New family pictures!

We just got our family pictures taken and I thought I would post them. They are always a lot of work, but well worth it!

Two weeks ago 2 of the wards in our stake split into 3 wards. We are still in the same ward but now only people in our subdivision are in our ward. I think it will be nice to not feel like we are overflowing. On Sunday I got called as Relief Society Secretary. I was in the same calling in one of our other wards and I loved it. I am really excited to get to know the sisters in our ward and be in Relief Society.

Suzanna came crying into our bathroom while we were getting ready on Sunday morning because her lose tooth was bleeding (whenever she sees blood there is always tears!). She was so upset about it but Elaina finally convinced her to pull it out (Elaina is quite the Mom and was rocking her and telling her princess Suzanna stories to cheer her up). We got out the pliers and I grabbed onto the tooth and when Suzanna was ready she pulled back and out it came! She couldn't believe that it didn't even hurt. She feels so grown-up!

Makenna has been saying the cutest things lately! She loves to ask what something means - the other day in the car on the way to Grandma's house she asked "what do legs mean?" and that is just one out of hundreds each day. Her other favorite thing is to ask how to spell things - when you spell a word out she repeats it back to you (she is so smart!). But just last week she started another thing - when the bigger kids have been talking about something really cool from school or something fun they did Makenna will say "when I was a little girl...." and then make up the most interesting thing that she did. She is always thinking!

We had such a fun Family Night last night about prayer. I am so glad that everyone enjoys spending time together - we sang everyone's favorite song, read a scripure about prayer, talk about the different things we can learn about prayer in the scriptures, played a prayer board game, colored and ate M&M cookies and ice cream. I hope the kids will always jump up and down on Monday nights when it's FHE time just like they do now! Anyway, when I asked the kids who they could pray for Makenna said "I can pray for my daddy because I love him!" and everyone did that night because Jake had been home all day with a really bad flu cold. Then this morning the kids and I were in the kitchen eating and Jake came out and said "who prayed for me to get better?" The kids all got excited and said they had and he told them that he was feeling better! It really made their morning and got them talking about how our prayers aren't always answered that fast but they sometimes are. Very cute to listen to their comments. I'm so grateful for each one of those 5 little monkeys!!!

Trip to the Cabin!

For our long weekend (4 days!) we went to the Cabin. We got to leave on Thursday night after Jake got done with work. There wasn't as much snow as last year but enough to go sledding and ride the snow mobiles. Our friends and their 4 kids came up on Friday and the kids enjoyed playing with them. We went tubing, sledding, snowmobiling, snow boarding, and swimming. We were definitely out numbered with 4 adults and 9 children but everyone had a really good time!

Here are everyone's favorites from this trip up to the mountains!

Jake: playing Clue, driving the snow mobile

Missy: the new snow on Saturday morning, sledding with John, playing Hearts until 2:30 in the morning!

Elaina: snow boarding and sledding

Travis: sledding

Suzanna: playing with her friend (she kept calling Suzanna her sister, it was very cute!)

Makenna: going out in the snow and playing with her friend ("she pulled me in the purple sled")

John: swimming, riding on the snowmobile

We are very lucky to be able to go to the mountains and enjoy the cabin.

The day we came home Jake was entertaining the kids and had almost all of them on him at a time. Then they played Charades and no one wanted to go home!

Winter Fun!

The other night John was getting Travis and some how the boxing gloves came out. John, as always, thinks he is one of the big kids and wanted in on the action. They really do have fun together especially when they are in a silly mood! Suzanna and Makenna boxed each other and whenever they went to get John they would bonk him on the head (very lightly), he would rub his head and say some things in baby talk. He was making everyone laugh! Then Travis and Elaina fought a couple of rounds with the girls as the "ding, ding" girls.

We are so ready for the weather to get warm! Today we went out to the park (despite the wind!), the kids played on the swings, Travis and Jake played football and the kids played on the tramp. This coming week the kids only have 4 days of school and then a 4 day weekend. We are very excited for the break and we are going to the cabin with our friends and their 4 children. So much for warm weather, we'll be sledding and playing in the snow, at least we can go swimming in the hot pool!

Jake dressed up as "Super Dad" today and got everyone a little crazy. At one point they were all on him and giggling. Then we played "mummy" which I think the kids made up- it's a twist on hide and seek. Even Johnny was "it" and saying "momma" (instead of mummy). It was very cute! I have to say Suzanna and I had the best hiding place- we win!

A New Year!

