The Little Things That Count

The other day Shari was having a hard time getting ready for school. She had stayed up late the night before and was really tired. When she was about to walk out the door the idea came to me that I should leave her a note in her lunch box. So I quickly wrote, "Have a fun day at school. I love you, Mom." Then I sent her on her way and thought nothing more of it. When she got home later that day I asked her how school was. GREAT, she said. Which she never says (unlike Jamie who always says school is great but hey she is still in pre-school!), usually I get a fine and then I have to ask alot of question to get her to tell me more. Anyway I was surprised by the GREAT and asked what had a made it so great. "The letter you put in my lunch box," was her reply.
If you are not teary eyed yet keep reading there is more.
The next day just as she was headed out the door she grab a paper and handed to me and told me not to look at it until she left. It said, "Mom I love you very, very much. You are the best mom I ever had. Shari
Now you might ask how was my day... GREAT!!

Fun in the Snow

Last weekend we got to spent 4 days in Island Park enjoying the incredible snow there. It snowed everynight so we always had fresh powder to play in. Jonas even loved the snowmobile. When we took Jamie and she was Jonas's age she screamed when we tried to put her on because she hated the noise.

Jonas on the other hand didn't mind the noise at all expecially since he fell asleep everytime we took him on a ride. Now all three of my kids have fallen asleep at least once while snowmobiling.
We were there on Sunday so that day we had alot of fun playing old, like original, nintendo games. We had a competition to see who could get the highest score at tetris. Josh won, I think Sheila came in second. Doesn't Joseph look thrilled!

We also put together puzzels and wrote letters to Grandma and Grandpa on their mission.


Shari can't wait for it to be her turn.

Shari and Spencer playing SPOT. Remember that one?

The snow was so deep and so BEAUTIFUL. The trees were covered. This is Shari right by our cabin showing the snow over her head. I wish I had better pictures of how pretty it was but it is hard to have a camera out in the snow all the time.

Jamie and Spencer sleding down a hill

We also spent alot of time swimming. I don't have any pictures but it was fun because it was Jonas's first time in the pool when he could really enjoy it. And enjoy it he did. They had a kiddie pool that was to his shoulder and he walked around and around with mom close behind because he was not scared at all. Which makes me alittle scared. The girls got to play in the big pool with life jackets on and Jamie kept going back and forth from the big to the kiddie, she just couldn't decide what she liked best.

As always it is good to be home though.

Christmas

Since a picture speaks a thousands words I have included a plethora of pictures. This is was taken after putting the christmas tree up.
The week before Christmas we were able to go to Temple Square, it was so beautiful. It was a perfect night, clear and not really cold. The kids loved it and have talked about it alot since. However, on the ride home we asked what their favorite part was they said "rolling down the hill." We had parked the car up a hill and to release some energy before making the 3 hr. trip home we let them roll on the grass down the hill!

Jonas was in the stroller and the entire time yelled, "mom, mom, mom." When I would get down to see what he wanted he would point to the lights and talk jibberish.

The kids were playing on the couch and Jonas had to join in. He would hold Shari hand and say "gooooo" and run to the couch.

A couple days before Christmas we had our annual "pop the pinyota" party. My Grandma started the tradition when we were little and it was always our favorite Christmas tradition. Below we are playing some "minute to win it" games.

Jonas was the first to take a swing at the pinyota. Although he had not seen anyone do it before him we handed him the bat and he knew just what to do. He is such a boy!

Then he cried while he had to wait for the others to take a turn before he could have another one.

Jamie was a pretty serious batter and she was determined to make a dent. She did a pretty good job too.

Shari loves the pinyota as well. If you look closely she is actually jumping off he knees here.

Christmas morning Jonas got a little car that he spent most of the day in. And again he would say "mom, mom, mom." When I would ask what he needed he would take my hand, take me to his car, get in, and start to jibber again.

