Christmas Day!!

I can't believe another Christmas has come and gone!! Where does the time go? I LOVE the Christmas season, it usually starts for me the day after Halloween with listening to Christmas music. I love the sounds, the smells, the feeling, the giving, the receiving (yep i said receiving:) and everything else that comes with it. I even love that I don't go to bed before 2:00am everynight of December!! I guess you could say I am Mary Tenney's daugher after all!!!

This year Christmas was just as special as all the rest. I got to be with those I love and give of myself by serving others whenever I got the chance. Here are of few of my favorite highlights of this year's Christmas...

#1. Surprising my cousin Reed with an autographed T-shirt by Ty Detmer for his new baby boy, Detmer!

#2. Surprising my hubby with quilts I made for him. I had never made him a quilt since we've been married, so I surprised him with TWO!! It was hard to pull off since he has been home most of the month:)

#3. Finally getting my sister's wedding album put together of Carly's wedding...I think it turned out great!!

#4. All the school made items from each of my children!!

#5. Seeing the excitement on my childrens faces when they saw that Santa DID come, eventhough I had told them that he wasn't due to bad behavior:)

#6. Getting to sleep in my own bed Christmas Eve!! Every year since we have been married we have always spent the night at my parents since I help my mom stuff her stockings (this year there were 77 of them!!!), but this year I talked my mom into letting us stuff them Christmas Eve morning so we could actually wake up at our own house Christmas morning!!

The boys with their bikes and Miles with his horsie that he LOVES!!

The AFTER MATH!!!

Miles helping Brandon open one of his quilts!

Does it get any better than this?!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2009!!!!!

We're Famous...NOT!

The White Mountain Independent wrote an article about our family and it appeared on the front page of this past Tuesday's paper. Eventhough having your picture in the paper really doesn't constitute you being famous...I thought it was still cool!! Here is the link...

http://www.wmicentral.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20397279&BRD=2264&PAG=461&dept_id=505965&rfi=6

Family Christmas Party 09

I LOVE OUR FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY!!!
It is always a blast to get together with just my siblings, their spouses, and my parents, and have some good ole fun. This year it was at Trav and Kalees and we ate yummy mexican food. We didn't do any fun Christmas games which I really missed, but it was still fun to be with everyone. This was the first year that we weren't able to ALL be there. Jody and Chantel had a trip to Vegas already planned, and Melanie was doing a 10k run in Tucson. We missed them and hopefully everybody will be able to be there next year. I have been blessed with an amazing family!!!!

Here are my 4 favorite photos of the night...


Courtney with her Christmas Banana!!

My dad with his gag gift!

Tim opening this snuggie was the funniest thing of the night. He was SOOO mad. But Jami redeemed getting his gag gift by winning some Torreon Golf tickets!!

Jake and Courtney won the 'good' gift I brought to the party. The blocks of this quilt were my Grandma Porters that she had already cut out and had pinned together. I decided the Sunday before that I was FINALLY going to do something with those quilt blocks and put together this rag quilt. I think it turned out gorgeous...and it for sure had everybody fighting over it and was the hit of the night!!! After putting all the time and hard work into it, it was hard to let it go!!

CASA Christmas Party

The CASA Christmas Party is always one of our FAVORITE Christmas events. We truly appreciate the CASA program and all that the specials CASAs have done for our family. The shorter, older lady in red standing by Brandon is Betty Ann Ellsworth, and she is the BEST CASA anybody could ever ask for! She does a great job and truly loves and watches out for the kids she is assigned too! The lady standing behind her is the judge that did all 6 of our adoption cases, and the man standing next to me is Kirk Grugel, head of the CASA program for Navajo County(he rocks and is always so supportive of Brandon and I!).

Thanks again to CASA for throwing an awesome Christmas Party!!

Reflection

Here it is just a few days before Christmas and I have found myself losing sight of what this season is all about. I get so busy with shopping for my children, with all the Christmas parties, with the last minute homemade gift ideas, with my mom's shopping, and just life.

I got to spend a few moments outside the temple today waiting to take pics, and looking at the larger than life nativity scene outside the temple reminded me of what it's all about. How grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father who sent a Savior, MY brother, to earth that through him we in the end will be able to return and live with our Father again.

The world has forgotten...there is so much noise in the world it's hard to remember, but he truly is ALL we have to hang onto. Without him we are and have nothing. He was born in the humblest of circumstances, yet was and is OUR king.

Annual Nativity Re-enactment

One of my FAVORITEST Christmas traditions is the Nativity Re-Enactment FHE. I love watching the kids all excited about being dressed up and getting to be shepherds, angels, wisemen, Mary, Joseph, and even the Donkey! There is ALWAYS the strongest feeling there and this year was extra special having my Grandma Tenney there. Big thanks to my mom for carrying on all of her crazy traditions!!!


Noble (Joseph), Dallin (the Donkey), Callie (Mary), and baby Lydia as Baby Jesus

A few of our BEAUTIFUL angels...Maryah, Abi, Amelia, & Callie

The kids listening to Aunt Jami and Carly sing a special number

A few of our handsome Shepherds...Nolan, Trisen, Porter, Trey, and Tyton

Warning...

Just wanted to warn you that I will be blog overloading the next couple of days! Meaning...that I have lots to post!!! So make sure you scroll down to get all of them!!

SANTA....

My kids were SOOOO excited to go out to the HOST Christmas shindig, and they had a blast. Miles didn't think Santa was too cool, but the other ones didn't mind. A BIg thanks to all those who provide this every year for our children...It truly is appreciated!!!!

Yet Another Christmas Party...

