Christmas Lights at the Mesa Temple

Our trademark

Instead of a "White" Christmas, we are down with a "wet" Christmas.

Kids had great fun with their umbrellas.


Last night we went with the Andersen's to see the lights at the Mesa Temple. It was raining pretty good. We now know to always go see the lights when it is raining because no one was there. We went and saw Luke II, the nativities from all over the world, and of course the Christus. Shelley, my neighbor asked if we had seen Luke II, and I being so intelligent, was like, "Nope. I don't think so." They were a little surprised. Doug tried to tell me that we have. So, we go in and sit down, and about 3 seconds into the presentation, I was laughing at what a dumb stick I am. It's all good though. Of course I have seen Luke II. I really just wanted the Andersen's to feel like they were helping re-activate me. I hope it worked. Anyway, it was a great time even in the rain. It made me feel a little like I was home. It just wasn't white. The kids were soaked, especially Dallin by the time we were home, but they would of done it again.

We are excited for Christmas. We are not doing the traditional ham or turkey Christmas Eve dinner this year. We are having tamales. We live close enough to the border we decided to have it Spanish style. It will be a lot easier. I am all about easy right now. We are then leaving to Utah on Saturday for a week. Hopefully the car situation will work out. Our vehicles always like to have a problem with them right before we go to Utah. No exception this time. It all works out in the end, and we will get to Utah, it just might not be until June. Well, have a very Merry Christmas and be safe everyone!!

The Hustle and Bustle of the Holiday Season

Gingerbread house making at the Andersen's next door.

Look at all that delicious candy!!

Fun times

Dallin wanted a box for Christmas. Ha Ha! This is our Christmas tree box. He thought it would make a great bed. Good thing he is so inexpensive.

Yvonne, Dallin and Kabrynna at Amazing Jake's

Caid, Chaden, Brylee and Caleb

Dallin and his dream weaver. He has a serious obsession with anything that has wheels.

This was hilarious!! Dallin was so mad that Kabrynna was spinning the tea cup and not him. He was beating her up while on the ride. The attendant stopped the ride because he thought Dallin was hurt. Nope. He wasn't. Just pitching a fit.

The kids on the Frog Hopper

Brylee and Dallin on the Merry-Go- Round

Chaden was Kid of Character for "trustworthiness". He said' "Mom, I think my teacher made a mistake and picked the wrong person." I had to take a laugh at that. At least he is honest about that.

Night of the Rain gutter Regatta. Flattering I know. Doug thinks it is a great picture and shows my true self.

But then, now you can see Doug as his true self. The kids take after their father.

Doug thought it would be great to give Chaden an "Atomic Wedgie". Ripped his underoo's.

Doug and "Son of Doug"

Chaden blowing his Popsicle themed boat with a straw. He has some good lung action.

Poser

I want to just say that I am so grateful for this holiday season. As we should always reflect on our Savior's birth and what it meant for our salvation, it does make it very sweet this time of year thinking of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem to give birth to a perfect babe. I am so grateful to my Savior for coming here to provide a way back through Him so I can live with my Heavenly Father again. I am blessed to know of his life and ministry. I love my Heavenly Father and my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We wish you all a Merry Christmas. We hope you all have a great holiday with lasting memories.

So it has been a very long while since I have updated. It has been a very busy last month, but very fun. In November we had Chaden's Rain gutter Regatta. They build boats and race them in rain gutters. Very fun. There is a few pictures of that night. Chaden was Kid of Character in October. They have an assembly and they awarded with a certificate and a small gift. We are so proud of Chaden. He is a great student. For Thanksgiving, my Mom, Dad and my sister Yvonne, and her family came down. It was a blast. We were so grateful to have them come. One of the nights the older boys went and raced go carts so Yvonne and I took the younger ones to Amazing Jake's. It is a place with a little of everything. My brother Evan, blessed his baby on the November 30th, and then we went to our other "pseudo" family, Mark and Tisha's baby blessing the next week. We had the best ward party ever on Saturday, December 6th. Doug is on the committee and they did the funniest play. Parents and children loved it. It was the "Brother of the Grinch". It was about the "Grunch" trying to stop the Christmas music. Doug and our neighbor built and painted the set. It was awesome and so funny. It was seriously the best ward party I have been to. And to top it all off, this last Thursday on the 11th, I was part of our Relief Society's Progressive Dinner night. That started to stress me out a bit, but then I realized that my home will never be perfect looking, but it is perfect for my family. It was a great night. We have had a great month. Extremely busy, but great. Here a few million pictures from this past month. Enjoy!!! Again, Merry Christmas to you all!! We love you!!

I've Been Tagged

I've been tagged by Amber. Well this is my 3rd picture in my 6th folder. This was Christmas Eve last year. We had the Fleming's and the Fields' over dinner. We decided to do white elephant gifts and we had these hideous ginormous horses that I was so pleased to get rid of. Hayden Fleming is opening one of them in the bag. It was a great way to make my junk someone else's junk. It is amazing how time flies. I can not believe that we are doing Christmas all over again already. I am now going to tag Chelsee Jensen and Jenn Mobbs to post your 3rd picture in your 6th folder.

