Sisters and Giggles

Christmas was so fun! We had the whole Mann familiy here. We spent all day opening presents and enjoying family. Todd and Jonathan both commented on how at their house, they were done unwrapping and on to playing by 10 am. We enjoyed getting some new games. And the Nef family all got new socks and sheets. The girls got their bunk beds (from Rodney's family). They are very excited about being in big girl beds. We made mom cry a couple of times. It was fun. My goal is to give Mom a great gift that makes her tear up. And we did. We gave her some fun stocking stuffers. But we also gave her an updated family picture. We got some cute ones. Hopefully we can figure out how to put it up here when we get it.
This Saturday, we got our big family picture. (I have an appointment to finally get the little Nef family pictures in January.) Then the boys went and shot skeet. Todd has been dyeing to take someone shooting. Us girls put the kids down for a nap and then played mom's favorite game, Dragonmaster. When the boys came home we sent them to the Smoovies shop where they played Guitar hero. Then they came home and relieved us girls. We went to the Mongolian Beef. We then came home and giggled, and laughed, and finished our game, and and snuck grandma's home made chocolates (they were mom's to give but we didn't tell the boys). And we laughed and giggled some more. It was fun.
We haven't done a whole lot but enjoyed each other and cleaned. But it has been fun having our family in town. I admit, since Garth got his wii, the boys have played a lot of wii. But life is good. We were talking about hope in Relief Society, and I was reminded of just how often the Lord has blessed us through the last two years. We have been richly blessed!!!!

2008

This is a time that we send out our Christmas letters, and it causes us to reflect on the last year or so. This has been a great year for us. This year's highlights lie in our pregnancy and expecting of a new baby, Karla doing lots of big girl things (potty training, sleeping in a big bed, and upgrading to the booster), Kylee is communicating much better as well as trying to keep up with big sister and yet maintaining her own stubborn sence of self. Todd and I are working hard within the primary setting atleast until January. And we enjoy it here. Life is good.
We are grateful for our Savior's love and sacrifice. Working with the younger generation both at home and at church, we are learning the basics again--and even Todd and I am learning. We are children of our Heavenly Father. He loves us. And we can say we're sorry thanks to Him.
Merry Christmas!! And we wish all of you a Happy New Year!!

Our Little Mother

Today at church, there was a little boy, about 18 months, who was wondering around a lot in sacrament meeting. He seemed to like our bench because Karla had a couple of puzzles. He figured our quickly that the horses went on top of the other horses picture. But like young kids couldn't quite make it fit in the slot. So Karla told him to "turn it." Sounding much like us adults do when we talk with young kids. You know that tone? And then she lined it up for him so that all he had to do was bump it into the hole. This is not the first time she has mothered, just the most recent. Kylee is not impressed with Karla's mothering, but I think she is cute.

Camp out and Doctor appointments

It seems like life has been on the run lately between playing with my sister, doctor appointments, and enrichment. Life will slow down a bit on Monday until the new year and then we start right back up. I have been feel really good, tired, but good. And today my baby looked like a baby in her ultrasound. We are excited. I am starting Metformin or Metphormin for my diabetes. But it is a pill and not a shot, so I am excited.
Karla decided she wanted to go camping. I told her it was to cold to go camping, but if she was good she could camp out in the living room. "We need to build a fire in the house." I agree that camping is not camping without a fire. But I told her we couldn't build a fire in our house. But we did put up their little tee-pee and the card table with a blanket over it, put their toddler bed mattresses under it, and let them camp out in the living room.
Life is good. I realized the other day that I am truely happy and don't remember when I wasn't.

Girls Tea Party

While the boys were out hanging up Christmas lights, the girls stayed home. So Natalie, Karla, and Kylee dressed up in Princesses dresses. Natalie being Cinderella; Karla was TinkerBell, and Kylee was Aurora. They ate their lunch on their little tea party set. And then they watched Cinderella, since no boys were around to object. It was cute to watch them be so totally girlish. I am glad Karla and Natalie are becoming friends. Her mom and I wondered since Karla is 3 and Natalie is 5, but they are becoming fast friends and have been practically inseperable the few times we have gotten together. The next girl cousin is almost a year old... and while right now, playing with boys is great, I am glad that Natalie and Karla are friends.

Rich's Plane

The day after Thanksgiving Day we went out to see Rich's plane. I wanted to see his plane, but it was more fun than I had expected. It was huge. There are some pictures on Emily's page. The kids had the most fun running in the plane cargo area or "flying" it (ie sitting in the flight seat and moving the stick around.)
We then put kids to bed. And the adults played wii for a while. As the boys were putting on some fast car game, the girls snuck out to the hot tub! I have not felt so good in a long time. It was wonderful. It was fun to play without the kids. Todd did eventually join us.
The girls went shopping the next morning while the boys helped put up Christmas lights. We then packed up and came home. It was so good to go out there though!!