The Mathews Family

More Christmas

2012-01-15T20:05:00.001-08:00

I was very spoiled this Christmas. My boots and new phone were my favorite.

B got a remote control car and basketball hoop for his room.

D got lots of girlie things like dress-ups and princess dolls.

A opted for one big present, a laptop for school so she did lots of passing out presents.

C got a car, dr. kit and dinosaurs.

I wish I would have got a good picture of us all ready for church. Since church was at 1:00 it was nice to have Christmas on a Sunday. After church we went back to my parents and had dinner with my oldest brother and exchanged presents with them. I love the Christmas season and that everyone tends to refocus on what's really important.

Christmas

2012-01-15T19:55:00.001-08:00

For the first time that I can remember I spent the night in my own bed on Christmas Eve and woke up in my own bed. My brother, sister, and their families spent the night at my house! This was before the madness begun.

Since my parents didn't spend the night we had to make the kids wait for them to come. So we blocked them up stairs.

My parents came at 7:00a.m.

Then the craziness started. Stockings first.

Christmas Eve

2012-01-15T19:36:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve was at my parents house with everyone but my oldest brother and his family. We had a very nice dinner by candle light. My parents house was built in the 1920's and they haven't started to restore it yet. During the day we were trying to warm up the house with space heaters and the circuits blew. The circuits are very old and we couldn't figure out how to fix them so no lights in the dinning room. It was actually fun to eat by candle light.

The kids in their Christmas p.j.'s they got to open with their proud Grandpa.

The kids worked so hard the week before Christmas making up a dance to show everyone. It was to the Polar Express train song. They did such a great job. C and D really surprised me. My niece jumped in and danced with them too.

A was in charge of putting on the nativity. She wrote the script and had the kids audition for parts. I was very impressed with how she did. The funniest part was that she gave D the biggest part but she did it, with A's help.

The ladies of the house got matching p.j's too.

Christmas at Disneyland

2012-01-15T16:16:00.000-08:00

Disneyland is wonderful at Christmas time. They decorate everything, have a great parade, the castle has tons of lights on it, and it even snows after the fireworks. The little kids and I were able to sneak away to see all the fun that goes on at night.

They loved the parade with all the characters in it. D loved the princesses!

The castle was beautiful.

The kids loved bundling up, having hot chocolate and taking in all the Christmas cheer.

Also during Christmas break we went to see the Chipmunk movie. I was able to get all 6 of us in with popcorn and drinks for about $25! It was D's first movie in the theater. Good thing there was popcorn to keep her busy:)

Sea World

2012-01-15T16:02:00.000-08:00

Awhile ago Big B won 2 free tickets to Sea World in a golf tournament. C wanted to go so bad that we told him if he stopped sucking his thumb we would take him. Time was running out before the tickets expired but C did it. He didn't suck his thumb for 1 week so we went during Christmas break. (Since he has started sucking his thumb again.) As the kids and I were watching the pet show my mom went to save seats in the Shamu show.

She got the best seats in the house. Front and center.

We had the best view but along with the great seats came what they call the "splash zone". At first the kids were thrilled and excited to get wet but by the end of the show most of them were crying. The water was freezing and they would not stop splashing. Good thing it was a warm day. We laid out our jackets on some bushes and by the time the sun went down they were dry and we could use them.

The kids loved everything about Sea World but they were most excited to see the penguins. Especially A! She is obsessed with penguins.

It was a great day with the kids!

Rogers Gardens

2012-01-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

The kids needed a picture with Santa so we headed to Roger Gardens to find Santa and lots of pretty Christmas things. The temple is on the way so we stopped and walked around. They had this nice manger scene up.

Roger Gardens is a garden center where you can buy plants and lots of other yard things but at Christmas time they decorate with tons of lights, trees, ordements, and other festive things that you can, also of course, buy. Everyone got a kick out of this snowman made of sticks. This is A's BFF.

To bad it was $300 and that wasn't even for the biggest one!

This is just one of the many trees that were decorated.

And this is as good as it gets for a picture with Santa this year. A is all about not smiling in pictures these days and so it makes for not the best pictures. (You should see her school picture!)

B's Christmas Performance

2012-01-08T16:37:00.000-08:00

This year neither of the older kids did a big school program for Christmas but B's teacher had them do one in their classroom. It was very cute and more personal then having several classes do it together.

This is the whole class.

C and D came to watch too.

This is B's teacher.

C's Preschool Field Trip

2012-01-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

I had to teach preschool just before Christmas so I did a field trip to the mall. The kids started by doing a scavenger hunt to find things related to Christmas. Here they got a clue that led them to a toy store and they got a little toy.

One clue led them to a place that sold warm clothes like gloves.

There were several more but the last clue took them to Santa.

They all took a turn with Santa and then we got a picture.

After we headed to a park for lunch and a little time on the playground.

Disneyland!!

2012-01-08T16:03:00.000-08:00

So the little kids and I went to Dland by ourselves for the first time. (We always go with cousins.) It was so much fun! D loves everything girlie. A did too but nothing like D and A grew out of it real fast. I don't think D will. Anyways, D has been afraid of the characters even the Princesses but all of a sudden she was thrilled to go see Cinderella. She gave her a hug and talked with her without hesitation. It was so cute!

We did the tea cups, Matterhorn, Pirates, and 2 rides in Toon Town.

Toon town was fun for the kids and they haven't done it before. We waited in an amazingly small line for a chance to meet Mickey. Good thing D was over her fear of characters.

Thanksgiving in Panaca

2012-01-07T20:20:00.000-08:00

Just like every year we went to Panaca for Thanksgiving. We love going back there! I'm always so busy relaxing and hanging out with family that I never get the camera out. The only pictures I got were of the annual Christmas tree hunt. We went hunting on our way out of town and I think we left a little late. Pickings were slim and time was short but we found one. We used just the top of this big tree.

The kids love this tradition and so do I. Big B and I have done this just about every year since we've been married.

Despite our lack of choices I actually loved our tree. It wasn't as fat as our usual Panaca bush, as Big B calls it. (You can't beat $3 either.) Also while there my uncle and his family came to ride horses and we took them to the caves. One night just the adults went to St. George for dinner and bowling. It was nice to be able to go out with just the siblings and spouses. But most of the time the kids were just happy to be with their cousins.

Brianhead

2012-01-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

During our annual trip to Panaca we went to Cedar and then up to my Aunt and Uncles cabin in Brianhead. To our surprise there was good snow. Well good enough to play in and sled. The kids loved it!

I think the kids could have stayed outside for hours if it would have stayed light.

Even D had a blast and never complained about the cold.

The kids got very creative in the things they were trying to build with snow.

To top it all off the kids got in the hot tub after to warm up. We had such a great time...THANK-YOU for letting us use your place "favorite great aunt"!!

Marathon!

