Christmas Pictures

Here are a few pictures of Christmas morning. Unfortunately, I was sick with strep throat, & moving a little too slow (it took me two minutes instead of 30 seconds) to get from bed to the living room, so I didn't get to take pictures of the girl's when they discovered what Santa brought them. Jonathan opted to stay in bed until his sisters made him get up around 7 am. I didn't take as many pictures as I usually do, and the ones I took aren't the best, but at least we have a few pictures to remember Christmas day!

Merry Christmas!

Another year has come and gone already! It seems that the kids are growing up faster than I want them too... Jonathan will be getting his drivers permit in a few weeks, my "baby" Hannah will be baptized in 5 months, Kaitlyn will be old enough to go to stake dances in 9 months, & next year will be Emily's last year of Primary.
This year has been very good to us, and hard as well. Stephen graduated from nursing school, & I made it through my first year with degenerative joint disease. I feel very blessed to end the year mostly pain free, taking very little medicine, and starting to feel my energy return after month of fatigue.
I am thankful for all the blessings we enjoy & the time I've had to enjoy my children this year. I am grateful for the small day trips we took to This Is The Place State Park, The Little Saraha Desert, and the circus. I am thankful for our trip to Idaho, where we enjoyed time together and with extended family.
I am excited to see what 2010 brings! Merry Christmas everyone!

Angels Among Us

There is a LOT of snow on the ground here. I'm not good at judging how many inches exactly, but I know there is more than a foot out there! It has been snowing since yesterday morning & Steve is working 12 hour shifts & Jonathan is at wrestling & buried under piles of homework. Jonathan shoveled yesterday morning before heading to school, but within an hour, it piled up again.
I shouldn't shovel, it puts me at major risk for a muscle spasm or sprain. But what do you do when there is inches & inches piled up? I prayed, and Heavenly Father sent his sweet angels.
The first one is Emily's best friend, Carly Balls. She comes over in the mornings to hang out with us until school starts since her mom has to go to work. Yesterday, she shoveled the walks & driveway for me. Such a sweetheart.
It snowed so much that I had to shovel before getting the girls from school. An hour after they came home, there was more snow. Silently, without being asked, Kaitlyn shoveled so I could get to the van to go get Jonathan from school.
This morning, we woke up to more snow. Emily ate her breakfast as fast as she could, dressed & she & Carlie shoveled the walks & driveway again. (Jonathan spent all his time shoveling out the massive pile the snowplow made in our driveway)
This afternoon, lots of snow again! I was dreading shoveling again as I am stiff from yesterday still. Then I heard a knock on on the door & it was a little boy I've never seen asking if he could shovel my walk! I gave him all the spare change I could find in my purse, & he looked like I gave him a million dollars!
We can learn a lot from little children!

Jonathan's BIG revelation

It has been a tough week for Jonathan. He has learned what "busy" really means. He is on the wrestling team, debate team, & on a committee for an upcoming youth conference for our stake. Wrestling practice is everyday after school from 3-5;30 pm, except on game day, then they start at 6am. Debates are every other Friday- Saturday. Then there is homework, & Young Men... you get the picture.
Well last week was very busy for him. 2 wrestling matches back to back that lasted until 10pm, 4 essays to write, & a jaunt up to Sundance on Saturday with the stake to check the place out. Needless to say, he was busier than he has ever been in his life.... and stressed. Finally, on Saturday afternoon, he had time to write his papers. He was so exhausted & brain dead, that every sentence was "pure torture."
As he was finishing up, Steve told him to print out the paper & put it in his backpack so he would have it. "Nawwww" he said, "I'll put it on my flash drive, print it at school, why waste paper?" Steve just rolled his eyes & let it go.
Yesterday, I picked Jonathan up from practice. I love picking him up, because it is the only time of day I have to talk to him, & he usually has a lot to say. As we were chatting, he said, "I couldn't get my flash drive to work at school today & now my paper is late. great. Next time, I'll just print it at home."
Hmmm, what a great idea. It seems I heard it somewhere before, but I bet Jonathan hadn't. Teenagers & their selective hearing! I told Steve last night & he laughed. He reminded me of when Jonathan was 6 months old, & we used to feed him beets just to watch him make a face that we found hilarious. 14 years later, Jonathan still continues to entertain us!

Annie Oakley Jr.

Last Friday, Jonathan & a reluctant Kaitlyn went to our ward's annual Turkey Shoot.
"Who wants to get up early in the morning, stand in the cold, to shoot a round thingy?" was her response when Jonathan asked her to go with him.
"C'mon Kait, it'll be fun!" Jonathan said in his most convincing voice.
"I don't think so, I'd rather sleep in." Kaitlyn said.
Well, Jonathan either didn't hear her, or ignored her, & woke her up for the Turkey Shoot, reassuring her they would have fun. Kaitlyn adores her big brother, & decided if he really wanted her to go, she would.
Well, they both had a ton of fun! Kaitlyn came in 1st in her age group & brought home a frozen turkey. Her dad & papa John are very proud of her. Jonathan bragged about her win for the next two days. They are calling her Annie Oakley Jr.
Jonathan was thrilled to come in 3rd & win a box of corn dogs! It takes so little to please a 14 year old as long as food is involved.
Stephen was bummed he had to work & miss it. Next year, if he has to work, he'll schedule it as a day off.
Hannah is just very relieved to have finally figured out they aren't shooting live turkeys up there! She is still kind of worried about "Clay" the pidgeon though!