One Christmas Tradition

Every December our family has been to Joel Sanda's house to look at his train displays. In his displays he hides five monkeys and the kids love to try to beat each other to find them. He also changes the room theme each year. Can you try to guess what this years theme is? We had a great time there. This time wasn't as busy so we were able to spend more time looking. After the trains we went out to eat at Olive Garden. Then we went to watch the houses with the lighted music displays.

A little tid bit about Christmas

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? wrapping paper
2. Real tree or Artificial? love real, have artificial
3. When do you put up the tree? Either the day before thanksgiving or day after
4. When do you take the tree down? when the kids are back in school
5. Do you like eggnog? yuck! no
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Can't remember the gift,but I remember the way it was wraped.(it was done by the store, pink with a big shiny snowflake)
7. Hardest person to buy for? Parents
8. Easiest person to buy for? kidos
9. Do you have a nativity scene? yes
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? mail.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A belt and a penny bank when I was a kid.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Hard one! (Sad the christmas shoes)(funny christmas lampoons)(classic it's a wonderful life)there is too many to pick from.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? October
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? yes
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? All the goodies
16. Lights on the tree? yes, LOTS!
17. Favorite Christmas song? too many to mention
18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? small kids at home, big kids travel
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? yes
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? star
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Peoples attitude
23. What theme or color are you using? Red,Green,Gold
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham,mashed taters,salads,rolls
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? to see my kids happy faces christmas morning.(Thats the best for me)

Lesson's anyone!!!!

Swimming lessons went by so fast, the kids really enjoyed this year's class. Hunter we could tell is getting really comfortable with water and Maysa is right behind him.

Maysa's letter

After returning home from school today Maysa went and gathered the mail for me. In the pile of mail she came across a letter for her. When seeing the letter she started to blush and got a little embarrassed. Hopefully she realizes it's a little crush and doesn't let it go to her head!!!

Halloween

This year for Halloween our kids did not want to dress up. Hunter didn't even want to go trick-R-treating. So after convincing Hunter to go to Shad's work spook alley, he was kinda of in the halloween mood. On Halloween day Shad and the kids went to go pick up Papa to collect a bag full of candy and yes not dressed up(sad I know).

Something to Post about!

Here are the rules...
1. Post the rules on your blog:
2. Answer the six "8" items
3. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
8 Favorite TV shows:
1.Mentalist
2.CNN
3.Sunny in Philadelphia
4.Grey's Anatomy
5.fringe
6.
7.
8.We don't watch that much t.v.

8 Things I did Yesterday:
1.Got out of bed
2.Cleaned upstairs
3.Started a batch of laundry
4.Went to a church meeting
5.Shopped with Shad
6.Made Dinner
7.Ironed clothes
8.Watched Indiana Jones movie with Shad.

8 Things I look forward to:
1.The future
2.Summer
3.The coming holiday's
4.Seeing my kids get married in the temple
5.Hunter going on his mission
6.Traveling with Shad
7.Seeing Maysa in her prom dresses
8.Seeing my kids graduation

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1.Blue Hashi
2.California pizza
3.Puerto Vallarta
4.Sol Rio
5.Famous Dave's
6.Joe's Crab Shack
7.Garcia's house
8.Anywhere new.

8 Things on my wish list:
1.To get Healthy and Stay healthy
2.To really know the scriptures
3.To do more activities with Family
4.Travel more
5.For once have a awesome President of USA.
6.To go to the beach at least twice a year.
7.To have a fresh bouquet flowers everyday
8.To never snow except on Christmas day.

What Hunter thinks of his mom

1. What does your mom always say to you- She says make your bed every morning.
2. What make mom happy?- talking on the phone
3. What makes mom sad?- When there is arguing
4. How does mom make you laugh?- When she tells me jokes
5. How old is mom?- how old is dad,oh come on don't write that 33
6. How tall is mom?- 5ft.and 8 in.
7.What does mom like to do? She likes to be on the computer
8. What is mom's job? working at the temple
9. What is mom's favorite food? fish
10. How do you know mom loves you?because she tells me everyday and also it's like a natural thing that mom's love their kids.

