Christmas Happenings

Just like everyone else, I love this time of the year. Next to our Saviors birth, to us Christmas is all about family. I love the traditions that we have during the Christmas season. Christmas Eve didn't start off too smoothly. We had a little accident on the four wheeler on the way up to go sleigh riding. It kind of ruined Kort's day. So Karl, Jaydee, Kort, and the camera went back to Grandma's to hang out. Notice how HUGE his cheek is.


We all meet at Sandra's house to play bingo and open our new pj's before we head out for the Cox's Christmas Eve Party. The party is at the bowling alley where there is lots of food, bowling, and gifts from Santa.






We woke the kids up at 8 Christmas morning, because Sandra was outside our house waiting for us to wake up. We opened our presents then headed over to Sandra's for a delicious breakfast, with our favorite, fresh squeezed orange juice. Sandra also likes to spoil us on Christmas so we had more presents at her house. We spent the rest of the day playing new wii games with Clint's family.



I hope his cheek goes back to normal.




These are some really cute books that the boys got from their cousins Madison & Aj. The boys think the book are so awesome. Very cute idea Robyn!!!

Live Nativity

Sandra invited us to go to a live nativity that she had went to last year. I went thinking we were going to see some animals in a barn. Little did I know I was going to be amazed. We started off with a hay ride that took us to Bethlehem.





After the hay ride we watched a short video of pictures of Jesus to the song of Mary Did You Know. Then we walked right in the middle of it all. We saw the wisemen, shepherds, animals, people paying their taxes, and innkeepers saying no room in the Inn. Near the end we walked into a stable and saw this.....

Joseph and Mary with a sleeping baby Jesus. It felt so peaceful and the spirit was so strong in that stable. The love that those parents had for their baby shown in their eyes, and they were so proud of that baby. I can only imagine how the shepherds and the wisemen felt the first time they saw Jesus.


They had lots of fires to stand by to stay warm, hot chocolate and cookies, and it was all free. I hope that night was the start of a new tradition. Who knew the little town of Fountain Green could put on such an amazing scene.

Christmas is almost here!!!

I feel like we have been to tons of Christmas parties. They have all been so much fun. Karl's family was in charge of the Cox cousin party this year. We did a survivor theme. Here are some pictures that I stole off of Robyn's blog. It's always an adventure, that we enjoy, at that party.


Karl & I started off the first challenge with a three legged race. Then there was........

throwing marshmallows into a bucket, (Karl's in the red)


paper airplane contest,

hitting plastic cups with arrows,


and the log balance.

We also had a party with my family. The kids got to open their first present of the season.






That evening we went downtown to see the lights. We were able to get there early enough (5:00) to watch the nativity, see the Christus, and have a potty break before the lights turned on and the crowds came. The weather was not too cold, it was a very enjoyable night.







We have also had the kids Christmas programs.


Kort's program was very short, but sweet. He was so sick of practicing his program and was so happy to have it over with.

Kevin's program is nicely set up. They get to watch a movie in the auditorium until it is their turn to sing. He did a great job.

Christmas time is here

Our Thanksgiving tradition that starts off the holiday season.

The Nativity

The Shepards

Three Wise men

Then off to the mountains to get a tree.


We only had a few hours to get our tree this year, so it is a little bare. But it is perfect for us.



Waiting for Dad to get the chain saw.


Taa Daaa!!


Our first visit to Santa at the ward party. Jaydee wasn't too impressed.

Not your traditional Thanksgiving

This is how we celebrated Thanksgiving this year.


My family celebrated Thanksgiving last Saturday, and Karl's family will be getting together this Saturday. So we decided to Eat out. We didn't have many restaurants to choose from, so the "older generation" that was with us picked Golden Coral....not our first choice. It was very busy, but we had fun. My parents, Sandra, and Karl's Aunt were able to eat with us as well. I have never eaten out on Thanksgiving. It just is not the same as getting together with family eating turkey all day and watching football. We did get some shopping done.....Only two more presents to buy till Christmas shopping is done. YEAH!!!

update

I just wanted to update everyone on the last couple of days, maybe just to avoid some awkward conversations. They have been some of the hardest in our lives. I had my doctors appointment yesterday. After two ultrasounds, it was confirmed that there was no heartbeat. So today I had a D&C. It has been hard, but we have had a lot of support. My mom is here helping me with the kids and Robyn and Andy and Sandra had the kids over night. Thank you guys so much. I feel like I have already recovered from the surgery, just a little weak from loss of blood. I know we will make it through this trial in our lives, and I am so grateful to have Karl by my side. That's one thing I love about being married, you don't have to go through trials by yourself. Karl and his brother Clint were able to give me a blessing of comfort last night. I was told that I would one day get to be a mother to my child. I want to live my life so that one day I can. I know that we are not doing this alone, we have prayed so much and have felt comfort from our Heavenly Father. I am so thankful for the kids that I do have. They bring so much joy to my life. I want to thank everyone for the phone calls and prayers. They have meant so much to us.

