The Christmas Storm

We got so much snow on Christmas night, we ended up getting snowed in at Grandma Telfords, which was fun to sleep over with our cousins. the mailbox barely sticking out of the snow.

The kids picknic table is under there, I forgot/didnt put it away for winter.

The swing set is almost totally, well half buried, that was A LOT of snow!

We had a big Christmas dinner, lots of presents, and tons of games and movies. It was fun to visit with everyone and spend time together as a family. Braden (Aprils boy)

Justin not sharing, he carried Mack around all day just in case Braden tried to get it, I dont think he ever played with it!

Claire Bear

Once we did get home the day after Christmas we packed up and went to Washington for our Nielson Christmas. What a wonderful season we have had. I realized how blessed our family is, we have so much to be grateful for, not only our tangible things but also our good health and happy life. I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and that He was born in such humble circumstances and that He was willing to give us all so much, even His on life. We are truly blessed.

Christmas Presents

Here are the kids Christmas morning, they were all pleasantly surprised I think. Justin woke up about 5:00 to go to the bathroom and got distracted on the way. When he came in our room he said "somethings out there" meaning their presents. I told him he could play with his train but don't open any others. The girls were still sleeping, and they slept until just before 7:00. They woke us all up and we went out to open everything. Justin had dumped out his stocking and Emma's, Emma kept telling me that there was only one thing in her stocking (an orange). I told her no there was more and she said "I know why there is only one thing in my stocking Mom, it is because I was naughty." Poor Emma, I put all of her stuff back in her stocking and showed her that she did get something in her stocking! Crazy girl!
Claire got some stacking rings

Justin and his Thomas tracks, so fun!

Emma and her barbie car, she said "Mom I really wanted a barbie bed, but I am not going to cry" (The barbie bed didn't make it in time for Christmas it was still coming in the mail)

Ashley and Chad from HSM 3 she also got the sound track that she jammed out to all morning!

The sleepy Santas!

Christmas Eve PJ's

Everyone got to open one present on Christmas Eve. Claire got barbie pj's, Justin got alligators, Emma Tinker Bell, and Ashley High School Musical. Ryan and I even got a pair, it is so exciting to open one present early, the kids could hardly stand it!

We spent Christmas Eve day at Grandma Telfords with lots of cousins to play with. We played games and ate yummy mexican food that Aunt Paige made for us all. It was a fun evening, we of course left super late and drove home in a BLIZZARD then we had a long night of "helping Santa" We got in bed about 1:30 we woke up Christmas morning to about 13 inches of new snow! It was a fun Christmas Eve.

Bedtime fun

I got this super cool bubble blowing gun at the grocery store in the clearance shopping cart, it was like .75 cents, one of my better investments as of lately, at least the kids think so!

Emma got the camera

Emma wanted to take a picture of herself really bad, I think she was succesful, dont you....
OH Emma!

Little snow storm

This was the little snow storm (with a lot of wind) the big storm came a couple days later on Christmas eve, we got so much snow it is crazy! Out the front door, dark pictures, but you can see how tall the drift is,

All that snow waiting to melt into my basement!

It made my wreath pretty!

Thats some wind.

Ashley and Emma's Christmas time Show

The girls put on another wonderful show for our family. This time they had help from the audience. Dad and Justin got to perform a piece of their own choice, I'm a little Tea pot.

Telling each other their lines...

I'm a Little Teapot

Look at that talent!

Making Christmas candy

Emma helped me unwrap the carmels I have lots of fond memories of unwrapping carmels for my mom; one for me, one for the brownies, one for me.... fun times!

School Christmas Concert

The girls performed well at their Christmas concert, they were both brave, even Ashley wasn't too shy this year!

Emma got to wear her PJ's and thought that was really cool. The whole thing was cute and turned out great.

Of course we got to sit on santas lap for a minute too, fun night!

