First Day of Primary

Jack had his very first day of primary today. It is hard to believe that he is now old enough to be in primary. I can't believe both boys are in primary! We have been telling Jack for the past week that he no longer goes to nursery but will go to primary because he is a big boy. We have been telling Samuel that he will still be in primary but will be moving up to the next class. For some reason he kept thinking that he would no longer be in primary. I reassured him that he was still in primary just a new class and new teachers but with the same kids in his class.

I took both the boys into the primary room thinking that both of them would be screaming and crying. Jack actually went up and got his sunbeam hat with his name on it and sat down next to his new sunbeam teacher. Sam and I sat down in the row behind Jack with his class. I kept telling him that he was going to be alright and that he teachers wee right there by him. I finally left after about 15 minutes and Sam was a little fussy but his teacher came up to him and comforted him and then he was just fine. After primary I got both of the boys and poor Jack was so tired he was lying on the floor in his primary class! We moved to the 1:00 church time which is the worst time! My children DO NOT know the meaning of sleeping in so they are extremely early risers. Although today that slept in until 6:30. When Jake asked me what time it was this morning, I told him it was 6:30. He couldn't believe it was THAT LATE! Normally our kids are up somewhere between 5:00-6:30! We will have to see how this 1:00 church time worked out with out early risers and no nap!

Jack had a great time in primary. I asked him what he learned and he replies "I don't know". Then he begins to tell me he sang songs, did puzzles and played games. Sam had a great time in primary with his new teachers and colored a CTR shield! I will have to take some pictures and post them of the boys with their hat/CTR shield! I was only able to get a few pictures of the boys this morning before church. Jack wanted nothing to do with getting his picture taken and Samuel is always really good about letting me take his picture!

Christmas 2009

Christmas for us this year was a little bit different since we are living in Vernal. We had decided to stay here in Vernal for Christmas instead of traveling to Salt Lake. We missed our families but enjoyed time together with just our little family! We spent the day of Christmas Eve cooking, baking, decorating Santa's cookies, coloring ornaments and coloring Christmas pictures. Christmas Eve we had a nice yummy dinner and all three of the kids were actually playing and eating instead of screaming and fighting! We then watched the polar express, ate some cookies, read a couple Christmas stories, put some nativity ornaments on the tree while we read the nativity story, played with the little people nativity, sang a couple Christmas songs, and got cookies and milk all ready for Santa.

Our children don't know the meaning of sleeping in so they boys woke up around 6:00 in the morning, we made them wait a minute so I could wake their sister up and then it was time to see if Santa had come. Jake asked the boys when they woke up what they were thinking. Jack thought for a minute an says "I think Santa came." Christmas was really fun this year because the boys really understand the whole Santa thing and even Ava had fun ripping into the presents and playing with the wrapping paper and bows!

The boys were so excited to see the lit up Christmas tree with all kinds of presents underneath. Jack was the first to notice that Santa drank all his milk and ate almost all his cookies. Santa took a bite of the last cookie but could not eat anymore. He was too full! The boys thought it was really funny that Santa got too full!

We then spent the next 4-5 hours opening up presents and playing with the new toys. Sam got a walking imaginext dragon and dinosaur, a maze book, a nerf ball gun, a pirate ship, a spiderman, books and stuffed animals to go with them, (Santa found them for $5 dollars each at Kohl's) clothes, slippers, bubble bath, a little baby elephant, baby giraffe, and baby buffalo (also on his Christmas List) Jack got two big toy horses, a lasso, book and stuffed animals, a nerf ball gun, a spiderman, a corral for his horses, slippers, 3 new horse, bubble bath, and clothes. Both boys got some hot wheel cars, an electric hot wheel race set and a polar bear cage (tent) that they share. Ava got a new baby doll (baby Stella) a ladybug wheely bug, Olivia the pig book and doll, little pea, little hoot and little oink, a Disney princess phone that talks, which she loves to talk to her friends snow white, Cinderella, and aurora, bubble bath, yogurt melts and a new pink cuddly giraffe that she loves to sleep with. SHe also got her very own chair but Santa hasn't delivered that one yet, hopefully soon! I got photoshop CS4 for my imac and Jake got a new suit. He has been exercising and losing weight to train for the dino triathlon here in Vernal and has lost 26lbs. I am so proud of him! So he needed a new suit and he needs a whole new wardrobe due to losing so much weight and so many inches. We tried to put the boys down for a nap but they were all hyper and overstimulated from Christmas morning. The boys got some new sleds from Santa so later that afternoon we bundled everyone up to go sledding. It was way too much fun, even in the 8 degree Vernal temperature! (Pictures of sledding to come later.) After sledding we came back and enjoyed some nice hot chocolate and cookies and played some more with new toys. We then ended the evening watching a 5 minute dvd from the church on the nativity, and explained that Jesus being born is why we celebrate Christmas. Sam told me, Mom, I love Jesus and I am grateful for his birthday" Times like that makes me think maybe I am doing something right! I am so happy to know that my children know their Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ!

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!