A Wonderful Christmas Day!

The big picture is the middle is the boys waiting to see what Santa brought them! So exciting!

**Pix are a bit small....double click (mom this is for you!) to see them larger**
The boys were so appreciative of all their gifts. It took us a long time to open them.....not because we had a ton to unwrap.....because they wanted to look and play with each one they got. It was so fun. They wanted to let it last forever! This year the boys used their own money to purchase gifts for one another. They had the best time shopping for each other. It was nice to see them thinking and planning carefully for the perfect gift.

From Santa!

This is what that boys woke up to from Santa! Keaton got a blue MP3 player and some beef jerky.

Talon got an awesome Nerf gun with extra bullets and a gum-ball machine that he is crazy about.
Carter got Star Wars underwear and a dinosaur Pillow Pet.

The boys were so excited to wake up on Christmas morning. Talon was a bit worried that he might only get coal this year but was pleasantly surprised to see he got what he wanted!

Some Christmas Eve pictures

After the boys went to bed on Christmas Eve I was walking around the house looking at some of the Christmas decorations that we put out and just spent time thinking of the great memories we have from them. My village pieces have mostly come from my mom over the years. She picked out some great ones and it has made my village so darling. This year I put it on the fireplace and I love how it turned out.

Talon made and taped up a picture for Santa. He wanted him to know that he it trying to be good!

The nutcrackers are mostly Keaton's. When he helps out as an elf at G&G Nelson's he gets to choose one at the end of the night. He also got to purchase a large one and a small one at the Nutcracker this year (G-pa gave him $20 dollars to spend). His Nana takes the grand kids to see it when they turn 10. He had such a great time!

Talon had to make good on his promise to leave out a Jamba juice this year. When he saw Santa he was told that he gets to many cookies and would like something healthy! Talon was determined to help Santa get his wish. He went earlier in the day with his Daddy to get one to put out later. What a sweet boy. I love my pretty tree. Each year I pick up a new pack of ornaments to replace an older set. We have the best tree downstairs though. It has all of the homemade ornaments on it. I also get the boys a new ornament each year that suits them. My little elf is from my Aunt that I have had for years it is just something that I love to put out each year....it makes me happy! And............someone is sleeping on the job and it is not me! Poor hubby is still tuckered out from his Korea trip!

Christmas Eve

Rick telling the story of Christ's birth to the boys.

After the scripture stories he always reads his childhood book The Night Before Christmas.

The kiddo's sporting their new Christmas jammies. We also have a tradition of getting a new game to play as a family. This year we got the Ultimate Connect Four game. We had so much fun! Talon wasn't feeling well so he was able to get right to bed. Carter kept looking out his window and saying "Santa where are you, are you coming". Keaton was restless and didn't get to bed until 11ish!

A visit from Grandpa

The day after Keaton's B-day my dad stopped by to visit. He had some dinner with us and brought over some yummy treats.

It took me awhile to get a photo of the boys with my dad. They were all full of energy and wouldn't hold still. Silly boys!

Talon's Winter Sing at school

Carter was so excited to sit in Talon's "school chair". He is looking forward to attending when he gets old enough. Talon was proud to show us how well he cleaned his desk out for the holidays.

Talons class along with his teacher. They put on a good performance for all the parents!
Talon singing his little heart out. He loves to sing!
What a handsome little guy.

Halloween

All of the cousins having a great time trick-or-treating

Carter with his cute Nanna.....we all met up at G and G Nelson's for a yummy dinner and some Halloween fun!

Talon enjoying his ice cream sandwich from his Uncle Garrett. Yummo!

Halloween fun 2010

We had quite the rain storm, just as it was time to go out trick-or-treating. The only picture that turned out of the boys is below. Keaton dressed as a ninja, Talon as a mummy, and Carter as a pirate. They had so much fun even though it rained.The rainbow appeared about 45 min into trick-or-treating, it continued to get brighter and brighter.....it was quite the site.

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The boy's have so much fun creating pumpkins each year. This year Carter decided he wanted to paint his. Talon wanted to use all types of tools, and Keaton decided to use a pineapple top for hair on his. I think they all did a great job! I made one that looked like a pirate....including a patch but somehow I didn't get a picture and tonight when we came home it had been thrown out it the street and ruined : (

Just can't get enough of this sweet boy!

Now that the older boy's are back in school Carter and I have had lots of time to spend together. He is such a good natured little boy. I just can't get enough of him. I love him to bits. He is such a happy, sweet, and silly little guy. I am so blessed to have him in my life.
What a cute little guy : )

Keaton's scout project

Keaton had a little scout project that required a bit of my help. He got to photograph something that would show beginning to end. This is what he came up with. I don't have the finished project but you get the idea. It was fun to help him out.

Feeling NOT SO pretty!

Welp.....just a little ramble session. So yesterday I ran my 1st 5k. It was fun, all went well. My time was 31.20 not to shabby for the 1st try. BUT.....later in the day I took a little snooze with Carter. When I woke up I needed eye drops for my dry contact eyes......I used my moms.....only it ended up not being eye drops, it was contact cleaner!!!! I flushed the ol' eyeballs the best I could and got my contacts out, almost killing my left eye in the process! Fast forward to today.....my left eye still feels funky, it keeps running HOW LOVELY!!! Then........I left my make up at my moms house. So, today was church (no I didn't go with a weepy eye and without make up) and last night my little sis reminded my it was stake conf. Anyway I thought I was in the clear not having to find a sub for my nursery calling. Later in the day little sis called to say it was not conf. after all. She had the dates mixed up. Oh my sakes.....sorry nursery ladies.....didn't show up for you all today : ( No worries little sis, I will forgive you.....things happen!!!

