Arizona

While we were in Arizona, Tory and his brother Logan were able to help their dad put in fence posts around the perimeter of their yard.  They just built their house and moved in this May.  Sounds simple enough...but this is Arizona dirt.  Solid rock.  They couldn't just dig the holes so they had to rent a drill.  It took one person to drive the tractor and two to stabilize the drill.  After the hole was drilled then they had to hand dig all of the dirt out, put a bag of cement in, and then the pole.  It was slow going.

Front of house.

Digging some of the last holes.

 This is how far back they went in the back yard.  So there were a lot of poles that went in!

Video Clip of the Drill:

 Beckham loved the chickens at Grandma and Grandpa's.  All the kids did.  They helped gather eggs and Beckham managed to leave the gate open and the dogs got in.  Oops!  There was some damage done but none died...that we know of.  

 Here's the tent the boys slept out in every night.  They loved it!  They pitched the tent way out back past the back posts in the backyard.  You can see the perimeter they built around it with mesquite branches.  If you don't know, mesquite branches have some SERIOUS thorns on them.  Like at least 2" long!  They were in heaven and we hardly saw them the entire trip.  They played outside all day long every single day.  I've got to get me a yard like that!  And quickly...before summer!

 We got to spend the day up in Tucson visiting my sister, Kirsten, and her husband Nick and little Summer.  Why don't I have any other pictures?!  I don't know.  But we had a great time.  She fed us the most delicious lunch of ham chowder with ham and cheese sandwiches on rolls and yummy chocolate cookies.  Kirsten is seriously a gourmet cook.  Anything she makes is delicious and special.  Then we headed to a park where the kids played and Kir and I got to sit and talk.  Isn't she so cute?  She is due with baby girl #2 in just a couple more weeks!  We went back to their home and got to talk a little more and then...it was time to go.  Time always goes by too fast but we're so glad we got to see them and that they survived our invasion of 7 people!

Tory took this picture of all our kids up in a tree at the park.

We left to drive back home on December 28th...our 13th anniversary!  We didn't get to celebrate that day but as we turned around in our seats to see the 5 faces behind us, we were very thankful for that day 13 years ago and for the love and joy that has increased every day since.

I sure am thankful for this wonderful man!  He is the best and I am so lucky and blessed to have him!

Christmas in Arizona

This year we decided to head to Arizona to spend Christmas with Tory's family.  His Grandpa hasn't been feeling very well and Tory wanted to spend some time with him.  Tory's brother, Logan, and his famiy drove down from Colorado Springs, too.  I got sick right before we left and by the time we got there I was really bad.  We drove through the night to get there and when we arrived I went straight to bed, slept all day, all night, and finally woke up the next morning.  It was seriously miserable.  Claire & Beckham got it, too, but somehow the boys and Tory managed to survive.  Poor Uncle Logan came down with it on Christmas Eve.  Families that share together...OK.  Maybe not.  But we all eventually got better and we enjoyed our trip.

 Opening Grandma & Grandpa's Christmas Eve Present

PJs and a box of candy for everyone!

Christmas Eve Video Clip:

The boys slept outside in a tent the entire time we were in Arizona.  It got down in the 30s every night and sometimes they woke up to ice on their tent.  We didn't have to wait too long for them to come knocking on the door Christmas morning though!

 Looks like Santa came!

 Austin loved his telescope.  Arizona was the perfect place to try it out.  Clear skies everywhere!

 Dallin got a bow and arrows...just what he wanted!

 Coen's dream came true when he saw he had a rainbow loom to make rubber band bracelets.

 Claire checking out her stocking.  Santa surprised her with a fun three-wheeler bike.

 Beckham was in car heaven with his Cars racetrack.  It hooks up to the boys' Geotrax collection at home so it will be lots of fun!

Evelyn is showing us her new game.  Looks tricky!

 Checking everything out!

 Great Grandpa Baldwin came over to open his presents.

Tory made his dad a jellybean dispenser.  Of course the kids waited in line "patiently" to get a sample.

While all of this was going on, Tory was busy in the kitchen making several batches of homemade cinnamon rolls for everyone!  They were delicious!

Christmas Morning Video Clip:

Reindeer Run

Austin got to run in the Reindeer Run at school again this year.  The top 3 runners in each class get to run in it.  They divide the races into 4 groups:  5th grade girls, 5th grade boys, 6th grade girls, and 6th grade boys.  Austin, of course, ran with the 6th grade boys.  I got to go watch him run after school.

 I was pretty impressed with Austin's friends-the two in white shirts right next to him and the boy with the red shirt in back.  While they were warming up in the gym and outside here before the race, I saw each one of them praying.  I thought that was so cool to actually see them praying in public.  They didn't pray together, they just each did it alone at one point.  Good job boys!

