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!

Ice Storm

We had to take advantage of the "snow" and go out and play in it.  It really was hard as a rock and just ice.  But it looked like snow!  And it was definitely COLD!

So cold!  At least they all had good warm coats this year!  And I do believe we've managed to collect enough gloves/mittens that nobody had to wear socks on their hands this year!

Tory shoveled the "snow" off the sidewalks.  It was solid ice chunks!

Sledding "Texas Style" with cookie sheets.

Thanks for letting us use your nice, clean, slick driveway neighbors!

Claire and Beckham

Claire LOVED the snow.  She stayed out longer than anyone.

And here's a video clip of the kids sledding "Texas Style" on cookie sheets:

Dallin's 1st Decade

Happy 10th Birthday, Dallin Ryan!

 Claire and I went to school to have lunch with the birthday boy!

 He chose to have a Tri-Force cake. 

I had no idea what that was and finally had to Google it.

If you have a boy, I would highly recommend this cake.  It was so easy!  Thank you, Dallin!

 Ready for presents!

 Everyone is excited to check out Dallin's presents.

 And as a birthday bonus...it SNOWED!  Not only did it snow, but it turned out to be a big ice storm that cancelled school the next day (Friday) and then Monday and Tuesday as well!

Not to steal Dallin's thunder...

...but look at the cute note Tory wrote in the street for me when he was checking the iciness.

We sure love our Dally Boy!

He is so smart, creative, handsome, and talented in so many ways.  He is such a good big brother and is so good with the little kids.  

Happy Birthday!!

It's December!

Some friends passed this fun Christmas dress down to Claire a couple years ago.  It's always been too big.  Finally, it fit her this year and she was thrilled to wear it!  She thought she was a snow princess.  Of course Beckham had to jump in the picture looking so Christmas-y in his sweater, too!

 We put the Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving...but then half of the lights  didn't work and so it sat undecorated for a few days.  It was still good to sleep under though!

Claire wanted me to take a picture of her bed that she made and "decorated".  She likes to line up all of her dolls and ponies to frame her when she lies down.  Just don't roll over! :)

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We spent it at home together.  Everyone helped make the feast and it was all delicious.  We watched the Thanksgiving Parade on TV and perused the Black Friday ads while everything was cooking.  It was a fun and relaxing day.  We have so much to be thankful for.

Cute baby thankful hands.

 Tory's turkey!  Success as usual!

 Beckham checking out the sweet potatoes.

 Sitting down for our feast:

Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, creamed corn, sourdough stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls,

and sparkling cranberry juice

I sure am thankful for these 5 cute people and their wonderful father.  My life wouldn't be the same without them.  They are all the best things to ever happen to me!