Christmas Cookies

Saturday the kids enjoyed making sugar cookies with Grammy and their cousins.

We did this last year and saved a few to give to Santa, I don't think there will be any to save this year. We might need to make a new batch..... Mmmm!

The biggest winners!

Last Friday, the 15th, Jarom and I along with Kevin and Becky, attended the Realtors' Assosciation Christmas party. ( We were there as affiliates since Jarom makes a lot of realtor websites.) Our table cleaned up in the way of door prizes!! Kevin won $50, (although there happened to be another Kevin Ward there, but our Kevin was the first one out of his seat and therefore won the prize! It was pretty hilarious.), Becky won a wreath and candle set, and I won the center piece (the votive candles) AND a portable DVD player. We thought we'd let Jarom hold it in the picture so that he felt included. HA! Jarom's Aunt Sue and cousin Steve Butler who were also sitting at our table, each won $50 as well. Our table pretty much scored. It was a really fun evening.

Papa's birthday

December 7th, my father-in-law, Gregg, turned 55! We celebrated with clam chowder and red velvet cake, a tradition in the Manwaring family.

"Could it really be?"

"It is!! A flat panel computer moniter. Cool!"

One big blow and he had all 55 candles out.

Letters to Santa

The other night we took the kids to mail their letters to Santa. This giant Santa mailbox has been around Idaho Falls since I was a kid. The kids LOVE to go see it.

Carter's list wasn't very explicit. Infact, it was just a bunch of cirlces he drew. Sure hope Santa can decipher!
Halle's list included a tent, a radio, and a Barbie Elena doll. (What a great name for a barbie. :) )
Unlike Carter's list, Alyssa's was very descriptive. She wants a "ballerina fairy or human ornament", a tent, a driveable jeep, and Magnetix. We'll see what Santa can come up with.

Little Micah Irwin Murdoch

We drove to American Fork to meet the newest addition to the family. Blake and Missy welcomed 6 lb 6 oz, Micah Irwin to their family on November 29th. What a little cutie!

The Children's Museum

While we were waiting for it to get dark so the lights on Temple Square would come on, we passed the time hanging out at the Children's Museum in Salt Lake. It was really fun for the kids, expensive, but worth it. We spent a good 3 hours there while the kids just played and played. (Thanks for the suggestion Elise.) Carter shopping for groceries.
This little kitchen was inside the CUTEST playhouse I have ever seen. It had everything miniature sized.

The kids all climbed on this life sized horse and pretended to ride it.
Little miss Kate gathering eggs.

Alyssa is always willing to add something up for you. She loved pretending to be the cashier.

Lights on Temple Square

Going light looking on Temple Square. The big trees weren't lit so it wasn't as impressive as I remember it being as a kid, but it was still beautiful. It was too cold to do a lot of looking, but we saw the main things.

The whole family on a carriage ride. Very fun, but cold.

The kids loved it for the first half of the ride. Especially Halle, she had been looking forward to the ride all day.

The 2nd half wasn't quite as enjoyable. The kids were freezing! I must admit, it was really cold. All anyone could think of at this point was hot chocolate! (We then went to Golden Corral for dinner, a place that pleases everyone except the parents, and they only serve hot chocolate for breakfast. At least there was ice cream after we were warmed up sufficiently.)

Splish Splash

This picture was taken about a month ago, but I thought it was so cute and wanted to share it. My niece Brylee and Kate enjoyed tub-time in Grammy's sink. The picture portrays the situation extremely accurately. Brylee LOVES to splash! If you look closely you can see the water behind the sink, Kate figured out how to turn on the faucet. Needless to say, we were all soaked after this episode!! (Don't you love to look at the difference in skin color in these two little cousins!)

Funny story!

I just had to tell this cute little story that my friend Jennie's little boy said. (Sorry no picture, but the story is worth it.) Jennie told Harrison that they were going to eat at Godfathers for dinner. He asked, "Oh, will Heavenly Father be there?" When she told him no, he said, "Oh, just Jesus then?" He'll be 2 the end of December. He's my little buddy. Jennie and I go walking in the mornings and Harrison always wants me to button his coat or give him his snack or whatever it is that he needs. It's so funny.

Thanksgiving weekend

It was such a nice holiday weekend for me. Great food (which I never got a picture of), family and friends, shopping, BYU football (which was such a good game that even I found myself screaming and hurting my voice!), and much needed rest all contributed to a wonderful time.


After a nice dinner everyone sat around an played Millennium Monopoly. My how the prices have changed! We enjoyed the company of Jon and Larissa's family, my Aunt Gale, Quin and Natalie, my folks, my grandma, and my sister-in-law Natalie's folks.


What's Thanksgiving weekend without power shopping at 5AM? My sister and I went. I took this picture to show all the men at home what kind of lines we are talking about. I know you can't see it very well, but you get the idea of just how far from the entrance we were. It was okay though, we got everything we needed.


Building gingerbread houses. What a mess and so much fun. I think I enjoy it more than the kids do.


My dear friends from high school. We try to get together every year around Thanksgiving or Christmas. It is a great reunion! Left side of table back to front: Jarom, Me, David, Shellie. Right side back to front: Kirt, Holly, Angela, Lou. We were missing Doug and Mary, she is due in 3 weeks with their 5th daughter, and Jed and Janelle who live in far away Florida.


