Snowboarding!

We only made it to the mountain one time this last winter for Carsten to snowboard!  We picked up Carsten's friend Dylan and headed to Sundance.  We got there and Carsten realized that he had forgotten to bring his gloves.  But he acted all cool like he didn't need them anyways because he had no intention of falling down!  Alright, whatever!  They took off up the ski lift and we waited at the bottom for them.  It seemed like it took forever for them to come back down the mountain!  And then finally we saw them.  Carsten was struggling to stay up and he looked absolutely miserable!  He finally made it down to us and he was crying!  His hands were bright red and hurting something awful!  I felt bad for him!  I did all I could to warm his hands up and then headed to the ski shop.  $35.00 later he had himself a nice new pair of ski gloves!  The boys headed back up the mountain and from then on out they had a lot less falls!  We just don't go snowboarding enough around here.  It takes a run or two to get the hang of it again! 

Bradon got his pump!

This is a really BIG DEAL!

Bradon finally got his insulin pump!

No more shots every time he puts something in his mouth!

It SUCKS to be a T1D (Type 1 diabetic), 

but it will suck a little bit less with a pump!

Congratulations Bradon!

I'm so happy for you!

ROCK WALL!

 First of all you will have to excuse the low quality pictures.  

I took these with my phone camera.  

David took his young men's to Trafalga fun center.

I went along with the little one's just for fun.

Talan hadn't ever been rock wall climbing before!

 He was a little uncertain at first.  The guy that worked there was super nice to him.  He climbed up the wall right next to him to help him figure out where to put his feet and stuff.  Talan would only go up so high and then sorta freak out and be done.

 Reagan however was a beast!  She had no trouble making it to the top!

 Carsten had no troubles either!

 Hey mom look at me, I'm climbing!

 Talan would come down and then a little while later he would want to try it again.  You could see his determination!  Brother Budge tried helping him.  Actually everyone was trying to help him!  Everyone was rooting for Talan!  But he would chicken out every time he got sorta high up!  We told him that it was okay, he didn't need to reach the top, but you could tell that he really wanted to.  By the time it was time to go home he got super close!  He was just a couple more steps to the top and then he came down.

Well the next morning, in his same exact outfit (because he slept in them) he insisted that he wanted to go back to try it again!

 I took him back as soon as they were open and he climbed to the top!

Way to go champ!

Talan turns 5!

Yo Ho Ho!

It's Talan's Birthday!

Before Talan's birthday I asked him what kind of birthday party he wanted to have.  He started off wanting a TMNT birthday (Ninja Turtles).  Then it changes to various different super heroes and then finally I took him to the party store.  He saw some pirate stuff and that was it!

For Talan's birthday we had a pirate party!

 We invited some of his cute little friends 

and he was as excited as could be!

 I made a treasure map and sent the kids 

on a treasure hunt for loot and gold!

 My mom read the kids a pirate story!

 And then we opened presents.

This cute poster is from the Payne family.

They moved to Texas and we miss them so much!

 My favorite part about opening presents is that I have the birthday boy give a hug to whoever gave him the gift.  It's always a big hit!  Each kid at the party makes sure to get their hug!

 We sang happy birthday and blew out the candles!

 And Yo Ho Ho a birthday party it was!

After the party it was time for 

Grandma and Grandpa Haws to go back to Arizona.

 It was so much fun having them in town!

 I love my Mom and Dad so much!

I couldn't have been more blessed when getting parents!

 Grandma loves to play mess with Talan!

And Talan loves to be messed with!

 Look how tall Ethan is getting!

I don't know where Reagan was but I didn't happen to get any pictures of her.  I do love how all these pictures show the kids personality though!

Happy Birthday Talan!

And Goodbye Mom and Dad!

Ringing in the new year!

2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We partied like it was.... SUPER COLD!

My mom and dad came in town just after 

Christmas and stayed until January 2nd.

 So we had the pleasure of showing them how 

awesomely cold New Years Eve can be!

We all went outside to light off a few firecrackers 

and I think in a matter of minutes 

we had all wished that we hadn't!

 Brrrr! 

 Brrrr!

But it created a memory and that's what it's all about!

RIGHT?

Christmas Day!

Santa is so quiet!  

He comes all stealth like in the night, 

leaving a gift and a stocking full of goodies!

 Before the kids came down and tore through their presents 

everything was laid out so nice and neat!

Bradon got golf clubs and Ethan a helmet!

 Talan got a mini cooper car!

 And Carsten got a shotgun!

 

And Reagan got a little scooter!

 And the Christmas tree was overflowing with presents!

 Talan and Carsten were the first to wake up.

 They checked out their stockings and then with every new thing Talan discovered, he came in to report!  "Mom I got a candy cane!"

 Checking out Talan's new ride!

 Uh Oh! What was Santa Claus thinking!

Reagan woke up next!

This is one present she certainly didn't expect!

 And last but not least, the teenagers!

 Not a lot of emotion is expressed in the cool teenage years 

but I know they are jumping for joy on the inside!

After everyone was awake we all took turns one at a time 

opening all the presents from underneath the tree.

 Cam Newton shoes!

 Her very own luggage with winter boots hiding inside!

Funny thing is that she didn't notice the boots until way later!

 A remote controlled snowmobile!

 A warm house coat!

 Carsten wrapped a dollar bill for Ethan.  Ethan couldn't wait to see what gift Carsten could have possibly gotten for him.  A DOLLAR BILL!

 And Talan got mask after mask after mask!

 Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without a Christmas puzzle!

 This year we put together BYU's Levell Edward Stadium.

And Christmas was complete!

You might already know this but I decorate my Christmas tree with just about everything.  I don't have a theme unless EVERYTHING is a theme!  I put old Christmas decorations in my tree.  I put things the kids make at school in the tree.  I put handmade and store bought ornaments in the tree.  I even put cute little lesson handouts that I get at church in my tree! Ribbons from gift wrap... yeah, just about everything!  And I have to say that one of my most very favorite ornament is this here picture of Christ!  I got this from a ward party a few years back.  They used them as centerpieces and then told all the families that they could take one home.  I LOVE IT!  It helps me remember the true meaning of Christmas!