Up North

During Christmas holidays we went up north. Brent's mom got home from the hospital for the first time since September so we wanted to go and help and enjoy this big step for her. Luckily for us there was snow to play in and cousins to play with. We spent time in Salt Lake and visited friends who moved to Heber. We took advantage of older cousin babysitters and went to Le Mes with adults. I feel like my kids are so lucky to have so many cousins to play with.

Creed's first real snow experience. He is a lover of the snow which totally surprised me because all of the girls hated snow for a couple of years. Maybe he liked it because of Aunt Sarah's nice snow suit but whatever the case he was a happy boy! (so was Brent)

 Girls sledding down the hill...obviously a long ways off...

 Cami and Jocelyn getting ready to be pulled on the sled. Cami was a good helper to Jocelyn until Dad banked it a little too sharp for her taste and she thought she was going to fly off (she didn't actually  fly off)  and she screamed until every one was freaked out...Luckily Jocelyn recovered....

 Creed ready to rumble...He laughed and squealed the WHOLE ride. It was so great.

 Taryn and Cami each took a turn driving-Cami drove by herself even. Brent said she was really brave and proud of herself.

 Natalie Taryn and Allie...Allie ended up getting a face full of snow because of dragging feet.(think splash mountain and the front rider gets super wet and spares the rear riders a little)...The other two girls had a good time.

 Creed liked driving too-Basically there wasn't any part of this day that he didn't like....

 The attempt at a snowman...powder prohibited any real man action but the joy was in the journey...

 The accidental orange twiners...aren't they cute?

 The Mexican hat dance section at the children's museum in Salt Lake...Every one had fun shakin' it.

 The was a fake door but Jocelyn stood there trying to open it for like 20 minutes...

 Cami Taryn and Racheal watching themselves in the mirror...

 My blue eyed beauty...

 Creed was happy standing up and sitting down over and over and over again but it made it easy to watch him since his movement was vertical instead of horizontal.

 Jocelyn was into the touch screen puzzles...just like our cell phone games but bigger.

 The lights on temple square- a first for everyone except Cami.

 The only family group shot I got....oh well close enough....

Christmas Day

Yes Santa found us and spoiled us...My favorite is watching faces as they open something they REALLY wanted.

Jocelyn's very OWN Barbie (the own part was big because for some reason she doesn't want one of Taryn and Cami's 40 million Barbies...)

Bath robe (she is growing up to want one of these...and solo bath time...) and a book so she hooked up and happy

Creed's favorite highlight...The new tooth brush-3 of them in fact...

Uh...what are these? Very soon Creed will thank us for big Legos and a dump truck...

Need I say YIKES?! But you should have heard the squeals/scream....they are clip-ons just for the record...

Jocelyn and the baby high chair..,.it was highly anticipated and didn't disappoint.

Finally a boy toy! Maybe he will leave mommy's make up, Taryn's Barbies, Jocelyn's babies, Cami's Kindle, and the house plants alone....Maybe.

Whole new kind of spy wear...

december at a glance

So December just FLEW by. I am not sure what all we were doing but we were doing "stuff" constantly. Most of our "stuff" was fun stuff and here are the few pictures I actually took.... 

Decking the halls...obviously in style.

Creed helped make things Merry and Bright.

until he unplugs the tree lights and undecorates a million times a day...

This one is proof that Jocelyn got to put the angle on top this year and next year it is Creed's turn...just to avert the fight that we know is going to happen since it has always been an annual event...

I don't know who enjoyed this more. Secretly they are BFFs.

Ta-da! 

So on Christmas Eve the kids opened pj's from the cousins,,,I tried to get a good picture and Brent tried to get a good picture...clearly it was an hour past bedtime and the kids were falling into their natural man state-you know the one...the one were their natural tendancies are amplified...See for yourself...

So with this it was time for bed and then some. Merry Christmas and sweet dreams!
ps-They LOVED their jammies....

the christmas/new years/probably valentines card for 2012

Top ten ish moments of 2012

(if I say ish after ten I can do more or less and no one will wonder if I have mad counting skills or not...)

1.       We welcomed Creed to our family we could not be happier. He is so happy all the time and we really scored with such a cute fun to be around kiddo. Not only is he a completely pleasant kid, he is the one and only that gave Amy the pleasure of hearing a “Mama” before any other word (Dada).He is walking and talking ish and that has made a busy year for him (and us).

2.       We went to Yellowstone in June for a Weight family reunion. Jocelyn’s favorite animal is now officially buff-a-low and no one was eaten by the bear lurking unseen by the Cabin. We saw old faithful blow and sat in the hot tub at night with cousins. We froze in a snow storm in June and loved taking the new car on a road trip…which everyone survived-some better than others (ie…ask Creed about the shoe he took to the head when Jocelyn was done being in the car).