Snow Days

We have been getting a little bit of snow, and a lot of wind and cold since Friday. It is really windy today and what little snow we have sure can pile up in big drifts quickly. I think I am finally about ready for Christmas to be here.
I did start a new little project though and now I want to make one for every little girl in the WORLD! I bought those cheepy beanie hats at Walmart for $1. (I am sure you can get them anywhere), and I added one of my cute felt flowers to it and they are all of a sudden a darling little hat. My girls will actually wear them! Well Emma will wear anything, but Ashley is very picky and so since she wore hers today that tells me they must be cute, or else she was just really cold... (sorry no pictures still to post, I told (asked) Ryan if he would deal with the Internet CO. for me and he didn't respond, I am so tired of waiting on hold for hours to talk to some one from a foreign country who cant fix my problem anyway!) I just need to get it fixed soon.
So for the rest of the week we are baking and creating, the kids have their school concert and we have our Rec District Choir singing next Monday, it will be nice to have that off of my plate, we will be done practicing, It was fun, but a lot of work too. The girls are also making gingerbread houses at school (that I get to go help with) and then the big class parties on Friday. Busy, Busy. I just love this time of year! I better get back to work.

Christmas Cards

I am working frantically on Christmas cards today, so frantically that I have time to do some blogging.... I just need to address them and put them in the mail box, so I am glad to be wrapping that project up.
We have been doing some Christmas shopping this week, I thought I was done but I forgot the girls need gifts for the school gift exchange, so we will go back on Saturday when they can go with me, It may be a crazy day in town though, maybe I should re-think that one.
We are all feeling healthy again, thank goodness. It has been a terrible flu going around our town and some of the other schools in our area too, one of the really bad things about this time of year I guess. I am expecting snow this weekend, we will see how good I am at weather predicting, ha ha! Ryan is working really hard to get a lot done before the snow starts flying, just cleaning up and getting pipe in the ground for all of these new pivots he is putting up. He better hurry!
We are getting excited for Justin's birthday on Friday, I guess I am the most excited, I cant help it I couldn't sleep on Emma's birthday, and I am sure it will be the same on Justin's, I am going to be a WRECK on Christmas Eve!!

3 Up 3 Down

We have the FLU, yuck, it is not fun at all so far Ryan, Emma, and I have had it that leaves 3 more to still get it. I hope it doesn't keep spreading, but I am afraid it will. Ryan is still sick with it this morning, I can see that it pays to be young, Emma was up in the night, did her business and then has been running around this morning, wouldn't it be nice to just bounce back like kids do!
We have a full day today but I don't know how much we will get done. We were invited to a Christmas party at a neighbors this afternoon, then Tithing settlement, followed by a baptism of two of Ashley's friends, which Ryan is supposed to be speaking at (if he can), then a one year old birthday party tonight. I was also hoping we (Ryan) would put up the outside Christmas lights, don't think that one is going to happen, he doesn't want to do that even when he is feeling well! I hope we can get back on our feet, I am just glad that I am feeling good enough to take care of everybody. The chicken noodle soup is done, better go.

Every day day

Today we have had a nice stay at home day. Justin, Claire and I finally made it back in to exercise for the first time this week. I got the flu on Monday and still haven't been feeling the best, just really weak from it all and so I thought that was a good enough excuse to miss exercising all week, no more excuses now though, I am feeling MUCH better!
Then we had Pre school, that is always a fun adventure, we have all boys who come (well there are few baby sisters too) and today they made a cute little book about Christmas. The boys all loved to glue. We have really enjoyed our 'circle time' at the beginning of preschool, each boy gets a chance to show off some tricks, it is quite cute, and commical at the same time. Boys are funny!
So this afternoon some of our cattle were selling on the Internet, I guess I was the designated 'watcher' to make sure everything went OK. I don't think I did very good though because I thought we were selling black cows and the people who sold from Burley (which I assumed that was us) sold Holstein cows. I don't think I should be put in charge of important things like the selling of the cattle.... I saw lots of cows sell though, and took very detailed notes to report back to the boss. I wont see him until tonight, we are going on a date with Farm Credit Services, doesn't that sound fun! I will take anything, and I'm actually excited because he has consented to go shopping with me afterwards, can you believe that, the man who NEVER shops is going to go into WALMART! (I know walmart is not my first choice, but we are taking baby steps here!) We will see if he actually makes it! Anyway the cows sold, I dont know if our cows sold, but cows did sell...
I better get on with my day, the tree is up, just not decorated, I thought the girls and I would do that right after school today, they cant wait, and neither can I! I just wish we could get a little snow....Did I say that?