2012-01-06T09:11:00.000-08:00

That's right I ran a marathon!! It was the Santa Barbara Marathon and the whole family went up to support me. Even my parents came. I trained for almost 6 months with my good friend who ran it with me. (Well ran it ahead of me) I would have never thought that would ever care to run a marathon but I did it and I actually liked it and will probably do another one sometime in my life. I finished in 4 hours and 18 minutes and my goal was to finish before 4 hours and 30 minutes so I was happy. I wish I had more pictures but I was a little busy running to think about it.

When I got home I found this waiting for me on the kitchen counter. I have the best neighbors/friends ever!! I guess I have to consider myself a runner now.

Halloween

2011-12-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

I must say we live in the best place to trick or treat. With that said we draw a crowd for halloween. My parents and both brothers came over. B knows that whoppers are my dads favorite candy so he took all of his and his cousins and gave them to grandpa. One proud grandpa!

My brother is comes up with great ideas and his wife is great at executing them. They were In and Out workers and their baby was a hamburger...soooo cute.

Big B and I went to a Halloween party as cone heads and they were a big hit on the alley too.

For our alley Halloween dinner I made homemade root beer and the kids loved it when I put in the dry ice.

This year the kids wanted scary costumes so A was a vampire, B was a zombie, C was a mummy and the we had our princess. It was a very fun Halloween and the kids got TONS of candy.

Hunting with the Brothers

2011-11-30T20:30:00.001-08:00

Big B headed home for a little brother time. Brother time includes food, going to the movies, bowling and most important hunting. (Part of that takes place in Vegas since Panaca doesn't have all that.)

This fall Big B has done lots of hunting. Maybe one year he can get his own tag and not have to just help his brothers.

Disneyland!!

2011-11-30T16:15:00.000-08:00

When A and b were younger we went to disneyland all the time but then season passes got more and more expensive so we stopped going. So I decided that I needed to take C and D like I use to take the older kids. C and I are the only ones that got passes and D is still free. We try and go about once a week and we meet my SIL and my nieces.

C got picked to go to Jedi training! He was so excited and not a bit nervous.

He did very good against Darth Vader.

These two have had so much fun together!

We have had so much fun. I'm glad I did this before C is in school everyday.

Surf Lessons

2011-11-16T21:04:00.000-08:00

I found a great deal on surf lessons and thought the kids would love it. Growing up near the beach you would think I would have at least tried surfing but I never had so I decided to take the lessons with the kids. A's friend did it with us too. In this picture we are learning the basics before hitting the water.

I can't tell who this is but all of us did manage to catch a wave.

The kids got cold and tired out there but I think they still had fun.

I was really glad B tried it. Hopefully when summer comes again we'll all try it again.

Last of Our Summer Days

2011-11-13T20:09:00.000-08:00

Our Septembers can get pretty hot so we headed to the Spectrum for some water fun. D had so much fun getting all wet.

C got pretty daring sticking his head right in the water.

Last year my niece had school on different days then C so it made it hard to get together but this year they are on the same schedule so we can hang out more. My sister in law meet us with her girls.

These two have so much fun together.

Cousins!!

First Day for the Little Two

2011-11-13T19:57:00.000-08:00

This year I'm trying something new with D. I have never put my 2 year olds in a playgroup but lots of people do it where we live so I decided to give it a try. D has been hard for me and I thought it would be good for both of us.

She had no problem going because everyone else was going to school. She LOVES it! I like it too but it is hard when it's my turn to have the 6 girls at my house.

C started his 2nd year of preschool or his pre-k year. We are doing a co-op like I have always done. He is ready to be in a "real" school but it'll have to wait till next year.

This is C's class. We lost 2 kids from last year and gained a new one. It's a really good group! This should be a easy year for the moms and kids should learn a lot.

First Day of School

2011-11-07T19:55:00.000-08:00

I didn't get very many or good pictures. At least I'll be able to see how they grow during this year. A started 4th grade and B 2nd.

A got another male teacher. She did well last year so hopefully she'll do well again. I can't believe she's already in 4th grade! Where has the time gone?

B got a teacher new to the school so we have no idea what to expect. Do you like his hair? He insisted on a mohawk.

This is him walking to his class.

Here's to a great year!

Swimming

2011-11-06T18:41:00.000-08:00

After the pictures we hit the pool. This little girl was so hesitant to get in the pool. You can tell she's not a California girl. I was glad she warmed up to it and had fun with her cousins.

D loves the water and nothing seems to stop her. We'll throw her around just to get her to want us to stop playing but it never works.

The big kids made the pool into a wave pool.

My brother has a zip line that goes across the pool which always leads to trying to surf so someone can reach the handle. C got pretty good at it.

It was very fun having everyone together!!

Clark Grandkid Pictures

2011-11-06T18:27:00.000-08:00

When we found out that my brother had a girl my dad got so excited about all the little girls that we went out and bought them coordinating outfits which led to this little photo shoot. This picture was one of the last taken so the kids were done.

Here are 5 of the 7 girls. The other 2 wouldn't cooperate, of course. The last 6 grandkids have been girls!

These 2 are only 6 weeks apart. Could they look any different? Blonde and bald and dark curly hair. If only they lived closer to each other.

I don't think you could find a prouder grandpa! He loves holding at least 2 kids at a time.

What a good looking bunch! They have so much fun together.

Clark Family Reunion

2011-11-06T18:15:00.000-08:00

It doesn't take much for a Clark family reunion (my sister just has to come home with her family) but it's still fun to get together and have an excuse to play. First we all went to a little petting zoo.

It was mostly for the younger kids but I think the older kids had just as much fun. They got to pan for jewels. After the petting zoo we had lunch at Ruby's.

The next day we went to Wild Rivers. My sister in law got a deal on a party so we had time in the party room for lunch.

There was also a WII that the kids had a blast playing.

Between all of us we went on every ride. Everyone had a fun time and no one even got sunburned.

Meeting Another Addition

2011-11-06T17:56:00.000-08:00

While we were in Utah my brother and his wife had their first child! I was sad that I had to wait to meet her but she was still little and very cute.

All that dark hair surprised us all!

I can't wait to spoil her and have her join all the craziness that comes with being the 11th grandchild.

Meeting the New Addition

2011-11-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

After Southern Utah I headed to the cabin with the kids. We made several stop to visit people on the way. At the cabin we did our usual summer activities like going to the lake. The kids never get enough of the outdoors.

We tried fishing with the kayaks and little boat but only got 1.

The main reason for going was to meet my sisters new baby and be there for her blessing. Big B flew up for it too. The kids loved being with the baby, especially A.

I wish my sister lived closer so I could be with my nieces more. My sister is such a great aunt to my kids and I want to be better with her kids.

Here is a family photo with those who were able to come. I love my family and opportunities we get to share and enjoy with each other.

