More of Ava

I took some pictures today of Ava before and after church. She was being so adorable smiling, laughing, and clapping her hands. She is our adorable teeny tiny 13 month old! *WARNING* Lots and lots of pictures!

Polar Express

We decided to take the kids on the polar express this year at the Heber Valley Railroad. We went on Thursday December 10th. We rode Thomas the Train last year and the boys loved it. We were actually planning to stay in Salt Lake for a few days but the kids got sick so we just decided to drive to Heber for the Polar Express and then go back to Vernal. It's about a two hour drive from Vernal to Heber so it's not quite as bad as driving all the way to Salt Lake. We had a couple of minor mishaps on our excursion to the Polar Express, but nothing that couldn't be fixed.

We get all the way to Heber and Jake realized that he had forgotten my coat. He even asked me what coat I was wearing and then he told me he had all of them in the truck before we left Vernal. I had a couple of layers on with my sweatshirt but not enough to keep my warm. We drove around Heber and found a Reams clothing store but all they had in there in my size was a cowgirl type western coat for 75 bucks. I decided to pass on that one. So Jake went into the Smiths to see if they had a sweatshirt in there for him so then I could wear Jake's coat. No such luck but they told us to try the Kings thrift store down the street. Boy was that place a joke. Jake had to sort through things just to find a cheap sweatshirt for him that had a tear in it. He got them to take 10% off because it was torn but that jacket had to do, it was time to ride the Polar Express! So I ended up wearing Jake's coat while he wore the torn smelly jacket. All in all we stayed warm!

The boys were so excited to ride the Polar Express. We gave them the book and special Christmas pajamas to wear for the train ride. They enjoyed their cookie, hot chocolate, seeing the elves, seeing Mrs. Clause and then seeing Santa as he gave them each a special bell. Ava was a little cranky on the train ride due to getting over a cold but other than that it wasn't too bad until then end. We were sitting in the back of the train and Jack could see the cookies that the elves had handed out earlier. He wanted another one and we told them they were for the other kids. He did not like that answer one bit so he started throwing a tantrum. We still had our long two hour drive home! So we get in the truck and Jake annoyed and frustrated with Jack says "You want a cookie Jack, I'll get you the biggest damn cookie you've ever had!" Jack still upset and throwing a tantrum screams out "But I don't want a damn cookie, I want a cookie from the polar express!" Then Sam has to join in and and says "well, I want a damn cookie!" It is so hard not to laugh when you kids say those things but at the same time you realize just how much you need to watch your language around them. Once Jack saw the biggest **** cookie he was alright and he actually only ate a few bites and then slept the entire ride home. Actually, all three of them slept the entire way home! It makes the drive so much easier!

Trying to build a Gingerbread House

We decided to make a gingerbread house again this year since the boys enjoyed making one last year. We bout a kit from Wal Mart and started putting it together last Sunday after church. The boys both loved it. Sam loved it because he loves to build things and Jack loved it because he likes to eat the candy and frosting. For some reason the frosting wouldn't hold the house together or anything on it so eventually the whole house fell apart. I am not sure what happened. Lat year we bought the gingerbread house kit from Costco and never had this problem. I wonder if the icing was too warm or we kneaded it too much or not enough. Sam actually started crying and ran into his room because it was all falling apart. We told him it was okay and it wasn't his fault that it was falling apart. We told him the good thing about it falling apart was now he could eat it, which he decided that was great and enjoyed eating the gingerbread house!

Ava even enjoyed watching all that was going on.......with her crazy stand up hair. I had put her hair in a ponytail for church and took it out after we got home. Her hair is usually pretty crazy in the morning and after it has been in a ponytail.

Santa comes to our town!

Santa made a special visit all the way from the north pole to Vernal Utah for our Ward Christmas Party! The boys were so excited and this year they actually both sat on Santa's lap and told him what they wanted. I asked them who wanted to go first and Jack quickly said "I want Sam to go first." So Samuel got up on Santa's lap and told him his name and then began to tell him he wanted a dragon toy for Christmas. Santa then asked him to promise to be a good boy and Sam shook his head promising to be a good boy to get his dragon toy! Now it was Jacks turn, he got on Santa's lap and I don't think he quit staring into his eyes! I am sure he was checking Santa out and was a little unsure of it all. He told Santa his name and then told him he wanted a horse for Christmas. Good thing Santa has already gotten a dragon and a horse for them!

Shopping Cart Fun

Ava is getting better at cruising around furniture and also pushing toys around. We caught her one night pulling herself up on the shopping cart and Sam helping her push it. Later that night she began to push it on her own and was so proud of herself for being able to walk. Then daddy decided it would be fun to give her a ride in the cart which she absolutely loved. The boys even took turns riding in the carts. Sam wanted to push Ava all by himself as she rode in the cart. I agreed as long as he didn't run. It went great for the first few minutes until Sam tripped and the cart tipped over and Ava fell out and landed on her face. She was all better after a few cuddles and kisses. She is going to have to be one tough little girl with two big brothers around!

Winter in Vernal

Can you say absolutely ridiculously freezing!! When Jake left for work this morning at 6:30 it was -8!!! We were told when we moved here that it got really cold but we are just first starting to experience it! I think by the time I left to take Sam to preschool a couple hours later. the temperature got up to 1 degree! Boy is it cold.....and it hits you when you walk outside, you feel just how bitter cold it is!

Here are some pictures of the boys........ Jack getting into a marker and drawing all over his face and a one of Sam posing for a picture!