Kayla's new friend.....Kisses

For Christmas Kayla got a trip to Build-A-Bear Workshop. Just the girls (Mom & Kayla) went Saturday and had a wonderful time. Kayla was so excited to bring a new friend home for Leopard. Although now I think i've really created a monster. Last night Leopard for the first time got kicked out of Kayla's bed because as Kayla said "Theres not enough room in my bed for all of us." I had to laugh. Kayla could literally sleep in a pillow case because she is so small and she sleeps in a full size bed, with a 9 inch leopard. Now because of "Kisses" her long time friend Leopard had to sleep with me. Hopefully over time there will be enough room in Kayla's bed for everyone to share and get along.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful.......

While we were at Grandma & Grandpa Branch's in Safford Robert and the kids took a trip to Mt. Graham to see the snow. They had a lot of fun, but it was very, very cold. The wind was blowing and they didn't last long, but just enough to get some pictures.

The main event....Christmas Day

Santa brought Kayla a new bike. She was in need of a bigger bike. We were so excited she finally outgrew her tricycle.


Kyle and Nathan both got Rip Sticks from Santa. Now they're having fun "ripping" the skin off their elbows and knees trying to learn how to ride them.



The boys both got digital cameras from Mom & Dad this year. They have been following their poor sister around like the paparazzi. I bet they both have taken a million pictures of her. We're glad they're enjoying them. At least we don't have to pay for developing the film. Just click, save or delete. That's the only way to go.


Kayla also wanted a lap top. So mom and dad bought her a lap top, and a pink one at that so the boys would leave it alone. I don't think it worked though. They don't seem to have a problem with it being pink. They still have fun playing with it also.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve we spent at our house decorating Gingerbread Men and having dinner with my mom and brother. The kids had a lot of fun. Granny let them open her presents to them. That really got them excited.


Granny made a cute apron for Kayla to wear when she helps me in the kitchen fixing dinner or other treats.

The boys got Binocular digital cameras. They magnify what you're looking at like binoculars, but then you can take a digital picture with them. They are having a lot of fun with them.

Pre Christmas Eve Party

We had our family Christmas Eve Party this year in Tucson at my sister's house. The $5.00 gift exchange was fun as always. We had lots of great laughs, great food and fun times and new memories for all.

Kayla and Emma. Granddaughter and Great-Granddaughter

Granny and her girls. Kayla and Emma

My brother-in-law Steve got a "Sugar Daddy" pillow case, and what do you know..... he just happened to have the matching pajama bottoms in his room.

Criag got a folding bucket.

John Wayne Toilet Paper. As it says on the wrapper.....It's rough, and tough and doesn't take CR#P off anyone. That was a favorite. This is actually it's second time around the $5.00 gift exchange. Someone saved it from past years to recycle this time.

Small World's Fair

This was the end of a long journey. All quarter Kyle has been working on this extensive project called Small World's Fair. Each kid is assigned a country and must research it, find artifacts, create a pamphlet, pictures, make a costume, and make the flag of that country. It has been a lot of hard, hard work. Kyle finally had the opportunity today to display his project along with everyone else in the 6th grade.

Kyle did an awesome job. I'm so proud of him. It was a lot of stress and frustration, but he hung in there and got it accomplished. Way to go Kyle. He looked so cute in his costume as well. He was dressed as a Traditional English Morris Dancer. It's actually called the Morris Tradition. It's kind of like our May Pole dance.

My friend Jake

This is my friend Jake. He has been such a joy to work with each day. I will truly miss him, as tomorrow will be my last day working with him on a regular basis. I am looking forward to being a sub when his regular teacher comes back though. Anytime she is absent I will be able to go in a sub for her. I secretly hope she's gone a lot, with a new baby and all, maybe she will be.

Jake has such a positive outlook on life. He is always smiling and just brightens the room when he's in it. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him.

Thanks Jake.

Just a Squeak

Not much new here....that is except for my brand new voice. I now have the voice of a mouse. I had a sore throat beginning on Sunday afternoon and by yesterday it was very raw. I called to try to get in to see a Doctor on Monday, but was told there wasn't anything available until Wednesday afternoon. Then this morning I woke up with no voice at all. I got back on the phone, with my squeaky little voice, and low and behold......what do you know....The doctor's office had an appointment time for me at 10:45 this morning. No questions asked. I guess it just depends on how sick you really sound when you call. I'll have to remember that next time I get the put off answer of.....oh we can see you a week from NEVER.

Don't mind me, I'm still grumpy. The medicine should kick in tonight and hopefully I will be feeling much better tomorrow.

On the up side though....this squeaky little voice sure does get a lot of great attention from the kidos. They are so quick to help and love and do anything they can to make mom feel better. It's really nice to know they can kick it into gear and get along when the going gets rough(for mom). I love them all and am grateful to be their mom.
Thanks kids.

