Story Time and Kisses

I usually read stories to the kiddos before going to bed, but tonight J asked if he could read a story to his brothers. B picked Hop on Pop and they all sat together in bed while J read it. I thought it was so cute. J asked if he could read the story again tomorrow night.


This made me laugh too. Every time John kissed Baby Girl she would burst into tears. I don' t know if it was because he had whiskers, or just because she hasn't been feeling good. I totally sympathize with her though :).

Well, maybe it is retarded of me to post a picture of a video game score, but this was great. We were playing the Wii tonight and I kicked everyone's trash in bowling. I got 8 strikes in a row (which they call an 8 pack) and a final score of 258.

A bunch of random things

I have been doing a lot of work on my blog, but not actually posting on it. So, I thought I would do a quick post before I go grocery shopping (ugh). I got tired of the blah templates that blogger offers so I am trying to be creative and spruce up this blog site a little bit. I am still working on it, so keep checking back for the results. This last week we took Brinkley to the vet because he was having some problems and got him put on antibiotics and a dewormer. Poor dog, he had worms, 2 kinds of bacteria, and something else ( which I can't remember right now). What else what you expect from a dog rescued from a puppy mill and living in a shelter? He contines to be a great dog, so laid back and calm. The other day we went to a big field and just ran all around with him. He doesn't even need a leash, he just walks and runs right by our side. John is so proud that "his" dog is much better mannered than "my" dog.

Ts 5th birthday is this Thursday. This will be the first time that we go to a party place instead of throwing a birthday party at our house. There are pros and cons to this decision and I will post them here because I am still feeling a little guilty for not expending the effort I usually expend into the party.

Pros:
1. we won't have lots of five year olds running around our house
2. we can invite more people
3. no preparation - we just show up and play
4. no cleanup we just leave
5. did I mention the part about no kids running around our house?

Cons:
1. more costly
2. his party won't have the personal cozy feel that home parties have

When all is said and done I think this will probably be T's favorite party ever because he has been bugging me to go this place for EVER. I'll post some pictures of his party after it happens.

Well that is about it. I know this is random and long and might not make sense in parts (but I am being too lazy to go back and proofread). Off to the store!!

It's not me

Well things have been interesting around here since we got a new dog. Usually when something stinks we blame it on B who has just recently been potty trained. The other day we were all sitting in the family room watching tv when a nice rosy smell made its way around the room. Everyone started asking what the smell was and where it was coming from. B stood up and matter of factly declared "It's not me!!" And for once he was right. It was the dog who had decided to use the area rug in the front room instead of going outside. Let this serve as a lesson to all of you readers who do not currently own a pet. Don't get one!!

So we bought Baby Girl a horse today. Well not really, but in a couple of months she will be able to ride this dog around the house like a horse. You know, I was perfectly happy with just our miniature dachshund. I grew up with this breed of dog they are low maintenance, they don't shed, they are loving and good with kids. John, however says that weenie dogs belong on a plate next to a side of pork and beans. He wants a dog you can run with and play fetch with, and swim with and all that good stuff. He loves golden retrievers. A few months ago John started doing computer work for an animal shelter. Every time he goes there I check the shelter's website to make sure they don't have a golden retriever because I know that if they have a retriever up for adoption it is coming home with John. Saturday he went there to fix one of their computers, I checked the website - no golden retrievers and I say a silent prayer of thanks. John comes home a couple hours later and shows me a picture of a puppy that he has just put a deposit on. I say this is impossible because they didn't have one up for adoption. John tells me how lucky he was to have been there when the dog came in, he was the first person to see him and quickly put a deposit down. He is beaming with excitement. So, today we went and picked up the dog. He is awful cute. He looks like a big ball of fur. If we can get past the chewing stage and get him housebroken I think he will be an excellent dog. The kids already love him, but I think our dog Dash is feeling a little jealous and insecure. Here is a picture of our new addition. We can't decide whether to name him Calvin or Brinkley. What do you think???