Shari and Jamie also had a good Christmas.Shari and Jamie got these adorable matching hats from Aunt Lisa!

We also got a Karaoke machine and the kids had fun singing some song. Jonas doesn't know that his mic wasn't plugged in but he didn't seem to mind!

Jamie looking at her stuff from Santa.

We also spent Christmas Eve with Josh's family but I forgot the camera. At their house the kids get to open one present before Christmas, also a favorite tradition.

We had a great Christmas and are still enjoying the break and playing before Shari has to go back to school next week.
We hope your family had a good Christmas and wish you a happy new year.

Let it Snow, Let is Snow, Let it Snow

I feel just like the song says, "and since there's no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" I know some of you were traveling for Thanksgiving so the snow was not as welcomed but for my family we didn't have to go anywhere more then a couple of miles away so we just enjoyed it! In the pict. below Shari is standing in a snow drift but she isn't all the way to the ground.


Monday night a blizzard moved through and so school was canceled on Tues. and Wed. and Shari already had the rest of the week off for Thanksgiving. We really couldn't go anywhere for a couple of days so we just had fun together. We watched Christmas movies, played games, and made treats! Oh, and of course, played in the snow.

And since we finally had enough snow to snowmoble at our house we had to go get a new sled. Unfortunely it started to get really cold the end of the week so they spent more time playing in the sled at the house then outside.

Snow drift in the driveway.

Jonas wasn't to sure what to think about the snow at first but after a little while he got the hang of it. Obviously we don't have very many boy snow clothes yet! Pink gloves, purple pants, and pink boots that are at least 1 size to big. He didn't seem to mind though!

Jonas loves to sit up at the counter with the big kids. He is reading a book that he just got from Grandma great!

Just found out NO SCHOOL tomorrow either!! Sounds like a good time to make cinnamon rolls!

Long Time...

I wish I could say that I have not blogged for so long because we have been vacationing in Hawaii or some other exotic place but it has been life as usual at our house. Because I haven't blogged or looked at my friends blogs in so long I have been on the computer for well over an hour. I found out that two of my friends were pregnant and one other friend that I did know was pregnant found out she was having a girl. WOW I need to check blogs more often. I do enjoy seeing what everyone is up to especially our friends and family that live far away and we don't get to see often enough.
Shari is busy being a first grader and loves school. At the beginning of school she started taking gymnastics from her Aunt Jen who opened a gym here in town. She loves it and is doing well at it. Also just last week she started playing basketball. There first and second game was on Saturday. The first game Shari came off the court (in the middle of the game) crying. Her team had only had one practice and they really didn't know what they were suppose to be doing. If Shari wasn't crying I probably would have been laughing. The second game 30 minutes later was much better and they were already starting to get the hang of things. It will be fun to watch them progress over the next month.

Jamie loves pre-school. And so does mom because usually I get at least one completely quiet hour while she is at school and Jonas is asleep. Jamie and Jonas have started playing together more and it is so fun to watch them. Jamie never really got bored with Shari at school because she plays so well by herself. She is content to have a handful of pencils as she sits at the table and plays house with them, never even leaving her chair. But now that Jonas is running around more she has gotten more involved with him!

Jonas is almost always a happy boy and when he is not he loves to snuggle so that is usually okay too. This is him with his cousin Brooke, who by the way is 6 months OLDER then him!! They have also started to be good friends, that is when they don't both want the same toy. Lucky at this house we figured that out fast with the girls and have 2 of most things. Here they are in the hats they found in the closet. I guess it's time to get a boy one too!

Bedtime or Playtime, sometimes it is hard to tell. Jonas loves to get into Shari's bed because she is on the top bunk! He has figured out how to get up the first stair by himself, I really hope he doesn't make it all the way anytime soon.

Jonas's new favorite thing to do it to push the kitchen chairs all around. He likes to push the buttons on the microwave, try to turn the water on in the sink and today he helped me cook on the stove. Gotta watch those fingers though.

