The following is a Christmas article written for the Diether Gazette.

Random tidbits:  Ammon has been rebuilding boat engines.  It was an exciting day when he started an engine!  Kimball, Calvin, Logan and Bridget all got great report cards!  Eigen has 3 teeth and 3 more about to burst through.  Poor guy is getting 6 teeth within 3 weeks.  Yikes.  Eigen has discovered clapping his hands and playing peek-a-boo.  He also is walking along walls and furniture, watch out world he is about to take over!  He is an eating machine; loves food, not baby food.  Sterling is my great helper.  Loves to watch Super Why and play computer.  Bridget is really into watching She-Ra.  She loves Kindergarten and wears a dress pretty much everyday.  Thank goodness for leggings to keep her warm.  Busy as always.

Last Sunday eve we enjoyed watching the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.  There were many distractions, for instance the sound on the TV would come and go thanks to Eigen’s busy little hands pulling on all the cables, so President Uchtdorf’s message really hit home to me.  He commented that our efforts for a picture perfect Christmas do not always turn out.  He said, “Christmas is really about the Christ…we, like the Wise Men of old, should seek the Christ and lay before Him the most precious of gifts: a broken heart and a contrite spirit. We should offer Him our love….emulate His example, and to go about doing good.”  He went on to say, “we can rejoice even in the imperfections of the season.”  Let me share, and rejoice, in some of the fun times we have had at this wonderful time of the year.

We finally decorated the Christmas tree on Dec. 3rd (need I mention the much impatience and nagging). There is something beautiful and magical of the twinkling lights and decorated tree.  We put our tree in the corner this year, with not many decorations too low.  We only had two ornament casualties during the decorating.  Eigen enjoyed dancing to the music and trying to get all of the baubles!

I wanted to go to a live nativity.  It happened to be the coldest night ever, but amongst grumbling and a sad baby, we did not let the cold stop us.  Kimball really liked petting the camel and donkey.  Bridget, Sterling and Eigen were a bit unsure and kept a safe distance from the animals.  Inside, we got to see a large display of Nativities from around the world.  It turned out to be a nice evening.

I look forward to the kids having a week off of school before Christmas.  I hope to have more fun, probably not picture perfect, yet fun times together.  My goal is to remember that “Christmas is really about the Christ” and to be more like my Savior.  Merry Christmas to all.

We had a great Thanksgiving.  Good times with family.  Plenty of fabulous food.  For the most part happy children.  I feel very blessed.

Bridget loved the pies…but most of all the whip cream.

Happy

The kids sang songs for a little program.  Eigen really loved the music.

This year the sisters made snowman cubes for the craft.  Easy fun crafty time.

And…since I never posted it…here is 2010 Thanksgiving too!

At the temple for Breezy and Gabel’s wedding

The reception

Lyde discovery museum

We all loved the bubbles

Shooting, but it was too cold for some of us.  I sat in the car with Bridget and Sterling.

and, of course, plenty of computer time for the boys!

Family is the best.  I am thankful for such wonderful family.  I love to spend time together!

We enjoyed many halloween parties.  The kids loved dressing up.  The boys varied costumes, but Bridget always was in her pink to the toes dress.  She was a butterfly fairy, a princess, or whatever she wanted to be at the moment!  Sterling was Bob the builder, and I wish you could hear him sing the theme song.  He is a cute little singer!

Monday July 5th we woke up really early and ventured to the hot air balloon festival.  We joined the masses of tired and sleepy people.  Thanks to Driel and Grandma we had donuts, bagels, fruit, water and life was pretty great again.  Being woken up is hard on some of the kids.  Sterling and Bridget thought it was great to get up and go bright and early.  The hot air balloons were impressive up close, and very exciting to watch in the sky.  The kids, especially Sterling, really loved the pink pig!  Notice we all needed jackets in July, unusually cool morning!

After a pizza lunch we had the best water fight ever!  Logan had us save empty milk jugs just for this water fight.  Justin and Ammon taught us the fine art of how to drench someone with the spray from a milk jug.  This is not for the faint hearted…some opted to stay safe on the deck and toss a few  water bombs.  I was a bit wet, so I didn’t catch any action pics!

a needed refill of the jugs.

Justin taught Bridget and Logan the joys of eating caramel ice cream topping by the fingerful!

There’s always room for ice cream!

Bridget went shopping with Justin to get the pizza and ice cream.  She was very excited that Justin let her choose some of the food…what a little shopper.

April started with Easter/General Conference weekend.  The following week was spring break, the kids enjoyed lots of fun festivities.

Maybe it was just waking up from his nap, or maybe the idea of painting eggs was too much, or who really knows why, but Sterling was not in the mood to color eggs and have his picture taken.  He has some great facial expressions.

Bridget loved the eggs, pink of course was her favorite.

Logan sharing a debonair smile for the camera.

It is tricky to get pics of Kimball and Calvin…they like to hide or be goofy!  It is great to be young boys!

Sterling enjoyed the easter egg hunt at grandma’s house with many of the Rowbury cousins.  The basket made a great necklace and hat.

One day of spring break we went to Kangaroo zoo.  We jumped and went on slides to our hearts content.  Sterling even loved the really big slides…with moms help.

Kimball “smiles” for the camera at Kangaroo zoo.

New Sunday clothes.  Bridget has been wearing her new dress for months…but now the boys are looking sharp too.  I am getting better at tying ties.

Sterling looking stellar too.

Merry Christmas.  Logan was the first to wake up, just before 7…so not too early.  We had to wake Dad and Sterling at 7:30, we were anxious for the fun to begin!

Logan checking out all the presents.

Bridget getting in on the excitement.

Sterling still trying to wake up.  The candy was enticing, but opening presents was a bit much to get excited about.

Wow, Presents!

We opened almost all the presents…and then the kids were done.  We just waited 10-15 minutes while the kids played with their toys, until someone finally said, “let’s open the family presents”  a new PS3 and game “little big planet.”

Calvin with his Bakugan and traps all put together…so cool!

Kimball playing his new games.  He got a Didj (said like fridge).

Sterling posing for the camera after a fun bubble bath.  Bridget got a bath time Dora castle, so Logan, Bridget, and Sterling all needed to play in the bath.

Logan’s marble racer creation.

Logan building his Lego snowman.

Sterling cruising around the house in style.

The kids played so well all day.

Bridget with her bling…all ready for bed.

Merry Christmas and good night.

Feel the excitement, the children were bursting with energy here at our home.  Grandma and Grandpa Rowbury came for a short visit and some fun presents.  We had dinner time followed by acting out the Christmas story, and getting ready for bed…nobody went to sleep very fast.

Mary (Bridget) and Joseph (Calvin) gazing at the baby Jesus in the manger.  Kimball, Logan and Mom filled in the other parts, and Dad was narrator.

After the nativity play, the kids got to open their pj present.  Say hello to the pirate pals and their pirate princess.

Now off to bed so Santa can come!

We had a fun Thanksgiving day.  It was a first for us….gathering with family, but not traveling…we had a 5 minute drive to the Rowbury festivities at Michael and Laura’s home.  I enjoyed spending the day together, eating too much delicious food, and having fun.

Kimball, Calvin, Logan, Bridget and Sterling wishing you all a happy Thanksgiving…but please no more pictures!

Sterling taking a turn in Grandpa Rowbury’s arms.  This is the first time, that I can remember, that Sterling has snuggled and let Dad hold him.