"BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!"

December was a VERY busy month for me. With decorations, putting Christmas presents together, and being REALLY sneaky about them, December kind of disappeared without a trace!!

Let's see where shall I start. The beginning of December we took the kids sledding. It was Carter's first time, and he really enjoyed it. We were only out for an hour or so because it was REALLY cold!

Christmas came a little early for Bradey!! It was ONE of the BEST parts of my Christmas. After we had a few intense days of snow storms, Bradey had been talking about getting a snow thrower. Well being the sneaky wife that I am, I went a bought him one. Since its a bit hard to hide an enormous machine, I just let him open the trunk of the Yukon! I NEVER have been able to surprise him, EVER!! So I was really excited to give him this gift!

We got a REAL Christmas tree!! We had one our first year we were married, but the only reason we did was because I was pregnant and got whatever I wanted! ;) Last year our fake tree was really falling apart on us, so we decided to get rid of it, and enjoy the WONDERFUL smell of a real tree!! The kids of course helped Bradey put the tree up, and helped remove all the ordaments off the tree (at least all the ones they could reach!).

The rest of my month was booked with being sneaky with Bradey's side of the family. All the kids redecorated my in-laws living room. It was a chore keeping it quiet, but we managed to do it. And it was fun. I don't have any pictures yet, but I will at another post.

Then Tesha and I received an old window from my grandparents home for my mom's Christmas gift. It going to make a fun decoration for my mom's den. Again I don't have pictures. THEN Mom and I tried to have a photo shoot with ALL 4 grandbabies for my dad's gift, but none of the photos turned out. Thankfully I have an amazing sister in-law that took pictures during Thanksgiving and picks up my slack!! ;)

Then of course CHRISTMAS!! Christmas morning my sweet little Londyn decided to wake up at 3 o'clock in the MORNING!! When she saw that Santa had come, she refused to go to bed. I think she might of had an hour nap sometime in between waking up and going to bed after the day was done. You can find out Christmas morning video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRtBHd8y-gw

After our Christmas morning excitement wore down, be headed to Bradey's parents home for Prime Rib and Ham!! YUM! It was a great time. I had to leave for a bit because ELDER LEONARDSON called Mom's house!! It was wonderful to hear his voice and to talk to him!! He told us his testimony in Spanish. IT was CRAZY awesome!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! WE sure did!! :)

Some how the Turkey gets you FULL!

This Thanksgiving was AMAZING!! We had my family get together for dinner at our church house. I think we're starting to do a new tradition of just doing my immediate family, instead of the entire extended family. Which there is A LOT of people in my extended family. Everyone was there minus our wonderful missionary Elder Leonardson, but he's doing good work, so we'll excuse him this year and next!! ;) But we did enjoy our local missionaries at dinner!! NO one wanted to be photographer while they were eating, so I started taking pictures after dinner.

This is how the men work off dinner

This is how the little ones enjoy their time after dinnerOur clean up crew! :)Carter really enjoys his Aunt Susan!

After their movie, the Grandbabies really became ACTIVE!!

I love this picture, it shows both babies personalities very well.

Carter- ON the Go Always!

Jessa- So sweet and calm!

Abbi is always the best play buddy!!

Playing Balderdash is the BEST!! Especially with Dad and Jesse!!

The kids found a fort to play in!!

I had to get evidence, YES that is my Mom and Dad talking TOGETHER!!

I didn't get a pictures of the rest of the weekend. But we sure did have a lot of fun as a family. We went sledding, trap shooting, and played at Outer Limits all in one day (Friday)!! Oh it was a GREAT day!!

I spent the night at Tesha's house, because Dad had to catch a plane at 9 AM in SLC!! But it was totally worth loosing sleep!! We talked all night with Dad, got 2 hours of sleep, talked for 3 hours on the drive down, then had the best sisterly bonding talk on the ride home!!

When I got home, I got kids ready for Bradey's family Thanksgiving dinner, then I was able to get a couple of hours of sleep, and headed for some in-law bonding!!

I am so grateful for the wonderful family that I have been blessed with. We have come a long way in the past few years, and it LITERALLY has been a miracle! It's interesting because through ALL of our trials, we have become closer as a family. I am a truly blessed wife, mother, daughter, sister, and granddaughter. I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for my family!!

