Snow and Christmas Eve

SNOW

Mason has really enjoyed the snow! Camden...not so much! Cam will get all his snow gear on, go outside for two minutes, and be done. He doesn't like the cold. We took the boys sledding and Mason loved it. He went down the first time all by himself, then the second time down, he went head first, on his tummy. But after about five times down, he was exhausted from hauling the sled back up the huge hill.

*snow angels*

*Mason, Lacey and Mark* *Dad and Mason**Camden's face the whole time we were sledding*

Christmas Eve

Instead of giving my parents gifts for Christmas they have asked their children to do a service, write it down and include a picture, and that letter is what they open on Christmas. I love this tradition they have started! This year we participated in a Christmas Eve dinner put together for the elderly in Vernal. I made four dozen rolls to contribute to the dinner then Ben and I delivered some of the dinners to the homes of those in need. Later that evening we went to Ben's parents home for a little program. We sang songs, read Luke 2 and read some cute kids Christmas stories. When we got home the boys got to open their Christmas Eve pajamas and read "Twas The Night Before Christmas."

What a great day!

Service, Remembering Christ's Birth, Family...That's what it's all about!!!

*It's Christmas Eve!*

*Cute boys in their cute new jammies*

ThAnKsGiViNg

The day before Thanksgiving we packed up and headed to Denver to visit my sister and her family. We had a lot of fun but, I did not get one picture.

Some of the highlights were:

*Eating yummy, yummy food
*Mason being crafty with Sienna by making a sword, mask and shield
*Marci and I getting up at 4:00 am on Friday to join the crazies at WalMart
*Having some girl time to watch "New Moon" and shop
*Sewing some cute jammie bottoms for the boys
*Having both boys fall asleep on the way to Denver (a miracle, I tell you!)
*The gorgeous drive up and through the mountains
*Mason and Cam having so much fun playing with their cousins
*Going swimming at an awesome rec center

It was great to just relax and enjoy good company! Thanks guys!

HALLOWEEN

We had a really fun halloween. Ben's mom made Mason's dinosaur costume, it turned out so cute! We started the evening by going on a train ride at a neighbors home. They have a fun train that goes around their property. You get to see all sorts of animals too. Mason and Ben rode while Cam and I watched. We then went trick or treating around our neighborhood. Camden wasn't too sure about the whole trick or treating thing but once we got going, he wasn't stopping! The boys were really cute about saying "thank you" and "happy halloween" after they got candy.

Our Home

We moved into our new home the end of September. We are so thankful to Ben's parents for letting us stay with them but we are SO THANKFUL to have our own place again. The boys thought it was Christmas when we started unpacking all our stuff. With every toy Mason pulled out from the boxes, he'd say "Oh, I missed this toy so much." We all love having our beds again. It's amazing what you take for granted living in a camping trailer for five months! And the very best part of the new home (for the boys anyway)...

A TRAMPOLINE IN THE BACKYARD!!!

They have been on it everyday since we moved in, yes, even when it's been snowing. We have a big, FENCED, backyard that I absolutely love! Last month I made 28 jars of applesauce from the apple trees out back and didn't really make a dent in the amount of apples out there! We haven't had a yard before...I'm excited to aquire a green thumb!

LINDSEY AND KYLE

This post is long overdue but...the last of the Christensens have gotten married. Lindsey married Kyle in August in the Salt Lake Temple. It was a special day, my parents and all nine of their children were there in the sealing room.

The boys and their cousin Brooke at the reception

.,

Family Pictures

Our friends, Mindy and Steph, were kind enough to take some pictures for us. They did an awesome job! Check them out at Martinsengalephotography.blogspot.com.

THANKS GUYS!!!

Great Answer Buddy!

When we're driving in the car I try to divert the boys' boredom by playing little games. I'll say "I see something big and blue" and see if they can find it...Here is one conversation on our drive last night:

Mason: Mom, I see something pretty, can you see it?
Me: Umm, is it the flowers?
Mason: No
Me: Is it the water fountains?
Mason: No
Me: Is it your mom?
Mason: (thinking for just a moment) Well, yes you mom, but I see something else too...

Well done Mason, well done!

