Happy New Years

This morning I woke up at 4:30 with Emma and heard a little noise outside and took a peek and saw a firetruck. I started smelling smoke and then more firetrucks arrived. After a couple of minutes I could see smoke and soon the house 2 doors down was on fire. My in-laws came up stairs and we had a little gathering in the front room as we watched the neighbor's house burn down. We slid the Christmas tree out of the way and pulled up the couch and watched for several hours as the firefighters were hard at work.

Flames were shooting out of the windows and roof. There were 2 ladder trucks in the air continiously spraying water on the fire. However, the fire burned for over 3 hours.

As day breaks the damage is finally visible

Our street was lined with trucks as far as I could see and our driveway quickly turned into a news station and was used to roll up all of the fire hoses. It wasn't exactly how I thought I would be spending my New Years Day but I did get an interview (with the guy in the white jacket) with Channel 5 in my pj's and all. If anyone actually sees it air, let me know. Everyone got out safe and sound!!!

Christmas Vacation

We have been looking forward to Christmas vacation for months. Kirk's family came from Seattle, Texas, Idaho, and Utah. We are so glad everyone came to us. We felt like we were on vacation without having to pack our bags and leave home. We had such a wonderful time. Here are some highlights.

Lunch at Joe's Farm Grill (featured on the Food Network and was just as good as we hoped)

Temple Lights

Every Christmas needs to include gingerbread houses (aka grahm cracker houses). We had houses with slides, pools, sleigh and toys, christmas lights, and many other very original creations.

The cast from the nativity reenactment (minus our cute shepherd boy who disappeared before photos)

Of course Christmas morning was wonderful.

Emma's 1st Christmas

Carter is still a tad bit sleepy!

Our Polar Bear Club was much larger this year. (PICTURES COMING SOON) We had 14 brave souls. It was much colder than I had imagined and it literally took your breath away-brrrrr. You know it is cold when everyone comes up gasping for air, and when you get out of the water you instantly feel warm.

Next we played kickball at the park.

We wrapped up the evening with our tradition of reading a Christmas book in front the fire.

The next day was followed lots of shopping, pizza and movie night.

The whole gang (all 21)

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas (inside)

One of the many reasons why I love shatterproof ornaments.

The Christmas tree ornaments spend alot of time on the floor or in a grocery cart, but every once in awhile all of the decorations will be on the tree at the same time, usually at night when everyone is asleep. Nevertheless, it is beginning to feel like Christmas around our house, except when you step out the front door and feel wonderful 70 degree weather.

Simple pleasures...

...having your very own swing. We are beginning to remember why we love AZ.

Happy Birthday Mom

We celebrated my mom's b-day by waking up at the crack of dawn (4 a.m. to be exact) and going Black Friday shopping. Even though it was only my mom and I this year we couldn't stop the tradition (thanks dad for sleeping on my couch while I was out shopping, and for Kirk who was hard at work while I was spending his hard earned cash). We hit Old Navy, Target, JoAnns, and Office Max. We were done by 8:30, just in time to get home and feed a baby.

Oh and by the way, the candles on the cake are not really her age.

Happy Halloween

I was frantically sewing Halloween costumes all day (and week) so we decided to treat ourselves to Papa Murphy's Jack o' Lantern pizza, which was very delicious but the best part was the Cinnamon wheel. This was our first experience with the Cinnamon wheel and we will definately be doing it again- mmm good!!!

Katelyn and Kaleb wanted to be Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker so that started the Halloween theme for us. Carter was R2D2 and Emma was Master Yoda (we know we cross dressed her but couldn't help it, it was just too cute). Kirk was Anikin and I was Princess Amadala (aka Padme). It was the first year Kirk and I have both dressed up since before we had kids, but it was so much fun I think we might have to do it again next year.

Good Times

Not a day goes by where we don't laugh at something our children have said or done.

My mom brought cupcakes over and we set them on the counter. Later, Carter climbed on the barstool and onto the counter and partook. He was so proud of himself when I found him.

Yesterday, Kaleb was pretending to be blind during dinner (not sure why). As dinner went on he tattled on something he saw Katelyn do, and we reminded him that he was blind. He quickly replied, "I was, but Heavenly Father and Jesus healed me".