Wii had a wonderful Christmas!

On Christmas Eve, we opened our traditional PJs, read the Christmas story from the Bible, watched a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel and went to bed anticipating Christmas morning. Well, it looks like Santa came after all. We wait til Christmas Eve to put out all the presents, then it looks way more amazing on Christmas morning. This year Troy and I did not get gifts for the kids since we decided as a family that we would like to take an over night trip to Billings and stay in a hotel/motel with a swimming pool and just spend time as a family. The kids did go shopping for each other {at the dollar store}, the Grandparents got them gifts and so did Nana. They were extremely happy with what they got and equally excited to watch the others open the things they had picked out for them. Here we have the kids with their gifts.

We got some family gifts as wellFrom "Auntie" Laura this cool S'mores maker. We went out last night and got all the stuff to make some, yummy.

I'm sure this was the Favorite gift of all the older kids. It is my favorite :) Once we get an adaptor, we can play with other family members in other states! {My parents got one in their stocking too. 2 brothers and a sisters also have them so we are a Wii playing crazy family!

Shantel got a little digital camera and this picture was taken with it.

Robby got a unique gift from Santa. To lead up to this gift, I must go back and explain. Someone was challenged at church to do random acts of kindness for the family for a week. This person chose to make beds. The beds would be made and then someone would announce that their bed had been made again and Wonder who it was. One of the kids thought it might be Santa. So then a note was found on Robby's bed. It asked for 20$ instead of a made bed. I had scanned the notes, but they are in the TIF format and well I can't change it right now. A return note was given:
Robby-
Sorry Charlie! No dice! You aren't making your bed on a regular basis, so why do you think I would give you $20? This is an act of kindness, a service to you of a nice neat made bed, from someone who loves you. Say “thank you” and be happy someone loves you!
The Bed Maker

Robby then wrote another note and it said:
Ok! Can you tell me who the bed maker is? And for Christmas I want a PSP and a box. Not regrarl box a box full of love!
Signed by you know who!
After you tell you who it is!

So now to Robby's gift

A box of love! It came with this note:
12/24/07
Dear Robby-
It has been made known to me that you think I have been the one making the beds in your house, I am not the one. The beds have been made by someone living in your home who loves you. This person is showing their love for you by doing something kind for you and your family and not expecting to get something for it.
I have also been told that you have a few requests for gifts: a PSP and a box of love. Well, PSPs are very expensive and they require a responsible person to own. I have watched and I know you are having trouble in a few areas, like telling the truth and listening to your parents. Robby, it is really important to listen to your parents and to tell the truth. I don't think that you are yet responsible enough for such an expensive gift. Please work hard on these things. I also know that your brother, Cody, was about 11 when he got a Game Boy Advance for his birthday, maybe when you're 11 you will get something like that.
As for a box of love, Robby, do you know that your parents chose you? They wanted you to stay in the family, they wanted you to be a part of the family for all time. They all love you very much. Look in this box. What do you see? Faces that love you. Would you think of something that you can do for them and not get anything in return? Can you show your love for your family by listening to your parents? By making goo choices? By being nice to your brothers and sisters? Please think before you act, please make good choices and show your love with kindness. Love is what Christmas is all about! God loved us so He sent His Son to earth for us. Love is what Christmas is all about, not presents and not Santa. So, look in this box of love and add more pictures of others you love and who love you.
Your Friend,
Santa

A Nativity Festival

On Saturday the 15th the ward sponsored a Nativity Festival at The Eastern Plains Event Center {EPEC} for the whole community. Only one other church participated in the display, but we had quite a few people coming through {for our small town} and feel that next year we will get better participation. The following are shots from this event. The ward choir, I use the term loosely, performed several Christmas songs twice during the day.Savanna plays her song, a very simplified version of Jingle Bells.Cody and instructor, McKell, team up on Picture A Christmas. Cody played top hand and she played the bottom.Shantel and McKell joined forces on Away in a Manger, Shantel taking top hand and McKell the bottom.There were several soloists and a few duets. Shantel and friend sang Angels We Have Heard on HighThese are just a sampling of the many different nativities that were on display.

Three different families played the part of the Family in the live Nativity. Three babies played Jesus, but I think only 2 were actually laid in the manger. The backdrop was built that morning, on the spot. The builder's wife informed him, that well, he should re-erect it in their front yard complete with life sized cut-outs of the family! Guess he'll have his work cut out for him! :)Sweet baby! His Grandpa laid him here while the parents went to change. He thought it would make a beautiful Christmas card.The third family to pose I didn't get a shot of, but the local paper did and they can be seen here. It was a nice event and I heard only positive remarks from the people in the community. It was tiring though, I fell asleep so quickly that evening! May all your days be Merry and Birght and may the spirit of Christ bless you throughout your life!

