Salt Lake City

We took a fun trip to Salt Lake City to see the temple square christmas lights and hang out as a family.  We also meet Dads good friend Empy with his family there and walked around and talked with them.  It was so fun to see the beautiful lights and see the temple with the kids.  Ryan keeps saying that we need to start a family tradition with the kids and I think this should be it.  We had a lot of fun.  

I couldn't believe how cold it was walking around outside and how busy it was.  We went to go and eat and everywhere we went had a huge wait and so we just went to the mall food court.  We ate and then found this cute little play area for the kids to play around in while we talked some more with Ryan's friends.  

Max was over tired and was very wired.  He really loved the egg and if anyone would get in it besides him he would pull them out and and or growl at them.  He was being so funny, but wasn't really acting like him self  I think it had something to do with not really getting a nap and being up past 10.  

We stayed in a hotel that had a 24 hour pool so the kids were so excited to go swimming as soon as we got there even thought it was 11.  We all went for a little while but I only stayed for about 20 min with Max.  They all had a blast and we were all so tired we slept in the next day to 9.  It was great.
While we were in SLC I was able to go and see my Friend Sadie.  I was so happy to see her and it made me feel so much better to know that she was still doing well, and looked amazing as always.  She was so positive and just the same ole Sadie.  She talked about how she felt so bad that she was being so spoiled with kindness when she knows that everyone has trials and just because her trial is something that everyone can see and is a hard trial it was hard for her to accept when she knows that everyone else is also going through their own trials and may also need help.  I had to hold back tears because I knew what she was saying but at the same time I feel like her trial is one worth people reaching out and doing nice things for her.  She is such an amazing person and I love her so much.  She really is AMAZING.
On our way home from SLC we were blessed in so many ways.  The roads were horrible, and it was raining and so slushy and I noticed that our flat tire light had come on.  But we didn't stop to check it until Brigham city.  We were so lucky we didn't have something happen on the highway and that we made it that far because we found out we had a screw in our tire which gave us a flat.  We stopped at Walmart and had it fixed before we went to rest of the way home.  I called the hotel we stayed at because they were doing construction and let them know that they must have nails and screws in their parking lot and they were nice and ended up giving us our room for free.
As soon as we got home Ryan and I had to drop the kids off and then run back to Logan to go to a Game night a Chases house.  It was just for adults and it was a lot of fun.  I love getting to spend time with our family at this time of the year and getting to play games are so much fun.  

This last sunday Adison came up and gave this to Ryan.  She said, "The top picture is the stable, the far left picture is baby Jesus, the next one is Mary, and this is Joseph and these other two are the Leopards"   the way she said it was so cute.  She is such a fun girl.   

Basketball

Alexis had her first basketball tournament, and they did alright.  They got beat the first game, and then they won the second and then lost the third.... They improved each game and are getting better each year.  They are really fun to watch and they all just seem so big out there.  I still can not believe I have a girl this old.  

Alexis and I were able to go and do some shopping after the game while Ryan helped Chase with some house stuff.  I can tell that this girl is going to be a little shopper..... I may be in trouble.  (what am I saying.... I have already been in trouble with this girls for a while now)

Elizabeth saw the egg nog in the store and said we had to get it because it reminded her of Grandma and Grandpa Merrill.  It is so hard to not have them here this time of year.  It just isn't the same without them.  They are such fun party animals and they are the glue that holds us all together.  We didn't even have a Merrill family party this year because they are not home.  But we are planning on having a HUGE one when they get back.  

Ward Christmas Party

We had a nice ward party this year and we were able to take our neighbor Shelby with us.  The kids all ran around and played and had a great time.  We ate a great dinner and everyone brought a salad or desert and then the main dish was chicken, potatoes, and rolls.  There was lots of yummy food.  I was so sad that not a ton of people came this year.  The ward party is usually packed with everyone, but it was maybe about half as full as it usually is.  

We were also very sad that there was NO santa at this ward party..... I had a few words with Ryan about that and so I am crossing my fingers that next year there will be a santa.  ha ha.  I love to get a picture of the kids with Santa and this is the only place we have ever gotten them in the past.  I am to cheap to take all my kids to the mall and pay to sit on Santa's lap.  

Coloring Contest

Preston does a really cute coloring contest between each of the stores in town each Christmas.  My kids LOVE to color every single picture and have me take them around and drop them off.  It took forever this year because Brytlee and Adison really colored every single page in their books this year.  Brytlee won at the floral shop.  And she was so happy to win.  She got a cute little bear, some candy, and a stocking.  They also take a group picture and it goes in the paper.  

Adison looked so cute all ready to go and see what she won... she could hardly wait. 

Brytlee's group picture

Max also won.  He only colored like two pictures so I was very surprised that he won.  

Adison won at the vet clinic and she got a cute little barn filled with a pig, cow and a horse I think..... Max and her both love it.   