My Real Present

I had a nice day today, my massage was really nice, the lady who did it did a good job, I highly recommend her if you live in the Magic Valley area. I dropped my two little kids off at Grandmas and so I got lots of Christmas shopping done also, well as much as you can do in Burley, Idaho. But I am still getting really close to being done. I just looked at the calendar and Christmas is only 3 weeks away, I cant believe it. I did pick up a Christmas tree, we like a real tree, but we like it from the store, well I like to be able to get it from the store. It would be nice to go and cut one but they just don't look as good as the ones that are all shaped and nice looking. Hopefully we will get it up tomorrow. The kids had a good day at school. I finished Ashleys shabby chic princess room, it turned out cute. She has been sleeping downstairs now for a week, and she loves it. I also got the guest bedroom painted and dressed up a little, now I just need a guest to come and stay in it....any takers? I would love to post some pictures but I still dont have a solid internet connection. I hope to have this fixed by next week! We will see. Hope you all had a good Thursday!

Emma's 6th Birthday

Emma had her birthday, it was a nice day for her, well all of us enjoyed her new toys, especially her really fun DOLL HOUSE! Ryan just didnt understand how I would rather play with Emma and her doll house rather than watching UFC fighting with him...I guess I am just crazy! Anyway she was thrillled with it and Ryan did a good job, it turned out really cute. She also got another 'boy barbie' to go with it and some clothes for her boy barbies, they need something other than swim trunks. She requested a tinker bell cake, which turned out a little on the scary side if you ask me, she had scary eyes and just as we were cutting into her Ryan noticed that she didnt have a nose, oops, I hadnt even noticed, maybe that is why she looked funny? It was still yummy to eat even if it wasnt pretty. I got to go into school and have lunch with her and then she passed out tinker bell cupcakes to her class. I think it was a good day for Emma, when she got off the bus she ran straight to her room to play, she didnt even say hi. I think that means she likes it! We are so fortunate to have Emma in our family, she adds a SPARK to our lives! We love you Emma, Happy Birthday!

My $50,000 Christmas Present

Don't get to excited girls, it isn't a new wardrobe, it is our PIVOT, yes a gigantic (super expensive) sprinkler system for our own little 80 acre farm, just in time for Christmas! Can you sense the enthusiasm in my typing?? ....No I really am excited to grow a crop other than weeds next spring. It just arrived a couple days ago and the pipe line is going in the ground, I will try and post a picture but I am not promising anything. I am going to my massage appointment in the morning (my b-day present from Ryan). Now that is something to get excited about!

There's A Giveaway!!

OK check out my super cool sisters blog for a super fun vinyl giveaway! Anyone can enter whether you know her or not! Good luck! (you can go from my blog click on Eric and Trish or else mom2mykids.blogspot.com Tell your friends!!

