Merry Christmas!

Hello,

Hey Chauntel we love and miss you guys! We hope you had a great Christmas Eve and Christmas!

Here are some picutures we thought you may enjoy!

Love,
Rochelle

More Pictures!

Finally Pictures!!!!!

Sorry thought I already posted!

Some how last week when I sat down and wrote a posting I must have said save and not to post. I was just looking at our blog and noticed it wasn't posted so I guess you will get two postings today. I still am not able to up load pictures. I have some cute ones so maybe I will up load some when I go to mom's. But for know I will just update you on our week.

I didn't go to Cole's school this Wednesday but I went on Friday. Kamden had preschool Carter is so lost with out Kamden on the days she goes to preschool. He follows her around and wants to do everything she is doing they are so cute together most of the time. Some times they do get on eachothers nervous. Kamden had a friend over after later in the day. The little girls mom had achievement days and so she brought her over. Cole missed his ride from school to Scouts so we had to run him over to the church after he got off the bus today. He was standing right next to the lady he was suppose to ride with and then just up and run to the bus. They had everyone even the principal looking for him. So they just assumed he run to the bus he did. He said they didn't say let's go so he assumed they weren't going today and didn't want to miss the bus and came home. Ryan went out again to visit people in the ward. He has been doing well going back to work.

Thursday I made 5 loaves of bread in the morning for our Christmas party. I have never made bread before. It turned out really good. It was a different kind of bread receipt. To be honest it has been a week so I really can't remember what we did.

Friday Kamden had preschool and I started to prepare my lesson for the 24th and realized I was preparing last months. I wanted their last month so I didn't realized until Friday I had been preparing the wrong lesson. So I am now hopefully preparing the right lesson. After I picked up Kamden from preschool I took her and Carter over to mom's she watched them while I went to Cole's school. The whole second grade was working on projects for Christmas. There big project was their had imprints with plaster. So of course I was in the plaster room. Oh, my oh, my what a miss and confusion. There were lots of parents and we only did about 10 kids at a time. There are 6 2nd grade classes with 29 kids in them. So we were there from 12:45 until 3:20. Amazingly we got them all done and cleaned up before they went home. They did some other projects also. It was fun and Cole loved it that was his favorite part. He is already planning where his hand is going to go and he also thinks we need to frame it. After I picked the kids up from mom's they fell asleep because neither one would take a nap for her. So we had to wake them up when we got home which neither one liked because we had our ward party at 6 and need them to get ready. We were all suppose to dress up as in Jesus times. Cole and Kamden dressed up as Angels they had a singing part and were told to be angles. Carter refused to put on anything and Ryan and I didn't dress up and Kendall came too. It was the cutest activity. They had the gym done up as Bethlehem and they gave you money and you had to pay a tax. Then with your money we bought food for your family. The food was shish kabobs(sp), beef, pork, hot dogs, rice, beans, bread, fruit and cookies. Then they had a program narrative and singing. Kamden and Cole sang a song with a group of kids. Of course Cole didn't sing but you could hear Kamden. We stayed and helped clean up for a while but then Ryan wasn't feeling so good to much sitting on the floor he was in pain.

Saturday we just kind of hang out all day. Then a friend called and told us Santa was over at the Country Merchentel. So we headed over the kids sat on his lap told them what they wanted and he gave them something that matched what they asked for and they got there pictures taken it was pretty cool. Then we went over to Dennis and Melanie's to take Dennis a cake and some balloons for his birthday. After that we took the kids over to mom and dad's and they watched the kids while we went to dinner. We had made plans to go out with some friends but just ended up us. It was nice we had dinner and dessert and it only cost us $20 with the tip. I think that is cheaper than McDonald's. We hang out at mom and dad's for a little while the Dickman's came over to drop off stuff to mom and dad. Then we took the kids over to Pasco to see there Christmas light and they line the streets with sacks and candles. It was so neat we have never been before the kids loved it.

Sunday we had another family home evening lesson we have had 3 on Jesus so we did one on the sacrament. The kids made their sacrament books with pictures of Jesus. They had a good time putting them together and they actually used them during the sacrament and where unusually quite during it. We went over to mom and dad's after church Kendall made stir fry it was so good and the kids loved it. It is amazing when she cooks the kids love it.

Monday what a busy day. Cole had school and Kamden went to preschool Ryan kept Carter and I went in and helped in Cole's class. I redid her bulletin board and wrote on the backs of all the kids hands. The kids were all worked up already they are so ready for Christmas vacation. Kamden had a friend over then we head off to her tap/ballet. When we got home Cole had a friend over. Some friends were back in town so we had there son over. He was the only other boy in Cole's primary class so since he has been gone Cole has been the only boy with about 7 or 8 girls. Then after dinner we headed over to mom and dad so Ryan could print some things for work.

