Katrina in the snow

Christmas time 2008

Oh christmas tree oh christmass tree..... how lovely are all the broken ornaments!

One of my best memories of my youth is all the lovely christmas trees my mother had over the years, many of which she would enter similar ones into the festival of trees. Well we started a tradion in our own family or should I say Danielle had years ago that each year we have a kids tree that has new hallmark ornaments placed on them each year along with all the past old ones.

Well it seems this year that the tree has found it's way into the hands of Brayden, and being a boy.....well use your imagination!! Two years ago we started using plastic ornaments due to Trina and her obsesion with the tree, well now Brayden loves those as well as all the other ornaments. So slowly but surely the tree is loosing it's lustre.

I never realized how hard it was to try to decide what to get for the older kids, Maddy and Austin. We ask them what they want for christmas and they just give us that blank stare. So now we have decided to go to family gifts so to speak. They each get some new clothes, just what you want as a kid huh, but then we give them a larger family type of gift. This year it will be a new game system that they all can play, including the little ones. I must have really caused my parents to struggle with all my requests as I got older.

Snow has finally fallen here, Brayden just as with everything else doesn't care if he is out barefoot in it, he just loves to play and loves to make a mess, mostly of himself. Sydnee has yet to be out in the snow, she watches her brother and sister and probably wonders what they find so fun about a whole bunch of white stuff. Trina lvoes the snow, she can't stop playing in it as long as someone is outside with her. Everytime I go out to shovel she wants to be out there and start a snowball fight, anything to be able to throw snow. We tend to have a very busy christmas eve and christmas day especially with the older two and the time with their dad. We will keep you updated as the holiday season progresses but for now be content with the "is it christmas yet" that is the most prominent question around our house.

2008 in Review

So here it is again another year has gone by any yet we still don't know where it went. All we do know is that things are great. The family is doing well and so is our business.

Austin turned 12 this year and was able to be given the gift of the Priesthood and is now a Deacon. He is a refreshing part to our young mens program since he loves to read and does not mind to speak up and give his opinion.

I hope he never loses that part of him it will serve him well throughout his life. He played another year of football, he made the "A" team but there were so mnay kids he really did not get his chance to become better this year. We spnet alot of time working on his own for next year, he is a hard worker and will get better soon enough over those who do not work hard at it.

Maddy is now 9 and she is doing great. She is attending some time at Sylvan and it has helped her greatly in her ability to learn and progress with her schooling. She is doing so well for what

she has had to learn to work with. She is getting big now too and soon it won't be long before she is out of grade school as well.

Trina is now 4 and is a typial 4 year old. She is having to learn how to play with friends and share, it is a new concept to her I guess and it is not something she likes to do very often. She too is growing up and becoming more and more indpendent. There are times when we try to help her and she gets upset with us for butting into her business. We have started going thru pre school learning systems with her so she can be ready for school in another year and a half. Unfortunately for us she won't start kindergarten till she is almost 6 years old.

Brayden is our little sweetheart. He is so caring and watchful of everyone, yet at the same time he can be the typical 2 year old and throw those lovely 2 year old tantrums. he loves to play sports with his dad and then loves to help with anything around the house, he runs around singing the clean upsong from nursery when we are cleaning around the house and loves to help with the laundry.

Sydnee is now almost 1. She has gotten the crawling down and is learning how to stand and walk a little now. Though she is a little shy about wanting to try to walk on her own. It is either that or else every time she is going to try Bray and Trina both go and pick her up. So she is taking a little longer than usual for us to get the walking down. She is such a good little baby, very calm unless she is hungry or upset over something, otherwise she and Brayden have a very similar temperment. Maybe it is becuse out house is sooo full now that they have no choice.

Danielle and I are doing well. Danielle is getting used to staying home though she is becoming more involved with our business, but with 5 kids there is not much time for much else, especially with 3 of them 4 or under. I myself am getting increasingly busier each day. With the business growing and the responsibilitites that it requires I am spending a good amount of time during the day working on it. We are meeting some wonderful people and making huge strides for our family, I love what we do for families and there has not been a more rewarding opportunity for me in my life.

