Christmas Morning

Santa was good to us again this year, I might say that this was one of my favorites! I think I say that about every year though! We managed to stay in bed til 6 AM. Poor Ashley didn't though. She was up from 2 o'clock on. The power had gone out and her clock wasn't telling time so she came up to our bed and we all rolled around until Ashley finally just got out. Ryan kept making me go check on her to make sure she wasn't getting into anything, (this is Ashley we are talking about though, the most obedient child EVER) One time she was trying on her new coat, (it wasn't wrapped) the next time she was just looking around at all of the Santa gifts. She kept saying I am stressing out mom! I remember not being able to stay asleep too, I felt her pain! Finally Ryan relented and she had the entire house awake in seconds! Emma and her "American Girl" Doll. She kept asking me if it was really American Girl, which it is not, she still loved it anyway.

Claire got her Dora Super Babies, she has hauled them all around, she loves them, now everything we do is SUPER. super drinks, super blankies, super, super, super!

Ashley got a new coat, and a barbie jeep. She also finally got her own zhu zhu pet and hamster ball. They are just the cutest little things I think! I guess it was worth all the hard work too get them!

Justin got tractor(S) lots of tractors and all of the implements to go with them, (I didnt get any pictures I guess) He got two big tractors with a disc, backhoe, scraper blade, and grain trailer. He was so excited but he did tell me his favorite thing was his suit. He has been asking for one like Dad's for a long time. What a lucky boy!

Ryan and I enjoyed all of the morning's magic!

Christmas Eve

We enjoyed Christmas Eve down at Grandma Telford's house. We had fun eating,

check out all of those cousins! Kaylee, Emma, Jessie, Ash, Brooke, Jaci, Justin, Claire, Tayson, Braden.

playing: They weren't supposed to be playing, Claire got into the lotion and was covered and Tayson decided he wanted to bath too, with all of his clothes on! The WHOLE family was in the bathroom at once (checking him out) it was so funny!

and acting out the Nativity Story. The kids weren't real cooperative; Claire, Jaci, and really mad Justin.

But it happened anyway! Angels/ wise men, Jessie and Emma. Joseph, Ashley (back of her head) and Mary, Brooke.

We were glad to get to spend time with so much family!

Anniversary Trip

We just got back from our little trip. We had a great time! We enjoyed the first night up in the cabin, we slept in til 9:00 AM! I cant hardly believe it, still! We slept good needles to say! Then we drove to Rexburg to check out the campus, and town, it has changed SO much, I cant wait for our children to get to go there! What a fun place!
Then out hotel room was super cool. We have never stayed in a themed room before and it was awesome! It was called the Maian suite. It was completely covered in wall murals and faux rock, jewels, palm trees, and all sorts of cool treasures!

We also went to the Mountain River Ranch sleigh ride and dinner show. The band is in the back ground.


TELFORD party of 2!

It was really a fun place, just like the Bar J Wranglers, but not quite as professional. They were still good performers and we had a great time. We want to take our kids back there for sure!
The weather was Rexburgy, cold and snowy and windy, but we actually had more snow at home then they did there when we got home! We were glad to get back to our kids and home just in time for CHRISTMAS!!

Comin to Ya LIVE

From BYU-I formerly known as Ricks College! Ryan and I are on our anniversary getaway, why would we go to Hawaii when we could go to REXBURG!!! It is a balmy 32 degrees and snowing lightly! We actually are really excited to be here, we just love Rexburg and the college. We are checking out our old stomping grounds and seeing all of the major changes they have made since we were here 10 years ago. We cant hardly recognize the campus! But the Spirit of Ricks is still here! We are going to a really cool dinner show tonight complete with a horse drawn sleigh ride! We are excited for that! We are also staying at the AmericInn with those really cool themed rooms, I cant wait to go check it out! Grandma is babysitting, I guess in all reality it didn't matter where we go since were going alone! (I have to admit every other sentence is Ashley would love this, or I wish the kids could see this! fun times!)

Christmas Piano Recital

Ashley and I participated in a really fun Christmas recital. Just the two of us went over and had a yummy breakfast and then just got to listen to and play a bunch of Christmas music. It was really low key and just a fun party! It reminded me of a party you would see on TV, fun music was playing when we walked in, even some children were dancing, lots of people were congregated in the kitchen, it was like a picture! Sister Ward is an EXCELLENT host and party thrower! We had a fantastic time! Ashley played Up On The House Top, and then Away in A Manger a duet with me. Then I played Deck The Halls a duet with Sister Ward, and Joy To the World.
I just LOVE this lady!

