Road Trip!!

We took a LOOOOONG road trip for Christmas to go see Grandpa Vance and Nana in Mississippi.  Here are the states we got to see.  It was supposed to be a two day trip, 11 hours each day, but the days were more like 13-14 hour days.  The kids were great travelers, except Big B.  He did not love the trip!!

New Mexico

Texas

Louisiana

Mississippi

Alabama

Oklahoma

Arkansas

Kansas

Colorado

11th Birthday!

Little L turned 11 in December.  It was just a family party this year.  She is so grown up that it is hard for me to believe that she is only 11.  We love this beautiful, kind, smart, happy girl!!

EY Christmas Party

Dad and Mom got to get all dressed up for the fancy EY office party.  It was a great night of fun food, great chatting and dancing.  Mostly, mom loved having a chance to wear her fancy dress and jewelry. It was a great date.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir

On our way home from Orem we stopped in SLC to go to Music and the Spoken Word in the Conference Center, the Orchestra on Temple Square was there too and the entire place was decorated for Christmas.  It was a wonderful performance and the kids loved watching it in person.  There was such a wonderful spirit there.  Uncle Russ and Grandma Vance joined us for the broadcast and afterwards we walked to Russ's new apartment for smoothies.  It was a great morning and a wonderful start to our trip.

Thanksgiving/ 50th Birthday Party

We drove to Utah for Thanksgiving to be with Dad's family.  All of his siblings were there and we had a great time looking at temple square lights, playing football, watching football, cooking and eating food, watching movies, playing at the awesome rec center, and most importantly, celebrating Grandma Vance's 60th birthday.  It was great family time!!

Temple Square lights, Big B, J Man having his dream come true watching football with his uncles.

Grandma Vance and Kim's oldest V.

The Turkey Bowl participants!

Thanksgiving dinner.

Black Friday ads.

The Saratov Approach movie night.

Partying at the Provo Rec. center.

My boys on the climbing wall, yes, that is Dad on the far part of the wall.

The girls with their cute cousin.

Boo and Kim with their cute kids!

Uncle Gary and I.

Aunt Ondalynn and P.

Playing basketball, Lady K and Big B.

The Knockout game.

The Queen decorator of the 60th birthday party.

Uncle Clayton posing by the cake Aunt Bonnie made (he helped dip strawberries.)

Aunt Camille, the party planner extraordinaire.  The salad bar was incredible!!

Dad with Grandpa and Grandma Gardner.

Camille and Jared.

Cute twinner cousins.

Uncle Ryan with the boys.

Baby R with Cousin J.

Intense ping pong game.

Aunt Carissa and Uncle Ryan with baby girl in belly.

Aunt Ondalynn, Uncle Gary and baby P.

Catching Fire

We had a little Hunger Games fever at our house in anticipation of the Catching Fire moving coming out.  Lady K invited friends and we made a party of it.  It was a great night for everyone.  A company was handing out gift cards for free and we had a ton of food to enjoy while watching the movie all for free.  Even the tickets were free thanks to a gift card from Dad's work.  It was a fantastic, fun, memorable night.

One Year Old!!

Big B turned one year old yesterday.  He has been nothing but a joy to this family since the day he was born.  He is easy going and puts up with a lot of attention from his siblings!  He LOVES them so much and goes for hugs when they come home from school, especially his big brother Mr. M.  At his one year appt. he was 24 lbs. and 32 inches.  He loves to eat ice and when we turn on music or sing he shakes his head back and forth to the music.  He crawled and sat up at 6 months, walked at 9 months, and can say only "uh-oh" and "all done." He loves to run around outside, play in the sand box and go for walks.  He loves to play ball with the kids, especially when he is at the top of the stairs and he throws it down for them to toss it back up.  He is happy and smiling all the time and is so busy that the only time he is still is when he is asleep.  WE LOVE THIS BOY!!  Happy Birthday Big B!!

Big B with his buddy Mr. M

Happy Birthday Buddy!

Dad was out of town for his birthday so he tuned in via Skype.  Big B was focused on him the whole time.

We had to keep him from touching the candle!

"Chocolate cake is soooo good!!  Who knew!"

A new football!!

A super cute note from Baby R.  She made him three cards and gave him two of her treasures.  The card says, "To: Baby Brian, I think you are right handed...geez Brian (she is a lefty and wants someone else to be a lefty too).  You fill my heart with love"  She is so cute!

These were her treasures that she wanted to give to Big B.  She saw that the book had a picture of a birthday party on the last page and decided that book would be a good present to go with Eeyore (which she has been saving for weeks now just to give to her little brother, so thoughtful!!)