Mum's "Diamond Jubalee"

Happy Birthday Mumsy! It's so nice that Mom's birthday is the day after Christmas, because everyone is in town to get together for her big day! Here we all are taking Mom out to the Olive Garden to celebrate her special day. 

It was Mom's "Diamond Jubalee" as we like to call it. Mom's friend Sister Johnson from England said that the Queen of England called her 60th birthday her diamond jubalee and so they should too. It does make it sound very fancy. 

Mom blowing out the candles at Ben and Rebekah's house. 

Ben and Rebekah sure can through a party. We all had a great time celebrating our wonderful Mom. Jordan had a blast with his cousin Heath. I'm so glad he's got a boy cousin his age to play with.

We all helped to make a big surprise present for Mom this year. A long time ago I had gotten the siblings to write down some of their favorite memories of Dad and then I made it into a book for him to have. This year I felt the impression that Mom should have one too. So I coordinated with siblings to write down some of their favorite memories of Mom. We gave her the book with family pictures at the party. She was so surprised! I am so thankful for the families help in making this special present possible. We love you Mumsy!

Christmas 2015

We had the O'Neals over for a night during Christmas break. Look at these cute kids watching morning cartoons together. So sweet!

Aubrielle and Katelyn playing together. I love that these cousins are only a month apart in age. 

Christmas morning. 

Katelyn playing with toys and not concerned in the least where her other sock went. 

Jordan's excited for his "all season boots." He wanted these boots so he could be just like his Daddy. Natalie likes to cook in her play kitchen, so we got her more play food to cook with. Katelyn hasn't figured out yet that she has presents to open too. But she has found a candy cane... so she's good.

Can't take enough pictures to capture these sweet moments we think we'll never forget, but that our imperfect minds do let fade. Pictures have a special way of bringing us back into that time, that moment, and all of the feelings/emotions/memories that go with it. 

Katelyn is helping Grandma Suzie play Christmas carols. Good job sweetie. 

Yay! Katelyn found one of her presents. Now lets see if she can figure out how to open it. 

We had Ron, Melissa, and Charlie over for a Christmas dinner. The kiddos took uncles up on horsey rides and playing as much as possible. 

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Murray's house. 

Grandma Floy Murray and Grandma Colleen Murray were there too. It was so nice to see them this wonderful season. 

Natalie and Jordan excited about their toys. Anna and Elsa dolls and Captain America shield. 

Natalie was ecstatic about her new PINK bike!

And Dad got a big wheel barrel! Happy people all around. 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

"Christmas Time Is Here... Snowflakes In The Air.."

We got hit with a beautiful snow storm. It is so fun to see our yard covered in snow for the first time!

Jordan had a blast playing in all of the snow. He got out a toy sword and was battling the snow off of the cedar trees branches. 

Capturing the moment.

For Family Home Evening one night we bought a kit and build ginger bread houses. This was by Jordan's request. But instead of building a ginger bread house he decided last minute to build a robot. Funny guy. 

Hillary loving the snow! I always say "Let it snow!"

Caught this excited little lady learning how to stand and hold onto things. 

Our yard is full of trees, too many in fact. We plan to thin them out and make the yard not so cluttered. It turns out that we happened to have a beautiful Evergreen tree that was far too close to the fence that would need to come out. So we decided to make it our Christmas tree this year. Talk about getting a Christmas tree close and for cheap. What a fun way to spend our first Christmas in our new home; with a Christmas tree from our very own yard! 

Preston was also such a sweetie to put up Christmas lights on the house for me, even though our roof shingles are slick and it was cold. He knew it meant a lot to me to have lights on our house our first Christmas at our home. I love that man so much!

Decorating the Christmas tree. All the kids were a great help. When we got the tree we were surprised at how tall it was. It just barely missed touching the ceiling. It it just the right height and fit well in our front room.

Here are the kids dressed up for church in their Christmas best. We have the most adorable kids ever. Just saying...

Look at this picture perfect Christmas scene. It warms my heart just looking at it. To me we have the perfect front room for Christmas time: fire place for stockings and cozy fire snuggling, mantle for decorating, bay window for extra tree room, and big windows to watch the snow come down. I love it!

What's the Christmas holiday without making sugar cookies? It was lots of fun for the kids to do this with Grandma Suzie too. Plus they were delicious... Santa is a lucky guy. 

I love sugar cookies... can you tell? Yummmmm.

Christmas Eve we read the story of Christ's birth and had the kids act out the scenes with this nativity scene I painted. Afterwards Natalie kept playing with it and I couldn't help but capture this sweet moment. It is such a sweet experience to teach our children about Christ our Savior. 

 

A beautiful season of lights, traditions, and the babe in Bethlehem. 

 

Little Katelyn 9 months old.

Thanksgiving 2015

Whenever there's a holiday and my Mom is around we have to make apple pies. At least that's how I feel. Katelyn is helping with the skin peelings.

Jordan had a lot of fun trying out the apple peeler. He also had fun eating up the apple pieces. What a great helper.

Happy baby! 

I was so excited when I caught this photo. She moves so fast that I often miss the moment, but not this one... right in the moment.

Natalie loves to help cook anything. She has her own play kitchen but the real thing is always more exciting. 

I've always thought that snow makes everything magical, calm, fun, and beautiful.

We got a blanket of snow to enjoy just in time for Thanksgiving! We had a great time playing in our snow filled yard for the first time since living here. It's so wonderful to create new memories and traditions in our new home.

Snow everywhere... we love it!

Kids ganging up on Dad for a snow ball fight. I wonder who gave them the idea?

Grandma Suzie enjoying the snow too.

Since we hadn't put our trampoline down for the winter yet; the kids thought it would be an excellent idea to go jumping on a snow covered trampoline. They slipped and slide all over the place,  laughing and giggling the whole time. It was hilariously cute!

So fun to be in our yard playing together.

Thanksgiving at the O'Neals was a special experience this year. One you can't help but feel welcome at their home and two they had some exciting news to share... they are expecting another baby to join their wonderful family in May!

Congratulations O'Neals! What a surprise!

So I have this thing about jackets... especially peacoats and so I had to take a picture of Katelyn in her adorable self in this pink peacoat. Love her!

Here the kids are jamming with Uncle Ben in his drum room. Our kids have never had the chance to go crazy on an entire drum set. They had a blast rocking out!

Caught Charlie and Melissa being cute playing a duet on the piano together.

So it turns out that Jordan can fit in their toy washer. How do I know you may ask? They checked.

Uncle Charlie and Avery building an awesome block tower together.

More jamming time... this time just father and son. Super sweet.

Everybody hanging out downstairs. Jordan and Heath have always gotten along great. Ben and Rebekah are always so welcoming to having family get-togethers at their home. I've always appreciated that and I know others do too.



Check out these horses, I mean Uncle and Dad giving a bunch of kiddos a ride.

I have always enjoyed what a fun loving person Preston is. The kids didn't want to stop. They took being the horses well. What good sports!

Mother and daughter visiting together. Glad we could see Grandma Sharon for this Thanksgiving holiday.

Good family times together. Happy Thanksgiving all! I am thankful for fun family experiences.