Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Here is a small rundown of our Holiday season.

Who is it?

It's Santa!!! We had a family Christmas party at my Uncle's house in Mesa. I have a couple of cousins and their families living there as well. We had a delicious dinner, lots of goodies and Santa came. He is the best Santa and brings a bag filled with dolls and teddy bears for the kids to pick from.

Macady in her new jammies. The are Tinkerbell!

Berlyn in her new Super Girl jammies!!!

Andy posing in his "cute" jammies as he called them.

Wes in his Spiderman jammies.

We were fortunate enough to be invited to spend Christmas with Alex's parents in Wickenburg. The kids had a great time, and Grandma and Grandpa were so patient with all the exictement and running around. I think the dogs even enjoyed having us there. I wasn't that good about taking pictures of them opening presents becaue it got crazy so quick. Berlyn and Wes got skateboards, and V-Tech computers, Andy got a remote control car, and Macady, well, she was left out this year, but fortunately she got the cutest Curious George Monkey from her cousin.

Trying out the skateboard!

Skateboarding in the rain!
We had a wonderful holiday season and we hope that everyone is happy and well this new year!

Christmas Lights

We never had Christmas lights on our house when I was growing up, so I love being able to put them up (or Alex) on our house. We got together with our next door neighbor and made the houses look the same. Merry Christmas!!! (Our house is the one without the car)

He Finally Did it!!!!!!!!!

Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving! We headed up to Wickenburg, AZ, which is 3 hours from our house, and spent Thanksgiving with Alex's mom and her side of the family. We had a wonderful time with lots and lots of food, and even more people. The final count came too 115 people for Thanksgiving dinner. The kids ran wild for 3 days and were filthly, but thank goodness Grandma Ruby, or I should say Grandpa Tom, has a really fun jetted tub! Here are a few pictures of our fun weekend.

Macady in the turkey pot.

My sister-in-law (who shall remain nameless to protect her innocence!) and I doing our part of drying dishes.

The "Barn" just before prayer for dinner!

The kids on the tramp. At one point they were chanting "Break the Tramp"

Finally, the tramp all too himself!

Three dirty "butts!"

Nothing like Hot Chocolate for breakfast.

Alex’s Thoughts on the President Elect

This election has been so hard on me, not just because it determined the future President of this great country but it also determines who my new Commander in Chief is and therefore all decisions made by him effect my family and myself in so many ways.
When Obama was elected to office I was physically sick for about two weeks, however last night as I prayed I felt a strong feeling in my heart as if the Lord himself was telling me. “Don’t you know who runs this country? Don’t you trust me?” After that feeling all my fears left me, and were replaced by the gratitude of my Savior the Great Leader of all things. I then reflected on the Constitution the very document that I believed would be at risk with the outcome of this election, and how much I love that inspired document. It is for that document that I joined the military.
All my bitter feelings that I had for Obama during the election are gone now. I now pray for our President Elect and hope that he will follow the spirit in leading this country. I might not ever agree with his policies, or his choices but I will always respect the office as President of the United States of America, as long as our constitution stands I will defend and up hold it as well as its President. After all, I have faith in what this country was founded upon and my Savior Jesus Christ who truly leads it. May our Heavenly Father continue to guide and protect this Country and all its leaders.

The Smoke Detector

Why is it that when the batteries on the smoke detector decide to start dying it is always in the middle of the night? So you are all dead asleep (ok everyone except me because I am being the middle of the night milking machine), and the beeping sound starts. I hear Andy start yelling for me, so I lay Macady down and go to his room. He wants to know what is that, and I tell him it is just beeping and Dad will fix it tomorrow. I leave his room and head to the bathroom, not because I am pregnant and need to go, but because I am up two to three times a night being the milking machine and it always makes me need to use the bathroom. All of a sudden Andy starts screaming at the top of his lungs. I hear Alex jump up from bed and run down the hall so Andy can yell "What is that?" So it is three in the morning, and Alex is now attempting to change the stupid battery. However, these particular smoke detectors will only accpet a duracell battery, and since it is the middle of the night Alex can't find that particular kind of battery. So twenty minutes later he come crawling back to bed all the while cussing our duracel and the smoke detector company for teaming up together to try and make our lives as complicated as possible!

America

At 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, the National Anthem plays on base to signify the end of the day. Our children have been taught that you stop whatever you are doing and you face the music with your hand over your heart and you don't move until it is over. Today we were at the park playing when the music started. As we stood there and listened, I was over come with the spirit and had tears in my eyes with how important that song is. Our country is struggling, and we don't know what the future will bring. But, it is still our Country and we need to give it the respect it deserves. I am proud to be an American and I am proud to be the wife of a Military member. Who knows what the coming years will bring, but I know that if we do what is right and stay close to our Heavenly Father we will be protected from whatever comes our way!