{I did capture the picture of the third family }

Still playing catch-up

Have you need of a lock pick?! This is EmmaLece breaking into the bathroom! We have a sliding pocket door, and well, the twins find it quite entertaining to lock it when they leave! I discovered that, with the use of a butter knife, you can pop off the button cover and unlock the door. Em has been present for many unlocks, so when her brother locked her out in order to "rest" in peace, she went down and grabbed a butter knife and went to work! Problem was that she was actually taking out the screws! These are shots of her replacing them!Evening outfits! Yup, you guess it, they wore these unique outfits to bed!This is what Savanna calls: Super-lady-tady!I was typing away on the evening of Dec. 2nd, when I heard laughing and bumping .... I turned around and found Scott "sledding" down the stairs! He was having such a good time. Then they both got in for an adventure. The kicker was that it was about 10:30 pm and the rest of the kids were trying to sleep! They do this about every other day now. There have been a few crashes, but they enjoy it SO much it's hard to now say: "NO". :)I was putting together and typing my talk for Sunday the 9th on Friday the 7th, when I turned to check on the kiddos..... This is what I saw! They had been having a pen party. They also decorated Riley ... written all over his hands. {sorry a little out of focus}Close-ups of the art work!Funny side note to this story: On Sunday, Riley's sister told me that he had been scrubbed clean Friday night and by Saturday afternoon he was redecorated. When his dad asked what happened, he replied, "Emmy did it!" And where was the accused? With her family 30+ miles away! They learn early to put the blame elsewhere! :)
During nap time, Scott and I made bread. I used to make all the bread for the family until I had the twins! I figured I could get back to that and so here we are trying out a recipe that makes 5 loaves. Gave my poor mixer a workout! Actually, the bowl won't even hold half the flour it calls for and so I got it mixed to a little thicker than cake batter and poured in on the counter to knead in the rest of it {about 10 cups}! Scott was such a good helper, measuring ingredients, and kneading in the flour.We made 9 small loaves that night and the rest went into the fridge for the following day. We gave the little ones away to the neighbor and friends as Christmas gifts. I figured I'd used enough that it would just make 3 loaves .... well, it sure grew! If you look close, one loaf has a black mark on it, it grew so much that it hit the top heating coil! It was a good day for baking bread. A week later I made this recipe again and well the weather was different and it didn't turn out AT ALL! I was SO mad! I had to throw it all out because it didn't grow and therefor didn't bake properly, still had some doughy spots. :(

This, That & the Other Thing

Sleepy heads!

Well, we had a great visit with my parents {whom we don't see very often, they are workampers and travel in their RV to different parks and campgrounds to work. They are currently working in the Grand Canyon. My dad is a shuttle bus driver and my mom has been working in retail, but she might drive too.} They got here Sunday afternoon and left this morning around 7. The kids were SO excited to have them for that many days. Grumpa, read books, did word searches & played video games with them. Grammie did crossword puzzles with Cody. They attended the Goodies with Grandparents morning with Savanna & Robby yesterday and the Christmas Concert for grades 1-4 for the WHOLE town {It's not a very big place, but the high school auditorium was packed to standing room only! Sorry, no pictures from the concert, I forgot my camera! :( They did songs from around the world. One song, Children, Go Where I Send Thee, the kids were all dancing, as much as on can while standing on risers, and it was So funny! Robby was is touch with his roots, he was so entertaining! Robby was really singing and dancing! One little 1st grade girl was really 'cutting a rug' , the crowd was laughing their heads off!}. Shantel convinced grammie & Grumpa to come have pictures taken at the church on Wednesday {the Young Women set up the gym with 3 different backdrops for family Christmas photos and the Young Women's president took the pictures. We ordered a family 8x10 for $2.99 and a kids only for $.89! the price was right up my alley! :) I had her take a few with my camera and I took some too.} We played card games and Boggle and watched some Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel. All in all a great visit was had by everyone.

Grumpa with the twins.Robby challenges Grumpa to a race!The kids: Shantel, Scott, Savanna, Robby, EmmaLece & Cody. All smiles, yeah!The cuties! Eventually Scott got tired of all this posing, but he looks pretty cute right here! EmmaLece loved all the pictures, she'd such a GIRL!Another shot of the kids looking happy still.Here we are with Grammie and Grumpa. Cody had left for Young Men's by this time.I tried to get my parents to just do one of the 2 of them, but my mom said I should be in it, so here it is.Good night hugs from the girls!Grumpa and Savanna listen to Robby read.

Grammie and Robby listen to Savanna read.

Cody and Grumpa get in one more game before they head out.