Decorating the Tree! Yippee!

 We generally can't wait to decorate our tree...and this year was no different.  Thanksgiving evening...we were on it.  We had a great time.  I always love pulling out all those decorations and remembering my sweet kids.  Their handmade decorations are priceless.  Especially as I see them grow older. 

 Dad and Ben are showing off the first Christmas ornament we bought for Ben as a baby.  :)  A snowman daddy holding his son. 

 Now that the tree is done..we will see what happens to it with Dave and Sarah around.  HAHAHA

Just Because

Sometimes there are picture that I just take..for no reason.  Just because the kids look cute and I want to be able to flash back to that moment someday.

 Artic Circle night. Sometimes we take the kids to artic circle for a treat.  They have a play land and it's usually not busy at the hours we choose to go so it is a fun place to escape to for our kids.  You can see how Dave is loving his ice cream cone.  Yummy!  The static hair just gives it some extra flair.

 Sarah has loved preschool this year.  And who wouldn't with projects like this Thanksgiving Turkey hat she made. 

 It stayed warm outside well into November this year.  So, in the spririt of milking the weather for everything it was going to give us, we visited a park and played.  Sand is just a joy. :)

Mowin' the Lawn with Dad

Dad's and their sons.  Who can say how they build their relationship.  David loves to rid the lawn mower with Nate.  His ears are fine tuned to the special roar of the driving lawn mower.  As soon as it comes on he is out the door to locate the source.   Those boys are just so darn cute. 

Hmmmm.

Emily ran  upstairs around 11:30pm in a panic.  She said she couldn't breathe.  She was crying and coughing...and well...Nate and I were worried.  So, off to the emergency room we went.  By the time we arrived she was much calmer.  In the end...after an hour of sitting in the room and going through the steps of seeing the doctor...all was well.  Perhaps we all panicked a little bit.  I think we will try to keep our heads next time.  Weeks later we received our bill from the emergency room.  $500 after insurance.  ;(  boohoo.  But glad Emily just had a bad cold.  Sweet girl. 

BYU Scout Pow Wow and Prayer

Ben had the opportunity to attend the BYU Scout Pow Wow for a couple of Saturdays.  First off, he loved BYU campus and it stoked his fire about going to college.  I loved that.  :)  He loved being independent, attending his classes and grabbing a Subway sandwich on his own.  He is a good kid.  I just love Ben's pure heart and the way that he is honest with how he feels, whatever it is. 

Anyway, I was reminded of an experience he had this morning as I read over some past blogs.  On the second week, at the end of the day, he had to run to the other side of campus to finish his merit badge.  He became a bit disoriented and lost.  We got a call from the car pool to tell us he hadn't shown up for pick up. They waited about 45 minutes but in the end we told them to head on home and we would drive over to BYU.  

Well, in the mean time, Ben found his was back to the pick up spot.  He arrived to no one there.  A little time passed and he wondered what he should do.  He said he sat down on a little hill to think about it.  Then he said he realized he should pray.  He sat on that little hill and prayed that we would come get him.  That was right as I was sitting in the parking lot praying that I would be able to find Ben.  I started walking toward the pick up spot and Ben got up from his spot on the hill.  Really, just seconds later, I saw him and yelled his name.  :)  We both had our prayers answered.  And with such sweet timing.  I am so grateful for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  Prayers are powerful.  Sometimes I let that slip from my mind but little events like this remind me that our loving Heavenly Father is constantly watchful and waiting to answer our prayers. 

Little Buddies

This picture is so sweet and reminds me that Sarah is not always a bully.  :)  She has actually gotten much better lately and her and Dave and starting to develop a fun relationship.  Sarah still likes her space and struggles to share but Dave doesn't even know what sharing is so I guess they are even.  :)  I am just grateful for moments like this when Sarah is loving Dave.  Moments when they chase each other around the house.  And for the other day when Dave was whining at my leg and Sarah came up and said "Dave, do you want to have fun with me?"  To which he immediately ran off after her.