Christmas and New Years

What a year that was! The holiday season was great! I like to think my boys enjoyed the giving as much as the getting. (Well, almost as much.) I'm hoping Santa cuts back a bit next Christmas.









We spent New Year's Eve with our good friends. We love having them over for games and bringing in the new year with them. Sy didn't really enjoy the moose calling Zander produced for his new years cheer, but he learned to laugh at it. Good times!




Here's to a great 2010 filled with even more sharing and caring!!!

The Tree Hunt 2009

Every year we go to the mountains (a tree farm) in search of our Christmas tree. This is always a fun tradition, but this year I especially enjoyed watching Syler try to understand what the heck we were doing! We always bring hot chocolate and doughnuts to celebrate our find.






This year our friends came with us.






We always enjoy watching them decide which tree they're going to cut down.

This year they had to start cutting quick before another family took the one Alisha had her mind set on!

My First Pie--EVER!

So, Wednesday night I made a pie for Thanksgiving--from SCRATCH. My mother assigned me a cherry pie and I didn't want to just buy one. I found a great recipe online and, after several attempts to find the cherries, finally made my pie. It turned out beautiful and tasted even better! I must thank the lady who put her recipe online.

Thanks, Mari Anne Warren Milton from Wisconsin! It was delicious!!

Big Night for Scouts

Wahoo!! Tonight both Baxter and Zander received major scouting awards. Baxter earned his Outdoorsman, which was the final step to earning his Webelos badge--so he received that too! Zander earned his Wolf badge and 3 arrowpoints--1 gold, 2 silver! What a big night for them both. I'm so proud of my two scouts. They worked so hard to get here. Good job boys!

Let's Give Thanks

This past week has been quite overwhelming with news of both extremes. It's definitely led me to contemplate both our mortal and our eternal existence. I hope this coming holiday we all remember to give thanks to our Heavenly Father for his amazing gift of life.





Temporality

It's difficult and troubling
And wonderful and rich.
It's heartbreaking and uplifting
This grand and worldly gift.

Through laughter and through sorrow,
'Midst realms of this abyss,
Indeed we must remember
How beautiful life is.

I wrote this poem today for my sister. I love you, Noel!