Tuesday since I wasn't able to make it to the store I made odds and ends for dinner group and Kendall still had to pick me up a few things from the store. It all worked out and everyone got there dinner. I babysat Teigan and Torin today so it was a busy day and Kendall came over and visited for a little while. After dinner Cole, Kendall and I went grocery shopping. We watched 1/2 of the Christmas story last night. I have never seen that show the whole way through.

I am hoping today I will get my lesson prepared so I can worry about other things.

Computer problems!

Hey,

I keep wanting to post but anytime we plug in the printer or the photomax thing to upload pictures our computer freezes up. We need to have someone look at it but there is no money right now. So I have lots of really fun pictures but I can't upload them. I guess I can update you though. I know not as fun as the pictures.

Last Thursday Cole had Cub Scout Pack Meeting and the women had a sewing night at the same time. So dad took all the kids and went to pack meeting while I went to the sewing night. One of the girls was teaching us how to make scarfs, hats and mittens for our service project the Stake Relief Society Presidency put together.

Friday I finally got my house cleaned and we went with Kendall to see Happy Feet. It was so cute Ryan and I loved it Kamden didn't like it. We then picked up Cole and went down to Lourdes Santa Clause was there. The kids all got there pictures taken with him we do that every year with the kids. It is so much better than going down to the mall and waiting and paying to see Santa. Then we ran Cole over to a friends party. While Cole was there we run around and took care of a few things then back over to pick up Cole from his party. Kendall came over and we watched Office. I tried to finish sewing some hats and gloves.

Saturday morning I finished most of the scurfs, hats and gloves. We went out looking for a DVD/TV for the car. The car dealer is buying a one and we were just looking around. Oh my the electronic stores were so busy it was worse than it was the day after Thanksgiving if you ask me. Then we headed over to mom and dad's for dinner. We had a nice releaxing time. Mom made taco's and we just visited.

Sunday we went and listening to Kendall's talk and then headed back over to our ward. We started our Secret Santa. We took a tree that was the first day of Christmas gift. It was one we picked up last year after Christmas for like $15 or $25. The kids love doing the Secret Santa. After church we went to Dennis and Melanie's for dinner. The kids helped her decorate the downstairs Christmas tree and put up some of her decorations. Kamden loves to help she thought that was so great.

Monday I was able to finish the hat, scarfs and mittens at least I am done with the material I bought. Kamden had preschool and we went grocery shopping and then the kids took naps and we headed back out to Kamden's tap/ballet.

Tuesday I got all the dinners made and some other things done around the house and then we went to Kamden's eye doctors appointment. When the doctor first came in he asked if he was seeing Carter. I said no and he said we should be. He said it looks like Carters left eye is turning in. So he wants to see him and Cole and have them checked. Kamden he said is doing really well and looks like she is doing good with her glasses. So she doesn't have to go back for 1 year ya! The boys go in, in January so we will see how that goes. Kendall meet us as the eye doctors and took Carter for me and picked up Cole and took him to paino. Then took the kids home and watched them while I ran dinners around to my families. It was a big help. She stayed and had dinner with us. Nothing wonderful we had hot dog cassarole. One of the ladies called from the dinner group and wants to get together and do things a little differently with dinner group. It really hasn't been working lately. So hopfully we will get it all worked out.

Sorry no pictures hopefully soon!

Love you guys!

Christmas Shopping Done!

Well we had tithing settlement on Sunday. Ryan went to that but he stayed home from church so I was on my own with the kids. And amazingly they did really well. Kamden just didn't get her nap that she usually has during sacrament. I had all the kids on my lap or in my face so she couldn't sit still on my lap and go to sleep. The Relief Society lesson was really good. One of the counselors gave the lesson it was on characteristic of Joseph Smith and how we can have or build those characteristics. We had dinner at mom and dad's and Kendall made BBQ Chicken Pizza. It was so good. Cole doesn't like pizza but he loved this pizza. We played Disney scene it. Can you believe Ryan, Kendall and I won. Not mom ,Jillian and dad. We rock!!!j/k

So Monday I thought I was finally going to be able to clean my house it has been a while I don't want to say how long but a while. I forgot I had set up V.T. appointments. I don't usually go it December just take a treat but I didn't get out in November so I really needed to go out. Anyway that took me all morning and then we went grocery shopping. I had an hour until Kamden's tap ballet so I made the rest of the caramel syrup. Then we went to tap/ballet and after we took the kids to ShopKo so they could buy each other gifts and get their ornaments for the year.

