OUR SUPER FAM: January 2014

Jan 2, 2014

Christmas Season 2013

Now, how do you get into the Christmas spirit?

Well, number 1, you...

That's right! Choose Joy.

Another way?? Make Christmas traditions. We have some traditions that we do every year and some that we try and see if they "stick". This year I bought these stars with names of Christ on them. There are 12 and you read a corresponding scripture with each one. I love this tradition and plan to do it again next year. A great thing to do for the 12 days before Christmas to keep the focus on Christ.

Another Christmas tradition is unwrapping a children's christmas story every day the month of December. Mental note to self: A printed out list of who is which day will help mom and dad want to continue this tradition.

This is Ella's favorite book that we sang a bizillion times this season...

And what would the Christmas season be without a Xmas concert...

And gingerbread houses...

and LOTS of snow and cold weather...

One child, remaining nameless, seems to think that wearing baseball socks and shorts equals PANTS.

What would the season be without a holiday ELF...

our annual Xmas eve visit to Tucanos

(not sure if Miles was more excited for this or Xmas itself)

Or multiple visits from the tooth fairy???

Or a visit from a favorite cousin...

We also draw names of siblings out of a hat, and the kids purchase for each other. We let them open them Xmas eve. Everyone did a great job of picking a gift that would be loved by their sibling.

Miles got a football and lucky charms

Quincy got headphones

Porter got coloring gear

Ella got bottles to feed her "friends".

LEAVING OUT THE STOCKINGS:

(in their new Xmas Jammies)

And as always, we enjoyed watching the kids open their gifts and didn't get very many pictures of that!

Ella was enthralled by it all. Everyone was excited and grateful!

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Jan 1, 2014

Christmas???

Oh yeah, Christmas post is coming soon...

Thanksgiving at the Matthews

We travelled up to Idaho to be with Grandpa and Grandma Matthews for Thanksgiving.

We talked them into going to Blast Off. The kids love it.

Thanks to Allen for taking this lovely picture to show that mom really is there too. I think I am trying to throw a ball at him for taking this picture.

2013 has been the year of the flat tires. We've had 4 flat tires in 4 months.

The last of the series gave up on the way home from Thanksgiving.

Here we are all FREAKING out.

Thankfully, Ella slept through the changing to the spare!

Tender mercy for sure.

But my favorite picture of the trip?

No words are needed for this one. Ella really took to Great Grandma Brown. They were checking out the squirrel outside the window.

So so thankful for family!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Random Fun

With the weather being colder...

We apparently feel the need to...

(they say they can breath....and see....haha!)

We've been playing games...

Sometimes we even go to school at a cowboy...

Sometimes we really wanna get out of the house and hang out with friends...

(he'll be mad at me for this one...)

Quincy played another basketball season of Little Hoopsters

(and is our first child to actually do jumping jacks correctly)

Ella has learned how to climb into her highchair and reach the phone to call daddy....great!

and to squirt water out of her mouth in the tub...

And I don't think Q was very excited to start scouts...

Wow, we love our crazy monkeys!!

Quincy's Baptism

Quincy felt so special on his baptism day! He had so many family members and friends there to help him celebrate this special step in life.

We had Grandpa and Grandma Matthews with us:

We had the Gustafsons with us and Grandpa Bradford too! This poor CA group comes whenever our weather is unusually cold! They survived I think!

Our little family was sure excited for him:

Quincy wanted Dad to baptize him and confirm him a member of the church!

And what could be better than getting baptized with friends:

Quincy worked really hard to prepare to get baptized:

We finished the Book of Mormon the week before the baptism!

He also memorized 12 of the 13 Articles of Faith.

A couple of ward missionaries came over to talk to Quincy about his baptism and what would happen. I love how Quincy told them one of the reasons to get baptized:

"so I can be on the Lord's TEAM".

Love you Q. So proud of your choice to follow Jesus and be baptized. You are a special boy and I hope you will always remember how much I love you and your Heavenly Father loves you. Choose the Right and repent as needed. Then, you will always be happy!