Ice skating

On Christmas eve morning I woke up with the desire to do something "festive".  We decided to take the kids ice skating for their first time.  I had no idea how it would go.  We went in knowing that it could be a complete disaster - but it was worth trying.  We knew we would need one adult per child.  Luckily Daniel and Angie were coming to my mom's house for Christmas eve and they were willing to come with us.  We could not have done it with out them - that is for sure!  They were so cute and helpful with the kids.  And it was great to make a memory with them before we went back to Denver.  The kids still talk about going ice skating with Aunt Angie.

We all traded around who had each child quite a lot - mostly to gives our back and legs a break from having to hold up Madison.  Beware of the picture overload.  I just felt like putting them all on.  By the end Brock and Noah were able to skate by themselves and Megan and Madison were at least supporting their own body weight.  We were out on the ice for about an hour and a half and no body got hurt or cried.  It was a win!

We took the kids off the ice and let the newlyweds have a romantic skate.  They are so cute!

The "best" part was lacing on and off the skates for the four kids - I think we were doing that as much as we were on the ice!

January

January is always my hardest month.   Mostly because I let so many things go.  And this year has been no exception.  I have let a lot of things go.  Most years I haven't let it bother me - its ok to take a month off - right?  Well this year it feels a little different.  It feels more like a life-style change or a personality change rather than just a month of laziness.

This sounds really "Oprah-ee" but the last few days I have had a saying go through my head "live your best life".  Today while drying my hair I felt the motivation to actually do it.  I can do better.  So much better.  And I want too.  I want to "live my best life".

So here it is - my best life:

• Waking up before my kids  - shower and get dressed
• Pray and read my scriptures everyday
• fix my kids a good breakfast and my boys a good lunch
• Get me and girls mostly ready with the boys and finish up by 9:30
• Do something really fun with the girls in the morning at least once a week
• Be productive during naps: make dinner, clean something, make healthy snacks, work on preschool - no "pointless" tv or computer time - but I can "catch up" on some things.
• Be 100% "there" with the boys when they get home - not distracted doing other things
• Do something fun with all the kids at least one day a week after school
• Be 100% on discipline and expectations with the kids
• Do two things on my "check list" every night before tv, computer, or bed
• Read blogs instead of Facebook
• Go to bed by 10:30

I am considering taking time off of Facebook.  I used to read really great healthy living, recipe, and parenting blogs - but now I don't have time to do that - and I felt better when I did that instead of Facebook - but trying to do both wastes too much time.  I am limiting myself to Facebook once a day and recommitting to go back to reading informative uplifting blogs.

At the beginning of the year i decided not to make any resolutions because things were "going so well" and they were.  Oh how pride can bring about destruction!  So... at the end of January I guess these are my resolutions.

Out with friends

I found that it is too hard to get together with everyone I want to and miss each time I come to Utah.  So instead I try to spend real quality time with someone different each time.  This time I got together with three friends.  Corinne - who I didn't take any pictures with.  She lives in Seattle with her two girls.  We hadn't seen each other in a few years.  It was great to be in Utah at the same time.

Then one night I met my old neighbors, Natalie and Amy for ice cream after our kids were in bed.  We stayed until 11:30 just chatting and could have stayed much longer - but they were long past closing.  It was so fun - I miss them terribly.

Christmases at temple square

After the kids were sad last year about not being at temple square I decided to print out some pictures of us at temple square over the years and hang them up.  The kids noticed that we have had a picture in the same place the last few years.  They really wanted another one in the same place.

2007 - 8 months old

(we missed 2008 - we had a 2 month old and a 18 month old and lived an hour away - I wonder why we missed it?! :) - plus it wasn't a "tradition" yet.

2009 - 1 and 2 years old

2010 - 8 months old, 2 and 3 years old

2011 - 4 months old, 18 months old, 3 and 4 years old

2012 - 1, 2, 4, and 5 years old

missed 2013 - in Denver

2014 - 3, 4, 6, and 7 years old

Temple Square

Last year was our fisrt Christmas not going to temple square to see the Christmas lights - and our kids noticed and were sad.  (the Denver Temple doesn't do anything for Christmas).  As soon as they found out we were going to be in Utah for Christmas, almost the first thing they asked was, can we see the lights at temple square.  Lucky for them it is my most favorite thing to do as well.  We looked forward to it the whole month of December.  Sadly, and hilariously, our trip only lasted about 15 minutes, because Noah fell into a fountain shortly after arriving.  He was warned, and told to "get down" which he did, only to immediately get back up.  He cried, but not because he was wet and it was freezing, but because we had to leave.  He said, "I don't care, I can't feel it, I want to stay" - where upon we said, "you can't feel it because you are going numb... we have to go".  We got some good pictures before we had to leave.  We all left a little heart broken.

This is the fountain he fell into.  It is actually his "favorite fountain" and wanted a picture by it.  Right after he fell in.

Madison wanted her picture by the "pink tree"

Reception

Their reception was also at Heritage Gardens.  It was such a beautiful wedding.  Hopefully when we get the pictures back I can post more.  

My girls were in heaven.  They loved every detail of the wedding.  Especially their dresses!

Aren't they so adorable!!

And of course who wouldn't be thrilled with a dessert and hot chocolate buffet.

Brock and Brad.  They are such good friends.

My extended family.  I miss them so much!

And this guy - he is so great!  He works "behind the scenes" so great for me - making sure everyone is happy and on time and dressed and fed.  He even took the kids home when they were "done" and put them to bed so I could stay the whole time.  He really is my better half!