Halloween was fun at our house. We went out to my mom's early in the day and had a treasure hunt but I forgot my camera. The kids had a lot of fun with their cousins. Later we went to the annual Trunk or Treat. Jonas was a dinosaur.

Shari was a cute rock star. They had a parade at her school but again no camera.

And Jamie was a butterfly, however when she went to her party at pre-school (pict. below) she was so upset about her butterfly wings not fitting just right that we were late for school and lucky that the picture doesn't show the red eyes and tears we had just minutes before. Jamie is funny like that. She was SO excited about her party that I think she got alittle to anxious and then were everything wasn't just right she cried and cried. I almost had to find a new costume right then and there but since we didn't really have anything else she decided just to leave the wings home.

With the holiday's approaching I am getting very excited. I almost have all of my Christmas shopping done and hoping to spend the month of December enjoying the holidays in other ways. Hope everyone is well and happy.

Back to School

Two weeks ago Shari started the 1st grade! I don't know how it happened but I only got two pictures and neither one is very good. Maybe we will have to play dress up and do it again another day. Shari was very excited to start the first grade but came home alittle overwhelmed. In kindergarden they almost never went to recess and now they had multiple recesses with tons of kids she didn't know.Things are getting better now as she is making new friends and learning the routine. We have all been worried about Shari being able to get up and ready for school without major drama and tears but she has been amazing. The rule is that she had to be all ready for school and then if there is extra time she can watch a cartoon. She has surprised us all by usually being the one who wakes us up and is ready with time to spare!

Jamie started pre-school this week and loved it! It is a small class with only 6 kids, one who she was already friends with, so it will be fun for her to make new friends.

She was alittle bit nervous but there were no tears as she went to class. When I picked her up she said, "mom, I talked to somebody."

As for her bandaged thumb we think she may have broke it when she shut it in the car door last weekend. It is still swollen and her fingernail is completely black. I have not broke the news to her that she will probably be getting a new thumbnail when that one falls off, ouch!

As for Jonas he misses the girls when they are at school, he is really used to having someone to play with. At FHE the other night Jonas wanted a cookie so Josh gave him one, but immediately wanted another one so Josh gave him another one, still not satisfied he wined for more. Seeing that his hands were full Josh put the third cookie right in his mouth. Finally just what he wanted!!

Mom's babies are growing up and I'm not so sure I like it. I think I got a glimpse of the hardest part of being a mom when I had to send Shari to school that second day when I knew she was scared and nervous and didn't have any friends to play with. Making your kids do something that you know can be very scary and hard. I can't imagine what it is like sending a son on a mission not only because you will miss them but more because as their mom you know there will be hard days but you have to send them anyway and you can't just make it all better.

Last Minute Vacation

Since Shari is starting 1st grade on Monday and Jamie is starting Pre-school in a couple of weeks we decided to take one more last minute vacation to Park City. We have wanted to ride the Alpine slide for awhile so we finally did it. It was a lot more fun then I had expected.

This is Jamie and dad wanting in line to go down the slide.

Josh and Jamie at the bottom of the slide. They are on the middle slide in the middle of two other people. They had a good time!

At the same place as the slide are some other activities too. Below are pictures of the girls jumping on trampolines with bungy- cords. Shari was brave right away and stared doing back flips she even did a double back!! And since she is starting gymnastics in a couple of weeks she thought this was pretty cool!!

Jamie was happy to just jumped up and down!

Getting ready!!

This was riding up the lift to go down the slide.

Next year Shari will be old enough to ride by herself but this was just getting ready. Jonas wasn't old enough to go on the slide so we just took turns

Jonas LOVES to push things, anything he can find that will move; chairs, laundry baskets, boxes, well I decided why not get some use out of it! He really did vaccum a lot of the front room. After awhile he just got frusterated though because he couldn't pull it back very easily.

Part of a toy being used as a hat!! What a cutie.