*Preschool "Polar Express" Party

*I got to help in Kay's class the day of their "Polar Express" party where they wore their pajamas, rode the train (holding onto shoulders), & went to see Santa. They received bells, ate cookies & hot chocolate. Kaylea informed me

that "he" was NOT the real Santa because his skin was darker than the real Santa's and she couldn't see his mouth. Can't get anything by this girl!

*The passing of Jason's Dad

~The week before Christmas our brother 'n law Jason Check lost his father "Chuck" to lung disease. Jason has many traits from his father that he attributed to him-including a very soft heart. Our condolences go out to Jason (his step mom Cindy, brother Doug), Tiffany, Emmie & Ava. 

~Tim & I were able to attend the funeral & I was privileged to accompany Emmie, Ava, Sophie & Taylor as they sang "I am a Child of God." It was so sweet and the music brought the spirit so strong into the meeting...so much so that my watery eyes of tears blurred my music. It was endearing to see those who were not members of the church applaud the song as you could see how moved they were by it. 

~We hope that all those who are mourning this loss will be comforted by the Holy Ghost, feel the love of their Father in Heaven & Savior Jesus Christ & that it will develop or strengthen their testimony of the Gospel.

Donny Osmond sings Mary Did you know

What a beautiful song to beautiful pictures. Merry Christmas!

*Happy 12th Bday Taylor!

*Happy Birthday to cousin ~Taylor Simas~ too! She turned 12 today! Yahoo!:) Welcome to "Young Womens"! Taylor is a live spirit always full of energy. She is a helpful older cousin who always looks out for the younger ones.

We love Taylor!

~Happy Birthday!~

*Happy 23rd Tommy!

*Ok it's about time I embarass my little Bro Tommy! Although he's not so little anymore. Today marks his 23rd birthday..hard to believe! But before I begin...anyone know any eligible single ladies...cuz 

he's available!

Tommy is a big mixture of all 3 of my kids...or I guess they of him..whatever. I remember his 1st day of Kindergarten like it was yesterday! He absolutely refused to speak!! Sound familiar? (Refer to Kaylea's 1st day of preschool.) My parents had to bribe him with a toy

 watch to get him to talk to his teacher. He always melted my heart as a little boy. He was so tender.

* I remember one time him & my Dad came home from a father-son campout with our ward. He could have only been 5 or so. Tommy came inside the house with the saddest look on his face. (reminds me of Spencer) I asked him what was wrong and he said 

with tears in his eyes: "I didn't catch a frog like the other boys!"

*He has always been so sweet...but boy howdy don't get him mad! As a little toddler when he would get mad, he would deliberately find a hard floor (ususally kitchen) and go bang his forehead on it! (Totally what Daylan did too!) Tommy would get frustrated easily if he couldn't do something & then there he'd go. My mom and I would often try and catch him before he did it. He does not have that temper anymore though thank goodness! :}

*Well he's all grown up now and I have to say has turned out pretty darn good. Tommy (or is it Tom now?) faithfully served a LDS mission to Salta, Argetina from 2004 to 2006. He served the people day in and day out & grew to love them. He had some baptisms & served in many positions, including as a Branch President!

*Tommy is a great Musician, a wonderful Uncle, a quiet Leader, loyal Friend, protective Brother & obedient Son. The song that reminds me of him is Garth Brooks song where it says: "I do this so, this World will know it will not change Me." The other song is: "I yi yi yi, I yi yi yi Indian Braves are We." -(The song he sang when he was 4. Hehe :)

Tommy you are SO GREAT & we hope you know that!

*HAPPY BIRTHDAY*- We Love You:0

*Happy 1st Birthday cousin Tate!

Happy Birthday to this little cutie-patootie who turns 1 today! This little Christmas baby was the Lundell's Christmas Gift last year. Happy Birthday "Tater-Tot."

~Happy Birthday to my HS friend Becky too! Love ya! She's 1... plus 28!:)

Deck the Halls!

