Addn: Christmas Blog

Here is the pic I lost somehow on my last blog. Kimber played a wonderful rendition of Jingle Bells. Suffice it to say that those 3 weeks preceeding the program were truly unforgettable!

Christmas 2010

Christmas this year was busy, busy, busy! First Leighton thought she would help me measure for the cookies!Monday before Christmas Kimber and Addison were in the Elementary School Christmas program. It was strange to have only two of our kids in the program and middle ones at that! Addison sang Frosty the Snowman.

Kimber played Jingle Bells on the recorder. I can't find her picture! I will have to post it next time! At the end all the Elementary sang a couple of Christmas songs. It was a great program this year!

Leighton thought she would help wrap (unwrap) gifts. Aunt Sharon helped her along by putting a bow on the cutest package in the house!

The kids started a tradition last year by hosting the other siblings in their room for Christmas Eve. This year Garrett held the party. He decorated his room, antlers and all!

The crew getting ready for bed! Yeah! It's Christmas Eve!

Finally on Christmas morning, after breakfast had been served, enjoyed and cleaned up, the kids lined up oldest to youngest to get ready to see what Santa had left!

Later Christmas Day we met up with some of the Aunts and Uncles at Grandma Schmutz's for a big game of Just Dance Wii!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!!!

Our Christmas Card

Time is truly going to fast, so this is our Christmas Card this year. Just know we are grateful for all our family and friends. We wish you a wonderful Holiday and wish you the best of the new year to come!
Our year began with a perfect start! Little Leighton Lucinda was born January 19th and has been a treat in our home. It’s so fun to watch all the kids interact with her in their own way and her respond to them in hers! She has a different disposition with each one of them!
Addison has grown up tremendously going from my little 4 year old to a 5 year old independent Kindergartener! She loves school and her friends and drawing and playing outside and hanging out with her dad and really just about anything! She is just so content to be busy and to be eating! She must be going through a growth spurt because she wants a snack every time I just get the kitchen cleaned up!
Kimber is my little mother. She is nine – almost 10 and is my right hand when it comes to Leighton. She is helper #1 of the year! She is so kind and thoughtful and is just starting to come into her own. She must be my middle child because if everyone is getting along – she is content. She has grown quite a bit this past year and loves to read, read, read! (Whew!)
Garrett is almost as tall as me now – I will enjoy it as long as I can – it won’t last! He is now 13 and started Middle School this fall. Where do I start with Garrett . . .? He is happy and gives me hugs one minute and then acts like he doesn’t know me the very next (can you say teenager!?!). He is growing into such a handsome young man! He loves soccer, being outside, reading, and hanging out with friends.
Where do I start with McKenna? While most of my kids are content to stay home and keep their mom company, McKenna is hardly ever home and is so busy she needs a calendar just to keep her going in the right direction! She went to Chicago for a week this past July after taking state in FCCLA (Family Career and Community Leaders of America). She took gold there as well! She is still Cheering and first in line when it comes to drama auditions. She also turned 15, wrecked her father’s new truck before she got her learners and scared the rest of us to death as she started driving! If she does ever have a spare minute - you can find her in the front room curled up with a good book.
Jeff and I are just trying to keep up with the kids. We seemed to be pulled in so many different directions with a High Schooler, Middle Schooler, Elementary kids and now a baby! We are both still at the hospital and working some pretty crazy hours. Jeff is still the 11 year old scout leader and I am still Stake YW President. We love our life here in Panguitch – more so in the summer, winter just lasts forever here!

Merry Christmas!

Daddy's Day

I worked Wednesday night (6pm-6am) and had to be back at work to do some exams by 10 am so Jeff took the day off to help me out so I could sleep a little bit. Here is what Leighton was wearing when I woke up: Please don't get me wrong...I love the fact that Jeff is such a great dad, but I did chuckle a little bit when I saw the stripped socks, the paisley top and the retro 60's pants. The topping on the cake was when I noticed the shirt was on backwards! Love this little girl - she didn't mind a bit and love her daddy who thought it looked cute together!

Deck the Halls!

It's sooo good to have a little one to enjoy the holiday's with again! Our tree - once decorated from top to bottom went to decorated from top to middle within one day! Leighton is fascinated with the lights and ornaments and watching her is just wonderful!

Thanksgiving at Grandma's

Out of all the holidays, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite! Good food, lots of family, yummy leftovers, no hype. I love just the simple togetherness of the holiday! This year was spent at my mom's with my sister Nancy and her family and my brother Gilbert. I may not have pics of the meal itself, but trust me - it was excellent!

