More time off...

Having time off with the kids and Todd has been fabulous! We've had fun doing things this week and also just sitting in front of the fireplace watching movies on the coldest days. I'm trying to soak up every day I have off before the craziness of work begins again ;-). Todd has been running cray at work and working super long hours, but we've been able to hang out with him when he is home ( I even got a lunch date with him...so fun!). Happy New Year to everyone and see you in 2015!!!

We decided to put the kids in ski school for a couple hours to help them work on their technique...they loved it

Bodie was moved up a level in ski school and was having so much more fun after learning new skills (i.e. how to properly stop...kindu important)

We asked Kayla to draw a pic of Paka (we call him crabby Paka) and this is what she did all on her own...better than I could've done!

I watched my nieces for a bit one night which meant fun cousin time for the kids

Cousin duck duck goose in dress up

After the cousins left the Helbling girls came over for a couple hours

Movie time with the H. girls

They decided to sleep in the family room that night

They built this fort and played in it for two days

Wedding Dress

McKayla has asked me for a long time to pull out my wedding dress and I finally did this week. I let her try it on as well and she was in heaven. She looked so sweet in it and it was really fun to try it on again myself (I forgot how heavy it was with all the beading!). Hopefully we can look back at these pictures on her wedding day :-).
Side note-  Poor Bodie asked if he could try on Todd's tux and was so sad to hear we didn't have it anymore :-(.

Christmas Day 2014

I woke to the sound of McKayla in the family room on Christmas day. Then she came in our room and said "Mom, look at what I got in my stocking"...she had opened everything in her stocking before the rest of us even got up...little stinker.
We spent the rest of the morning opening gifts, having x-mas brunch, watching x-mas movies and listening to x-mas music with my family at our house. I was so happy to have my whole family together and especially grateful Todd and Scott were able to be there with us. After some relax time, Todd had to go to work and we went to my parents for Christmas Dinner. We ended the night with a performance by McKayla and Bodie on her new karaoke machine :-).
Todd got home by 11:30ish so I waited up and enjoyed some more time with him before Christmas day was officially over.

Putting out milk, cookies, carrots and cheese

happy boy on Christmas morning

opening stockings

Fun goodies

opening Sadie's stocking

Beamers stocking

new chairs and umbrellas

Uncle Scotty setting up the race track

Bodie decided to get in the box...then he fell over...oops

Our little mermaid with her new flipper

why not sit in the middle of the track

Swimming and Skiing

Love Utah for the fact that if your ski day gets deterred you can go swimming and then go skiing the next day :-)

Christmas Eve

My favorite mass of the year is Christmas Eve....the incense, music, lights, magic in the air...I love it all. It really brings the year full circle and makes you think about what is truly important. This year of all years has really reminded me what is most important and I can't reiterate it enough...faith, family and friends are the heart and soul of life. Without my faith I could not have braved certain hardships this year and I am so incredibly grateful to our family and friends who have shown so much love and support. I also believe I wouldn't have recognized the blessings as much without my faith.
Bodie woke up on the 24th sick to his stomach, but we made it to mass after he had been fine for hours. I was worried to take him, but knew that was where we needed to be and as he slept in my arms during the whole mass I couldn't help but think about all I was grateful for. I was grateful he felt better, grateful my dad was there with us, grateful for friends with us, grateful for prayer, faith and God.
We went to Yai Yai and Papou's for dinner and again, I was so grateful...to be with family and to be with McKayla and Bodie. Late that night, I was grateful again to have Todd home safe (no lie, I was worried the storm might get him stuck up the mountain) and have him there with us Christmas morning.

My loves ready for mass

Bodie and Cole at mass...such handsome boys

Christmas Eve Dinner

Christimas Eve sunset from Todd's view

Opening gifts from Yai Yai and Papou

Uncle Nick reading "The Night Before Chritmas"