Billings

 Steve was in Billings for work this past week so me and the kids drove over on Friday and we spent the night. We are getting a little cabin fever around here so it was nice to get away for a bit. Friday night we went and saw the temple- it was so beautiful!

 Then we went to Scheels and rode the Ferris wheel. Caleb and I were in a seat and then the other three were together. The kids were so excited to ride it! Caleb was nervous as we kept getting higher and was shaking! Once we went around once he wasn't as scared anymore and enjoyed the rest of the ride. It was my first time riding a Ferris wheel too!

 They also have photo spots around the store too! The kids thought they were hilarious!

Saturday morning I went to the temple and Steve took the kids to Candy Town. A huge store full of candy-anything you can think of and you pay by the pound. And then we went to The Reef, an indoor water park. They had water slides, kiddy area, wave pool, hot tub, and an activity pool where you could shoot some hoops and do a rope course in the water- it was so fun! I left the camera in the car since I wasn't sure what to expect. But we loved it! We stayed longer then we were planning because everyone was having so much fun. It was a great little getaway!

Boys

We had a couple of really cold weeks the end of December/beg of January- like -26! We were pretty excited when temperatures started going above 0 again. We go to the library a lot when we can't be outside. They have this igloo made out of milk jugs and the boys love going in their and playing. I had a friend say she's surprised Steve hasn't made one of these at our house with all of the milk jugs we go through at our house!

 

 Also, Caleb has been fighting so much about taking a nap during the day. It has been taking me 20 min to convince him and get him into bed.One day I just didn't have it in me to fight with him so I let him stay up. This is how I found him at about 2:30... Silly boy!

Winter Fun

We went sledding a few weeks ago. Their is a perfect hill close by so we went. It was a little chilly but we all had a great time! We were giving Steve a hard time though because he went down the hill with Makenna and broke one of the sleds!

 

 Then last week the Hone's invited us over and the kids got pulled in the sleds behind the snowmobiles!

Caleb, Beckett, Chase

Makenna, Arleigh

Christmas Break/New Year's

During Christmas break we decided to stay home instead of go to Utah. Our furnace had been having problems and we wanted to stay and make sure it was good and the weather on New Years was supposed to be bad so we decided it would be best to stay home. We tried to do some fun things with the kids and Steve had the week off too and I think it was a good week. We took them bowling and out for ice cream one day.

 Santa brought us MSU shirts so we of course needed to go to a game. The men's basketball team was playing Weber one night and we decided to go. I didn't get pictures but the kids could go up and give the players a high five as they came onto the court. The boys wanted to do it and they thought it was awesome!

We also went and saw the movie Sing- it was really cute. For New Year's Eve we made homemade pizzas, the kids could put their own toppings on. After dinner we were invited over to some friends from church and and ate some more yummy food and played games. It was a great week!

Christmas 2016

 Christmas was so fun!  We stayed home and it was perfect. Makenna and Chase wrote these sweet notes to Santa. Makenna's note says "Dear Santa you are as sweet as these cookies and milk. I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Love Makenna." Chase's he wrote at preschool, it says "Dear Santa, This year I  have been good by cleaning Caleb's room and dusting Caleb's toys and bed. I would like new cowboy boots. Thank you. Love, Chase."

Steve and I keep waiting for the year the kids get up super early and want to open presents and I thought that this would be the year, but they didn't get up till 7:30! It was so fun and they were so excited. They were all spoiled rotten!

 I love it when Christmas is on Sunday and we can go to church and remember the true meaning of Christmas! Here we are all in our Christmas Sunday best!

 It also was snowing on Christmas, which I also love. Caleb went out to help Steve shovel later in the afternoon.

 The kids each got a bean bag chair, do you think they like them?:)

Merry Christmas!

December Activites

Of course we kept busy in the month of December so here is a wrap of some of the things we had going on. The second graders put on a Christmas program and it was adorable. They sang a whole bunch of songs that were part of the story they were telling. It was Toys in Toyland. Makenna was part of the cowgirls and was excellent!

 The boys made Christmas masks one day. Caleb is a reindeer and Chase chose a snowman.

 I also made slime one afternoon and this was a hit. It was supposed to be red and glittery but I couldn't find any red glitter glue at the store, so its just white but it did smell like peppermint!. The boys played with it for an hour and then Makenna came home and they played with it for another hour, it was awesome!

 Chase also had a Christmas preschool program. They sang songs telling about when Jesus was born and he was Joseph. It was the cutest!

 We were able to see Santa twice this month. He came to the ward party and he also came at the end of Chases' school program. I love the first one of Caleb, he was so excited to see Santa!

My Chase! He has never really wanted to sit on Santa's lap but this year he said he wanted to. So all day before we were going to see Santa he kept teasing Caleb and asking him if he was scared to see Santa and if he was going to cry. Caleb would always say no and Chase would keep bugging him about it. Well when the chance came to see Santa, guess who was scared and crying? Chase! I thought it was hilarious. He calmed his fears after a while and was then ready to see Santa. 

 These last two were at Chase's school. Makenna decided that seeing Santa once was enough.

 Caleb and I also went and helped at the Christmas party at Chase's school. So fun! Caleb always loves it when we are at school with Chase.