Time for a Change

As many of you know I was given a new calling this past week at church. I am very grateful for the callings that I have had. I am very excited about this new calling. I am the education counselor in the Relief Society Presidency. I get to work with the teachers and music people. Of course I will always be here to help those with family history needs.

I have been doing a lot of reflecting this week. I am teaching a lesson on Sunday, this is the first time that I have to pick the topic and find all my own materials.... It is the new year, so goals seems fitting, but every time I try to go down that path with my lesson, I find myself turning to the scriptures, and they are not about goals.

So, I am changing my lesson, I am excited.

Just a little teaser, for anyone in the ward who is reading this, Alma 37:6-7 By small and simple things, great things are brought to pass!

I wish you all a very Happy New Year, hopefully 2010 will be a great year!

Christmas and the Beach

After we saw Grandpa Frank and Grandma Marilyn we went to the beach for a picnic. We had sandwiches, chips, soda, yogurt and other snacks. The kids also played on the beach. A few ventured into the water.

Here are Kylie, Abi and Kade playing on top of the rocks.

Austin making faces at Hunter

Madison and Jace got soaked!

Ashley and Cheila

The beach was beautiful!

We took a family picture (thanks Ashley!)

and a new family feet picture

After we cleaned up and dried off we headed to the San Diego temple.

Here are the kids "playing" near the nativity on the hill.

And the temple all lit up (we had to drive back by after we went to dinner, because it did not get dark as fast as we thought it would.)

We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and would like to wish you a Happy New Year!

Christmas in San Diego

After grandma and grandpa's house we headed down to San Diego to see Uncle Mark, Aunt Rachelle, Ashley, Austin, Kylie and Kendall. Grandpa Frank and Grandma Marilyn would be coming to see us there on Saturday. We had a lot of fun playing with our cousins, especially when we played the Wii. I wish I had thought to video tape the kids playing, they were hilarious!

Here are the kids playing a present game.

We took the opportunity to take some pictures with Grandpa.

Here is Grandpa and the boys.

Abi, Grandpa and Kylie

Hunter, Grandpa and Austin

Ashley, Grandpa and Cheila

Grandpa and Madison

Off to the beach!

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's

We went to Grandma and Grandpa's house on Christmas afternoon to open presents and have dinner (although it was at 2:00pm). We had fun opening presents and spending time with our cousins. Only Ari, Jinelle, Noah and Aiden were there. The other cousins were coming another day.

Mommy did not take any pictures of us eating, so here are some of us opening presents.

Abi opening a cuddlebug die holder.

Jace opening his bumblebee helmet and blaster.

Kade opening his clone trooper mask and gun.

Madison opening a Christmas cube puzzle.

Cheila opening a necklace.

Hunter opening a necklace too

Thanks grandma and grandpa for the fun presents! Off to San Diego we go!

Christmas Day

Christmas Morning did not start as early as most of my friends and family. Maybe that has to do with the fact that Mike told the kids that they could not get out of bed until 7:00 am and that he was putting the video camera out and the motion detector on, so he would know if they went into the piano room and "peeked" Here is what the room looked like "pre-kids"

Here are the kids all waiting on the couch.

We started opening presents, but about half way done, we stopped for the traditional Christmas breakfast of cinnamon rolls. Here is Jace, Hunter and Kade with their breakfast.

Cheila and Madison

Abigail is hungry and ready to eat!

Abi played Santa this year!

Jace was very eager to open his stocking, he walked in and dumped it out, not taking in the rest of the room or presents.

Kade looking through his stocking

Abi and her new pen

Cheila and Madison opening their stockings

Kade and Hunter

all the kids opening the "big" present in the middle of the room, it was a trampoline

Jace was very excited to get books from Madison

We put together the trampoline, the kids really enjoyed being able to play on it again. Here is Madison and Cheila.

Kade doing a flip

all of the kids together on the trampoline

Jace jumping, all by himself.

After we went to grandma and grandpa's we headed to San Diego to see Mark and Rachelle's family and Grandpa Frank. We will post more adventures later.

We hope that you all had a very Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve started out like our "normal" Christmas Eve. To start we made homemade pizza. Everyone got to pick their own toppings and sauce. I made the crust (Thanks Tracy for the recipe!). I would have to say this year was the best pizza so far!

One of the pizzas (sausage and pepperoni)

Everyone eating their pizza

Then it was time to make cookies! This year I actually made shapes, I usually just make the slice and bake round ones, this year.... I made the dough, rolled them out, and used regular cake frosting that I colored.

Kade and Hunter

Abigail getting ready to eat her cookie

Here is my cookie (it is a nativity... can't you tell???)

Jace eating his cookie... yum!

Madison and her cookie

Hunter adding sprinkles.

Then it was time to get on jammies and settle down for the night... oh wait, headstand contest. Kade won!

This year I made matching jammies for all the kids... aren't they cute? I was actually surprised that the older girls agreed to wear them, they are looking forward to next year.

Putting the reindeer food out.

After we put the reindeer food out, we read the Christmas Eve story in 3rd Nephi and watched "The Forgotten Carols"... then it was off to bed for Santa to come.