Well it has been a great year and we look forward to having an even better year in 2009.

Our Little Sydnee

Sydnee is now getting to the age where she is very mobile. She crawls everywhere after her brother, Danielle states that all day long her and Brayden just love to chase each other around and laugh and play with each other. It looks like Brayden is going to be her little protector as they grow up together.

Here Sydnee and Brayden are palying peek a boo, Sydnee just has this great sense of humor and loves to play games with anyone who will play with her. Brayden just loves to do anything with anyone so this is great fun for both of them, and they are so darn cute while playing with each other.

Sydnee also got to try the little zebra bouncer this day as well. She loves the sound it makes as she bounces though se still haves a little trouble keeping her balance on the zebra.

Halloween 2008

So Halloween has now come and gone. The kids had lots of fun with all the different parties.


Brayden, Katrina and Sydnee spent halloween night over at gandmas house where they had dinner and then went throughout their neighborhood. It started to rain a little on us but not very hard and the kids had a great time filling their bags.



Austin and Maddy were dressed as a pirate and gangster. They had fun with the school parade and the parties at school. Then they spent the remainder of hte holiday with their dad at his house.



It's funny that out of all of our kids Katrina is the one that always want sto be something scarry for halloween. Last year she was a witch and then this year she wanted to be a vampire. Though she does make a very good vampire, even though she states that she is a good vampire not a scary one.

Danielle was a ghost of sorts and then Sydnee was a lady bug. We had fun at the ward trunk or treat where the kids got to go around the parking lot and get treats then we went inside and were able to have dinner with the ward. Danielle again won the best dressed female award. She won it two or three years ago as well with a similar costume.

We also spent some time over at my brother scott's house with hima nd Katie his wife. We were able to spend the evening and let hte kids carve out pumpkins. For some of them this was the first time they had ever done this and it was quite an interesting evening. Though they all lvoed it. So halloween is now over and we move on to the remainder of the holidays for this year. Yeah take decorations down and put more up.

Haloween 2008

Well Here it is again Halloween time.
It seems that every year time goes by faster and faster. Just a few months ago we were commenting about how great it was to be back into summer and now it is cold again. So starts the haloween season, it appears that we may be having another cold night for halloween, I don't mind it but the kids we always worry about out in the cold.


So we started off this year by spending the annual time at Gardners Village. There are many special events that we like to go to and enjoy, one of them being the annual Witches night out, this is more of an adult night but it is great for the kids to see all the fun costumes by everyone.

This year we also spnet some time on a kids day doing a ride with a witch.








Of course Bryan just wanted to join in the fun. I think the hat really defines him don't you?


More to come as the holiday season progresses....
Stay tuned.

Why we do what we do.

Ritz Carlton Lake Las Vegas

The Ritz Carlton - Lake Las Vegas, Nevada

WOW what a wonderful opportunity for me and Danielle to spend a weekend for our anniversary at such a lovely place. This is simply a once in a lifetime that we are going to now make into a semi annual retreat every other year or so.

Lake Las Vegas is a semi private resort surrounded by some of hte most luxurious community homes we have ever seen. In case you might be wondering Celine Dion has a home just out the back door from the hotel on the top of the mountain, it is actually possible to see it if you know what you are looking for.

This firsst picture is looking out the rear of the Ritz Carlton. Now in case you might be wondeirng yes this is actually the one and only in Nevada Ritz Carlton. It has only been in operation since 2003. Look up on google for Lake Las Vegas resort and you can get some great pictures of what this place is all about. There is fantastic golf, eating and all kinds of shopping and activities for people. The Ritz Carlton is a true five star resort with all the trimmings.


The rooms are bigger than what most people have for an entire floor on their home. Sydnee was having a gret time just playing on the oversided king bed. Our room as can be seen below overlooked the water. There is a walkway that runs the full length underneath the above rooms.

