Made it back from the cabin. Got to spend Sunday evening to Thursday relaxing and reading my new book about a World War II hero and Olympian, Louie Zamperini. We got some sledding in and I got to play with my new camera. The kids sat in the hot tub, watched movies, and played hide and seek. We just barely made it back and I am itching to get unpacked, but I'm exhausted. I love going to the cabin, but it is also good to be home and sleeping in my own bed. :)

pictures coming soon!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I LOVE the Christmas morning expressions when kids see presents.... I dream of capturing it on film and this year was pretty good (minus Paisley's face not being seen/how much more I should have zoomed in/and lighting is terrible) But Beck's face is pretty priceless!Nutcracker dolls from Maimi Dawn. Thanks Maimi! Paisley's face says it all...We LOVE dress ups at our house. Sword and knight costume from Maimi Dawn (she made the costume) and belly dancing girl skirt for Paisley. Great additions to our costume stash!Paisley on Christmas Eve in her Christmas jammies. Beck had recently just stormed out of the room because he saw a "baby" pictured on the outside of his jammies (There was a picture of a toddler because the brand was Child of Mine) so I coaxed him out with some Star Wars jammies I had stashed away...We invited Tiffanni and Ruben and kids over for Taco soup, pinata, and Bingo.The Nelson girls complete with their parents came over towards the end of the party (Kortni was nursing the flu) and the kids got CASE tractor sprayers from Uncle Brandon and I got an AWESOME frame that Brandon built with wire in the middle to attach pictures to. And if anyone really know me they know that I LOVE pictures, so guess how big the frame is?? HUGE!!!! And it's done! The kids didn't wake up until 8:30 and then they were surprised because they had forgotten it was Christmas! I think that Beck's favorite thing was his Lego Batman game which he has not stopped playing. Paisley's favorite was probably her Dora house that Santa brought and a Dora doll with baby Boots, the monkey, and stroller. And yes, I am spoiled and I got an awesome new camera which I quickly set up to finish taking Christmas pictures with.... These are from my phone, don't get them confused with the ones that will be following from my new Canon! Yeah!

Stephen is downstairs setting up new computer. Yeah! Old one was seriously on its last leg... It was a good computer. I got it for our 1st anniversary. I am currently making mashed potatoes to take to Christmas dinner at Todd and Denas in Othello. And there's nothing like a snack of cheese and yogurt and since it's Christmas we'll throw in some donuts.... While still in your Christmas jammies at 2 in the afternoon of course!

Santa has made it to the Ashton family's home... Earlier today I asked Beck if he thought he had been good enough for Santa to bring his Lego Batman game Nd he said, "heck yeah!" silly kid... He should probably be getting a lump of coal in his stocking.... But it looks like Santa was nice...


Earlier tonight we had Prunedas (Ruben and tiffanni) over for taco soup, pinata, and Bingo. Nelsons (brandon and kortni and girls) stopped by to drop some presents off to say hello. I tried desperately to get someone to stay the night. I find it super fun to have lots going on Christmas morning, but it seems that everyone wants to sleep in their own beds. :)
So now that Beck and Paisley are sound asleep, at least for a few more hours, I better go downstairs and see if Santa needs sone help putting a two person basketball hoop together. What are those things called? You see them in arcades and stuff? Two people shoot at the same time, and the hoops are smaller? Well, anyways, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

*Korbi quit her

Job * Beck started &
Loves break dancing class

* Stephen got called as Stake
YM President * Paisley started
Talking! * Stephen and Korbi took
A trip to New York to visit Stephen’s
Parents on their mission * Korbi started
Piano lessons as her 2010 New Years Resol-
ution * Stephen sported a bleached out mullet
to Spring Fest to humiliate Korbi * Beck’s 1st year
@ preschool without his mom being his teacher *
Zero Wrecks on motorcycle since Korbi got her endor-
sement * Paisley’s favorite phrase right now “Me tiny
Girl” * Beck writes his name * 2 mohawks for Beck * Pais
Was a fairy princess
for Halloween * Beck
played soccer for the
first time, which we
won’t be doing again!

Best Santa Ever!

Paisley and Beck at the ward Christmas party. Paisley actually told Santa that she wanted a "bobbie" (Barbie)

Beck asked for Lego Batman game...

Beck's break dancing buddies had a performance Friday night and were awesome!

4th anual Girls Night Favorite Things... me, Katie, Bethany, Amber, and Jenica front right. Good times girls, good times!

We've had our tree up for a bit, but I forgot to post these pics of the kids as we picke dout our Christmas tree. I love REAL Christmas trees. The smell, the feel, the look... Love it!

