Happy New Year

We celebrated our new year by witnessing Ella's baptism into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was such a special occassion. I'm glad we were able to spend the day togther and enjoy it as a family.

Washburn Christmas

After Christmas we headed to Grace to spend some time with Matt's family. Glen, Julie and their kids came from Arizona. Tyler, Katie and Brayden made it up from Idaho Falls. I'm glad everyone was able to make it; that doesn't happen very often. We ate great food, played games, enjoyed a wonderful Family Home Evening, and loved every minute of it!

Merry Christmas

3 little Washburn kids awoke early in the wee hours of pre-dawn with much anticipation for the BIG day. They were sent back to bed until a more appropriate hour for present opening could be found.

Within a couple hours we were surrounded with wrapping paper, boxes, baby dolls, dishes, trains, nerf bullets, and a moon dough barn animal or two. We ate breakfast, or rather brunch, in our pajamas and spent the whole day together playing, eating, and lounging.

What could be more perfect than that?

Hope yours was just as wonderful.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2010

Of course I forgot my camera to document our sledding experience Christmas Eve morning.
We drove up South Pass and found a really good sledding hill. We went with some friends that have kids the same age as ours, so we had a great time sledding and chatting with the Plaisteds.
Afterward we headed home and I started dinner. Most of it was edible. Some of it...not so much.
The pretzel jello salad remained in the fridge due to lack of appeal. I even triple dogged dared Matt to try it. However my mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole, and turkey were delicious, so I'm claiming dinner as a success. Jacks would only eat the turkey. He consumed almost half the turkey breast himself.

After dinner we opened our Christmas Eve present. Surprise, surprise! Everyone got jammies!

We read our Christmas story, scriptures, had our family prayer, then the kids effortlessly went to bed. They were all pretty tired from our long day. Matt and I were also pretty tired, little did we know we still had a long night ahead of us. I think I may possibly hate 2 little words "Assembly Required"

Happy Birthday!

I had another one this year

Sometimes it's depressing to think of how close I am to being 3 decades old.

But how can I be sad for long when I have these cute little things reminding me of how sweet life really is?

The Ginger Bread House

We made our first ginger bread house...

Well Matt did.

The rest of us mostly got in the way...

In the end, we all enjoyed the beautiful, edible, candy house.

Until Matt put it up high, where none of us sweet tooth cravers could reach.

Santa

We stood in line FOREVER, in the freezing cold to speak to Santa. Only when we reached the front of the line did I realize I left my camera at home.

Luckily, I had my camera phone, to record this memory.

Jemma was very unsure about going. I wasn't going to make her go, but she walked up by herself (scowl included). She saw the candy canes in the basket next to Santa's feet and forced herself to endure this experience.

Oh! What my offspring will do for a stick of sugar!

Jacks and the Dragons

On the way home from dropping Bennett off at school, Jacks and I had this conversation in the car.


Jacks: "Mom, will you take me to the dragon cave?"

Me: "Um, I don't know where it is."

Jacks: "I do!"

Me: "Where is it then?"

Jacks: "Underground, over there."

Me: "Oh, well I'm not sure how to get us inside."

Jacks: "I do!"

Me: "How?"

Jacks: "Well, you find the ladybug, and push her buttons."

Me: "Her buttons?"

Jacks: "Uh-huh. You know, the black ones."

Me: "Oh, right. Those buttons."

Jacks: "Then the cave opens and you see the beautiful dragons! Come on, lets go!"

Me: "Well, you aren't dressed yet today, so we'll have to go another time."

Jacks: "Um, okay. I'll call him and tell him we'll come play tomorrow."

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving was as delicious as ever. Mainly due to the fact that I weaseled out of doing any of the cooking. I did, however, make a scrumptious veggie tray.

Everyone was able to make it home this year.

We gobbled our food as fast as we could amid the hustle and bustle of a thousand grandchildren...or 9...it seems like there are sooo many more than that!

After dinner, we didn't do the dishes. Instead we all went to the movie, Tangled.

Then we headed out to Menan to play games with the Hendricksons.

Some adults considered going out late to see what kind of deals we could score, but reason ruled out, and we headed to bed instead (very wise).

All in all, it was a fabulous day. Good food, great family, who could ask for more?

Sally the Salamander

...Or Blackie-greeny as Bennett and Jacks so imaginatively named him.

Matt found him on our back porch just before the snow storm hit and saved him from freezing.

The boys had a blast with BG. They sang to him, talked to him... stared at him. Jacks life long dream of having his very own baby dragon had finally been fulfilled.

The dream was short lived. Our pet salamander lived with us for 6 hours, 27 minutes, and 3 seconds.

Then was flushed down the toilet.

In the morning Jacks was devastated to find out his baby dragon's mom came to take him home.