Hanging Out

2011-11-04T08:29:00.000-07:00

Right before our trip we found out the place we were going to stay got doubled booked so we got put in a different house for a night. The house was so big that it couldn't fit in one picture. So this is half of it.

And this is the other half. It was a very nice place with lots of room for all the kids and adults.

Even with all the excitement of staying in a nice house and being in such a beautiful area the kids still loved playing their video games.

Best buds since the day they were born. Ahhhh!

It was a great trip with great people. Something we will have to do again.

More Playing Around

2011-11-02T21:40:00.000-07:00

Just relaxing in the water.

Big B helping the kids build whatever it is kids build.

Here they are hard at work.

Even D got in on the action.

This is the view we had the whole time we were having fun in the water. We had a great time with friends and family on this trip.

A Day In Zion

2011-11-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

We spent a day doing the tourist bus ride around Zion. This is us taking up the whole back of the bus. The kids actually did pretty well.

We were going to go for a nice hike but the water was to enticing.

We found a great water hole and everyone had a blast just playing in the water. D even loved it. Not that I doubted that she wouldn't.

There was a little current in the water that the kids loved floating down.

Here is the planning session about how best to float the river.

More at the Sand Dunes

2011-10-16T10:57:00.000-07:00

See my neighbor did have a great time. After everyone got a ride on the sand rail we played out in the sand.

B is about to jump off into the sand and roll down the hill.

My brother is the expert when it comes to having fun in the sand. Everyone had gallons of sand in them when the day was done. (Thank goodness there was a great pool where we stayed!)

This is a picture of the little kids getting there ride. C, D and my brothers two little girls. It was hard making them take turns. On a side note; during this whole day my other brother's wife was in labor and we kept having to call to get updates. Our cell phones didn't work so we had to walk to the rangers station and use a pay phone. I was sad that I wasn't there to see her before she left the hospital but I can't wait to tell her her birth story from her aunts point of view.

Pink Coral Sand Dunes

2011-10-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

My brother brought his sand rail so we spent one day at the Pink Coral Sand Dunes. It was more fun then I thought it would be and it was such a pretty atmosphere to be in. The moms took the first ride. So this is the before picture...

and this is the after picture. My brother has never been to these dunes before and so there was a little learning curve. The first hill he went up he thought it would be flat at the top and well it wasn't. Lets just say we caught some air. It was so much fun but a little to much for my neighbor. She really did have a fun time that day.

The dunes were surrounded by beautiful mountains.

All the men had a wonderful time even considering they had to dig the sand rail out of the sand numerous times.

It was a perfect day! Not to hot and we were the only ones there!

More Adventures in Key Hole

2011-10-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

There was lots of scooting along the walls, trying to avoid the cold and very yucky water.

But the kids didn't mind the dirty water to much because they found lots of tadpoles.

It kept their minds off how cold the water was. They found some really big ones too!

I wish you could see this picture better. The very last part of the hike was more of a swim. The water came up to Big B's waist and was so cold we weren't sure how the kids would handle it. Being the wonderful man he is, Big B carried A, B and me across on his back.

Besides the our friends getting hurt (Our neighbor broke 2 fingers when he slipped down a slippery rock and landed in a pool of water and our dear friend who lead the hike slipped and caught her self but dislocated her shoulder int he process.) we had a wonderful time and will be doing that hike again!

Key Hole Hike in Zion

2011-10-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

After our visit in Panaca we headed over to Zion. The first thing we did was a repelling hike called Key Hole. It was so pretty, fun, challenging, and cold but so worth it. This is a picture of my brother and his family, minus his 2 youngest. We started the hike by going up this steep rock.

Then we had to go down this steep hill.

Then we hit the repelling! I was so proud of B. He did such a good job.

A did good too! I think they both had a great time even though parts were hard and very cold. They would both do it again.

Every time we go to Zion I regret not enjoying it more when we lived so close to it. I'm so thankful for our great friends who are so willing to take us on these great hikes every time we go to Zion.

Panaca and the Spring

2011-09-27T16:22:00.001-07:00

The spring was another must in our 1 day in Panaca. A and C caught some little fish.

Everyone jumped off the wall.

C even gave it a try...with a little help. Notice D even was in line to do it.

Everyone had a great time cooling off at the spring.

In one day in Panaca we did some hiking, 4 wheeling, cave exploring, swimming, horse riding, cattle looking, and a cookout. What a way to start off a trip!

Panaca and the Moon Caves

2011-09-27T16:11:00.001-07:00

The moon caves are in Cathedral Gorge and they are very fun to explore in.

The kids can explore a ton but never really get lost.

After we explored we tested our balance.

Everyone passed the balance test:)

Panaca and Horses!

2011-09-27T16:00:00.001-07:00

We did another big trip to Panaca and Utah. This time we took our neighbors. What would a trip to Panaca be without horses. Our kids LOVE horses and D is no exception.

Everyone got about 3 turns and they could have had more. Thanks to my nieces who help us!!

These two have know each other their whole lives and loved traveling together.

This was a site to see. My good friend wasn't so sure about the horses or this trip at all but I think we convinced her how great the outdoors can be.

The hat was compliments of my dad. He really wanted him to look the part while we were in Panaca.

Bike Ride to Ruby's

2011-09-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

We really love riding our bikes. We got them 2 Christmas' ago and have really enjoyed them. We've even got the neighbors into it now. We often ride our bikes to Ruby's or even the beach.

We usually have to take over several booths with our big crew. Adult table...

Boy table...

Girl table.

The kids love it and could probably do it by themselves now cause they know the way so well.

Cousins Photo Shoot

2011-09-07T20:43:00.001-07:00

I wish we would have known they were going to be so cooperative. We would have dressed them better!

After every picture the would both run up and say I see then go back and take another picture.

Too Cute!!

I think this is my favorite.

Vegas!!

2011-09-07T20:17:00.001-07:00

The kids and I took a trip to Vegas to help my sister in law. She was diagnosed with colon cancer and was going through chemo and I wanted to help her. The kids had lots of fun with their cousins. D and her cousin her age have a love/hate relationship but the last night we were there they put on a little photo shoot for us and we got some great pictures.

This was right before the photo shot happened.

We watched a lot of RIO cause Vegas was of course to hot to play outside. The kids would dance to the songs.

One of the days we headed to a neighbors pool to cool off.

Another day we went to Target to buy a slip n slide. I found a great deal on one so we played in the back yard and had popsicles. I was so glad we were able to go to help out and play.

Day Trip

2011-08-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

We took a day trip to LA. We did Hollywood, got yummy ice cream sandwiches by UCLA, went to see the Grey Stone Mansion, the Donheny's house, (since my parents now live in the Doheny beach house), and of course we took time to stop at the temple.

The last time we were there the visitor center was under contraction and now it was finished to we got to go in and take a look.

