Christmas 2007

As soon as Nutcracker slowed to an end I frantically began putting our Christmas letter together, did last minute Christmas shopping and managed to get out a few plates of Christmas cookies before we headed down to UT.

The night before we were going to leave I was up late wrapping Christmas presents and getting all of our stuff together to load into the car. It was about 11pm when I finished and I went downstairs to put the last few few things by the garage door for Bryant to pack. I found him in the basement taking everything out of the toy room. Our basement bedroom/toy room was flooded! There was about an inch of standing water in the room. Our pipe that went to a faucet in the back yard had frozen and broke. Bryant had tried to turn it on to fill up the spa that night because it had warmed up outside a bit and the spa had to be full before we left. When he turned the water on it wasn't coming out very well. When he finished the spa he went to the basement to get a cooler for our trip and found out why the water pressure was bad. Half of it ended up in the basement! We were up until 3 in the morning pulling the carpet and pad out of the room and mopping up all the standing water. It was terrible! We got to UT a lot later than we had planned (after filing an insurance claim for the damage and turning off the water to the whole house!), but made it in time to celebrate Bryson's second birthday with my family.I bet you can guess who played with the remote control car the most!

Christmas was fun and relaxing. We caught up on some shopping while in UT and spent lots of time visiting with family and friends. We went to the mall and rode on a Christmas train for Christmas eve, and did all the other traditional things. Christmas morning was really fun to see the kids open their presents.


Ashelynn got a singing Barbie, which mesmerized the little boys and Bryson got a trike, otherwise known as a "gupy." We don't know why, but Bryson calls all bikes "gupies"

We got to go to Wayne and Misti's house one night and had dinner with their family, Jared and Nicole's family, Jim and Mindy's family, and April and Shaun's family. It was so fun to see all of them. It had been too long since we saw them last, Ashelynn even had trouble remembering everybody! Thanks Wayne and Misti for hosting! Taking a picture of all the kids was interesting, but I'm glad that I have it with tears and all!

The new year seems to have started out just as busy as the last one. Ashelynn started indoor soccer again and Bryson can't understand why he can't play too. I got released as choir director and am now in the nursery with Bryson. Being choir director was the only calling I've really ever, been sad to be released from, but I'm enjoying hanging out with Bryson. Our basement is still torn apart, but hopefully it will be back to normal in a couple of weeks.

Play List

I just figured out how to put a play list on my blog. The music choices are pretty random, but I hope you enjoy them anyway. Hopefully I'll update them from time to time.

Lately

Ok. . .I knew I wouldn't be the greatest at this. Its been a long time since I've updated anything, but we have been so very busy. It all started last year when I took Ashelynn to see the Nutcracker ballet that is put on every year by the Sweetwater County Performing Arts. Ellen was involved with it for years when she lived here and I remember coming to see it when she or her boys were in it many times. So last year when I took Ashelynn I thought it would be a fun mommy / daughter night and that she might get bored with it. Well she fell in love with it and was totally enthralled the entire 2 and a half hours of it. She begged me to be in it the next year (now). Our life this fall has been Nutcracker ever since October. It started out simple enough and became increasingly more involved. The final shows are this coming weekend and then life will be back to normal. Some of the rehearsals lately have been 6 hours long! You would think that a 5 year old would be so worn out and having a hard time, but she thrives on it! I am in trouble! It makes it all worth it to see her up on stage though.

The costumes are great and she looks so darn cute I've taken about a million pictures! She is a mouse in the first act of the play and then a Cherry Blossom in the second act. She told me that next year she wants to be Clara. She is ambitious! So every night lately there we are at the high school waiting to go on, changing in and out of costumes, waiting, and helping other little girls with their costumes! She will be sad when it is done, but I won't! I am ready for a break!

Oh, she also had a Tavaci concert in the middle of all the Nutcracker chaos (Tavaci is a kids singing group that she used to love until ballet came along). And lost her first tooth!

Bryant and Bryson are getting a lot of bonding time throughout it all. Which is good for me because taking Bryson to rehearsals and shows is not easy! My sweet little boy has turned into a terrible two's tornado! Its a good thing he is still so darn cute! He is sitting on my lap right now trying to type and talking about, what else, cars!

I also discovered the only way to get Bryant to a ballet is to have his daughter in it!

I've been so busy with this ballet I forgot to mention that we had a great Thanksgiving with Bryant's family here in Green River. It was fun to see everyone in his family and spend time together. The best part was the day after Thanksgiving shopping with all the girls. All the kids got their own Turkey drumstick. Here is the great picture of it!

The kids and I got out of Nutcracker practice for one night after Thanksgiving and went to UT to surprise my mom for her birthday. It was good to get away and so very good to see my family!

My sister and her kids couldn't be there because they were sick, which was sad, but it was good to see my mom and dad and brother!

Ok, all you really good bloggers. Here is a question for you. I have made a friend list a couple of times, but when I change my template I loose my list. It is so frustrating! How do I keep that from happening?

Here is the little video clip I tried to post of Bryson last month. I have now figured it out! Hope you like it. I think its cute. All this little boy talks about are cars and busses and basically anything else that goes!

HALLOWEEN

Our Halloween this year was a lot of fun filled with pumkin carving, dressing up and getting tons of candy! We went to a multi-ward turnk or treat and then to some houses after that; so I, I mean the kids, have enough candy to last a long time!
Here are the pumpkins! They were a big hit.

This is how much Bryson liked his costume!

Ashelynn loved her Jasmine outfit!

I love these pictures! They turned out so well!

Here is a clip of Bryson and Jazzie after he got his costume on.

Here is my first attempt at blogging! All of the others I have seen are so very good, I'm a little nervous to try this because I have no idea what I am doing! I can't promise I will update often either, but I will do my best!

Our family is doing well and life is going so fast! Ashelynn is loving kindergarten. I was a little worried because it is all day long, but she is thriving. In true Wyoming fashion she had to wear a coat on the first day of school! Last Saturday she asked me when she would get to go back to school! I'm sure that attitude won't last!

Bryson is 22 months old now and growing so fast! He is a big 30 pounds and a solid guy! He is learning more words all the time. The phrase I hear all the time is "ahp me!" Trasnlated means, "help me!" Since Ashelynn started school I often hear, "where sissy go?" He misses her but enjoys all the toys to himself while she is gone!

In September we got a little shih tzu. We named her Jazzie and the kids love her. She is a good little dog and its been fun to have her. She is good with the kids and puts up with a lot! Including a stroller ride here and there.

Bryant is throughly enjoyig being back in Wyoming and is keeping busy with work and other activities. In August he entered a local art competition where he painted a watercolor in 24 hours. He won the division he entered, won the Mayor's Choice award and sold another painting he had done years earlier. Currently, its hunting season and he got an antelope, but as of today hasn't gotten his elk. He is still trying though!

Me? I'm keeping busy at home taking care of everybody! I am starting to help at Ashelynn's school with activities and reading centers. Bryson keeps me on my toes. I can't turn my back on him or he's climbing on the counter to get candy, holding down the water button on the fridge trying to get a drink, climbing in the dishwasher, dumping out the dogs food and water, or eating the dog's food! You get the idea. I'm still the ward choir director and enjoying that calling. I'm also trying to fit in a couple of projects for Christmas, making a baby blanket, trying to keep up with photo albums, etc. You mom's know how it is!

That's about it for us! We hope all of you are doing well!