Ok so we did put the tree up a while ago, but here's a few moments with the youngest two decorating the tree! Yup we tell them they can put anything on wherever, so usually we'll have 4 candy canes in a clunk and two ornaments on one branch, but it's just so darn cute. (Then when they're sleeping, I do move them around a bit.) Someday we'll have nice ornaments all perfectly placed; but not now...and you know what? Someday I'm sure I'll be wishing there were two ornaments on one branch.:)

"You better NOT CRY, I'm telling you why..."

SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN TO TOWN!!!

*Ok so I'm a mean Mom, but I just LOVE "cryin'-on-Santa's-lap" pictures. -Probably because I have a couple of myself as a child just like this. Everybody needs one ...Right?

*It's beginning to look alot like Christmas!

Am I seeing things or is it in the 30's outside!! Yikes! I feel like we are back in Flag! -which actually makes it feel more like Christmas time.- So this morning dropping spence off at the bus stop we saw a thick layer of frost on the grass. The kids were playing in it like it was snow! Yesterday Daylan begged me to go on a walk in the midst of a major FOG! The walk only lasted about 3 minutes as we quickly jotted around the culdesac, but I got a couple quick photos.

*Singing "Fabulous"

*Pause my side music to hear:)

This is from a while back:

(Singing "Fabulous"- a song from High School Musical 2)

-Daylan is singing "I need, I need, I need, I need..."

-Kaylea pipes in at the end with "Fabulous..." Day says: "No- I sing it!"

(Don't you love that Dude is still in his pajamas as they are eating lunch.)

*Sunshine Singers*

*Kaylea & Spence as "Sunshine Singers."* 

Spencer had his very 1st solo Friday night as the "Sunshine Singers" performed @ the QC Town Hall. It was such a short little part but he was so adorable. He & the other couple boys sang "I'm gettin' nothin for Christmas." I'll try and see if I can get the video of it on here. Kaylea was just cute as she did all the hand motions so precisely. Not much more could be better than watching your kids learn to love music.

*Girlie Toes

The other day cousin Macey painted Dude's toe nails. At the time he really wanted them done cuz the other girls were doing theirs. Yesterday morning I couldn't resist taking a picture of him & his "girlie toes." He started to get embarrassed, maybe realizing that it was a little bit silly. Don't you love how he's covering up his toes with an angry face.

*Don't Miss This Saturday!!

*Come this Saturday between 12-8 to the Whitewing neighborhood off Higley & Pecos to my sister 'n law's (beautiful) house. She is selling wonderful upscale home decor & fashion accessories for 40% off retail prices. Your Christmas shopping heaven! You won't want to miss it!

*I Love to See the Temple..

~About once a week, my Mom takes the kids for a few hours and spends some quality time with them doing a number of things. They do anything from baking cookies, playing @ McDonalds playground, escapades to the dollar store, seeing the puppies at the mall etc.-You know all the things kids beg to do, but as a Mom you say:"we'll see." Well Grandma Kathy actually does them!
We call it "Grandma Day."
~A few weeks ago my mom took them into the Temple visitors center. They saw the Christus statue and played on the beautiful grounds of the temple. They loved it. She captured this little photo of them with Mesa Temple in the background. They know it is a special place and hopefully someday they will have that desire to "go inside someday."
~This next week we plan to go in the evening and see the gorgeous Christmas Lights on the grounds.

*Spencer's a Green Belt!

Spencer is now officially a GREEN BELT in Karate. His karate instructor teaches them a combination of Jui Jitsu, Kickboxing & Tae Kwon Do. Spence is one belt away from being 1/2 way to a BLACK BELT!!!! We're proud of him to stick with it.

 He's come a long way! "Hi-Ya!"

