MAYLIN2007

I thought 2007 was filled with changes, ups and downs, but I do have to say 2008 beat it. Here are some photos of memories of 2008 that to me, are the best of the best. I have never posted these before. A band aid is a child's best friend. This is my #10 memory. Why? Because a child's needs and wants are so simple that most anything can be fun, even a band aid. Number 9 - Nothing better than sleeping children. They are cute, innocent and it shows that a tired child means a VERY good day. Number 8 - We are so blessed to have Maylin in our lives. This picture is number 8 because it shows how she has reminded us to enjoy life and take time to enjoy even the small things. Sharing - Photo number 7. I love it when my children take care of each other. It doesn't happen as often as I would like, but when it does, it is magic. You are probably wondering why a fish in a kitchen sink made the number 6 position. Well, this picture represents two things. One: my children caught it. What...

Christmas eve was spent making sugar cookies for Santa, playing Rock Band and reading and acting out the nativity story. That was my favorite memory. (You can click on the collages to make them bigger.) "Picture a stable in Judea. Picture a sacred, silent night. And can you hear The angels near And see the star so bright? Picture the little baby Jesus. Think of his life and words so dear. Sing praise to him; Remember him, As you picture Christmas this year." -One of my favorite songs.         Christmas morning! Everyone was so happy with what they got. Of course once Maylin opened her lip gloss and I opened my lip stick, she pretty much couldn't care about anything else. Austin loved his ski package, Kenzie loved her clothes and Alex loved his Star Wars legos. Well, they actually loved everything, but these were their favorites. The weather delievered its gift (I guess we should think of it as a gift) about a foot of snow! Jay spent his day shoveling.

Christmas is such a wonderful time. This year, I feel badly that it has come and by tomorrow, gone, without me really realizing it this year. I am not sure why. Is it because time flew by at the speed of light? or was it that we were too busy and I didn't take the time to feel it. I don't know. However, I haven't forgotten that the Savior is the reason for this wonderful holiday. I am so grateful for his plan for us and for his individual love for us. I am grateful for the sweet spirits our Heavenly Father has given me. Each of my children are a joy! We wish you all a wonderful Christmas. May your family be blessed in every way and may you have plenty of room in your hearts for the blessings of the season. Here are some photos of this week. Jay's brother was here. Maylin loved her cousin. She called him by his name or she would call him "my boy". She was his shadow and he was so kind to his little follower. Maylin loved the hill. She said she wanted "more...

We finally got snow this week. Austin and his buddies went sledding for hours. The next day he kept complaining that his back hurt and that he could not sleep on it that night. I pulled up his shirt to see what was the problem, and was TOTALLY surprised to find this huge bruise. Obviously he and his buddies need to take a chill pill when they sled.   If anyone wants to go with Austin, he would be willing to show you a good time.

Monday the 15th, was Austin's 16th Birthday!! We took 5 of his friends bowling and to dinner. Afterward they came back to the house and played RockBand. They had a GREAT time! Our family party was pretty low key. Austin had too much homework. We had banana splits as cake isn't Austin's favorite and we opened gifts. We usually take each child out to dinner to the place of their choice, but homework came first, so this weekend we will finish celebrating.     Maylin obviously sees me do this too much. I guess she is getting me back.   This week I was in charge of a Pride and Prejudice Party for Austin's grade (actually it was for 10th and 9th). Jane Austen's birthday was the 16th of December and the kids just finished the book, so it was a perfect time to celebrate! I made the Yorkshire pudding. (above) At the lunch we filled them with warm gravy. We had crumpets and tea in the morning and then for lunch we had Cottage Pie, Yorkshire Pudding, Vegetables, Rice pudding a...

This week has been filled with holiday fun (thankfully, I felt like it wasn't even a holiday), some great friends and Austin's first date!!! Let's cover the date first. He got asked out by another girl...not the blind date I talked about awhile ago. This is a girl who is in his class. She asked him out for a couple's Christmas dance at another private school where her friends go. I think I was more excited than Austin. I asked him so many questions, tried to get him perfectly ready, and went over how to treat a girl, a million times. He finally looked at me and said, "Was your mother this weird over your first date, or is it just you?" Hmmmm.... maybe it is just me. Anyway, he had a blast. My favorite part was she had to drive since she is 17 and has a license and he is barely 16 without one. Kinda cute watching her drive. She is a nice girl. McKenzie tried out for a special choir at her school that was going to perform at the Christmas Benefit Concert with sp...

To me, time has flown by making me wonder where the holidays have gone and which one is coming up. Maybe Maylin's confusion is adding to mine. Note the Halloween costume that had to be worn when we wrapped presents. Cute. Funny. We have a tradition in our house of wrapping 24 books and putting them under the tree. Each night, the kids get to pick a book, unwrap it and we read the Christmas story that is inside. They love it! Unfortunately, this year I didn't really realize we were in December until the 8th...so we are only doing 17 books this year. When I told Maylin to help me wrap Christmas books, she said, "Go get my costume on. Wait for me." Not sure how or why she thinks the costume goes with Christmas, but it was darling, don't you think?   She has been so funny lately. The other day in the Target restroom, she started to pray. She prayed really loud. She said Heavenly Father please bless mine a friends. Bless Emee, Anna, Libby, Liza, Benjish man (Benjamin) ...

I bought a gingerbread house kit. The kids were so excited to put it together. We got the house assembled and the kids went wild trying to stick, no stick isn't the right word, it was more like slam and slather icing and candies on it. The poor little house couldn't stand up to all that pressure....besides the instructions said to let it dry for an hour before placing candies, but they couldn't wait! Within minutes, it was all Jay and I could do to hold up walls, the roof, etc. The kids couldn't even stop long enough to let us fix it. They just kept putting things on and the more it fell, the more they laughed. Obviously, the end result was a pile of rubble. Everyone had fun though.

I thought I would try some new decorations this year....got my idea from an ad last year. I finally got up the courage to try it. What do you think? Jay thinks I am crazy. He says it is just more to clean up at the end of the holiday. He is right, but its fun anyway.