Happy Halloween

Happy Hallowen!! We had a great day and so much fun trick-or-treating. Here are a few pictures of all the fun!

Miss America 2008! She wore a dress that I wore when I was about 12.

The whole gang!

Pumpkin Boy!

Mr. Mummy!

Our Pumpkin creations!! (A Cat, Bat, and Tombstone with RIP in it)

Halloween Party

We had our Halloween party Friday night. We had a good turn out with 12 families which ended up being 51 people. We had perfect weather and were able to have it outside in my garage and driveway, and the park that is next door to my house. We had a bunch of good costumes and lots of really good food to eat. My friend made apple juice ice cubes and froze gummie body parts in them that the kids loved. We mixed the apple juice with gingerale and then added the ice cubes! Here are a few pictures of the fun!!!

Bella as Pocahontas! Doesn't she look just like her?

The Incredibles showed up!

Here are the kids running wild at the park.

My little pumpkin!

Macady and daddy passing our candy for the trunk-or-treat we had in the circle.

We are the Mason's. So I was a pile of bricks and Alex was the brick layer!!!

Daddy and Macady having fun.

Wes wanted to be a mummy, but the fabric was bothering him, so we did last years Harry potter. I have come up with a better idea for the mummy and we will see if it works for Halloween night!

Finger Cookies

Here is the finger cookie recipe! I hope you all enjoy them. My friend and I came up with a better idea instead of painting each individual nut with food coloring, she soaked them overnight and they worked our great. Oh, and we used regular almonds instead of the blanched because the store didn't have them.

If Halloween night were to find you in a misty graveyard, suddenly feeling the touch of ghoulish fingers on the back of your neck, those fingers would probably bear a strong resemblance to our Cookie of the Week. And with red-stained blanched almonds standing in for fingernails, these creepy confections will beckon to you from beyond the grave, summoning you right over to their serving plate.

Ingredients
Makes 30
2 tablespoons red food coloring
30 blanched almonds
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats) or parchment paper, and set aside.
Place food coloring in a shallow bowl. Using a small paintbrush, color one rounded half of each almond. Set aside to dry.
Separate 1 egg. Set aside the white. In a small bowl, whisk together yolk, remaining egg, and vanilla. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add egg mixture, and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic, and chill until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
Divide the dough in half. Work with one piece at a time, keeping remaining dough covered with plastic wrap and chilled. Divide the first half into fifteen pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece back and forth with palms into finger shapes, 3 to 4 inches long. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. Score each knuckle lightly with the back of a small knife. Transfer fingers to prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
When all fingers are formed, brush lightly with egg white. Position almond nails; push into dough to attach.
Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.

The New Toy

We have a new toy at our house. Actually, Alex has a new toy. To be accurate it is a Honda Shadow Aero! I really don't know what that all means, but apparently it is cool. He has always wanted a motorcycle, and finally got the itch after our trip to Utah this summer. And since we live in Arizona, it is the perfect place to have one. Andy loves it, but thankfully he isn't allowed to ride. Nobody is allowed to ride with Alex. He wants me to go for a ride, but I am a chicken and can only think of my poor children who will be left parentless. Anyway, Alex is happy with it, and that is all that counts. He had to go through a three day training course in order to be able to ride the bike on base, so that made me feel a little bit better. I just pray each time he goes out that he eventually comes home!

Happy Birthday!

Today I turn 30 years old. Yipee!!!!! The only thing I asked for was lots of Gold Medal Ribbon ice cream from Baskin Robbins since we have been on a no ice cream binge for a month! I can't wait for desert.

Halloween Party

My ward doesn't have a Halloween party or do Trunk or Treat, so my friend and I decided that we would throw our own party. She found this awesome recipe for finger cookies on Martha Stewart. So we decided to be Martha and made up a creative invitation and filled a bag with popcorn and then hid a finger cookie inside the popcorn. We got some really good reactions from those we invited about how the finger was so gross!!! I think the fingers tasted awesome!!

Tooth Fairy

It looks like the Tooth Fairy will be making a visit to our house tonight. Berlyn finally lost another tooth. Her two top middle teeth have been lose since June and today it finally fell out aka dad yanked it out! She is so thirlled to finally lose another tooth. It is only her third, and she is way behind all her friends. Lets hope the Tooth Fairy remembers to come!!

The New Trick

Macady has a new trick. Screaming at the top of her lungs, and then laughing and smiling at you!