A WHOLE week with Pappa & Halloween

Part of Bradey's apprenticeship he has do get so many hours in different departments of the company. During mid-October and the first of November he was gone for 8 days straight twice, but on the upside he was home for 6 days straight afterwards!! The first "hitch" (October 18th-25th) we went up to Washington to visit my dad!! OH my goodness it was so much fun!! Dad took off the ENTIRE time we were there!! The traveling part wasn't as bad as I thought, thank goodness for DVD players in cars!! Although what should have taken us 9 hours, took us 11 hours! :/ But when we finally got there it was worth the drive!! Every time we've seen Dad since Carter was born, Carter's been too small to understand and recognize his Pappa. But this trip they REALLY bonded!! It was so adorable. He LITERALLY when EVERYWHERE Pappa went! If Dad walked out the door, and Carter saw him, Carter would start crying like there was no tomorrow! And of course Londyn had to play with ALL of the expensive music "toys" of Pappa's. The piano, the guitars, and the Karaoke machine!! We got to go to some family friends' soccer games, play at the park for HOURS, walk to the river with the dogs, play with Michael and Susan, and the kids' favorite ride in Pappa's truck! They also got to sit on Pappa's tractor, but no riding on it because it rained like crazy and there was LOTS of mud!! :)
We got home and the kids were SOO happy to see their Daddy!! And they got him for 6 whole days!! We were so busy that we didn't have time to carve pumkins until the Saturday of our Trunk or Treat! Bradey and I have a deal. I gut the pumkin and he gets to carv the designs out!! I think they turned out rather well! After getting done with the pumkins we put our costumes on. This year was a bit easier than last year. The kids are older and WANT CANDY!! So they were better sports about it. We were the characters from Peter Pan. Londyn was Tinker Bell, Carter was the Crocodile, I was Peter Pan, and Bradey was SUPPOSE to be Captain Hook. Bradey REALLY hates Halloween. He always says, "It's the mother of ALL NON-holidays!" So when he didn't dress up! But that's ok we had a fun Halloween anyways!

Carter's 1st birthday!!

Wow I cannot believe a year ago we were going to have this little man!! He still has handsome as the day he came home!! ;) It's funny because I remember how ACTIVE he was in the womb, and at the age of 1 he is as active as ever!! He walks like he's 2 years old!! Talks very well and clear (the few words that he knows are Dad, Mom, Londyn, Please, Thank you, Lily). I love to watch him when the radio is on. He loves to dance along with Londyn!! :) His favorite song and the song that ALWAYS makes his frown go upside down is 5 Little Monkeys!! He loves to be the alligator and SNAP THOSE MONKEYS RIGHT OUT OF THE TREE.
The last month he has decided he's not going to be pushed around by his older sister anymore!! He fits right back, and when she wants to trade, YEAH RIGHT!!
His SMILE just melts anyone's heart!! Especially when you are having a bad day, he'll just smile at you, and ALL your worries will go away!
These few pictures are all of the week he was born!

This one makes me laugh because he STILL pulls this face when gets really sad!
Look closely and you can see his "Melt Your Heart" smile!

Bradey Mini-Me!!
My perfect family a year ago
My perfect world now!!

We had a blast celebrating Carter birthday!! WE did it on the 21st (his actual b-day) here at the house. Everyone that lives in the area in our families came!! This little boy is SO loved!! :)
WE started the day off with Tesha's kids coming over and playing. Surprisingly everyone got along and not very many separations had to take place!! Then everyone else joined us for dinner and ICE CREAM CAKE from COLDSTONE!! YUMMMMM!! Carter LOVED his cake. It was like an enormous peanut butter cup with chocolate ice cream in it!! Which are his FAVORITE things in ONE!! He received a lot of new toys and clothes, and Londyn is VERY grateful for the toys!! haha!!

I'm ALL ready for my PARTY Mom!!
Cousin Fun!
Present time!
Yes Football!! The boy LOVES to watch FOOTBALL!!
Digging IN!!
Lily was on Clean up duty!!
Thank you ALL for the wonderful gifts!

Its amazing how much your heart grows for each individual that comes into your life. My heart has tripled in size in the past 3 years!! And I am SO grateful that Heavenly Father has blessed me with this wonderful family!!