Monday: Jake's Day off.

We had such a wonderful day this Monday. We haven't gone into town or done anything really since the kids were out of school. (Actually we did see the temple lights and go to Organ Stop Pizza and have Christmas... but who is counting right?) So since Jake had Monday off, we thought it would be fun to just get out of Maricopa and enjoy the nice day. So we went to GolfLand. The pictures are backwards again...but you get the idea. The kids did AWESOME and even Spencer enjoyed the round of minigolf. Dad got 4 holes in one and I got 3! Each one of the kids got one too. After that and archade/ticket time...we went to Freestone Park and let the kids ride their scooters and skateboards. In the end, we sledded down the hill on the longboards. It really was fun and reminded me of sledding as a child with my Uncle Roy and cousins. We ended the evening with time at Grandma and Grandpa's house. There was playing in the leaves and of course AMAZING food. The perfect day! Why can't husbands just not work and we get to be together all the time?

Our favorite game was Deal or No Deal! All the kids one over 70 tickets...and I got one on my turn.

Merry Christmas to you!

Usually I take the time to organize my pics...but blogger really is a pain isn't it! I am over it today. So here they are, out of order. Christmas this year was simple and sweet. I would have loved to have been home in Idaho or even spent more time with the Watkin's side. However, that isn't what happened. So once again, we spent Christmas with our small sweet family. We didn't get much for our kids this year, so there wasn't a lot of stressing out or crazy last minute shopping. We spent a lot of time with our children and hopefully these memories will be as sweet for them as they have been for Jake and I.

Christmas night we enjoyed the sparklers that Santa brought in the stockings! It was lots of fun. Aubrey and Weston got their long awaited LONG BOARDS! Weston is loving his and Aubrey is tentatively trying to start to like hers...

Spencer got a set of new wheels himself and is loving them.

Weston was his usually energetic self this Christmas morning. What would we do without his "fainting from excitement" and long screams and runs around the house.

Before they opened their presents Christmas morning. These three boxes had all the Santa presents wrapped inside.

So here is Christmas eve. We did the nativity and food and singing all before 6pm and Jake and I were getting bored. The children were getting annoying (too excited and all.) So we decided to look at our list of all the things we planned to do before Christmas. One of them had been to sell Hot Chocolate on our street (our street is very highly Christmas lights adorned.) Anyhow, it was Christmas Eve and all so we new we didn't want to charge anything...but we could give out Free Hot Cocoa and do a good deed. Not many cars stopped...but those who did made our night. Plus the Bishop even stopped by and got some and the kids sang for him. It was great!

Here are pics of the Nativity. So cute. I love our Savior and I love the Christmas story. It really never gets old. It was wonderful to see Aubrey and Weston understanding it more and Spencer kissing the baby Jesus.

Our costumes were simple and lacking...but we felt the Christmas Spirit at our house this year...and I hope you all did too. Merry Christmas!

Crap! I thought that was the end.....still too lazy to move pictures. A few nights before Christmas we went with the Watkins to Organ Stop Pizza! It is this old wonderful place in Mesa! There is a huge organ and some organist plays Christmas songs while you eat. There are lights and full house every time we have gone. This is a Watkins' tradition that we haven't done for a couple of years.

So here we are.

Spencer and Max's first time. They loved it! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Watkins!!

Letter to Santa

Another letter Aubrey wrote to Santa, just this morning. She is so cute. I wanted to remember this one.



It started the same as others with a list of things that she wanted and telling him that she loves him. Then this



"my brother Weston and me are having a very very hard time getting along. although i still think we should both be on the nice list.we fight almost all the time. we just can't help it. i know that i have been a little bit bad this year.i apolagize for that.and we are going to give you the best snack you have ever had on christmas eve.it is pretty cold here in Arizona.how is the weather at the North Pole? i want a skateboard because i ride my friends skateboards almost every day.(but not on Sunday)me and my brother weston are like totaly skateboard experts now.i want squinkies because they are just amazing.i want a digital camra because the one i have gets broken every time it runs out of bateries.what do you want for christmas.i am trying to handle my brothers right now. they are spitting and yelling and fighting.i lied to my brother weston. i am so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry.merry christmas.



Aubrey Jean 7 years old.

HO,HO,HO!

Santa came to our house the other night and the kids weren't even scared of him...(go figure.) Actually, Spencer still was a bit. Jake dressed up as Santa for a local preschool and our kids sure got a kick out of the idea. Weston kept singing " I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus..." It was too funny. Or course our kids know that the real Santa doesn't spend his time running around town going to all the parties in the world. He has much better things to be doing, especially with Christmas being right around the corner.

Memories

We were just sitting like this one night, while watching TV together. I told Jake to grab the camera, just so I would have the memory. I love my children so much. I am so grateful to be able to spend time with them...just chilling. Time really does go by so fast, and I am very glad to be in this stage of life. I enjoy it!

