"IGHTS, Dada IGHTS"

This year has been really fun with Jenny.... (our other kids too.. ) but her especially.. SHE LOVES CHRISTMAS LIGHTS! Anytime we are in the car, that is what she looks for.
SO..... we did our annual trip to Temple Square. We went with our friends, "The Skeens". (Tracie and I went to High School together in California..) It was a really cold night, however, there was no wind, so it wasn't to bad. The kids always love it, and are so amazed at how many strands of lights that can go on one tree. My favorite part is looking at all the smaller nativity scenes from the different countries. It was, however, a little challenging to keep all 8 kids together. But, we stayed together and it was a lot of fun, with a lot of laughs. Oh yes, and a lot of PICTURES! The boys and Dads... complained.. quite a bit.
Family Traditions are so fun... the kids look forward to them, and so do we..
As we strolled through Temple Square, Jenny was so amazed she was SPEECHLESS, or frozen... First time she didnt constantly say..."ights dada, ights:... She loved it ...

My BFF Tracie...

Our Little Girls!

Tracie and Justin...Our Friends FOREVER

Afterwards, we went to Taco Bell for dinner... (yummy, I know) and then we came to our house and had HOT COCOA with all the fixings. Jenny obviously loved the whipped cream...

The Tree Goes UP!

We put the Christmas Tree up a couple weeks ago... A lot of begging from the kids, I finally did it. I get so mad at myself when it doesn't go up early. So I was really glad that we had it up by December 2nd. Its always a tradition at our house that we all do it together. Okay, so this year, Jurnee and I put up the tree... I put the lights on... Everyone decorated. Our tree isnt a "pretty" tree.. it is a kid friendly tree. Since Jurnee was born we have bought the kids a new Christmas Ornament each year. Depending on what they liked that year.. (i,e; Disney, barbies, cars, etc)... So our tree, I guess, Is KID FRIENDLY... There are even ornaments from when I was a little girl. Jason and I actually get ornaments each year to.. Jason has quite a few Denver Bronco's Ornaments.


Each year when it comes time to decorate the Tree the kids get so excited to get the ornaments out and see which ones they have! It is my all time favorite part! My job is to get the ornaments out and hand them to the kids.... Jason helps put the ornaments in the "High Spots", and the kids put the ornaments on the tree. In the past, I usually have to redecorate it because three ornaments get put on one limb. To my surprise this year.... THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN! They did an amazing job. OR, maybe it was that I didn't care this year. .... one or the other.

Janson.... say ChEESE!!! (Notice the mr and mrs claus hanging on the wall... my mom made these in the 70's!!! I love them... a touch of christmas from my past! )

She is Learning how fun looking at Ornaments is! Mom Is way to slow!

Jace gets excited too~

Jurn can finally help with the high ones!!

Little Jen.. She has more fun looking and playing with them... her idea of hanging is shoving it in the tree..... I guess she is only 21 months...

So, At our house, it is tradition for us, and our "charlie Brown" tree, as my mom calls it, to not use an Angel or a star, but a........

SANTA HAT!

It's Very Fitting for the tree!

THE FINISHED TREE!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!

Who Ordered This?

Who ordered all of this wet, cold, white stuff? I hate it.... shoveling, salting, and COLD COLD COLD! The kids love it though... At least the playing in it part. They, as well as every other kid, were so excited to go play out in it.. Poor little Jen.. I don't have any snow pants for her, so she just sits at the window and looks out with sad eyes....she wants to go play...

HAPPY WINTER EVERYONE!

SEE YA ALL IN THE SPRING!

(that is a running joke on our circle.. we all never see each other in the winter.... especially us........)

Weekend at Crazy Grandmas....

So..."Crazy" Grandma -aka- TRIXXXI & Grandpa Jack invited us up to there home in Heber for a Thanksgiving dinner after Thanksgiving. We went the weekend after thanksgiving.. Sounds pretty funky that we call her "Crazy" Grandma. But, truth be told, I think she named herself that! Cracks us up, because that is how the kids identify her.. (She is pretty crazy though!) We love her!
It was really fun... it was seriously like, "over the fields and through the woods, to grandmothers house we go". We went up and stayed the night... and she just cooks for us, talks our ears off.... what more can you ask for! It was great... the kids love laughing at the things she does.... We even got an extra special treat, and had Jasons Grandma there, as well..She lives maybe ten minutes from us, but we don't ever see her. So that was really fun... It was like a big slumber party. FUN FUN FUN.... (Okay, so the only thing that wasn't fun, was that Jenny did not sleep.. I don't know why! She ended up sleeping out on the floor with the kids... after Jason layed with her for a 1/2 an hour)




We told ya she is a little CRAZY!!!!

Janson, Jenny, Me, Jace, Crazy Grandma, Jurnee, and Granny Valdez!

Jason, His Crazy Mama -aka-"Trixxxi" and Granny Valdez!

Granny Valdez, Trixxxi, and Grandpa Jack! WE LOVE THEM....

Jurnee loves her CRAZY Grandma!!!!

Slacker...

I am such a slacker! It has been forever since I have posted... so I am trying to catch up tonight... all is quiet..Jason is playing xbox..kids are sleeping..... AHHHHH... I love it.

Caught....

One morning Jason and I were getting ready for the day.... and Jenny was being really quiet... I snuck around the corner to see what she was doing and look at what I found! It was so cute I had to run and get the camera!



Already scaling the counters!
Wants to be just like the big kids!
Okay, so a little help from Daddy!