MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas to all of our Friends & Family!!!

We have had lots happening in the last week and we have had a great Christmas season!

Thank you to all of our family, friends, and neighbors for everything!!!

We love you lots!!!

So good, she just had to have a lick ....

Cute as a button

The Mr. & Mrs. were not so fun this year

Christmas Eve dinner ... Chinese take-out!!!

Ciara insisted on using chop sticks

She even figured it out, I barely missed it going in her mouth.

The classic Christmas PJ's picture

Good Morning ... did Santa come?

Ciara almost always has a purse!

I think these are the faces of happy children!!!! :)

TIS THE SEASON!!!

I cannot believe how fast the last month has gone by. I am happy to report that Ciara's thumb is healing well. It is even starting to look like a thumb again!!! She got her big splint taken off 3 days after we went in to the ER, then we went back 7 days later and the stitches were removed. Then we went back again to have it checked. We still have to keep it wrapped and change the bandages each day, but it is getting better and we are all happy! No pics of it still though as it is not pretty and she doesn't like anyone to look at it.

We had a great Thanksgiving this year. We were just home and we were all alone, but it was nice day and then we ate until we were all stuffed like turkeys!!! We have much to be grateful for and that was really what made the day great!

We are officially ready for the Christmas season! Normally we set the Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving but this year I just wasn't ready to put it up yet. We did put up some decorations that weekend though. Today at church though Randy asked if we should put the tree up, so it went up today!!! I am one of those people that like to decorate the tree by myself, my way ... you know what kind of person I am talking about! We have 2 trees and this year I decided to put up the 2nd tree and let the kids have at it. Ky didn't have an interest in it, but Dal and Ciara had a lot of fun and they did a pretty good job!

They sure are cute ... especially when they get along so well!!!

I got to go to Temple Square last night with the Youth in our ward. It was sure pretty! We watched the Joseph Smith movie, saw a few lights (it's a bit of sore spot for some), and then ate some dinner. I did get this pretty pic of the Temple though to share!

The lights there are the best!!! Now go ahead .... bring on Christmas!

AN EVENING OF FIRSTS

Last night Randy had his first trip to the emergency room for one of his kiddos and Ciara got her first trip to the emergency room ever ... and they BOTH survived!!!

Yesterday afternoon Ciara was outside playing with the neighbor boy in our back yard. We had checked on them several times and I had been in the house for a few minutes when we heard Ciara scream. We ran out to find her on the other side of the fence and the neighbor boy running away, he usually runs when she cries. Her hand was all bloody and she was just screaming. We brought her in the house and tried to clean it up and stop the bleeding we had assumed that she had cut herself on the fence, not really thinking about the fact that there are no sharp edges on the fence. We could see that her thumb was cut and a chunk of skin was gone at the bottom of the nail and the nail was bruised underneath. It stopped bleeding and we put some band-aids on it. She cried a lot that it hurt, but we thought it would be okay. When we went to change the band-aids before bed we found that it was still bleeding, so we knew that we had to take her in.

So after 4 lovely hours in the E.R. this is what we have ....

Not a cut, but some trauma to the thumb. The Dr. said that it got squashed by something pretty good. The whole nail came off and he stitched it back on, but once it was off and he was able to clean it up he could see the gash went all the way to her bone. So she has inside dissolvable stitches, outside stitches, and a splint around her thumb and her arm ( so she can't tear it off).

This is her telling me it is scratched!

And finally late this afternoon she crashed. We didn't get home until about 1:30 this morning and she only slept until 6 so she crashed pretty hard! She isn't trying to pull it off anymore and thinks that the wrap is soft, here's hoping that when it comes time to take it off, she will let them take it off!!!

Just Some Happenings

First of all, I would like to thank our family and friends who's kind thoughts and comments have really helped lift us up. We are so blessed to have each of you in our lives!!!

Thank you!!!

So here is what we have done over the past couple of days .....

The kids stayed home from school on Thursday and we went down to the cemetery to take some flowers and a balloon As you can see it was quite windy and cold and unfortunately the balloon didn't stay for too long.

Then we went to visit Grandma Ogden after a quick lunch at Leo's. (I can't even recommend that place anymore. The food just isn't as good as used to be.)

We had a nice visit with her and was able to help her get some things done also!

Thursday ended up just being a nice day that we spent all together.

Now for Friday ... the day was nothing special. One of my Laurels asked me if I would chaperon the Sadie Hawkins dance at her high school and I agreed to it and in the 11th hour talked Randy into coming with me. No pics for this one because I forgot the camera and my phone camera doesn't have a flash or I don't know how to work it. The time went by really fast, and we were rather entertained to say the least. Some things never change, like slow dancing ... still exactly the same as it was in Junior High. LOL And then there are other things that have changed quite a bit, like kids laying on the floor making out ... no joke! And girls cutting in to dance with other girls. But for the most part it looked like a lot of fun and the kids were pretty good! Randy was super happy when our shift was over.

HALLOWEEN!!!!!

The kids school had their fall carnival today and I helped there for a few hours while Randy and the kids went around playing games and eating. Ciara won the award for most adorable costume!

She was pretty cute!!!

After a great nap we then went to the Trunk or Treat our town does. It is a good one too. Everybody goes to it and you are done in about 30-45 minutes. I don't think I would every want to go trick or treating again, this is just way too convenient!

Here we are ...

Now that's a cute family!

P.S. This is post number 3 this week! WAHOO! I wouldn't expect it to keep up like that though!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy Birthday Aspyn!

We love and miss you so much, but we know we will be with you again eternally!!!

Knowing that has helped our hearts to heal and brings up peace and joy! Another year has gone by and so much has changed. You have helped our family to be better, closer, and stronger. I know the work you are doing is great and something that you were chosen to do because the rest of your family could not. We love you and are so grateful for you!

When the day comes that we will get to hold you in our arms will be a great and happy day!