…than the look of sheer joy on the faces of the kids going sledding Saturday!  We had a blast. The day was sunny and kinda warm, so that helped. Kalixta loved sledding down by herself. She would then drag the sled up too. Ammon did really good at going down on the snowboard! I was impressed!

Okay, so maybe this expression isn’t joy. Ariana does like to be outside in the snow. She likes to be pulled slowly in her sled, but sped is not her thing! Maybe next year!

As I put Christmas away I have been thinking about what a great time I had. I really, really enjoyed Christmas this year! We tried so many new traditions and had so much fun. We did our old traditions and had a blast too. So I was trying to decide what to do or not to do next year. So far there is nothing in the not to do column.

So here’s where I need you help. We have been so blessed to have awesome home teachers that turned into our Bishop and his son (who is soon going on his mission to Brazil!). Bishop has a book filled with Christmas stories his family read when he was little and ones he reads to his family now. The stories are usually a page or two, fairly short so you could read one every night. I want a book like that. Unfortunately I don’t have a big collection…YET! This is where you come in! Do you have any stories you remember from your childhood? Any stories you know now that you read to your kids? If you do please e-mail them to me! I would love to start a collection to read to my kids. Thanks!!

…when you give a 10 year old a camera! Since I got a new camera. Yahoo! We gave Nikolas the old one. He loves to take picture and video so we thought it was a good idea. His first day with the camera looks like this!

I think they had a good time!!

Beside two more hands, a better memory, and the ability to be in two places at once? I need peep holes in my kids’ rooms! Not a little front door peep hole, but a small (12inches x 12inches) window. One where I can see in, but no one can see out.

Not only would I be able to see if Nikolas was really doing his homework I would be able to see Ariana sleeping! I would also KNOW exactly what was going on, good or bad. Today Kalixta and Ariana were in Ariana’s room. The door was shut and they were laughing and screaming (happy screams). They sounded like they were having a ball. I wanted to see them, but I knew if I opened the door it would brake the spell. You know someone would cry or want to be held or do things just for my approval if I went in. It would not have been the same. So I just stood there listening to the happy sounds, trying to picture it and wishing I had a window into the room.

Anyone else??!!

Zoë turned eight yesterday! My sweet little baby is now eight and so excited to get baptized. We had a party for her. She invited 17 of her friends and 16 giggling, screaming, yelling girls came. It was a lot of fun to see Zoë with all her friends! She is a good friend and she has LOTS of good friends!
Zoë had tons of fun planning all the activities and picking out decorations for her party.
Each of her friends made their own bracelet.

They all decorated two cupcakes to put together to make a big cake. She decided on light blue and yellow for her colors.

It turned into piles of frosting with a little cake, but since that is all the kids like anyway it worked out good!

We played lots of silly party games. The most fun for the girls was chasing my brothers, Jeff and Jordan. The girls loved taking their hats and chasing them through the house. It was pretty funny!

Zoë loved opening presents with such so many friends. She got lots of fun stuff! Here are all they party girls! You can tell there are some fun girls!

Zoë’s uncles and aunt came too. Thank goodness for me, because I could not have done it with out them! Thanks Guys!

And her Daddy!

Nikolas hid in his room the whole night, especially when Adam announced the next game was to kiss Nik! Kalixta had a blast being babied by all the big girls, but Britain didn’t like it. She’s too old for that I guess. Ammon was sick all day so he stayed low and only came out to eat ice cream and pizza. Ari was overwhelmed by all the noise so she stayed close to her Daddy!

Our Christmas was wonderful even though it began at 5:50 a.m. Nikolas got up and woke everyone else up and then came and woke Adam and I up. That was a little too early for me, but we got up. By 8:00 the living room looked like this…

We got a pickle ornament this year to put on the tree. The Legend of the Pickle says that the pickle is a "symbol of good luck. The first child to find the pickle on Christmas morning was rewarded with an extra gift. This tradition encourages children to appreciate all the beautiful ornaments of the tree, rather that rushing to see what Santa has left for them." We did this and Ammon found the pickle first. We decided that the reward would be to open the first gift. After Ammon we went in birth order around and around opening one gift at a time until all the gifts were gone. It was so fun to see everyone open their presents, even for the kids. They were all very patient. Kalixta was the only one to open a gift when it wasn’t her turn.

Nik was excited to get a bike ramp from Santa.

Since he couldn’t go outside and ride his bike he put it to good use with his motorcycle he got and his many other cars.

He got lots of other fun stuff, like a spider man football, skull beanie, blow-up punching bag, place mat, spider-man coloring set, shirt, a book to collect Presidential Dollar coins, a remote control helicopter, and two small remote control cars, a electric toothbrush, and to much candy. He had a great Christmas!

Zoë said her Christmas was fantastic!!! Santa brought her the Island Princess Barbie and Uncle Jeff got her the monkey. Zoë asked for jammies with feet and she got them!

Zoë got lots of stuff as you can see, including a pair of Heeles that even though she loves them, she is afraid to use them. Her diary is already well used since she loves to write about everything! She also got a new purse that she take everywhere.

Zoë’s design for the dresses her sisters will wear when she gets married!

New clothes were a must for Zoë, so thanks Grandma!