So Tuesday was another day to get to the house cleaning but I had Teigen and Toren until 3:45 and Cole had Piano until 4pm. So again I didn't get the house cleaned.

So Wednesday another day right. I went to Cole's school this morning while Kamden was at preschool, Carter stayed home with dad. Well the day isn't over so maybe today I will get it cleaned because tomorrow I have Teigen and Toren again.

Well all of our Christmas shopping is done. We are doing the 12 days of Christmas for a family in the ward again this year. We decided to incorporate the true mean of Christmas into the 12 days of Christmas. So like the candy cane represent the shepherd's crook and bring the lost sheep back to the fold so we are going to to hot chocolate mug, hot chocolate and candy canes for that day, or the bow tied as we should all be in doing good will, so we will give a gift with a bow. Then each day we will tell them what each thing represents. Anyway I thought it would be easier to come up with what to give each day.

Crazy Hair!

So this week Cole has spirit week. Thursday they had crazy hair day we put Cole's hair in ponies and sprayed them back and white. The picture you see of Cole he had already pulled the pony tails out.

I thought I had updated my blog before we left. We put up all of our Christmas decoration up before we left to Utah. So the other picture is of the kids infront of the tree. The decorated it all by them self this year other than the beads. I think they did a nice job.

Kendall and I bake and cooked most of the day. We made goodie plates and carmel sryup for my VT route, Ryan's Home Teaching route and some of our friends. I also picked up our Christmas cards up yesterday and got most of them addressed. Hopefull tomorrow I will get them mailed off. I am also all done Christmas shopping except for Chyerl Ryan's boss. I love beeing done with everything early.

Thanksgiving in Salft Lake!

Hello, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving we had a really good time. We left on Wednesday about 12:30 and headed for Layton Utah. We stayed at Grandpa Hughes (Ryan's grandpa). There we about 31 of us that had dinner there at his house on Thursday. The boy's all went and played home run derby before dinner. Cole got to go play football with the scouts in D.J.'s (his cousin) ward. We didn't eat until 4pm. We visited and played games.

One Friday we got up about 5 am and got ready and packed up to go to Island Park. We went with Darrin and Amber (Ryan's brother and his family) shopping on black friday. We had a good time I think we made it out about 7:30. We went to Target, Toys R Us, Old Navy and Circut City. Then we left them and headed to Rexburg to see Bailey. The others shoped for a while and then headed up to Island Park. We stoped in at Bailey's work we had never been there. Her work area is done up cute. Then she took us to show us her house. It is so cute but she forgot to show us the basement until Ryan asked if they had a basement and then she showed us. We were there about on hour then we headed over to Walmart. We were looking for a gameboy for Cole for Chirstmas because they were on Sale there. And out of all the stores we went to in Layton they were all sold out of every hand held video game. But of all place Rexburg's Walmart had them. I guess all those poor kids going to school can't afford that kind of stuff. We then headed up to Island Park. Cole got a little sick because we forgot to feed him lunch.

We stayed in the same cabin that we stayed at last summer when we went to Island park for the Hughes family reuion. We all had a meal or two we were in charge of Grandpa Hughes bought all the food we just had to cook and clean up. It worked out good. Anyway on Saturday morning we all got up and got ready and went out to cut down Christmas Trees. We didn't need one but decided to cut a small one down and put it in the living room. We already have a fake on in the living room. But we forgot to bring the tree home. We had to drive aways to get the trees and kids played in the snow. Then when we all got back to the cabin. The adults or most of the adults watched the Utah, BYU game. Ryan took the kids out and pulled them behind the truck. The kids loved it.

Sunday a couple of the families went home after they got ready the rest of us went to West Yellowstone to the bear park. We saw wolves fighting over food. Then the kids got to go in the bear pin and hide food and they then let the bears out so they could hunt for the food. The kids loved that. We were there half the day. Then we head back to the cabin. We all stayed up to late visiting everynight.

Monday we got up at 5 am and head home about 6:30 we made it home about 5pm. Not bad for stoping 8 times and having really bad roads over the pass. The trucks were stoped in the lanes they were scraping the road as we went. So that wasn't bad it took about 10 and half hours.

We all had a really good time and Kamden got to play with girls her own age. Ryan's cousin has 3 girls and a boy and Denny and Tresea have a daughter Kamden's age. And of course D.J. and Cole were hook at the hip. They always have fun we they get together. It was nice.

I finally have all the laundary done that only took two and a half days.

