Thursday, December 29, 2011

BOUNCIN AROUND AND SWIMMING

Grandma B took the grandkids to bounce around. There was Stillman, Bridger, Samantha, Mason, Luella, Chance, Ben and me. It was so much fun!!! We got in there and before my mom had finished paying the 3 older kids had already taken off their shoes and were off bouncin and playing. There was a play place to climb in, there were bouncy houses, bouncy slides and a huge trampish area in the middle. Ben is such a good sport to go and play with the kids. They prefer him and he really plays with them. I try, but I'm no dad. Chance hung out with Grandma and me (with Grandma while I was off bouncin with Lu and Ben was taking pictures.

















 At about this point we had been there just over an hour. There was this really fun slide that the kids were loving. Everyone was taking their turn going down really crazy.

Here Mason is going down head first and on his back. (what I love about Mason is when he plays, he plays really hard. He gets super red and sweaty, just like little boys should!)

And then Ben and Luella were taking their turn. I was there taking a picture and it was so cute, as you can see. He started out holding her hands and they were both looking at each other while they were going down. Then after I took the picture I turned for a second to round up the older kids to get a picture. I looked back at the slide and Ben had toppled over his shoulder and right onto Lu. When I came around to look he was cradling her in his arms and I could tell she was hurt. She looked like she was about to do one of her breath holding spells. Ben got out with her and she was really limp in his arms (she had kinda passed out a little bit), she was whimpering, her nose was bleeding from both sides and her mouth was bleeding. Ben sat down and was trying to clean her up but he was pretty freaked out. She wouldn't focus on anything, wouldn't hardly even open her eyes, and was acting like she was having a hard time breathing. She was kinda grunting. Sam, Mace, Stillman and Bridger came over and were asking and worried about her.
I sat and watched the other kids while Ben walked around and sat with Lu. He came over after a little bit and thought it be best if we take her to the doctors to be checked out. He was worried she might have broken her nose, a cracked rib or even a concusion.
I drove while Ben sat with her in the back seat and all she wanted to do was fall asleep, but Ben kept on bugging her and trying to keep her awake. We got her in and checked out and everything looks like it is ok. She started acting more and more like herself as we were at the doctors. He just said to keep an eye on her. Luckily there wasn't anything wrong, but better safe than sorry. That's our motto with going to the doctors. Plus we just love our pediatrician, he is so great and loves our kids!

This is the only thing she walked away with, a wicked burn on her nose and upper lip. I'm not quite sure if I've ever seen Ben so freaked out before. Ben and this little girl have a really special bond. He loves her to pieces and she just LOVES her dad. (hence the snuggling with him every morning in bed). We were lucky this time babe!!
When we asked Lu where it hurts she would point to her nose and say "right here", it was way cute!

Yesterday we met up with Taylor and his boys to go swimming. It was super fun! There was a kiddy pool for Lu, a bigger pool for the older kids, and even a diving pool for Stillman, Taylor and Ben. The only picture I got was of Taylor and Chance snuggling. Chance just LOVES Taylor.  Every time they see each other they both get huge smiles. It is so cute.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

BABY BLESSINGS

Within the past few months 2 of my nieces have had baby blessings. It is so fun to see these cute little babies in their little white dresses and even more fun to see all of the priesthood holders up there helping out with the blessing.  I just love family events like this! And I just love my nieces and nephews like my own!








Monday, December 26, 2011

SAND DUNES

Ben had a little day trip planned for the Sand Dunes the day after Christmas. The morning of, plans started to change. Our friends the Dolbin's were all going and it then evolved into our whole little family going (minus Chance and Luella). So we quickly put together a plan for the babies, Joanne was nice enough to take them for the day (thanks so much Honey). Then we rounded up tons of warm clothes and a bunch of snacks and got on our way. The kids and I rode in the ranger with Amy and her 3 kids while Ben, Parker and Tim rode around on their dirt bikes. It was really cold, but a lot of fun.



click on link to see the video Ben put together






Sunday, December 25, 2011

CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY

 I still can't believe that Christmas has come and gone. Christmas Eve flew by, maybe because all day long in between cooking and cleaning we were on the run to family get togethers. We met up with the Patterson clan to carol for Mootzie. It was fun to be there together and see Mootz. No matter what she always has a smile on her face. 

 After caroling and more cooking there was a Rich party to get to. A little bit of snacking and chatting. Then back home to finish cooking and get to my mom and dad's for Christmas Eve dinner and festivities. 
We have some traditions that we ALWAYS  do for Christmas Eve. Dinner isn't one of them though, we don't have a set meal that we eat every year. This year I made white chicken chili, salad, my mom made cornbread and there were brownie desserts. It was so yummy. 
We had our traditional Christmas Eve program with dinner, watching "The Gift", the gift ball, and then dessert. I love to just hang out and not feel like we have to rush off home. But we did have 4 little monkeys to get home and in bed so Santa could come.

Christmas morning was great! The kids got up (minus Chance) around 7 and went straight in to see if Santa had visited. We kinda let them go at it this year. It's hard to have them wait when they are so young, they were just so excited. Chance missed most of the action, but then he got up and I held him while we watched all the opening and playing go down.





After church we went to my mom's for a quick minute, then we went to the Rich's to hang out. Honey made the cutest little hats for the girls. She is always knitting something darling for one of her grandchildren. I think they turned out so cute. We just sat and chatted and let the kids play around us.  Then it was back over to my mom and dad for the traditional omelets. It's a must, it wouldn't feel like Christmas if I didn't have them.








Apparently someone (not quite sure who knows how to use the camera) had a photo shoot with some of the new toys from Santa.