SmIlE................ :)

those little moments when you smile from the inside out....

Like when the little one eyes still half closed walks down the stairs

sleepingly greets you with a good Morning!

Then cuddles till they are awake enough to eat breakfast.

or....

The smile and giggle from your boy when you leave him with your thought for the day as he heads into school.

or....

Maybe its sitting in the high school parking lot painting your daughters toe nails before she leaves you for the day.

maybe.....

a short talk with the hubby to get your happy on.

A morning text from a sister.

or....

a morning talk with your mom.

I guess you could say I'm SmIlInG today.

its a good day!

secret ingredients.......

O my Izzy girl.......

She makes me happy everyday!

She is always saying or doing something that makes ya shake your head and smile. 

Soooo........ here is our latest happy moment with her.

Over Christmas break Aaron, Izzy and I were deciding what to make for lunch, and she decided that she wanted her dads yummy assadillas.

Ya know the ones with the secret ingredient.

{LOVE}

So we asked the other 2 if they would like one.

Briar jumped right on it, and Izzy leans over to Aaron and says don't put your secret ingredient in Briars! 

{giggle, giggle!}

So we get them all made, and when Briar gets half way done with his Izzy looks at him and says,

{ giggling the entire time}

Does yours taste different?

He says no why?.....

{giggling again}

what did you guys do to it?......

Aaron says I licked the cheese.....

Briar of coarse then starts spitting it out and gagging.

I then dieing of laughter tell him they were kidding.

Izzy then proceed to tell him that dad left the secret ingredient out of his.

And bursts into Mischievous laughter.

I always worried about the age difference between my older 2 and Iz but she has learned to hold her own and dish out some pretty good harassment in the process.

Often making us giggle and shaking our heads in awe of what she comes up with.

She is a very smart and observant little girl.

But what can I say, she has had 2 great teachers.

OK..... 3.

Aaron has taught them all.

Whatever will I do?.....

That's right!

Be HAPPY and ENJOY the moments we share!

After all that's what is most important right?!

Christmas.......

 {Santa had left 3 gifts on the table that had to be opened first}

It was a very good Christmas and everyone was very happy with their gifts.

We were able to stay home and relax and enjoy the day together and play with all our new toys.

We got visits from grandparents and great-grandparents through out the day.

I am so grateful to live close enough to parents and grandparents.

And that my children will get to  grow up knowing and building memories with them.

This Christmas was our first without my grandpa Yearsley.

He was missed greatly, but honored and remembered in such a wonderful way.

We went with my parents, sister and grandma to decorate his grave and say LOVE YOU!!!

Then we went back to Grandmas to visit and exchange gifts.

Grandma had made each of her great - grand kids a memory box filled with some of grandpas things.

Tay's has a {Western Union Telegraph Company}buckle that was from {Tiffany * Broadway New York 1872}, a cuff link, a {Be Prepared} tie pin,  a {Purple Reign} softball pin, and a Watch.

Briar's has a {1987 World Championship} buckle that honored the drivers and teams in the 23rd annual cutter and chariot races in Elko Nv., a tie tack, 2 different knifes,  and an {Arrow of light scout pin}.

Cloe's has  a { Golden Spike 77-78 President} buckle, the matching cuff link to Tay's, a watch, and {Intermountain Unit} pin.

My kids are so Happy and so Proud. they share with everyone that comes around.

life is precious, make memories!! 

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was a crazy calm around here.

That's the morning Briar got Copper back, and we had Aaron's moms Christmas party that afternoon.

The kids couldn't wait till that night to exchange gifts from each other, so we caved and let them, but.. they  had to wait for ours till that night.

The were all very excited with what the others had came up with.

 they all were also to impatient for Aaron and I to open our gifts from them so we joined the fun.

Aaron had gotten a movie, knife sharpening kit and bogs.

I got a necklace with the kids birthstones and photo shop.

we were very happy as well.

Then it was time to get ready for the party.

Iz was excited to use her bath slime she had gotten.

That is some fun crazy stuff. 

as much fun as we were having we had to hurry and get ready for the Christmas party.

 The party went well and the kids were all very happy and got spoiled.

Tay got a new bag for softball

Briar got a new bag for wrestling 

And Iz got a new nightie and robe and earrings.

After the party we headed home, and let the kids have their gifts from us.