This is just a random picture of a summer store we had. We never get summer storms and that is one thing I do actually miss about living in Utah.

Beach Days with the Neighbors

2011-08-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

We headed to the beach with our neighbors to get off the alley for a little bit. There was lots of fun in the sun!

B found a rock to jump off like a diving board when the water came in.

The older kids loved being in the water.

And getting right in the big waves.

This year the beach has been lots of fun and we haven't got to be there near as much as we would like. Glad we got this trip in!

County Fair

2011-08-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

Every year we try and hit the county fair. This year we started out looking at the animals and we were lucky enough to see the baby pigs. The kids could have watched them most the night.

We let the kids to just a few rides. This was their first choice.

They let D go as long as she went with A. I'm so glad have A as my helper!

It didn't take long before we had to hit the good fair food. We had al types of yummy things. This HUGE corn dog was a hit.

The only reason Big B really likes to go to the fair is the food.

We had to explain to the kids that we would get lots of food but everyone would only get a few bites of everything. That way we could try more things. We also tried deep fried Klondike bar, BBQ corn, lemonade, and more.

County Fair, part 2

2011-08-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

There was an ice house with some very cool ice sculptures in it. This was in there but the lighting wasn't good enough to see everyone.

The Chainsaw Chicks did a demonstration of ice sculpting. The kids really liked it.

The finished products were a dolphin and a penguin. Because penguins are black and white they made the ice turn black with the torch.

B guessed what the one chick was making and so she said he could have the dolphin. He didn't understand why we couldn't really take it home. But he settled for a picture with it instead.

This was also in the ice house. All ice, even the colored stuff. Pretty cool!

County Fair, Part 3

2011-08-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

The kids really wanted to go over to the bigger rides but they were a little crazy. They found this log ride they really wanted to do. It was sooo many tickets!

Big B loves to eat his way through the fair and I guess little B is following in his foot steps.

Just hanging around.

C is really into dinosaurs and there was a little exhibit one them. He asked to have his picture taken with this guy.

We ended the night with C and D going on this ride. We had just enough tickets left for them. The fair was a great, expensive night. Till next year county fair:)

Happy 24th of July

2011-08-14T08:16:00.001-07:00

If we're not out of town for the 24th then we always go to our big stake party. They have games food, music and friends. Last time we came home with 1 gold fish but this we came home with 4. C and D loved them! But a little to much. D can climb on all our counters and so we found her next to the fish putting lotion in the bowl and C had fed them...way to much. Needless to say the fish didn't make it to see the next day.

Family Beach Day

2011-08-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

When summer comes to an end we always regret not going to the beach more as a family. The kids and I try and go a lot but Big B never gets to come. D loved him there!

I did too! It was a nice break for me. I rarely get to relax on the beach.

The kids complain about going to the beach but once they're there they could spend all day.

With Big B there they had so much fun in the water. He put them on his back and went out "far".

The beach we went to had great tide pools. We saw a huge red starfish! The kids loved exploring and climbing rocks. Have I ever said how much I love where we live?!

Tired?

2011-08-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

I guess this summer must be pretty fun or at least tiring. A and B read a lot this July trying to earn all the prizes they could from the library and the reading program. Actually this summer has been really hard for me. The kids have been at each other constantly and really wearing me down. I'm excited for a trip to get us out of here!

Dessert at Farrell's

2011-08-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

We decided to head to Farrell's for some yummy ice cream. They have many things to choose from and we decided on the Pig Trough. It was 2 banana splits in 1 trough.

We had no problem polishing it off and so they made all of stand with our finger on our noses and repeat the pig trough salute.

D even had to participate.

Then we got a blue ribbon. We gave it to B cause he ate a ton and really wanted to be in eating contest they were having the next day.

Reunion, Part 4

2011-08-01T21:31:00.001-07:00

Friday night we all headed to the Angles game. As you can tell from the picture our kids were pretty tired by then.

They woke up and were all ready for the game. You can't see everyone very well but there are a lot of people walking to the game in this picture.

B had fun dancing like the rally monkey with his cousin. All their dancing paid off cause the Angels won!

It was hard to get a good group shot so this is just a third of the group.

This is my whole group shot but you can't see everyone very well. It was a fun night. Glad we were able to pull it off. The reunion was a blast and I'm so glad we got all but 1 person there. I love getting together every year and am already looking forward to next years reunion. (I did make a separate region book with lots more pictures.)

Reunion, Part 3

2011-08-01T21:22:00.001-07:00

This is the view from our campsite. Not bad!

What would a Mathews reunion be without horse shoes? Luckily there was a pit in our site.

Here is a bunch of the boys playing at Strand beach. We headed there Friday afternoon to experience a different type of beach.

Here are some of the girls enjoying the water.

And Grandpa enjoying a nap in the shade.

Reunion, Part 2

2011-07-31T11:02:00.001-07:00

After a day of water and sun we got the crew together and had a little fun. We put together a game of Minute to Win It. It was so much fun. In this game you had to get the pedometer to 125 with it on your head.

The object of this game was to get a card to stick in a watermelon.

This was a very funny moment. Big B's brother had to get ping pong balls out of a tissue box with shaking is bum.

Then we made the grandma and grandpa put together a puzzle. It was very cute to hear the grandkids cheer them on.

It was a fun start to the night. After the game we gathered together to share stories and memories along with some family history. Always a highlight to any Mathews reunion.

Mathews Family Reunion

2011-07-31T10:46:00.001-07:00

We got to host the Mathews Reunion this year. We started the reunion off with a big family picture. All but 2 people were here for the picture...that's 57 out of 59.

After the family picture we spent the day on the beach where we camped and tried to get everyone a ride on the jet skis.

We were able to land the group site and 2 other sites at Doheny State beach camp ground. It was very close to the harbor so it made it easy to get everyone a ride on the jet skis.

The weather was great but there was no shade except the EZ ups we brought. There were definitely some sun burns.

These girls are A's closest cousins. They had so much fun together that I might have to have a cousin reunion one year.

4th of July

2011-07-31T08:12:00.000-07:00

We had tons of visitors this 4th of July! We were in charge of the Mathews Family Reunion this year and the younger half came early to be here for the 4th. We started the day with a nice run. I did the 10K and the others did the 5K. It was a good start to the day.

Then we went swimming and had a BBQ before we headed to the park for fireworks. I love it when we get together with so much family!

D was amazed with the fireworks.

I think most everyone was. It was a great start to the reunion.

U2 Concert

2011-07-17T21:16:00.001-07:00

Big B and I bought our tickets for the U2 concert almost 2 years ago but then Bono hurt is back and had to cancel the concert. It got rescheduled for a year later. Big B was so excited to go because his first concert he ever went to was U2. Of course I forgot the camera and had rely on the phone for pics. It didn't work very well.
Lenny Kravits opened and that was awesome all on its own.

