New Beginnings

We had a great New Beginnings this week. Our president picked the theme "Be loyal to the Royal within You." All the girls were princesses in waiting. They were given a quest to perform to their family to prove they were worthy to become princesses

After their quests, they were given arrows to pin on the dragon while blindfolded. It was so much fun and the girls were great sports.

After they slayed the dragon the bishop crowned them. We had paper bag crowns, because we had read "the Paper Bag Princess " (A must read-especially if you have little girls) earlier that evening. He also talked to them about the war we are fighting against satan and the tools they have been given.

We have the best group of girls. I love working with them and our leaders every week. It truly is a blessing in my life.

It also helps to have a brother who is a fantastic artist. He drew exactly what I wanted, to the scale I wanted. He did it freehanded, without any picture....amazing. Thank you Tom!!! (apparently he has drawn a lot of dragons, unicorn, and castles during sacrement meeting:)

Junior Jazz Sam

Sam's friend asked him to play basketball with him this winter. (Yes they do start them that young) He started Junior Jazz two weeks ago and loves it. Last week he kept asking if he was going to play basketball today. On the morning of his game he woke up at 6 am and was dressed and ready to play. He then bugged James every 5 minutes, asking if it was time yet, until his 9am game.

Halloween on Christmas

It looks like we are getting ready to trick-or-treat. Santa brought Hulk and Clone Trooper paraphernalia to the boys. It was a lot of fun and also very wild.

The boys are trying to figure out just how Santa gets up and down the chimney. They decorated sugar cookies to leave for Santa with some milk.

We decorated a gingerbread train earlier in december. Each night I would pull it down and let them attack it. They didn't mess with their hands....mouths are more efficient.

Happenings during the holidays

We have had fun during this holiday season. It started by getting bunk beds over Thanksgiving weekend. The boys have loved being in the same room together. So far there have been no injuries...just a lot of late nights with tired kids in the morning.

We went to the Festival of Trees to see the Plummers tree that they do in honor of their daughter, Lucy. Our Young Women had made one too. The boys loved it.

The first day it snowed the boys were so excited. They squeezed into boots and snow suits from last year and had a blast. Why don't they make gloves for little kids? I have only found mittens. Their little hands freeze.

All dogs go to heaven

Sam's preschool was cancelled this morning because his preschool teacher's grandfather died and she was attending his funeral. Sam has never thought about death or funerals. This is the first person he has had to think about in those terms. He knows he gets in trouble if he says "I am going to kill you."... Darn those superhero cartoons. But I don't think he really knows what death is. All day he has been asking me why people die? why do people get old?It is a lot to process for a 4 year old. I have told him we will all die eventunally and get to go back and live as families with Heavenly Father. He then said "will Molly die?" This Katherine and Ryan's dog who he bonded with on our treat to Ouray. Boy, those wheels are turning.

My 8 Things Post

8 TV shows I watch:
1. Little People Big World
2. Oprah--yes, I still watch her
3. Without a Trace
4. Eleventh Hour
5. Lost--when its on
6. Battle Star Gallactica--when its on
7. Pushing Daisies
8. Daily Show/Colbert Report

8 of My Favorite Restaurants:
1. The Melting Pot
2. Thai Garden
3. Cafe Trang
4. Tomacitas
5. Chili Works
6. Paradise Bakery
7. Bennihanas
8. Chili's

8 Things that happened Yesterday
1. Picked up James' contacts
2. cleaned my house
3. took a bath
4. took my boys to get their hair cut
5. went to Costco
6. Put Laundry away
7. Went to YW
8. watched Get Smart with James

8 Things I am looking Forward to
1. the Holidays
2. My kids being able to get up (quietly), get dressed, and get themselves breakfast
3. Jodi and Mike moving back to Utah!!!!!
4. Going to Spring in the Spring
5. Having my backyard finished and fenced in
6. Obama as president
7. Next months book--I finished Into Thin Air and loved it
8. My ten year anniversay--hope we do something fun and without kids

8 things on my wishlist:
1. Honda Odyssey
2. Basement finished
3. Trip to Hawaii with James for our 10 year anniversary
4. Living closer to my family
5. Complete a triathalon and marathon
6. road bike
7. Lasik
8. More affordable healthcare that is accessible for more Americans

8 Things I love:
1. My husband and kids and family
2. The Gospel
3. My country
4. my church calling
5. a good book with a diet coke while soaking in the tub
6. traveling
7. exercising in 50 degree weather
8. listening to NPR

8 things I can't stand:
1. being woken up in the middle of the night
2. Adult Swim and any other cartoon that james' records
3. Racist jokes told to me thinking I will find them funny
4. plantar fascitis
5. people biting their nails
6. Ignorance
7. Running in the winter
8. Tomatoes and Milk

8 People I am tagging:
1. Julie McKeon--Please update your blog :)
2. Jodi
3. Gina
4. Danni
5. Aunt Julie
6. Hillary
7. Sarah
8. Melissa

History has been made

I don't want to get preachy about politics, but regardless of who we voted for and what issues sent us to vote, we all have to sit back and acknowledge the many great things that have happened this past election. As James and I sat and watched Obama give his acceptance speech (if you didn't hear it check it out http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_pl135) James commented that the first president that Sam will probably remember will be an african american and how cool that concept is. We are truly seeing the ideals that my generation has been taught come to pass. It was amazing to see how many people voted for a man based on the content of his character and not the color of his skin. It was interesting to see how many firsts we had in this last election.