The start of a New Year

Pictures by my talented, sweet friend, Amanda. 

I can't believe 2014 is almost a month in! Things have been so busy and unfortunately I have worked on posts for my blog and my computer has been acting crazy so it's continually not publishing but rather, deleting my posts. Frustrating!

In review of last year: WOW! We did a lot. Infant, family visiting, visiting family, multiple weddings, camping trips, changing schools, starting Kindergarten, getting glasses, getting baptized, hatching chicks.... the list goes on and on and on. It was a fun and very full year.

The kids had fun digging up our time capsule from last year. It was covered in dirt and little worms but everything inside was dry and safe and exciting. Braxton and Adelle each grew 2 inches since last January and Emmett grew 3 whole inches. My kids are growing up so fast it's a proven fact! We recognized some goals we accomplished; reading more books, learning a song on the piano, and some that we still are working on.

We are dedicated to our goals this year with lots of things to look forward to. Lots of reading goals, musical goals, physical goals...

I have made a goal to have 10 different families to dinner in our home this year. One of my favorite things to do and something that has been neglected for the past while for no reason except that it wasn't really in my radar.

One of Jeff's goals is to learn to play the guitar. For Christmas I gifted him with online guitar lessons. It was a Groupon, first and only Groupon I have purchased, and it is turning out to be pure awesomeness. He has had two lessons and can already play Amazing Grace like nobodies business. Now he is teaching it to Braxton and Adelle which I think is the coolest thing ever! 

I have re-dedicated myself to my school work for my Nutrition degree and am super stoked about it. I've already studied more than I did all November and December combined so I am feeling it in my bones. Also, recognizing that this year is a new season for me, not having a newborn makes studying a tad easier. Working on balance, again, and striving to maintain simplicity. Making time for self care this year too instead of seeing it as a mere bonus if it happened. 

In anticipation of 2014: WOW! Lots of change in the horizon. We are excited and ready for whatever comes our way!

Utah

After Christmas we flew to Utah to be with the Jeff's whole side of the family. It was wonderfully simple and simply wonderful.

All of Jeff's siblings were able to be there with their spouses and families and that hasn't happened for a while. Jeff's mom was super accommodating of everyone. We all had our own room and space in the bathroom. There was lots of time spent eating good food and playing games or watching movies together.

The best quote ever is when we were getting ready to go to the airport and Emmett asked his dad, "So, dad, who is going to drive the plane? You or Mom?"

So classic M, right there.

 The trip was broken up into mini rides in different vehicles. Keeping everything fun and fresh. We started in the truck and drove to Seattle. Once is Seattle we parked the truck at a park and ride and got on a shuttle. Here are the kids on the shuttle. These kids just love stuff like shuttles with no seat belts.

After we made it safe and soundly through security we waited at our gate to board. We were all preoccupied with sandwiches and apple sauces that we didn't notice Ryan walking up to us. We were pretty excited when we did see him! Ryan had been serving in the military in South Korea. He surprised us by being on the same flight to Utah. The kids were so happy!

And can I just say that the kids were rock star travelers! We flew because we knew we were going so we saved and bought our tickets early with our points we have been earning with our air mile card. We didn't want to risk the passes driving there and we wanted to make the most of our time there. We usually drive and that has it's pros and cons but the plane was super fun and the kids loved it. Even Gage did great, no hurting ears, no motion sickness... just pure fun and excitement!

The flight was a mere hour and it was awesome. I sat on one side of the aisle with Adelle and Emmett and Braxton was on the other side with Jeff and Ryan. Gage was back and forth between Jeff and I. He had ants in his pants most of the flight.

When we got into Salt Lake the whole gang was there to meet us. We divided up and hopped into cars to go to dinner. Adelle and I rode with Gabriel in her mini van with her 4 littles.

Adelle of course noticed the sunset and asked for my phone to take a picture out the car window.

The week was spent just hanging out and being together. Adelle loved baby Gracie.

 Gage was really into Gracie too, more curious I think.

Lot's of cousin time. Painting, playing; makeup, school, football, in the snow....

I love this picture of Emmett. Just so happy. Taitum was sitting right by him until I grabbed my phone to take a picture. 

There was lots of football watching and game playing.

