DECEMBER

As usual December was crazy. I thought I was ready in November, and this year would be easy. "Santa" bought the big present (a Wii) back in October, and all the Christmas shopping was done, I thought. But, oh yeah, I needed gifts for my staff, plus the girls at the office, Ty and Bryton's teachers, and don't forget all the family birthdays in December I didn't buy for. So more shopping. Last year at this time we were opening the office and too busy to decorate for Christmas, so this year was really the first time to decorate, and I needed decorations. Although the pictures looks like Zach did the decorations, don't let it fool you. He complained so much about how stupid it was that he just did the pillars, and then I told him to go inside while we finished. I climbed on the roof and started stringing the lights. Zach must have been worried I wasn't coordinated enough because he came outside to hand the lights up to me, and I'm sure he thought I would tumbled off at any minute.

I bought the cutest book this year at Kohls that had a lot of different christmas stories in it and every night we would read one story. (BTW, The Match Stick Girl story, worst Christmas story EVER!!! I read it to Ty because my mom said it was a cute story. I question her judgement. The little girl dies on Christmas Eve. I cried, it was awful.)
Zach didn't want us to get a Christmas tree because he said since we were going to Nanny and Papa's for Christmas we didn't need one. So, Kimber, our dental assistant, had the kids over to her house so Zach and I could go out alone, and our kids help her and her husband decorate their tree and make ginger bread houses.

But then, just like last year, Uncle Josh came to the rescue. He brought the kids a tree of their own. Ty was so excited. He said 2 or 3 times, "I just love you Josh!"

You would think, by the way the tree looks, that the kids decorated it by themselves. Actually Uncle Josh helped :-) I guess on Alvin and the Chipmunk movie they put toothbrushes on the tree, so it wasn't our cheesy idea (just since we're dentists) to put them on. We just had a bunch extra at the house so Ty did that on his own, and it was about the most annoying thing to go try to find his or Bryton's toothbrush each night.

Then it was time to head to Rexburg for Christmas. Bryn and Luke surprised us by coming home. We didn't think they'd be able to because they are both doing their 3rd year rotations in Med school. We had lots of yummy food, with great family company, and yes I turned 30. Thanks Mom and Dad for only putting 3 candles on my cake :-( I think with some of my temper-tantrums that's how old they all think I really am. Just ask Trey!!! Sorry buddy.

Singing Happy Birthday

Bryton playing Mancola by herself All the Grandkids in order of age

And then came Christmas morning. My kids were spoiled -- mainly by my parents and not Santa. Ty got his huge bubblegum machine he wanted, some games, a GeoSafari and books from nanny and papa and a Wii for him AND mom. Bryton got a leap frog learning train she loves, a baby with a stroller, and a cell phone from crew she plays with constantly (it looks real). Then came my turn, which I have to say I was spoiled. I bought the Wii for myself of course, but then my Mom and Dad bought me ....
and my parents-in-law and Bryn and Luke bought me...
It was the best Christmas. I also got a ring that had been my grandma's, which I love just for the memories. Thanks mom ... plus so much other stuff I'm really am embarrassed. I have to put in a request for next year. No more presents for Christmas or my birthday. Although, I loved them I feel guilty -- I make my own money and I've stopped having birthdays.
I have to say the Wii has been so much fun. I love all the games, and the Wii fit is kicking my back side, but even though it's fun to play, it's way more fun watching other people play.

Christmas in Rexburg was the best just because of the snow!!!! It came down non-stop I think. My kids had a blast. We shoveled and shoveled.

Then, we went sledding. Bryton loved it. She would go all by herself, and screech with laughter the whole way down the hill

Zach and Ty

Bryton getting ready to go down.

Tyger
Josh and Bree

We also had some not-so-great times. Jace broke his arm sledding so Judd and Becky spent one day in the ER, and Ty and Josh got Strep throat :-(

(Isaac, Gabe, Mori, and Ty on the snowmachine)

On New Years we did another sledding trip with Zach's family and this time with snowmobiles.
And this one ended up not too great either. At one point Zach put Ty in the back part of the machine that has a metal cargo holder and just as Zach took off Ty got scared, stood up and flipped out of the cargo area -- hitting the metal bar with his mouth. He was screaming that he cut his lips when I got to him and was bleeding everywhere. He wouldn't let me look, but when he calmed down I took a peak and saw this...

a purple line above his left front tooth. So I wiggled it and sure enough it was loose. I deal with this every day and yet I still freaked out. Since then we've taken an X-ray and actually, both front teeth are fractured up in the root. So, we are just waiting for them to turned dark and if they abcess I'll have to have Zach take them out 'cuz I won't be able to.

Bryton on her train. She's watching Kung Fu Panda and it kills me she sits like this.

All together it was a great December. I'm now furiously trying to find things to plan for the next 4 months until it gets warm enough to enjoy outside. I hate being cooped up.

Tyger

Grumpy baby boy

Ty outside the "shoe" at OSU
( I miss Ohio)

So just to keep this blog as a journal for my kids someday I want to write down things they do to make me laugh -- so bare with me on some of my posts.