How to get a bead out of a childs nose

So the bead has now been up Justin's nose for over a week, I still haven't really been worried, but others around us have been (grandmas) so I told Ryan if it isn't out by Sunday we will really work on it then. So today is Sunday and since we have been bugging him about it all week he wont hardly let us touch him, and I cant even look up his nose to see if it is still visible without him freaking out. I thought we have got to get creative here... I decided we would try and blow out a candle without using your mouth, only your nose (gross I know there were boogers flying every where, but you gotta do what you gotta do....right? We had a box of kleenex handy!) Each kid got a turn and they blew hard and thought it was a super fun game, (they are always blowing out my candles) and then it happened....WALLA out came the bead, it took about 2 hard blows and it popped out! We haven't celebrated like that in a while, he hadn't got the candle out yet and so he finished blowing until he did, he was obviously blowing really hard! YEAH I am glad that one is over with! I hope there are some moms out there who could use our experince to help their 2 year old out, you think it wont ever happen to you, but I bet it will!!! PS Ashley did the same thing when she was about 2 also, it wasnt quite as dramatic, we got it out with the tweezers. Oh the JOYS!!

Where did the bead go?

On Saturday I was feeling ambitious, (I told you I have started to exercise which totally helps with the energy levels at our house) So I got out some coloring, and creating projects for the kids, which they did great on, well Justin was doing a bead project and decided to stick one up his nose, imagine that! So it wasn't up very far and I knew Ryan would be able to get it out so when he got home he tried using the bulb syringe to try to suck it out which ended up pushing it in further, YEAH. So he still has a bead up his nose, we have tried a couple of things to get it out but have not yet been successful. I would just take him to the DR. But he gets quite hysterical when he sees tweezers, which is what I imagine they would use to pull it out. He and Emma chase each other around the house with tweezers saying pinch, pinch, hence the reason why he is terrified of them. So back to the DR, I am afraid that he will need to be sedated for the procedure and so I am not taking him in. Every night we blow his nose and close his mouth and other nostril and it has been moving down, well now I can see it at least, so that is good and the bead is going the same direction as his nostril, so it isn't blocking air, if you get what I mean, Anyway if any of you out there have suggestions let me know. I debated on whether or not to post about this until it was already a thing of the past and I could just laugh about it but I am ready for some outside suggestions, the few people I have told have kind of freaked out and call me every day to find out if I have gotten it out yet, I guess I'm not that worried about it yet. But on the other hand Im pretty sure a little boy should not live his life with a yellow bead up his nose! What to do, what to do.....

Too Busy to Blog

I have been really busy this week and my Internet is still not fixed totally so I have been slacking on my blogging journal. I would tell you everything I have been doing except I cant really remember, is that sad or what! My memory is so BAD! So I will do my best here; Monday I went shopping, which usually takes all day, and it did. Tuesday was music class, which was so fun, we learned the recorder! I loved it! My oldest class learned the whole song already (jingle bells) now the younger class, not so good... We will see what happens there. That evening I hosted a Mary Kay party, that was fun to put make up on and visit and eat with friends. Wednesday I had a Stake Young women's meeting BUT I had already been asked to teach our young men and young women at the Etiquette Dinner. That was fun, Ryan and I taught together and we had a good time. We have a good group of kids and they all knew so much already, so it made it easier for us to teach, and we got to enjoy a YUMMY dinner! Today we had pre school, I did the lesson at Becky's house, it was fun, Justin gets to play with other boys for a change. Emma is going to a party tonight and tomorrow after school, but for me tomorrow is a stay home day and catch up on laundry and house work and all of the every day stuff I haven't been doing. So I am happy for that. Saturday we are going to the temple with the Elders Quorum, that is so different for us, we have never done a temple trip all together, but now we have our own temple close I am sure we will do it a lot! I am excited for an evening out with Ryan, that will be really nice. I think my most exciting new, well for me at least is that I have started exercising AGAIN.... and I LOVE IT! We have been going for almost five weeks now and I am really feeling like I am in a routine and am loving the extra energy and the smaller middle too! A group of women all come to the church and we have just been working out every morning. We have been mainly doing the biggest loser work out which has been really good, its been tons of fun, if you live in the area you should come! The more the better! I better get moving I have some fun projects that I found at the thrift store that turned out really good, I hope to post them some time soon. I cant wait for Thanksgiving, it will be nice to be together with most of Ryan's family. Happy Days!