Christmas Sunday

We had a really nice Christmas Sunday. Our building was having some plumbing problems so our Sacrament meeting was held in Shoshone's building. We didn't have any Sunday school or Primary. It was a perfect Christmas Sunday! Low stress, and so it was much easier to just come and worship. We had a beautiful service about Christ and the prophesies of His birth, and of his mother Mary, and then of the birth of the Christ child. It was such a beautiful meeting, I think we should do Christmas like that every year! I am so thankful for my testimony of Jesus Christ and this beautiful Season and time of year for reflection on His ministries and His life. I Love my Savior Jesus Christ! I am so blessed with a beautiful family and so many other abundant blessings! I know they are only possible through Him. What a wonderful time of year!

Ward Christmas Party

The Ward Christmas party was really nice this year. Sometimes it gets pretty crazy but this year it was really nice. I am pretty sure it was because it was "MY" primary children performing. They did a great job! It was a fun evening!

Family Pictures

We got our Family pictures done over Thanksgiving. Our super talented Sister in Law Jenna was the photographer, She is so good! They turned out pretty cute I think, she is quite the budding photographer! Thanks Jen!

School Christmas Parties

Ashley and Emma had their last day of school today which meant class parties!! They had a fun gift exchange and lots of treats and games! I usually just float back and forth from classroom to classroom, I could tell that they both had lots of sugary fun! Thanks to Aunt Sara I got to go alone to this one! (have i mentioned i like having her live close?? cause i DO!)

Emma and her pal Serena

Ashley with her cute little Santa craft.

Ashley getting teased by a boy!

He went to Jared.....

Ok so he didnt go to Jared, but he did go to Jensens! Yeah for me, in 10 years of marriage I have never been surprised, that is until yesterday. SERIOUSLY!!! Ryan bought me an anniversary band! It is so pretty with my ring! I am still a little in shock. Never EVER has he come home with a tiny little ring box! I am so excited I just love it! Thank you, thank you, thank you Ryan!! I LOVE you!

Happy Anniversary!

To US! Ryan and I have been married for 10 LONG years today! Just teasing, sometimes it seems like forever, sometimes like it was just yesterday. We have always been pretty lame on the celebrating, whoever decided to get married in December must have been CRAZY, or crazy in love I guess! It has been a great 10 years, I cant wait for forever!

Gingerbread houses at the Tiger School

The girls got to make gingerbread houses at school today. I got there and Ashley's face was flushed and she said she was having a headache. She did not call me because she wanted to go to activity days after school so she was toughing it out, poor girl. I got her some tylenol and she felt better, but I made her go lye down in her classroom. Justin and Claire decorated Ashley's house for her. Somehow this little Serena always ends up next to Emma, she is in quite a few of our pictures lately, I think Emma kinda likes her, I kinda think she is a little doll! We had a fun day, my little kids were all sugared up for Activity days, and ran all around the gym doing a good job of distracting EVERYONE! SO FUN! Where is our daddy when we need him, I thought farmers "couldn't" work in the winter!!

Claire is on the Potty Train!!

She is doing so awesome! We ran out of diapers and I/she was sort of forced into it, but it worked! She is even having dry nights!!! WHOO WHOO! Yeah Claire Bear!!
The BEST Christmas present EVER!!

What??

I think I get picked on at my house....this is what happens when my husband is around, I have to go out in the snow to turn up the water to HIS cows and then he takes funny pictures of me. That's the last time I'm ever gonna help!

SEW inspired

I have been bitten with the creating bug, I cant get enough of the sewing machine lately. It is what happens to me when I stay home too many days in a row, but I like it. I thought I was done with my kids Christmas until I remembered I wanted to make some of these cute little crayon holders. Maybe we will be able to keep them more organized at church instead of spilling through the cracks in the bench, we will see. Then I/we have really been wanting a super hero cape, Justin and Claire are always trying to tie their blankies around their necks I was thinking this might be a little more safe and fun! I am pretty sure it cost, well under 3 dollars, gotta love that! I am sure it will be a hit Christmas morning! I still want to make one for Claire and then I also finished some little blankies for her Dora Superbabies she is getting from Santa, this is so much fun! I love this time of year!!

Justin's Party

Justin got a Thomas cake and a fun party on Sunday afternoon. He is just loving being 4! He tells EVERYONE that he is a size 4 now! What a big kid!!Claire LOVED that blue frosting!

The whole FAMILY! Yeah Justin 4 years old!

Justin's Big 4

Justin turned four on Saturday, (why cant all birthdays fall on Saturdays?) He thoroughly enjoyed unwrapping all of his presents even though he already knew what they were. He has been into most of the presents and opened them too, little stink! He would say, Oh this must be my big semi, before he opened it.

