The WEEKS before CHRISTMAS

Our December was crazy but wonderful. We decked the halls, I sang the Fa La La La, but since I CAN NOT sing the kids quickly told me to be quiet. I set up the village houses and the kids placed the 100+ people within their town. The village changes daily and I love the kids imaginations as they place the people on the ice rink or shopping for toys or down on the farm!

We took the kids to the festival of trees along with 1,000 other families :). We did enjoy the trees but it is hard to do so when you are making sure your kids are right by our sides. They were easily distracted by their favorites and the playhouses!

This is one of Sam's favorite, the Nightmare before Christmas upside down tree. Her actual favorite was the Dr. Seuss tree. But it was several other peoples favorite and near impossible to get a picture with her next to it.This one was obviously Will's favorite. He was in awe of all the Star Wars guys, pod racers, ewok village and storm troopers. This was a childhood flash back for Dave and I so we didn't mind spending several minutes taking it in.

We took the kids on trax to see the lights on temple square. It was cold and crowded but so beautiful. I don't think they are quite old enough to truly appreciate the beauty. There was a haze over all the lights so it was gorgeous.

Dave took some awesome pictures. He was my hardest kid to keep track of in the crowds because he would stop for a photo opt and we would keep walking. I love seeing Dave excited about things so I didn't mind!

Will LOVES Jesus. He tells us often he misses him and that he we need to get Jesus weapons to kill the people that were mean to him. That meant Will was so happy to see all the statues of Jesus.

Samantha was amazed that Jesus could float on water. She said "I knew Jesus walked on water when he was grown up but there he is as a baby sleeping on top of the water."

Will had Pajama Day at school where he sang Christmas songs and built a Gingerbread house. Ben and I went and I discovered that I am HORRIBLE at Graham cracker construction. Will LOVES to sing so it was so fun to see him sing his Christmas songs with his class.

Samantha had a singing program at her school as well. She had been practicing at home for weeks and would ask Dave and I every night to PLEASE attend her singing concert. Just for the record we have never missed any of her school functions. She did a great job and made us proud!

The kids waited patiently in line to give there request to Santa. Samantha a laboratory so she can turn her brothers into frogs. Will, Star Wars ships. Ben, ah, Santa, guy, car. I think Ben really wanted to say food, food and more food!

Dave was a great Dad, as always, and took the kids sledding. He said Will tried so hard to hit this jump.

They went with our neighbors who are just as crazy as our kids so they had a great time. I stayed with Ben while he took his nap. I was getting worried and about to go search for them because they were gone so long.

Thanksgiving

This year we spent our THANKSGIVING holiday in Colorado with Dave's parents. It is always great to get away and we are THANKFUL they welcomed us into their home. The kids our THANKFUL for vacations because they get to do "fun things" everyday.

We visited the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. I forgot the camera and I am still so sad that we don't have pictures to document this fun day. I wasn't expecting to spend 4 hour inside and I am THANKFUL the kids were so pleasant for all 4 hours
Dave, Samantha, William and I went ice skating one afternoon. (Ben got to spend some one-on-one time with Nana & Papa so he didn't mind.)

I am THANKFUL no one got hurt and we all enjoyed the event. Samantha did get a blister and later that night asked if we could pray she never gets a blister again. I was thinking the same thing after all the drama skills she showed us over the blister.

On Thanksgiving Day while Ben was sleeping and Nana prepping the dinner the rest of us went on a walk around the lake.

I am THANKFUL no one broke through the ice as Dave and the kids were "testing" it quite often.

One of our kids favorite places to visit is the Railroad Museum. My only complaint is that it is across the street from the Coors brewing company so it doesn't smell that great.

I am THANKFUL that it was such great weather as we played on the trains.

We were able to spend a day with our Colorado McLay cousins. We went swimming and bowling with them.

I am THANKFUL our kids love all their cousins so much and are always excited to spend time with them.

I am THANKFUL that we returned safely and had a wonderful vacation. I have been so blessed with amazing kids and a wonderful husband. I LOVE vacations because we get to all be together all day. I am so THANKFUL to Dave's parents for making our trip so fun!

Ready, Aim, Fire

Samantha has been begging for years to get her ears "really pierced". She caught us in a moment of weakness and now she has a new obsession.

I say obsession because Samantha stresses over things and likes to ask a MILLION questions about EVERYTHING. With the earrings the questions are about infections, what the earring is made of, how the back works, how to turn them right, when to clean them....ahhhh!

I have to say she did ask the girl 1,000 questions, she picked her birthstone as her earrings and she didn't shed one tear. My baby is growing up way to fast.