HaLloWeEn

Our second Halloween party was at Sandra's house. She makes a big web with yarn,which took her seven hours this year. Each grandchild has their own string and follows it till they get a prize.

Kevin wanted to do it all by himself this year. I am pretty sure his string was the longest.

Kort with his prize. He let Karl roll the yarn, while he followed his string to the end.




This is the kids feeling different textures that Sandra made and had them guess what they were.
They thought that was pretty cool.

We have always taken our kids trunk or treating, so this year we decided to take them trick or treating. Since Manti doesn't have sidewalks and since the houses are far apart, we went to my parents.



We were the first ones out, or I should say the only ones out. It was a lot warmer when the sun was up. I asked the kids what they liked better, going house to house or trunk to trunk. They boys both said trick or treating. They had fun being able to spend Halloween with their cousins.

just a little news

For those of you that don't already know........We are expecting. Karl got a little excited and told his family a little early, so if you already know here's an update. We are just starting the second trimester and praying that the symptoms that let us know we are pregnant start to fade. My symptoms have been lots worse this time around, so we haven't made any guesses on the gender. We thought it was fun not to find out so we are waiting again. We have been to the doctors a couple of times. This last time the heart rate was 180, which is high and a little scary, so everyday when i am sick, all day, I am grateful. I think I am just a little paranoid after the last miscarriage. We are sure this is the last, but are not ready to make anything permanent. So I keep thinking this is the last time that.........
I am so excited to be due the same month as two of my other sisters, Jerilyn & surprisingly Monica. Yes, you read right. Monica got married the weekend after Karl and me. They tried to have kids from the start. After lots of doctor visits, they ended up adopting 2 beautiful children, and decided they were done, because of their age. Well, three years later somehow she got pregnant. Kent is going to be a father of a newborn at 49. Lets just say this pregnancy has grown on them since they found out. I am soo happy for them. We are all due in May.

We invited ourselves over to Andy and Robyn's house this year for some pumpkin carving family fun. Well, we thought it was going to more of a competition, but Robyn and Andy must have been afraid and decided to not carve a pumpkin of their own. Maybe next year!!!

Kevin made his pumpkin by himself this year.


Karl, Kevin, & Kort's
Karl- top left, a snake
Kevin- top right, bats
Kort- bottom left, boo He wasn't really into it, so Karl made it. Kort still hasn't noticed that the stem is now on the bottom of his pumpkin.
Sandra- bottom right, cat, which we decided was the winner this year.


This one is mine, Dwight Schrewt.



Every one's


It was a perfect night for carving. Cold enough for hot chocolate and doughnuts, but warm enough to have hot chocolate spilled all over me and not freeze.

Halloween.....Already?

Fall is my least favorite season. That means winter is coming and allergies hit me hard, but it also means BYU football, beautiful mountain scenery, and Halloween. I can't believe we are celebrating Halloween already. My family had a party this weekend. We wanted to do a big corn maze this year and not fight crowds. So we went to Hee Haws. We started off with this trick-or-treat hay ride.





It was all close enough together that the older kids got to run around by themselves. And we went early enough that there wasn't very many people there either.
They had plenty for the kids to do.






Adults too!!



Their favorite activity was this big slide.






The maze was pretty big it took most of us a half hour to do and others it took almost an hour. The kids wanted to go on their own, so we let them go first. We didn't prepare them enough, because they kind of panicked and left the trails, just walking through the corn. Luckily they found Jerilyn who they stayed with the rest of the time. Somehow, they were the first ones out. They still thought it was fun.
That night we started the party.
The kids got dressed in their costumes and did a little trick or treating in the yard. It's fun to see my nieces and nephews every year all dressed up. Then it's time for dinner. We had yummy soup bowls.


The weekend was filled with chocolate caramel covered apples and pretzels, turtle bars, pie and ice cream, doughnuts, cookies, Halloween candy, salsa, artichoke dip, fun, home-made soup, laughs, and surprises. Maybe next time we can do the crafts that we were supposed to do.