New Years Resolution

This summer we will be road tripping to Utah to enjoy some sun and cousins. We love going to see my parents and sister Kirsten. Kirsten is so fun to hang out with and always entertaining. We go to water parks, lagoon and of course the mall. My kids LOVE Utah and so do I. Enough to drive 14-15 hours in the van with 5 kids. That is a done deal.
But...my goal this year is to save up enough money and make it possible to get these cute cousins together. We will have to get 7 tickets to Georgia. Anyone wanting to add to the fund is invited to. Oh and Heather will have had her 7th child so I NEED to see him! I might hide him under my shirt on my way home.

What do you hope for this year?

Merry Christmas!

My girls ready for bed on Christmas Eve. They can hardly stand the excitement, but they are all tucked nicely in their beds dreaming of tomorrow. There was too much pink in this picture for Tyler to get in. Merry Christmas!

Snowed in

Emily and Sara headed over to play at Evan's house. His mother was so nice to invite the girls over to play. We have been snowed in for days so we haven't seen anybody.

We have been doing plenty of playing in the snow. We went sleding at Chambers (the elementary school my kids go to) and also another school nearby that was actually better. We used my in-laws wake board and knee board and they work great! My kids went to a day and a half of school last week and are loving the extra long Christmas break!

Let it snow...

The kids were so happy to see snow on the ground this morning. During church it continuted to snow and all the kids were going crazy. When made it out to the van that was covered in snow we sat nicely in the car while Tyler (age 11) brushed off the snow with a spare diaper from my car. What a good kid. They are counting on getting out of school tomorrow or at least a late start.

Too much fun.

I started off the weekend early on Thursday night bringing my good friend to Seven Brides for Seven Brothers that was playing on 5th Avenue in Seattle. It was wonderful! The dancing was phenomenal and the singing excellent. We were very entertained. There was one problem. When I got to the ticket office to retrieve me tickets from will call I didn't have my wallet in my purse to show my ID. Luckily I had the confirmation print out so they gave me the tickets. Christie and I went up to the garage to look if my wallet had fallen out inside the car. I couldn't find it so I figured I left it at home. We enjoyed the show and that was that.

Friday started off great. I started up a little group called Music Makers where moms and young kids can get together and play. We read stories, sing songs, dance and play with instruments. There was a great turn out for the initial meeting. I hope it continues! Well, after that was over I came home to get ready to leave for the weekend to Seattle with Marshall. I was still looking for my wallet and Marshall was worried. I rarely worry, so I was just worried that he was worried. He called the credit card companies and nothing had been charged so I made him give up the search and take me to the hotel. It was nearly noon and I was ready to get away with him. After we checked in Marshall headed off to his Medical Conference and I went to the garage that I had parked in the night before to see if by some miracle it was on the ground untouched. Well, it wasn't. I then went to the front desk of the Hilton Hotel since I had parked in their garage. They called the head of security and he brought out my wallet that had been turned in unopened! There is good in this world! I felt so blessed and left on my merry way.
A few hours later I met up with one of my best friends from high school, Sharon. We had a great time shopping through Nordstroms and trying on diamond rings and watches in Tiffany's. It was great to catch up and hear how she is doing. It is amazing how we can just feel so at home with each other after so long.

Enjoying the beautiful city of Seattle.

Dinner with Marshall.

With my mother in law and our drinks. We had to take a picture for Sara, who loves cherries.
Saturday morning when Marshall left for his conference I drove back home to take the kids to "Winter Wonderland" at their school. They made crafts for about 45 minutes and then I took them to the live nativity at the church. There were two rooms full of all kinds of nativity scenes. It was beautiful. There was also a room that was full of art of the Savior's life. The kids and I helped Alexis decorate the room earlier that week so it was fun to see it completed. I was back to Seattle by 2.

Did I get lucky or what? Marshall treated me to a very relaxing weekend and I feel very loved. It is a bonus that he is so handsome. ;)

I forgot to mention who made this possible. Our most wonderful babysitter took the kids for 2 days and they had a blast with her, as always. She always has fun stuff planned for them, including a tea party with decorations. They make cards, played games and we came home to a clean house!!! We wish she could move in, but she is only 14 and her mother loves her too much to give her up. (Her mother is my good friend that I took to 7 Brides.) Here are some pictures of the kids at the church Christmas Party Saturday night. We missed it, but we still got some pictures from another sweet friend who knew I wanted some.
Sara and Santa. I guess they had a fan for the hot Santa.