Not a good day

Today was Baby Girl's 6 month appointment. I think she was already getting sick so the four pokes from the shots did nothing to help her mood this morning. Now she is crabby, crabby, crabby. She is stuffy and running a slight temperature which always happens when she gets shots. Meanwhile I have a million things to do and have two choices 1. hold Baby Girl all day and get nothing done or 2. get stuff done and listen to Baby Girl cry because I am not holding her. Either choice stinks. That's really all I have to post - just a yucky day.

My New Year's Resolutions

I am not good at making and keeping "New Year's Resolutions". So, this year I am doing something different. The first thing is that I am posting them on my blog. I figure if I post them here so everyone knows my goals I will be better at doing them. The second thing is that I only have a few resolutions (two to be exact) - that way I won't get discouraged looking at the big long list of goals I am not achieiving =). So here they are

1. I am going to be better at reading the scriptures. My goal is five times a week since there are always a couple of days where I just can't seem to sit down and read for whatever reason. If I start with five days a week and get that to become a habit then I can work my way up to seven days a week.

2. Exercise and eat better. We have a treadmill, a bowflex and I just bought one of those balance balls. I have a nice little routine going now so let's hope it sticks. I also bought some new cookbooks with healthy recipes. I don't want to diet, just eat better and healthier.

So, that's it. Two resolutions are totally achievable, right?? I think I will make myself post a blog once a month to report on my progress with these goals.

Is it the 11th already????

I cannot believe how fast these last couple of weeks have gone. I still haven't posted Christmas pictures yet!! Please forgive me for being such a slacker. It has just been so busy with Christmas, then I started teaching pre school, had to finish up FHE lessons for my little exchange group, and trying to keep up with those darn New Year's Resolutions (which I will blog about later). But, I have a few minutes now so here is our Christmas Story:


For Christmas Eve, our family and JoDee and Alex went up to Uncle Bill's house in Woodland Park. They live in a log cabin up there in their own little winter wonderland. The plan was to go up there and go sledding for a little while before we ate dinner, but I pushed J down the hill once on the sled and that was the end of it for everyone. I wish I had got a picture of it because J was a little scared going down the hill (that ended in a grove of trees if you weren't careful) but what was even funnier to me was the look of fear in the eyes of the my other children that were watching - like I had somehow betrayed J by pushing him down this hill. They wouldn't get on the sled. They have been sledding before, but there was something about this place in Woodland Park that they didn't like. So we just hung out together that night, ate dinner, watched my Uncle's video of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and then headed home.

Before we went to bed we started a new tradition in our house. The first ever annual reading of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" with everyone in pajamas in Mom and Dad's bed. It was really cozy and fun to read the story to the kids for the first time. It is definitely a tradition we are keeping.

This is Baby Girl's first Christmas (not that she really cares). I love this picture of her in the santa hat. She is just soooo cute.


This is the first year we have spent Christmas morning in our own house with just our family. It was so nice. The kids woke up a little before 7 and we all came down in our pajamas. This is what the kids saw as they came down the stairs. The big construction truck is from my Dad in Texas and of course got the most attention from the kids.



It is tradition Christmas morning to read the story of Christ's birth from the book of Luke. After B saw the tractor there was no way he was coming into the family room to read scriptures. It took a lot of coaxing to get him off the tractor, but we did get him in the family room to read.

Here are some various pictures of the kids opening their presents. You know it seems like you wait all year for Christmas morning and in about 20 minutes it's over.








Baby Girl opening her first Christmas present ever. Don't I look so perky???



Even Dash got in on all the fun. He got bones for Christmas and is surprisingly adept (especially with no opposable thumbs) at opening presents. He got the wrapping paper off this in record time!!


We spent the rest of the morning eating cinammon rolls (another Christmas tradition) and playing the Wii. Then we went to John's brothers house for Christmas dinner and games. Although we didn't go out of town this Christmas it was a lot of fun just hanging out with our family, starting our own new traditions, and making our own Christmas memories. Infact I don't know if we will travel for Christmas anymore.