Before church today we took some pictures in front of the tree.  We got some good ones.  I was then messing around with photoshop tonight and so I put one of those up too. 

Categories: Family, Pictures
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Our 2007 Christmas Card is now posted on the website here.  You can see Christmas Cards from years past here.  We hope you all are having a very Merry Christmas Season.  We look forward to receiving all of your cards. 

Categories: Family, Pictures
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My first born is 7 years old today! Time goes by so fast. She wanted to have a big rock star party, but I talked her into just having a family party and inviting one friend to go to the movies with us on the weekend. Next year for her 8th we can have a big bash. She went for it, thankfully. It is just too much to do big parties every birthday for every child. Anyway, her day started off great with some balloons, a couple of presents and a special birthday breakfast that Brig made, eggs and hashbrowns, Emma’s favorite. She got to pick what she wanted for dinner and she chose curry and rice. Another of Brig’s specialties. I’m loving this. I just had to make the cake.

While we were eating everyone went around and told a favorite memory of Emma. Cooper started off with saying his was of he and Emma playing in the snow last year in Missouri. Meg followed with her memory of the future when we will all go see “Enchanted” this Saturday with Emma. Brig and I have too many to recount. We talked about how she rolled off of Brig’s tummy in the middle of the night when she was days old and how he cut her little finger a day or so later when trying to trim her fingernails. How she was obsessed with Elmo, and then with Shrek. How when she was two she smeared Desitin all over her face and her room when she was in time-out. How she used to “squeeze.” How she used to fall asleep at her door sometimes because she couldn’t open it with the child lock on it. Remembering how she loved playing with her friends, McKenna and Sabine. She loved being out and about and busy. How she could throw quite a fit, usually in public. How she was so cute and stubborn and determined. Those qualities are still burning strong. Emma is a lot of things. She has grown up quite a bit. She is smart and funny and can be quite a chatter box. She is good at gymnastics and is a good friend and big sister. She is taking on more responsibility of taking care of Meg and even washes her up in the bath and keeps an eye on her when they are playing outside. She is friendly, likes to laugh and has a great smile. Still has her crazy, frustrating moments, but they are happening less frequently. We love our Emma so much and are so proud of her and grateful she came into our family seven years ago. Happy Birthday Emma!

Categories: Family
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We got to spend Thanksgiving with my family this year. It has been seven years since we’ve done this and it was really nice. Mom and Dad, Janee, Hailee, Samee, and Lexee, and Stacee, Rand, Kate, Anne and Jarom came for the weekend. Everyone stayed at our place and it seemed to work. We had five air mattresses set up throughout the upstairs and three rooms. It was a lot of fun.

We had a delicious Thanksgiving feast that everyone helped prepare.

We did a little shopping and the kids even got to sit on Santa’s lap (too cheap to buy a photo though).

The cousins had a fun time playing and dancing and putting on shows. Samee was in true form as she taught the kids a bunch of different dances. They were very cute.

We also spent time on the strip. It’s not a complete trip without the strip. Thanksgiving weekend was pretty crowded!

Me and the gals even had a night out on the town. Mom and Dad gave us our Christmas presents early. We got to go see Mama Mia and enjoy dinner afterwards. It was a really good show. Very entertaining and fun. I would definitely see it again. Thanks mom and dad!

All in all it was a successful Thanksgiving weekend. Except for the very little time that Brigham was around. Poor guy had to work Thanksgiving day and headed out of town the next day for the football game. We missed him. It was nice to have lots of company in his absence though. That has been the great thing about living in Las Vegas, we’ve have had a lot of visitors. It makes life fun! It is nice to be closer to family. Especially because I had to rip Emma away from her cousins car, crying her eyes out when they were all leaving. She didn’t want them to go. It was pretty sad. Luckily we’ll get to see them soon. Thanks for the great weekend everyone!

Categories: Family
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Oh my babies! There was a time, long ago, when I felt confident as a parent. Ok, that was only when they were babies. Now they are much more complex! I have struggled with my girls more so than with Cooper. They each have a very strong stubborn streak and attitude and temper that my boy does not. Not that I love them any less of course. I just haven’t been able to figure them out yet. I’m sure I will be blessed with another girl so I will have the opportunity to keep working on it.