Everything was amazing but I must be getting old cause I was so tired and ready to go by the end.

Last Day of School

2011-07-17T21:08:00.000-07:00

Here they are on the last day of school. I really should find a picture of them on the first day so we could compare them but that would take to much effort. As always the last week of school is one big party.
I just added to the big party. Some friends of mine thought we would take the kids to Farrell's after school got out on the last day and get the biggest ice cream they serve... the VOLCANO!

After the fire went out they poured tons of hot fudge on top and gave us even more on the side. YUMMY!!

Even with this many people eating there was still plenty of ice cream left over.

Glad that school year is over. (It was a hard year for A because of all the homework.)

Discovery Museum

2011-07-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

We have had a year pass to the Discovery museum and have really enjoyed it. But our year is up and we went one last time. Lucky for us the just made the dinosaur quest a part of the member benefits so we got to do it for free. The kids loved finding different fossils.
This museum is great because every time we would go it would have a different exhibit for us to explore. It keeps the kids wanting to go. They get so involved with all the fun things to do.

They had a movie about water and it kept their attention for to long. Even D was interested in it for a little. We just might have to renew our passes!

Crazy Hair Day

2011-07-15T11:26:00.000-07:00

The kids had crazy hair day at school and this is what we came up with. B's hair is so short that it was hard to do anything with. Luckily our neighbor had some red hair spray.

A Trip on the Train

2011-07-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

C and his preschool class got to take the train down to the beach. I got to go too! This was my first trip on a train in a very long time and I enjoyed it just as much as the kids if not more.
D had a great time too.

The boys looked out the window the whole time and were so fascinated by everything they saw. I realized that we would be passing below my mom's house so I called her to go outside and wave. As we went by I did see her and my sister in law waving their arms. We went by too fast for the kids to see though.

Then the train ride was over and we went to play on the beach for awhile before heading back.

A's Singers Company Performance

2011-07-15T11:13:00.000-07:00

A is in a group called Singers Company and Have really loved it. This year I have noticed a big improvement in her performance too.
They do singing and dancing.

She even had a little solo. It's always a great show and I love to see A having so much fun.

B's School Performance

2011-07-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

B had his end of the year performance and he was the best looking kid there!
His music teacher, Mr. Healy, is wonderful and really teaches them a lot. They even learn some partner dancing.

C's Field Trip to a Nature Reserve

2011-06-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

This is C's preschool class. Each mom takes a turn planning a field trip and since I have done so many years of co-op preschool I thought I have done everything around here but this one I have never done. This nature reserve is in the middle of Newport and you would have never known it was there. The kids had so much fun exploring the stream, trees and paths through the "wilderness".
There was a butterfly house and it even had caterpillars and cocoons.

D gets to tag along on the field trips and has so much fun with her brother.

The kids found so many butterflies in this spot.

This is part of the future co-op preschool group.

A's School Performance

2011-06-23T07:15:00.000-07:00

With the end of the school year comes busy schedules. A had her music performance at school. The music program at the school is really good and teaches them a lot. It has really helped her with her piano too.
C and D get to go up to the school a lot at the end of the year and see the "big kids" do their thing. For the most part they are pretty good to sit through everything.

1/2 Marathon

2011-06-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

Since the beginning of the year I have doing more running and really getting into it. I decided it was time to put all my running to use so I signed up for a 1/2 marathon. Somehow I was able to convince my sister in law to do it with me.
I had a friend running it to. She is faster then me but it was nice to have her help us figure things out at the beginning of the race and then be there at the end to cheer me on.

Big B brought the kids and found me on the course to cheer me on. A and B tried running with me for a little. The course had lots of hills and ended with one but it was still a fun race and I did it in 2 hours 54 seconds. I really wanted to do it under 2 hours but the hill at the end did me in. Now that I have that under my belt a full marathon is in my future.

Fathers and Sons Campout

2011-06-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

B and C look forward to this every year. They get so excited that we really should go camping more often around here.
They got to go on a hike and they found some poly wogs.

They were only gone for about 15 hours but they didn't mind a bit. They had a blast doing "guy" things.

Our Last Days With Visitors

2011-06-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

I wanted a cute picture with the kids in their church clothes because Miss J had a dressed that matched my kids but this is the picture we got. D wouldn't stay in the picture, C had to be gangster, and Miss J wanted to go home.
We let D hold the baby and she LOVED it. After the first time she kept asking and asking. It was pretty cute.

The next day we went to do some shopping. To be able to get our shopping done we had to bribe my kids. They love the merry-go-round.

All my kids love horses but especially these younger 2. D could ride this all day.

Miss J had a fun time on it too. Another first I got experience with her. We had so much fun the week they were here. It's nice to have visitors around. Glad summer is close and we can play like this more.

The Girls Birthdays

2011-06-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

A wanted to get a feather in her hair for her birthday so we headed to the mall with mom, grandma, aunt K, and her best friend. We all ended up getting feathers, even grandma!
Then we went to Claire's to look around and I showed A some earrings and told her to buy them and she said they are for pierces ears so I said I guess we'd better pierce yours then. She was so shocked. Grandma made her call her dad and ask him and he said yes so she got them pierced. She didn't cry but her eyes did get watery.

She looked very cute! Here you can see her feathers and her ears.

That night we had a family party for both girls. (Good thing D is still too young to really get it because A's was the next day which was Sunday so we couldn't go do all of A's fun stuff. D didn't mind at all that her birthday was more about A this year.) D is already very obsessed with princesses. How in the world did she even know about them?! A hasn't been into princesses since before D was born. She got some dress up things and a little motor bike that she loves.

The girls had a great 2 days all about them.

Visitors Come to Town!

2011-06-17T06:29:00.000-07:00

Big B's youngest sister came to town. We were so excited to have her and her baby come visit us. She use to live with us and we became really close. It was so much fun to hang out and experience so many first with my little niece, the beach being one of those firsts. We had to hit the beach even though the weather wasn't the best. The kids still had fun.
We spent a lot of our beach time on the swings.

Another first for Miss J! She loved the swings.

We got to go to an Angels game too. A was a little tired but woke up in time for the fireworks.

Another first for Miss J.

A's First Piano Recital

2011-06-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

A has been taking piano since February and has become really good. Her teacher picked out a song for her to play, Swan Lake, at the recital but A had already picked her own song, Biddy Bobbidy Boo, that was harder and longer.
Of course I didn't get any more pictures then these two. She did great and I can't wait to hear her get better and better.

Tanaka Farms

2011-06-06T12:15:00.001-07:00

For one of C's field trips I organized our annual trip to Tanaka Farms. We had a HUGE group this year!
This is just C's preschool group, minus one plus D.

Here are my strawberry pickers after the had picked lots and lots of strawberries.

