Christmas Cuties

Let me start with telling you all that it is not that we no longer consider Bryan one of our christmas cuties but instead that he was in California visiting one his friends this Christmas Sunday. Post with B to come shortly. :)


I've finally come to the realization that Christmas is only a week away. As of Friday we had yet to put up our tree. The only decorations we had showing we had any Christmas spirit at all were the cute things the kids had brought home from school or the coloring pages that Ella has doodled. Last week when I was out shopping during the school day we saw a special someone and it kicked me more into gear. And the girls too!


Our friendly Haven had no problem at all cuddling up to the big guy.


Or letting him know her specifics. It all did catch her off guard for a moment and she couldn't remember what to ask him for. As you can see she was deep in thought and all in all it was a successful Santa visit.


She never leaves a friendly soul without a hug and Santa was happy to oblige.


Little Ellie is the shy one. I was pretty sure she would get close to Santa but I didn't think she would actually talk!


When she got up the gumption to speak the first thing she said to Santa was, "I'm sorry I cut my sisters hair and that she cut mine. Am I on the naughty list?" (As you can see I kept my disappointment in them well hidden... NOT!) Santa used the phrase I wish I had when I scolded them for it. He said to Ella, "Baby I would love you if you were bald. And Jesus does too." Could you ask for a better Santa?


After being reassured that she was not on the naughty list even though he had put Swiper on it, even she was happy to leave him with a hug. (She's watched Dora's Christmas special just a few times!)


And here's another cutie. He's getting kind of old to like being called a cutie but I can't help it. With those big eyes that show right through to his amazingly sweet heart; cutie is still a good word for him. Rylan is growing up so fast lately. He hit the double digits this year and while he may not be growing up in size too quickly, he's turning into an amazing young man. We love our Jakey boy.


And Rylan loves his Chu-chi who LOVES him right back. It's the classic little boy with his dog relationship that should go down in history.



And here is our handsome Trevan. Trev turned eight this year and enjoyed all the amazement and wonder that went with that. He's also such a sweet heart with a soft spot for the girls.

Not those kind of girls!

These girls!

He's so good with them. And they look so cute together.


Trevan loves climbing trees whether it be for fun or for posing. He's such an easy happy boy. Love this kid!


And then we have our Brady Boy. LOVE BRADY BOY! He brings a lot of excitement and laughter into our lives. He's so so smart and comes up with the funniest things to talk about. He's till very independent and steers clear of loud noises and crowds but Trevan and him are best buddies. We're so very thankful for that.



Big boy Brayden turned seven this year and already can't wait to turn eight. I think he just always wants to be just like Trevan. If he only knew how much we adore him just the way he is!


Oh Gracie girl.


How we love our Gracie girl. Ever full of energy and life. Never ending friendship and love. She's such a fun fun girl.


She's always growing up way fast. Too fast. I can't believe she will be five in only a month and a half! We waited so long for her and now it's going by way too fast.


She started a half day pre-k program this year and LOVES it. Mrs. Salazar is the perfect young child teacher. All of the kids have had her and we look forward to her rounding it out with Payten Ella next year.


Payten Ella. What do we say about her that we haven't said a dozen times before. She's an angel.


I do have to admit however, that we really aren't in denial about the fact that she is "the" baby. And to the fact that we treat her as such and is entitled to every spoiling and baby-ing privaledges that comes along with it.


We are holding onto every bit of our baby that we can. Just look at those cute little fingers and hands!


And that smile! Ellie baby... we love you! Very very much!


We love all of our Christmas cuties. Very very much. We stop and think of all of you. Most who are soooo far away and how much we love you too. So very very much. And we can't say enough how much we love our Savior Jesus Christ who gives us the very reason we celebrate this Christmas season and the very reason we are able to celebrate our eternal love for all of our dear family and friends. Love love love... so very very much.

Another One

So here I am doing another embarrassing no picture blog. EMBARRASSING. I swear it is against the rules and I am committing some major crime but here goes.
I'm going to be honest and say that it has been a very trying couple of months. Personal struggles meant to strengthen me seem to... not. Family pains near and far are to this very moment causing me to shed too many tears. I miss you all so very very much. Even little ones who I never get to see or got to see. I miss. I miss. I miss. But one thing rings loud and clear over and over again. I love . I love . I love. So very very very much.
I wish far away wasn't sooo far away and that "in the next couple of months", much less the eternities, didn't take so long to get here. I love you all. A lot.

We're Alive!

So I figure everyone has figured me for dead but I'm here to say that I AM ALIVE! WE ALL ARE! My card reader in the printer is not working so I can't upload any pictures. So I just figured that meant that I couldn't blog. But my dear oldest sister let me know this morning that just because I can't upload any pictures doesn't mean I can't leaver a note telling everyone that we are here and doing well. Very well. Actually. Many great and happy things have been going on which I will blog about soon because my husband has promised to fix my card reader situation this week end. I'm sure he will keep this promise do or die because it was made to my second oldest sister who is about a month away from delivering her seventh child and advised him that he did not want to make a crazy hormonal lady upset! And I don't either! Expect a blog this week end sweet people. Until then know that we are alive and doing very very well. We love you all!