Hannah who I think still believes. She knows she gets more presents that way.

My sweet Emily.

We came home to hugs and more hugs. That is part of the fun of going away for a short time. I am rejuvenated and ready to be a mom again and the kids realize how much they love us. Life is good.

Top Ten Things I Am Thankful For Today

10. The sun came out today and will make an appearance tomorrow too!

9. Having the ability to run in the morning so I don't feel so guilty eating my way through the day.

8. Movie theaters that stay open on Thanksgiving. What should I see (with kids)?

7. Emily's preschool teacher who thought of fun crafts to do. Thanks Miss Robin!

6. Motivation to help Emily make more crafts when she got home from school. The boys got Indian, oh sorry, Native American head bands and the girls got pilgrim hats. She wanted both.

5. My moms homemade rolls. I will attempt to make some tomorrow just for fun. They won't be as good, but pretty close.

4. Good friends that cheer me up and always seem to know when I need them. You know who you are.

3. My parents kind and dear. Thanks for showing me what I can be. :)

2. My Five hooligans that keep me entertained at all times. This was taken today at the park, Samantha's head can be seen behind the kids.

1. My handsome husband who works hard so we can buy food and loves me no matter what.
(This is my favorite picture of all time. I never get tired of looking at it...Marshall delivering Samantha 2 years ago.)

Marie Callender's for Thanksgiving?

Yes! My mother in law suggested we go to a restaurant this year for Thanksgiving and my first thought was....NOOOOOOO!!!! But now it sounds like a pretty good idea. I made a chocolate pie yesterday and I will be making rolls today. That means we will be eating all of the yummy homemade things all week instead of just on Thanksgiving. It wouldn't be the same if I didn't. So, the guys still get to do the Turkey bowl Thursday morning. Tyler is so excited about that and then we will head off to have someone else cook and clean everything. Is this bad?

Tyler's game

Tyler had a game on Vashon Island this morning so we woke up early to get to the 8:25 ferry. It was just Tyler, two buddies and me. Marshall was home with the four girlies. I loved hanging out with Tyler and the boys. They were losing 0-2, but came back to win it 3-2. So, they won their last league game!
After the game we rushed to the get back on the ferry, but missed it by about one minute. So we had to kill an hour and the boys had no trouble finding things to do.
Tyler brought his PSP and they traded off.

Then they threw rocks in the water for a while.

This afternoon Ty's team played a tournament game and they tied in the most exciting game of the year. They were down 2-1 and the coach decided to "go suicidal" which means everyone, including the keeper, moves up to offense. We scored again and tied it up. That takes his team into the semi-final game that he will play next week.

My baby is 2

Tyler insisted on lighting the candles for his sister's birthday.

Sam getting pushed out of the way and holding on for dear life.

The happy family.

Day with Hannah

Hannah and I spent the day shopping at the Tacoma mall for her birthday weekend. First we had lunch at the Nordsrom Cafe. It was delicious and we finished it off with white chocolate bread pudding with rasberry sauce. She got a hat in brass plum, a necklace in Limited Too, red glasses and magnetic earings in Claires. We held hands through the mall and she led the way.
She noticed this this speaker with her dads name on it.

After shopping we met up with Emily and Sara at the theater for HSM3. They loved it. Here I am modeling the new glasses. She doesn't take them off!

Celebrating With Hannah

I just got back from celebrating Hannah's birthday with her 3rd grade class. Hannah passed around donuts (Lakewood donuts of course) to all of the kids and they all waited for her to take the first bite. Samantha and Emily came along and they were surprisingly very mild and well behaved. I am typically afraid to let them loose, but I think the bigger kids intimidate Emily.
When we were leaving we were able to sneak in and have a surprise lunch with Sara and the 1st graders. Emily loved getting hot lunch (pizza day) and Sara was overjoyed. She can't ever hide her emotions and I love it.

I only invited the girls to be in the picture. I told the boys it was there job to make faces so they would smile. My camera was left at home, so I had to make due with my cell phone camera.

Hannah and her teacher, Mrs. Geren. She is such a wonderful teacher. Hannah has so many sweet friends in her class this year. What a blessed girl...and mom.

