Awards Ceremony

I got an invitation to an awards ceremony at Gavin and Asher's school. I didn't know they would actually get an award. I was just glad they both got one. I didn't know how I was going to explain to one twin that he wasn't a loser because his brother got an award and he didn't. They just automatically assume such things.

Aunt Tammy

Aunt Tammy came to visit again! We love our Aunt Tammy. These pictures are us at the Moose's Tooth. It's probably the most popular restaurant in Anchorage. It's a pizza place. They brew their own beer AND their own root beer and cream soda. They are to DIE for! The pizza is really different. Not all of them have marinara sauce. Jared got one that was Thai. The sauce was peanut paste or something with carrots and bean sprouts on it. Not really my cup of tea. I got one with whole cloves of garlic and sundried tomatoes and chicken. SOOOOOO good! I also got ham and pineapple. The pineapple is fresh, yes fresh, and the ham is smoked.

Unfortunate Event

Gavin and Asher lost a tooth the same day. That's not the unfortunate event. The unfortunate event was that Gavin swallowed his on accident. So I cut a tooth out of white paper for him to stick under his pillow instead. He wasn't very happy about it and was afraid the Tooth Fairy wouldn't accept his offering but she did and left everyone a certificate for one Happy Meal at McDonalds. Click here to see why the Tooth Fairy leaves McDonalds certificates now.

Army Ball

The Army throws balls occasionally and you get to dress up and eat steak. It's fun. This is our second one.
Here's us taking a picture of ourselves.

Here's all the people that came. I love looking at all the different dresses. I feel bad for the girls in the Army because they have to wear their Army uniform. That's no fun.

Here's our table.

Someone took a picture of us. We also got professional photos. We decided to do a silly pose. Jared is making a funny face and I look tough and ready to tear someone apart.

This is one of our best friends Chief Rueben Robles. His wife couldn't come because she's pregnant and was sick. :o(

Here's Jared with some of his co-workers. We had a great time and left before everyone got drunk and started to embarass themselves. Honestly! I am so glad I don't drink.

-25 degrees

They say life is all relative and I am here to confirm that statement. It's been -25 degrees here. It's so cold when I touch the mailbox it feels like my hand just got burned. I had to wear mittens to get the mail.

Today it was 14 degrees and it felt like a heat wave! Everyone was so happy. People were out running and walking their dogs. A forty degree difference is huge even if it's only to 14 degrees.

I love my sister!

So I read this in the December Ensign:

Four Tips for Family Night
By Deann Starkey

Participation
Even the youngest of our four children seemed to want a “job” for family home evening. We made a chart that allowed for each family member to be in charge of something each week and hung it in our dining room. At the end of family home evening, we rotated each name to a new responsibility. This way, we all knew ahead of time what we needed to do to be ready the next week. This increased participation, provided structure for the evening, and created a more reverent atmosphere.


I thought it was a great idea and wanted to start doing that in our home. I thought, "I wish I had one of those cute little signs to hang on my wall. But I don't and don't know how to get one so I'll make a little chart out of paper."

Then to my surprise on Chritmas came this!

From my sister Cara. And I LOVE it.

So I went to Target to buy a white board to put under it so I could have a "chalkboard" for teaching. We use it every night for scripture study and the boys are so much more involved because they get to draw the scripture story.

Thank you Cara! I love you!

Lifting Weights

I walk into the kitchen and find Corbin on the counter like this.
Me: Whatcha doin'?
Corb: Exercising, lifting weights.
With two cans of baked beans.

Gravy In the Sink

Corbin comes running up stairs and says:

"Mom, Asher just threw-up in the sink instead of in the toilet!"

Asher responds (from downstairs, yelling over running water) "No I did not throw up!"

Corbin: "Then what you did, spit up gravy?"

This is one of those times when nuance (and grammar) rule the moment. Thow-up or gravy, I hope the sink is ok.

Army Boys

Grammy and Grandpa Speaks bought the boys army outfits for Chirstmas but they were out of stock. The kids took their gift cards in today and got them. They thought they were big stuff paying for their own merchandise. So here are all of my Army men. I am so in love with each one of them!

Time Warp

I found these two at the kitchen table the other day. I thought it was so cute, the storm trooper discussing the world with the U.S. Army guy. Wonder what their conversation was about?

Date Night

This will be one of my favorite date night memories. Jared lighted a fire and made us hot cocoa. We played Scrabble by the fire until 1:00a.m. Jared's parents got us into Scrabble while they were visiting over Christmas. I have memorized all of the legal q words. Well the ones not needing u and are five letters or less. I am a die hard now.

Snow Fort

It's -3 outside but sometimes you just have to get out of the house! Yesterday we got out by going to McDonalds. Jared and I played Scrabble while the kids played for 2 and 1/2 hours. Today we made a snow fort.

Here's the view of the mountains from our backyard.

Here's Dad in the process of making the fort.

Fort is done and now it's time to move in.






I took a turn inside the fort, got claustrophobic, started to hyperventilate and promplty left. No Eskimo living for me.

We sprayed it with water on the inside so in a couple of days it'll be a permanent structure.

Christmas Day

Santa is such a cool guy. Here's Asher with his new Nerf gun long shot. Santa also brought a sled. A nice expensive one I might add.



Corbin got Asher a Ninja set.


Nana K got Asher a new lightsaber. This one is spring loaded. It lights up and makes the cool sound that all lightsabers make.

Gavin got Corbin a search and find Christmas book. Corbin loves those kinds of books.

Grammy and Grandpa got Corbin a new puzzel. They also got all the boys their own ACUs. That's an army outfit JUST like Jared's. They were all sold out so Grammy and Grandpa got them all a gift card for when they come in.

Santa brought Corbin a Nerf gun longshot as well as a marshmellow gun.

Mamaw and Papdaddy got Corbin a new spring loaded lightsaber with a storm trooper costume.

Nana K and Gramps got Corb his very own digital camera. Corbin loves taking pictures.

Gavin got models to make from Asher.

He also got a lightsaber from Nana K and Gramps.

Mamaw and Papdaddy got the twins a laser tag game and an electricity kit.

Karen made me a table runner that was amazing. I loved all the detail on it so I took a lot of close ups.






This stitching on the star is my favorite. I just love it!