Happy Birthday Austin!

This boy turned double digits in December....10 years old!  Gosh how time flies!

He is all around just a great kid! For the most part he is easy going, has a positive attitude, helpful, mild tempered, listens and obeys, and puts up with the drama, emotions, and high-pitched screams and crying of three younger sisters. He is a good student at school. He never gets into trouble and is a good friend. He does his work and gets good grades. He is smart especially in math and spelling. He never brings his spelling words home to practice and always aces the test. He doesn't really love to read but just finished reading the first Harry Potter book which is the only book I have actually seen him pick up on his own to read without me nagging him about reading. He enjoyed it and is now reading the 2nd book. Austin enjoys being outside playing sports. He likes to jump on the trampoline, ride his new ripstick, or throw the football, but his favorite is soccer. He loves playing soccer and will kick the ball around any chance he gets. He also enjoys playing his kindle and computer games. He enjoys watching football and basketball games with his dad especially cheering for OSU--his favorite. He likes spending time with his friends, especially his cousins in town.

For Austin's birthday this year he invited a few friends and we did a scavenger hunt and sleepover.

Ryan, Connor, Klayton, Austin, and Will

The first clue led them to our some rocks in our neighborhood

Working together to solve the next clue

It led us to this tree at Sooner Park

From there we ended up at the Baseball fields

Then to the soccer fields

That clue led them to Papa John's where we picked up dinner.

The clue at Papa John's sent us to my parents house to eat.

Then we ended up at this cannon at Johnstone Park

Followed by the grounds at ConocoPhillips

Solving the clue

Finding the clue hiding at Dinosaur Park

The last clue led them to the treasure chest which they found at the Duck Pond.

And what more could a boy want then a treasure box filled with candy!!

After our hunt was over we went back to the house and had cake and ice-cream followed by a sleepover! It was a super fun night!

Austin was pretty excited about getting these X-box games he has been wanting for his birthday.

Happy Birthday Austin! We love you so much!

I'm A Big Girl Now

December was a big month for Brooklyn.....

First she got big girl underwear and learned how to use the potty!!!

I pulled out the candy machine for incentives and it worked like a charm!

She caught on fast and is doing awesome!

Then she got her first haircut. She was super excited about it too.

I loved Brooklyn's curls but they had grown out and now were only on the bottom and her hair. Plus her hair was getting so long that it was finally time to just do it.

Brooklyn sat perfectly still and enjoyed every minute of it.And she had the best hairdresser!

(her aunt Dayleigh)

I think we cut off a good 3-4 inches.

Super cute girl!!!

Light the World

Every year I worry about what I can do to help the kids focus on the true meaning behind Christmas. This year the church proposed the "Light the World" challenge...encouraging us to light the world in 25 ways over 25 days by serving and following the example of Jesus Christ! It was perfect. I didn't take pictures of everything we did but here are some of them....

"Jesus Showed Compassion and So Can You"

We picked a name of an Angel Tree and bought Christmas gifts for that child.

The kids also picked out a toy they don't really need and donated them to a Santa Shop for kids.

"Jesus Worshiped Through Song and So Can You"

I participated in the Nativity choir concert singing for the mixed choir and a women's ensemble. I love the spirit that music can bring to help you remember Christ this time of year.

"Jesus Helped Others to See and So Can You"

Austin and Mikayla donated their old pair of eye glasses to the Lion's club who uses them to help others who can't afford them sometimes sending them to kids oversees.

"Jesus Healed the Sick and So Can You"

We took homemade chicken noodle soup to someone who was sick.

"Jesus Visited the Lonely and So Can You"

We participated in Christmas caroling with Craig's mom who every year takes goodie plates and sings carols to her neighbors, some nearby grandma's, and we also stopped to sing for a church member who had recently lost his wife.

The kids always enjoy getting to do this!

And it was the first time caroling for these babies!

"Jesus Taught Others and So Can You"

We had the kids each take a turn to teach a story from the scriptures.

"Jesus Cared For His Loved Ones and So Can You" 

The kid's cousins come into town without their parents several days before Christmas. All the family in town did a great job helping to take care of them. On this day they were hanging out at our house and joined us for dinner.

"Jesus Taught Us to Clothe the Naked and So Can You"

We donated clothes that we don't wear anymore.

"Jesus Showed Gratitude and So Can You"

We gave thank-you gifts to our mailman, the bus driver, and the kid's school teachers.

I really enjoyed doing this and it helped us focus not so much on the getting but on the giving!

Elf on the Shelf

Our elf Molly made her appearance back on December 1st.

The first week or two she traveled around to different places in the room, sometimes getting stuck in a spot for a couple days. Oops! Mikayla made the comment "our elf is kind of boring." (HaHa!)

Molly must have been offended by that statement. She decided to spice things up a little after that!Making friends with Elsa

Note said "Don't look! I'm taking a bubble bath!"

And on the Christmas Eve morning the kids found Molly inside this jar with a note that said "Today is my last day here until next year so I want to spend as much time with you as I can. Just take me with you wherever you go and I will make sure to tell Santa all the nice things I saw you do today!"

So that's what we did. Molly came in the car, went to the store with us, over to Grandma and Grandpa house and went looking at Christmas lights around town too!

Thank you Molly for being a fun elf!