Top 7 Events of 2009 (so far)

Okay, Okay, so I haven't been the best blogger lately.  But I'm ready to start up again, and I wanted to post some of our highlights from our year so far... 

1 - Mckay and Tanner learning to ice skate with their cousins, Blake and Rachel.  We had Edwards' cousins here on and off for 2 weeks in Jan. for Ryan's wedding.  It was so fun hanging out with them!

2- New Years in St. George with the Ritchie family.  Tanner competing in the Annual Fear Factor Event.
It is hosted by Uncle Charles who seems to always have some great fear factor ideas.  This year there where three events: a disgusting drink:  a happy meal (hamburger, fries, and drink) mixed with egg nog, picking up pennies in a jar filled with 100 grasshoppers, and something with jello and toes (can't remember the details on that one). 
Here is a picture of all the grandkids with Grandpa Jim and Grandma Carolyn.  It seriously was impossible to get a good picture with 34 grandkids.  We stayed in a very full house!
3- Logan growing up!  Logan loves to feed himself and prides himself in not using a bib.   Logan's favorite toy is the toilet.  I've told the boys to make sure they put their toothbrushes up high, because Logan loves to brush his teeth using toilet water... I know I really do try to watch him close.
4- Snow caves!  Bryson, Paul and the rest of the scouts have worked on building snow caves the last couple of weeks and finally got to sleep in them this weekend.  Garrett and Tanner got to go too.  They seemed to have had a great time while I sat at home worried sick about them.


Here's Garrett getting all cozy in the snow caves.  There is no way I would ever sleep in one of those things!  
5- Sledding at Soldier Hollow.  The weather wasn't very cooperative with us the day we went, but the boys didn't seem to mind.  This is my kind of tubing!  Not much work involved.  The tow rope pulls you up and then you sled down.  After, we got to go in the lodge and drink hot chocolate.  
6- Girls trip to St. George.   I hate to admit, but the boys loved this weekend too because they got to play with their Daddy 24/7.  I had a blast!  It was fun to be a little selfish and just do girl stuff (which doesn't happen a lot at my house).  We went shopping, got pedicures, went to chick flicks, and out to eat.  And of course,  stayed up late and talked.  
7- Our biggest event was...Ryan's wedding!  My littlest brother (well, actually my tallest) got married to Karen, whom I adore.  We all went to Manti to be with them for the big day. We had so much fun getting ready for their wedding.  Of course all of us had to help put a honeymoon basket for them.  This was really fun ...something we had all been planning since the last brother was married.

Their wedding day was perfect, well except it was freezing cold!  The sun was shining though and it seriously was a picture perfect day.  The wedding breakfast was amazing with all the brothers singing to Ryan and Karen.  Then the reception that night was really fun because we got to visit with so many or our friends and family members! 

We are so happy to have Ryan and Karen living close to us now in the "love shack" - the guest house at Jim and Carolyn's house.  It is fun to have them over and play games when they aren't too busy with school.

Mischief

What do Vaseline, Vicks rub, and my expensive hair gel all have in common? 

They are all items Logan decided to put in his hair - one a day - for three days in a row.
Here is one of his masterpieces, beautiful!  Paul washed his hair three times to get all the stuff out before putting him to bed that night.  Then the next morning as I was getting ready, Logan found the Vicks and went to work.  He works quietly, I should have known that he was up to something.  I was already running late and was on my way to Costco.  So, I just left the Vicks in and combed it into place.  I spiked his hair in front and it stayed in place all day!  I even had a lady comment on how cute his hair was.  Guess I should try it more often!  

I have lots to post on Christmas, and hopefully will get to it in the next couple of days.  Ryan's wedding is coming up and we have been a little busy.

Our "Most AWESOMEST" Christmas Sweater

Paul and I went to a party at our friends the Websters, Saturday night.  We were all suppose to wear our "most awesomest" Christmas sweaters.  This is how Paul and went.  Paul's blazer was striking and my sweater was actually pretty cute with Santa on the back and Santa button's on the front.  We did a lot of searching to find just the right outfit - from DI to Savers to TJ Maxx, and in the end, we just borrowed stuff to put together our attire.
Paul and Paul's brother, Ryan were the hit of the party.  We had to get a picture because we will never see either of them in red again.  Their blood runs blue.  If you look close, Ryan even has a red dicky turtleneck (remember the movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?).

Here are some of the guys at the party. 

Here are the girls.  What a fun party!  Of course we had a white elephant exchange too which was hilarious!  Our white elephant had been regifted a couple of times, but it was pretty funny.  It was a Santa that passes gas when you pull his finger.  The boys were pretty sad to part from this one.

I'm Thankful For...

What a fun Thanksgiving!  I started a new little tradition this year and put five popcorn kernels on everyone's plate.   We then went around the table before we ate and everyone had to say five things they were grateful for.  Of course, all by boys were a little silly about the whole thing.   But I enjoyed doing it and hope and this tradition sticks.  Here are five things I am thankful for:

1)  For my sweet little Logan, and how he simply adores me.  Sometimes he can adore me more than I like, but I know that soon he will not want to cuddle with me all the time and I will miss that. 

2)  For my wonderful husband who was such a help to me getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner.  
3)  For good friends who are always there for us and make yummy pies.
4)  I am thankful for all my boys that can't think of anything else to be thankful for besides BYU (even after the horrible BYU/Utah game).

5)  For my wonderful parents - it as been so fun to have them around again and I loved not being totally in charge of dinner this year.  Mom cooked an amazing turkey, stuffing, and rolls.  

Now on to Christmas, I am ready...(not really) but, bring it on!

Turkey Time

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa, we had a really fun FHE this week.  They brought all the supplies to make pinecone turkeys.  The boys had a great time making their turkeys...



Gobble, gobble!  Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Mommy's little helper...

In the mist of science projects for two boys and trying to clean up dinner, this is where I found my little helper.  It turned out to be a great place to keep him for awhile, he was totally entertained.  Its amazing what I let my kids get away with sometimes for a few minutes of sanity. 

Talking about sanity time, I had a fun girls night out this weekend and went to see TWILIGHT. It was great!  I was surprisingly pleased with the movie and can't wait to get back to reading the series.  You've got to see it!

I looked out the window at what did I see...

We have had a little friendly dispute this football season with our neighbors who are huge Ute fans.  They have had a Ute flag hanging up every game day off their back porch so it is framed perfectly in our family room window.  Needless to say, this does not settle well with our boys.   Garrett has left numerous letters for our friends at their door and Bryson has thrown water balloons at their flag.
So, on the biggest duel of the season, we both went all out.  Paul and I stayed up until 1:oo a.m. decorating our neighbor's home.  It was awesome!  My favorite was the poster I made for the front door that had a big "Y" and said "Y fans live here".  There was blue everywhere - spray painted grass, duct tape Y's on everything, sidewalk chalk, Y stakes all in their yard, and a big sign on their garage door.  I made Paul go take the camera out early Saturday morning, but they had already taken everything down, and this is what we found at our house.
I told Paul I woke up with butterflies in my stomach for the game.  We were asked to host a Elder's Quorom party at our house to watch the game.  So while all the Elder's watched the game downstairs, my parents, Ryan and Karen, and the boys and I watched it upstairs.  We had a really fun party, but were all greatly disappointed.  My boys were very upset.  Bryson doesn't want to go to school on Monday and face all of his peers.  Garrett wanted to rip all of his BYU t-shirts and told me he doesn't want to go to BYU anymore.  The saying, "Its just a game"  doesn't work at our house.