We invited our grandma, aunt and cousins.

What a great start to berry season...YUM!

Our Crazy May!!

2011-06-05T20:46:00.001-07:00

May is always a crazy month for our family. We start every May with B's birthday. I do a friend party every other year and this year was not one of those years but I think it was just as much work. When the kids got home from school we went to the pool with some friends and cousins. Then we headed straight to B's baseball game.
We were in charge of snack so we had cupcakes and B would rather wear his cupcake then eat it.

Then right after the game we went out for pizza with the family and some friends that were visiting from Utah. He didn't care at all that he didn't get a friend party. It was a very exhausting day for everyone. B is such a good kid! I'm so glad to have him in our family.

Next in May comes our anniversary and mothers day. All we did this year for our anniversary was go out to dinner and a movie. That was just fine with me cause May makes me tired and I didn't want to do much more then that. Plus we always do a Palm Springs golfing/shopping trip in May and I count that as an anniversary get away.

Mothers Day was a good relaxing day. I didn't get out of bed til 10:30 and that was just to have a nice shower with no one bothering me and I didn't have to change one diaper. Later in the week, for activity days, A pampered me. She did a strawberry yogurt mask and a pedicure.

The mask was a little clumpy but it tasted good. We also got smoothies and a cupcake.

The first half a May was great!

Garage Sale

2011-05-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

The community we live in has a big garage sale every year and this year a few of my neighbors and I decided to give it a try. Someone could have bought everything out there and furnished their whole house and had plenty of things for their kids too! There were 4 of us and I think we averaged $100 each. Not bad but I don't think I'll be doing it again.

Daddy Daughter Date

2011-05-15T10:59:00.001-07:00

Big B and A had a daddy daughter date that the church put on. They went out to dinner then met the other 8 to 11 year olds and their dads for a fun evening.
They had lots of fun and A can't wait to do it again.

Easter

2011-05-12T13:09:00.000-07:00

Our Easter morning started out with the kids trying to find their baskets.
When they found their baskets we started the egg hunt.

Everyone got plenty of candy and a few extra items too.

After our basket and egg hunt we had what we call big breakfast. Then headed to church for a wonderful Easter program. After church we headed to my parents house where we had a great dinner with family. We did an egg toss with the kids and also sling shot some fake eggs in the air for the kids to catch in their baskets. It was a good day. The kids really got the true meaning of Easter this year. It's so nice to hear your kids tell you things they know of Christ.

Pre Easter Activities

2011-05-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

Before Easter was even here the kids got to the best egg hunt around. The city of Dana Point has an amazing Easter egg hunt, races, petting area, and face painting. We go every year and the kids love it. This picture was when we were all done and walking back to grandma/pa's house.
Here is the kids with their face painting.

B is getting his done but I couldn't get a picture of the end result because he was so mad that the lady put glitter on him. I guess that should make me happy.

B did the sack race and won! The guy in the corner of the picture was from the news paper and got a really good picture of him in the air. It was in the paper the next day.

C, D and I go to this preschool like place called Learning Links and they got to do some crafts and have an egg hunt. They love going there.

Running the Bridge

2011-05-04T08:28:00.001-07:00

While I was in San Fran I was going to take a break from running until my friend, who was also in San Fran, texted me and said she was running across the Golden Gate Bridge. I thought that would be an amazing run so my SIL and I decided to do it. We had no running clothes or shoes so we went shopping and found some matching tops. (good thing we don't live close) Then the next morning we set out for our run. We took the trolley as far down as it would go. (It was so early and they didn't have change for us so they let us ride for free.) Then we started to run but soon saw just how far we still were from the bridge. We did a walk run til we got to the bridge then we ran the 2 miles across and the 2 miles back stopping for pictures, of course.
This was on the other side of the bridge looking back towards San Fran. When we got back to the other side of the bridge we found a cab to take us back to the hotel. It was a great run and I am so glad we did it. Amazing!!

San Fran!

2011-05-01T20:34:00.000-07:00

After eating our dessert we needed to work it off so we walked up Russian Hill. I should add 2 of the 5 women are pregnant!
At the top was Lombard Street.

So then we had to walk down Lombard Street.

After Lombard street we just kept walking through North Beach til we hit China town. Once we left China town we made our way through Union Square stopping for some shopping and eventually made it back to the hotel. I still can't believe how much walking we did that day.

Happy Birthday Mom!!

2011-05-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

Surprise!! My my was turning 60 so we thought a nice surprise was in order. My sisters (my sister and my sister in laws), my dad and I put together a little trip for the girls. We have been wanting a girls trip for awhile but it's so hard to make it happen. My mom's birthday was just the excuse we needed. I showed up at her presidency meeting and told her we had a plane to catch. She was very shocked and even got a little upset because she had so much to do and claimed she couldn't leave. When we finally got her to the airport my 2 sister in laws were waiting at the curb with balloons. Then she asked about my sister and we told her she was coming but because she was coming from Utah we would see her later. But who was inside the airport...yet another surprise, my sister. We got to San Fransisco Thursday night and played hard til Sunday. First thing on Friday we headed to Alcatraz. It was very interesting.
This is the view of Alcatraz as we left on the fairy.

This is a view of the city from Alcatraz. So much to see and take it. LOVED IT!

When we got off the fairy we headed to Fisherman's Wharf for some lunch and then to Ghiradelli Square for some dessert. We shared some yummy treats.

I think we enjoyed them...don't you?

Spring Break

2011-05-01T20:00:00.001-07:00

For spring break this year we just hung out around home. It was good to have a slow week at home enjoying each other, getting things done and just loving where we live. We headed over to the Discovery Museum to take part in the annual bubble fest. They have a great bubble show and then experiments and bubbles for the kids to play with.
Even with the kids age difference it was a big hit for all!

We also hit Old Town, San Diego. They have redone the Mormon Battalion Museum and it was amazing. The kids had a great time and got very into it. The way they did it made you feel apart of it and kept the kids attention the whole time.

A got chosen to dress up like one of the men.

Everyone found gold!

There was also a place to wash clothes, get water, and make bricks. The kids want to take Big B back, so we'll going again soon. Spring break was a great break for the kids and even a better break for me.

Jog-a-thon

2011-04-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

Jog-a-thon time has come again. I like to go up to the school and watch the kids run and the little kids like it too because they get to run with the older kids.
B was such a good brother and even took D around a lap or two.

Then they got to run again but with A.

A and her teacher did a lap together. He was one of the few teachers who ran the whole time with the kids.

Everyone had a great run!

Finished the Book of Mormon!

2011-04-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

The night before we left for Hawaii the family finished reading the Book of Mormon. It took us about 3 years but we did it! We told the kids when we got back we would do something special to celebrate. While in Hawaii I came up with the idea to have a luau. We bought leis, a pineapple, Hawaiian bread, chicken instead of pork because I was to tired to slow cook it, and we had fruit smoothies. We went to the pool before our Hawaiian feast and after we looked at all the pictures we took in Hawaii.

