Bringing in the New Year

To celebrate the New Year we made some new family goals for 2011. We played and went bowling as a family then ordered Chinese. We had fun doing sparklers and pop-its with the kids at 8:30...almost midnight :) We would have taken more pictures as it was fun to use the camera with the sparklers but we had no more space on our card...next time I will be better prepared.

We all slept in the next day and made some yummy monkey bread.
(Thanks Nana and Papa for the bundt pan!)
Happy New Year to all!

Maddy and Stephen Forever

After Christmas I had the privilege to fly to Burbank for my niece Maddy's sealing to Stephen.
I had a wonderful time being in the LA temple with so much family! All but two of my sisters made it to the sealing with their families. Dad,(aka Grampa), was the sealer so it was doubly special to be there and be taught by our father. He loves the temple and loves being there with family. He made the most of the time we had together and taught all of us by teaching Maddy and Stephen.
I am so happy for these two love-birds. They are great individuals and will be an amazing family together. I loved being there for such an inspiring day and such an important day in our large family.
My only regret is that I couldn't bring my kids along. My parents in law were saints and watched our kids because I couldn't afford tickets to take them, and Spence had to work all week. Thank you SOOO much Mom and Dad!

Christmas Day at Nana and Papa's

Nana and Papa spoiled all of us! We had amazing food all night and all day. We enjoyed being able to enjoy being together instead of crazy last minute wrapping. The cousins put on the Christmas story for us with lots of help from Papa. They also played BINGO and loved looking for Santa on-line. We love playing with family!
The kids loved getting ready for bed because that meant that Christmas would come earlier. The big surprise was that they got to see Santa on the roof top!
We heard stomping and ran outside to see big boots on the rooftop and a red suited man! They were beyond thrilled to spy Santa on the roof top.

This is Thane on a sugar push...he loves sour patch kids.
To his Daddy's thrill he also LOVES to brush his teeth.

Emma and her new apron

I had to wake Thane up to open his stocking.
We aren't used to being up by 6am like Kai.

Emma and her Papa

Emma and Steph enjoying Maya's new Rapunzel doll.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

We loved looking for Christmas lights this year! What a fun diversion for car rides.
We also loved going to zoo lights as we made it this year on a night that wasn't too rainy--just more of a drizzle...

We rode the train which the kids loved. Thane is infatuated with trains.
He loves to yell,"all aboard!"

Our goofy son got a little to excited about the train perhaps because when we came home we couldn't get him to stay in bed. At least 6 times that night he climbed out of his crib and tried to find another place to sleep--on mommy, on our bed, on the floor, etc. We checked on him after he was finally quiet, (at 11pm) so we could go to bed.

This is where we found him, with Emma in her bed--


the both of them totally out and snoring...
with Thane completely on top of her head.

Christmas Play

Emma's preschool put on their Annual Christmas Play at the Presbytirian Church. She was delighted to be picked as Mary. She started " practicing" at home weeks before she knew she would be chosen for the part. She didn't get nervous at all and sang all the songs with her usual fervor. We had a great time and appreciated all the support from family! She felt very loved.






Steph, Topher, Thane, Daddy Papa, Nana and Emmie

Before the show



Our little star.

Sac Town with the Clan

While we were in Ione for Grandma's funeral, we all drove into Sacramento to see the family's old house in Citrus Heights. We went to church and saw old friends, the High School, and the park where all the kids played.





Spence and Chris climbing up the swing set like old times...



The fam. (Jodi had to leave early that morning)



Here is a video of Thane cracking us up in the 11 hour ride both ways to CA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5Pn5kl2W4c

"Engine, Engine Number Nine"

For our trip home to OR we decided to ride the train. What a fun adventure we had!
We traveled from Havre to Portland and enjoyed ourselves, though next time I would like to have another adult with me if possible. (Spence took the 2hour flight home since he had to be home earlier.)
We ate dinner in the dining car on real plates. I ordered halibut, and Thane had mac and cheese that he loved. Emma had a bite or two of cheese pizza but mostly butter on her rolls. The waiter was so kind. He read the kids Green Eggs and Ham while we were waiting, and he had them sign his book that he reads to kids. He told them stories and played games...We were going to have ice cream for dessert but Thane threw up everything he had eaten all day. We made the fastest exit we could and thanked the kind waiter.




The monkeys loving the bunk beds we had for sleeping.
We actually slept well and enjoyed the ride in the frozen countryside.



Favorite past time on the train was playing hide and seek
in the luggage storage...






and in the lieu...



The view from our window...


The view in the hall...

They were bouncing around the train like monkeys on the vine. We made it home almost 8 hours later than we had planned but it was a fun adventure, especially for my train loving kids.
Thane finally wore out about a half-hour from home and fell asleep. We were thrilled to be home!