Hayden, Dallin, Coleton, Doug, Olivia, Chaden, and Kabrynna

Veteran's Day

I have been acquainted with many who serve in some way or another for this great country. To all of them I want to say THANK YOU!! When Doug and I got married 13 years ago, my in-laws took in 4 children from a family member who could not take care of them. One of them was William. William lived with Doug's parents until he graduated from high school and then moved away. While we may take for granted having family in our lives, it is very fast and very sudden that it can be taken away. Last June, William was 3 weeks from coming home to his wife, and was killed in Iraq by an IED. They were neutralizing an IED that was found by a village with women and children. William was walking it away after neutralizing it when it blew up. While I am relieved that there was no suffering, the effect of his absence is greatly missed by those in our family. I learned more about him after he passed than I knew while he was living. It is a great honor to have known him, both of my grandpa's who fought in WWII, my Dad and all the other millions who help save us all everyday. All those who serve want to serve , and while the price might be their life they are doing what they believe in. I thank all the men and women who have done so much to fight, protect, and save us. Today is a tribute to each one of you!! Happy Veterans Day!

The Curse of October

I don't know what it is, but every October my kids get the vomiting flu. Why?? Dallin started vomiting last Friday night, and then had the runs on top of that for 4 days. No fever just vomit and runny poop for 4 days. Then I think we are past it and Kabrynna starts in on Tuesday. Chaden calls me at 4:30 and I had just left to go to the temple at 4:00 for Young Women's, telling me she is throwing up. SWEET BEANS!!! Doug was about 15 minutes from home. How sad that my little 6 year old didn't have me there ( I am the hair holder and sanitizer). She was violently ill. No lie, every 10 minutes for about 6 hours. Every 20 minutes for about 3 hours. She said to Doug while at the toilet, "Can't I just pass this on?". Broke my heart. Doug is like sure, give it to me, I'll take it. Too bad it doesn't work that way. So, I told Chaden yesterday to just prepare to be sick on Halloween (the glass is half empty), just so he isn't disappointed. Last year my sister was here and her kids got the vomiting flu on Halloween because my kids had been sick the week before. The year before that I went to Utah and my kids got the vomiting flu while there for fall break. I am really starting to feel that October is just a month I think I'd like to bypass. I very much dislike the vomiting flu as much as I hate cleaning it up. So, Chaden is at school today and not sick yet, so I'll cross my fingers. I guess the moral of the story is- Steer clear of the Stephens in October, you never know what trick-or-treat you will get from us. Hopefully we will be well for Halloween and be able to enjoy the whole day with fun and lots of my favorite food, candy.

Ward Halloween Party

Getting ready for the Trunk-or-Treat party

Friday night was our ward Halloween party. This year Chaden is an alien, Kabrynna settled on the punk rocker skeleton, and Dallin is a bat. I sprayed Kabrynna's hair purple and pink, painted Chaden and Kabrynna's finger nails glow in the dark green, painted faces, glued fake bright pink eyelashes on Kabrynna, and made some chili. We got to the party and Kabrynna sobbed for about 10 minutes because "everyone is staring at me". So funny considering it is Halloween and everyone stares at everyone. She calmed down and had a great time. Chaden had a blast going from trunk to trunk with his friends. I sat in the back of our trunk handing out candy and watching Dallin pretend he was playing the guitar to the Halloween music I had playing. Doug was cooking and cleaning up. I made some chili to bring, and I only had about 30 minutes to get it ready. I am not a chili fan, so I didn't really know what it should taste like, so I just made it and took it. I WON SECOND PLACE!! I never win anything. There was about 20 different chili's and I won second place. Go figure. I had a great laugh. All in all it was a great party.

A Little Of This And That

Happy to see baby Braeden!

I am so excited to say I have a new little nephew, Braeden Iund. He is absolutely perfect and chunky! He is the son to my brother Evan and his wife Lindy. They live only about 20 minutes from me. We are so glad to have a cousin here. Also, Mark and Tisha (Mark has been Evan's best bud since the 4th grade and Tisha as she says is "my sister from another mister") they had a baby girl, McKinley Williamson, on October 16th. We are excited for the both of them and are so glad that both families are here with us. It sure makes life easier. The kids didn't get to see Braeden until he was 3 weeks old because of the fabulous cold season. When they did it was great!

How to catch up??

October '07- Brylee, Yvonne, Dallin, and Grandma Denise. Brylee got her cast on after 2 days of having it in a sling. Just in time to go trick or treating here in Arizona.

March '08- At the Phoenix Zoo for spring break this year.

October '07- Halloween with the Rodabough's. My sister came from Utah and Brylee broke her arm the second day here, and then Caid got the vomiting flu on Halloween. Great fun for Yvonne.

October '07- Dallin had a run in with the dresser drawer while goofing off during family prayer. It was also my first night away at Young Women's. Pretty ironic.

October '07. Doug received the priesthood and then right after stood in for his niece's baby blessing. Mom, Doug, Dallin, and Zoe.