I have always wanted to throw a Christmas party...well the other night we did! I know we just had our bunco party, but there were lots of poeple that don't play bunco that I wanted to invite over...so we did this past Friday. We played lots of games, ate yummy food, and laughed a lot! Thanks everybody for coming...I hope you all had as much fun as we did!!

Bruce and Shawna tryin to get the balloons in the pantyhose!!

Shanna Clark, Our Balloon Raindeer champion!!

Rick Turley...bummed he didn't win:(

Tiffany & Nathan Western won the gift wrapping contest!

Some of the peeps that were here...Hal & Elisa Hall, Nicole Johnson, KC & Shana Clark, and Tiffany Western.

Ross opening his favorite gift of the night!!

Reese and Marinda

People that were here...Rick & Corie Turley, Brian & Ginger Starkes, Hal & Elisa Hall, Nicole Johnson, KC & Shana Clark, Nathan & Tiffany Western, Jed & Nicole Reidhead, Bruce & Shawna McLaws, Ross & Tiffani Owens, and Reese & Marinda Parry!

Can't wait til Next Year!!!!

Mother of the Year Award...

...Once Again!!

The Sunday Tristen was getting ordained a Deacon was the Sunday that our Primary had their program. I decided since it was a big day for Tristen, being ordained and doing his last primary program, that he should probably look presentable! So I went out on the back porch and started buzzing his head with a #3. Well I wasn't paying attention, due to yelling at Miles to get out of the pile of hair, and didn't notice that the guard came off...enough said! Yes I buzzed his head clear down to the scalp!! I couldn't believe it. I just started craying!! If any of you have seen Major Payne you will agree that he looks like the freckled face, big ear boy, on that movie:) Despite the screw up he forgave me and we had a good day!!!!

Gonna Get Married...

The other day Brandon had to run into Snowflake to pick a few things up from ProBuild and he took a couple of the kids with him. While over there I sent him to Bashas to pick up a few items. While in Bashas Brandon decides he will by a flower arrangement to surprise me with. Well, he was asking the kids their opinions about which one he should get...and his and Morgon's conversation went something like this...

Brandon..."Morgon, do you want to buy some flowers for mom?"
Morgon..."Oh, Sure!"
Brandon..." Do you think she would like this one?"
Morgon..."Dad! If you buy those flowers for mom...You're gonna get married!"



This kid ALWAYS keeps us rolling!!!

Nice little Get away Part 2

I couldn't get more phots to upload in the first post, so these are out of order. Read the prior post 1st!!

Brandon, His dad Wayne, and His Grandpa Wendall

Brandon's uncle James and his beautiful bride Jennifer

Brandon's niece Marley

Brandon's nephews and niece...Conol, Kael, Nevin, & Adi

Nice little Get away...

This past weekend Brandon and I got to get away(well we took the two babies so it wasn't a complete get away...but it was a get away from the 9 others:) for a couple days up to Utah. I had a good friend get married so we attended his reception and then Brandon's Uncle James got married on Saturday. We had the priviledge of attending his wedding in the Bountiful Temple. It was good to be there with SO many of my father-in-law's family. At the reception afterwards ALL of my father-in-laws siblings were together for the 1st time in YEARS!! This was the first time that I met Brandon's uncle Charlie and his aunt Cheryl. It was really good to be with Brandon's siblings as well. I am so grateful for the family that I married into.

We also got to go visit Grandma Muder. We haven't seen her since Miles was about 4 weeks old. Miles sure did warm up to her fast! It was good to get to spend time with her...we love you Grandma Muder!!

Brandon, Miles, Grandma Muder, Me, & Mallori

Brandon and I outside the Bountiful Temple...it was snowing that day and everything was ABSOLUTELY beautiful!!

Grandpa & Grandma Martineau freezing outside the Temple!

My awesome in-laws!

Happy 30th to You!

Just have to wish one of my favoritist peoples ever a happy 30th birthday! Marinda turned 30 while I was in Utah this weekend and I missed out on her birthday party. Marinda and I have known each other since we were little kids. I remember inviting her over for sleep overs, and going with them to ball games, and having fun at girls camp together! But it wasn't until after we were both married that I truly realized what an amazing person she is!! Here is a little shout out to her...

Marinda is...

Beautiful
Amazing
Talented in SOOO many ways!
An awesome mom
An amazing wife...(i don't think Reese really knows how good he's got it!)
Is an amazing seamstress
A runner... she runs A LOT!!
A GREAT personal trainer
Sweet
Hilarious!
Easy to talk to
Non-judgemental
Always willing to help others
An Amazing friend

And the list goes on and on!!!

Thanks Marinda for being such an amazing friend! Hope you had a great 30th birthday!!

Annual Bunco Christmas Party

I absolutely love our Annual Bunco Christmas Party! This year we had some great gag gifts!!! Some that were not appropriate to put on my blog for my future posterity to read! We had a great time, with great friends, great good, and some great laughter!! Thanks everybody for making it so much fun!!!

Kelli with her mouse! YES A MOUSE! It was the funniest thing to watch her open that!!! I can't believe she actually held it!

Daniel got a bunch of used toys!!...definitely not the kind of toys he would have liked to have gone home with!!

Pam Horn with her energizer undies!! Hopefully we didn't scare Pam & Jesse off!!

Nicole with her jar full of goodies!!

Our group consisted of...Jed & Nicole Reidhead, Brian & Ginger Starkes, Ross & Tiffani Owens, Ben & Emma Williams, Spencer & Kelli Porter, Bruce & Shawna McLaws, Daniel & Marcie Franco, Camron & Lonna Connolly, Jesse & Pam Horn, Shane & Nicole Johnson, Mitchell & LeAnna Reidhead, and Brandon and I!!

Can't wait til next year!!!