Merry Christmas 2010!

We have been having a lot of fun this holiday season. The kids were in a Nativity program at the Church. Harker was a Shepard and Hyrum was an angel. Natalie was a little child who was supposed to be sitting at the feet of "her parents" but instead sprawled out all over the floor. We decorated sugar cookies and delivered them to some brave and lucky souls who hopefully really liked mounds of sprinkles on their cookies. We took our annual trip to the dollar store where we waited in the car while Harker and Hyrum carefully spent their six dollars on the family, picking out one present for each family member. They had fun taking turns wrapping their treasures at the dining room table while every six seconds or so warning the other kids not to come out of their rooms. We have spent a countless amount of time putting ornaments back on the tree that we have found all over the house thanks to a certain two year old. The aformentioned tot has also spent plenty of time rearranging the presents and has only made one successful attempt at opening a present. Yes, Brad now knows my mom got him some slippers. The kids have made their lists and checked them way more than twice. Brad hung lights outside and I have promised him fudge, I still have a few more days to make good on the deal! Merry Christmas everyone!

Journal Update

I am long overdue for a post but I have misplaced my camera charger and I don't like to post without pictures. I will have to hurry and get serious about finding it as I am missing some good stuff! A lot has happened in the last month. We went down to El Paso for Thanksgiving and enjoyed spending time with mom and dad. We also did a lot of shopping. Midnight on Thanksgiving found Mom, Brad and I at Wal-Mart amid the chaos. I actually had a great time walking around laughing at everyone. I must say that being tall has its advantages when you are grabbing and reaching amid a sea of people, specially when you are in El Paso and almost everyone is short. Harker and Hyrum performed in their school's holiday program at the high school. Hyrum sang two songs with his class and looked smashing in his green shirt and sparkling green bow-tie. Harker was one of only a few fourth graders that were invited to audition with the fifth graders for speaking parts. He was chosen and assigned to be a child in a poor Jewish family. He attended practice a couple times a week after school for several weeks. He had a few lines to say with his family and he also was chosen to share the history of Hanukkah. It was quite a long piece, and I am very proud of him as he memorized every word and delivered it magnificently in front of several hundred people. Brad's Grandma Maynerich has had quite a few health problems this last month. We found out while we were away for Thanksgiving that she had been life flighted to Albuquerque for heart trouble. Then she came home on oxygen and antibiotics. Just this last week she started having more trouble and she ended up having her gall bladder removed. She is recovering now and hopefully things will settle down for her. I have been very busy with my calling in the Primary. I am trying to get all the binders ready for next year. The church has changed a few things and that means I have a few extra things to get done this year. We finally took Nathan out of his crib and closed a chapter in our lives. We have had a crib in our house for almost ten years. Nathan was not too happy about it and we had to put cool car sheets on Harker's old bed to get him to stop saying.."Stupid bed..I want my crib...that's not my bed, it's just Harker's stupid bed." I was trying to keep him in the crib until we could get a better bed for Harker but it was driving me crazy that he could get out of it by himself but he could not get back in (especially cumbersome in the middle of the night!). So, we pulled in the futon from the sun room and Harker thinks he has won the lottery. He views graduating from the bunk bed as a major right of passage.

Busy Weekend

Mom came for the long Veteran's Day Weekend. We had a fun time, but no pictures were taken. A few of the highlights: we went shopping, made Navajo tacos, watched mom watch the Alabama football game, mom took the boys to Megamind, and Brad, mom and Katie went gun shopping and then went to the range to shoot Katie's new gun. I had to leave for a spell as I attended the world wide leadership training, a baby shower and a baptism on Saturday. Mom took off for ElPaso as we were headed to church on Sunday. Sunday evening I also attended the Priesthood Preview. It was a busy weekend.

Santa's Revenge

Every weeknight before the boys have to go to sleep they get to read for 30 minutes in bed. Last week Hyrum asked if he could write a story instead. I was intrigued so I told him he could if he did it in his bed. He took a few pieces of computer paper and stapled them together, grabbed a pen and climbed to the top bunk. He proceeded to do this for the rest of the week. He presented me with the finished product and I told him I would type it up in my blog journal so we would always have it. He even typed out a couple of pages on his own before he passed it on to me. Anyway, I thought the story was cute and I am so excited he is passionate enough about writing to keep on the same story for the whole week at such an early age. I also have to add that this story is typical Hyrum. He has never really liked the idea of Santa. He never sleeps well on Christmas Eve, no, not because of the anticipation, because he does not like the idea of someone coming into our home in the middle of the night!!!