Old high school buddies! Angela, Troy, and me. We had a great time catching up over milkshakes at Perkins. It has been about 10 years since I have seen Troy. It was really fun to get together again.

Party Time! Kate is 1!

Well, the Birthday Fairy found our house once again! Baby Kate turned one on November 18, (we celebrated yesterday the 19th because Daddy was off enjoying the Cougars big win on her actual birthday. I didn't mind much though, it was actually nice to have one more day in between having to blow up balloons again.) Its hard to believe that it has already been a year since I had her. She has grown up in the blink of an eye!
She loved opening her presents, but her siblings enjoyed it almost more. I had to fight them off the entire time. ( "We're just helping her mom!" "Leave her alone! Back-off! Sit down! Let her do it by herself!") At first she would get so mad at us when we would take away one opened gift and hand her another unopened one, but she figured out that there was something good inside all the wrapping by the end. She got a few little toys, some cute clothes, and a little purse (Vera Bradley from Grandma, stuffed with fruit snacks. She loved unpacking the purse.) She scored!

Happy Birthday to Kate

She didn't mind being sung to, but the fun went right out the window after she grabbed her candle.

Kate eating cake

Kate was afraid that her cake would burn her. No amount of coaxing could entice her to dig in!

Look who's ONE!!!

After we gave her a spoon she got a little braver and started to

enjoy eating the cake a little bit. Mmmm...Mmmmm...Messy!
It all ended with a dunk in the sink! What a fun party!

Mountain West Conference Champs!!

Here stand our BELOVED BYU freaks with Cosmo the Cougar. After BYU dismantled New Mexico (42-17) Brandon, Jarom, Alex, Justin, and Chris stormed the field. BYU is the official Mountain West Conference Champion and have been invited to the Las Vegas Bowl! WOO-HOO! ("Utah Sucks!" as quoted by Jarom.)

Party Time! Halle is 6!

Well, my little Halle Loo-Hoo turned 6 years old today. She had a great time with several friends from school, Alyssa & Bailey (Alyssa's best friend), and Liberty. Any of you who know Halle know how particular she can be. This year she wanted a "snowflake" party. It actually turned out really cute. We played several snow themed games (pin the button on the snowman, snowball scoop, hide the snowflake, pictionary, and freeze dance), wore snowflake hats, and ate a snowflake cake. What a great party for Halle!



The Birthday-Fairy found us and left the house decorated and presents on the table!




New outfit. (Halle called it "Eskimo clothes", she got the sweater and furry little boots.)


Halle, wearing a snowflake party hat, with her cake. She insisted on snowflake hats. (No comments...I did my best and she loved it!)


All the party girls, (and Carter). Back to front, left to right: Bailey, Alyssa, Arianna, Emily, Lauren, Carter, Kaylee, Liberty, Halle, Laurel


Make a wish!!

Christmas Spirit

Last night Kevin and Becky dropped by for a visit. When it was time for them to leave, we looked outside and it was snowing like crazy. So they decided to stay the night. The snow was so pretty, (big, heavy flakes coming straight down) and it felt like Christmas. So we pulled out the Christmas tree, turned on the fire, and put in Christmas music. It was so much fun!! (No, I am not leaving the tree up quite yet. Back to the basement it goes, but it was really nice to get it out for a day.)

My camera didn't do the snow justice, but you get the idea.

Carter and Owen enjoying the Christmas lights.


Wish you could see this better, little Owen was mezmorized by the fire and the lights. It was so cute.


It always seems like it either snows before or after Christmas and I feel the Christmas Spirit too soon or too late. I always feel guilty if I feel it too soon, but this year I am going to let myself enjoy it whenever and as often as it comes!

The Guilty Party

So the other night after Alyssa's baptism the adults decided to get some babysitters and go to dinner. We enjoyed a nice evening at The Outback. When we returned to my house, we were greeted by a bunch of scratching little kids. Apparently they had gone into the unfinished basement and pulled out a TON of insulation from the walls. (Some in the party were more guilty than others.) They were miserable from the itching and I think they all learned their lesson about insulation the hard way. We had to throw them in the tub, which I think they all quite enjoyed. Jarom, Justin, and Brandon cleaned up two large garbage bags of insulation. The big question is...Where were the babysitters during all this???? (In their defense they were watching 3 babies and all these older kids, but still...)

Singing "When I Am Baptized"

Alyssa, Halle, Carter and their cousins singing a musical number at Alyssa's baptismal service.

Alyssa's Baptism

Well, it happened, Alyssa was baptized! It was a great day with such a nice program. My mom spoke on baptism and Jarom's mom spoke on the Holy Ghost. All the little cousins and Alyssa sang a musical number (which I will post as soon as I can) and it all just turned out beautiful. Alyssa was really excited and promptly came home and wrote in her journal about it. She is such a sweet girl and I am so proud of her.


Aunt Mimi did Alyssa's hair so pretty. She looked so grown up!



Alyssa in her whites before the baptism.


Jarom and Alyssa getting ready for the BIG moment!



Afterwards with her cousins. I realized I never got a full shot of her in her new dress, so I thought I would put this one in so you could see how cute it was.


Jarom, Alyssa, and me. I had just poked Alyssa in the eye trying to scoot her bangs out of the way. Way to ruin the moment!