A YELLOWSTONE CHRISTMAS

There is nothing like spending Christmas in Yellowstone!

Earlier today we decided this is our 10th Christmas/New Year Yellowstone Celebration! That blows my mind! I can't believe we have been lucky enough to enjoy this beautiful place for so long...it is incredible! We are having a ball and have enjoyed the approximate TWO FEET of snow that has fallen in the last 48 hours! It is amazing and gorgeous! It just keeps snowing and doesn't look like it will let up any time soon! I am in heaven!! We just need to get the rest of our gang up here and then our trip will be PERFECT!! We are here with my darling in laws and will be joined by my brother-in-law and his fun wife and their three adorable kids, who live in Dallas, on Friday! Rich's sweet grandmother is also joining us tomorrow and we can't wait to see her as well! She is a gem and we look forward to spending time her. She recently lost her best friend and husband...he passed away on December 20 and we are all missing him terribly. We are happy to provide her with some much needed TLC! We got up here Tuesday evening after a pleasant and rather calm road trip! JOHN WAS SO GOOD!! I am still in awe...he didn't sleep much but was happy and content, it was grand! (and truly a miracle!) Ruby, Kirk and Hannah were of course excellent! They have been making this trip all their lives and are quite the jolly little travelers. Thank goodness for the creation of the Nintendo ds! What a divine invention...that and good books, they kept my kids happy all day! HOORAY!! Our first morning was full of adventures in the snow and preparations for Christmas! Ruby and John bundled up to get out and play in that gorgeous snow! They couldn't get out there fast enough, they were so excited! John plopped right down in the snow while we shoveled off the back deck, it was a hoot! He LOVED everything about the snow! Kirk had a blast in the KNEE deep snow, he discovered a picnic table in the backyard and decided that it made a FINE recliner...silly boy! Rich decided that there was too much snow on the roof...so he took care of business...CHECK THIS OUT!! He was having a ball! What a workout! John was chilly and didn't last long outside so Hannah entertained him with the laptop, she found a great ELMO game for him to play, he loved it! What an awesome big sister! The next item of business...find a Christmas tree, lucky for us, all we had to do was walk out the back door and select a tree...Ruby and Rich took this task very seriously...I tagged along to document the adventure! Rich led the way since the snow was so deep...

WHAT A GOOD DADDY! "How about this one Daddy?" Our Mountain man Daddy wanted to keep looking...it didn't meet the criteria for the "Charlie Brown" tree he was looking for! We stomped through the snow for a little while and then suddenly I heard, "THIS IS THE ONE!!" I couldn't wait to see it...they were right! It was perfect! Ruby loved searching for our special Christmas tree with her Daddy. She was the perfect person for the job! She had a grand time and she even got to cut it down! GOOD WORK, WHAT A GREAT TEAM! We all had fun decorating it...and the girls thought Grandpa could use some decor as well! We love Grammy's ornaments, it was fun to get them out and decide where to put them! One was so cute, Hannah and Ruby just had to kiss it! Ruby, Grammy and John did a fabulous job! PUCKER UP RUBY! Then we had a fabulous dinner! We made swiss cheese fondue and used Grammy's new raclette grill, it was so much fun! We grilled steak and shrimp right at the table and then melted cheese on mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, and potatoes under the broiler...YUM!! What a fun and tasty meal! Grammy throws a great Christmas Eve party! THANKS GRAMMY! Everyone but John had a glorious evening...this is what he looked like ALL EVENING! (and he didn't want Santa to come anywhere near the house...all he kept saying was "NO SANTA! SANTA, EEEEECK!!") We tried to ignore him and enjoy our great meal...what a stinker! (not even a screaming toddler can keep me from a good meal!) Ruby and her sweet Grammy and Grandpa...oh she adores them! There were just two more things to do...first of all we needed to leave Santa a treat, Ruby wanted to take care of this, my she has been a very busy girl today! THANKS Ruby!

Look what Ruby and Kirk left out for Santa...He will LOVE them!

What awesome kids! Finally I wanted to get a picture of the kids in their new Christmas pajamas...but of course, John didn't want to cooperate...he thinks he is so funny! Oh well! (at least he is smiling for a change!) What a marvelous day we had together! Even though John can't go anywhere without his binky and his "banket!" Just call him Linus! We can't wait to see what to see what tomorrow has in store!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all and to all a GOODNIGHT!!