Thanksgiving and more 2010

Thanksgiving dinner guests at Mimi's house. Front L-R Beck, Alizah, Paisley, Branson, Piper, Hanna, Shaydon. Middle L-R Justin, Jordan, Mimi, Slater, Tyler, Bridger, Trenton, and Kaela. Back L-R Dawn holding Broxton, Bruce, Tim, Debbie, Charles, Brandi, Britni, Collin, Kortni, Brandon, Korbi, Stephen, Sommers, Scott, Al, and K.C.

About a week before Thanksgiving my little brother, Kalan, came down to Moses to get his car that had been parked at my house for a year. (Seattle parking is a killer!) I LOVE when he comes to visit and always wish that it was for longer...

After the long puke filled (Paisley) drive to Burley we rested for a day and then I went and saw my high school friend, Anne. We haven't seen each other for 3 years! Her daughter Sadie is pictured above with Paisley and then below I am holding her newborn, Elijah, 6 weeks old! Hard to believe that we are all grown up now!

At Papa Goose and Maimi Dawn's house we made a gingerbread house, Britni, mom, and I did the black Friday thing, went car hooding, and the ladies went shopping with my Grandma Mimi in Twin on Saturday. Stephen thought it would just be a quick stop and Macy's and then lunch, but I guess he doesn't remember what it's like to shop with Hunt women. ;) 8:00 am-8:00pm. you got it. I think we hit about every store in Twin Falls! So much fun! Car hooding is a very fond memory of mine. I was quite surprised that Beck enjoyed it as much as he did. He didn't get off the whole time! And they went again the next day while we were shopping all day. Paisley, well, she didn't love it so much, but she only went for a bit while I took us back to the house.

Below Left-right: Justin, Branson, Beck, and Bridger

This may be one of the first years that we have gotten everyone together for a family picture while eating YUMMY Thanksgiving dinner at Mimi's house (We missed you Jake, Kalan, Tyson, and the "Colorado Hunts!" Well, technically, Jenica and Katelin may be from just about everywhere now ;) Am I missing anyone else? The Beck girls, minus Jake :(

Korbi, Britni, Dawn (sitting) and Kortni ALL the grand kids and great grand kids minus the few mentioned above, plus Jax, Lizi, and Landon, Tyson's son. The Stephen Ashton Family, Bruce and Dawn, and Grandma Mimi

The "siblings" minus the handsome Uncle Terry. :)

Al, Dawn, mother Twylla, and Tim

And the best looking pair at the whole dinner! Me and Grandma Mimi! Soooo yummy! You see that Mountain Dew right there? That was one of the last ones I had. I went 3 whole days, broke down yesterday and had one... and now I'm craving another, but Stephen and I have a weight loss bet going until Christmas and I really wanna win!!! When we got back from Thanksgiving Break we were greeted with a full day of snowfall. And added to what was already there, we had a very nice snow day! Stephen stayed late for work and took Beck down the driveway a few times...The only thing Paisley wanted to do was eat the snow... Then after Stephen left I took the kids down the road to an empty lot and tried to sled for a little bit longer and then it was inside for hot chocolate. If it wasn't for the scary driving and getting stuck in the snow, I think that Winter could be one of my favorite seasons! Paisley has grown SUPER attached to her mama. Poor little thing, I don't help the issue with how much I tote her around. But I decided it was time for her to venture out a bit and took her to her first gymnastic class. I stayed the whole time of course and it was awful at first. She didn't wanna do much of anything, and hung on my leg for about 30 minutes, but I persisted and by the end she even let one of the other coaches touch her in a backward roll and then I got a "tada!" I think in the end she may just like the spotlight. ;)

We just got back from going with Stephen for appointments (for work) to Seattle and then Portland. The kids love going because they get to stay in a hotel and go swimming. Although my kids are a lot like me and only like the hot tub. The sad thing this time is that the hot tub wasn't working and didn't even get above 82 degrees :( Kids were devastated and so was I. But we did get to go to Target one time and Jo-Ann Fabrics another while Stephen was meeting with people. And I get to read! I started and finished the first Hunger Games book yesterday and I have mixed feelings. VERY good book as far as I am concerned, but sooooo depressing! It reminded me of this short story we read in grade school called The Lottery. About how every year a village draws a name and then they stone that person to death.... I know DARK, right?!??!?! Well, Hunger Games is worse. But I will be continuing on to the second book....

