FINALLY

It only took me a year and a handful of people to help me. I am not quilter but I do like a good challenge. This is C.C.'s T-Shirt quilt that is finally finished. Embarrassed to say but it really took forever. I had to look at it in between each stage and think about it. I really love how it turned out though. Christy did the Tetris part of designing the patterns, I added the plain pattern border around the outside, and the lady at the quilt store quilted it.

I had a spot that I actually had to cover so I added this embroidered part that McKayla helped with.

This is the final product. I loved making it and I hope it's a treasure to him. It better be, dang it! Alot of sweat and time and stress put into this.

This and That

C.C. started his Automotive Classes last week and he had a bunch of tools to gather. After a few trips to Sears, Home Depot, and Lowe's, he came up with the final call of what he wanted to do with it all and how he wanted to organize it. So after many countless hours with a old exercise mat and an exacto knife, he has the most beautifully organized toolbox in town.

C.C. is always talking about protein shakes and lifting weights which in turn Isaac wants the same thing. So my last trip to Costco I found these and told him that they were for just him and that these will be his protein shakes. He was beyond thrilled and has been very diligent about drinking one every day. Plus the kid breaks WAY to easily so maybe this may help.

Basically Linkin has depleted the girls' sock selection. They take them off out by the TV and then forget which in turn makes them fair game for Linkin when he gets bored. One day for Poop Pick Up McKayla found 5 socks in the backyard, mixed with the poop. Gross I know. So we had a big talk with everyone and explained how bad it is for him to eat socks and that we needed to keep them out of reach of dogs. We had all done really well until the other morning when I came out to this. C.C. had made someone breakfast. So thoughtful you might think but actually it was a sock that Linkin had barfed up and he wanted to make sure someone else could enjoy the same. Gross but creative.

Sabrina had the "Flour Baby" for her Teen Living class and she went all out. She uses the clothes from Build a Bear and at first she had a picture of Chucky taped to the front. She figured she would get in trouble so she went searching for a picture of a cute baby. She ended up with Nash, Jason and McKell's baby, because he is the cutest baby ever.

Nick

Unfortunately, I gave Nick all of his scrapbooks and my memory is gone so I'm really not sure on his age on these younger ones but isn't he adorable?

3 ish

3 1/2 years old

4 years old

5 years old

Kindergarden

1st grade

4th or 5th grade

6th or 7th grade

Eagle Scout

10th or 11th grade

11th grade

19 years old

21 years

What a blessing Nick has been in our lives. Especially mine. I have truly loved this kid to the core and loved being his mom. He has been so fun to watch over the years try new things and love old things. I'm glad that I was the one that got to be there for all of his firsts. I'm so happy that he is still close for a little while longer and that I can see him grow even more as a man.

Sabrina

1 year old

2years old

3 1/2 years old

3 1/2 years old

4 years old

5 years old

(This wouldn't cooperate and move where I told it to)

13 years old

Jackson, WY, with a broken collar bone about 2 days before.

1st Grade 6 1/2 years old

1st Grade

Kindergarden 5 years old

3rd grade 8 years old

5th grade 10 years old

7th grade 12 years old

6th grade 11 years old

8th grade 13 years old

I can't believe how much she changes every year. Such a wonderful child and sooooo good for me to have her be mine. Love this little girl, who is not so little anymore. We worked so hard to get her and she really has been such a special gift to us.

Christmas 2010

We had a nice steak dinner Christmas eve, even the dogs got something special. This was Linkin's dinner, spoiled dog but we all paid the price later. We also read together a story of the Savior that Heather always reads at her house. We all had parts that we shared to make the story include everyone. We also had to watch the usual Christmas Vacation, which is still funny after all these years.

So exciting! Can't wait to give everyone their gifts, it's totally the best part.

I really loved my tree this year so I was messing around with my camera.

Loved the black and silver ornaments I found this year.

Pretty.

Isaac was so excited to get this huge knife.

Sabrina has grown so much that every pair of her PJ's are massive floods, check out this sweet outfit for Christmas.

Stocking time.

Travis' stocking full of his favorite candy.

This was Isaac's gift from Sabrina, she made him his very own Rice Krispy wreath. He was beyond happy and even shared. Very sweet.

This was for Travis from C.C., it was awesome, a whole box of Cadbury Eggs. Another favorite.

This beautifully wrapped in black duct tape gift was for me from Travis. He always wraps very uniquely but his time was really unique. So unique that we couldn't even get it open, it was pretty funny. After a ten minute fight and a lot of careful cutting with a knife, we finally got to see what he surprised me with. The new Kindle. I secretly wanted it but never said it out loud. Very excited.

This was Isaac's loot, all the best, Heelys and Legos.

C.C. set his up so nicely for the annual picture of his gifts, handsome new boots.

My stash, so many wonderful gifts. Jewelry from C.C. and M&M's from Isaac.

My other stash, pumpkin decorations from Nick and Heather, a Christmas scene made by Sab, and a Panini grill from Diane and Dustin. It just doesn't get much better.

Nick and Heathers loot, an emergency car kit, some shoes, and gift cards.

Travis' pile of all his favorites, a holiday without Alene's Chocolates just wouldn't be complete. A necessity.

McKayla picked out all of her stuff except we got her a huge mirror for her room.

Cute decorations with some special new gifts to make it the best ever.

Sab had some special gifts like perfume, jewelry and some clothes.

The 3 big dogs got these bones and spent the day working on them with white mustaches to go with them.

When he finished his bone there was a whole lot of this going on. A sunbath.

This was my big surprise for Travis. I'm shocked that I kept it a secret while it was just in the next room. He had been wanting one for his office so I found a great one that he can sneak in a nap if he needs one. Looks like his test drive is going well.

A few days after Christmas Grandma Chapman came for a visit. She took the kids to The Dino Museum and hung out with them over the break while Travis and I were working.

Christmas this year was one of the best I've ever had. All the kids were so very excited to shop and to give their gifts to the others. I loved that part. They were all so thoughtful in the things that they picked for others. Christmas day was so relaxing and it was so much fun the be able to take our time and enjoy each other and the time we had. It really was perfect. Nick and Heather were with us this year and they slept over which is always so much fun. I realized that this will be such a rare occasion as the kids all grow and so will their families. I really soaked it in and appreciated it more than I have before.