A New CubScout in the House

Shawn turns 8 this week. He is totally excited! Excited to be baptized and so excited to be a Cub Scout. Today was Scout Sunday so he got one of his presents early....his Scout uniform.

Cub Scouts Winter Camp

Family Freeze

I was asked to be on the Committee for the Utah National Parks Council 1st Annual Winter Camp. I felt it an honor. It was organized in one month and for being organized in just a month it turned out pretty well. The kids had a lot of fun.

Keeping Satan out of your Fort

Last Sunday the kids were down stairs in the basement building a fort. They then came upstairs and stated that they needed a picture of Jesus because they were putting a sign on their fort keeping out Satan
The Fort

The Sign

Whitney LOVES to paint

My creative Shawn

Shawn made this with Ben

aroos. He stated that it's the insides of a person.
Where does he come up with this stuff.

Cupcake alligator

Utah Flash Game

Last week we went to see the Utah Flash game. Kids enjoyed it. That Utah Flash Fox continually taunted us all night...even one time with silly string.

The Walk of Life

Every year we go to BYU and do the Walk of Life in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. We go with our dear friends, The Andersons. The kids enjoy going. Not sure if they fully understand the meaning yet but someday they will.

Baby Bear

Josh was a year old when he received "Baby Bear" It was/is a Clearance toy but who knew it would become such an attachment.

It was really cute at first. Every where he went he had to have his bear. He would hold it upside down by one leg and then hold the leg up to his lip and then proceed to do this sucking motion with his mouth.

As the years went on Baby Bear began to wear. The eyes had to be glued back on, the leg was stitched several times to the point that stitching didn't help. Bear had to have a make shift bandage on his leg because stitching no longer helped.

The older he got the more and more attached he became to Baby Bear. Rules had to be made about bear. He could no longer come out of the house on outings was the first rule. Then "Baby Bear" began to interfere with Josh's ability to focus on anything that was asked of him. He only focused on Bear and his sucking motion. More rules were made, such as he could no longer bring "Baby Bear" out of his room.

This rule was a hard one for Josh to follow. He would be caught several times with it. He was 8 years old and still sucking like he was one years old. Mike and I didn't know what to do so we sat down and talked to Josh about how sometimes things from when we were a baby we need to say good bye to. Of course the tears flowed and so instead of throwing it away we made a special box that "Baby Bear" could rest in and it was placed in Josh's closet so he would know where it was and not be too upset.

While "Baby Bear" sat in the closet other bears began to emerge that would take the place of "Baby Bear." Again we played the same games with these other bears. Josh (9 years old)even tried to sneak the new small bear with him to school. so, because the rule was broken this new bear was taken away.

So, tonight I went to say goodnight to my son and he acted like he was hiding something under his covers. As I pulled the covers down there was "Baby Bear" taken out of his box and there in bed. I was upset but didn't know what to do so I left it there with him and walked out of the room.

I don't know what to do about this. I know kids get attached to things when they are babies but when do they start letting go? When is it appropriate? Should I allow it or do I take it away? How to I make him grow up?

This might sound funny and trivial but we have been having many problems with Josh lately. We are constantly telling him to pick up his legos, clean up his room, put on clean underwear. He wrote on the church bench last week, has written on my kitchen chair and then took a knife and put an X in my cupboards. We have tried many many things to help him, encourage him but nothing is working. I feel like I'm always after him....and I am.

I need some advise.

Ice castles

During Christmas break we went up to Midway to spend the day with my parents. This is one of the places we went and saw while we were up there. It was pretty cool.

Christmas is really over

The tree is down and the decorations are put away for another year. Kids are in school (YEAH!) and off we go into a brand new year.

Things have been crazy and I haven't had the motivation to blog. So I thought I would share with you some pictures of Christmas morning. Kids were up at 4:45am and we held them off to 5:30am. My kids don't understand being quiet and whispering.

Merry Christmas

Edible Snowman

Sunday the kids and I made these edible Snowman so they can give to their friends for Christmas. So cute...and so easy.

Santa Video Message Personalized For Your Child - FREE!

Santa Video Message Personalized For Your Child - FREE!

Okay, I saw this on Design Dazzle and thought ....HOW COOL! It's a personalized video message for your child from Santa and guess what? It's FREE. You just fill out a simple check list form. From that check list form, a short movie clip is made for your child with Santa personally speaking to your kid from the North Pole.

If you upload a photo of your child and when Santa opens a book to check his naughty or nice list your child's photo will appear in his book with also a few extra details.

My Kids loved it. If you want to make your own video click HERE. If you want to see one I made for Whitney click HERE

Happy thanksgiving

A day to give thanks. I am totally grateful to my parents. My parents sacrificed so much for me. They Raised me and taught me the gospel. They are a great example to me. I am grateful for my husband. I couldn't have found a better man. He supports me no matter how crazy I am. All he wants is my true happiness and he loves me for me. I am grateful I am married to him forever. I am grateful for my children. Each one is special and unique from how they came into this world and into my heart and unique as unique can be. They challenge me everyday. I am grateful to my Savior. For his Atonement and sacrifice.