Fast forward a couple of days and she isn't really trying to do her homework so I tell her maybe I made a mistake and she isn't responsible enough to have her ears pierced. She tells me she loves them and that she hates me. Will gets a look of concern in his eye and says "Mom, Sam said she doesn't like you." I tell Will that she will say that a lot before she gets big and he will say it one day too so I am not worried.

What To Do With Our Lego's

We went to Park City to see the "The Art of the Brick" display. This exhibit consisted of sculptures made 100% of Lego's. Our family loves Lego's so we very much enjoyed this exhibit.

When I play Lego's with the kids I am pleased when the buildings have four walls and the cars four wheels. Now I will have to increase my skills or they will be very disappointed.

After the exhibit we rode the Trolley up and down Park City main street. The kids LOVED this. They thought the Trolley was so cool and so did Dave and I, because it is FREE!

Leaf us Alone

Leaves are falling all around...except into plastic bags. I wish there was a way to catch the leaves as they fall but then our kids would miss one of their favorite fall activities.
They all love to run and jump into the piles. Ben and Will love to hide their guys in the piles and drive their cars through them.

ThIs Is HaLlOWeEn, ThIs Is HaLlOwEen

Can we get a mulligan on Halloween please?

This is how the week of Halloween played out at our house:
Monday: All kids sick with fevers and coughs= no school

Tuesday: Still have the coughs and it hadn't been 24 hours without the fevers so still no school.

Wednesday: Sam goes to school with a cough, Will has 103 fever that won't break and Ben is still coughing. I make appointments with the Dr., get Samantha out of school and off we go the 3 miles to the Dr.. On that short drive we get charged by a BULL! Right before the bull, yes a real bull, hits our car it turns and runs down the road in front of us. (FYI the police had to put the bull down later that day)The Dr. informs me that all 3 kids have bronchitis and double ear infections. Great, just what I wanted to hear with Halloween 3 days away!

Thursday: Samantha and I had a girls night with her girl cousins, Aunt and Grandma. We saw Annie at a community theater. Samantha wanted to know where an orphanage was...hmmm don't know that one.

Friday: Ben had a party in his playgroup that morning. My mom and niece Abbey came with us. He was so proud of himself it was super cute.

Will hadn't been to school all week but he didn't have a fever and I didn't want him to miss his party. I should have just let him miss his party because when I got there with all the party supplies he said he wanted to go home and go to bed. :( We stayed for a few minutes to make sure that is what he wanted then we left.
He did make a super cute Captain Rex from Star Wars The Clone Wars. (He loves Star Wars right now.)

Our next event was Samantha's Halloween parade. The boys were very patient as we waited

for our little Santa to make her debut.

When Samantha said she wanted to be Santa this year I thought...that is so Sam. She is her own little person and we love it.

Samantha also had a class party that pretty much sealed the deal on me not being room mother or being asked to help with any party ever again. Nothing like a disastrous craft to end the disaster week!

Finally Saturday came. We carved pumpkins. The kids did great and would have played with knives for hours if I could handle the mess. Dave blasted the soundtrack from Nightmare Before Christmas while he carved his pumpkin. I thought it was cute!

Around 4:00 Dave informed that Will's fever was back.....R U serious...it is HALLOWEEN! What kid is sick when they are giving away free candy at every door?

My mother of the year solution....give him medicine and tell him to ride in the wagon. We are not missing this!

Turns out he walked the whole way and it was our little devil Superman that ended up being the LAZIEST trick-or-treater in the world. Ben HAD to ride in the wagon. It HAD to be pulled to the bottom of the steps and if Dave moved it 1 inch while Ben walked up to the door to get his candy he would SCREAM! Oh, how we loved trick-or-treating with such a joyful child!

Better luck next year! :)

SISTER Katelyn Michael Christensen

My niece Katelyn left last Wednesday for the Houston Texas Spanish speaking mission. She has been attending BYU so our kids have been able to spend some extra time with her the last couple of years. We will miss searching for her keys, watching her text and having her take the kiddos to the park. Good Luck Kate you will do GRRREAT!

Pumpkin Pickinin'

We PICKED a rainy day to go PICK our pumpkins. Which makes the activity a big mess.

I don't know what we got more of in the car mud or pumpkins. Oh well, we can check this chore off our list now let the carving begin.

Fall Break

Yes...this is a long over due post especially since there is snow on the ground now. It seems crazy that my kids are in their swimsuits and shorts in the photos. Maybe we should go back.

For the kids fall break we went to St. George. Dave couldn't get off of work so it was just the kids, me and my niece Sara.

The kids were not to sure about leaving Dave. Samantha cried the first hour of our drive. They love their Dad and they love being in St. George with him.
Once we got in the pool and the sunshine they did great and did not want to come home to the cooler temperatures.

We went to the town square and played in the fountains. The kids loved floating Sara and Ben's shoes down the river.

We went to their favorite park, rode bikes, hiked and of course swam.