It's My Birthday!

The best thing about my birthday is I can get pictures of my family without them complaining.  I don't know how much longer I will be blessed to have them all living with me, I need to enjoy every second. This morning we went to church in Steve and Sharon's ward.  We were a few minutes late and walked in right as Travis finished blessing his baby.  I had no idea that was going to happen.  I would have tried extra hard to be on time if I had known about it.  Although I'm not sure what we could have done differently.  We stayed through all three hours. Maysen, Stockton and Jorja were able to go to the same Sunday School class.  Preston went to a class with about five other people.  Everyone in the class was a visitor.  Maysen found me for Relief Society.  Sharon was just put into the Relief Society presidency.  I was talking to Debie for a bit after church.  They were getting ready for a lunch because of Gus' baby blessing.  While I was talking to her Mike came and pinned a birthday button on me.  It made me laugh and I wore it the rest of the day.

Stockton, Preston, Stephanie, Maysen, Jorja

 Stockton, Stephanie, Maysen, Jorja

Preston, Mike

 Stephanie & Mike

My dad and Max came up tonight.  I talked him into going to 9:00 church at another ward so he would get here earlier.  He made birthday waffles for dinner.  Yummy!  My dad makes the best waffles!

Stephanie with her dad

Mike got me a peanut butter chocolate cake and a banana cream pie. We found the numbers 3 and 9 for candles, probably from my birthday a few years ago.  We added three plain candles to make 42.

(Stockton) and Stephanie

 Matt holding Jeff

 Maysen, Stockton, Matt and Jeff

 Matt and Jeff

Today was a great day.  I just wish it hadn't been so cold outside! Definitely a lot colder than it was last week.  Birthdays are fun, now mine is over.

Better Late than Never

Yay!  I finished Stockton's blanket today!  I worked most of Christmas and most of today, but I got it done.  It feels nice to have this crossed off the list.  Here are pictures of me giving Stockton the final product....but first a random picture of me.

Stephanie

 Preston, Stockton and Stephanie

 The boys and their blankets. :)

Stockton, Stephanie, Preston

Matt and Sam arrived today.  Baby Jeff seems impressed with the cabin.

Matt & Jeff

We played Pie Face again.  Preston's faces make me laugh.  Anne is NOT allowed to play Pie Face, unless we play with a sponge or snow. She probably wouldn't like those though.

Preston & Lincoln

 (Sam) and Preston

 Pie Face!

Matt and Sam brought up a box of Christmas gifts from Mike and Christen.  Maysen got Inside Out.  She loved that!  We watched it tonight.  Ange was glad Maysen got this present.  They hadn't seen it. The got the movie and were disappointed that they left it at home. Stockton got a game called Bounce Off.  That's a great cabin game. Matt and Sam also gave us different food mixes.  I'm really excited to try S'mores pancakes with marshmallow syrup.  We got a donut mix and Sam says she has a donut pan at home.  Perfect.

Merry Cabin Christmas!

I am always the first one up.  I have a hard time sleeping, especially at the cabin.  My back hurts me so bad.  The cabin mattresses are not good for it.  I usually wake up in the 5:00 range.  I really do wish I could sleep.  I do like having some peaceful time all to myself though. This is what the cabin looked like when I woke up.

Preston has been the first kid up every day until today.  That made me laugh.  I didn't have enough wrapping paper to wrap Stockton and Preston's present.  I finished Preston's, but did not get Stockton's finished.  All I have left to do is do a blind stitch to finish the binding. Too bad that takes me forever!  Here are Preston and Stockton opening their blankets.  I really hope they like them.

Preston

 Stockton

Mike wanted a pasta maker for Christmas.  I hope I surprised him.  I'm not sure I did, but he was happy with it.

Mike

Mike gave me a Fitbit and told me as part of my present he is planning on losing 20 pounds by his birthday in May.  That's awesome!  I was excited for the Fitbit, but it irritates my skin when I wear it. I don't know what's wrong with me.  I really want to wear it, but every time I put it on my skin starts feeling like it is burning.

I asked the kids what their favorite Christmas present was.  Maysen's favorite was a phone case that was in her stocking.  Stockton liked the Wii U and his blanket (not sure if he said the blanket just to make me happy, but I'm glad he thought of it.)  Jorja's favorite was her catchers mitt and Preston said the cabin.  That's what we told the kids.  Most of Christmas was the cabin.  We gave the kids the Wii U a few days early because the Wii we left up here broke.  Each of the kids ended up getting a Wii U game from Santa.  We are planning on leaving the Wii U up at the cabin.  Hope that is a good idea.

Bubs and Ange and their family got here tonight.  They were also able to stop and pick up the Internet box from Mark.  The kids were very happy to sleep in the bunk beds.  Even Millie had a spot.  They were so cute!  Abby slept with her parents in the other bed.

