BRRRRRR!

Well I was just getting ready for bed and watching the news when I saw the thermometer!! Whoah! as you can that is -15 not including the windchill factor which according to the news puts us at approximately -28 YIKES!!

SCOUT WORTHY

Aces has had the opportunity to be a scout leader with the explorer scouts hosted by the Sheriff's office for the past 3 years and has been instrumental in the programs growth over that time. It has launched from 2 kids to 17...boys and girls alike. It has been hard for him to delegate a lot of time to the program lately, and so about 6 months ago, he got an assistant leader who has also been fantastic. Because of the hard work he and Corbin have put in, they each received a District Award of Merit last night at our annual district scout banquet. This is the first time this award has ever been received by a member of law enforcement in our area. That is a BIG deal!
The explorer scout program is a lot of fun. It is for kids 14-18 who want to have fun and learn a little about law enforcement. They get to learn all sorts of thing such as 10 codes, arrest techniques, security techniques(they worked security at the scout jamborall last year which was a complete success), building searches, and ride alongs....basically anything it would take to be an officer!!! The hope is to get them excited about law enforcement with hopes that they will join the reserves when they are of age and later become an officer. That isn't always the case, but it is a great activity for kids to be involved in. Aces strongly believes in getting kids active in productive and worth while activities so they stay out of trouble, make great memories, and become productive members of society. I am so proud of all of his efforts with this program and hope that it continues to move up. Way to go! You are our every day hero!

DANCIN' THE NIGHT AWAY

Perhaps this isn't the best family night activity for a Sunday night, but this is one of my favorite things to do with my kids. We have so much fun cranking up the music and just get crazy dancing!


Moo had fun rocking out to "We Will Rock You."


Aces even got involved this time (usually he is just the DJ) and Chunkabear snapped a quick photo to capture the moment forever.


Pal bit his tongue early on in the fun so pulled out of the festivities before the camera came out. We'll catch him next time!



This is one of the many beautiful dresses Moo has for the season thanks to Grandma S. We love you Grandma! Thanks for the beautiful dresses and the excuse to hit the boutiques for some great hair accessories!

MEI'S FIRST ADVENTURE IN THE SNOW

We've had a lot of snowy days here, but I have yet to let Mei venture out into the cold...mainly because I know the daunting task of dressing a 1 year old in snow clothes. We were having great success until her second boot....10 minutes later, she was ready to go out! There were many squeals of delight and many squeals of "Help, I can't get up!" but overall, it was a success! Her final squeal came when I made her come inside. Here are some more pics of her first adventure in the snow.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

This year was a hard Christmas for me. I worked so many long nights that I hardly felt like it was Christmas at all. I came home from work Christmas morning (my 3rd night on in a row) hoping beyond all hope that I could grab an hour of sleep before getting up with the kids. Unfortunately, Pal was already up on the couch beaming at the presents with great anticipation! So much for some shut eye! Since he was up, I woke everyone else up and the festivities began. It was a magical morning for the kids. And I'm sure it was a magical day for them too, but I had to duck out at 8:00 and get some sleep. I am a bit broken hearted still to think of all the little moments I know I missed and all the memories I could have made with them and Aces, but am so grateful for what I was able to be apart of. I am even more grateful to my dear husband for stepping up and taking care of my family for those 3 days and nights of work so I could sleep. He was and ever is my knight in shining armor! Thanks Grandma's and Grandpa's and others for the wonderful and most thoughtful gifts sent. We appreciate every thought and kindness. Maybe one year we'll break tradition and venture closer to home for a Christmas with family. But since we couldn't be there this year, here are a very few pictures of our morning. We love you all! Merry Christmas! Now on to those New Year's resolutions......

SANTA BABY

"Santa, baby, slip a sable under the tree for me! Been an awful good girl, Santa, baby. So hurry down the chimney tonight!"
Mei had a great time playing in our tree skirt the other day. It was adorable! You could tell she felt so pretty...even though her hair wasn't done and she was wearing the same sweats for the 2nd day in a row.(Maybe 3rd) What do you want? I was busy!


We had a ward party last Saturday. It was a breakfast, which I thought was wonderful. It kept the evening open for play...or for me, work. They had the breakfast laid out on large platters and were delivered to each table family style. It was so nice not to have to juggle 2 or 3 plates in my hands while trying to keep eye contact on the kiddos. GREAT IDEA! I was in charge of the choir to sing a couple of songs and then lead everyone in a sing along. It went better than I thought. And of course, the big man himself made an appearance. Pal jumped on his lap like it was no big deal, Mei sat for about 2 1/2 seconds flat (she doesn't like men), and Chunkabear didn't get very far as usual!




And on a side note, this is the desk Aces hefted in all by himself. It is an 'L' shaped desk that cannot be taken apart. I put Pal on there so you could get an idea of how big it is. Ask him how his back is feeling. (By the way, don't look at my mess...again, I've been busy!!!)

THE BOY WHO COULDN'T MAKE IT

'Nough said.