Hot pools and snowboarding in Idaho!

The kids had a few days off of school and so we took off to Idaho for some fun! I talked Chad into taking a detour and going to Lava Hot Springs indoor pool with my family. Its indoors, warm water, and tons of fun! The kids loved splashing in the kids pool and when they got bored they hopped in the big pool and played basketball with their uncles!

 This was Brielles favorite spot i think.

 And it was Rylee's first time swimming! She was so tired but never made a peep! She just smiled and kicked her legs! I had a hard time keeping track of Carter because he was running everywhere and having so much fun enjoying some freedom in the water. Grandma hung out in the hot pools and helped watch babies at certain times. It was so wonderful sitting in a nice warm spa watching the snow fall outside!

 We traveled on to grandmas house and spent the weekend with them. Bright and early monday morning we headed to Pommerelle! I havent been on a snowboard since I was in high school but we all had such a fun time on the bunny hill with Carter. The drive up there was a bit scary but some kind strangers helped push our car up the road.

 This kid was more than excited to get on the mountain.

 The magic carpet! This ride almost got the best of me and Chad a few times! It's a little tricky on a snowboard.

 The boys shreddin it up.

 We took a break in the lodge for lunch and to let our legs rest! (and arms!) My shoulders were more sore than my legs from pushing myself up so often! It wasn't long though before we were ready to head back out!

Chad was good sport and was very patient while me and Carter learned (and re-learned for me) how to snowboard. It took me several times but I finally decided to quit being a chicken and just go for it. Once I did I was able to make it down the hill a few times without falling. YAY ME!

 While we were away Grandma entertained the girls with lots of games and cookie making! She's such a great grandma and always has fun stuff planned for the grandkids. I'm so glad my kids get to grow up and know both sets of their grandparents. We are so blessed in that department!

 It was such a fun trip, no one wanted to leave! Its always a long drive back to Utah, especially with 2 little girls who don't love the car. But I learned a new secret weapon for keeping Brielle happy in the car. APPLES! Yes folks, that is (or was) an apple! She is just like Carter and eats it down to the stem and seeds. But it kept her busy, wasn't too messy and filled her belly with a healthy snack! WIN WIN WIN!

7 month old bundle of Joy

Ah this little gal feels my heart with so much peace and joy! It seems like the 4th time around I may have the newborn stage down. Although she is hardly that anymore! She is sleeping in her own crib, sleeping through the night, eating tons of food, sitting up and rolling around like crazy!

Love this perfect sleeping beauty. Hands clasped, feet up, and hair standing straight up!

 She loves toys and is content most of the time to sit in a pile of toys and play.

 The kids like to help when they think she needs a toy....or ten! And we have irresponsibly left her unattended in her swing and came back to find her sitting on the floor in front of her swing just content and playing away! Woops!

 When I get ready I've been putting Rylee in a pack n play so that she's protected from her older siblings and can't jump out of her swing. Well one day I walked in and this is what I found. Nothing is safe anymore!!

 Oh her hair! It just stands straight up! When I comb it down it just pops right back up! It's a Hymas trait I'm told. But I absolutely love it!

 She enjoys the tub much more now that she can sit up! She chases little fishies around the tub and is just so happy! And look at those rolls forming!

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Another year...another ER visit!

Last January we were in the ER with Little Brielle and I guess Mollie wanted to keep up with the tradition! We had just gotten home from somewhere and she was turning to race her brother up the stairs for lunch. There was a step stool behind her and she tripped over it and landed right on her face on the steps. I heard the commotion and crying so I went down stairs to find quite a sight! 

Chad was standing over the sink holding mollie over it and blood was dripping down his arms, blood was all over mollies face and down her shirt and blood was splattered all over the walls! I thought for a minute she had cut an artery the way blood was splattered!

 When we could finally look at it we realized her teeth went clear through her bottom lip. Off to the ER we went! Chad initially took her while I stayed with the kids. An hour passed...then 2....and Chad called and said he needed me to come help calm her down because she was really scared. I pawned the kids off on the neighbors and took off.

When I got there they had numbed her lip with some cream and gave her some drugs that was supposed to make her pass out. She got really loopy and silly and kept asking funny questions. She never did pass out completely which surprised the doctors but she was drugged enough to atleast hold still for her stitches.

 We were shocked when the doctor said that the inside hole would heal itself and he only stitched up the outside of it. The scar is right along her lip line so it blends pretty well on her face which I'm grateful for!

The stitches almost all fell out (I'd be lying if I didn't say I may have held her down and pulled the last one out that was hanging by a thread since it hadn't fallen out in 3 weeks!) It's amazing to me how fast it healed! Within a day it was filled in with new skin cells and it never got infected or caused her any problems which I was so grateful for! I'm very grateful for modern day medicine! And I'm grateful her bill wont be as big as Brielles was!

The year is dying...

We thought this year we would host a New Years Eve party and get 2016 started off right! We've been blessed with some fun friends who like to play games as much as we do and we get together often. The Unsworths, Eashs, Ekins, and Lopez's joined us this year and we had plenty of food to go around. With 8 adults and 19 kids running around it was a little crazy but mostly fun! 

At midnight we celebrated with sparkling cider, confetti and lots of CHEERS!

                                       

And over the next few days we took advantage of all the snow we've been getting and did some sledding as a family! Brielle laughed the whole way down and loved it. She would have gone all day if we could have kept carrying her up that huge hill!

