Christmas Picture 2010

I am not "thrilled" with the photo since I took all of 20 pictures before the sun went down on a Sunday afternoon, but it's gonna have to work since I'm so dang busy this holiday season. I went to print these out a Costco and the YEAR in "new year" was cut off. NOOOOOOO! I don't have time to fix this as we are headed home for Christmas in 5 days so thought I'd post the "good" one for all to see. I ALWAYS send a letter with a picture of my kids, however, my letter is gonna be late as I am shooting for New Years letter and I have NO idea when I'll have time to write it. This holiday season has been hard for me. Very emotional mama is putting it mildly. Wade's last Christmas with us for two years. I really can't talk about it! I am so blessed to have seen him grow and become a man. I am so proud of all my kids. To say the least I cried the whole photo shoot. I'm a mess. I just hope I can get through this season with a little mascara on my puffy eyes.

Christmas On Broadway - 2010

I am the assistant music director of Lone Peak High Schools Productions team. Wade was heavily involved in this when he was in High School. Mr. Smith asked me to help this year and I said YES pretty darn quick. I love these kids and I love being surrounded with music and talent again. This year the music review was Christmas on Broadway. SO fun to work on Christmas music/show for the holidays. Our last show is this next Monday night. It has been a blast. The spring musical is Pride and Prejudice. Super excited about that. I'm so blessed to be working with such talented people.

CHRISTMAS TREE

This deserves a quick blog post. A year ago we moved to Utah and the kids wanted a "real" tree since we finally had snow and I gave my old "fake" tree to my sister prior to the move. I gave in and had to deal with a DEAD tree after a short week and a half and pine needles EVERYWHERE. I vowed never to have a real tree again. Who cares about the smell when YOU have to clean it up! SO I purchased a 7.5ft Christmas tree from everyones favorite store "WALMART" and put it up ALL BY MY SELF. Ok, Ok...Leanna helped, but I have enjoyed it soooo much more than last year. Just knowing the clean up is approaching makes me happy to know I did the right thing. Leanna took this picture. She is just awesome. Merry Christmas!

TEXAS FRIENDS COME TO VISIT!

The Palfreyman family are some of our FAVORITE people on earth. Lucky for us their daughter is going to BYU and they travel up here to visit. Leanna especially has missed her best friend Jason since we moved to Utah. For some wonderful reason we always end up at the Brick Oven for dinner and catching up. This time all the Texas college kids met us too and we enjoyed every minute of it! Happiness in our heart seeing so many great friends.

Krista's FAVORITE cookie

Krista is turning 15 this coming Sunday. I love to make her the things she loves. One of those things are these cookies. They truly are SO good. These last MAYBE a day at our house. Warm and inviting. The smell alone fills your home with love.

CRANBERRY CORNBREAD STUFFING OH MY!

Every year I make this stuffing. It is YUM OH!!! Rob picks out the cranberries but I can't get enough of this stuff. I finally decided to create recipe cards for my favorite Thanksgiving dishes. Hope you enjoy!

You're A Good Man Charlie Brown - Krista the STAR!

SO...Krista was FAB!!! If only all of you could have witnessed her stardom! She was really so good. This is her first LEAD. Lucy was just an extension of her true character...hahahahaha. She really did take the stage and shine. We are SOOO proud of her growing talent. GO BABY GUH! PS. We didn't cut her hair...no worries. Just pinned it up with about 500 bobby pins! Took about an hour because her hair is SO long, but she wasn't about to cut it. She quotes her Grandma Rachel all the time...."Cut your hair, you cut your beauty!" Funny.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTA! Harry Potter Party

Krista is turning 15 on November 28th. However, school will be out and Harry Potter premier is the week before. Since she wants a Harry Potter party we decided to have a celebration early. It was a few months of work. Painting, wand creating, Spell/Potion Book creation, Cake making, potion class, mandrake planting, sorting hat ceremony, and "Hogwarts a History" quiz, just to name a few parts of our party! WHEW! It was loads of fun. Krista is so cute and loved her Hogwarts Quill and Foot PJ's the best. I still can't believe my little baby is growing up. SOMEONE STOP THIS PLEASE!!!

NEW HAIR!!!

Krista is Lucy in her school play of You're A Good Man Charlie Brown. She really wanted to look the part so she asked me to color her hair black (not permanent). We did and she looks gorgeous. She also had her hair cut right before the show and got bangs. She is really serious about Theatre and loves every moment on that stage!

YWIE night & Fall leaves

My girls are so cute. They had a night of recognition for all the work on Personal Progress they accomplished this year. Sister Bryson is Krista's favorite teacher. She was recently released and Krista is SO sad. It was a special night. Kaleb Graf was baptized and the leaves were gorgeous. His brothers were playing in the leaves and we couldn't resist taking a few shots. I love the colors of these leaves. Just wish we had my nephews and nieces in them. :( Missing home.

HALLOWEEN

Well...for starters, Krista and her friend Baylee dressed up for "Harry Potter Day" and took a picture with her seminary teacher who loves Harry Potter as well. Then for Halloween the kids dressed up for school. Leanna was "TEX-MEXICAN" and Krista was BELLE from Beauty and the Beast. Wade went trick or treating with his friends and decided to be Gigalee Puff from Pokeman. It was HILARIOUS! Always the unexpected with him. The cute little Graf boys were Harry Potter characters (Harry, Ron, and Lupin) and Leanna's friend Mackie was a cute fairy. My favorite costume at the school was Beatle Juice. He just took a black suit and used medical tape to make the stripes...GENIUS! anyway...Happy Trick or Treating!

PUMPKIN CARVING 2010

Ok. Toby was sooo cute. He wanted to help. He sat in Leanna's lap watching her the whole time! We carved pumpkins as a family and watched Nightmare before Christmas. It was a fun evening. Krista fell asleep on the couch. She has been in rehearsals for her school production all week. Happy Halloween!

First snow and a new niece...LAYLA JANE

October 26, 2010. BEFORE HALLOWEEN!!!! I am so not ready for snow again. Yes, it's pretty, I just wish it was just at Christmas time. I would rather hold this precious angel...Layla Jane Foust. My sister Ashna had a beautiful new addition October 12th. I wish I could hold her soooo bad.