christmas came and the goose got FAT!

We have had such a fun (and super busy) December!

Lily had some of her friends over for a Christmas cookie party a few days before Christmas. I made a ton of sugar and gingerbread cookies for the kids to decorate. It was such a fun little party and the cookies I decorated turned out so cute (I can't say the same for the kids').

Thanks to my cousin Alyson, I came up with the BEST and cutest neighbor gift I have ever given! Alyson gives cookie or brownie in a jar to her neighbors every year, so I took her idea and modified it. I have all this Christmas fabric, so I decided to put together brownies in a bag. I made the label and the bags (each bag seriously took me about 4 minutes to make) and put the brownie mix inside. I figured this way when all the treats people get from their neighbors run out and they want more then they can make some brownies! I thought it was a great idea and I plan on doing it every year - so if you are my neighbor, just plan on this from now on...

Scott totally outdid himself this year. This is a picture of him on Christmas Eve - he came in the house with this gift completely giddy. He wanted me open it that night.

He made me a new Santa for my collection! I LOVE collecting Santas - I think there is nothing more cheery and wonderful than Santa. And I love finding unique and wimsical ones whenever I can. See the cute little cone one in front - he made it for me; totally unasked; just because he loves me. I was so happy I actually cried!

As a side note it is super cute - it is made out of metal that he bent in a cone and used rivets to put together. He completely designed it himself. I tell ya...I am one lucky girlie!

Adam and Lily presented the Nativity to us using stick puppets that Lily made. It was perfect.

"The children are nestled all snug in their beds while visions of sugarplums dance in their heads..." The night just before we headed to bed; ready for the wonderous morning of Christmas to arrive. I love the peace and excitement of Christmas Eve night.

Christmas morning!

Lily in her Sunday best for church the next day (I made the girls matching skirts to wear to church the next day - I would have a picture of both together, but Gracie decided to have an accident in her skirt, so they ended up not matching at all that day...oh well).

Christmas was wonderful this year! I loved every minute of it. The kids were kind to each other, they were grateful and excited about what they received and more than that they were excited about what they gave each other. Scott was so thoughtful to me this year and I feel so blessed to have them all in my life. I especially feel blessed that every year we can celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I love what this season does for people. It would be nice if the spirit of the Christmas season could last all year, but it doesn't and that's okay; at least we can find goodness in each other and in mankind for a few weeks each year. Doesn't that give us hope that someday we can live like this all year? It does for me. I hope your Christmas was as nice as ours! And I hope that the new year brings peace and happiness to you all. I don't know about you, but I am pretty excited about 2011 (it will be our 10th anniversary this year; woa-hoooo).

late november

Adam is all dressed up for the Harvest Feast at school. Doesn't he look handsome!

We went to Thanksgiving at my parents' house this year. It was actually fun - I say that because usually I am so tired by the time we leave that I wish I had stayed home (tired should be translated to mean "huge headache"). With that many children it just gets really LOUD!

Here is my Dad and my brother Sam.

The "Argyle Twins" - Sam and my sister Michelle.

Davie all bundled up to go on a hike with Scott, my dad, and some of the cousins.

My sisters, Michelle, Renee, and Jen

Davie sometimes has a hard time staying asleep late at night, so I get to do this! I love holding him when he is this snuggly!

The kids LOVE playing in the snow - especially Davie; which I think is weird. Have you ever heard of a baby that likes to play in the cold snow!?

Sledding down the driveway! This is Lily, Davie and Gracie. Adam was trying to go down it like the sled was a snowboard - silly kid!

what can i say....we are a house full of silliness!

Clearly, I have not taken the time to grow up!

Adam and Lily LOVE taking pictures with the camera and since I won't let them go off on their own, I tend to be the subject in most of their pictures. I think it is fun though, it gives me a chance to be silly with the kids...and hopefully when they are grown they will remember these times more than the times I was nagging them to get their chores done!

apparently mother nature has something against my trees! boo....

A couple weeks ago on a Saturday night it started snowing. No big deal right - we live in Utah. Well, it has been an unusually warm autumn and all the leaves hadn't fallen from my two big trees lining the street. I should just tell you now that I am dork - I LOVE these trees. I feel very connected to them. Not only are they beautiful but they provide privacy to our house. Plus the kids climb them and play in their leaves during autumn. They are just great trees. Anyway, as the snow fell we didn't think much of it until we looked out the window before going to bed and one of the big branches off the neighbor's tree (the same variety) had broken off from the weight of the heavy snow and the leaves still on the branches. We kind of figured it would be inevitable that something would happen to ours - but I really hoped we would get lucky.

Then, as we lay in bed, around 11 pm we started hearing the cracking and snapping until all the of the sudden we heard a huge crrrrrack! There is went - one of major limbs of the tree. I felt sick. But knowing there was nothing that could be done I tried to sleep. Scott went out at about 2 am to shake the branches, but it didn't seem to help. The next morning we woke up to this! Branches fallen all over the neighborhood - on cars, in the middle of the street, a small limb on our roof, all over. Scott spend the morning before church helping neighbors get limbs cut up and out of the street and off roofs. It was sad.

Here are some pictures from that morning and then the next day after the sun started shining.

baby grayson

We got to meet my new nephew Grayson a couple weeks ago. He is sooooooo sweet. Lily and I just fell in love with him! Grayson is Scott's brother Darren's baby. Darren and Tia were kind enough to drive up from Provo right after a big snow storm just so I could meet Grayson!