Everyone had a great night and they got super excited for when they get to go back with us.

Hawaii, part 7

2011-04-07T14:39:00.000-07:00

One day after the guys finished golfing we grabbed lunch and found a great spot to watch whales. Our Feb./March timing was perfect for whale watching. They were all heading back north. We saw so many! On our way home we made our lay over in Oahu a few hours long so we could do a little sight seeing there. We made it to Pearl Harbor and took the fairy out to the monument. This is a part of one of the ships that was sunk.

Here is an army ship.

Us looking over the harbor. It was a great trip and I am so glad we went. I also can't wait to go back with the kids. I told them we could go back as soon as D is potty trained, doesn't nap and can swim. Well C asks about once a week if D is ready to go to Hawaii yet. Hopefully we'll all get back there one day.

Hawaii, part 6

2011-04-07T14:33:00.001-07:00

On the other side is also where the volcano is. This is the crater and you could see steam during the day and a red, orange glow at night. We found some of the steam vents. I was shocked at how hot the steam was.

This is when we were in the lava tubes.

This was in the lava tubes also. I wish we would have had more time at the volcano but I guess that means I have a reason to go back.

Hawaii, part 5

2011-04-07T14:24:00.001-07:00

First I just need to say sorry for all the Hawaii posts but every year I turn my blog into a book and I don't want to leave anything out. This picture is just another beautifull beach we came across and Big B is taking the time to ponder life. We did one day on the other side of the island and that is considered the wetter side. So we saw some waterfalls.

There was also some crazy trees that the boys loved to climb in. My kids would have loved the trees.

I guess I loved them too.

Here is another waterfall we saw.

Hawaii, part 4

2011-04-05T14:52:00.001-07:00

We made sure to go to a Luau. It wasn't a traditional one but the food was good and the entertainment was alright.

My SIL and I wanted to do a session at the Kona Temple when the boys were golfing but it was just to difficult to make the timing work. We still managed to go see it. Just like all temples I've seen, it was beautiful. We found a great shaved ice place and for anyone who knows me well knows I love my shaved ice. I shouldn't admit this but I ate 2 of these one right after the other. YUM! This is a hike my SIL and I did while the boys were golfing. It's the other side of the 4 wheel drive we did. In this picture you can see where all the valleys are.

Here I am at the bottom of our hike.

Hawaii, part 3

2011-04-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

My SIL has a friend on the Big Island and we were lucky enough to have them spend a day with us. They took us to a beach where you had to have 4 wheel drive to get down to it. As you can see the sand was a beautiful black. This is a picture looking back up the road. It was actually a great drive. We saw a little village, if you could even call it that. There was also a little waterfall and river. It was gorgeous!

This was the overlook before we headed down. On the other side of that mountain is more valleys that you can only get to by boat or taking a 3 day hike.

This was one of the nights we cooked at the place we stayed. Yummy stake dinner! Outside was the only place we ate when we ate at the condo. We only used the dinning table inside to put all our maps and things on.

This is usually how the night would end. The girls would make it to their beds but the boys would fall asleep watching sports center. I guess even in Hawaii somethings just can't be lived without.

Hawaii, part 2

2011-04-01T12:30:00.001-07:00

These next pictures are while we were snorkeling. Big B found what he called a cave to dive through. It wasn't a cave but it was fun to swim through anyways. This is Hawaii's state fish. It's called Huma for short.

I know I've posted a ton of turtle pics but this one we saw while snorkeling and we chased it for awhile.

One of our two snorkeling spots was Cook's Monument. You had to rent kayaks and go a mile out to this point. You weren't suppose to get on the land because it's sacred. The snorkeling is good and it was a little history lesson.

Just having fun with the underwater camera!

Hawaii!!

2011-03-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

This is going to take a few different posts. So I'm sorry in advance for all the pictures but because I use my blog as our family journal that's just the way it has to be.

We had a chance we couldn't pass up to go to Hawaii and so we invited Big B's brother and his wife and we went. It was to the Big Island and the place we stayed was perfect. The location was great and so was the condo's set up. The beach that was walking distance from our place had turtles and we saw them everyday...tons of them!
While the boys were trying out the snorkel gear my SIL and I just stared at the turtles and took way more pictures then were needed. They were fascinating though.

For Christmas my brother and his wife gave us a waterproof camera in anticipation of our trip and we had lots of fun with it. Just a short drive away was the perfect beach for boogie boarding and just hanging out. I love to be in the ocean. I don't think I layed out for more then 30 minutes the whole trip because I rather be in the water.

My SIL just might kill me for posting this one but I thought it was too funny not to. Big B was helping her catch the perfect wave and I snapped a picture. But the wave she got was a good one and she had a great ride.

Just another picture of me enjoying the water. Hopefully one day I will have a summer at home where I can enjoy the water more instead of keeping kids safe from the water.

Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-24T22:37:00.001-08:00

C, D and I met Big B for lunch at Cheesecake Factory for Valentines Day. (A too because I had to pick her up from school with puffy eyes) Because it was lunch time Big B had to take a call from work and D was playing with my phone and this is what I saw. LOVE my family!!

B's First Season of Basketball

2011-02-24T22:31:00.000-08:00

B had his first experience with basketball and loved it.
This is his team.

Here he is with the ball. He didn't get the ball that much so when he did he held onto it:)

He was great at defense.

He liked to pass it in because he got to pick who to pass it to. It was a fun season and so far I think my favorite sport to watch. I think there will be many more years of basketball.

A Visit to the Mission

2011-02-24T16:44:00.000-08:00

My mom's sisters came to town and we went to visit the mission in San Juan Capistrano. D liked the fish and bird the most.
All the other kids really got into just about everything there. On Saturdays they have activities set up for the kids. Making rope was one of them.

After making rope they got to pan for gold and make a activity book for when they were looking around the mission.

We had a great time visiting with my aunts and learning about all the things of the mission.

C's Birthday Continued

2011-02-22T20:07:00.000-08:00

A, being the leader that she is, got all the kids together to sing Happy Birthday.
This was the cake for the candles...

and this was the cake for the kids to eat.

C's aunt made them and they even had dinosaur sprinkles in them!

And of course the birthday boy blowing out his candles. C has been such a good kid from day one. I'm so glad he's in our family. LOVE YOU C!!

C's Birthday

2011-02-22T19:51:00.000-08:00

My little boy isn't so little anymore! Before anyone left the house we gave C his b-day present. He was thrilled even though he caught on that it was B's old bike. (I know worst parent of the year award.)
After his preschool field trip to the post office we had his first b-day party with friends...18 of them to be exact! We live in a great area for kids and with that comes many friends. When A got home from school and met us at the park she had them all under control. They found the dinosaur bones in the sand and then A had them putting them together to figure out what kind of dinosaur it was.

