PARTY!

On Friday, Mylie had her Christmas party at school. I went to help and brought Blake along (yes, I was nervous! But he was such a good boy.) Mylie's teacher had an extra gingerbread house and so Blakey got to do one too. It was funny because she asked him his name and he said "BUBBA!" He was working hard on this gingerbread house, though I am pretty sure he ate as much candy as he put on.

Mylie's cute gingerbread house and reindeer antlers. I have so much fun helping in her classroom. I took Christmas pictures of all the kids in her class with their gingerbread houses and antlers.

We had a wonderful, absolutely fabulous weekend with Gramma and Papa here. The kids wore them out on Saturday playing the whole day. They read stories, build towers, played dolls, played cars, the works. It was wonderful. Mylie sang in the Christmas program on Sunday so it was fun to have them there for that. They headed back to Idaho Falls after lunch.

Sunday night we had our annual progressive dinner with the Bennett and Brady families. It was lots of fun as usual and lots of good food. This week is busy, busy. We are very excited for Christmas at our house!!!

Christmas Program

Here are a couple pictures from the kid's Christmas program at daycare. They did a great job and it was a lot of fun. Mylie, with the chicken pox.

Blake was OK with Santa, as long as he got to sit next to him, not on his lap. Silly boy. He did tell Santa he wanted a TRUCK!

Uncle Ben was in town for court so he got to come and watch their program as well. Lots of fun!

She's mad as a fox!

Tonight was Mylie and Blake's daycare Christmas program. The did great singing and Blake actually stayed on the stage the entire time (major shocker). Mylie had a speaking part at the end. She did awesome!

You can't really see, but she has chicken pox painted on her face. Too cute!

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to the North Pole we go!

Earlier this week, Jeff decided that he would get tickets and take all of us on the Polar Express this afternoon. The kids have been so excited. Grandma and Grandpa Breach took us on the Polar Express when Mylie was 3, just before Blake was born. She doesn't really remember and she and Blake (especially Blakey, he loves trains) have been so excited the last few days getting ready to go on the train (choo choo) and to meet Santa.

The Polar Express train departs from Horseshoe Bend and arrives at the North Pole an hour later (Banks area).

What a fun surprise to have Mrs. Claus and one of the elves on our train!

There were also carolers and Mylie got to pick a song for them to sing. She picked "Frosty the Snowman."

And lo and behold, Santa was on our train too!!

Mylie was very excited to tell Santa what she wanted, a pillow pet, a spin brush, and silly bands. Blake totally ignored Santa and pulled the old, "if I don't look at him, he is not really there" routine.

Other than seeing Santa, he totally loved the train.

He really loved it when we got off at the North Pole. He was very interested in checking out the train, and in stomping in the snow.

He was totally OK posing with Santa, as long as Daddy was there. Mylie couldn't wait to sit on Santa's lap and get her picture taken.

Then they had to check out the rest of the North Pole.

What a wonderful afternoon! If we weren't in the Christmas spirit before, we certainly are now!

In the last week ...

We have had snow, lots of snow.



And even a snow day. The kids and I used our snow day to play, to make Christmas cookies and watch Christmas movies. Fabulous!

This weekend, Mylie and I went with Helen and Melissa to Cinderella the musical. The girls had a fabulous time and the show was delightful!

Tonight we decorated our tree. I have silly kids, this is how they pose for a picture. Crazies!

It is hard to believe it is only 19 days until Christmas. Time flies when you are having fun!

Thankful.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving WEEK! The weekend before Thanksgiving, Mylie and Blake stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Breach. They had such a blast and got to be farm kids for the weekend. They rode in the pickup, did chores, and had a fabulous time. Jeff and I also had a nice weekend, including two dates in two days. Unprecedented! Sunday afternoon the whole Breach family spent the afternoon together having lunch and just hanging out. It was a great day.

Mylie and I were both out of school all week. Monday, the kids went to daycare while I did a little work and a little Christmas shopping. Tuesday it was cold and icky - so we all stayed home and enjoyed our nice warm house all day long. Wednesday morning we left to go to Idaho Falls. The roads had been nasty and some of them closed on Tuesday so we were a little hesitant about going. The drive which normally takes 4.5 hours, took 7 hours. Ugh. To say it was a long day was an understatement. Thankfully Jeff drove like a rock star, the kids were quite good in the car, and I had a great book. We were definitely happy to arrive in Idaho Falls.

Thanksgiving was fabulous. Mom cooks Thanksgiving like no one else and it was a fun day. The guest list included, Grandpa Hammond and Grandpa Jack, Ben's family, Bailey, Jalyn and her kids and Uncle Doug and Aunt Marilyn. Of course we missed Courtney, Jason and Lila.

The kids all had so much fun playing all day Thursday and Friday. On Friday, I got to have lunch with TeriAnn and her husband Dylan. It was so strange to be having lunch with her and telling Mylie how TeriAnn and I met when we were HER AGE! Yikes. Does that make us old? We hadn't seen each other in three years, so it was so great to catch up. They are expecting their first baby, so we had lots to talk about.

Later Friday afternoon, Jeff and I shopped and shopped. Goodness, I really love shopping. I think we are about done with our Christmas shopping, which is great, except I still like to shop!! LOL. We decided we had better head back early in the day on Saturday since there was supposed to be a storm coming through. Before we left, Papa had to take the kids on the 4-wheeler again. For some reason Blake did not want to ride in the sleigh this time, he wanted to help Papa drive.

It was super cold, but the kiddos loved it! I think we were just ahead of the weather because we made it back safely in good time. The news that night told a different story about the roads, so we were glad to make it back safe. Sunday we did not even get out of our pajamas. I have been battling a bad cold/cough for over 2 weeks, and the kids woke up sniffling and coughing yesterday. We called it a day and just relaxed and napped and tried to get ready to get back in the swing of things.

There are so many things I am grateful for this year. I am grateful for this little family I have. For a wonderful husband that I love with all of my heart. For two little kids who have my heart. I am grateful for our big family. We are both so lucky to have wonderful parents and families, and our kids are so lucky to have the best grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I am grateful for our home and our jobs. I am grateful we have cars that run well and health insurance. I am grateful that we believe in God and that we live in America. I am grateful that we can provide for our children spiritually, temporally, and emotionally.

I am grateful. And I love this time of year where we take time to slow down and remember all the reasons why.

Time Marches On ....

This morning was Jeff and I's first time ever going to parent teacher conferences. It was great to hear from someone else how neat my kid is. For some reason it seemed kind of fitting that today was our first parent teacher conference and that nine years ago today, Jeff proposed to me. Nine years ago is a long time! I look at us then, and I look at us now. So much has changed in our lives, but I would not change it for anything.

But time does go fast. It is hard to believe my baby girl will turn six next week. And Blake is growing into such a boy, there isn't much toddler left in him. Though there was a moment earlier this week, he had just gotten up and I was changing his diaper. He was still kind of sleepy and he stretched and yawned ... his whole face scrunched up and for just a moment, he looked exactly like he did as an infant. I wish I could have put that in a bottle. Or when they both want to climb up on my lap and snuggle with me, I'd like to bottle that too.

It makes me think about what the next nine years will bring. When Mylie is 15 and Blake is almost 12, will they still argue over who gets to sit with Mom? Will they still talk my ear off all day long telling me every single little thing that happened in their day? Will they still be best friends?

But time marches on, there is no way of knowing what the future holds, only the knowledge that you need to enjoy each and every day!