Starting The Year Off Right

Our Women's group at church had a Starting the Year Off Right activity.

It is always fun to have time to talk and enjoy a meal without our little ones running around.

The Mexican food was AMAZING!
We played, Pin the Tail, on the Donkey.This homemade pinata was way too cute to break!
It was REALLY fun hitting it though!
It took a couple of people to give it a good whack!
There were some special treats just for ladies.

With a golden ticket from the pinata there were more great gifts!

We are collecting clothing for adults so we had a fashion show with clothes provided from Classy Consignments.The fashion models were wonderful.
Being the professional photographer that I am... ;-) I figure I don't have to be in the pictures. I convinced the ladies in the front to pose so that they could all fit in the picture,
only to have it backfire on me and I ended up posing in the front, laying down. I guess that is what I get! I am just so thankful for the people who put in so much time and effort to make these activities special. It is always nice to see people braving the freezing cold in order to support one another in our callings. It was a great activity and I am looking forward to the next one. We will be making adorable Hair bows.

A Rowdy Birthday at the Roadhouse

Grandpa and Grandma Koch surprised all of us (except Benjy) with a birthday visit.We went to have lunch with Kaydree at her school.

I was so glad that they were there because Kyce is not easy to corral in a school lunch room.

Kaydree got to pick some friends to sit at the special table.

Karsyn's teacher let her come down and say, "Hi." Our after school snack was the Birthday cake that Grandma made. Delicious, it had chunks of Ghirardelli chocolate on it.
When Benjy got home we went to the Texas Roadhouse to celebrate.
Kaydree got to jump up on the saddle
and give a big, "HEE HAW," wave. It was a great day!

Our Baby Girl is Turning 10!

I know that my mom had a hard time with my older brother turning 40 in December. I can't imagine how that will feel because I am having a hard time with Kaydree turning 10 years old. Our sweet baby girl came into the world 4 weeks early, feet first and with the cord wrapped around her little neck. She made a grand entrance...being a tiny little thing, weighing 5 pounds 12 ounces. Her little foot had been stuck sideways and when she was born it turned straight out. You would never know it now, especially when you watch her play soccer.

As a mother I know that there will always be something special about your first born. She is always my sidekick and I enjoy our talks as she is starting to grow into a little young lady. She is so helpful with Karsyn and Kyce . She is always asking for more responsibility to prove she is grown up and it tugs at my heart strings. It is difficult watching her grow up and yet there is something so natural about it that it is hard not to sit back and watch without being so proud of her. She has always been a "Daddy's girl," and they are so much alike that I am not surprised.

People always ask how we came up with Kaydree. My middle name was Kay and Benjy's first name is Adriel. We were thinking Kaydriel and didn't really like it so we kept playing around with the saying and spelling and came up with Kaydree. Now all of our children have a "Y" from Benjy and a "K" from Kristen, in their name.

We felt the reality of having a 10 year old when she asked for a cell phone for Christmas, an ipod touch for her birthday and a trip to the mall. This is a shock coming from my little girl who use to hate going shopping with me. Sometimes it all seems to be moving way too fast for my liking. Instead of crawling up on my lap to have a book read to her, she will read a book and tell me which ones I would enjoy reading. Where did the days of Barbie dolls and dress up clothes go and yet we have enjoyed every stage and this will bring us into an new one, I am sure.

Happy Birthday to our little skunk.

How Do the Lutherans, Catholics and Mormons

all in one family, celebrate Christmas together? We focus not on our differences but on the things we have in common, like our love for one another and our belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and in celebrating his birth.

Since my conversion into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over 12 years ago, I have been blessed beyond measure with supportive family and friends. They have gone out of their way to study what we believe and have supported me and my family in every decision along the way. To that, I am eternally grateful. In bringing all of our beliefs together, every year we have had the Nativity Play performed by the children with one of us adults helping direct it. This year Courtney and Korin rounded up the little ones and put on an excellent program.
It started with Christmas Carols sung by everyone and an opening prayer by Kaydree.
Kenna and Kaydree gave little talks about the Birth of the Savior. Sydney read a story about making sure that the Savior is invited into and plays a part in our celebrations. Noah read from Luke 2. All of the children participated in a program about being naughty and nice and that the most important thing about Christmas isn't about getting gifts. Then we ended with all of us standing in a circle holding hands and saying the Lord's Prayer. We have had many discussions about religion in our family but the most important thing is that we want to be united and not divided. Our Father in Heaven gave us Families so that we could learn to love one another despite our differences. I am so grateful that we all find common ground. I am so grateful for the love, support and respect that we feel for one another and give to each other. To me... that is what Christmas is all about...uniting in love and the greatest example for all of us, is Our Savior, Jesus Christ. It was a wonderful way to celebrate his birth.

He's All BOY

in his cute little Carharts.

Well.... all boy in his carharts and playing with his sister's lovely beads.

Coordinating Cousins

My Aunt Deb and Uncle Stan (My dad's brother) always give the kids the cutest coordinating gifts. It's the one time that they all get ready to open their gifts all at the same time. This year it was Abercrombie Hoodies. The girls were ecstatic and so was I, they are so darn cute. Kyce didn't fit the size limit so he got the cutest Polo outfit!
It was fun watching Deb wrangle Kyce for a picture. Our trick to get him to sit is to sing Happy Birthday and it works every time.