Pizza field trip.

Emma's class got to go to a pizza place here in town to make their own pizzas. Genius! Emma loved every minute of the messy experience! Even official pizza making aprons. How about that. The only problem is that Emma is convinced now that this is the pizza place where you get to make your own pizzas... every time!

The Amazing Race... Valentine's Day Edition!

We just had the most amazing Valentine's Day E.V.E.R!!!!!! (Actually we did it on Saturday) My friend Cammie found this idea on another blog and we ran with it. Everything and everyone was awesome and loved it... in the end. We kept our guys in the dark until they showed up to the party and we read them the first clue! Their reaction could have gone either way, but luckily they were totally into it! Here's what we did:

(This was the sign we put on the door to the church)

Here's where they went:

1. My house

2. The Bishop's house-we thought adding him into the equation would give the guys less of an excuse to back out, smart huh! This is where they got the rules, their shirts, the video camera (they had to film their adventure), their baggies of money ($2 in change), took their wallets from them and the next clue. Funny, huh!

3. The YMCA

4. My in-laws house to make us love notes

5. The grocery store to buy a can of whipped cream. There was kind of a trick with this one. The clue might have lead them to believe that they were going to be putting it on something other then dessert!! wink, wink! And since we tricked them we had a can of whipped cream for each of them when they got home to use however they desired!!!

6. The church to pop balloons that had love tokens and candy in each one.

7. Emily and Jesse's house (they were one of the couples there that night) to make up a love song to us!

8. The last place was to the "Welcome" sign to our town were we had each written a love note to them and wrapped it in a box for them to find and read.

These are the 8 different clues which we were informed later that it might have been a little to much... Nonetheless here they are. (I loaded them backwards... ooops. But you get the picture)!!

Then it was back to our house for dinner, to watch their adventure (which was seriously so, so awesome!), and we played the Newlywed Game! My friend Emily also put together a slide show of each couple with pictures from when we were dating, when we got married, and now! AWESOME. AWESOME. If you want something fun to do next year, do this. It was a hit!

The girls in our "I Love My Husband" shirts

The guys in their "I Love My Wife" shirts (they were just happy they got to spend Valentine's with the guys!!!!)

Decorations!

All the couples! What a night!

Tal the baller!

Santa brought Tal a basketball hoop for Christmas. We thought he would like it, but we didn't know just how much he would like it. Since Christmas morning he spends at least an hour every day shooting hoops. He begs for anyone to come play. Actually, I'm pretty sure he just want us there to cheer for him when he makes it!!! He's getting pretty dang good. He's even got a pretty decent jump shot. As you may guess Daddy is very proud! Tal can't say "horse" but he can play it!

More Snow...with Tal this time!

Yep, we got another skiff of snow! Don't laugh all you big snow folks. This is all we get, so we have to make the best of it!! I was feeling bad I deprived Tal of a fun snow experience last time, so I tackled the chore of getting them both bundled up. Thirty minutes later we were out playing and freezing our little pa-tooties off!!

Daddy's helper

Emma has been Matt's helper as "stacker-of-the-wood!" She's pretty tough this one. She helps him haul all sorts of big, tough stuff. Last summer he took her to pick up some fertilizer for the grass and she picked up those 18 lb. bags and huffed them over to the truck. You know, my Grandpa Beckstrand always said that my sister and I, "were just as tough as the boys!!" Looks like she's got some of her mama in her! It makes her pretty proud to help her dad.

Snow Angels!

It snowed. Not much, but enough to play in. I swear, neither the heat or freezing cold effects Emma. She could have stayed outside all day. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I was done after 15 mins. And also, I may be so mean, but because it was so cold I only let Tal play with it from the deck door. So kill me. It was like 10 degrees and windy. He got the idea! Oh, I love being their mom.

A camp in

When Emma realized that Matt was going to have a few day off during the holidays she quickly cashed in on a promised "Camp-In!" A night on the floor. Um. Sounds nice. But they did it and had fun!

Here's the tent (Tal thought it was great to play in, but not so much for sleeping):

Roasting marshmallows is all part of the experience.

One happy girl!!

Christmas... the rest of the story.

Hawaii

Not us. Bummer. My parents. This is them parasailing!! My parents. Parasailing!! What is going on? My mom said it was so soothing and relaxing! Yep, looks like it!!!

After their visit here for Thanksgiving they did something they have never done in their 28 years of marriage. They spent the first part o December in Hawaii. Alone. Together. With no kids. I'm so proud of them. And they had the time of their lives. They brought back a few things for those of us on the main land!

Creche's and Carols

Here in St. Louis the members in the the St. Louis Stake organize a beautiful event for the community. It's called Creche's and Carols. I know a few other places that do the same thing, but you come and walk through the church building that has been filled with over 500 Creche's (nativity sets). Each room has a different theme. It's truly awe inspiring seeing all of the beautiful and unique sets that portray the birth of our Savior. In one of the rooms you can dress up with your family to be part of your own Nativity!

Ward Christmas Party

The ward Christmas party is always a treat. It's not quite Christmas until I see the kids do the Nativity! Oh, and Santa was the best!!!!!

Christmas Morn

Christmas is so fun with kids. I know everyone says it, but I wanted to say it again. Tal got some fun things, but the only thing that mattered was the basketball hoop from Santa. That's all he did all day, and still does at least an hour or two EVERY. SINGLE. DAY!!! He is obsessed. We thought he'd like it just not this much. He was not pleased when it was time to stop playing and go to bed that night! Crazy, Bubba!

Emma rocked out the morning with her new CD player and the new "Scripture Scout" CD's Grandma B got her, snuggled in her very awesome Princess Snuggie (you didn't know they made a princess one did you. Santa's good!!), and can you believe I honestly didn't know what a Zhu Zhu pet was. What rock was I hiding under. Everyone and there dog got some of these and I had no clue what they where. I thought my mother-in-law had given Emma some mice to run around my house. But once I was educated about this incredibly popular toy I decided that they're ingenious really. Because for those of us who will never have a real hamster in their house, these are the perfect compromise! Emma's determined to collect the whole village. In time. In time.

Until next year! Hope you had a Merry one too!