Now that Nancy's and my kids are getting older, we love to play games. On this year's agenda - Curses and Uno Attack.

Starting in on the pies and cakes. I am so glad my daughters have a couple of cousins their age - well at least Kimber's age. Addison is just grateful they let her tag-along!

Little Leighton may not have 1st cousins her age but her cousins have babies her age! I think that makes them cousins-once removed - I think...ask Gilbert - he's the geneologist in the family. Anyways - Leighton and Heaton (Sarah's second boy) warmed up to each other a bit at John's house. They are only 1 month apart.

As far as the holiday tradition of remembering what you are thankful for - here goes - Thanks to all our family and friends. We love you and are grateful for the blessings you bring into our lives! We are grateful for the restored gospel, the opportunity we have to have the blessings of the priesthood in our home and the knowledge of our Savior and His divine love for each one of us. We are grateful for a warm home - especially now our nighttime temps have dropped to -20 below! We are grateful for this time of year that helps us remember our priorities - family and gospel. And I am so very grateful for our own little family with incredible children that bless our lives and make everything worthwhile! I love each one of you!

Science Fair

Science Fair 2010 and now I have two children doing projects! Garrett's group teamed up and did their project on whether white blood cell counts increased after being exposed to an allergen. In this case, Makoy was exposed to cats which he is allergic to and his white blood cells counts were measured. Yep, the counts were elevated! Their theory was proved and correct. Great job guys! In the pic. - left to right - Garrett, Makoy, and Jimmy.
McKenna and Baylee's hypothesis was that girls are better multi-taskers than boys. They had their science class answer a set amount of simple math questions while rubbing their tummies and patting their heads while jumping up and down. The girls times were better than the boys and the girls were able to perform the task more easily (the patting and rubbing) than the boys. I will just leave it at that - no further comments. They won 3rd place in the school for their project. Way to go!

Sun-Bow?

This is the scene that the kids went to school with Tuesday morning. We dubbed it the "sun-bow". The pics don't do it justice, but it was incredible!

FUN! FUN! FUN!

McKenna's Young Women Project!

I have such a wonderful daughter! I am consently amazed at how inspiring and wonderful she is and wonder how Jeff and I ever wound up with a daughter like her! One of her young women leaders asked her to do a page for the book they are making. McKenna went all out and took pictures along with making up a quote and sharing her testimony! It was so amazing when I first read it I couldn't stop bawling!

***Click to enlarge it and read it! She's so amazing!***

Halloween 2010

OK, So I know my photo skills are nowhere near many of my other relatives talent (they shall remain jealously nameless), but everytime I get the camera out near Leighton now, she smiles and immediately starts to crawl towards me! It's a "get it in one shot Rach, or the moment is over" kind of a thing. Even though this is kindof fuzzy, this photo basically starts off our Halloween. The Monday before All Hallows Eve - we took to our pumpkins with knives, scoops and lots of patience (with 5 kids - we need it)! Garrett found this seedling INSIDE of his pumpkin. Wonder where it would be in the spring if we hadn't of found it! We took it as a good omen of a great things to come!

Addison telling McKenna with great care exactly how just to carve that special pumpkin just to her specifications! Thank goodness McKenna is a great listener!

McKenna took about as long a break as she could afford. With state volleyball championships comming up in a couple of days, McKenna had a bunch of homework to do before leaving for a couple of days to cheer. Notice the scriptures! Couldn't be more happy to see those sitting out with all her homework too!

The end result! Addison has an A carved on the back of hers and couldn't decide which side she really liked the best. By this time - Leighton had given up the ghost (so you could say) and was sacked out in her bed fast asleep.

Again I found myself with a little one in tow to watch the annual Elementary Halloween parade. Thank goodness we had good weather this year again!

Kimber and her best friend Brooke:

Addison and her best friend Jaci:

Finally after waiting for what seemed like eternity to the kids, Halloween night arrived with costumes, smiles and buckets (or in Garrett's case a pillowcase!)

Leighton the butterfly:

Addison the medival princess and Kimber the witch:

Garrett as Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black from Twilight). I've heard him called Garrett Lautner by a few of the girls here around town. Notice the full pillowcase! Now that the kids are getting older and going more with their friends, our Halloween night had several beginnings and endings.

Baylee the spy, Frecia as BamBam, Katlyn as a fairy, and McKenna the spy as they headed out the door to the costume dance:

Happy Halloween!