*Happy 18th Bday Lacey!*

This is Tim's little sister Lacey. When he & I were dating in '98 Lace & Ash had just been the "Oscar Meyer Girls", doing commercials & gigs. They were only like 5 & 9 then. Time sure has gone fast! So Lacey turns 18, an "adult", today! We wanted to wish her a very hApPy BiRtHdAy! LaCey is an awesome piano player, great but humble singer, very smart & good with her school work. She's a good girl who knows what goals she wants to attain in this life & goes for 'em! We love seeing her cute, fun smile-mostly when we're embarassing her in some way -you know what older siblings do best! So Lace would it be a good time to tell the "in the middle" story?? Lacey is a "fashionista" & would love to be a fashion designer some day. She has hopes of going to BYU & has a nice, cute boy friend named Jordan (one of Kaylea's crushes.) *Lacey is the 6th of 7 siblings & has a numerous 18 neices & nephews with 2 more on the way; plenty of younger kids looking up to her. We Love you. Happy 18th Birthday!!

*Thanksgiving Weekend

*I know this is kinda late, but I'm just getting back into normal life after a swarm of projects this weekend! So Thanksgiving was spent this year @ my parents house. It's surprisingly only our 3rd year of having it in Gilbert with my family since Tim & I have shared
10 Thanksgivings together! It was bitter-sweet as we missed Danny, Stephanie, Marcus & Ethan, but we enjoyed time with those of us who were there. -Us, Mom & Dad, Tommy, Sara, Phylip, Brittany & her boyfriend Josh. Last year was our 1st Thanksgiving all together with my family, believe it or not in many years! We carried on the tradition of "shooting rockets & softball" @ the park after the turkey.

*Congratulations Shannon on getting your Temple endowments!
*Hope you had a great birthday Alena & Alison! Love ya!

*Happy 20th B-day "Elder Curtis"*

*This is my missionary bro Danny & I am so unbelieveably proud of him! He has always been my goofball brother with the biggest heart. Just thinking about his big grin makes my eyes tear up. *Danny is serving in South Korea & has almost reached his year mark!! He has told us of the spiritual & the fun times he has had there. Danny almost always has a smile on his face. (This meant as a kid, that he was up to something.)

*Now he's really up to something great! The people love him there so much. He said just recently that a little old lady came up and put an apple into his mouth as he was lifting weights at the gym. Glad he's having such a great time there and being watched over. We love you Danny & wouldn't want you anywhere else right now..although we'll sure be excited when you get back.

*Happy 8 1/2 years!*

*Top photo-Pregnant with Dude in Chicago (2005) *Lower photo-A goofy picture of us right after we were first married. All dirty having just had just rode quads and motorcycles through the woods. (1999)

**Not like we really celebrate our 1/2 year anniversaries, but thought this was a good excuse to talk about my hubby! Although honey if you're reading this.. this would be a good excuse to buy me flowers or chocolates ya know. Ha!

~Some reasons why I love & married Tim:

1) He makes me laugh more than anybody:>

2) He is such a great Dad-he is so good to our kids

3) He almost always does the dinner dishes (I'm the last one eating slowly at the table)

4) He takes me on vacations around the world..(except this year.. "hmpf!")

5) He knows when I'm being a silly-head & calls me on it but then lets it go (most of the time)

6) He really has a BIG heart inside his tough exterior

7) He enjoys taking me out to dinner & movie

8) He patiently tries to explain football to me -hoping I'll start liking to watch it with him (-a long shot!)

9) He takes care of paying all the bills -(working for 'em & sending 'em in)

10) He loves me for me...oh yeah & we make cute kids:)

* ...And the doctor said:

-"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!!!"

**That's what this mama said when 2 crying kids came to me, one with a black eye & one with a bump on the head. Hard to have that much sympathy for 2 monkeys breaking the rules!

-Spencer & Kaylea were in fact jumping on the bed. They both insisted they didn't know about this rule. Oh brother!*This is a picture of the black eye ONE WEEK after it happened just to give you an idea of how bad it was. (My camera battery charger was lost or the pic would've been taken sooner of course.)


*This picture was taken last night after a run in with the corner of the fireplace. Spence got tripped (when rough housing w/ cousins) & his head split open. You can see the blood on the neck of his shirt & the small gash on his head. We didn't know it was small when it happened based on the amount of blood!! Ooh scary! My brave Spence.