Winter frost

Brrrr. We woke up this morning to a beautiful sight. It was totally frosted all over the tree's. It looks like a winter wonderland. Except for actually having to go outside today, it's a picture perfect day. So i dragged Paris out to take a few pictures with such a pretty background.

The ICE RINK!

It's done, and i do belive It was worth all the time Brad put into it and the discoragement he faced. They have been out there as much as they could today and are loving it!

Merry Christmas!

We had a super Christmas, Hope your's was as well!

Knox and his closest Cousin Emily holding hand/ eating her hand

Mmmmm Christms Eve food

Crakers

Cheese

Meat

Veggies

Soup

Italian soda's

The nativity put on by Brody, Paris and Foxx

Christmas Popper Crowns and chocolate face

I asked everyone what there favorite gift was so here they are.....

Knox's favorite is his sock Monkey he hugs and hugs it and giggles

Brad Loves his new Olympics Jacket and his Oilers Puck (for his new rink) and a key finder.

Paris Loves everything and could not pick just one so her favorite is her new webkin and her Lipgloss.

(If i new it was that easy to please her we would have just got her that for a total of $10)

B's of course is his new Goalie helmet

Pretty sweet it's a hamburger if you can't tell

And Mine are my new PJ's and my new coat that i love love love!

And Foxx Favorite is his new Puffer vest and pearls.

Merry Christmas to everyone and hope you have a safe and happy new year.

Merry Christmas

Last night the kid's and i went out delivering the Neighbor gifts around. The kid's asked if there was a extra one to pixie. We had talked about it before but there is one particular house in town that has the most fabulous Christmas Lights. We drive by every night to take a peek at them and the kid's being in the Christmas spirit wanted to give them something with a note that said how much we enjoy them every year. So out we went well it was just me and the Big kid's but soon we decided Dad was a much better Runner then Mom so we dropped me off and picked up Brad and out they went. They came home shortly after saying what a success it was. It was so fun to see the kid's excitement and to hear it in there voices. Brody kept repeating how good it felt and he was glad these people would know how much we liked there lights.

So at about 10pm we got a knock on our door. Brad had been in and out because he's flooding his rink (eye roll) So i jumped up assuming it was him and that he had locked himself out (cause we do that at our house), and pulled open the door and there was nobody there. Just a bag. Well to make it a good story i have to expand and apologize to who ever it was cause again i was assuming it was Brad cause who else would come at 10 at night? so i was in my undies (i had a long shirt on but just my blazing white undies under) So if your wondering why i closed the door really fast and then just stuck my hand out that's why. So i pulled in a large bag and opened it up and pulled out a card.

I read the card, It was a wonderful card and brought tears to my eyes. I called Brad in from flooding the rink(eye roll) and had him read it. We both sat there dumb founded and amazed at the generosity of people. The Note had said about reading this blog and the one particular entry, which i have to say i wrote it cause i wanted it to be something i would remember and if i write it on here it get`s in my yearly blog book, but i put no title on it, and as soon as i posted that one i posted a fun one right after so if people looked they would just see the fun one about baking. Anyways, my first thought was oh no they thought I was whining and someone felt sorry for us. But with much thought and tears we are so appreciative of your generosity and kindness and we feel so loved and cared about this Christmas season. To that someone who has shown us this kindness i just want to say to whoever our secret Santa is, Your generosity will be passed on next year the same way it was passed to us.

Brody's super Steller Monday

B had a super Monday. Coach Maxwell set up a practice for B's Team and had Mitch Maxwell and Tyler Hansen Who both Play in the WHL and his Brother who played in the NHL and coached. B was so excited he could hardly contain himself. Brad and B go to the Hurricanes games quite often and watch Mitch so it was so fun for B to get to skate with him and get some tips.

Oh and Notice B's Pad's, Glove and blocker. It's his new Pride and Joy

I can't wait till christmas when he get's his helmet.

Mmmmm old School

OK so i wanted to make Cracker jack's ever since Missy and i were talking about it last week. So I got the few things together we need and then asked Mom to borrow here Popcorn popper, Hmmmmm mom did not have one so we asked Wolsey's Hmmmmmm They did not have one, Well thank heavens for Grandma Carol! She had one along with popcorn seed's. I never realize how hard it was to come by a regular (old school) popcorn popper. I also never realized how thrilling it was for the kid's to watch the popcorn being popped oh the little things in life.