Our Angel

Last night was our Ward Christmas Party and they did the story of Christmas. Kayla was asked to be an Angel in the production. She had so much fun. They have so many children each year that want to be in the story that they have finally had to start drawing names to be fair. We were luck enough to get one child in.

Then of course after it's all done and the closing prayer has been said, then in comes Jolly Old Santa.



Nathan wouldn't sit on Santa's lap but he would at least let me get a picture of him standing next to him with Kayla.....Kyle was no where to be found...you know, he's too old for that kind of stuf now. Even though he still does believe in Santa. I'm letting that one go as long as I can for the other kids sakes.

New Christmas Dress

We were out shopping yesterday and Kayla fell in love with this dress. It's hard to find her dresses that she likes. She definetly has her own opinion with clothing. I'm used to the boys who couldn't care less. Just had them something and they'll put it on. Not Kayla.....it has to be just so. I was just relieved to have found her a Christmas Dress. She loves to twirl in it. She always wants me to take lots of pictures of her twirling.

Oh yeah...don't pay any attention to the tree in the background. It's far from finished. I had a really bad day yesterday and the kids wanted to decorate it. So they had a blast doing it and then tomorrow while they're off to school, I'll have to finish it. There's still no garland or glass ball ornaments. I really didn't feel like having to dig glass out of anyones paws (hands) yesterday.

Leopard, Horses & Goats....Oh My

Kayla, Granny and of course leopard feeding the minature horses.

Nathan & Granny feeding the bigger horses


Kayla liked the baby horse a lot

Kyle taking his turn at feeding the horses

The neighbors that live next to my mom have these animals. They have 3 minature horses, three goats and two large horses and a baby colt. They were away for Thanksgiving so we were able to feed the animals when we went to Grannys for Thanksgiving. The kids had a lot of fun feeding them.

Alphabet Feast

Today in Kayla's Kindergarten Class we had the famous Alphabet Feast. They have a food item that represent a letter of the alphabet. It is quite a feast in deed. Like a for Apple, B for Bagels, C for cheese, D for Dorito's and so on all the way to z for Zebra Cakes. There is always way more food than any class could possibly eat. They have a lot of fun though getting to try all these food items. They had made turkey hats to wear at the feast. They were all very cute.

We hope you all have a wonderful Turkey Day. WE will be at my mother's just for the day and then back home.

Our First Boy Scout

Kyle is doing so well in Scouting. He is loving every minute of it. We were afraid that that camping may be a bit scary for him, but Robert went on his 1st campout and then he's gone by himself the rest of the time. He has a blast and love being the troop leader. This is us at the Court of Honor where Kyle received his Tenderfoot, and his Second Class badge. Way to go Kyle. We're so proud of you.

Missing Tooth

I forgot to blog about Kayla's 1st Tooth that she lost. We were waiting ever so patiently for it to be ready to be pulled out, but a pizza dinner did the trick for us. Robert and I neither one like to pull teeth, so it finally became so loose that while she was eating pizza one night....POP! out it came.

A New Job

Okay, sometimes I think that I don't live a very interesting life. Maybe i'm just not that great at blogging about what's going on daily or even weekly. About a week and a half ago I was taking something to Kyle at school and happened to walk through the office at what appears to be the right time. They asked me if I would be interested in a substitute aide posititon that would be temporary for the next 6 weeks, until Christmas break. I wasn't sure. I came home and thought about it and the Principal of the school called to talk to me. He said it was a 6 hour position working one on one with a boy in the 4th grade. He is mildly handicapped and just needs assitance modifying his work. I told him I wasn't interested in working all day and he said that I could pick my hours that I was willing to work. So I will start my "new job" tomorrow working from 9:00 - 12:00 Monday thru Friday. I only work with the boy for 1 hour and the rest of the time is just doing what they need done in the office. I think it will work out great. The aide I'm substituting for is on maternity leave until after Christmas Break. I went in and "shadowed" her all last week to see what it was like. The boy is supper sweet. He is just so kind and great to work with. I think it will be a lot of fun. So my days are gearing up for a change. I will also be able to see both Kayla and Nathan in the lunchroom and at recess because I will be on lunch and recess duty. I'm looking forward to tomorrow and finally being one on one with Jake....that's his name.

Then there's my fun

This is my fun and only my fun....the kids just put up with me.








I love this looking over the glasses thing she does....She is really good at it. It always makes me smile.

Cabrillo National Monument

Kyle needed to visit a National Monument to complete one of the requirements for his Citizenship badge for Scouts. So we decided to visit Cabrillo National Monument. You can see so much. It's out on Point Loma. There is also a National Cemetary there that is so beautiful. On the hills, green grass and overlooking the ocean. It's really beautiful.


Old Point Loma Lighthouse. We were able to go inside and see what it looks like inside the lighthouse. That was very fun and interesting.




Mom, Mom.....look what I see

Two jets as they were taking off from the military base. It was very impressive to hear the engines and see the speed of them both. I was only able to get a picture of one of them however.