Anyway, now that I have rambled on.....I am feeling NOT SO pretty today!

(I am going to have to buy some make up tomorrow cuz I don't want to drive to/from my moms anytime soon, life is to busy to fit one more drive in)

The fence!

This summer we decided it was time to paint the fence.....oh my goodness......we didn't know what we were in for!!! The wood was so dry that the minute we put anything on it, it would soak right up. A neighbor told us it would take about 5-6 cans to take care of the job NO WAY was it 5-6 cans.........It took 24 cans to do the job!!!!

My parents came over to help the first day. We thought we could get it all done in a day with 4 people working on the job. Nope.....Rick and I had to put in another full day on top of that. We worked well as a team and got the job done nicely though. I have since found some areas that need to be touched up but other than that it looks so much nicer. Yeah!!!

Rick is the type of person that likes to complete a job start to finish no matter what it takes. He is good for me....I start many many projects and seem to have lots to finish up on any given day. Well, hopefully we won't need to work so hard next time the fence needs painting since it got a fresh new coat : )

Ahhhhhhhhh so pretty now. Love it!

Wrestle Mania

Wrestling around our house is constant. The boys pile on each other and wrestle like crazy dudes....pretty much until someone gets hurt. Carter acts like he is just as big as the other boys. When the boys got home from school they noticed Carter had on a blue shirt with grey bottoms so when the changed from their school clothes they put on matching outfits.

Carter just did a dive bomb!

Loads of fun!

Now that school has started they miss each other so much. They get excited to hang out with each other.

1st Day of school......

Here are the cute little buggers right before heading out for school. They were both so excited!

Had to get a back pack shot.

Oh, so grown up! Keaton started 4th grade and Talon started 1st. I can't believe it!!! Love the smiles in this picture.

Keaton is such a handsome dude : ) He is in a portable again this year and lovin' it! He has already started reading the 3rd Harry Potter book so he can be well on his way for AR points. He has such a joy for reading.

Here is Talon with his teacher. He is so happy to have his own desk this year. I am sooooooo loving that he only has 17 students in his class. Private school is the right fit for him.....couldn't ask for more! We are also car pooling with the same girl that we did last year, the two of them are crack ups together. (driving round trip for his school is 50 minutes......so happy to car pool!!!)

Run run as fast as you can...........well I am not the gingerbread man but I am making progress!

Well, if you know me at all you know that I was never a runner......never thought I would run.....didn't think I could or would like to run or even try to run. Running was pretty much a swear word in my book I think?!? Well I am here to say that by darn I can do it and have been doing it! My goal was to be able to run a 5k by my B-day. I won't be running it until a few days after my B-day but I have already reached my goal this month and I have been going 1.2 miles over my goal distance (I have been consistant @ 4.2 miles). And............I think I can say that I am starting to like running. Wow, me...........how can that be? I think it is mid life crisis kicking in or something LOL

I know that I have some runner friends out there.....what are some pointers you can give me to help me get even better and enjoy it even more? I would love some input : )

Ohhhhhh they will so not like me for this one day!

Check out or heels! We can walk like nobodys business!

The other day I took my niece out to the movies with my older boys. Carter got to stay back and play at his "bestest" cousins house. My sis was able to capture the little guys all fancied up in high heels! Ohhhhhhhhh one day they will not like me for posting this!

Cabin fun....

Last month we went to our family cabin in Brighton......we had so much fun. My Dad came up for the day and made us some yummy steaks for dinner. My bro. in law was up for one night and my sis and I along with our kiddo's stayed 2 nights. The kids had so much fun with sticks, a little stream that runs in front of the cabin and the little guys looooooooved the dirt.
I brought up some bubbles and that kept them busy for a short time....then off to explore they went once again.

The kids all helped G-pa husk some corn for our dinner.

Talon was collecting sticks to battle with. He had quite the collection in his belt loops.

Ooooooooooo so clean! My dad couldn't believe how dirty all the kids got! They sure had fun getting that way : )

Best little cousin's ever. I think most of their dirt came from one another. They thought it was so fun to wipe each other (maybe they were painting themselves for battle??) Little stinkers.

Here is Carter before (my dad suggested to bath the kids in a bucket of water he brought up.....the cabin doesn't have water so we bring it all in)

And..............after! Ooooooooooo much better.

When we dumped the bucket it had about 1 1/2" of dirt in the bottom of it. They were all grubby little monsters!

* We took a little walk, made smores, roasted hot dogs, the kids explored the area, Amber and I spiffed up the cabin and we had the chance to visit in between taking care of the kiddo's. The last night was a bit crazy.....Carter woke up in the middle of the night puking.....that was not fun.....it lasted for a few hours.....he and I didn't get much sleep that night. Two of Amber's kids had a hard time sleeping that night also......needless to say we didn't get a whole lot of sleep!*

Yum....snow cones

The other day we were leaving from work and a snow cone machine was outside..........oh, who can pass up a snow cone machine? Not I! So, we all sat on a bench and had a yummy treat before heading home. I scored big time mommy points that day : )

Look at Carter's face...........he spotted me taking their picture and gave me a dirty look. He he!

Keaton had sour pink lemonade, the little guys each had bubble gum and I had my ol' stand by pina colada. Delicious it was!