One on particular day Jeff and I took our kids and ventured out for a bit. We went to Provo and showed the kids our old stomping grounds. We took them into Ruby River, the steakhouse where I worked, and had lunch. Going there is really nostalgic for me. I love the memories it brings back. Crazy how long ago that was! I had fun telling the kids about the things that I did at my job. When I told them how much pop I drank Adelle was like, "okay, I want to work in a restaurant when I grow up!" It was pretty funny. 

After lunch we took the kids to a park and played. It was so beautiful there. Blue skies and sunny but still cold. Nice, dry, cold.

 We drove them past the Provo Temple.

On another day we drove up a mountain pass with Andrew and Rachel to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Ashmore. It was nice to visit with them and for the kids to meet them, or see them again, depending on the kid ;)

I didn't take many pictures unfortunately but I did have Rachel get one of the 6 of us with Grandma and Grandpa. 

More just hanging out.

Braxton being silly and sitting in Gage's booster seat.

 After a whole week it was time to come home. Here are the kids at the Salt Lake Airport while Jeff and I were checking in our luggage. They are so cute.

 Here is Gagey on my lap dipping his cracker into hummus on the plane. Such a preppy little flyer. He does love his hummus, that's for sure!

I see many more flights in our future ;) 

Christmas 2013

The thought of blogging about Christmas is exhausting to me. So I'm not going to go there, really. I'm just going to say, "Christmas was Awesome;
The kids slept in
They were thrilled
We didn't go crazy on gifts
The homemade Bows Jeff made were the hit!!
Santa Came and delivered
We chilled
We made loads of popcorn with special flavors for special people
We went out to the Bay
Santa came and surprised us! (some of us sat on Santa's lap, some of us didn't, that's all I'm sayin')
We ate delicious prime rib and all the fixins
We were surrounded with family, food, and fun
It was relaxing
The weather was beautiful so we were outside
We were spoiled
We played games
We went home at bedtime
It was perfect!

Christmas Eve

 Christmas Eve was crazy, busy, fun!

 In the morning we worked on finishing our candy cane bath salts.

 After lunch we went into Bellingham and took the kids to see Frozen with family. 

Then we came home to get ready for the evenings festivities. 

Jeff and I hosted our 2nd Annual Christmas Eve. It was awesome! I made homemade pizza and pumpkin pie. Jess helped me while Brent and Jeff ran last minute Santa errands. 

We had over Bryce, Brent and Jess, Lesha and her kids, and my mom and dad. It was a full house. Lots of love! 

And.. for the record there was even extra pizza! I was prepared and made extra for this crowd!!

 After dinner we enjoyed a fun game of Headbandz that we were gifted by our friends. It was so fun for the whole family. Emmett had us all laughing with his blatant, obvious clues! 

 Adelle also was a bit of a cheater at this game. She is funny that way. Very sweet and innocent and yet a little sly.

 Gage was the life of the party!

 Cheese! 

 The pumpkin pie was a hit. I had to finish off the second pie after everyone left because Gage ate my piece. 

 That night the kids opened their jammies. I try and coordinate the Christmas Eve jammies. This year it was by color, I guess. It's a bit of a stretch but I got 3 of them 2nd hand which was awesome because they were brand new so I couldn't pass them up. 

 This picture just cracks me up. What is Braxton doing and where did he learn it? How did he get so grown up all of a sudden?

 Once in pj's we read the story of the Birth of Christ in Luke and then we acted it out with the Nativity. This is one of my favorite traditions. I was touched when Jeff grabbed my phone and started taking pictures of me reading the scriptures with the kids all around me, looking on. He never grabs the camera and takes pictures like that. Well, as you notice there are no such pictures posted. Come to find out he was taking pictures of my cleavage. Mrs. Claus still has it goin' on I guess. lol!

 After the scriptures Jeff always reads the kids Twas the Night Before Christmas. It's only read one night a year in our home and the kids always look forward to it. It's such a magical story.

 This is the box of gifts all finished and ready for the kids to hand out on Christmas. Peppermint Bath Salts and Homemade Vanilla Extract and Elderberry Syrup.

And last but not least the glorious tree, after Santa came of course.

A pink guitar, per Adelle's only request.

A Harry Potter Lego game. Mrs. Claus picked out for Brax and was a hit.

A Plane ride on push thingie for Gagey

A Lightning McQueen suitcase filled with Lightning McQueen character cars for Emmett.