My little Meg is exhibiting some strong “Emma-like” qualities as of late. I feel I can not take her anywhere, yet I have to if I want to get anything done. Yesterday we had to run a few errands. Just some simple things that shouldn’t be a big deal. But it always is. We always seem to make a scene wherever we go. Meg won’t sit in a cart, so I end up chasing her around the store. She likes to hide down the aisles which always freaks me out. And of course there is always the fit that is thrown because of something she can’t get. I’m such a mean mom! At the close of our frustrating day, we made one last stop into Blockbuster. I gave the kids a little pep talk before going in. Reminded them that we were simply there to rent a movie, please be obedient, stay by me and don’t ask me to buy any movies or candy. Ha, ya right! Well, we were almost ready to check out when I heard a huge crash. I took a big sigh and then took off running toward where Meg was. I was sure she was involved. I was right. When I rounded the corner I saw Meg underneath a pile of shelves, not moving or crying. It scared the crap out of me. Someone had already removed the main panel off of her and I began throwing the rest of the shelves off of her. I picked her up and she began to cry. A girl from church was close by (Meg and her son were playing together at the time) and said that Meg started climbing up the shelves. (Meg informed me later that there was a movie she wanted and was trying to get). All of the children’s section was now on the ground amongst the rubble. These shelves were bolted to the wall and were metal. Meg had not one bruise or scratch. I’m not sure how that happened. After we left the store, I began to cry, thinking about how badly she could have been hurt. It doesn’t help that I am a little emotional at the time and also feeling sorry for myself that my husband is never around. I love how I start thinking about these things at some of my most frustrating times.

So, that is just part of our crazy life. My little Megee-Moozer! She is so crazy and spunky and sweet and hard and cute and stubborn and determined! There is no stopping that girl. How do I deal with all of that?

Categories: Family
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Yes, number 4 is on the way! We are very excited. Number 4 took a lot longer to come by than the first three, so we feel very blessed and grateful that we are on our way to adding another angel to our family. I of course have been sick, tired and onery, but I knew that was coming. Somehow, you forget how yucky it can be, thankfully. But I do have my good days. Hopefully it will be getting better within the next few weeks.

The kids are so excited too. It is really pretty cute. Emma told the world once she found out. “I just can’t help it mom,” was her response when I told her to simmer down a bit when I found out she told the neighborhood and even her teachers at school. Cooper keeps asking how many more days until I have the baby. He always prays for me and the baby and says he hopes I have fun when I have the baby in a couple of days. More like a couple hundred days! They are sweet, but I fear this is going to be a long pregnancy. June 9 seems like forever away! Oh well. Hooray for baby number 4!

Categories: Family
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We celebrated two special birthdays this past week. Brig is now a big 32. His birthday was very exciting! Our friends watched our kids while we went out to dinner. He made me choose the restaurant, as usual. Oh well, it was his birthday! We ended up doing mexican food. It was nice to spend a little time together. He has been so busy with work that we haven’t been able to have a lot of one on one time. After dinner we picked up the kids and headed home for some yummy bunt cake. Happy birthday babe! I love you!

Meg also had a birthday. I can’t believe my baby is 3! She invited five little friends over for a princess party. Everyone came dressed as their favorite princess. It was pretty cute. They colored princess pictures, danced, had a tea party and opened presents. I think it was a success! Happy birthday to my crazy, fun and lively princess! I love you little moozer!

Categories: Family
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The kids and I headed to Zions for the weekend to camp with Grandma and Grandpa Reeder. We are so spur of the moment around here. Brig had to work all weekend so we decided to have some fun. And that we did. This was the kids first experience camping and they loved it. Grandma and grandpa have a pop-up trailer and the kids thought it was so cool!

Grandpa treated us well with his delicious cooking, and Grandma even brought visors for the kids to decorate.

We went on a bike ride.

We also did a little hike up to Emerald Pools. Cooper found a pretty cool walking stick to help him up the trail.

We played by the Virgin River.

We roasted marshmallows and made smores.

It was a really fun trip. Hopefully next time Brig can come with us. I’d like to do more camping. It’s a fun little family getaway. It is nice to finally be within short driving distance to family. Thanks grandma and grandpa!

Categories: Family
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Today was “twin day” at school. I happened to be at the Gap yesterday looking for the shirt Emma and Bianca are wearing here. I had seen it online, on sale, and in school colors. Not wanting to pay shipping, I checked the store and they had a couple left. I decided to call Elmarie (Bianca’s mom) to see if she wanted me to pick one up for Bianca as well, since they had been so excited about “twin day.” I hadn’t intentionally wanted to buy shirts specifically for this day, but it worked out anyway. Emma was so excited she woke up nice and early so she could get dressed for the big day. I didn’t think it was a big deal. You know, talk to your friend and coordinate same color shirts. Oh no, that is not how it works. When we got to the bus stop there were sets of twins and triplets, girls and boys, sporting the exact same outfits. We are talking shirts, pants, shoes and even hair. No idea it was such a big deal. Cooper was a little sad he didn’t have anyone to be twins with, but when I dropped him off there were a few boys wearing jeans too. I watched him pointing it out to the other boys. When I picked him up he told me how cool it was that there were three other boys wearing jeans just like him! Hooray for twin day!

Categories: Family
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