe how I've let this blog get so out of date, but it happens!!! THIS summer was crazy busy.....I worked alot and played alot....and so therefore didn't get much blogging done. Here are a few pics from the past summer!

Ethan and Alexis did an art camp this summer for a week!  They loved it!  I love the crafts they made!  A pencil holder, bird feeder, bowl, toothbrush holder and an elephant paper holder!  We are sure putting these things to great use! 

We also had so much fun this summer with the neighbor kids, the Chesters.  Gabe, the oldest came to play often.  It was great watching them interact and play!  Lots of 'jam sessions' were going on here too!  So fun! :)

Can't forget about the microphone....thank you Alexis and Hunter using his hand as one!!!!

We also helped a family out in our church this summer by keeping their daughter for a week.  Leah Bell....we love ya girlie!  It was a great time with never a dull moment here!  She took these pictures at a local park on a hot day!!!  Love my kiddos!!!

The kids also were in 2 weeks of swimming lessons at a local pool with the best instructor ever!!!  They both did so great!  Ethan spent most of our pool outings jumping off the low and high dives and doing 'new stunts' as he called them!  I enjoyed watching the kids learn new skills.  Alexis too can jump off the low dive and swim well all on her own!!!

We were able to have my neice, Haley, here also for 10 days this summer!  She is such a sweetheart!  We all loved having her here!  The kids played so well together!  Haley is 2 years older than Ethan.  Most of these pictures are taken at Big Meadows in Skyline Drive!  We love this area!  Absolutely beautiful!  We spent most of an entire day there hiking and climbing, packed a lunch there and saw a few animals...but not a bear! Too bad!! (the kids kept talking about 'what do we do if we see a bear?')
It was funny! :)

 Haley and I went to a cupcake decorating party too!  She did such a great job on her cupcakes!

Service to others

This past Sunday, we had an amazing sacrament meeting given by an 11 year old boy in our stake, a 14 year old girl and our high counselor....all about service and why we are to give service...getting back to the basics! So, naturally, I asked the kids how they thought the meeting went.  I really really appreciated Ethan's sigh with a "Well, OK Mom, I guess I'll do something nice for Alexis this week!"

Monday for family home evening, I challenged the kids, Hunter too, to do something nice for someone else at least once every day for 2 weeks for a little "reward".  I have to say that we are 5 days into it now, and I'm loving how the kids are thinking of "things" they can do for others.  Ethan has helped his teacher this week, made Alexis' bed, has spoken nicer!  Alexis has made our bed.  She continues to be an example of love and obedience.  Both are speaking so nice to each other...for the most part!  I'm very touched by their efforts!  The spirit abides in our home more.  I'm really enjoying this challenge...as I'm trying to do more things everyday for them and for Chris.  Hopefully this will help them see how influencial they can be in someone else's life by giving Christlike service. 

Hunter's haircut...

After pictures:

Before pictures:


AWE! I know it's time to cut hair when it's almost his eyes....I don't know why I was holding off so long, maybe just because it's the 'little boy look', but whatever it is, it's done! I love my kids! Each one of them has such personality and spunk! Hunter desperately needed a haircut....so a haircut he got!

4 plus one...

So, we took back one of my neices to spend some time here with us for two weeks before we head to our huge family reunion in West Virginia! We have had an eventful 2 days so far! Unfortunately, it was raining hard when we entered the 'Valley" we call come, so we did not go to any of the 4th celebrations around our home. We pulled in the driveway and I honestly wanted to sit and rest, but GO GO GO! LOL! We emptied out the van and then enjoyed a 3 mile bike ride. Luckily for us, the rain had stopped for just long enough for us to get home before it begain again! It was cool and nice weather for a bike ride! We came home to popcorn and movie, which was enjoyed by all!!!

Today, we got up, did chores, ate breakfast, went to swimming lessons for Ethan and Alexis ( with Haley and Hunter in the baby pool having fun), lunch, 2 loaves of bread made by Haley ( she was thrilled), homemade pizza for dinner, riding bikes, back to the pool, home for shower, and out for ice cream! Scriptures and bedtime for these kiddos!!! :) What a great day! Here is a picture of Haley with her first bread loaf! It was delicious, especially with Strawberry freezer jam on it! There's nothing like fresh bread still warm with homemade jam! YUMMY! :)

More Birthday parties...

I just love my neices and nephew! They are such little blessings to our family! They play so well with our 3 kids and to watch Lil' Dave and Hunter at their best....IT IS THE BEST! From muscles, to high 5's to hands in their pants, they are just a loveable MESS!!!! :)

Little David turns 3 on the 7th! WOW! AND Haley is 9 1/2! She has not had a birthday party the past 3 years for one reason or another, so, Christina decided to go all out this year! Another pool party/BBQ/campout it was! I think everyone enjoyed themselves, I know we did! :)

Breanna's 11th Birthday!

Well, my oldest neice is now 11! Wow, how is that possible? You all know how time flies when you are having fun, so, yep...totally possible! I'm so glad we went to MD to share in the festivities of it all! And, we had a blast! :)