Ryan had is hernea(sp) surgery yesterday. Kendall was a really big help she stayed the night and got the kids of to school and watched Carter. Ryan is still really sore and not getting up much. I hope he will be ready to go back on Monday. At this point he is still in to much pain to do anything other than sit in a chair. The doctor said everything went well.

Oh, and we traded in the truck and van and got a Extend Trail Blazer on Tuesday. We tried to get it before we left but they didn't have one in so we picked it up on Tuesday.

More decorating and painting!

O.k. I am not sure what happened to the pictures they are in a funky order. Anyway you get the idea. Last week we put up the boarder in Cole's room and on Sunday and Monday we finished Kamden's orders and stickers in her room. I had to order one more roll for Cole and Carter's room. In a little while I want to had a hook boarder. You take a 2 inch wide 10 foot long piece of wood and then drill holes for hooks and we will put that up at the chair rail height around the room. We have been looking for a color to paint in our kitchen, dinning and family room. I was looking for a different shade of yellow but I couldn't find it so we found this brown or tan color. Ryan has been painting a little everyday since this weekend. He still has two walls and the bathroom. I think it turned out nice. And I have been so glad Ryan has been doing it. I really don't like to paint. It was two and half years ago I painted and that was not long enough ago.

Cole has had early release all week well Tues, Wed, Thur. They have parent teacher conferences. We had Cole's yesterday. Cole is right on target for everything ha. I was worried he was going to have fallen back after summer vaction. We have been working on Cole's Scout stuff. He just has 8 or so things to do and he will be done with his badge for the year. He can still earn other awards. Maybe I already told you sorry.

Kamden has been busy this week. I have been babysitting this week Tuesday and Thursday. So her friend Teigen has been here. Plus preschool and tap/ballet she has been taking really good naps lately. She has been falling asleep on my lap in the afternoons she gets so tired from all the activities.

Wednesday we went with Ryan to Spokane to look at a couple of jobs. We enjoying going with him to work. The kids think that is really cool. Cole gets bumed he can't come with us. He loves taking trips.

Kid's room!

We had a busy last couple of days. We took the kids to see a play. One of the girls I had in primary and young womens from second ward was in a high school play. She is trying to earn money to go to I think Sweeden. Anyway we all went they put on Charlotte's Web. The kids loved it. Even Carter sat through the first half then he got a little restles. We did a little shopping before our pictures at JCPenny's. They didn't get us in until an hour after are appointment. Which is very normal for Penny's. When it takes that long everyone's hair is a mess and everyone is cranky. So they turned out as best as they did.

Today the kids had there primary program. Mom, Dad, Jillian , Melanie and Brett and Anthony all came. Kamden fell asleep durning sacrament and right after the sacrament the kids went up to the front for the program. I guess she was trying not to fall sleep when she first went up there. Once the music started she perked right up you could hear her sing above most of the other kids. Cole had a speaking part and a singing solo. He did such a good job. But he came down to the front to do his singing part and his shirt was all untuck and wrinkled. Then Kamden gave a talk today so everyone came and listened she did really well. We all headed back over to our house for dinner and played cards. Except for dad of course because he had to get back to the young adults. Ryan and I put up a boarder in Cole's room of biker's, boarder's(snow and skateboarders) earlier in the week. So tonight we finally got Kamden's boarder up we did Tinkler Bell in her room. I took pictures of Kamden's room but Carter was sleeping in there room so maybe I will get some pictures of there room tomorrow.

Piano

Cole's piano teacher has been gone for two weeks but she is back. He had piano lessons on Tuesday. He always complains about practicing the piano but he loves it when he can play a piece of music. Kamden had a friend over to play today. I had the little girl over to keep Kamden busy so I could get dinners made. Mom and Dad gave me a person who could fix our computer so it would be wireless. I bought the stuff a while ago but couldn't get it set up so he come over and helped. He was here for 4 hours on Tuesday. He also helped to get our old laptop running but it is already down again.

I had a lot of fun in Cole's class the last two weeks. His teacher has had me do some testing with all the kids. It was interesting to see how much the other kids knew. Kamden only had two days of preschool this week the kids had Friday off. Cole has scouts on Wednesday's. I have been working with him on passing things off. He has his Bobcat and is 7 things away from getting his wolf patch.

Thursday we had to take our van over to Dennis. The brakes have been making noises for awhile now so we thought we should get it fixed.

The natural path we see told Ryan he had a hernia(sp) and he needed to get it taken care of. Well this week it has really been bothering him. So he went in to see the doctor he will have surgery on it the Wednesday after Thanksgiving.

