Christmas Morning

 

Santa sure found our house! What a pile! But there were 13 people at our house for Christmas morning! Which made it so much fun! After our traditional Christmas breakfast we got to work opening presents. First they all opened what was in their stockings and then we saw what Santa brought. 

 He really came through Amelia got the American Girl Doll she wanted. She even got an extra outfit to go with her.

 Ethan and Brock got Nook Color's from Santa. (Just as a note, Children who are not pictured as much as others or children who are on here more then others has NOTHING to do with the amount of love I have fore them it has EVERYTHING to do with the amount of time the kid will pose, allow me to take their picture, or will hold still long enough to get a picture taken. Kids who don't have pictures are the ones who run from the camera, run constantly or are to busy to get their picture taken....aka BROCK)

 Santa really came through for Hayden. She not only got the Cinderella stuff she asked for but she also got a whole set of ALL of Cinderella's dresses. Including her night gown, work dress, pink dress, and ball gown. Plus she came with the wedding dress! WOW (dresses not pictured)

 Ruth got a Pink Kitchen! Thanks Santa! She didn't know what she wanted but Santa know she would love anything she got! She spent the whole day putting things in her oven and opening and closing the doors. There is a pink fridge to but not in the picture. SHE LOVES it and EVERYTHING she opened Ruth would yell " I LOVE IT!" It was SO funny and SO cute! I wish I had taken video but most times I am lucky to get a picture I am to busy watching. It was a magical day though!

 Ethan had earned quiet a wad of cash and very carefully bought gifts for his brother and sisters. You can see Hayden here hugging Ethan thank you! And Ruth coloring on the thing he got her. Which of course she "LOVES!"

 This was our labor of love this year. Amelia asked her daddy to make her AG dolls a bunk bed for Christmas. Larry did an amazing job and I made the bedding. Which was tons of fun for me. I even made super cute pillows to go with it.

 Daddy went all out and made this armour for all her dolls clothes. She even got hangers to hang them all on. She was thrilled!

 Hayden got totally stocked with arts and crafts stuff. (She is always asking to use my supplies and she is very crafty! So she will be in heaven for a Very long time!!!)

 This is the aftermath mostly cleaned up (well the paper and boxes anyway. What a day!

 Finally one picture I could get of Brock finally sitting and checking out his Nook! I need  a nap just reliving this!
Even with out all this "stuff" we had a wonderful year. I count my many blessings many times the last few months and know how truly blessed I am. We had some pretty major trials this year and watched and suffer with others as they go through theirs and my heart is over flowing with the love of our Savior, the true meaning of this season. I couldn't help but feel an out pouring of his love after all that has happened this year and know that he loves us, and will support us and care for us though everything. We truly are blessed with the Gospel and the knowledge of our Savior and all he has done for us. Families are Forever and I am so so eternally grateful for that knowledge and for all who have made it possible for me to have those blessings in my life!

Amelia's baptism

So we spent 2 fun filled days the the Great Wolf Lodge and then everyone came to our house to spend the next 2 days doing wonderful spiritual things together! Saturday March 11th Amelia got baptized. It was wonderful. We had gotten special permission to not participate in the Stake Baptisms because then my family wouldn't have to travel twice for the baptism and the ordination of Ethan. This way we could do both the same weekend. I made Amelia's baptism dress. I set a goal a year ago to learn how to sew and follow a pattern. I have been taking baby steps with skirts, pillow case dresses, and other small things. Then I did dresses for the girls before Christmas so I could practice with a pattern. Then I took this on (in the middle of the spring bazaar!!!!) But I got it done and I was so excited with how it turned out and was so proud of my self. She looked so Beautiful! 

I loved this hair style I did for her to keep her hair from floating up.

She was so excited and I have to say my heart was so so happy to be married to a man who is able to baptize and bless our children with his priesthood! I don't want to go into to much detail about my feelings, mostly because sometimes I feel they are a little private, or tender. But I have never wanted to be a priesthood holder, I have never wished that women could hold the priesthood, I understand the blessing of men's priesthood power, and the amazing power women have for giving birth and being mothers. But this week, as we have been preparing for these two big steps for our kids it has hit home for me very clearly. I have given birth to these kids, I have fed them, taught them, nurtured them, and done all that I think I can to help them get to this point. Then my husband is able to bless them and give them that next thing that they NEED to help them back to our Heavenly Father. I truly give them life, I do all I can and he fills in the rest. I see and feel so much more our Heavenly Father's plan. I have always known but there are times in your life where things just become more clear, or more relevant in your life. This was one of those for me.