We put our bounce house up but it didn't take long before we deflated it. There were too many tears and even a tooth that got knocked out. We felt so bad and couldn't believe it happened but after the mom told us it happened before to the same tooth we felt a little better.

We also had the kids make fossils. This didn't go exactly as planned but the kids didn't seem to mind. The girl on the left is C's cousin and the girl on the right is C's girlfriend from preschool.

Januarys Happenings

2011-02-07T13:33:00.000-08:00

Big B celebrated another birthday. We did a cake with the kids but this year we celebrated with mostly adults. Big B got a gift card to Roy's from a sub at work so we decided to try it out. We ended up inviting both of my brothers and their wives. It was a very nice dinner and the first time in a long time that we were able to talk with no interruptions. I think we have decided to do it more often. We left asking who had the next birthday but I don't think we need an excuse to go out.
My poor C! I feel like I have been finding him asleep a lot lately. This was right before we were to leave on a field trip to the farm. At least he ate his lunch first.

This was in the same week as the last picture. I must have worn him out that week if he could fall asleep on a box.

While we was sleeping my sister in law and I decided to make a pineapple julius. She had a hour to kill between sewing classes so got creative. It turned out pretty good.
(and yes C slept through the blender)

Now doesn't that look so delicious and make you feel like your in Hawaii?

New Years at the Cabin

2011-02-07T13:21:00.000-08:00

Another great trip to the cabin. This was the first year in what feels like a long time that I got to ski without having too many worries about what the kids were doing. I was not pregnant or nursing! My parents wonderful friends always open their house to us and the kids love it there. They had an addition since we were last there and D loved chasing that cat around.
The older kids are happy to watch movie after movie in the theater and after a long day of skiing the men love to join them.

At the cabin this year A and her cousin made a snow house. They were begging to spend the night in it but their begging didn't work. It sure kept them busy.

Of course there was sledding. C was the best in the snow this year. He rarely came in to warm up.

D loved the snow as long as it didn't touch her skin. Who can blame her?

I wish, as always, that I would have taken more pictures. Big B and I tried a little cross country skiing, there were fireworks for New Years, and a girls trip to the outlets. Fun was had by all. WE LOVE THE CABIN!!

Nativity

2011-01-15T14:57:00.001-08:00

What would Christmas be without the kids reenacting the Christmas story out of the bible? This year Mary and Joesph were played by the little kids.
C was excited to be Joesph.

D was the donkey but only for a minute.

A was the angel and B played a wise man.

The whole group.

We are so lucky to have such great family and traditions. We know that we are very blessed in all areas of our lives and we are very thankful for that. But most importantly we are thankful for our Savior and his great example and sacrifice for us.

Christmas

2011-01-15T14:44:00.000-08:00

Picture taking was not priority this Christmas. I wish I would have taken more. D is always wanting her picture taken so I did manage to get a few of her. This is what Santa brought her. All the kids loved it.
She also got baby accessories. A big hit! She LOVES babies and can't get enough of them.

B was happy camper with this remote control car. A got a bike and C was very difficult this year. He wanted candy from Santa and really didn't need anything. (Do they ever need anything?) He got a design and drill and some Toy Story things.

The gang in their Christmas pajamas.

This is our attempt to calm down the kids. Grandpa is always willing to read them a story.

Everyone spent the night at me parents house, except my sister who stayed in Utah. We did a pioneer Christmas Eve. The dutch oven was yummy. All the kids spent the night with grandpa in his room, which made it easy for Santa to visit and the adults to hang out together. The morning was of course crazy but then we made it to the park to let the kids run around. Then it was back to playing with the new toys. It was a great day of family!

Random Cuteness

2011-01-05T08:31:00.001-08:00

I can never get enough of this cute smile!
On day I thought her hair was getting long enough to do something with and so I tried this. She sat pretty still to get it in but it didn't stay in long. At least I got some pictures. I should use better rubber bands but I hate how they rip out her hair when one of us tries to take them out. We need to keep the little hair she has!

Ever since we stopped napping C I can tell he is a little more grouchy. He is such a good boy and always has been but lately he has been a little more challenging. (nothing compared to D) I think it's due to no nap. His thumb has been a great thing and makes him be able to fall asleep anywhere as long as he is tired enough.

I keep telling him when he turns 4 he has to stop sucking his thumb but am I sure I want that?

Discovery Museum

2010-12-27T14:06:00.000-08:00

The museum did a big thing on gingerbread and we went to check it out. The kids made their own mix to make cookies, decorated cookies, made a paper gingerbread man that would climb, and got to look at some amazing gingerbread houses.
Here is D decorating her cookie.

The boys coloring their gingerbread man.

A making a pretzel treat.

A and B posing for me. C and D didn't want anything to do with this guy. (not surprising after Santa)

A Performs Again!

2010-12-27T13:59:00.001-08:00

Here is the star after her big friends and family show. She did great. I can see lots of improvement from last year. She got way more into it.
This is here pouring hot chocolate for the other girls.

This was at a different show but she had a solo at this show.

Santa Came to Town

2010-12-24T12:47:00.000-08:00

Santa came to our neck of the woods and we got to go see him.
B asked Santa for not only his two front teeth but several others as well.

C was a little hesitant at first but quickly warmed up.

D never warmed up to Santa! Now she says, "HO, HO, HO" every time she sees a Santa on t.v.

Merry Christmas to all!!

Thanksgiving in Panaca, part 4

2010-12-19T15:06:00.001-08:00

As always one of the very last things we do before we leave Panaca is find our Christmas tree.
This has been our family tradition even before we had kids.

The more kids we have the more effort it seems to take but it is always worth it.

If you saw this driving down the I15 it was us.

Other things that happened in Panaca that never got a picture was of course Thanksgiving dinner and then the Wright Family Reunion. Dinner was delicious and small for the Mathews. Grandma was busy with the bakery but dinner went smooth and she had plenty of rolls left for us. (my favorite part!) On our way home we stopped in Alamo for the reunion. We got to see lots of family we never knew we had and learn lots of fun things. We also got to hear fun stories. I love the great history on the Mathews side. It was a great trip, just like it always is when we go back to Panaca!

Thanksgiving in Panaca, part 3

2010-12-19T14:57:00.000-08:00

The men went golfing all day in St. George so us ladies had to find a way to entertain the kids. We ended up at Cathedral Gorge having a turkey leftover picnic. It's a good thing the sun was out cause it was cold!
A, B, and C climbed almost to the top and gave their mother a scare.

They really had a fun time exploring and playing.

We did a hike that took us through the gorge and up lots of stair to this look out. It was a good way to pass some time and enjoy the beautiful scenery.