December 2008

Looking back at December

We had a great Christmas, the boys got everything they asked for (I think). They are at that age where they are asking for video games and money (which makes me a little sad), good thing I've got Nick. This was the second year that the boys made each other presents. Trey made Nick an apron for the kitchen he was getting from Santa, and he made Jordan a sleeping bag for his stuffed animals. It was a little scary letting Trey use the sewing machine, he wanted to floor it on the foot pedal, I am wondering if this is a sign of the future (driving, YIKES). Jordan decided back in November he would start making Nick mini books and he made Trey a cadi holder for his phone/controllers. It's a good thing we covered it in family guy images or else I don't think he would of liked it. Yes, I said family guy that's what the fam watches when I work nights (I just love my hubby). When I asked Willie what he wanted for Christmas he said Hulk hands for me and the kids, well thats what he got! You should have seen the faces on the kids when Willie kept pulling out more and more Hulk hands from the giant christmas bag they were in, Priceless! They have had so much fun playing with those things, now where do I put all those green hands.

Reindeer Food

Some other things we did this December included making reindeer food. This is something we have always done and this year we made enough to hand out at my works Christmas Party and a few left over to send to cousins.

Reindeer

Food

Recipe

Dried Oats, Sugar, Sprinkles, Glitter

Sprinkle on the lawn at night,

The moon will make it sparkle bright,

As Santa's reindeer fly and roam,

This will guide them to your home.

Gingerbread House

Every year we also decorate a gingerbread house. This year the boys did not have the patience to wait to put the candy on the house so our gingerbread house was really struggling to stay up.

I just love this free digital desktop calendar from shabby princess, I thought it was just too cute not to share with everybody.

December

This week Nick and I went to story time at the library. All of the kids got Reindeer ears and a jingle bell necklace and Nick got his picture taken in front of the Christmas tree. The story this week was the gingerbread man and I think Nick's favorite part of story time was watching the puppet show. Nick really liked decorating his gingerbread boy,

cookies were handed out in between activities and games, and all of the kids at story time got cute little treat bags.

We will definitely be going again next week, I just love the library!!!

I found this site were you can decorate a gingerbread boy. The boys had so much fun decorating their own "gingy". This is Jordan's penguine gingerbread boy and here is Nicks "gingy"

Jordan had his is Christmas concert this week and his grade sang three songs. It was a nice short little concert (thats how we like them). Jordan was so funny he had a scowl on his face the entire time his class was singing, he said the lights were to bright and they hurt his eyes, ahh poor kid! After the concert I took Jordan to where else but Chilis and we had dessert. I really enjoyed this because we got to spend some quality time together. Willie stayed home with Nick and Trey, Nick is just at that age where sitting and being quiet is an impossible task.

We had a great Halloween this year and the boys loaded up on tons of candy. By the end of the night Nick was dragging his bag because it was so heavy for him (Yikes, that's way to much candy for a 3 year old). I tried to get some pictures in before we headed out, but we all know how that goes.

Drillbit Taylor (trey), Yoda (nick), Darth Vader (jordan)

Here it little Yoda running to beat the boys to the doorbell, I think that was his favorite part of trick-or-treating. Trey was so helpful with Nick he made sure that Nick held is bag up each and every time, he kept Nick from ringing the doorbells more than once, and he didn't even laugh when the old guy he almost fell over when handing out candy (he saved it for when we walked down the street).

Bucket of treats for J's 3rd grade class



These popcorn hands were such a hit at Jordan's class party, we made a few extra so Nick could take some to his daycare.

Jordan played flag football this year and I am so glad we decided to do flag football instead of pop-warner (ya know that whole broken arm thing). Jordan's flag football team was the Patriots and the season went by so fast. Since the season started football is all Jordan could and still thinks about; he watches football with Willie, plays football at recess, draws pictures about football, would wear his football jersey everyday if I let him, looks and organizes his football cards, and his teacher says she thinks he day dreams about football.

What a fun weekend

We spent the day here, at Horton Creek !!!

A couple of weekends ago we spent the day at the Horton Creek and at the Tonto Fish Hatchery. This was suppose to be the last of the warm days so we really wanted to get out and do something before the weather really changed. The boys loved feeding the fish at the hatchery and racing each other to all of the different pools of fish. After the fish hatchery we drove to Horton Creek picnic area and had lunch. After lunch we all went down to the creek, of course Jordan brought his football and the boys played monkey in the middle with their dad. The game consisted of Trey standing on a rock in the middle of the creek and Willie on one side of the creek and Jordan on the other side of the creek. The game proceeds with the person in the middle trying to catch the football as it is thrown over their head, if the ball does get caught by the person in the middle (on the rock in the middle of the creek) then they trade places with the person you on the side of the creek.
As with many of the games played by my boys it got a little rough and lots of wrestling over the football took place. They boys loved it when the ball fell into the water and they had to race each other for the ball. While the boys did this Nick and I went exploring looking for bugs. Nick was so cute while we were walking through some tall dried grass he started repeating the words from one of his favorite books "were going on a bear hunt, we're not afraid".
Uh-uh! Grass!Long wavey grass.We can't go over it.We can't go under it.Oh no!We've got to go through it!

swishy swashy!

swishy swashy!

swishy swashy!