 

My beautiful girl!

Ok I am a "bad" mom. I didn't take nearly enough pictures of this weekend! I didn't get a picture of Ethan in his new suit! But Grandma and Grandpa Davis bought him a new suit for his 12th birthday! He looks so handsome! He became a deacon today! It truly has been a wonderful weekend filled with fun, and then topped off amazingly with some of the best things in a mother's life! True joy comes from seeing your children choose the right, and make steps closer to the kingdom of heaven.  I will post pictures of Ethan next Sunday when he is all dressed up and ready to pass the sacrament for the first time!

Journaling

Ok this is small but I am feeling thankful for the prompting I had this morning, and wanted to write it down before I forgot. (Not sure if I will publish this or not.) I was taking Hayden, Ruth and Jace to the library for story time this morning and I had a thought, grab your cell phone. I brushed it off thinking I am not suppose to have it on when I am in there anyway. But decided to grab it anyway. We finished story time and just as I was finished picking out books and ready to sit and watch kids do puzzles for the next half hour or so my phone rang, it was the school. Amelia had fell and split her chin open on the monkey bars. So I packed everyone in the car, went and grabbed the first aid kit, and went to the school (not knowing if I could super glue or if she would need stitches). Luckily it was a quick clue it back together job and I took care of her right there. But I was just so glad to not only have had the prompting but that I listened. She would have been sitting at the school for an hour by the time they would have gotten a hold of me if I hadn't had my phone. I know it wasn't life or death. But I know to my little girl it made a big difference that I was there quick. Which makes a big difference to me.

Easter 2011

This year we colored our eggs outside. It was such a beautiful day (we have had so few of those so far this year!) We just didn't want to waste one minute of it in the house. Ruth was napping, which I have to admit made this activity easier and lets face it, more enjoyable. She is so grabby we would have had all broken eggs, spilled dye, and painted baby! The kids had a lot of fun being creative as usual. Larry and I colored a few too. Usually we divide them up and they all get a certain number to color to make things "fair". This year the kids didn't even count them or ask how many they could do one time. They just got to work and had fun. SO NICE!




Hayden and Amelia finding eggs! They were so excited. The girls made cards for the Easter Bunny, left out a carrot and a drink just in case he got thirsty. All on their own they came up with these ideas. It was pretty cute!

I love this picture of Ruth. She loved her ball so much she wouldn't put it down, but got excited about finding eggs with the big kids too so she would carry her ball and the eggs. She did figure out that we were putting them in the carton. It was so cute watching her! She still won't put her ball down. She napped with it today (the day after Easter)

I wish I had taken a picture of them all dressed up in their cute matching things. The girls all let me do their hair alike with cute ribbons and every thing! But we had had a "traumatic" ending to our morning due to some major disobedience issues with an older child. SOOOOO. We were lucky to get to church with out mom being in tears, let alone traumatize everyone more by trying to get everyone in a picture... It did end up being a nice day (even though the weather turned and we were rained on all day). But there was a beautiful spirit at church, and we had a lot of fun with our friends we had over for dinner after church.
We truly are blessed to be able to celebrate Easter and the true meaning of it. I feel so blessed to have a Savior who would come to Earth, live as the perfect example of how to live, suffer and die for me so that I am able to repent and return to live with him, then on the 3rd day rise from the grave, so that I to will be able to live again. This is truly what live is all about, what he made possible. I am so thankful for my beautiful family and the opportunity that I have to be married to a wonderful man for time and all eternity, so that we can be with our family forever. It is not till death do us part. We can be and will be a family forever, all because we have a Savior who made all things possible!