 6th grade boys at the starting line!

 Here he comes!

 Go Austin!  I almost didn't get him in the picture!  Ha!

And to the finish line!  It was just a little over a mile long race.  

Good job Austin!

Video clip of his finish:

Santa at Cabelas

Once again we headed to Cabelas for the long, long, long...long wait to see Santa.  My goodness how it has changed since we first started visiting Santa here!  No lines the first time.  In fact, they wanted to know if we wanted all individual shots, a shot with the kids together, and even a family shot!  Then it got to be about a 20-30 min. wait.  That wasn't too bad either.  We can all hold it together for that long.  But now it's about a 2 hour wait!  Crazy!  The things we do...

 Sitting with Mrs. Claus

 Beckham LOVED Mrs. Claus and was so happy to give her a big hug!

 The kids with Santa

HO-HO-HO!

Santa took time to listen to all of their requests and of course gave them each a candy cane.

Austin's First Band Concert

Austin finally got to perform in his first band concert.  It was originally scheduled for Dec. 6 but had to be postponed due to the ice storm.  He is located on the 2nd row, 4th chair in.  He's next to the girl with the pink headband.  You can barely see his blond hair.  They did great!  It was so fun going to his concert!  I love band.  I think every kid should get to play in band for at least one year.  It's such a great experience to be part of making music together.

Austin is 2nd row from conductor, 4th chair in.  He's next to the girl with the pink headband.

You can see him a little better here.  This was before the concert started.

Silent Night:

The clarinets playing London Bridge:

The grand finale.  Ode to Joy:

Decorating the Tree...Finally

We finally got to finish decorating the tree!  It looks much better now!  We are planning to go to Arizona for Christmas so we wanted to get it up in time to enjoy it.  We did skimp out on a lot of the other decorations though.  We only put up stockings and just the Bethlehem village.  It was a serious downsize in the decor but we knew we wouldn't feel like putting it all away right when we got back.  So here is the tree!

 Tory also worked on some Christmas presents.  Yes, that's a scroll saw on my dining room table.  His Grandpa saves change and when we visit he sometimes gives us a bag of pennies.  Well, last time he gave us a box of quarters, dimes, and nickles.  So Tory decided to go through them all and find one for every state.  Success!  Then he cut out a big map of the United States with each state cut out separately.  He drilled a hole in each one for the corresponding quarter to fit into and stained it and made a nice frame.  He wanted his Grandpa to be able to assemble it by putting the puzzle together and then inserting the quarters.  Something fun for him to do.  But anyway, that is what he is working on here.

Apparently it's all in the stance.  He might have been holding his mouth just right but I'm pretty sure it's that stance that made all the difference.

Somehow this is the only picture we have of it.  It's not quite finished here.  He stained the frame and finished Hawaii and the other section up by the Great Lakes.  It really turned out beautiful!

The Gaylord Texan

Last year Tory and I went to the Gaylord Texan for our anniversary.  We knew the kids would love it so this year we took them all.  It's like a little winter wonderland all enclosed in a nice tropical temperature.  It was plenty cold walking from the parking garage in though!  Brrrr!  It was the perfect thing to do after being cooped up in the house during the ice storm for 4 days.

The big Christmas tree in the middle.

 Everybody loved the train set!

 Claire

This gingerbread house was pretty amazing!  Good thing it had a fence around it because I know a few boys who wanted to sample it.

 Watching the water fountain spray.

 The star at the top of the ceiling.

 Smile!

A Lego model of the Gaylord Texan hotel where this Christmas display was.  You can see the "glass" roof in the middle of the building.  That is where we were.  The kids loved it!  We watched the light show that was set to Christmas music, too.  Fun!  They have other activities you can pay to do as well, like sledding on real snow and a big ice sculpture display.  We've never done these.  They're pretty expensive...especially for a big family.  Maybe someday we'll check it out.  But the lights and decor and atmosphere of the place is fun enough for us!

Brothers

Dallin went with Tory this morning to help him install some wiring for his office.  It was only supposed to take 45 min.  It's been 7 hours.  They decided to stay and do a few other things since most of his patients cancelled because of the weather.  I'm sure Dallin is having fun and being a good helper.  Everyone else is home with me because school was cancelled due to the ice storm 4 days ago.  Austin has been wandering around wishing Dallin was home.  Usually it's Austin that is gone and Dallin wanders around wishing Austin was back.  I think it's great!  And it's nice to see that they DO miss each other because these two...

...can really get at each other as well.  They are 23 months apart and have always had each other.  They can certainly have their moments where they do not get along but most of the time they are best friends
and I love that.

They're both such good boys.  I'm so glad they are mine!