What Maysa thinks of her mom

1. What does your mom always tell you to do- clean my room
2. What makes mom happy- When I do what I'm asked to do the first time
3. What makes mom sad- When I tell her something she doesn't like to hear
4. How does mom make you laugh- When You say something funny
5. How old is mom- 31 Is that your real age?
6. How tall is mom- stand up Hmm 4 ft.
7. What does mom like to do- eat junk food
8. What's mom's job- working at the temple
9. What's mom's favorite food- vegetables cause your a vegetarian
10. How do you know your mom loves you?- before I go to school she tells me every morning.

West Yellowstone

Since the weather was not going to be the best this holiday weekend we thought a drive would be good because you are in the car most of the time. Just before the entrance there is a mountain which fresh water always flows from called Howard Springs. We stopped and got a drink (it has always been a tradition to stop as a family since I was a young girl). We browsed through some stores; the kids had to find that special souvenir. We then grabbed some lunch through a drive thru. Shad managed to grab the drinks and straws then drove off with out the food so we had to go back in the restaurant to grab the food. We entered the park and within just a few miles we came upon a huge herd of elk. The kids were just walking around in awe because they were able to get out of the car and see them up close eating and walking around. We headed up to see Mammoth Springs (a direction I've never been to)The scenery was beautiful! I did manage to take a few dead tree pictures for ya Jen. I think that your tree is still the best though. I never really started noticing dead trees until after you started talking about them. We stopped to see the petrified tree, and there were three moose. There was a bull, a mom(don't know what the females are called)and a baby. It was an awesome site and beautiful to watch. We saw a gorgeous waterfall; took in some great scenery; and had a great time as a family!

Chuckars game

Shad and the kids at the Chuckars game... The kids love going to the baseball games. Both of them ran around the field with the other kids after the game, which also had a big fireworks display for the last game of the season. The food of course licorice,ice cream,popcorn,hotdogs,and so forth which they all enjoy.

The First Night

Our family has a very structured household during the school season such as bed times, prayer, and scripture reading with the family. We also have after school activities such as swimming lessons, gymnastics (or whatever they choose for the year), and church activities. The hardest rule is no electronic/computer games until Friday. You can imagine that when summer comes the kids are in heaven; but about three weeks before school starts, the kids actually want it here. With school starting tomorrow, we started our schedule up again. It was just the first night, so of course everything went smooth. After we were done reading, the kids started their bed time routine. I started to have a memory of my childhood of that first night before school, setting my new goals for the new year to start it off right: better penmanship, being and making good friends, good decisions, and of course praying for a nice teacher. Tonight while I was getting the kid's clothes ironed and everything out and organized, I passed my daughters room and saw her saying her personal prayers. I listened for just a moment to her needs and wants for the upcoming school year. Each year when my children begin school I have mixed emotions of joy and sadness because for me, it means that they are getting older.

A slide from the past!

My sisters should remember this slide. It's at our uncle's cabin. The slide, if I remember right is 100ft. long. When we got there Hunter and Maysa both said "wow that's a big slide". They ended up going down the small one first. Maysa was the first to go down the big one. She loved it, so she went up the mountain again. The second time she came down she actually fell on her stomach(Ouch). Hunter went down and loved it so he went on it again as well. The second time he was a little more cautious though.

A Qwest night out

Saturday night was employee night at Tautphaus park. We were given tickets to see the zoo, go on some rides, and of course some food was catered. They also had a band there to give off some tunes to enjoy. In some of the ride pictures you'll see Maysa is not smiling so much("there is not enough thrilling rides there" she put it). We had a great time, and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. Oh and by the way for those of you who know Shad YES, he did get some ice cream on his shirt.