University of Phoenix Christmas Party

Last year for Jake's Christmas party...it was very fancy. I loved getting all glamed up and having a wonderful DATE NIGHT with my hubby. Anyway, this year his work decided to make their Christmas Party a "family party...!" So I was a little disappointed, but the kids were so excited. Well, I have to say, it was WONDERFUL. It was all about service and I was pleasantly surprised the whole night. There were hundred..maybe thousands of build a bears there. Each child was able to pick their own bear, then dress it and give it to a policeman or fireman. All of the bears are going to charity and our kiddos got their own smaller versions for themselves. We decorated cookies and then ate a wonderful dinner. My kids didn't want the "kid food" and chose steak. It was just as fancy as the year before, but a lot less drinking (by others of course) and so family oriented. After dinner there was daycare for all the kids. So in the end we still got to have our couple time and dance and hang out with Liz and Kurt. It really was a great night. Without even having to pay for a sitter in the end...it was perfect. Thanks University of Phoenix!

Here is Kurt and Liz...these are some of our favorite people. Always so much fun to hang out with.

Christmas Concert at Pathway!

Every year for the last three years...Aubrey sings in her school Christmas Program. I am always completely disappointed...because it is SUPER crowded and I rarely even see her at all. This year was about the same. But maybe because I knew it would be that way...we just enjoyed getting ready and enjoyed the night anyway. I couldn't see Aubrey one bit...but I knew she was up there singing her little heart out.
Aubrey is growing up to be such a sweet girl! I love seeing her be confident and making friends. We ended the night with BLIZZARDs. (Well , the kids did.) I enjoy the Holiday's so much and this was a great way to get it started.

Black Friday.

I didn't step foot into one store today...but it was a good day none the less. The Watkins (Hatch) have a tradition of bowling on Thanksgiving. This year we ended up doing it the day after. We haven't done it for a while but it was a lot of fun! The kids are getting older and really are trying to do it now. Weston was so competitive and kept trying to beat the other team. We lost. Our team was Aubrey, Weston, Maya, Jake and I and Cicily and Spencer and Max rotating between them. I don't know how we lost as a team...because I actually WON! My score was 132... No one really kept score...but I did of course (I wonder where Weston gets that from?)

Anyhoo...it was a fun day. Started out with Brunch and Norm and Sue's house. Lots of goodies...then off the the bowling alley!

Cicily was loving it!

Gotta get a pic in of Mari...hope we get to see her more when we move in closer to town.

Best buds!

Weston being cool as usual.

Thanksgiving!

Let us all give thanks!!! First off our Holiday began a few nights before seeing our old BFF's....The TAYSOMS! I love this family. We met them the first time we moved to Maricopa over 7 years ago. We have been on vacation with them...they came and watched us when Jake and I were on Wheel of Fortune and we have just so many "hangouts" under our belt. It was just like "old times" and the kids got along great. We had pizza (homemade) and spent the evening together. Friends like this are hard to come by and we miss them so much. Now they live in Texas!!!

Anyway...I already have my picture wall up....and I wanted to give thanks again for this. It was like Christmas for me!

Now this is actually Thanksgiving day. It is the 3rd Annual Turkey Trot here in Maricopa. I look silly in this pic...but gotta remember how we got up and ran a mile with the kids. Fun times! It was so cold!!!

Lastly...later that day we actually ended up having Thanksgiving dinner here at our house. I was feeling nostalgic knowing this is the last t-day we will have here in this home. I love and have been grateful for this home since we moved in. I love the space, the layout...the memories...the colors, the neighbors...you name it! So I am grateful we got to spend it here with Grandma and Grandpa Watkins and the Jensen family. We had all the fixings. Cranberry fluff...turkey, gravy, rolls, stuffing (homemade and sooooo yummy) and even a Peterson tradition (the relish tray.) I even made 3 pies and they were absolutely WONDERFUL! Cheesecake pumpkin with a strudel topping...banana cream and homemade caramel and chocolate cream pie! Loved it! We ended dinner with a round of kickball and watching the kids play in the street. Later that night we drove in and spent the night at The Watkins. I think I need another post with pics to show you what we did the next day.

Family Pictures Fall 2010

Warning...lots of pictures to come. I love pictures and want to print my blog someday...so I want them all here!

My good friend Heidi Buckmister took these. I love my kids and honey for "suffering..." through hours of smiling and having fun together. They turned out so cute. I won't even get into how stressed...crazy I am about pics. The truth is I think I am such a visual person...it just means the world for me to SEE my family! I love you guys so much. Thanks for doing this Heidi... I love you for it!

Also...I just want my children to know that I am so glad I was blessed to have them be mine. And of course... thanks for marrying me Jake!

I sure am one lucky lady.