Sledding Photos!!

All the kids had a BLAST sledding at Grandma Tuttle's house over Christmas!! I had PLANNED on posting all the pictures here AND at my blog, but there's just too many!! SO, I'm gonna post some here & I've posted a bunch on my blog, too so go check them out if you haven't already!!! Wasn't it SO GREAT?!?!? What a fun time!!! Thanks Aunt Brooke & Aunt Nat for taking all the kids on Christmas Eve!!!!!

CHRISTMAS TAG

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? It depends on how many "snoops" are around! I like the convenience of bags but they aren't SAFE if the kids are around!
2. Real tree or Artificial? For the first time this year, artificial. I love our tree that we got at a second hand store. When the kids were little, I loved to go with Dad and Dave and his family. The kids would sleigh ride and we would find a tree. I'm quite excited to not have to clean up pine needles for three months. I'm also excited to be able to plug it in whenever I want to without thinking I'm going to burn the house down.
3. When do you put up the tree? As early as possible! I took a lot of guff this year for putting it together before Thanksgiving. I WANTED THE KIDS TO HELP ME DECORATE!!! I HAD to make sure the lights worked! Hello!
4. When do you take the tree down? I used to take the real one down the day after Christmas. I may leave this one up a little longer . . .
5. Do you like eggnog? I love eggnog. I really like Dan's idea of eggnog with sprite!
6. Do you have a stocking? We have stockings but I always forget to fill them. I loved the cross stitched stockings I made for the kids when they were little (that I accidentally threw out with the trash!!). I miss them.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Ken's Mom and Dad. ERIC! I shop but he doesn't like what I buy.
8. Easiest person to buy for? Grandkids! I can find lots of things I want to buy. TOO MANY, in fact.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? I love nativity scenes. I have a lot of them. I hate to put them away after Christmas.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Always mail. I love to send out our yearly newsletter. I start on it in the spring! I imagine how things MIGHT be in December. Sometimes my wishes come true - sometimes NOT! It's the only time we communicate with some of our friends and family all year. It's getting more expensive, though. This year it was a challenge to pay the money.
11. Most memorable Christmas gift you ever received? I'll have to think about this one.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's a Wonderful Life
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I try to shop a little right after Christmas some times. This year I've been the slowest I have ever been in getting my shopping done. I hope I make it!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I can remember.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas brunch.
16. Lights on the tree? White and red this year.
17. Favorite Christmas song? I love all the songs at Christmas.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I used to want to travel because I felt like we were here all year and I wanted to go to Springville for Christmas. Now, I just want to stay home.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, & Rudolph!!
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither. I can't reach the top and since me and the grandkids are the "decorators" there isn't one. I'm lucky if there are decorations at the top!
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We used to let the kids each open one (PAJAMAS, OF COURSE) on Christmas Eve. I must admit that once before I was married Dave and I opened everything on Christmas Eve so we could sleep in!
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Worrying about the shopping and financial aspect . . . wanting to do more than I can afford.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I just love Christmas. I tell Ken that I'm the biggest kid he has when it comes to Christmas.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? I like to have things that we don't have at any other time.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? To have our kids come home. AND GO CAROLING!!!
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Probably the girls.
27. Favorite Christmas Tradition? My favorite was Christmas caroling. I felt like we should "give something back" for all of the blessings that we have. It was funny, too, because we became part of other family's traditions. It touched me to see the happy tears when we would sing to people. One year Carolyn Stevens said that one of the twins asked when we were coming because it didn't feel like Christmas until we did. I've missed it the last few years when I couldn't get anyone to go. WE ARE GOING ON DEC. 23 AT 7:00 FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE INTERESTED!!! BRING WARM CLOTHES!!

Just Relaxin'

Mom and Dad are packing boxes, and I'm just relaxin'!! Dad's almost done with school (just finishing his finals) and we are moving to Nephi until Dad starts graduate school in the fall.

Shingles and Sheeting

Well, it's been a little while since I've posted any pictures. We have got the large porch portion sheeted and shingled (except for one half of the ridge cap since we ran out). The little roof section right above the door into the porch will hopefully be shingled today and tomorrow. We will be completely finished with the shingles after that is finished. We also got the sheeting on the west side. Now people can come to the door and be out of the weather. HOORAY!