Santa’s Revenge
By Hyrum Mangum
Age: 7
We all know that Santa goes around the world giving presents. But this year he’s steeling!!! Not steeling his presents he’s taking children!!! Instead he leaves his elves. Let’s get to the story. One night I went to the living room and then something grabbed me and shoved me into a bag and left the house. And then I felt sky sick. And then I peeked out and I was in a bag and riding a one horse open sleigh. Then I went to sleep. When I woke up I was being dragged in a bag. Then I felt ok. Then I figured out who was dragging me. Santa. I knew it was him because he looked in the bag it freaked me out. Then I jumped out of the bag and punched Santa. Then ran for the sled. I was too late. Santa grabbed me and shoved me in the bag again. I tried to escape but he grabbed me again. Then I gave up as he was dragging me to a light and it got brighter and brighter. Then I peeked out and I saw Santa’s workshop. Then he made me work and make toys. Then when I had turned five I planned an escape. So I decided to start it by getting in the work office and then I knocked him out. Then ran for the exit and made it! I flew back home. The End!!!

Natalie's Christmas List

Now that Halloween is over, my kids are all about Christmas. Harker made his list a couple of days ago and Natalie has been bugging me to help her make hers. Yesterday her Grandma Mangum came over and Natalie asked her to write it down since her mother keeps putting her off. So, Grandma wrote down the three things Natalie wants on a piece of notebook paper. Natalie carried it around all evening, showing it to whomever would look and checking the list many times herself to make sure it was all still there. She slept with the list last night and proudly shared it again first thing this morning. I decided this meant enough to her to up the excitement a level. I made her a new and improved list this morning complete with pictures and her name printed in large red letters. She is over the moon.

Nathan's 2 Year Old Picture

Let Freedom Ring!

Halloween Party!

We did it again, we had another Halloween party. It was a lot of fun and everyone slept very well last night. Aunt Katie helped a lot and even came in costume! Make sure to check out her blog for more pics.

Spooky Breakfast

While I was getting ready this morning Bradley made his way to the kitchen and whipped up breakfast for the kiddos. They love their daddy- he makes everything sweeter!

Trunk or Treat

Last night was the Trunk or Treat at the church. They had a carnival inside and then we all went outside to fill buckets with candy. The kids had a blast of course!

Halloween FHE

Weekend with Grandma

Grandma had a long weekend and drove up to spend it with us. My camera is out of commission until I find my charger. I swiped her camera and here are some pics of the weekend. Thanks for coming mom!

Ballerina Natalie

Natalie has been playing ballerina most of the day. She hardly fits into the leotard so I am going to have to get a new one soon. She tries to get Nathan to dance with her and it works most of the time for at least a few minutes until he goes to find a ball or a car instead.

Two Years Worth of Love...and HARD WORK!

Brad took some time off work last week to work on our house. He added some paint and siding (to work he has done over the last two years) to get us where we are now. It is a work still in progress but I am pretty excited about how far we've come. Thanks go out to Ethan, Grandpa Bart and the Home Depot. I get to brag on my husband for a moment, he has done it all except for the roof (which was part of the home buying negotiations). He did the windows, garage door, siding, door hanging, painting, landscaping (did you note the missing tree?) etc. Yeah Brad!

Happy Birthday to Grandma!

Happy Birthday mom! I was sitting here going through all my pictures trying to find a good picture for my post. Natalie was "helping" me and insisted we use this birthday picture from last year. I tried to persuade otherwise her but she was firm in the use of this one. "Does she know it's her birthday mom?, don't tell her and then when she sees this picture she will be so surprised that it's her birthday!, Oh, it will be so great!" So--SURPRISE!!! It's your birthday mom! Natalie says, "I love you grandma, do you like your cake?"

Too tired to finish!

I had started cleaning off the table and came back from the kitchen to find my baby plum tuckered out.