Another project done!

So glad I got this done! I told Laura about it weeks ago. Someday my life will calm down and I will be able to start and finish a project in one day (sigh) one day- seems so long away!. Last year after a soccer game Lone Peak was having a huge garage sale and I spotted a stack of these shutters- big and small ones. We bought them all for a great price and payed for them with the last of our grocery money till payday- priorities my friends and not to worry, food storage got us through! Anyways it was fun to make and I'm thinking now I should antique the A more and also the shutters. I also need to get some fabulous updated pictures to hang on it. Finally one of my basement walls has something on it and soon the others will too- creative juices are flowing!!! (oh man I really dislike that saying- sound so messy!)

Ruckus at the Allens house

This year we hosted New Years eve at our home and had a houseful of kids and adults. Mom and Dad, AmyLyn and Andy, and Laura and Mark and family. We had so much fun. After stuffing ourselves with yummy food that would not make an appearance again once our resolutions were made- we played games. AmyLyn and Andy taught us a couple of games. The first one- farckle. Lots of fun. Then we played golf(card game) Ethan and Jake got in on that one and we've played it a few times since. The kids had a great time also. Jocelyn and Addison got dolled up in makeup and Payton played video games. The older kids played a game of apples to apples. I didn't think everyone would stay till midnight so at 10 o'clock Ben lit the fireworks off the rock wall and whistles were passed out to the kids. Everyone stayed (except mom and dad)-till after midnight - and then left after we finished our game of golf. The babies were asleep and Riley had crashed on the couch. Other than that everyone else was suprisingly awake AND happy. What a fun New years. It's been a long time since I could enjoy the celebrations from either working or having worked the night before and not being able to stay awake to make it to midnight. I love that my boys are old enough now to play games with the adults (when we let them) that us as adults enjoy. I also like that the cousins get along and can play games on their own and have fun together. What a great family I have, so now bring on the New Year. I'm ready- I think. Lots of first for our family will fill this year and I'm excited. Don't worry I'll blog about them all!

Definitely making more of these!

So this post is basically for my sis Laura who at this moment is making her first twirl skirt. Since I don't have the time tonight to run by and see her (you) Here you go- I plan on making Jocelyn a bunch of these for summer- they are just so darn cute and easy to make and she loves them- she actually wanted to wear the orange one today! Not to mention I have about a million more (ok maybe not a million) designs and ideas swimming around in my head. I still want to go get some gigantic rick rack for her apron but the kids don't make it easy to go to the specialty stores and I already used my 40% coupon at Joanns of course. Ahh if Joanns would just be like Roberts- a coupon per day- I would probably be in big trouble with all the fabric I would have. Have fun and call if you need anymore help.

How can I ever catch up?!!!

O.k. so last night I was informed by AmyLyn that I needed to update my blog- yes, I know. Now could you please explain that to my five kids. For some reason each time I have sat down to blog, something else has taken me away. (just now I shooed Jocelyn away.) So yes I am very far behind, the holidays consumed me, Beware this may be a long blog.
Halloween was great the kids looked cute and had a great time trick or treating with friend and carving pumpkins.

Jocelyn finally was able to have her barbie birthday party. All those cute girls had a fun time and each went home with a barbie as a party favor. Jocleyn loved it. She has a lot of cute little friends. Lucky girl!

Thanksgiving we went to my parents and did the normal turkey dinner,games and the annual black friday plan of attack (which went great-mom,Laura and I got everything we set out to get-in order to do that we were at walmart at midnight after deciding toys r us was too busy)




All the single Ladies....


Usually we head up to the mountains later in day on black friday to get our christmas tree but this year to make everyone schedules work we went on Saturday. It was a great time. Each year we get better at finding the trees and this year it took just over an hour for the men and AmyLyn to return with the trees. The kids had a blast sledding, eating, drinking hot chocolate and watching a movie in our expedition. Ben picked out our best tree yet.








Between Thanksgiving and Christmas it was filled with recitals- piano, choir and dance. I can't believe how fast time went. We were able to visit temple square with my mom before christmas for Ethan's choir recital and we also went after Christmas with Ben's brother Matt and his wife Lisa. It was beautiful as always and I loved being able to go twice this year. The kids can never get enough of Temple Square.



Jocelyn and her friend Emma at their dance recital "I want a hippopotamus for christmas"

Our new ornaments - this year we let them just pick whatever they wanted. Ben and I stuck with santa,Ethan stuck with snowmen, Jake stuck with star wars, Jocelyn picked a mitten, Riley a candy cane, and Owen a gingerbread man.

We also were able to squeeze in our annual graham cracker houses at Grandmas. As always the kids loaded up their houses thinking beyond creativity and into their stomachs. Fun for all!







This is what we got as a sunday christmas picture-Riley and Owen crying. Oh well we'll try again soon.

Traditional pjs christmas eve.

Christmas was great, Matt and Lisa were fun to have for the holidays and it has seemed like parties continuously since they came. We had Bonnie and her family over a couple of times also for games and dinner.
Everyone got what they were wishing for. Ben a new tv and jeans, Me- a new camera -couldn't have come at a better time, Owen pulled the old one of the counter 2 days before christmas so now the pictures look like everyone is melting! Needless to say I am loving the new camera and keep finding excuses to take more pictures. Ethan and Jake both got nintendo ds and legos. Jocleyn got what she thinks is an american girl doll (can't bring myself to tell her it's not-maybe she can have a reall one after I see how she treats this one!) She also got a bunch of cute clothes for her doll that I have been making every spare chance I could get- pretty much consume my free time hence no blogging! Riley got a scooter of his own and Lightning Mcqueen geotrax, and Owen got little people farm and hoddies. I promised myself we would not go overboard this year but once presents were opened it seemed like a lot of stuff. Maybe it's the five kids=lots of presents!

Our Christmas Tree


Everyone in on the pictureka game.

Mat and Lisa were a blast to have for Christmas!