3.       Had a Rice family reunion here in St George in July. We played at the lake, hiked, crafted, slip and slided, and had awesome fire works. We also spent a day in pine valley with the extended family and had fun riding horses, chasing chickens, eating watermelon, and enjoying weather less than 100 degrees…

4.       Got a new swing set and TV to alleviate frustration for Amy and the kids. The old TV was so jerry rigged that no one but Brent could turn it on and the swing set was so well loved it was falling over and could have poked someone’s eye out or damaged a spleen.  Now life is good in the weight family entertainment business.

5.       Watched lots of dancing and soccer and piano.

Cami played competitive soccer and her team did awesome.

Both Cami and Taryn have been taking ballet and Taryn did a stint of tap and now jazz. Jocelyn  joined the dancing crew last fall and is very devoted so far.

 Cami  has made big strides with piano and it is genuinely fun to listen to her play. Creed’s favorite past time is wobbling over to the piano and playing away for as long as I will let him.

6.       Brent got spend a lot of time up north helping his parents this fall time while his mom has been sick. It is nice for him to have a flexible work schedule and location so he can really be supportive. He has spent a lot of time being a good kid and we are all thankful he is and Grandma is out of the hospital finally.

7.       Jocelyn pretty much potty trained herself with very few accidents! YEA for only one kiddo in diapers now and YEA for a fairly drama free potty training. What a good girl!

8.       Taryn is done with speech therapy! *(more or less-at least until she is a little older/has more mature mouth  muscles and can anatomically make the r sound…until then we love hearing w’s in its place and she is glad not to miss class every week for speech)

9.       Cami chose to be baptized into the lds church and we are really proud of all the good choices she makes. She has a great sensitive kind heart.

10.   Everyone improved swimming skills this summer and Jocelyn is basically a fish. She was a little nervous the first day but basically kicked bum despite the tubes in her ears getting infected…She (and Cam and Taryn) spanked the pool this year and we are starting to have greater confidence that one day we can be around water without stressing.

11.   Taryn, in a feat of great perseverance and amazing work ethic, completed a “great brain project”  at school. This was an extra assignment filled with research, and field trips, and bibliographies, and papers, and a TV show made all by herself…She studied germs and I cannot believe what a good job she can do when she is interested and committed…Remember she was in kindergarten at the time.

12.   In May Cami and Taryn ran the iron man kids race. It was a mile long and they were super proud of themselves (and so was I). Cami is all about doing more races and Taryn is all about not getting too sweaty again…Good times.

Watching the pros take care of business and other wonderful things

Just before thanksgiving we made a quick trip up north to visit Brent's mom. While up there we spent a frigid evening at an AWESOME BYU girls soccer game with the cousins. After the double overtime, shoot out, and then sudden death shoot out BYU won. Seriously it was that good. 

The kids did not whine too much about the cold and Jocelyn didn't whine too much about having to use a port a potty while potty training. I only embarrassed Cami a little with my cheering and I think the girls have forgotten the middle finger dude who was ticked at the end of the game. This night ranks among my favorite memories with my kids so thanks a billion to the Lutze cousins for the great idea!

Brent and Creed trying to stay warm but not too unhappy about the cold.

 Cami Taryn and Natalie enjoying half time....Of course Taryn has her music playing...She is hardly ever without it.

 As I look at this I am wondering why they are not watching the game...

 Can't possibly put into words how cute this boy is or how much I love him.

 Uncle Fred warming up Faye Faye and Jake

The game...

 

 Me and my Jocelyn Faye.

Parents day at dance class...

The second week in November was parents day and dance classes. The girls studio puts on a production of the nutcracker so they do not have a regular recital for the holidays (which is actually VERY nice because you can choose not to audition if you have plenty of stuff going on all ready). To give parents a chance to see what they are learning they invite parent's to stay for a class.

Since the girls take a combined total of four classes we spent A LOT of time at the dance studio but it was time well spent. Poor Creed was a good sport and the girls are really improving. I know I have said it before but I will say it again. Sometimes I am shocked at the things I can get proud of (like dance) and how proud I can actually feel without exploding....So here you have my little dance crew.....

Cami in jazz (the first time she has tried a jazz class vs straight ballet-she likes the music better)

Jocelyn strutting her cute little self. She just started dance this past fall time and she LOVES it. They mostly do Disney type songs with props and streamers and stuff. I think my favorite is Annie and she scrubs the floor. 

Taryn is in LOVE with dancing. She is graceful and musical and I love watching her. Good thing she loves to be watched. She takes ballet and jazz.

Toes to the head-yes that is my child who could do down dog at 9 months...she doesn't get the flexibility for me or Brent...