The Prayer of a child

This week we had one of our rabbits escape the safety of our back yard. I won't mention the fact that it was due to the fact that our boys took off 2 boards to our fence and dug a hole under the fence, or the fact that it just so happened to be on the side that there are Rottweiler dogs that WOULD eat the rabbit if caught! Oh and the gate was left open! I have to say that only our girl rabbit wanders when given the chance. Our boy rabbit will stay put. (He is fixed she is not...) Anyway It was time to put them in their cage for the night and it was discovered that one was missing, and very possibly in a danger. Our boys went next door and asked if they could look in their back yard... But now rabbit to be found. We knew if we left the gate open if she wasn't dead it was very possible she would come back for water (the eat grass and other stuff all the time). We sent our boys to bed teary eyed and told them to pray for their bunny. First thing in the morning Ethan looked out and there she was sitting in the back yard. This is not the first time we have had this happen. Ethan was so happy, he hugged me that morning and told me that their prayers had been answered. I meant to share this second story clear back in December but neglected to. In December I offered to pick up some fake trees from a sister in our ward's house and take them to the church for the ward party. I was using our Diesel truck... I knew it was LOW on fuel but figured I could get across town and back. When I say across town I mean she lives at the opposite side of town as I do. Yes it is a smallish town but when you get in your truck and it says 2 miles till empty on the read out it is NOT a good sign for a diesel. Never the less I went on. We picked up the trees, dropped them off at the church (the opposite end of town again to the farthest point!) and then I realize the ONLY place to get diesel in town is again at the other end of town and I had driven past it 2 times already.... It was just after 5 pm at this point and traffic is as bad as it gets at this point in our town because all the commuters are on their way through town to their homes, I waited through 3 or 4 cycles at one stop light with all 5 of my kids in the car Ruth SCREAMING because she is starving!!!! (for those of you that don't know if you run a Diesel out of fuel it is VERY VERY bad!!! Not like running a car out of gas!) So while we are sitting at the light for the 3rd or 4th time I asked Ethan to pray that we could make it to the gas station (since now the read out has been telling me we have 0 miles till empty and has been saying so for the last 5-10 minutes!) He prays and we make it to the station on what I am sure is fumes. We got fueled up and home for dinner. Both my boys after that experience told me that they knew Heavenly Father had answered their prayers. I knew he did too!. He knew that I needed his help and so did my 5 kids so that their mommy didn't loose it on the side of the road and do their daddy didn't have to get mad about me ruining the truck. I love seeing my children's testimonies growing, and have them tell come to me to tell me so. So if you are in need of some blessings just let my kids know and they will put you in their prayers. It is sweet we set a goal at the beginning of the year to always include someone who doesn't live in our house in our prayers (this was to help my children and myself from just saying the same things we always think of, and to help think of others.) Since then we have a few people who Ethan never forgets in his prayers. So watch out Emily! Blessings are coming your way! (Among a few others but I won't list you in case it would embarrass you!

Prayers of a 9 year old

Many of you know that we have 2 rabbits, Marshmallow, and Hopscotch. My kids love these rabbits. During the summer we let them roam free in our yard so they can munch the grass, and play. They enjoy this as do our kids. Occasionally they get out of the yard when someone leaves a gate open. But typically they still stick to our yard because they know where food and water are and are pretty territorial I guess. So usually they are quickly found and chased back into our yard. In the evening Ethan's job is to get them back into their cage for safety at night. (As some of you know we also had one of our rabbits eaten by a raccoon last year while they were still bunnies and we replaced the first hopscotch). Anyway Sunday night Ethan was sent out to put the rabbits away after dark because we had forgotten and couldn't find Hopscotch. (Our black rabbit). We looked every where! We think she might have dug into the garden and then into our neighbors yard but weren't sure as to we couldn't see her anywhere.... Ethan was very worried that a raccoon would get her and I told him not to worry she was a big bunny now and could run away from danger. We would look for her in the morning when we could actually see. I heard him very early Monday morning and asked him what he was doing and he was already dressed and ready to go look for her. He said "Don't worry mom I said a prayer that I would find her alive." He walked to our back door and I heard him say, "Holy Cow!" There she was sitting in the middle of the yard. He chased her back to the cage so she could get some water (she had been locked out of the cage all night.) I told him to make sure he said a prayer to thank Heavenly Father for helping him find her and keeping her safe, and he said I already did! What a sweet boy.