So long story short we got our popcorn popped and the Cracker jack cooked and mixed and baked, And by George they turned out just great. So i guess i got a little cocky and thought i could whip up come of Missy's super Stellar Carmel corn Hmmmmmmmmmm, I was wrong it sucked and Missy is still the queen!! I bow down to you Miss.




And this is why i dont Bake usually, Brad was sick so the kid's had a free for all and this is how the Living room turned out......


And again this is why i dont bake alot, Like Brad say's when i cook or bake it look's like a hurricane hit. I just can't cook neatly.

This Past weekend we've had a huge loss in our ward and the town. Brother and Sister Kinneard moved here a year and a half ago but as soon as they got here they just dove right in and it seemed like they had been here forever. This past weekend they were involved in a fatal car accident.

Brother and Sister Kinneard were B's Cub Leaders, for the short time B was in cub's they made a huge impact on him, I could not bring myself to tell him until Saturday afternoon. He was so upset he cryed and cryed. This is his first touch of mortality that he's had in his life. It gave us a great teaching moment. I pulled up a picture of the Kinneard family on the computer (i did pictures for them last march when the whole family was together and i still had them on my computer) and explained to Brody who we were praying for it was the family here on earth because Brother and Sister Kinneard were so happy to be were they are and to be together. Also that Heavenly Father needed them.

It's such a hard time of year to have such a great loss and everyone felt it. I was unable to go to sacrament meeting today because Paris was sick, Brad said it was a sad sad meeting. Brad came home after he did his singing because he was sick as well and I was just going to stay home but realized i need to go to as much church as i could today, Even if it was just to feel a little comfort. And it worked I came home from Church feeling the comfort the i needed today.

I've learned so much about my Testimony this past weekend. I'm so grateful for my knowledge of the plan of salvation and I'm so grateful for family we have and the love we have for each other. I'm so grateful for the example the Kinneards set for us and especially for B. Today the Cub's all wore there uniform in honor of there leaders and B, though a bit emotional, was so proud to be a part of it. Again B was not in Cub's long but long enough to learn to fry a egg by himself as well as learn about skiing had a great Christmas party, They also had a Ski trip planned for Monday. The Kinneard's will be missed by the ward greatly but more so by there family who we are all praying for.

So the Past few week's I've been feeling sorry for myself because we are being held to a very very strict Budget for Christmas, Which we've been able to get the kid's there stuff but when it came to Brad and I we are not giving gift's, Which sounds dumb to be sad about but it made me so sad that i could not give Brad anything and that i could not even get new PJ's. But after the past event's I've come to realize this Christmas will be one of the Christmas that we remember the time we spent together and the act's of service that we've done because it was truly giving of ourselves since we put our Christmas money into that rather then Brad and I. I've decided that giving the kid's the opportunity to give service and to pixie other people and to do baking together to give to others is really more important then anything i could give to Brad or get for myself. So this year is going to be a memorable one not for what we've got but for what we have taught the kid's and the time we spend together. I'm so grateful for Brad and the kiddies, as well as our extended family.

The Annual Christmas Concert

Tonight was the Kid's Christmas concert at school tonight. It's a super exciting night for them. We have to drop them off at 6:30 then go find out seats and each year it gets harder and harder to find seats. The gym is really huge and it's packed full every year, So again this year we were right at the top. But it was still a good show. Blaze loved it and we loved that it was only a hour! Pictures turned out kinda crappy cause of the distance and light's but non the less you get the idea!

Merry Christmas Card's

OK here are the family's Christmas cards vote for your favorite!!!!




OK I'm totally kidding cause we are to late for sending out cards but i thought these pictures were kinda funny, I took them before church this past sunday. and yes we were early enough for a picture without brad totally going postal on me for pulling out the camera.

Tonight we made Cookies and decorated them. The kid's had so much fun and really stayed with it which i thought they would be bored so quick then they got to stay up and watch charlie browns Christmas after that they just had to watch how the Grinch stole Christmas then how could they possibly go to bed when Mr. Bean was going to be on! So to pass the time between the Grinch and Mr. Bean they watched frosty so it's now 2 hours passed there bed time and they are sitting beside me enjoying Mr. bean. I must be in the holiday spirit to let them stay up so late!



mmmmmmmmmmm

I'm Shocked

Not as Shocked as Knoxy seems in the previous picture but shocked non the less.