Ho Ho Ho

We had our ward Christmas Breakfast on Saturday , Rich usually works Saturday morning, so he wasn't planning on attending, in fact, he left our house early to get a jump on things at work. Just as I was loading the kids into the car to head over to the party, I got a call from our sweet bishop, who sounded FRANTIC! Santa had called in sick...was Rich available? I laughed and made a quick call. Rich is a sport, he headed right over to save the party!! We had a nice time and enjoyed a great breakfast and just as they announced that Santa was on his way, John began to scream! (I know you are all shocked!) Before Santa even made his grand entrance, MY SON WAS HYSTERICAL! It is really so embarrassing! It is rare when this child isn't screaming! Kirk thought the whole thing was a riot! He asked Santa for Pretty Ponies...the stinker! He thinks he is so funny! (so do I!) I had Ruby go before John so he could see that Santa was harmless! Ruby asked Santa for Nintendo DS games, she is such a believer, had no idea who was in that Santa Suit! Although later that day she said, "Mom, Santa's glasses look just like Daddy's!" All I could say was, "NO WAY!!" She is too cute! John was terrified but I made Hannah plop him down on Santa's knee anyway. Every toddler needs a picture with Santa, even if he is scarred for life, right? Rich tried to calm him down and said his name over and over again. Just when John was starting to relax, he turned to get another look at "Santa" and he FREAKED out...the double take was priceless, HE SCREAMED OUT LOUD, imagine a horror movie scream, I think Sister Niblett may have peed her pants! I KNOW that I am going to burn in hell...but I thought it was so funny, that I dragged him over to Santa AGAIN, just to see if he could figure this whole thing out...NOPE!! John couldn't even bring himself to look Santa in the eye! He was a mess...the whole ward enjoyed the entertainment though! I now I have some repenting to do!! I know I am a horrible Mother, don't waste your time sending me hate mail! Don't worry John, someday you will do the very same thing to YOUR kid! I hope you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS filled to the brim with family and friends! (and good food too!!) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO Heather

What a nightmare!

I have been trying to get a fun picture of the kids for a Christmas card for WEEKS!(Sometimes I wonder, WHY DO I BOTHER??) I thought for sure I would be able to do it today...CHECK this out and please as you are laughing, try and give me just a little bit of sympathy...if you don't get a Christmas card from me this year, IT IS ALL JOHN'S FAULT!! Isn't he just ADORABLE?

A date with John

Rich and I have been taking turns taking the kids out for some quality one on one time...it has been so fun! Kirk and I went out last weekend and I didn't get a photo of our night, but we had a ball. We started our night by seeing Madagascar 2 and then doing some Christmas shopping together and then finishing our date off by filling our bellies at IHOP. It was a great night! I love you Kirk! Here is picture of me and John before heading out for our date! WE WERE EXCITED! John and I got to go see Sesame Street Live together. I got such a kick out of watching him take it all in! I was in heaven! Of course we HAD to buy a souvenir and OF COURSE, John chose an ELMO doll! He didn't let go of it all night! We even had to buckle him in a seat belt on the way home! TOO CUTE! JOHN, YOU ARE A FUN DATE!! We will have to do it again sometime! I LOVE YOU PAL!

BUSTED!!

Need a good laugh? The other day, when we were walking home from school, Ruby suddenly remembered she was mad! We were chatting happily, when she suddenly scowled at me and said, "Mom! My picture from the tooth fairy is fake!!" I still am not sure if she was placing the blame on me...but she went on to say, "my friend in class was on youtube and found the same picture, that it is NOT THE REAL TOOTH FAIRY! Do you understand Mom?" I really didn't...was I in trouble here? I am not sure, maybe she thinks the actual tooth fairy ripped her off. I told her maybe the tooth fairy didn't want anyone to know what she REALLY looked like. I'm not good under pressure, what would you have done? Okay people, how many first graders surf youtube? I was laughing so hard that I thought I might pee my pants, however, I didn't want Ruby to know it! Tricky business folks! Here is Ruby's "fake tooth fairy picture!" I know, I know, it is bad, but I desperate! I was tired! I just wanted to go to bed! Don't judge me! Can I make a confession? I kind of want that wand...check it out! :)

Let the madness begin!

I know the holiday season is upon us, but for some reason we are having a tough time getting things started around here! For example, we couldn't find an evening this week when we would ALL be home to decorate our tree. How sad is that? We don't even have teenagers yet! OH MY! GOT NOG???? Anyway, we were all excited to get the tree up, so as a fam, we decided that those who could be there would help Mom decorate the tree. Hannah watched from near by but had a project she needed to get down before swim team/young womens...wednesdays are CRAZY for her! So she worked on homework and drank her egg nog while Kirk, John, Ruby and I decorated the tree. We had fun EVEN THOUGH Dad and Hannah couldn't join us. We broke out the egg nog and cranked on the Christmas tunes. I had more fun watching the kids pull out each ornament and FIGHT, I mean, debate about who it belonged to and where it was from than I did actally decorating the tree. John was fascinated with each ornament and gave almost all of them a hug and a kiss! TOO CUTE! We started in the afternoon and with all the "kid shuffling" and dinner in the way, we didn't finish until 8pm. Pretty funny! Ruby and I were the only ones left in the end. Here we are celebrating! What a project and what a beautiful tree!