Christmas 2010

We had such a great Christmas. Aub, Brian and the boys came over Christmas Eve and so did Robin (my office partner) and we made LOTs of goodies to eat ( little smokies in bbq sauce, baby pigs in blankets, veggies and beau monde dip, crab ball and ritz crackers, spinich dip and sheepherder loaf, shrimp and coctail sauce, cake balls from Minz and probably lots I can't remember). We ate so much!! OH I made Wasail and then I baked a ham for dinner that night too. We played games all day long and just enjoyed the GREAT company! We actually played games until about midnight! Eli Austin and Jack opened their PJs and I forgot to take more pictures of the feed!




Then Christmas was so fun watching Jack rip into his presents! Harold made Prime Rib and the whole family came for dinner. That is the first time we have all spent Christmas Dinner together for years! Jes and Kyle always stay at home! It was so nice!

Annual Nativity

Last night we did the Live Nativity for our family who could be there and the Branch Family Home Evening group. It was VERY nice! Jes planned it and it was GREAT! I am only sorry we didn't get pictures this year! Dusty and Melony, (Kyle's brother and his wife) were Mary and Joseph. Then Jes put together a medily of music from the Forgotten Carols and several of the Branch members portrayed the wise men and shepherds. I love to see the live nativity and try to picture them as they were so many years ago in a stable in such humble circumstances! I LOVE this season!

Christmas Season

Well here we are again. Its the Christmas season and I am not feeling ready. Things are pretty slim this year. There are only about 10 presents under the tree. Most all of them are for Jack. But even if there are only a few presents under the tree, we have been given much more in great Blessings from Heavenly Father and a very loving Savior! And.... it is HIS birth we celebrate this time of year! So instead of being bothered about the number of presents I am focusing on the greater gift.....MY SAVIOR. I have pondered about all the trials that we have gone through this far in our life, I have learned something about myself........ I have enough Faith in my Savior to carry me through anything that has or will come my way! I have a testimony of HIM who gave His life that we all might be forgiven of our weakness and sin! I know that He knows ME and LOVES ME! ME individually, as one of His children, HE knows ME!!!! I think that this is the greatest blessing of all. So I just want to say how grateful I am for HIM for HIS birth and everything He has done for me and for you. I acknowledge his presence in my life everyday! That is enough of a present for me this season!

FINALLY NEW COUCHES

After 13 years and some VERY worn out couches, we have rewarded ourselves with new couches. Not to mention that we have visitors over ALL THE TIME. Harold in in the Singles Branch Presidency and we are always having them over for FHE or dinner or activities! We Love Them......... the kids too, haha.

News

Clinton started working at Target last week and had the wonderful opportunity of working BLACK FRIDAY. He just laughed about it. Said there are funny people out there. I know! He is loving it.
Jack is doing GREAT with the self pottytraining.
He got sick last Saturday and has run fever and not felt very good at all for 3 days now. Poor little guy. Jes called this morning and said Lexie has been throwing up all night. They haven't been together for about 5 or 6 days now so they didn't get it from each other.

Wonderful Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mom and dad came on Monday night and the plan was for them to head out for Havre Montana to spend Thanksgiving with Dave and Jan. THe weather turned for the worse on Tuesday and the freeway was CLOSED all day. It didn't look much better for Wednesday and so they decided it was probably best to NOT go. So we talked them into staying with us ( they were going to go home) and we had such a wonderful time. They are wonderful!
Lissy and family and Aub and family came, Jes and Kyle went to Jacobsons. Family is the most wonderful thing in the world. God must love us very much to give us the opportunity to have them forever!!!!! Cant imagine eternity without one of them.

Potty Training

Jack has pretty much potty trained HIMSELF!!! He is such an amazing little kid.
Daylight savings has really messed up his schedule though! He comes up to our room every morning between 5 and 6 am. Hopefully he will get it straightened up again soon.

Trip to Boise

Kids playing on Great Great Grandpa Crossley's saddle. The kids LOVE this thing!!!


Aunt Karon at the Golden Coral with the kiddies.

The kids LOVED the Golden Coral....... Haylee went back to the dessert bar for ice cream at least 6 times! HA HA...... So many choices, so little time.



Well either my life is REALLY BORING or I have nothing to say. So here we go:
Jon came home from his mission so Jes and the kids and Jack and I went for his homecoming. We had lots of fun. We met up with Karon for lunch and took mom with us and then Friday night I went with Mike and Kathy to Pauls home to watch the BSU vs University of Idaho game. We had GREAT food and the game was GREAT!. Saturday Jes went to Kristina's house for the afternoon and then we went over to Mike and Kathys house again for BBQ. It was a great time~