October '07- Dallin was a chicken last year. He absolutely hated it, even though right here you can't tell.

November '08- Evan, Lindy and Dallin just a few hours after the hospital.

April '08- The kids had great fun coloring Dad's face. He is a better sport than me.

May '08- Chaden at the zoo for a field trip.

November '07- Chaden and his saguaro cactus.

November '07- Doug is so very proud of his gorgeous thanksgiving dinner that he cooked in the dutch ovens. We had a turkey, potatoes, and rolls all made in the ovens. Chaden, Evan and Lindy all joined in his excitement.

Camping Thanksgiving of '07

November '07- Kabrynna and I

November '07- Feeling pretty good considering he was just badly burned 2 days before.

November '07- On our way home stopping at Roosevelt Lake.

December '07- Kabrynna and Dallin after her performance at the Winter Wonderland. This is about as much winter as we get here in the desert. It has to be made and brought in.

June '08- Our Little Angels

June '08- Mom Iund and I. I love that lady!!

June '08- Lora, LaRell, Us, Mom and Dad Stephens

June '08- This is priceless with them all in white thanks to Doug's loving Mom.

June '08- We are officially sealed as an eternal family!!

Where do I even begin? How do you catch up on 13 years? Fast forward a lot I guess. We have had an amazing year. On May 31st, Doug received his endowments, which was so great because it is also his Mom's birthday that day and how great that was. We were so grateful that some of his family made the sacrifice to drive here and share with us that beautiful, long awaited day. On June 14th, 2008 we were able to be sealed as a family in the Salt Lake Temple. That was such a sweet blessing in our life. Words can not describe how blessed I feel to part of such a great plan. It is so great that we have a Father who loves us so, He has created such a perfect plan to give us hope and faith to go forward. So many loved ones came. We had neighbors from Utah that have been such a great example and blessing to our life who were able to be there, my grandparents, which I feel so fortunate to have 3 out of the 4 still here, and especially all of our families. I wouldn't give that day up for anything. It was perfect! So, I guess I'll give a "rewind" of what each person has done or is doing:

Doug- He currently works for D.R. Horton building homes. In the last 3 years he has been with them he has been an Area Manager, and a Superintendent. Yes, things are very slow, but we know things will work out whatever they may be. He serves as 2nd counselor on the Sunday School Pres., and on the Activities Committee. He is getting older and does have some grays, but that is why "Just For Men" makes money. ;) He loves his bed, teasing, Caramel Caribou ice cream (which can only be purchased at a Kroger store), and golfing. He enjoys taking us to the Diamondback games when he can score free tickets, and mostly he loves the heat here. (Not really)

Amanda- Unfortunately I am not that interesting. I think I used to be, but I guess it is age. Maybe not, but I'll blame it on that. I am still trying to figure out what I can do, and want to do. I think it is called "developing my talents", which I don't really know yet what my talents are, but I will find out. I have been a "Homemaker" for the last 4 years. Things tend to be a little slow some days, (I know crazy huh?) but Dallin can pretty much annihilate any room in a matter of seconds. I serve as the Laurel advisor, and absolutely love each girl in the program. I have learned more than what I have taught. We are preparing for Young Women In Excellence which will be absolutely beautiful, as are each of the girls. I enjoy reading, camping, visiting with our family when we can, being alone with Doug after the kids are in bed while he eats his ice cream and we watch our tivo'd shows. That's when you know you have been married a while. :)

Chaden- He is a game crazed 10 year old. He loves anything that has games. Because we have come to realize that video games are like kryptonite to him, for his "safety" he has been limited to very seldom use. He is very intelligent and a great son. He is participating in a program at school called "Battle of the Books". They have 4 books they have to read every 2 months, and then his team goes up against other teams and they are questioned. If they win they get to go before the city and on from there. He loves spending time with Doug and I. He is so sweet and we are so grateful he is ours to help raise.

Kabrynna- She is a very imaginative 6 year old girl that is ALL girl. Kabrynna is a social butterfly and loves everyone. She loves the make-up, nail polish, she tells me how she wants her hair done, (which drives me crazy), she loves horses, jewelry, as long as it is mine or someone else's, and she loves to play with the neighbor girls no matter what the age, as long as she can play. She is the 3rd highest reader in her class. She can spell well, and loves school. She is always doing tumbling stunts and the "look what I can do", which is so funny. She is a great blessing in our life.

Dallin- Where do I begin? He is 2 going on 10. He is so funny and animated. We are attempting the potty training torture. I thought it was going to be easy but I have soon found out that maybe we should just wait. Needless to say we are still trying. He can seriously destroy a room in seconds flat, but I would be very bored without him. Dallin, is definitely our accident prone child. He has cut his eyelid open, fell in the campfire (terrible), cut open his toe, has more bruises on him at one time than I have had in a lifetime. But he is happy and healthy. He loves trucks, four wheelers, and motorcycles. He is ALL boy. He is a sweet last addition to our family.

Well, now that I feel that is a pretty good intro, hopefully things will be more interesting on my next posts. I guess I can say I am officially a "greenie" in the blogging world.