Maxfit's New Mascot {Max}

The guy I work with bought this puppy for his girlfriend for Christmas. It is a Maltese puppy. He's only 9 weeks old. I get to hang out with him at work. Yesterday, Josh asked me if I could please just watch the puppy and play with him while he trained someone. I get paid to exercise and play with puppies! Not a bad deal.

{Music Makers}

I love this picture! The boys are waiting for the girls {Hallie and May} concert to start. Last night they sang with the Hornsby Middle School choir. They only got to sing one song with them, but it was fun they got to be there and see them perform. Today we went after school to see Spencer play in the Hornsby jazz band. Of course, he was awesome! They played at the Great Wolf Lodge. Kendall also sang in the choir and did beautifully. These guys are all getting so big and they are so talented. It is fun to watch them and see how talented they are. And aside from talent, they are just good kids! 

{I adopted a 5th child. His name is Bear Redfern.}

Jack Frost Visits

Me and my Boy

May's Thoughts on This Book

We've been reading this book at night. A couple days ago I looked on the inside of the front cover to see that May had written her feelings about the book. I'm not sure when she wrote this, but I thought it was sweet. She, is sweet. 

Our Sunday

Today we:

 *Watched "Christmas For a Dollar" {like 3 times-we can now recite it!}

*Took Jack to the Doctor {He has bronchitis}

*Laid around and vegged

*Watched the Christmas Devotional

*Laid around

We planned for me to take the 3 kids to church since I teach in primary and Tom stay home with Jack who is coughing his head off. So I got ready and May, Hen and Hallie were dressed ready to go. Then I decided, I was not going to stay but the first hour. So I got a sub, dropped off the nativities, stayed for sacrament meeting then came home and took Jack into the Dr. They put him on his usual {happy holidays} steroids and gave him a good dose of zithromax. Jack and Winter do not get along. Especially when its 70 one day and 30 the next! 

Creche 2013

 {They have a live nativity with live animals}

 

{Riggs Family}

{They had over 160 Nativities set up}

This weekend was cold and wet. Saturday morning we woke up to rain and very low temperatures. It was the perfect day to stay inside, watch movies and get cozy. However, after about one hour of the kids running around crazy we decided to take them up to the church so they could get their energy out. The Bush's, two Cottle children and Henley's friend, Issac went with us. The kids had so much fun playing kickball, football, basketball and Win Lose or Draw. Our plan to wear them out worked! As soon as we got home Hallie and Henley fell fast asleep and Jack did too, eventually. May went to the Cottles to play, so our house was quiet. I made cookies for the Creche while Tom went out {jeans} hunting. That night we went to the Creche at the stake center. This is like the 4th or 5th year they have had it, and it is awesome! Mom and dad have been involved every year and do a fantastic job with setting up and decorating. This year, we invited the Riggs,a family we met while Henley played baseball. They thought it was great and saw people there that they knew, which was really cool.{small world} They are a great family! Maybe one day they will want to know more about the gospel. 

During the night, local school choirs perform. Kendall sang with the Horsby Middle School choir and did great! Last year, I sang in the stake choir.This year, Josh, Skip and I performed two songs, {Little Drummer Boy and What Child Is This}. Josh played the drums for the Little Drummer Boy song. He was awesome. You can't sing that song without a drum. He only practiced one time and that's all he needed. It is effortless to him. And Skip, he will play whatever you want. He plays by ear so he can do anything. We were all nervous, not having practiced much, but, it turned out good and it felt good to sing. I love singing and I can feel the spirit when I do. I think I learn and feel more with music than I do anything. I have always loved it. I'm grateful for the ability to do it. It has brought me a lot of joy over the years. 

Bird Feeders for FHE

This week we made bird feeders for FHE. Its always fun to smear peanut butter on a pine cone and roll it in seeds! We hung them on the little tree in the yard for the birds, but I'm pretty sure the deer are the ones eating it!

{Hallie and May's 1st Choir Concert}

Hallie and May are in the Matoaka Elementary choir this year.  They have enjoyed going and learning new songs, especially the Christmas songs! Last night they had their first little performance at a retirement place called Windsor Meade. They wore their choir t-shirts and Santa hats. And for one song, they wore sunglasses. They looked adorable and sang like angels. The older lady next to me just went on and on about how much she enjoyed it. She was 89! They served cookies and lemonade when it was over which of course was the kids favorite part! Good job, May and Hallie!