 Carter was just flying down the hill on his snowboard. Every now and then he would grab his sled and do a run but then go right back to his board. He's a natural.

Mollie was a little more cautious after she did a complete front flip on one of her wrecks. But she got right back up and kept going!  Rylee was'nt much of a fan of the cold even though we tried bundling her up. We didn't last long but I'm glad a I got a few pictures of our fun that day.

Twas the night before Christmas....

The best part of christmas for sure is being a parent to small children! It really puts the magic back in christmas. It looks like Santa came! A kindle for Carter, A bike for Mollie, A trike for Brielle, and some wipes for Rylee!

 Mom and dad got gifts too....a drill for Chad and boots for mom! The calm before the storm!

 Their excitement is so contagious and fills me with true joy. Brielle was over the moon about her bike.

 I don't think Carter knew exactly what he got but he Loves it and can use it to do his homework and reading on.

 Chad was very excited about his drill. Santa got an incredible deal on it!

 Stocking treats!

 Rylee was clueless but loved her new toys to chew on while we opened gifts.

 Carter begged and begged for a snowboard and when we found this deal we couldn't turn it down. I was hesitant because I know how hard it is to learn to snowboard. But it took him all of 30 minutes to figure it out. I'm so glad we got it for him!

Before I even had time to start cleaning up the mess Mollie had her headphones on jamming out while she played shopkins go fish with her dad. I married a good man!

 Mollie's loot

 Brielles treasures! That lego set has been the best thing ever!

 Carters goodies

 Ry Ry's goodies! Poor thing really doesn't need much! So she got some necessities like baby food, snacks, clothes and wipes.  She looked happy with what she got!

We had a fun day of just lounging around, eating junk, sledding, (i napped with the babies while they sledded!) and just enjoyed being together. We are so truly blessed to have means to give our children a wonderful christmas. We had an opportunity to help 6 men in a nursing home who had no one to give them christmas and it feels my heart with joy and helps it feel more like christmas when we are able to give a little to someone in need. I'm grateful for Chads job that provides us with necessities and indulgences and for a hard working husband that puts his family first by being the best he can at work. I know we are truly blessed. I've felt my Saviors love so much this season. It took me a while to get into the spirit of it but when I quit looking for big things and noticed the small miracles all around me in every day life it helped get me in the christmas spirit. What a great example we have in our older brother who performed great miracles but also went about doing small acts of service and asked to remain unknown. I'm so grateful for Him and I hope to be more like him daily.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was a seriously wonderful day. I spent the day with kids making gingerbread cookies and cutting out snowflakes. Once Chad got home from work we started preparations for our annual fondue party. The kids sure love this and it is really fun. 

After that we opened our new game that we get each year and this year we went with pictionary. It was still a little over their heads but we were able to play it a little bit. 

 Then it was time for Christmas jammies! Rylee got a sleep sack with snowflakes on it.

 Brielle picked out Elsa jammies and was jumping all over the place once she opened them because she was so excited.

 Carter and Mollie got two pairs of jammie pants with a t shirt. Mollie was really excited....Carter not so much. He wanted to open a real gift.

 Chad and I even got new jammies!

 Here they are all dressed for bed.

 We finished off the night a little different than normal. We listed to one of my favorite books on YouTube...The Tale of the Three Trees and then instead of reading the nativity story we watched the book of mormon story about it. We sang some songs and read a christmas story. The kids were pretty mellow for it being such an exciting night.

Gosh I love this little family we have created!

They both said they couldn't sleep but passed out within minutes of hitting the pillow. Only a few hours passed when Carter was bright eyed and bushy tailed at 3:00 AM! We have never had to worry about the kids waking up that early so next year we are going to set some rules for sure! Luckily we got Mollie back to sleep and Carter hung out in his room until 4 when he came up again but got him to wait a little longer until 6. Crazy kid!! Stay tuned for Christmas morning!

Ry is 6 months old!

HALF A YEAR! I can not believe it. She is growing up so much and getting out of the baby stage too quickly, which I love and miss! She loves sitting up in her bumbo and sucking on her fingers. Her hair stands straight up and appears to be turning blonde! Her eyes are a pretty blue and I hope they stay that way! We get so many compliments on what a good baby she is. She loves to smile at anyone who will look at her and she REALLY loves to be held. If she is being held she is always happy. But she is content too rolling on the floor and stretching to reach new toys. 

 All the kids love her and Brielle especially loves to give her hugs and bring her toys. (not hers of course) I hope they will become best little buddies as they grow. Brielle calls her Wy-Wy. Its so cute.

 She got her first taste of rice cereal and she was super crazy about it. I think we are going to have another good eater on our hands!

 Her big eyes and long lashes get lots of compliments as well. I'm glad my kids all have big beautiful eyes. They are their best features I think. And the standing up hair and cute headbands just make her look even sweeter. No teeth yet, but she sure likes to chomp on those fingers or her blanket or whatever she can get up to her mouth. She's working on sitting up and this coming week we are finally going to move her to her own bed. YES! It is long over due.

Sometimes I can't believe I have 4 kids and I feel like a circus show when we all go somewhere together sometimes but I can't imagine life without a single one of them. I'm so glad they are all healthy and happy and we have the means to provide for them. They are my world and bring me the greatest joy.