Kate Turns 8!!

Our beautiful, wonderful Kate turned 8 a couple of weeks ago!   She gets so excited for her birthday and talks and talks about it and then doesn't sleep very well the night before.    She got up early and actually  opened all her gifts before I had the chance to take a picture of her.   She got a Rapunzel tower Lego set, an air hog (helicopter), a target gift card and some EOS (lip gloss).   She was as happy as could be!

She really, really wanted to go iceskating for her birthday, so Jon was kind enough to take the 4 middle kids (I had to take Emily to an indoor soccer game).   He took a couple pictures for me! 

Then,  (without Jon because he had to go to work), we went out to dinner at Olive Garden.   She loves that place!   My parents and Misty & Rich came too.  It was a really, really nice evening!

Quilt after Quilt after Quilt

 This post will make it look like I've been really productive in the quilt department lately - but these some of these have been over a year in the making...

First - my mom made me this beautiful apple quilt!  I had made 2 of these several years ago for teachers in Ohio, but she knew how much I loved it and that I probably would never make one for myself.   I just love it!!

In 2012, I started 2 Block of the Month Clubs through fatquartershop.com.   My mom had done one the year before (and even managed to finish it in Russia!) and I loved it.  So, I signed up.  Once a month, I got a block in the mail with the fabric & pattern for that block.   Then, I bought the finishing kit to sew the sashing and complete them.   

This first one I decided to give to my mother-in-law, Diane.  She is a beautiful quilter & seamstress and I knew she would love it.   I gave it to her for Christmas and she did love it!

Many, many months ago, I discovered that there was a Robert Miller line that had fabrics with the 8 Young Women values on them.  (For those blog viewers who are not LDS, they are values that the Young Women are taught about and try to live - Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice & Accountability, Good Works, Integrity & Virtue).

I looked and looked for a pattern that I liked to go with this line and FINALLY found 2 kits at the Corn Wagon in Springville.   So, I made one for Emily & one for Lindsey.  I added their names and let them choose the backing fabric.  (And, finally finished the binding on them during Christmas break).

 The quilting is absolutely beautiful - done by Jen Hinwood

 

And, this is the 2nd block of the month.  It's a quilt by Nancy Halverson and I loved that it came as a block of the month!   It took hours and hours to sew on all the embellishments, but I love how it turned out!  I think I'll keep this one for myself  :)

Anyway - Yeah for completed projects and yeah for the 30 more that I have waiting to do!

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

We had a really nice Christmas this year!  We've been waiting 3 years to have my parents home for Christmas and it was absolutely wonderful!   My mom had knee replacement surgery earlier in the month and my dad had been fighting off an infection, but both made it to celebrate with us.  Jon took my dad to the ER for a follow up during the day on Christmas Eve, but thankfully, they were done in plenty of time for our celebrations.

Family came for dinner!  We had all my siblings, my parents, the Cowden's (including Matt & Jack who are back from their missions), the Graf's, Misty's mom Diana, and my friend, Julie.   We ordered 2 trays of Chick-Fil-A nuggets and had sides to go with it.   Super yummy & super easy!   After dinner, we did our traditional white elephant exchange.  There wasn't as much "stealing" as in year's past, but still, some classics.

Everyone is always willing to be crammed into our living room!

 





 Can you tell how excited Jack is?   We didn't end up with this though.   We ended up with this....

 

A goldfish!

Matt Cowden originally opened it, but Kate convinced him that she should have it.

 

After everyone left, we bathed our little kids and gathered them all together to watch the Luke 2 video and read Luke 2 in the Bible.   The kids were more attentive then ever and it was so sweet.  I wanted to keep talking to them about the joy of living the Gospel and following the Savior because they were so cute and were listening so well. 

We put them to bed and waited for the next morning!!

 

I got a text at 6:30 telling me that the Mortensen's, Mike, Pete & my parents were on their way.  I thought we'd have to wake all the kids, but apparently the oldest 4 were all down in the basement with Emily watching a movie.  Lindsey woke them all at 6. 

 

It was so, so fun to all be together!  The kids were calm and sweet and seemed to be thrilled with all their gifts and were sure excited to give the gifts they had chosen & purchased.

 

 

 



Santa was very kind to all the kids!   He gave Emily clothes, new soccer cleats & gift cards.  Lindsey got a nail decorating kit & cake decorating kit.  Jack got a rocket.  Kate got a bean bag chair (a huge one!).  Hannah got a new Lego set.  And Hailey got a Fisher Price Disney Princess Castle, but since Uncle Mike put it together for her, she thinks it was from him.

Jon & I were super excited to give the kids a DISNEY CRUISE for Christmas!  We have wanted to go on one for sooooo long and have waited to save for it for sooooo long and we are finally going!   Yay!

After opening gifts from Santa, we ate a yummy breakfast and then relaxed and slept and played.  Rich & Misty came over and then we all headed to my parents for dinner (around 1:00).  We exchanged gifts with them and enjoyed each other's company for the afternoon.  

Then, we came home, pulled the Christmas tree out of the house and got ready to drive to Oregon the next day (oh, and Jon went to work at 5).  

What a great, memorable Christmas!

Mike's Swimming & Pizza Party

 My brother, Mike, has a really fun Christmas tradition of having a party for our family.   He's always made it so nice with yummy Litza's Pizza, pop & dessert.   This year, he added swimming to the party and it was great!

The weather was bad that day, so I was a little worried about driving in the snow, but we got there and home just fine and we had a wonderful time.   I had to drag all the kids out of the pool when it was time to eat.   They loved it!

As usual, the Litza's was delicious, the company was wonderful and it's one of our favorite Christmas traditions!  Thank you so much Mike!!

Brooklyn, Annie, Hailey & Hannah



 Look how full the hot tub was - there was so much water on the floor after we were done!

 

 Jack had the watching crowd throwing the ball.  Jon had a horrible sore on his leg, so he didn't swim and my mom was about 10 days out from her knee replacement surgery so she didn't swim.

 

Snowy Day

We had a couple really good snow storms in December and the kids (as usual) loved playing in it!

 

One day, the kids had gone to school and Jon took Hailey outside while he shoveled.   When I went out to check on them, this is what I found...

 

 Such a cute little helper!!   She'd also go pick up as much snow as she could grab and put it on the shovel.   She's so cute!

 

 

And, the other kids had fun in the backyard when they got home that afternoon....