On a Much happier note Paisley said her first "real" sentence!!! My kids are NOT early talkers, while other 2 year olds are blabbering away about the dog and the post man and going to the store and stuff, my kids are more one word type of kids. Beck did not speak anything real understandable to other people until he was over 3 and even now people have a hard time trying to figure out what he is saying. So while other cousins/friends Paisley's age are talking away Paisley says things like "meeee hhhoooommmme," and just recently "mmmeeeee hhhuuunnngggrrryyyy" I am purposely dragging out those words because that is how she talks. So anyways, back to my story. We just got home from this short trip over night and I have the bags unpacked, kids bathed, down for the night watching My Little Ponies. I am on computer and Paisley comes in, "Meeee ooovvvie urrr bed" (Me Movie your bed) I about screamed/laughed/cried all at the same time. Up until now she has only been putting maybe 2 words together if that, for the first time a few night ago she looked up in the night sky and said "Mmmmoooooon," so you can imagine my surprise at this nice little sentence. although fragmented, a sentence to Paisley all the same.

Now she just cam in and said "meeee mommyyy ur lap" (Me mommy your lap) Maybe there is hope for these Ashton kids anyhow!

I haven't taken many pictures the last little bit, I dunno what's wrong with me??? We've just been busy doing our routine I guess. I have subbed a bit at school and gym and my niece Alizah drew this picture of me at school one day. Beck has been busy with school, he goes to Maestra Jasmine's class on Mondays and Wednesdays and Miss Becky's class on Fridays. Paisley and I usually end up hanging out at the school until he is done. Except on Mondays when I go to piano. I love piano! I really wished that I practiced more though. ;) One day I will be able to play a song that someone will recognize. I started last January, so it has been about a year. My long term goal is to play "If you could Hie to Kolob," it is my favorite hymn.My little brother, Kalan, came for a quick visit to pick up his car. He has kept it here to save on parking in Seattle. He is trying to sell it, so if anyone is interested in a Jetta for $5,000 let me know. It's a 2005 I think... hmm. maybe it's a 2008. We went out to Othello last Sunday for the Ashton November birthdays. It is always hard to drag my children kicking and screaming away from their cousins when it's time to go home. :) I like Moses Lake, but sometimes I am sad at what I am missing in Othello.
ss.

Beck and his buddies Jackson, Colin, and Piper on his soccer team 2010

Beck and Paisley at the AIM Halloween Carnival on the 30th. Picture taken by Julie Waites Photography.

NEW YORK BABY!!!

This picture was taken 7 years ago on our first trip to New York. I had never been and it was on my "bucket list," so Stephen surprised me with tickets for Christmas...
Brooklyn Bridge and the George Washington Bridge below.

Stephen and I went to New York where his parents, Bob and Ann, are serving a mission until April. It was so good to see them! We got to see and do lots of fun stuff.

We went on a boat ride around New York and got to see all the beautiful trees with the colors of the leaves changing for Fall. And of course the New York Hard Rock cafe with a delicious burger was one of our first eats... Stephen humored me and I got to stop at a flea market, even though it closed 5 minutes later :(Seriously, yeah, for awesome buildings and architecture!Times SquareLOVE all the fun detail... I have always been a sucker for old buildings and fire escapes...George Washington Bridge. Stephen and I, day 3???And of course we had to eat at the famous Tom's Restaurant from our favorite Seinfeld show! I ain't gonna lie... food was not incredible... ;)American Museum of Natural History. I had never seen so many fossils before...Rupert from the Hello Deli on the Late Show with David Letterman. We ate sandwiches here before the show. Super nice guy.David Letterman was really a fun experience. Stephen and I both answered the Late Show trivia correctly so we both got a set of tickets, so Bob and Ann got to come with us. Charles Barkley was on. I was surprised at how funny he was. Dave was exactly like how he was on TV. :) We waited around out back after leaving the studio and saw Michael J Fox walking in for the next show. My silly camera was super slow, so all I got was the back of his cute little head behind the big guy and by his blond wife. Sad photog skills, I know... BEST. PIZZA. EVER. and I was actually full! Bob and Ann know all the good eats and which subways to steer clear of. They are like regular New Yorkers now!

Statue of Liberty. We also saw two Broadway shows. Mary Poppins, super good, and Wicked. Awesome good! Loved them both!!! Wicked was probably my favorite because it was a new story line to me and I LOVED the music. I actually got teary eyed at the end! I had a great time and I thank Bob and Ann for letting us stay with them. And I thank Stephen for footing the bill and letting me get our charicature pictures drawn! And here is us 7 years from when we first took a picture in front of the LOVE sign... :)

Thanks to Tiffanni and Ruben for watching our babies! This is the first trip we have taken without either of them them since Beck was born. We missed them terribly, but I did read two books. ;)