For one of the nights we had an immaculate dinner, we had some sort of filet minon with some other stuff I was not sure what it was and other trimmings. Then we had a wonderfuly bliss cheese cake. Now if you are wodering what this might have looked like, if anyone watches the cooking shows on TV picture some of hte most gorgeous meals that they fix, it looked like those. Bobby Flay could have been the cook as far as we know. While we finished up dinner we had a special treat. The picture to the right is of Kenny G. Our company had brought in Kenny G for us to watch and listen to after dinner. This was the most perferct show, we sat right over the water and down below was a stage set up on a very large dock, there were seats ont he grass hill to the south for people to sit at, but we had perfect seaqts and standing room from where we ate. In the distant background we had to cap it off with a lightning storm that floated over the hills in the desert. It was a perfect night, great food, great entertainment and perfect company. I can't imagine what this would cost anyone on their own dime.

On another night we had a private ourdoor BBQ dinner, with all you could eat of whatever the hotel was cooking up. During the days we had the opportunity to spend time with friends we have that were down there with us from our company and take in the sights. We had lunch at a geat little mexican restaurant that had some great food. Then we spent the afternoon walking around the shops. Sydnee got tired after a little bit and so she and Danielle went to rest while I went with some of the guys to another hotel that had full outdoor facilites for families. We played dunkball, golf, swam in the lake and whatever else we wnated to do. People could take bike rides around the resort area, kayak around the lake or take gondola or baot rides along the shore lines and admire the scenery and homes. This was a weekend we will never forget, WOW why would anyone think that this was not meant for them is beyond us, but we wish to see evey one of our friends here with us one day. We can all fly down next time and rent a limo to take us around. yeah baby here we come and ya aint gonna stop us now.

Moon Lake Getaway

Three years ago Danielle's side of the family started a family tradition that they would get all the families that wanted to together and go on a vaction. The first year we went to Bryce Canyon last year to Moab and this year to Moon Lake in the Uintas.
This is a very large lake about 30 miles north of Duchesne, which is another fun vacation spot of ours with Starvation resevoir. We had a great time camping out with the family. It had been years since we had set up our large family tent and Jeff almost forgot how to set it up, we may have ended up sleeping out under the stars. This was the first time that our three youngest kids have been camping in tents. It was quite the experience!
For whatever reason Mine and Danielle's sleeping bag seemed to be very popular by morning.
For two days we rented 2-man kayaks and took the kids on rides around the lake, they had a blast. We even had a small swamping episode where Austin tried to capsize his uncle Matt and then got it in return when he was out on his own. It was a very fun time to get away and be together as a family. The kids got to see some wildlife up close. Darn those cows, and who said the ground squirrels could eat the dog food.
We had a great time enjoying the world and the company but are glad now to be back home, there is something about vacations that it is great while you are there but it is even better to be back home, especially when it is camping in tents.

First time logging on

This is hte first time we are trying this blogging thing. Ausitn and Maddy just got back from a 2 week vacation to Canada with their grandparents. They were so glad to be home, and yes we were glad too though it was nice to have them gone and give us a break from the 5 of them. But Ausitn and Maddy are great at helping with the younger siblings so that was well missed. They really enjoyed their vacation and got to see and do many things that many kids their age probably will not ever see. Their favorite was they went on a boat to go whale watching. Austtin got sprayed by the blowhole of a whale that went under the boat and Maddy almost got wet from a whale that splashed it's tail near the boat. They really enjoyed what they were able to see. They got home late in the efternoon yesterday, so we sepnt the day hiking with them. As a family we went to Brighton Ski resort and hiked over to Lake Solitude. This is about a 3 mile total round trip hike. Everyone loved it, they got to see some wildlife and we just love being in the outdoors. Even Trina who we wondered about such a long hike for her enjoyed it and was pleased with herself and how she walked the whole way there and back. There was still snow up there on parts of the trail and made it fun for them to play in during the warm weather.