Back To School! (and blogging!)

I know you are all falling out of your chairs right now to see that I am acually blogging! It's been made painfully clear that I am not a summer blogger. However, although it's been a ridiculously long time and there have been important posts that I will have to catch up on (i.e. B's prom and graduation, the boys trip to WA with my parents and sister, our Utah trip etc.), I'm starting with where we are at now and will insert older blogs along the way. Deal? So where are we at now?

Well I'm at home with just Little Ella while these little monkeys are filling their brains.



The boys started school this past Monday and my kids were very excited to go. We requested their teachers this year and as far as first impressions go, I think we may have hit the jack pot! Rylan is always ready and willing to see what new and exciting things he can learn. Trevan was just as excited as him this year. He more so likes seeing what new kids he's going to meet. He kept telling me that he was "nervous cause he was so excited." Little Brayden on the other hand was so nervous that it made him sick. I felt so badly for him but couldn't do anything other than urge him on and tell him he was going to do great!



And I know I'm a goober with the matching clothes thing but I just can't help it. My Mom used to do this to my older sisters and I. We may have complained at times but the truth is that I look back on it and remembering feeling special that I got to dress like them. None of the boys have ever complained to me about it before but this year when Rylan saw my plan unfold he simply gave me one of those "Mooooom" moments. We'll have to see what I can get away with next year!

Haven started her half day Pre-K class on Thursday. She has been beyond excited to go and for the first two days it has lived up to her every expectation.



Is this an excited face or what?!?!





So with all the siblings off to shool Payten Ella gave sister one more hug and we went home. Just the two of us. Weird huh?

One more

We couldn't help but squeeze in one more outing with the Aunties before they left. We even let the boys miss the first half of the day so that we could all go walk the dam together. After we finished beauty parlor we headed out.

As soon as we got there we found a pretty spot with a bunch of blue bonnets. We haven't seen hardly any this year because of the lack of rain but I think they came out just for our special visitors.


And then I couldn't help but take some pictures of my boys.







And then Gracie was so cute trying to catch her butterflies.


And Ella getting one more shoulder ride with Amber.


I can't believe the fun party we had and how much fun we packed into a less than two day time period. It was unbelievable!

So now I ask, how did we get from this...


To this...


And when do we get to get back to this...

with smiles all along the way.

No one will ever know what this surprise really means to me. Not only will I NEVER forget it but it has rescued me in a way I could never explain. I love these girls and all of our moments over the past 35 years SO much! Amber, Jennie, Eliza.... literally screaming from my soul, I say thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you beyond measure. These moments with you three were pieces of eternity on earth. I love . I miss you. I'm looking forward to when we can be together again.

We Actually Really Did Do It

Now, I have trimmed up my little girls' mullets before but never been brave enough to do the whole thing. I'd been thinking about it lately but when I would ask Haven if she wanted to get a haircut she would immediately put her hands on the top of her head and say "No way Jose!" But when Auntie Amber asked her if she wanted to play "beauty parlor" and get all done up she so happily exclaimed "Yes!" I guess it's all in the wording and having three doting Aunties with them to get the first hair cuts.

Here's Haven's beauty parlor experience with Mommy and the Aunties.


The first cut. Aunties Eliza took on the brave mission.



Still cutting.


And... still cutting.



Auntie Jen put "product" in her hair to help hold those super cute curls and Auntie Amber put in a fancy new pair of sparkly earrings. She usually changes her earrings almost everyday so that they match her outfits but not the Auntie Amber earrings. She just took them out for the first time this past Wednesday for her ballet/tap pictures. She loves them!


Auntie Amber even put "make up" on to finish it all off and then you get this......


And this....



And of course we couldn't leave little Ella out of all the fun. She was needing a new do too.

Payten's first cut.


And another one. She sat pretty still for a not quite three year old until something would brush across her neck. It mad her giggle every time.


Go Eliza go! (You know they are going to need a touch up in a couple of weeks. Can we make the appointment now?)


Auntie Amber put some pretties on Ella too. We wanted to see if her hair would hold ANY curl so Auntie Jen gave it a try . Nope. NO curl but perfect just the way it is. Which looks like this...







And then together you get this.....


It doesn't get much cuter than that.


I admit it. I had a little twitch go through my heart. After all, it was my babies hair.


But then I get to have this picture implanted in my heart and it's all good. I really do love the new hair cuts. I think both of them fit each of them perfectly. Not to mention they look SO DARN CUTE! Thanks Aunties for the fun time at the beauty parlor. We won't forget that one for a very long time!