Christmas Family Fun!

Sam and his new biggest fan, cousin Tyler

Dad pushing the sledders at Eaglewood on Christmas Eve.

Livvy bowling with Uncle Judd, taking a break from med school in St. Louis

Happy Birthday Grandpa Wynn!

California here we come!

Dave and I were able to slip away from the hustle and bustle of Christmas for a weekend get-a-way to Santa Barbara. We enjoyed an amazing drive along highways one and Dave surprised me with a night in a charming bed and breakfast in Santa Cruz. We met Dave's brother Pete and his wife Kristen and darling baby Sidney before heading home. Oh and Dave visited a few clients along the way. I loved the chance to take a breather and reflect upon all our many blessings. Sam just received the priesthood and both sets of loving attentive grandparents were present. Charlie will be baptized next month and we can't wait to meet our new little girl in February. Could life get any better?

New Clothes for Livvy

As a mother of six boys, grandma Pam can't resist pretty girl clothes. We love being the recipients.

Christ is the reason for the season!

There is no better way to feel the Christmas spirit than by visiting the live Nativity in Alpine. My sisters introduced me to this unique event last year and I was enchanted. The experience starts with a hay ride up to their propert where you meet shepherds, they instruct you to follow a lit path where we encountered roman soldiers on horses. We arrived at the barn where in addition to lambs and swans we met with our favorite camel, Max. Kind volunteers dressed in biblical clothing showed us bread making, basket weaving, and leather work. The highlight was walking to another stable with live music and Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus, the spirit was so strong! It is the highlight of my year!

Christmas Village

One is never too old to sit on Santa's Lap.

On a cold Friday before Christmas our family ventured into down town Odgen to visit Christmas village and eat at good ole Javiers mexican restaurant. We not only survived the event, we actually had a great time!

Space Camp

Sam turned 12 on the 30th of December and Brig followed on the 2nd of December with his 10th birthday. To celebrate we invited friends and cousins to Space Camp in Pleasant Grove. The boys had so much fun fighting pirates, flying their ship through space, and successfully completing their mission. A boys dream come true!

Thanksgiving Bliss!

Dave's parents have taken an old stable on their property in Providence and remodelled it into an amazing house for their family to gather. All six of their children and 18 grandchildren stayed together and it was happy chaos. Even Great Grandpa Daines, recovering from heart surgery survived the event. My kids are so lucky to have so many cousins their age. A posse of boys roamed around the property walking across the shallow frozen pond, celebrating when they fell in, and playing kick the can in the snow. The highlight of the weekend was that the three older brothers beat the three younger in basketball. Go oldsters!

Halloween Fun!

Johnson Family belated celebration, check out my in-laws, they are awesome!

Charlie the red ninja with his school chums at the Oak Hills parade.

Sam the gorilla, when are you to old to trick or treat?

Brigham, the half hearted Harry Potter.

Olivia, our beautiful bride.
I loved having Halloween on Saturday. We had festivities all week long. Olivia was able to wear her costume to dance class, preschool, trick or treating at my Dad's office, not to mention the actual Halloween night. The weather was perfect and we partied all day long. Pigs in blanket, blood soup and apple bobbing with my sister Whitney's family. Followed by a soup dinner with my new awesome neighbors. Can't wait for next year!

Cousin Pictures

This July we had great intentions of a cousin picture my parents could treasure always. Honestly, the way the photo shoot went, I am amazed that our photographer Andrea Skidmore was able to capture any decent pics at all. We will need a new picture soon with three more little cousins on the way!

Its a Girl!

It is official, the midwife confirmed that we are expecting a baby girl in February. We can't believe we could be so blessed. Olivia is thrilled to get a little sister, she is already picking out names and matching outfits. Dave bought a darling little number with hearts for our Valentine baby. We can't wait to meet her!!!

More NYC

We have been so spoiled this year, NYC twice! Dave and I attended his cousin Paul's beautiful wedding to his wife Allison in July. The ceremony was in the NYC temple and then lunch and dancing at the Boat House in Central Park. We decided to take Sam on a vacation with just Dave and I before he turns into a teenager and won't talk to us anymore. We had the time of our lives! Sam loved his first subway ride, his first broadway musical (Shrek), his first trip to a NYC ER (asthma attack), his first stay in a pent house on Park Avenue (thanks Linda and Richard), his first gyro at a street cart, his first bike ride in central park, his first visit to the Natural History Museum (looked familiar thanks to "Night at the Museum"), his first view from the top of the Empire State building, and all of us loved our first visit to the crown of the Statue of Liberty. We had so much fun getting to spend so much "quality time" together. We can't believe Sam will turn 12 next month and become a priesthood holder. The other boys are already planning their private time trip and so are we!

NYC!

August Birthdays

We have had fun celebrating all the August Birthdays. First we went to tea at the Grand America to celebrate cousin Emmie's 7th, next it was lunch at Ruth's Diner and a hike to celebrate Whitney's 30th (always), we went to the beauty parlor for Claire's 6th, and yesterday Allie celebrated her 4th with a great princess party. No pictures, but we slathered uncle Mike with old people gifts for his 4oth. We missed Tyler, Ellie, Jonah and Dan who had parties without us, next time we hope to get in on that action as well. Can't wait for September.

We cannot believe summer is already over. The boys are not thrilled to be going back to school. Especially leaving their previous school which HAD air conditioning to this hot old building where they have to meet all new friends. Luckilly as you can see in the picture Sam met Bryce over the summer as well as another friend James and they have been playing heroscape and air soft all summer. Brig and Char are still meeting new people. Char had a great play date after the first day of school where he got to ride an army jeep in the mountains and found 10 bucks so life is looking up for him. I am Brig's new Bear Den leader and we are going to have some serious fun. Wish them luck!