So, Ty has a great teacher Miss Chelsea. He spends three days a week at the Nazarene Church daycare, and loves, loves, loves, Miss Chelsea.

Also, several months ago Ty asked me "what's married mean" He was curious about what it meant and why people got married anyway. I told him Zach and I got married so we could have him and Bryton to make us happy. He thought that was a good answer. Months later, he asked me if I would have a baby so he could have another sister. I told him no because I only bought 2 seeds so that's all we get. (Ty thinks you buy baby seeds at the store, the mommy swallows them and the baby grows in her tummy -- which I don't care what all the expert books say about lying to your kids -- I like him believing, for now, in that story it saves me from a lot of other questions he may have) Well, anyway I told him when he grows up and gets married he can buy as many seeds as he wants and have that many babies. He then said that he was going to marry Miss Chelsea and they would buy 5 seeds.

Well, Bryton also goes to that daycare and the teachers love her. So, Miss Chelsea (who was the one who told me this story) teases Ty that she's going to take Bryton home with her. One day, when she asked Ty if she could have Bryton, Ty said "No, because my mom would be sad, but when I grow up and we get married we can have our own Bryton." :-) Then last weekend Ty and I went Christmas shopping for a family, and on the way home I was explaining to Ty why we were helping a family at Christmas was to help these kids have presents so they can be happy. He thought that was nice and I asked him what he can do to make people happy -- he said he was going to marry Miss Chelsea because that would make her happy. (which I thought was sweet -- I wish Zach still talked to me that way :-) ) However, with this much talk about marrying her, I don't know if Miss Chelsea thinks it's funny or a bit freaky!! Tyger you are so tender-hearted and we love you "all the days and all the nights."

Mom and Ty camping

I'm Thankful for . . .

The things I'm most thankful for... Bryton and Ty... and I guess Zach since I couldn't get these two without him :-)

Cute, cute, cute ...

Handsome Boy

Zach's Element

Zach is a workaholic as we all know, but one thing he will take time off for is fishing. Beginning of October he went to Henry's to fish, then beginning of Novemeber a wild life biologist who studies the steelhead runs took Zach and his dad up to Riggins for a weekend. Here are a couple of his trophies!

Fish at Henry's -- not the best shot but he was taking the picture himself.

Josh went with him and this is one of his.

Steelhead

Second Steelhead

All of the above (or below)

So, I finally got Ty's bedroom done. It took my Mom and Dad coming over to help me paint to actually put the whole process into action. Thanks a ton Papa Red and Nanny, Ty and I love it. (Zach, we know you think it's pretty sweet, too!! Yes, we actually had to spend a tiny bit of money to get it done so we know you won't admit it, but that's okay, Scrooge!)

My Favorite Buckeye Fans

Ty's Room

The sticker above the door is the one that says "I bleed Scarlet and Gray"


Fathead Sticker

As we're all aware, Bryton is Miss Independent. Well, lately she's gotten what's coming to her for it. The gouge on her forehead and the scrape up the side of her face is from two separate accidents plus, she has a big bruise on her left ear you can't see in this picture from a third!

All I can say is Gross!! But Bryn I'm sure it looks good to you.

We took the kids to the pumpkin patch this year. It was fun, they both loved it! Plus, it wore them out so bedtime that night was easy.

Zach, Ty and Bree on the hayride going out to get pumpkins
Picking the perfect pumpkin (Ty actually picked a green one, but he wanted it to be a "huge one" & that's what he found)
The cow-train ride. Bryton really wanted to go -- so the driver/owner of the farm said I could go with her, that way she could go without falling out. Remember Tommy Boy when Chris Farley puts on David Spades coat? "Fat guy in a little coat!" That's how I felt in the barrel :-) Bryton threw a fit when it was over and she had to get out. I love Ty's expression in the pictures (above and below) he was sssoooo excited.

Where do you get a camel for a farm in the middle of Idaho??

So, next up was Halloween, and if anyone was wondering, yes Ty actually dressed up (sort of) and went trick-or-treating. It took some manipulation on my part, however. Halloween morning Ty's daycare had a "Harvest Party." So even though I was home that day the teachers asked if he would come. Well, for the party they had a sports theme so when Ty woke up I just dressed him in his Ohio State stuff (he also had a baseball hat on) without saying anything about it being a costume. Then, I painted cute shapes on Bryton's face just so Ty would want me to paint on his. I told him since he was wearing Buckeye stuff we could write Go Bucks. He thought that would be okay. After his party I just left him in his "outfit" the rest of the day. I thought I was home free at that point. We went to Kim's so all the cousins could go trick-or-treating together, but when it came time to leave, Ty didn't want to go. He just wanted to stay at Kim's and help her pass out candy. Somehow, after some pleading from Kim and I, he did go. I stayed and passed out candy for a bit, but caught up to Zach and the kids near the end of their trek, and Ty told me "Mom, are you so happy I'm brave. I love Halloween, but I think I want to be a baseball player for all the Halloweens." So, along the way someone must have told Ty he was a baseball player -- 'cuz I sure didn't. Hopefully, next year won't be so much drama!!

Trying to get them both up and going. Good grief!!

Bryton

All the cousins getting ready to go out.