I was gone to Logan so Uncle Chase was nice enough to go and pick up Max and take him over to have his picture taken for the paper.  He also won a cute little coloring book and a pillow pet.  He was a happy boy.
I felt so bad for Elizabeth because she only colored 5 pages but she colored them so good.  I thought for sure she would win because she put so much time into each picture and she did a great job.  It is the last year that she will be able to do it also so that is a bummer.  My friend sheena also saw Lizzy's pictures and she couldn't believe she didn't win.  I guess it is also good for them to win some and lose some.  

Young women's

We had a fun night at young women's and we went to the nursing home and played bingo with the older people.  They were so happy to be hanging out with such sweet, beautiful young women.  One man was a little to friendly and a little to excited to be around them and said a few funny things.  He told us when we were leaving to come back and sit on his lap, and he kept wanting to hug them and kept calling them miss america.... He was a big flirt.  The girls were good sports about it though. 

after we were done at the nursing home we went and cleaned the church and I told the girls that if they went and did a good job I would hurry and go grab each of them a donut.  So I dropped them all off and started to drive away.  When I pulled onto the road Alexis stuck her head up by mine and was so creepy about it that I started to scream bloody murder and slammed on my breaks.  I could have swore that she had gotten out of the car and she just about gave me a heart attack.  She thought it was soooooo funny and I was so scared that my arms went numb.  I made her jump out and walk back to the church and she laughed so hard the whole way in.  

Life as a mom

I am pretty sure it is safe to say that every mom has bad days.... This past month I feel like I have had my share.  I am not someone who cries and if I do it is like.... once a year.  But this past month I am not sure if it is because everything keeps adding up, or if I am overreacting to things or what but I have had about four or five good cries in two months..  That is a lot for me.  But the when I sit down and think about why I am really crying most of the times, it isn't because what happened or what my kids have done... It is usually because of the way I acted.  I hate when I know I have said something hurtful or yelled to much or hurt my kids feelings.  It hurts me more than anything to be mad and mean to my kids.  uhhhhh I have so many problems to deal with myself.
Max was sick and threw up for three days and he was such a good boy about it.  He wasn't really fussy, he didn't want to eat, but he still wanted to drink his baba.  That was so hard to not let him have one.  But one of the days he was sick I was in the kitchen and could hear him throwing up.  I ran to him and saw that he had gone to the toilet and was throwing up like a big boy.  I know it was so gross, but I was sooooo proud.  He did it three or more times after that.  I am so glad that he gave me one less mess to clean up.  Such a thoughtful boy already!  

Max loves playing with basketballs.  We have a net that holds a bunch of them and he loves to crawl indie the net and get them all out one by one.  Then when they are all out he gets stuck inside the net.  He does it over and over and it is so funny.  

I love the good cuddles I get from my kids.  They help me feel good.  

Max got stuck inside the net with a ball this time.  He was happy as could be for a very long time just chill'n in the net.  

Max has really started to get into everything also.  He can push chairs to where he wants and get whatever he wants.  He loves Elizabeths little fairy that fly's so he was really wanting to get it this day.  But then he found he really liked sitting in the sink so he didn't want me to move him for about 30 minutes.  

Max loves to play outside.  All my kids have always loved to be outside and I was better when I was younger, but I just hate being cold now.  I am so glad that they all love to go out and have fun but I like to watch from a window or sit by the fireplace..... uhhhh why is it so cold.  

This time Max made me jump.... I walked in to  the pantry for something and was in there for a few minutes and didn't see him on the floor in a net and all of a sudden he just made a grunt noise and moved and It freaked me out so bad.  He thought it was really funny and he laughed and laughed.  

These two are such good little friends.  I love watching these two play and hear how sweet they can be together.  Max follows Adison everywhere she goes.  When ever Adison leaves Max is so sad, and when she comes home he always runs and gives her a big hug.  It is so cute!

Adison is so funny.  She says and does somethings that just make you stop and think or just make you laugh.  She knows she is funny and then she will just keep trying to make you laugh.  The other night her and Max were running around in a diaper and she was in her underwear and she said, "he mom, we are both like little boys running around with our balls......." and then she held out her hand and showed me that they were both carrying a pool ball.  I had to hold back the laughter until I could go and tell Ryan and then we had a good laugh.  

Ryan asked me why I took a picture of this.... I guess it is just because this is how everything in our house/life is right now.  There is a saying that my dad used to say all the time when we were little, "when you have kids, that is what you got"  Meaning you really shouldn't try to have anything nice.... because you have kids so it is dumb to even try.  I swear they can undo anything I try to fix or clean in 0 seconds flat and without even trying.  I don't know how they do it most of the time or why they do it, but they do......

Adison is liking her hair but she keeps asking me if she looks like a boy or if it is growing yet.  She does look really cute with short hair but I am nervous to tell her that because I don't want her to get any ideas about cutting her hair ever again.  

I know that being a mom is a roller coaster ride and I think no matter what it is going to be worth the ride.  I am so glad that at the end of each day no matter how good or how bad it was I can still look at these kids of mine and be so thankful to be their mom.  I am very lucky to have been given these five beautiful, wonderful little children and to be trusted to be their mom.  It is such a huge responcibility  and so much work, but they are all worth it!!!!!