I love the picture of Jordan completely soaked from the waist down, the water was so freezing cold. We had so much fun here, I am hoping that we can make it up here and test out the Hortain Trail before it snows.

Fall

We have been getting ready for that time of year by making Carmel apples, decorating with pumpkins, planting spring bulbs, and hanging our Halloween calendar and banner. Fall break has already come and gone, and yes we did survive with no t.v. and video games. The boys brought home not so great report cards and so until the grades come up all electronic devices are forbidden. This has been really hard to enforce but it is getting easier with time. However, the boys have spent so much time outside and I don't think our trampoline has ever gotten so much use. It is so funny to see the boys playing the games we use to play on the tramp when we were kids (thank goodness we have a net), and Nick is right in the middle of every game! I got a little crafty and made the Halloween calendar, each day I put a little treat in the pocket for the boys, and this helps Nick count down the days to Halloween. Also, I have always wanted to make banner and so I thought Halloween would be a perfect
time to try to make one, it was super easy!! (love that no-sew glue)
I do have to say that I have the sweetest husband he brought home the flowers in the last picture, "just because" !!!
Ahwwww how sweet !!!

Blue sky, sand, and lots of freckles

Nick and I spent the day at the park enjoying the beautiful day. Nick spent most of the time in the sand volleyball courts, there is just something about that boy and dirt, he just couldn't get enough of it.

Heritage days

Payson had Heritage days a couple of weekends ago and so we spent the day at the park. The boys learned how to make ice cream in a bag, we watched a melodrama, and ate some yummy snow cones.

Have you ever been to Fossil Springs?

If not you need to go!
A couple of weekends ago we spent the day here,

it was like we were on a tropical Island. Fossil Springs has pool after pool of swimming areas, along with places to cliff jump (this is way to scary for me). The water was so clean and clear and just the right temperature for us. There were so many different areas to check out, but we stayed in our little spot that was already equipped with a rope swing. I am so glad that I brought life jackets for the boys, the water was moving a little fast and it was better to be safe just in case. Trey had fun catching minnows in the small pools of water and he was the first to try out the rope swing. It took him at least 10 minutes before he finally made his first attempt on the swing.

It took Jordan alot longer to warm up to the idea of the rope swing, he had to make small attempts taking off from a large rock in the water and then gradually working his way up to the tree, but he did it and I am so proud of him!!!

We brought with us lots of sunblock, lunch, and a couple of tubes. The boys had a good time trying to push me off the tube, and they loved it when their dad held the tube for them so they could ride down the little waterfalls.

It really is hard to believe that this is in Arizona !!!

Nick enjoying lunch

Doesn't this boy look tired!!!

During the ride home Nick kept saying "the best day ever, the best day ever", this truly turned out to be a great day!!

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!!

Last weekend we went with our good friends Monica and Levi to go to the University of Phoenix Stadium to watch the Cardinals play the Dever Broncos. Monica and Levi drove to Payson from Grants, NM, met us at our house and we to the game together. We had so much fun at the game, Monica and Levi are die hard Bronco fans so it was fun watching them support their team. I met Monica at Western New Mexico University, I convinced her to join the Movement Science program and somehow we survived the program together. Monica has been such a good friend to me, she has always there for us even helping us load our U-haul when we moved to the crappiest town in the world Elko, NV. Monica just found out that she is expecting a baby girl in October I am so happy and excited for her and Levi.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Pine Hike

Last weekend we had to get the kids out of the house so we decided to go for a hike. We took the kids to the Pine hiking trail in Pine, AZ. Willie and I had been on this trail before and we knew it would be an easy hike for the older boys, but we were not sure how Nick would do. So we packed up and headed out for a mid-morning hike. Nick did so well on the hike he loved every minute of it, of course he had to stop every 2 sec. on the trail and pick up sticks or rocks. He said he needed the sticks to fight a bear with, for some reason Nick thought we would find a bear on our hike, lol! During our hike it was cloudy and we thought it was going to rain but it made the hike so nice and cool. I think next time we go hiking I will get some of these for Trey and Jordan. After the hike we headed into pine and got some ice cream, YUMMY.

So we have been a little busy around here!!

The boys are back in school now and the first few weeks were a little rough but now they are settling in just fine. The boys started school on the July 30th and I am so sad to say that I have no 1st day of school pictures, it really seems like it just snuck up on us . However, it is so nice to be back on a schedule and have a routine going again. I am so happy to say that Nick is finally ready for this.





We have been reading lots of potty training books and his favorite is this one ZOO POO. I laugh every time I read this book and I just love all of the cute pictures. I almost forgot to tell everyone about Nicks imaginary puppy "Rosco", yep thats right he has an imaginary dog! It is the funniest thing we have ever seen. Nick's puppy (by the way dad helped name the dog) follows him everywhere, even to bed.

Jordan turned 9 this month

I want to cry every time I say that, I really can't believe he is 9. We had apple pie instead of birthday cake, I guess when you give choices to a 9 year old boy he will pick the most far out there option. lol!!!! Here are some picks of my sweet Jordan

To add to the craziness of things Willie and I decided to go back to school, yep we are both going to get a degree in nursing. Right now we are both taking online chemistry, the offical class is called Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry, doesn't it sound sooooo exciting! Yep this means alot of late nights drinking this .......