A House Full of Kids.

I've always wanted a house full of kids.  I grew up in a family with lots of kids, seven to be exact. It seemed like there was always someone to play a game with, build a fort with, bake cookies with, and someone to talk with. It was impossible to feel lonely. At times it was crowded, loud, cluttered and chaotic. But it was fun. So that's what I wanted for my own kids.
Then, There came a point in my life when I wasn't sure if my home would have ANY kids. So, when the Trio miraculously came along, I was just grateful to have an arm full of kids, and I stopped worrying about my house being full of them.
But, sometimes it gets a little quiet around here...And I wish, not a real wish but just sort of a longing kind of wish that our house was full of kids.
Last Saturday night I realized that my wish comes true every once in a while.

Adam used to work with the scouts in our ward and even though he no longer works with them he is still friends with them. And they come over now and then and they bring their friends, and their brothers and sisters. At other times we have cousins over, or neighborhood friends. We watch movies, and play games, or just visit, and my house is full of kids!  And even though they aren't all mine, that's O.K.  because they're my friends, my kid's friends, and my friend's kids.They are my "brothers and sisters" and they are ALL children of our Heavenly Father.  And that is all that matters. My home is open to kids. It is safe here, it is fun here, and we feel the spirit here. Sometimes it gets a little loud, cluttered and chaotic....But I wouldn't have it any other way!

Getting ready to watch a movie with our young friends: Eliza, Jessica, Caleb, Arliss, Joseph, Abbie, Sarah, Seth,Ty, and Ryden.

"These boots were made for walking..."

Eliza got a pair of boots for Christmas. She pretty much wears them all the time. If we let her, she would sleep in them.

She Cracks me up!

Why I Blog...

"You will have significant experiences. I hope that you will write them down and keep a record of them, that you will read them from time to time and refresh your memory of those meaningful and significant things. Some may be funny. Some may be significant only to you. Some of them may be sacred and quietly beautiful. Some may build one upon another until they represent a lifetime of special experiences."


-Gordon B. Hinckley

"THE END"

As a family, we got to the end of Book Of Mormon at the same time we got to the end of the year.

At the beginning of the year we set a goal as a family to finish the Book of Mormon by 2012.

We read the last page on the very last day of 2011. So our News Years Eve celebration became a "We finished the Book of Mormon Celebration"! Yay!

2011 was a wonderful year for our family.

We are looking foreword to 2012 and all it has to offer.

Happy New Year!

Sarah Sews

Sarah got her very own sewing machine for Christmas.  She could't wait to try it out!
 She was pretty ambitious, and wanted to make a stuffed animal for her first lesson/project. We found a cute little pattern together on Pinterest, and got busy making it. Sarah learned to cut out a pattern, thread her machine and sew a strait stitch as well as a zigzag stitch. I only had to help her a little with sewing some of the "curvy pieces". She was very happy with her little Rosey Racoon. And is excited to sew many more things.

Great Job Sarah!

A Merry Little Christmas

We had a wonderful, peaceful, Christmas at home this year.
We have a tradition in our home that on Christmas Eve, the kids all campout upstairs and fall asleep watching Polar Express. This year, I got the idea to put wrapping paper across the opening at the top of the stairs. That way, I could make sure that the kids wouldn't sneak down stairs and peek at their presents, or even worse...catch Santa in the act! My plan worked perfectly, and at 6:30 I called up to the kids letting them know that it was O.K. come downstairs!

Here they are, ready to burst through the paper and run down the stairs.

The kids got some of the things they were hoping for as well as some fun surprises!

We went to church at 11:00 and enjoyed singing songs together about our Saviors birth. I loved going to Church on Christmas day. It was a great reminder of why we Celebrate Christmas.

Later in the day we had a yummy ham dinner, with the works. It was so nice to have a quiet dinner together. 

We did miss our extended families, but we enjoyed the peace and relaxation of just being together at home.

Merry Christmas!