Christmas Day!

I think this was one of my most favorite Christmas' of all time! Here's why:
I got to celebrate with my wonderful little family.
I got to watch Little Man really get into the holiday for the first time.
I saved up all my money all year long and was finally able to buy Mike a new snowboard.
Even if I didn't unwrap one single thing I would have gotten everything I wanted for Christmas.
Christmas was on Sunday and we really got to remember the real reason for the season.

Those are just a few, I could go on and on, but I won't. So the reason I was so excited for this Christmas was because I have wanted to get Mike a new snowboard for a couple of years. For those of you who don't snowboard. It is a very expensive sport. Especially if you ride at the leve of Mike. You can't just get any board. Well, I was determined that this would be the year he would get it. No matter what. Well things weren't looking to well in October, I had barely saved enough money to by him half a board. Then things just started happening, I got money in the mail to watch tv and fill out journal of what I watched, friends and family were calling me wanting designs and landscape advice, and they paid me for it! All of the sudden I was so close to getting this board! So close, but not close enough. I didn't know what I was going to do. Then my bonus at work came! CHA CHING! There it was, the rest of what I needed plus some left over!
I immediately went over to the store to order his board (and hope they could get it here before Christmas) While I am there Mike sends me a text and it  says, you know, I really don't want anything for Christmas except some new snowboard boots. Crap. I didn't even think of that. There goes the left over bonus money. So I ordered boots and the board and his parents got the bindings for him.
I still wanted the board to be a surprise, so on Christmas at my house all he did was open the boots and the few other things I had gotten him. Then later that night when we went to his parents house to open gifts. He opened his bindings. Still no sign of board. I waited until everyone had opened all of there presents and then Mike's dad went and put his board at the end of the hallway. He was shocked! I love that I was able to keep a secret like that from him because normally I can't! It was so fun to see his face! He has worked so hard in school and made so many sacrifices. He really deserved this!
Well, enough talking, here are some photos from the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!

He went straight for the books he got last night from Grandma and Grandpa

Our pretty little tree

Little Man got a dog guitar from Grandma & Grandpa!

I got a new pot set! Awesome!

Kylie got a concert ticket to Brad Paisely & Scotty McCreery too!

 Little Man got spoiled!

 New hat check, new boots check, new bindings check.

 New Board Check!

Seeing his board for the first time!

Christmas Eve

New goggles! I can't wait to try them!

TJ was Sant's Helper this year! She did well! 

 Dad will always be happy as long as he gets his pistachios!

 This was really cool! Brandi Made it out of horseshoes

 Little Man getting lots of books from Grandma and Grandpa!

 Everyone LOVES uncle Shane!

 Mike got a belt buckle and a phone case made by my dad.

 Butter! There seemed to be lots of butter gifts this year!

 I wish I could have flipped this, I made this for Starr. Its my new hobby my mom got me into. I will post more pictures in a different post.

The girls all got matching dresses!

We celebrated Christmas as a family on Christmas Eve. As always we had lots of good food made by mom and lots of fun with the family. Leslie was sick and didn't make it and Ira and Brandi couldn't make it either. They were really missed. Hopefully we can all be together next Christmas. I love this time of year and spending time with family, we didn't do much, but we had a fun time. The kids really enjoy playing together.

I am grateful for my family and all we do for each other. Christmas time is such a wonderful time of year to reflect on our lives and remember Christ, not only his birth, but the sacrifice he made so our families can be together forever. I am grateful to be a part of an eternal family. Merry Christmas everyone!





Christmas Time is here

We had fun this year with Christmas. Little Man is just getting old enough to really enjoy all the sites and sounds of the season. We went to the South Hills with our friends Jake and Carla. There is a house that decks out their property with lots of cool lights and decorations. They even have a real camel that we got to feed. Little Man wanted the carrot for himself at first. Then he wanted to keep feeding the camel.

GO Broncos!

We are Boise State fans, and love celebrating with our friends. We went over to Evan and Michelle's for the very first Bronco game of the season before they headed off to Rexburg for school. The Broncos won of course! We had super yummy food which included deep fried oreos. (I don't reccommend making a diet of this unless you have a death wish) They are soo goood! We had fun times. Here are a few pictures of our "Broncos in Training."

 Yummy Food!

 Broncos in Training

 Cutest Picture Ever!

 Michelle's Little Man.

And of cours, have to end with our Little Man!

Happy Halloween!

 We had fun trick or treating this year! Little Man went with his cousins and he caught on pretty quick that all he had to do was look cute and hold out his pumpkin to get some candy! He went as Buster Bronco, the  Boise State mascot. The costume was one of those winter wear things, not a real costume, but I got me some yarn and made a tail and we made it work. He has worn it several times out in the cold since then and it has served us a dual purpose. Can't beat those kinds of purchases! Little Man also learned very quickly where his candy was hidden and every night he would sit and wait by the closet door until he got his piece of candy! Too cute. Little one's are so fun, I can't believe how big he is getting already!

Peanut Butter

Note to self when your son is hungry and your husband is not paying attention, never leave the peanut butter in a spot where Little Man can get a hold of it! This is the sticky result I stumbled upon. It's a good thing I didn't come in any later, he probably would have been covered head to toe! That boy does like his peanut butter!

We love to read!

Little Man loves his books. He will read almost any book lying around. I thought for a while that he would never sit down and read. I would try time after time and he just didn't want anything to do with it. He was much to busy to stop and sit for five seconds. Then one day he brought me a book, then another, then another, and continued until we had read about every book he owned. His current favorite book is Cars, which we have to hide every now and again because we get tired of reading it! The other day I couldn't find him anywhere (not that my house is exceptionally large) I went into his room and he had turned the rocking chair around and was reading his Cars book. Had I not turned the chair back around I never would have found him. He was being so quiet! Something that almost never happens often anymore either. I hope his love for reading continues on, just like mine has. I just love a good book!

Great Grandma Smith

 In October shortly after I returned from Seattle, Mike's Grandma passed away from a stroke. We got together at her house with the family to take some family pictures. Mike's uncles live in Wisconsin and Canada, so their get togethers are few and far between. The last time Mike remembers seeing his uncle was when he was 8!  These are some the photos I took while we were waiting for all the families to arrive.

The boys were playing in the grass and Richard's son decided to get the grass off of Little Man. This is his wind up, he wacked that grass right off his head. It was pretty funny! They had an enjoyable time!

My handsome little man in the suit that Aunt Cerese and my mom found for him while they were thrift store shopping in Arizona. Isn't he so adorable?

The great grand kids being pulled in a hand cart that probably dates back to the pioneers! Well, maybe not that old, but it is pretty old! Richard was tired after all that pulling!

Cutest cousins ever!