Temple Trip

Our ward planned a temple trip to the Mesa Arizona temple two weeks ago. They chartered a bus for those who wanted to ride on the bus. We originally were going to drive up seperately, but at the last minute they had extra room and the kids were asking to ride the bus. So we hoped on for a ride. All I could picture was Stewell Angel from A League of Their Own running up and down the aisles hitting everyone in the head. Luckily, that didn't happen. Andy loved the bus and Macady loved looking out the window and being held. It took us two hours from our church house to the temple. Our bishop, his wife, and a few others voluntered to stay at the Stake Center across the street and watch all the kids so everyone could go to the temple. I had my cousin Cassie and her husband Joseph come and help with my little ones. It was wonderful to be in the temple, and to finally see inside the Mesa Temple. It is beautiful, but very simple. We are so grateful to be able to go to the temple. There is no other place like it. Oh, and we had to be at the church at 6:15 in the morning!! It was early, but we made it!

Alex and Macady. She is already pooped and the trip has just begun!
Berlyn and Wes being goofy.
Andy!

Tagged

I have been tagged again, so here we go!

Five things I was doing 10 years ago:
1. Working for a law office and trying to not go crazy while I was there. Thanks to Jacki, I made it!!!
2. Just bought my first car. Toyota Corolla.
3. Teaching the Beehives in the Crescent 20th Ward.
4. Going on lots of blind dates.
5. Still living at home.

Five things on my to-do list today:
1. Change all the bed sheets! CHECK
2. Fill out picture order forms for School pictures tomorrow. CHECK
3. Set up visiting teaching. CALLED NO ONE ANSWERED, I GUESS THEY ARE SCARED OF ME!
4. Fold and put away laundry! CHECK
5. Clean up the game closet that Andy destroyed. CHECK

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. Ice Cream
2. Chocolate
3. Betty Crocker Warm Delights (Peanut Butter brownie is the best)
4. Peanut M&M's
5. Did I mention Chocolate?

Five things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Go on a Cruise
2. Get totally organized
3. Go on a shopping spree.
4. Get food storage
5. Have fun without worrying about money!

Five places I've lived:
1. West Jordan, UTAH
2. Sandy, UTAH
3. Fort Walton Beach, Florida
4. Clinton, Utah
5. Tucson, AZ

Five jobs I've had:
1. Babysitting (this includes a daycare for a month and a half)
2. Law Office
3. All-Search (A Research company).
4. WIfe, mother, & homemaker
5. ditto to number 4.




Rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you’ve answered the questions on your blog
Five People I'm tagging:
I Tag whoever wants to be tagged!!!!!

Berlyn and Wesley born in the wrong year

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Nerd

This weekend I finally sat down and ordered my pictures to be printed. I had to catch up from April so there was alot to go through. Well, I wanted to get a copy of this picture of the family in front of the Draper temple since it was under construction. So I got a copy to give to each child in their "scrapbook" (I don't scrapbook, I hate it) so they could remember it. As you can see, it is a wonderful picture!!! Don't we all look so thirlled! So I pick up my pictures and end up spending $56 for everything that I got. As I am going through them, I notice that there is a huge stack of this temple picture. So me and my dumb finger decided to push 55 instead of 5. So now I have 55 of a really tarded looking picture of my family! I can't even use them in Christmas cards! So beware when you are ordering pictues, always double check or you can be like me and spend $8.25 for 55 pictures that you don't want!!!

President, President

The past few weeks have been a crazy whirlwind for Alex. He is a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force, but has recently been promoted at work to the job of a Master Sergeant, which is two ranks ahead of what he is. This makes him in charge of every phone here on base. So he is extra busy. This is good for his career, however we don't see any extra money for this new assignment. Alex has been serving in our ward as the Sunday School President since January. He claims this is the easiest job ever. He has one meeting a month and on Sunday's just needs to make sure that all his classes have a teacher. However this past summer we have had an incredible amount of families move out of the ward with none moving in,which is really strange for a military ward. So two weeks ago Alex got a call from the Stake President and was called as the new Elder's Quorum President! He has been quite overwhelmed, with taking on this new responsibility plus all he does at work. I know he will do a awesome job and that the Lord will guide him. I just like to give him a hard time for being the president of two callings at church. Maybe someday they can find someone to take over Sunday School for him, but for now he is on double duty! Good Luck Alex!!!

TOO CUTE!

Andy loves his little sister Macady. He is constantly laying by her, bringing her toys. He wants to hold her all the time, however she is almost too big for his lap. He has to be the first in her room when she wakes up from a nap. And now that she has started eating solid food, he is always asking if he can give her some Zweiback bread! And the best part is that you can tell that Macady really likes him too. She is always smiling when she sees him coming!!! This is how I found them the other day, playing and having a good time together.

Reviewing the Past

So I was going down memory lane this past week and thinking of my old neighborhood in Sandy. So I decided to look for pictures that had my friends in them that look at my blog so they could go down memory lane. And for those of you not in the pictures, see if you can pick me out. It's not that hard, I look like I am 12 when I am really like 17!!!
Girls camp East Fork of the Bear I think in 1996!
The top of Snowbird Jluy 1994
Salt Lake Temple

The Sort Center in Salt Lake for our Laurel Projects. We made these dolls out of socks! 1996