Music Class

I have been asked by the Recreation District in our county to teach a music class, scary, I know. We had our first class on Tuesday night and had a good turn out. I have an excellent helper, who does most of the work and teaching, she knows a lot about being in choirs and can actually remember what she was taught, lucky girl. I on the other hand have been in a few choirs and cant remember anything I was taught, at least not until she brings things up that ring a bell for me....Anyway it was a fun night, we are learning Christmas music and the kids seemed to have a pretty good time. I think I drove the pianist crazy though with all of my orders, She is amazing too, Thanks Deanna! I admire people who can play the piano so much, that is an awesome talent I am still hoping to have one of these days! SO next weeks class we are going to teach them how to play the RECORDER, do you think we will go CRAZY! I had to buy 30 somewhat matching recorders today, I did find them all, It took a while but we have them. My kids have been going around the house tooting them all night, I may have to hide them until they HAVE to practice. Our poor school doesnt have a music program and so the Rec District is putting on this class for them, (and for the other towns in our County) I think it is sad that our kids dont have any music in school, I must be feeling really, really sad to say yes to this job, I DO remeber getting a recorder in about the 3rd grade and loving playing it, and I can still remember a lot of songs that I learned in Elementary School so I hope these kids will be touched by music like I was as a child. I just cant imagine how crazy I will be after next Tuesdays first recorder lesson.......Ryan just got home I can hear him upstairs tooting on one right now....AHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Young Women's Program

I love the Young Women's Program that the Church has provided for teenage girls. I have always loved it. This past week I have spent time with the Hailey/Sun Valley young women and tonight with Richfields young women, they both had their Evening of Excellence. The girls have so many great talents that they have developed through the Personal Progress Program. I love that program, it has helped me become the person I am today. It taught me that I am of worth, and am a daughter of God. I wish every teenage girl was able to learn the lessons that I, and the girls I saw tonight have learned. I feel so blessed.

Justin and Claire vs. THE STAIRS

Justin and Claire both tumbled down the stairs, at the same time, I have a gate up and they were both leaning over it and it fell. Justin only went part way down, I am pretty sure he only went part way down because his hand was stuck in the gate,(sad I know) Here is his owie,

But Claire the lucky girl managed to make it all the way to the bottom, she cut her head on something, I'm not sure, probably the trim on the wall, and split her lip. She was very sad. She actually didn't cry that long but it was still sad, here she is fixed up;

Here she is calling dad to tell him the bad news, We were lucky it didn't break the skin. I'm pretty sure it would have needed stitches! Claire is my climber!

Best Buddies

Justin and Claire have been learning to play together since 'sisters' (that is what Justin calls them) are in school. I found them both in front of the TV watching Dora and drinking sippy cups! Too cute!

Emmas first visit from the toothfairy

Emma finally lost her first tooth, she has both of her adult teeth already in behind, so she has been working and working on getting that tooth out, well sort of, Emma does not have a high pain tolerance so it has taken a lot longer than normal. About 10 minutes after she had gotten up that morning she realized her tooth was gone. She was so excited that it had just fallen out in the night. I was afraid she had swallowed it but it was in her bed. I didn't think it could have really just 'fallen' out in the night so I started quizzing Ryan about it. He pulled it while she was asleep! She didn't even wake up, needless to say we didn't tell her how it came out really. She is just happy that it "didn't even hurt!" You can see the other tooth already moved in the hole, that's how big it was already! Crazy Emma!

Claire in the hairbows

Claire loves to dig through the basket of hairbows, she is always unloading them all so I put a few of them on her at the same time and she thought that was great! She actually doesnt mind wearing a bow, most of the time, I guess she is just used to it.