I can't believe that it is 2009! Time seems to fly by while you're having fun! I have been meaning to update our blog the last couple of months and so here I am. The last part of December we had a family night where we talked about gifts we can give Jesus. The kids all had a fun time playing a matching game that I have that helps you think of what Jesus would like from each of us. I am so glad for the gospel to help teach our children! Each of us decided on something to give to Jesus this year (and hopefully always). Jake's gift (or goal for the year) is to talk with everyone after Church on Sunday about what their lessons were about and tell each of us his lesson. My goal is to read something each day that is religious (either the scripures, ensign, or the RS lesson for the week, etc.), Elaina's gift is to read ever page of the current Friend by the end of the month, Travis' gift is to read out of the Book of Mormon or Bible every Sunday, Suzanna's goal is "to listen and be better for my mom and dad", Makenna's goal is to say her prayers and to be incharge of reminding us to read the Book of Mormon every night, and John, well, lets just hope he has a good year of going to nursery, getting potty trained and sitting still for a moment or two. I also really wanted to be better at journal keeping and hopefully this blog will help me.

Anyway, I do wish I would have posted last year! So much happened last year, it's hard to remember it all. Here are some of the major things: We sold our home on Patricia in April, which was surprising but also very exciting. We moved out the last weeks of school, in May, into Grandma and Grandpa Martin's house. Just 2 weeks after we moved we took a very fun family vacation down to Disneyland with all of my family. We really did have a great time and the kids would love to go ever year! The decision on where we should live was one of the most stressful ones for us. We knew we wanted to move into a home where we could be there for a REALLY long time, which really stressed me out. I didn't want to build because of the time it takes and all of the decisions, but in the end that was the best decision for us. Jake found a subdivision that I definately didn't like at first and then we both loved it. Jake found the perfect lot, next to a park with swings, a basketball court and lots of grass, and in the middle of June they started on the house. Our summer was a fun one with lots of lunches in the park, a trip to the cabin, a camping trip up to Redfish, a Miner family reunion, and fun memories living with Grandma and Grandpa. The kids started school the end of August, and then just a few weeks later our house was done! Elaina is in 3rd grade, Travis is in 1st grade and Suzanna is in kindergarten. They all are doing so well in school, each day they amaze me with their school work and their desire to do good and get homework done. Makenna and John are very fun to have at home, and really enjoy eachother. At times I find myself with time on my hands, which is very different!
These pictures of the kids were on the first day of school - they are growing up too fast!!!
Can you tell Makenna thinks she is one of the big kids!

Well, I have so many more memories of the last year but it's late and just so I don't feel too overwelmed I will stop for now. I am excited for a new year and I know it will be a good one!

Carving Pumpkins

For Family Night we carved pumpkins!!! The kids wanted to do something different and so I went on the internet and found some templates to help us out. Just to remember for next year, it is way harder than it looks, especially when all 5 kids want to help or need you! We did have a nice night but the highlight of it all was just painting the pumpkins!!!

Elaina's pumpkin has a black cat and 2 stars, Travis' pumpkin has the bat signal and a spider, Suzanna's pumpkin has cute star eyes, a triangle nose and a mouth with heart lips, and Makenna got to paint a little pumpkin.

Halloween fun!!!

Halloween was a very long, but fun day! It started out with Travis' kindergarten party at school. Grandma Martin watched Suzanna, Makenna and John so I could go and help out. Travis' teacher, Mrs. Losey, had a craft for the class to do which were 2 little pumpkin magnets. The kids worked so hard and really enjoyed gluing the little eyes, mouth, nose and leaf on the pumpkins. Then I got to read one of my favorite pumpkin books called "The Runaway Pumpkin" to the class. After that the kids got cupcakes, popcorn and milk. When they were done with their treat they played a game of toss the ball into the pumpkin. Travis really had a good time and is really loving kindergarten.

After lunch we took another trip back to Grandma's house so she could watch the 4 little ones so I could be to Elaina's party at school. At Elaina's party we played musical chairs and the kids did a hidden picture page. For treats, Mrs. Hahn wanted food that was a little more healthy then sweet. We had cute little spiders (made out of ritz crackers, cream cheese, grated cheese, and chow mein noodles), a fun trail mix that had a witched brew twist to it, cheese sticks, carrots, and, of course I had to through in some sugar, green and orange jello cups. Elaina's class were very good and it was fun to be there.

After dinner we got dressed up and went to our church for the trunk or treat. First we went inside and we got to decorate pumpkins, have a cupcake walk, and try and eat the donut off the rope with no hands. When it was dark outside we had the trunk or treat. We went to every car thinking it wasn't that much candy, but it was! We came home with soooo much candy- I guess our gingerbread houses will be full of lots of Halloween candy this year! The kids all had a great time! (Makenna and John were so exhausted they slept through most of the evening fun!)

(Elaina was Bat Girl, Travis was the Red Power ranger, Suzanna was Little Red Riding Hood, Makenna was Tinker Bell, and John was a cute little lion cub.)