Cool Shot

I tried to capture the beautiful sunset behind Ken last night and this picture doesn't begin to give it justice. It was just so beautiful.

We've been building trusses. We are ready to start sheeting.

Roof is Almost On

Ken, Philip, Eric, and I worked over the weekend trying to get the porch enclosed. We had a few hangups such as being short one truss, having to fix a little 9" error, and Roper's not having the materials they told us they had when we called. The "hole" is still in the roof but Eric did a "patch" job and hopefully we will be all right through this storm. We are coming along. Now that the west wall and roof are on it is easier to tell what the new construction is going to look like. It has been funny because people couldn't figure out what we were doing. We even had the County Assessor show up because he thought we were building a new room on our house. It has been interesting to say the least!

Pretty Addie!

Addie was so darling over the weekend. Here she is while we were working on the house.

Modern Day Hunting!

Aubrey's Uncle Gary has an elk tag above us. This is called "Modern Day Hunting." Gary, Glade, Gary's sons, and Philip are "plotting their strategy" on Google Earth!

I'm CINDERELLA!

AFTER!!!!

BEFORE

East Garage Wall

We are getting ready to finish the wall and pour the second half of the floor. Eric worked really hard yesterday getting everything moved out of the way.

PROGRESS!

Dad worked really hard over the weekend. He got the front porch wall (and new window) in and got the roof finished and the tar paper on one half of the porch. I'm excited!

I'm ESME!

TAGGED!

I must admit that this is the first time I've been tagged. Adrian tagged me. I'm supposed to write down six quirks. You guys probably know my "quirks" better than I do!

1. I CAN'T STAND TO BE LATE!!!! As you know, I come by this quite naturally as my Dad would drive home before he would walk into church late. We have had more fights in our married life over this one point than anything else. I would rather sit there for a long time and be early than walk in even a second late. I liked the quote I heard at our stake conference that it is the ultimate selfishness to expect the Lord to wait on us. I guess that just applies to being on time for church, although I think it applies to anything.

2. The toast has to be buttered the SECOND it comes out of the toaster and it has to be LIGHT brown. I can't eat toast that isn't soft and buttery. The HARD and DARK BROWN really gets to me.

3. The kids tell me that I turn on my blinker about TWO MILES before the turn off.

4. Shirts have GOT to be pressed. I guess my pressing shirts for a dime a piece when I was little influenced my psychic on this one! I hate to see a shirt that isn't pressed - even on little kids.

5. I like things put away - keys hung up on the "hanger" - glasses and wallets put in the same place every day so that I don't have to spend forever looking for them.

6. The minute I put milk on my cereal, I have to eat it. If I put the milk on there and then somebody asks me to do something, I have a nervous breakdown. I don't do "SOGGY."

I'm sure you guys can think of more!

Love ya, Mom

BRUUUUU HAAAA HAAAAAAA!!!!

Invitations are ready...let me know if you want to come...it's the best party of the year....love you all.
-Brooke

PORCH

Dad has started framing the new porch. Eric has been cutting the 2 X 6s that will make up the roof. Hopefully, this afternoon we can get the roof on. It looks like SNOW!

NEW WINDOW!

Disneyland!!

We are back from Disneyland...feel free to check out the pictures on our family blog. I was too tired to put them on both blogs...sorry. We got to meet up with Marci for a few minutes. It was so fun to catch up and chat for a little bit.

BEFORE AND AFTER SHOTS

Fun in Holden

These two crazies...
Dad!
Concrete...check!
Look at all those worms the kids found!

Sexy mama!
Porch lookin' great!
Me and Londers just relaxin'
Isn't she the cutest thing you have ever seen?

Well, I wish I had a picture of Eric, but I guess he was dodging my camera all weekend. I couldn't find him in any of them! But, I just wanted to tell him thank you for all that he has done to help Mom and Dad on the house. I know that he built most of the supports so that they could pour cement. WAY TO GO!!!! We love you.

See you guys when we get back from Disneyland!
Love you all.
-Brooke and Fam.

SAWDUST AND WATER DON'T MIX!!