Pre-School

Mason had his first day of preschool today and it was definately bitter-sweet for me. I never thought I'd be one of those moms that cried when my kids went off to school. No, I didn't actually cry but I wasn't jumping for joy like I thought I'd be. I'm sure once the newness wears off, I will be counting down the time til pre-school. Now Mason on the other hand had no problem at all leaving his mom! He gave me a hug and kiss, walked into his classroom and didn't look back. I'm glad he did so great and absolutely loved school. When I picked him up he said "I never knew school was going to be so much fun". Then he asked if he can go back tomorrow. He only goes Mon and Wed so he'll have to learn some patience. I asked what he had for lunch and he said broccoli and chocolate milk. Sounds delicious, right? He said he didn't know what the other stuff was so that's all he ate. Mason's favorite thing he did today was finger painting. I'm so happy he enjoyed his first day!

Rodeo and Car Show

You can't live in Vernal and not go to the Dinosaur Round Up Rodeo, it is THE thing to do the week after the fourth. We had a lot of fun. We had great seats, yummy Texan fruit drinks, and fun entertainment.

Saturday there was a car show at the park. Ben and Mason loved seeing all the "cool" cars. Mason would go from one to another saying "look at this cool car" to all of them...Like father like son! This is Ben's grandpa's 1951 Cadillac Coupe.

Updates, Updates, Updates

4th of July

We had a fun weekend! We went to the parade in the morning with the highlights being the four jets flying overhead and also the dinosaur riding the unicycle. The boys LOVE the parade. Mason remembered last year that Camden got a frisbee from the parade, so he kept saying over and over that he really wanted a frisbee this year. Well, no frisbees, but thank goodness he got a bouncy ball and lots of candy to make him happy! We then had a BBQ with the Wood clan. That night we went and watched the fireworks at the park and did our own fireworks at GG Wood's home. The night ended great with yummy cupcakes and milk at GG's.

Zip Line

Lacey and Mark were in Vernal for a few days so we played at Mark's bro's house one day. They have a fun backyard for the kids with a trampoline, bunnies, kittens and two zip lines. Once Mason went a few times sitting on someone's lap, he tried it by himself and then wouldn't stop!

Swim Lessons

Mason had swim lessons the beginning of June. The first day...awful! The teacher asked them to put their faces in and oh boy, Mason went bazurk! I quickly learned that goggles would be his best friend in the water, he doesn't like the water in his eyes. So the rest of the lessons went great, he even jumped off the diving board with a life jacket on. He is now addicted to the pool and asks to go a few times a day. I think in August we'll do another two weeks of lessons just for fun.

Itty Bitty Ball

For all you non-Vernalites, Itty Bitty ball is a month long program for little ones to try a variety of sports. They do it twice a week for four weeks and a different sport is played each week. Mason got to play basketball, soccer, T-ball and tennis. He will tell you that soccer, T-ball and tennis are his favorite and NOT basketball. Really, he got too frustrated trying to bounce the basketball and didn't enjoy it. It was fun watching him play and have fun. Camden was his biggest fan and is all too ready to start joining in next year! When it was over he got a T-shirt and a medal with his name on it!

Mason Turns 4!!!

Mason had a very fun birthday! He picked out all the meals for the day. We had waffles for breakfast, mac n cheese for lunch and pizza for dinner. We also did his two favorite activites: swimming at the rec center and to the library. He was overloaded with presents which included: two transformers, transformer shoes, squirt guns, coloring books, a mini robot, a blow up pool, scooter, legos and some chalk. He is growing up so fast. He is reading beginner books, loves to take showers instead of baths, wants to start learning to play the piano (is an expert at playing hot cross buns), picks out his own clothes in the morning, has to help me cook whenever I'm in the kitchen and is so excited to start pre-school soon.

Baby Kittens

There are three baby kittens at the Wood residence and Camden LOVES them! These kitties are so cute too! Two of them are white with blue, blue eyes...so cute! Everytime we go outside, Cam has to know where the cats are.

Brett & Kristy

My little brother Brett and Kristy got married in Logan on May 16. It was a beautiful day, I love all the flowers around the temple grounds. We had a yummy luncheon at the Iron Gate Grill then headed up to Pocatello for the reception. We had fun at the reception eating, playing outside on the grass and watching the cute couple dance. We stayed the night then headed back to Vernal the next morning. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful, fun family that I love spending time with!