Cole had the day off. So this morning we went for a walk to and picked up garbage around the neighbor hood. We went on our normal walk and we picked up a full very full bag of garbage. When we got to the end of our street one of the guys that works for AHO (they are the builder of our house) stop me and said thank you for picking up garbage. He does it twice a week and he gave us Hockey tickets to an Americans(local team) hockey game. It was nice to show the kids that when you do something good good things come back to you. I also told them sometimes it doesn't it that way. The kids were excited. We also ran around today do a lot of earns. We also took Cole to the skate park. He had so much fun. We just stayed in the car and watched. Cole also had a piano recital today. He did really well a little nervous but he did well. It was proable 15 to 20 minutes but it was fun to see him perform.

New Flooring!

On Friday Kamden and Carter and I went to look at some jobs with Ryan out of town it was nice. I even got my house cleaned before we left. It started raining on Friday.

So we put new flooring in, in Melanie and Dennis's front room. Melanie bought some linoleum but it comes in panels like the pergo floor with stickies on the back. It looks pretty nice it has a 25 year warranty and is cheaper than pergo. We also put up some base boards for her. We were there about 6 hours. I think it took about 4 to 5 hours to do all of that. It turned out pretty nice. I also had a baby shower Saturday morning. I think we average about 2-4 babies a month in our ward. Anyway we also had Alexis over to stay the night on Saturday. It was in the 60's today after it was in the teens earlier in the week. It has been crazy weather.

I am really getting sick of the 2pm church time. We will have that time at least until Feb maybe longer. We get alot done I guess on Sunday mornings. We have family home evenings and read scriptures. I usually get all the laundry done and all the blogging caught up and a lot of odds and ends stuff done. It just doesn't leave a lot of time after church for dinner with mom and dad.


Monday's for me are sew are the busiest day of the week. We had our piano tuned and Kamden had preschool. After preschool on Monday's I always go to Walmart to buy groceries for dinner group on Tuesday's. By the time we get home have lunch and Carter gets a short nap we head off to Kamden's Tap/Ballet. I just seems like there is never enough time in most days but for sure on Monday's.

Halloween week

Hey, I hope everyone had a good Halloween. Kamden had a Halloween party at her preschool. Carter and I went and listen to her class sign Halloween songs. She did really good the first two songs but the last one she wouldn't take the sucker out of her mouth to sing. The teacher had given them suckers right before we came and she would not put it away to sing. Ryan tried renting an air compressor today but they were all rented out for a few weeks. They shut off our water on Tuesday but it was going to get down into the teens. So Ryan had to scramble to find someone to blow them out. We usually wait for a few weeks but it just got to cold to fast.

The next picture is of Kamden and her friend Teigan building castles with the blocks. I have a friends two kids two days a week every other week. Anyway on Halloween I had them. Halloween was good for the kids they did a trunker treat at the buntin bldg with Alexis and Kara. We keep forgetting to take pictures. Dad was dress up he looked good. We then went to Dennis and Melanie's house. The neighbors across the street gave each of the kids to full size candy bars. I remember you were lucky if you hit a house that gave out full size candy bars.

I went into Cole's class on Thursday and helped his teacher test. The quarter is about at an end. Anyway she was saying she thought the kids would be all wired on Wensday after Halloween. It was funny because they were very good but I also saw a lot of them trying not to fall asleep. I think most of them were tired from staying up late and they were wired today. Wednesday was a long day Ryan didn't get home until after the kids were in bed.

Today I had Danny's two kids again today. Last night I tried taking the car radio apart. When Kendall was still living here I think it was around the time we first got our van I put an MP3 player CD in the CD player. I think it was an MP3 player CD anyway it was a small CD. For years Ryan kept promising to fix it and never has. So we are trying to sell the van so I thought I would fix it. But I got stuck so today when he came home for a minute from work I got him to finish it. Now that my van is being fix. I really don't want to sell it. We are selling the van because it has been paid off and we are backwards on his truck. He got a work truck so he doesn't need his truck so we are selling it. But since we are backwards on it we have to sell the van. I don't know if that made since but there it is. I can't decide what kind of vehicle I want to replace my van. I really love the van.

Ryan and Cole are at Scouts the other kids and I stayed home. I am trying to get a few things done. When I have Danny's kids I don't get anything done. I know I am home but it is like a full time job. I can get thing done around the kitchen like cooking dinner but the computer and all the bills and paper work are upstairs so I don't get anything done.

Happy November! I can't believe it is already here. I bet Chauntel is feeling that way. The surgery is getting close. I hope you are feeling good and all the pre appointment are going good. Our prayers are with all of you. We love you guys.