Blue Cougs n Ham: January 2011

Monday, January 10, 2011

A New Year

We celebrated New Year's Eve with my parents and my younger brother and his family. I was so happy they could all make the trek out. Here's a few pictures of our New Year's Eve tradition - a fondue party. First cheese fondue(I finally found a recipe that I love that involves no alcohol), followed by a chocolate fondue. It is fun to stand around the fondue pot and chit chat about the year past and the plans for the year coming.

Notice Mason's legs down there on the floor. I'm not sure what he was doing, but apparently we aren't too concerned.

Drew is not afraid to get covered in chocolate. Easton is playing with our after meal entertainment. Ever played Pit with eight people? So much fun! Definitely not for the faint of heart.

Happy New Year!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

A Merry Christmas

Christmas was sweet this year. We just enjoyed. It was time to be together. To romp in snow, to play in our PJs all day, and most importantly to dwell on the Savior Jesus Christ. We have come to really value Christmas at home.

I can only imagine what thoughts were going through Easton's mind as we stuffed and zipped him into his snow bibs, coat, and boots. He did enjoy the snow. It was our first real snow of the year, so it was Easton's first time that he was big enough to really go out and play.

On Dec.23rd all dreams of a white Christmas were granted. The kids had fun with this pic!

Christmas Eve PJs.

Preparing for Santa.

These next ones are from Christmas morning. After presents was our big Christmas breakfast which includes waffles with strawberries and whipped cream (and a whole lot of bacon). Then a day spent playing with new toys. Santa brought a Wii this year, so we all got a chance with the new toys.

Growing up, after all the presents were unwrapped the kids got in the pile of wrapping paper and a picture was taken, the tradition lives on.

Stories to Share

I wanted a little space to share funny everyday happenings. So this is it ---

Dec. 3, '11 -- John Deere Water Chile had invited the John Deere Financial Chile employees and families to join them for their Holiday celebration. We traveled to the event which was about a 45 minute drive to a place we had never been to before. We took several detours prior to arriving and it was this day that Easton began to say "RECALCULATING". Sounds funny come from him instead of from Hailey, which is the name of the female voice on the GPS.

Nov. 14, '11 -- After arriving in Santiago and a long flight on Sunday, we were trying to get settled in our new home. We went to the grocery store to get the necessities and upon our return Easton declared the following. "I am not getting out of the car. this is not my house."

Sep. 21, '08 -- Then tonight we sat down and Mason announced that Mark needed to be president so that he could get all the candy he wanted for free. Priorities, priorities, priorities.

Aug. 12, '08 -- Yesterday I was doing laundry, seperating the clothes, and as I was checking pockets I pulled out a little stone from Drew's pants. This is one of my favorite things to pull out of my kids pants. I am always amazed and awed by my children. They find happiness in the things that I pass by everyday and fail to notice. The little things in life count and as I pull those rocks out of my kids pockets I am reminded just how much joy there is to find in this life. Thank you to my children and the inspiration they give me!

Jun. 19, '08 -- So I was upstairs and I heard Dallin and Drew go out into the garage. I went out there and they were playing in the car. I told them to get out and come inside. I then proceeded to tell them that the car was not a toy and to not go out there and play. Dallin looks at me and says, " Mom, it's a "TOY"ota Sienna, with a huge emphasis on the toy part. Really, a six year old should not be able to come up with that kind of comeback. I just laughed....

You had to have seen the Disney movie Cars to really appreciate this. So I'm running into the grocery store with the kids and as I am about to go inside Dallin and Drew stop and start pointing to something, while jumping up and down, laughing, and screaming "Fred! Mom it's Fred! Fred!" A couple of seconds later this large Ford Bronco that obviously weathered MANY Iowa winters and salt on the roads drives by. It is rusted all over, the place above the wheels no longer exists due to all the rust eating it away. The men in the Bronco had their windows down and just waved at the boys. I'm not sure they had any idea why my kids were so excited to see their car. I just laughed out loud! (Fred happens to be an extremely rusty car that is one of the main character's fans)