{Christmas Jammie's}

Not sure my kids know how to NOT be crazy and pull faces or pose every time the camera points at them.

But I love them anyways!

{we managed to find BLUE MONKEY jammie's}

{her favorite color and animal}

and she loved them but.....

Still wanted to wear her new nightie from Grandma and Grandpa

he's back........

Briar got his Copper dog back.

Someone had gone out behind the couples store and cut his chain and he was gone before they knew it.

they immediately called the dog catcher to let them know and get some help and he was found a block away and returned safely. 

But.... they were afraid it would happen again and didn't want to chance him getting stolen or worse so they gave him back to Briar.

The kids were all happy to have him back and he was happy to be home.

So.... we are back to 4 dogs.

What can I say?!

I married a dog lover who has passed it on to his children. ;)

There's worse things right!!!!!

thats not what I meant....

That seems to be what we hear quite often around here lately.

And here is how it all began.

We were all sitting around the counter as a family visiting

{weeks before Christmas}   

When Briar decides to make a deal with us about opening gifts.

{see we always let them open their gifts from each other and 1 from Aaron and I on Christmas Eve}

He says " You should let us open our presents on NEW YEARS EVE!!"
me " OK! that's a deal, you can open all your presents on NEW YEARS EVE!" lol
Briar is a little puzzled at first, knowing that something has gone terrribly wrong, but not sure what yet. hehe!!
So giggling, we repeat NEW YEARS EVE!!
and it clicks!!! {light bulb}
Briar "NO!!!!! that's not what I meant!!"
Me " sorry! that's the deal you made. We already agreed."
And yes.......
we played this up till Christmas and enjoyed it very much.
I even got my mom in on it, since her gift is the reason he wanted to make the deal in the first place.
{she had bought him a pair of shoes and he wanted them before the Bunderson Christmas party}
So...... she waited till the 23rd to bring their gifts down, telling them they can pick 1 present of hers to open.
so..... 
Briar heads straight for his bag and grabs the shoe box.

 

 { did I mention that we took his shoes out of the box and replaced them with a pair of red women's sandals?!}

 

 

 

He is VERY unhappy at this point and had thrown his box at the floor.

He does not find our joke funny at all.

So.....

We made him wait longer.

he he!!

In the mean time iz opened her 1 ok 2 gifts because she didn't grab the right one the 1st time.

a necklace and the one she meant to pick....

a Monkey!!!

 And..

Tay also opened her one gift and got a cute little cover up.

in the mist of all this Briar has disappeared to get a shirt on and Tay had loads of fun with his new shoes.

after some fun, laughs and tantrums were had Briar got his shoes.

  {look at that spoiled face}

In the end Tay and Briar were both happy with their new shoes!

making the most of it......

Briar had a tournament in West Lake so we loaded up the family and made a day of it.

First wrestling.

They did a round robin style tournament which is quite a bit quicker than dual format.

Briar only had 3 matches for the day.

yes, we drove hours for 3 matches.

it's what we do. :)

So his first match was against a kid he has wrestled and won before, so he knew kinda what to expect. 

but.... the kid was a no show for their match,

so... Win by forfeit!

*

His next match was against a Payson kid.

and another Win!

*

his last match was against a kid from Riverton.

Loss!

{pretty good match, all I'm gonna say is I HATE young kids reffing tournaments}

Briar did great and took 2nd!

Tay took  all his stats along with 2 others and ky cheered him on.

Cloe had lots of fun running around with all her little wrestling friends!

I enjoyed visiting with a friend {wrestling mom} and her daughter, while Aaron ran around coaching.

After the Tournament we headed back to Salt lake to Temple Square.

Tay and Briar haven't been for awhile and Cloe has never been. And.. neither has Tay's friend Kylee.

It was busy as usual but also very Beautiful and Peaceful.

I love being there and wish we would have had more time and energy to spend there, but it had been a long day and was getting cold and late.

After going to the pond to see the manger scene and floating lights, we headed for the visitor center to see the Christis,  and then out just in time for narration of the Birth of Christ. 

They all enjoyed the pretty lights surrounding the temple, and posed for a few pictures, before heading out.

 

LOVE THEM!!!!!

*

Before heading home we found a Taco Time!

We have been craving it as we watch Brigham's slowly get rebuilt.

It was a filled day with lots of fun family time!