Maui

In November, John and I went to Maui with our friends Dave and Stacy Swapp.  It was too fun!!!!  Of course just the weather and atmosphere of Hawaii is incredible!!!  We had never been to Maui before (only Oahu) and we have become fans of Maui.  We were able to try surfing for the first time!!!  Pretty fun and funny!!!!!  It took me quite a few tries to get up, but it was great.  Until I rammed my head into Stacy's surf board!!!  That didn't feel too good!!  Then the boys had their turn.  John, I have to say, is a natural.  In fact, I think he got up on his first try!!! Whatever!!!!!!!  We also went snorkeling, laid out by the beach and pool (my favorite), drove around and saw some amazing scenery, shopped (another favorite, ha), and had some amazing food.  I would do it again in a heart beat.  Next time, we promised our kids that they could go with us.  I'm not quite sure if it will be as relaxing, but we are so excited to take them on an adventure like this with us.  Oh, I forgot to talk about the stuffed animals.  Baylee and Kamryn asked us if we would take a few of their stuff animals with us and take pictures of them and with them.  It became quite the quest!! ha ha!!!  

The Klondike

Last year J.P. went on his first Klondike camp out for Scouts.  I was pretty freaked out to know that he was going to be camping out in almost zero degree weather.  Coming from a very warm area, I have no idea how people can do that and actually have fun.  Anyway, I got him a good sleeping bag and threw some hand warmers in his bag and sent him on his way.  Well, he came back ok!!!!!!!!  But admitted that he was still COLD!!!  Well, I figured I would learn from last year and make sure that he was NICE AND TOASTY for the Klondike this year.  So I got him a VERY warm sleeping bag, a down blanket, a thick foam pad, a waterproof sleeping bag cover and another fleece blanket.  Made sure that he had everything from his What To Bring List from the Scout leader and sent him again on his way.  I did a much better job this time, I guess.  J.P. came back very pleased with my preparations for him!!!!!  So I succeeded!!!!  Yeah, it's a good feeling!!!!  These are pictures of J.P. right after the camp out, doesn't he look so happy to be warm!!! ha ha!!

A True Blue BYU Fan

A couple of months ago, Brock cut his finger and needed stitches.  He was very nervous about getting them, but very brave.  I took him into the Instacare and we had to wait for quite awhile. (Which doesn't help with the suspense building up every minute.)  Anyway, we finally got back to see a doctor.  We sat down and the nurse was very nice and funny which helped lighten the situation.  The doctor soon came in and looked at Brock's finger.  He started getting Brock ready for the stitches and tried to keep Brock preoccupied so that the pain wouldn't be too bad.  So the doctor started talking about sports and found out that Brock was a HUGE BYU fan.  The doctor was also a BYU fan.  (so he had already won Brock's respect.) ha ha!!  Told Brock about how our blood (inside our veins) is blue and when it is exposed and dirty is turns red.  Thus, BYU is blue (clean and pure) and the Utes (Utah of University, BYU's rival) is dirty.  Ha ha!!!  Oh, Brock loved it.  Then the doctor told him that he make the stitches look like Y's.  I was afraid Brock would self inflict some other cuts just get the Y stitches all over again. ha ha!!!  Well the doctor made it a fun experience for Brock, that he will never forget!!!

Cruz

About 3 months ago we got a puppy from our friends.  His name is Cruz, he is half lab, half golden retriever.  We needed a playmate for our other dog Bradley (he's a beagle).   Anyway, he is a great puppy, very easy and obedient.  He likes to follow us around and know what's going on all the time.  Whenever I get on the computer he usually comes and sits on the floor right next to me.  Well yesterday he did the same but seemed to be very anxious.  I started working on the computer and looked over at him a little while later and he had moved just a little bit closer to the door.  I didn't think anything of it and started on the computer again.  A few seconds later I looked over at him and again he had moved closer to the door.  So I decided to look preoccupied, but watch him out of the corner of my eye.  I found him crawling over to the door.  It was hilarious.  As soon as he saw me look at him he stopped.  OK, he is just a little too smart!!!!!

New Years Resolutions and a Right Hook

On Monday night during Family Home Evening, we decided to make New Years Resolutions as individuals and as a family.  We all decided that we would try to read the scriptures daily and get along better.  We asked the kids to come up with one thing that they could work on that would help better themselves or the family.  J.P. said that he would do better at school, with homework and tests,  Baylee said that she wanted to be more active, (and we decided for her to work on getting along better with her siblings),  Brock said that he would become a better dirt biker, (and again, we helped him decide to try not to get angry too easily), and Kamryn decided to go to her gymnastics class without whining. (She's actually doing much better)  So we all felt good about getting along better and being kinder to each other.  Anyway, we went upstairs to get ready for bed and read scriptures when Baylee upset Brock.  Well Brock got very mad and started fighting with his sister.  Baylee tried to calm him down and it didn't work so she decided to get him down on the ground and give him a right hook to the eye.  As you can see, our New Years Resolutions are very effective!!!! ha ha!!!  Hopefully, we will do a lot better than this.

Twas the Night Before Christmas (and Christmas Morning)

My kids woke up on Christmas Eve (morning) and asked right away if they could open their Christmas Eve gifts (which is usually pajamas), of course we said no and that they had to wait until night time.  They were not happy with that.  We stayed busy throughout the day, trying to get the last minute gifts and treats out to friends and neighbors, making goodies, cleaning up for John's family and getting bags of clothes and toys ready to take to the Road Home homeless shelter downtown.  We asked the kids to go through their things and pick out toys and clothes that they don't play with and wear anymore.  Everything was fine until the kids started deciding what the other sibling should give away.  Anyway, they were able to collect lots of fun things for other kids to have.  That night when we went and took these things downtown, we all had our eyes widely opened.  There were lots of other people there giving away bags of things and handing out food.  My kids really soaked everything up.  They all commented on how blessed they know they are.   Well we got home and let them open up their pj's and sent them to bed.  On Christmas morning (way too early) the kids woke John, me and Grandpa Reagh up.  The last gifts we opened were our homemade gifts to each other.  It was so neat to see the kids open up their gifts and watch the other kid who made the gift feel so good about it.  It was definitely one of the best parts of the morning.  I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, we sure did. 

My Creative Daughter

My daughter, Baylee, is probably the most creative person I have ever known.  We decided to have the kids pick names for gifts this year (for each other)  and that they would have to make them.  (Thanks to the inspiration from the Swapp family).  Anyway, my kids kind of complained about it at first, but then decided that it would be really fun.  They have all come up with very fun things to make, from calendars, to jewlery, to pillow cases and other things.  But Baylee, I think, came up with one of the cutest ones.  She has J.P. and with J.P. being a huge BYU fan, she decided that she would cut out a big Y out of blue fabric and make a pillow.  I asked her if I could help and she completely refused, because she wanted to do it all on her own.  She tried to do one about a week ago and it was too small and then she let me help a little bit and it turned out so well.  My kids have found some talents that they didn't know they had.  We will definitely keep this a Christmas tradition.