Young and Awkward

If you are reading this consider yourself tagged! I am sure you all have pictures of your awkward stages of life. There are a very few people that never have to be humbled by these awful years. (my sister is one of them) The middle school id pictures show the difference a year and getting the braces off make.
The top picture is when my older brother came home from his church mission in Germany. I am the youngest girl with the pink shorts. Notice the lovely black shoes. I think that was my only pair because just about every picture I have of me I am wearing those. My little brother, Stephen, has the whitest legs I have ever seen, next to my dads.
Lets see your younger years!

This was AWESOME!

On Friday night I decided to have an 80s Halloween party on Saturday. My two Laura friends have this as a tradition, and since they live in two separate states I wasn't invited this time, so I had to do my own. I was a little amazed by how ratting my bangs all came back to me so quickly and naturally.

This was a couple donut eating game. Marshall got into it a little too much and scared the others, I think. He thought it was a kissing game, or at least wanted to make it that. We haven't seen much of each other lately. ;)

My brother, Allan, and his wife Jennifer trying to beat us.

Cardon couple - He was wearing his HS jersey, from the 80s of course.

Duby couple - Richard Simmons and Cindy Lauper, maybe?

Norton Couple - Patty had turquoise nail polish on, nice touch! She also provided the rad tunes.

Vaillancourt Couple - Had to drive 30 minutes for their babysitter, but grandma is worth it.

My big brother, Allan and his beautiful wife Jennifer. Our kids all played at my house and loved being together. Although the house looked like 9 kids had been there playing.

Ahh, still in love after 16 years!!

Pictures of the Patch

Messy pants, Samantha got so muddy and loved it!

Not really wanting to touch the dirty pigs.



Samantha and I went along for Emily's preschool field trip today. It was cloudy and cold, but dry. That is about all we could hope for. Samantha was a little nervous on the hay ride, but was tough and then didn't want to get off. I bought some corn on the cob, like I do every year, from the farm. It is always so delicious. I will go cook it now...

Last of Hawaii, ready for more.

"An eternal family begins when a young couple kneels at an altar in the holy temple of God and make covenants with each other and with God and receive His greatest promises. This sealing is preceded by each making and receiving covenants which, if they continue worthy, will bless them in this life as well as in the life to come.

The father and mother are equal partners with different roles in nurturing and teaching their family members on the journey to immortality and eternal life. To have full meaning, how can life be other than an eternal process?"
(President James E. Faust)

Home

We took a red eye flight Sunday night to get back while the kids were still sleeping Monday morning. I had to wake them up since I couldn't wait much longer to see them. It was a fun reunion and then I sent 3 of them off to school. What a great MIL and SIL I have.

Here are some pictures of the race. It was incredible.
Here I am on the wall waiting for the cannon to sound beginning the Ironman Comp.

Sea of bodies racing through the water.

After the swim there were ladies there with kitchen gloves ready to lather you up with sunscreen. Some also grabbed some new clothes and shoes for the biking. The pros have their shoes connected to their bikes and they stay in the same clothes.

The professionals getting to their $10,000 bikes. Notice the shoes hanging on the pedals. One poor woman ran to her bike rack and started to scream for help. Her bike was missing and she was acting like she was going to die. It sounded like she was the wicked witch of the west melting into nothing. One of the volunteers came over and found her bike two slots away from where she was looking. One minute sure means alot in this race.

From the 112 miles on the bike they went on to run a full marathon in the extreme heat and humidity. Most of the athletes that had done this world championship course in the past said it was the worst conditions because of the heat and wind. Marshall left me out on the street watching the marathoners run by. Since they went down the road 5 miles and then had to turn around about come back down the street I was able to see the front runners. I really just wanted to cheer on the female winner from last year, Chrissie Wellington from Australia. She won this time by more than 10 minutes! She won $110,000 cash and about $400,000 worth of stuff from the sponsors.

As soon as the top female came in at about 9 hours and 6 minutes into the race Marshall and I started our shift in the medical tent. We volunteered for 6 hours and it was eye opening. These poor athletes crossed the finish line and then collapsed or when into convulsions. I was a "runner" for 4 doctors including my Dr. Marshall Nickel. They gave the guys and girls IVs, chicken broth for the sodium through a straw, anti nausea medicine as some couldn't stop throwing up, blood tests and other things. I had to get supplies, make beds/cots/lounge chairs for the next patients to come in. I mostly loved sitting by the patients and hearing their great stories. They were all great and so appreciative to the docs and staff. I hope to get back there someday.