New Year's Eve

On Tuesday Rob took Hunter and Samantha to their cousin's house for a sleep over, when he came home he told me that his sister was not going to host a New Year's party this year. I knew they were all disappointed but I was thankful I would actually be able to go to bed when I wanted to. I love a new year and the chance to start over, but I also really love my sleep and at 10 pm I want nothing more than to be in my nice warm bed.

I knew I still wanted to make the night fun for my family so I started brainstorming. I decided we were going to go ice skating on our neighbors homemade ice rink, drag all of our mattresses out to the family room and watch our favorite movies of 2015, play some games, and eat yummy food. 

Rob decided it sounded like so much fun he was going to invite his sisters family and parents over because he felt bad they didn't have anywhere to go for New Year's. I had to adjust my plan slightly and it was a little chaotic that morning while I hurried to paint my window trim so we could get everything put back together and cleaned up, but in the end it turned out to be a fun night. Plus I love throwing a fun party, just wish I had a little more time to prepare and do a few things differently.

We still went ice skating before all the family arrived. It was so much fun!! Our neighbors made a huge rink out on their grass and then had fires roaring with hot chocolate, hot dogs, and marshmallows. We are so lucky to have such great neighbors and to live in a a great neighborhood, we have decided no one gets to move ever.

We came home and pulled out all of the kids mattresses and got ready for the family's arrival. We had chili and waffles for dinner, watched The Minion Movie, had a Mario Kart tournament, played farkle, and watched some of our favorite You Tube video's of 2015.

After the clock struck 12 and every one headed home we wrote on a balloon our one word we want to focus on this year and then released them. I love picking the perfect word and then focusing on it all year so I was happy my family was willing to join in.

The kids slept out in the family room while Rob and I snuggled into our bed, and yes I made it until after midnight, it was a miracle. 

Goodbye 2015, we are all looking forward to, and hoping for, a healthy and happy 2016.

Hunter's 10th Birthday

Hunter turned 10 on Saturday and to celebrate we had a big party with his cousin Leka, her birthday is 2 days after Hunter's so it worked perfect. We rented a big blow up water slide and had plenty of good food to eat. The kids had a blast and Hunter decided it was his best birthday ever.

The leftover cupcakes somehow became the ammunition for a cupcake war, Hannah and I stayed far far away from all that madness.

Hunter also went camping the night before with his Dad and Grandpa and did a little fishing on Strawberry reservoir where he was the only one to catch a fish. It was his lucky day, but sadly no pictures.

I am so grateful for my Hunter, he is my best and most loving boy and he brings so much sunshine into our lives. Our family just wouldn't be complete without him.

Happy Birthday Bubba!!!

Peach Days & A Baby Blessing

Saturday we headed to Brigham City for Peach Days and also for another baby blessing.  Rob's sister Katie was blessing their newest addition, little Jaxtin.  Rob's entire family came up for the weekend so we had one big party.

The kids were all excited for the Peach Days Parade, only they were not throwing candy and their excitement soon faded until they were begging to go back to the house and play.  Just as we were about to make our exit we learned the candy was being thrown at the end of the parade and the sidekicks all agreed to endure to the end.

After the parade the girls decided to stay and play while we took Hunter and Austin to the car show.  There were a ton of cars and we didn't make it to all of them, but we did enjoy some of the best peach cobbler.  I am now on a mission to figure out how they made it.

Rob and I's new favorite show is Top Gear (the BBC version not the tried to be as cool American version) so we were cracking jokes to each other the entire time.  (Seriously watch this)

And while Hunter does not look thrilled in the pictures (really he hardly ever does) we did have a great time.

(Left to right: Aunt Connie, Christi, Vicki, Me, & Wendi)

I decided later to take the girls down to check out all the booths and the craziest thing happened.  We were heading back to our car when I spotted my cousin Wendi and my Aunt Connie, this wouldn't be to crazy since Wendi lives around there, but it just so happened that my cousin Vicki and Christi were with them.  It was a chance once in a lifetime thing.  Vicki and I were trying to figure out the last time we saw each other and determined it was over 20 years.  I could not have been more grateful or felt any more blessed to be in the right place at the right time.

The girls had a great time looking through all of the booths and managed to squeeze an entire princess get-up out of their allowed $5.00.

Sunday Baby Jax was blessed in his little Tupenu, it was another fantastic blessing from my Brother in Law Nase, and we were again very grateful to be there!!