Millie

 Ella

 Most of Ella, Lincoln, Millie with Abby sitting by her.

 Ella, Jorja, Stockton

Lincoln

 Preston ~ the Wii U is in the cabinet below him

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

We drove to my cousin Courtney's house in Idaho Falls today.  Her family wasn't there, but she said we could use their laundry.  They have a pretty fun basement with a ball pit and ninja warrior stuff.  At least the kids had something fun to do while we waited.

Demon children: Maysen, Jorja, Preston

They spent forever trying to throw balls into the tube.  Stockton was the only one to succeed.  He bounced a yellow ball off the call and got it to go in there.

Maysen, Jorja, Preston, Stockton

Mike, Stockton, Jorja and I went to the store while I had one of my laundry loads going.  We went to Work Wearhouse first.  I bought Jorja new boots, but they were horrible.  I know this because I let Erica wear my boots and I wore Jorja's one time when she was staying inside. Good thing for her because I discovered how awful they were.  My mom bought me boots from Frank and Tammi's store when I was a senior in high school.  24 years later they still work great.  We found some that will work for Jorja.  They don't go up as high as she would like, but it was the best choice for what was available.  When we walked into the store Stockton asked if he could have new boots too.  I asked if he needed them.  He said his boots are a little tight.  I usually ask Stockton each year if he needs new boots.  He told me his were fine at the beginning of the season.  We decided we might as well get Stockton nice boots too, especially since we will be spending lots of time at the cabin.  We found some great size 8 boots for him.  I looked to see what size his old boots were.  SIZE 4!  Geez!  Well, hopefully these will last him the rest of his life!

I was able to get three loads of laundry done.  I was hoping to get some towels done, but that didn't work out.  Courtney and her family came home as we were finishing up.  We left them and went to Debie's house. My family was meeting there for snacks.  We were only able to spend a few minutes because we were so late.  We then made our way to the bowling alley.  My family rented out the entire alley for two hours.  It was pretty fun.  I forgot to bring my bowling ball.  It was hard to find one that would work for me.  Hopefully I'll remember it next year.

Jorja

We bowled on two different lanes.  One with bumpers up and one with them down.  About half way through the night Preston asked me to show him how to bowl the correct way.  He was much better by the end of the night.  I think Preston might have liked this most.

Stockton, Jorja, Mike, Maysen, Preston

As we were driving back to the cabin we got a call from Courtney.  We had left our internet box at her house.  Whoops.  Mike and I didn't even know we had brought it.  Well, we didn't.  Jorja did.  Hopefully Bubs can pick it up when he goes through Idaho Falls tomorrow.

Everyone got the traditional Christmas jammies.  Stockton and Preston's bottoms are so ridiculous.  They are a little big, so they have fun walking around with them looking like grandpa pants.  I am not a fan.

Stephanie, Preston, Maysen, Stockton, Jorja

 Mike took this picture before 3.  Stockton will never smile before 3.

 Preston, Stephanie, Mike, Maysen, Stockton, Jorja

 The boys ~ Stockton, Preston, Mike

 The girls ~ Stephanie, Jorja, Maysen

 This picture was taken for the Porge

The kids all slept in the basement bunk beds.  What a wonderful life!

Sledding

Today was another great day at the cabin.  It has snowed the entire time Mike's family has been up here.  I love it!  The sledding has been fantastic this year.  I'm so glad!  We really wanted Mike's family to have a great experience their first time up.  It's disappointing when the snow doesn't cooperate.  No worries about that this year!

The best way to sled!

 Shannon with various kids behind her.

 Steve & Erica pulling Stockton and Weston

 Mike

 The train

 Derek, Stockton, Jacob, Weston, Brandon, Erica

 Stockton

Getting up the hill was almost more fun than coming down.  The kids had battles on the way up.  Maysen was the only one that hated that.

Jacob & Derek 

 Derek going up without his sled

 Shannon with Stockton, Weston, Brandon & Mike

 Stockton, Brandon, Jacob, Shannon & Erica

 Shannon & Erica

 Shannon

 Erica

 Brandon & Weston

Erica & Jacob

 Derek

 Mike & Jacob

 Jacob

 Weston, Erica, Shannon, Steve, Brandon, Jacob

 (Steve), Shannon, Brandon, Jacob

 Shannon, Jacob, Brandon

 Steve & Shannon

 Erica

 Stockton

 Erica

We had a ping-pong and fooseball tournament.  Steve defeated me while using his cell phone as a paddle.  Stockton and Jacob played for the championship.  Stockton won.  I did a lot better in the fooseball tournament.  Steve and their family left around 5:30.  They made it home safely.  Now we are up at the cabin by ourselves.  Weird.  I'm so glad Mike's family had a great time.  Maybe we can convince them to do this again!