I'm am Shocked over and over today with many things.


#1 I was shocked that B actually cleaned up his closet. Not by choice but did not argue as much as usual, he also offered to feed Foxx!


#2. I am shocked that this guys is now potty trained!! No more diapers! And it could not have come at a better time! Now all the diaper money can pay for our new tires.


#3. I'm shocked that the kid's actually worked together to use up an entire roll of wrapping paper to wrap a present to play the unwrapping game. With 0 fights! Yes it's a Christmas miracle


#4 I'm shocked out of all the kid's toque why is it that Brad grabbed and chose to wear the first one he grabbed, Which is Paris? He usually Grabs Blazes Monkey one but alas i guess Paris was on top this time! I guess i need to buy him a toque!


#5 And finally im shocked that when it's Minus 1000 outside Brad thinks it's a good idea to be out there half the night flooding his rink, And now thinking it's ok to continue to do on the sabbath because the Bishop and him had a long involved conversation on the inportance of flooding it and being regular about it. So He said the bishop said it was ok. Meanwhile we freeze cause the water has to come from the house through the window.


My family keep's shocking me! And I love it!

Funny things...

Ok so the horrible day yesterday (see prev. post) resulted in a few funny moment that are funnier today then they were yesterday.

I took Mom and Dad's van up to pay all the car registration and our water bill before we got our tire bill. So i Pulled out of our driveway and right into a huge snowdrift. Uggggg. I screamed i was so mad so i got out and started digging myself out, and thank heavens for small towns a nice young man stopped and started helping me trying not to laugh at how stuck i was and shortly after a nice man with a truck pulled me out with his truck. But how embarrassing in the mean time. But kinda funny now to look at the tire marks i left in the snow drift.

Next so funny of thing was Paris this morning was rubbing Knox's head and Brody was playing with him and Brody said "oh that's so gross" referring to Knox's cradles cap, And Paris replied with a "No it's not B, It's just Cradles Crap". Brody and Me burst out laughing and Paris had no idea what we were laughing for.

And the next thing that made me giggle today. Paris whipped out Foxx Christmas outfit. Poor poor dog!

Crappy day that make you laugh?

Well that's not what happened yesterday. I spent most of the day in tears and feeling sorry for myself. Which in all honesty i think i was allowed. For a few night we have been having problems starting the Truck. Monday all day it would not start and Monday on Brad's way home from work he got a flat tire, So in negative i don't know what temp he changed out his tire and drove home on the donut. So we decided that night he would take the truck in and i would get the car up to charlie to fix the tire. So he jumped the truck and took it up town to fill it up with gas and then it would not start again so i got in the car left the sleeping kids and went to boost which might add it was so cold out the jumpers froze and broke so we had to buy another set. So the next morning it would not start again so Brad felt so bad that he left me with two disabled vehicles and 2 little ones at home in-24 weather with the windchill of -50. So thank heavens for Mom and Dad and a next door freind we got the truck up there and the car. So a hour later we get a phone call that they cannot fix the tire and all of them need to be replaced and the Same on the truck. Christmas is a bit tight this year anyway but slapping a $1100 bill on top of it only makes it more stressful.

So to the laughing part. Ok to tell you the truth I'm not laughing at all but i look around at what i have. And i realize the blessing's i have. I have a husband who has a job and works so hard at his regular job and then works extra job's to help out. I've got kid's who are so great they are making me laugh all the time. And when i take the time to listen to them they really are amazing people. I've got a cozy home. and a mom and a dad who will give up so much for us just to help us when we are down.

So all in all the positives of my life out way the negatives! The negatives just suck.

Happy Birthday to B

My Baby Boy is 8 years old! I can hardly believe how fast the time has gone by. He was born on a super super cold day in 2001 in Edmonton Alberta.

Well we were so happy to have him and most day's we are still happy to have him. He's such a loving boy with a great sense of humor. We love him and are so grateful to our heavenly father for blessing our family with him!

Here are a few pictures of his special day.
Birthday Breakfast

Playing outside in the huge amount of snow