Christmas Sunday

Christmas Sunday is one of my favorite days. This year it was the first day I was finally able to feel the spirit of Christmas. We went to church and had a beautiful program in sacrament meeting. Jeff, Emma and I were all in the choir this year which was fun. We came home and Olivia and I made treats while Emma read Christmas books to Jeff. Then we all gathered in the family room to watch a movie together. To end the night we had friends drop by to visit. As we were gathering for prayer and scriptures that night, I mentioned to the kids how I really felt the true spirit of Christmas that day and it was because of the feelings felt while talking of and singing about Christ in church and then bringing that spirit home with us. What was neat was they could all feel it too and they recognized they could feel it because it was a more Chirst centered day. It was a beautiful day.

Christmas - Time Fun

I am not sure why, but I decided I would work over Christmas break at Deseret Book. As it got closer to Christmas and life got busier, I felt like I was missing out on a lot at home with the kids.Thankfully, Jeff was able to be home for the kids a lot while I was gone. He was a great help and was doing what he could so that I could enjoy the holiday and feel the spirit of it as much as possible. I told him my favorite part of this job was when he would drive me in and pick me up just because and when he would come in to visit me because he missed me. He was cute and I love him even more for it.

Not that I don't take pictures anyway of things we do, but this time I wanted to get pictures so that I could remember what we were able to do together this Christmas even though I wasn't around as much as I would have liked to have been.

Every year the kids choose a siblings name to buy a present for(they all agreed they could get a better present if they only had to buy for one). They love it and it is now the present that gets opened Christmas Eve instead of the pajamas from mom and dad. Here they all are heading in to Target.

We have a brand new tradition thanks to Cherie Bakow. We started a twelve days of Christmas books( although Cherie does one for every day in December). I wrapped up the books and each night a child was able to open one. That child would then read that Christmas book to us. This is Madi reading Red-Headed Robbies Christmas Story to us - love this book.


Annual gingerbread house decorating


Madi's photo fun


We went to the Davis girls basketball alumni game. Gerald is a wealthy local man who does a lot for the basketball team. he puts on this fun day full of food, presents for everyone and of course the alumni game.

The girls at the game with just a few presents so far.


Madi and friends

one present table


lunch at the game


Gerald gave all the B.B. girls a Snuggie.


Since we live so far from friends and family now, we have to start new traditions. This new one is going to see the latest Christmas movie on "Christmas Adam"(the day before Christmas Eve). We saw The Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey. It was very well done.


My girls did a lot a baking for me while I was gone. On this day they made, peanut butter kiss cookies, fudge and rocky road. I guess this picture isn't something we did together but I wish it was.

Cool Colt

Emma was called to the office the other day at school. She received a Cool colt award for helping a friend from her class who is in special ed. She wasn't feeling well during lunch so Emma helped her and took her to the office. Nothing new for Emma, she is always helping and doing nice things for others. Her teachers at school and church love her because she is such a good helper. I am told this every year by her teachers. We love Emma in our family.

Christmas Formal 2009

Madi went to her first Christmas formal and this dance was with a guy that she actually really enjoyed going with. Usually the girls go with whomever from school just to go with a group for fun. Taven is in our ward but goes to a different school. Madi, Mikayla and Hollie were not planning on going to the dance but some of the basketball girls talked Madi into going with them. She asked Taven and they had a fun, memorable time.

Olivia's Christmas recital

Olivia had her first recital with her new dance company. She had fun being a part of it and we enjoyed watching her perform. unfortunately, only Taylor and I were able to go. It was on Madi and Mikayla's birthday so they were out to dinner with Jeff, Emma was at basketball practice, can't remember where Jeffrey was but only Taylor and I were home. It was a busy day for everyone but I would not have missed being there for Olivia for anything.

She has her boots on ready to head back out in the snow.

Seventeen

WOW! I can't believe I have seventeen year olds. That seems so old. Not that they seem so old but that I do. They have always been such a joy to have in the family. So fun to be around and such great helpers. I hope they have a fabulous seventeenth year.

All my teenagers. Three of my own and two adopted. Kenny and Hollie came over to have cake and ice cream on the night of their birthday after Jeff took them out to dinner.

This was so cute. Madi made this shirt for Mikayla to wear to school the day of their birthday - of course with Madi's basketball number on the back...

and "It's my birthday on the front".

Silly boys.

In the morning Olivia and Emma set their alarm clock so they could get up early enough to see the girls open their presents from them before they left for school. 

I had some whipped cream that I bought for hot chocolate but they had other ideas for what to do with it.

Saturday- Last Day of Fun Thanksgiving Weekend

The last day the Hoopes were here we took a trip down to Cabela's with the younger kids. All the older kids were on a date and Jeffery was at a friend's home watching the big game - BYU vs. UofU. We listened to it on the radio while driving to Cabela's. It was a good game and fun to listen to while we were in the car. Cabela's is only a sporting goods store but you can make a day out of the things they have to do in there.

Love all the animals they have around the store.

Yummy snacks upstairs to munch on.

Fun shooting range upstairs also.

It is a tradition to watch Scrooged with my siblings every Christmas, or at least it was before we moved. Lots of yummy junk food is always on the menu. Since Mena and Richard were up we had our scrooged night with them.

The older kids came back from their date and hung out and played games for a while. I think it was a fun, relaxing day for all.

Fun Times

Madison and Mikayla had a fun time Saturday night. All these teenagers lived in Antelope, California together. Now, we live in Utah along with Greg Winter(behind Mikayla) and the others were up for the holiday weekend. Maddy and Mikayla got a couple other girls from our ward to join them and the boys took them out on a date. It was fun for Mena and I to see all these boys again because it has been a while. They are all great boys that come from great families. I miss seeing them and their families all the time.

Black Friday

Candice and Parker were in Utah having Thanksgiving with his sister so they came to visit us on Friday. We went to the church history museum together. Candice and Parker also went to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers museum to check out the family items that are on display there. It was nice having so much family in town - we thought we were going to be all alone this Thanksgiving.

Jeffrey, Aiden and Stone in front of the death masks of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. Kind of creepy but at the same time kind of neat too because it brings history to life - especially where you can see the damage done to Hyrum's nose from the bullet.

Beds families would sleep on( and I mean one family per bed) while on boats coming to America.

Newly returned missionary Richard preaching to the congregation.

They had a lot of creches on display at the museum. I thought some were very unique.

I wish I could add lipstick to some of these photos.

Can you believe we still call this 6'5" young man "Little Richard"?

He would not have fared well back in the day. I guess everyone was a little smaller in the 1800's.

Richard came home from his mission 4 days before Thanksgiving. Mena is happy to have him home.

While the hoopes were visiting Hillary(Richard's sister) and her family, we had eggnog and watched Elf as a family - one of our favorite Christmas movies.