All is Safely Gathered In

Harvest has finished. Ryan came home and told me all of the crops are harvested for 2008! YEAH! Words cant describe how elated I am! I have loved having Ryan around more and he is such great help to have around! He can pretty much do it all, even a diaper here and there! (only wet diapers of course) I am so happy to have had a safe harvest season and that all of the crops yielded well and that we can move on to the next chapter in our lives....VACATION! I wish! Here are a couple of pictures from the sugar beet harvest, we only rode with him one day, He was so determined to get finished quickly, I think he dug in record time, which makes us all happy!Justin with his set of 'equipment'

Claire riding on the lunch box.

Cody is in the digger ahead of us.

Here they are loading into one of the trucks!

Look what Ashley WON!

Ashley entered a drawing at the local Cenex and she won! She won a big brown Halloween bear. The kids hauled it all around the house all night, even Claire rolled around with it for a while, you want to know how I could tell? Because it SHEDS worse than and LIVE animal I have ever seen! Emma came in the kitchen after playing with him and I said what is all over your shirt? It was everywhere, I had to take all of Ashley's bedding off and wash it all! It is kind of sad because I am a mean mom and now they cant play with the big Halloween bear! Oh well he is still fun to look at. Ashley hauled him all the way to school for show and tell. I am sure her teacher was thrilled with me!

So much to blog

I better let all of my faithfull readers (all 3 of you, there would be 4 but mom is out of internet service right now) know that I am having technical difficulties, the story of my blogging life! I cant upload, anything so I will hopefully be back and better than ever soon. I dont know when but I hope soon. I may have to get a new ISP, I hope not, but I think I am too far out in the country, my signal is too low. SO I am still here and very much wanting to post thousands of picutes, I have a measley 14 posts for all of October, anyway that is where I have been. BTW my sister is having a give away for her 200th post so if you want to win some crafty stuff check her out and I think you just leave a comment and then you can be entered, come on everyone is doing it! mom2mykids.blogspot.com or if that doesnt work just click on her link on the side, Eric and Trish, Good Luck! Happy days!

Love those WASHINGTON Apples!

Mom and Dad were able to come to our house for an over-niter (Halloween night). They were on their way to Kiley's house in Nebraska to help with her re-model. They had a BIG load on their pickup, I bet they didn't get very good gas mileage! In their big load was 7 boxes of apples for me! We spent all day Saturday making apple sauce. It was a hard job. I was glad Ryan could come in and help me, He ended up doing most of the work, (don't tell him that!)

I have a hard time staying on task with distractions like this; not to mention lunch, etc, etc. So he worked really hard at it. We finished just in time to attend the adult session of Stake conference. Ryan had to speak in the Priesthood session. I heard he did a good job. I just love when stake conference comes around, especially the adult session because I don't have 4 little busy bodies to distract me from the good talks. It was a good meeting, and a good day, we ended up with 35 quarts of apple sauce! Thank you Mom and Dad!

Emmas Halloween Adventures

Emma partied it up this Halloween season. Her super fun teacher did a witches brew that goes along to a cute song and so she assigned each kid to bring something from the song to put in the to the witches brew. Emma got mucky muck, which translated into cow manure. How did we get cow poop to school you ask? I put it in a Ziploc and then into a brown lunch bag, the worst part was Emma brought it in the house and was flinging it all around, luckily the bag didn't spill open! GROSS! When Ashley was in K. she had to take the rotten eggs, that was interesting too! It was a really smelly witches brew with all sorts of yucky ingredients, but with the right magic words it turned into a yummy drink, and the kids just LOVED it!

Emma also got to go with her class on a field trip to the pumpkin patch. I got to go too, it was nice to have mommy and Emma time, (this time is very important to Emma). The patch was really fun, they had all sorts of things to climb on and slide down or ride in. The kids ran around there for a while and then we went to have pizza. After we got back to the school we had the class parties. I didn't get to help with Emma's this time but I did help in Ashley's class, and I forgot to take any pictures, we were to busy playing games and eating good food and candy!