I cant help not being too mad because I would (did) do the same thing when I was a kid, I am not a lover of surprises, I guess Justin isn't either!

What a fun day though! He got some birthday waffles, some PJ's, a semi and cattle trailer, a new shirt, and a race car from his friend Kasey. I am pretty sure he grew overnight too. He is really changing, and not looking so much like a baby anymore! Where has the time gone? We are so glad to have such a good boy in our family! He is a little out numbered, but you would think he lived in a house full of boys when you see how tough he is! Happy birthday Buddy!

NFR

3 years ago this week we were at the NFR! We have been enjoying watching it every night this past week, but I kind of have a homesick feeling, wishing we were there! Jared and Jenna blogged pictures of their trip, looks like they had tons of fun, Maybe next year for us... Here we are 3 years ago, we didnt even have all of our kids 3 years ago, that seems like forever ago!
Hanging out with Cody Ohl, Ok so not really hanging out, we just took our picture with him. He is doing pretty good this year too!Of course we stopped in at M & M World! We brought home like 30 dollars worth of M & M's It was like 1 ounce of M & Ms for each kid, I should have just gone to Walmart and bought 10 bags instead, oh well! Just something ya have to do!And the Hoover Dam, Ryan had never been before, he/ we were amazed at the size, glad we went! Hopefully I will be posting pictures next year of another trip to Sunny Las Vegas!

School Christmas Program

Its that time of year again, the girls had their Christmas Program. They did well, my only complaint was that it was more of a lip sync than the kids actually singing. We SO need a music program in our school. The teachers do good with what they have to work with, its just sad that they don't get more TO work with. The show was all very cute, I could tell they spent a lot of time practicing. The girls were thrilled with it all!

Emma, All I want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth

Ashley (middle) performing to Go, Go Christmas

And of course they got to sit on Santa's lap, we didn't have one kid cry this year, we must be getting older or something......

I think I need to ask Santa for a new camera, or at least directions on how to use the one I have, my pictures are TERRIBLE lately!

Claire's (new to her) Crib

Thankfully we have good friends who's babies have out grown their cribs so we could borrow from them! Claire is finally sleeping again at night, she cant crawl out of this one!

Every night she says "I go to sleep in Jace Ward's bed" She thinks its pretty cool! So do I! The worst part about the past few weeks though is she has decided she no longer needs a nap. BOO HOO! I think she weened herself when I couldn't get her to stay laying down, (I had no where to trap her in) I am not happy about that at all! I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. No more naps at our house!

The Charlie Brown Tree

As we sat on the couch after we put the kids to bed to enjoy some quiet we just kept starring at it. Every once in a while we would say something like, "well it really isn't that bad" or "I kinda like our tree" or the best one, " I think it leaning like that gives it character." I think we are trying to convince ourselves that it was all worth it, it is a poor pitiful tree no matter what angle you look at it! Maybe it will grow on us!

A trip to "Grandma's Cabin"

We stayed up at the Cabin Friday night and Saturday we had a great time, I thought I should post a few pictures of Grandmas (double wide trailer) cabin! We are so red neck, but I am lovin it! Ryan is ready to go next weekend too! It is nice to be able to get away easily and for free. We are enjoying having it finished!
The big living room, complete with faux wood paneling walls, just to help give it that "rustic" feel! HA HA! No, but really it is a big room, we have four couches and a ping pong table set up in there with room to spare! Fun for crazy kids and cousins!
And of course watching lots of Dora, this takes Dora to a whole new level, in flat screen,HD, surround sound pleasure, Justin and Claire couldn't be more happy....

A couple of the bedrooms we call this one the boys room or the brown room,

And the pink room, it was to bright to get a good shot, I don't know which is more shocking Emma making the bed or well Emma making the bed! Glad I captured it!

So the whole reason for going to the cabin: We went up to the cabin for the weekend to cut a Christmas tree. Ryan just thinks it is the most fun activity for a family to do, I think maybe he is right, just not fun for OUR family!! If you call driving in the car (for hours) with four kids in the blowing freezing snow on windy mountain roads and then finally picking the tree (charlie Brown tree I might add) closest to the road because no one (including Ryan or I) want to get out in the blinding wind to chop it down fun, then I guess we had fun. Ashley made herself sick because she knew we were going to get stuck and have to sleep in the car, until she finally fell asleep, thankfully Justin and Claire slept the entire time, and we finally halted Emma's whining by letting her watch a movie during our "quality time as a family." Are we pathetic or what! Oh well, we got a tree that is the important part, and we wont ever forget the memories we made.....or the nightmares we created.....There was one good lesson learned from it all though I am buying a fake tree next year!