Six Hours in the Making

We started at 9am and didn't finish until 3pm. I didn't eat, blink or move from the table while making these 2 roller coasters with my kids. I think I enjoy them more than my kids do. K'nex are pretty awesome!

Christmas

I want to be able to say that Christmas was great this year, but it was only okay. I was so excited for Christmas this year and really into it. But my kids kind of soured my mood about Christmas. They loved all their presents and were grateful for them, but after they opened them I found everyone doing this....





Nobody was enjoying the new things they got. We don't buy a lot of toys in our home because of this, but they each get 1 new toy for Christmas and it was something they all really wanted and instead they are all playing with electronics that we already have. Then all they could think about was getting to their grandma Halle's and my parents house for more presents. It's almost as if they only care about the number of presents they get and not what is actually inside the box. I was irritated. We had enjoyable visits with everyone but when it came time to opening presents my children's faces were reflecting their like or distaste for what they opened. It made me want to take everything back to the store. So Cam and I talked that night about what we can do to improve our kids understanding of what Christmas is all about. We have so many fun traditions that we do throughout December and we've decided that maybe it's too much. We're going to keep things simpler this next year.

We did have a good Christmas, just different than other years. The thing I love most about Christmas is spending time with my family and extended family. I love that I can shut the rest of the world out and just focus on those I love most. I love that Cam had an entire week off of work and we did fun things with the kids. We went sledding, to the dollar movie, shopping for each other, game nights, movie nights, treat making days. It was so nice to be with my little family. I'm very grateful for them.


And here are my kids sporting their favorite gifts. Austin received a Max Hall and Jake Heaps card and can't put them down. Greta loves her new K'nex roller coaster, Alina loves her new jewelry box and Livvy Lou loves her baby doll.

Christmas Eve

I've been terrible with my camera lately, I keep forgetting to take pictures. Last week we went to Idaho to celebrate Christmas with some of Cam's family. The kids had so much fun seeing their cousins, and I didn't get any pictures to document it.

Cameron also had a work Christmas party where he was given an iphone 4 with a paid contract. He was very excited. We are so lucky for him to have the job he has.

On Christmas Eve we went to my parents and had pizza and played games for my brother Ryan's birthday. He's 22 now, crazy!

Mike came to the door as Santa and the kids instantly recognized him. They were happy to sit on his lap and get a candy cane anyways though. Olivia was especially excited about the candy cane.





And here's the kids in their new Christmas PJ's from their Nana and Papa all excited to go to sleep for Santa to come. They opened up Santa Paws the movie for their Christmas Eve gift. They put out cookies for Santa, carrots for the reindeer and wrote him a note. Then they all huddled together in Greta's room to watch the movie. I can't wait for morning!

Olivia

Olivia has been so fun this Christmas season. She can feel the excitement in the air. She loves to have Christmas music on and dance and she never tires of it. She loves the lights, and the tree. She loves to do the advent calendar. It's been so fun to watch the kids with her. They also love making sure Olivia is included and having fun in everything we do.

Olivia is getting so big. She wants to brush her own hair now and do Greta and Alina's as well. She doesn't know how to brush very softly though, so we can only handle her hair brushing for a minute or two.


She loved helping Cameron put up the lights outside. She climbed in this wagon so she could watch him, and then she fell.

She loves cell phones. I swear she can smell them. She will often be found walking around with my sister Shannon's phone like this. She's so adorable.



And most of all Olivia is fun. She loves to be silly. She loves to laugh. She loves to make everyone happy. She's talking a lot. Here are a few of her favorite words.
Daddy
Mommy
livia
Austy
Deta (Greta)
leeny (Alina)
Heyo (Hello)
appy (apple)
uppy (Puppy)
eat
candy
cracker
dinky (binky)
ganpa
And her favorite word is thank you and she says it all the time.

Check Off List

Making snowflakes....check

Making Christmas cookies.....check


Making peppermint bark and making sure Cameron doesn't eat it all......almost check




Loving the season......double check

Weekend With The Garretts

We spent a weekend hanging out with our dear friends Jen and Greg. We've missed them so much since they moved to Ogden.

The weather was beautiful so we played football outside and had races on Greg's jazzy. Those things are hard to maneuver, I was terrible!

We made gingerbread houses, played games, relaxed, talked, laughed, and ate some yummy homemade chicken noodle soup. It's nice to have good friends.

Christmas Lights and Pranks

We were so good this year that Santa came to help us put up our Christmas lights. See, here's a pic of him.




Our home is the Griswold's house this year. Mike brought us a bunch of his blow up Christmas yard decorations and lights.

We had a neighborhood Christmas party and our friends Jason and Hilary Fitzsimmons have been joking a lot about our blow ups, especially our flamingo driven sleigh. So we went to the party a bit late so we could set up the flamingos in their yard. They kept it up all December long, we knew they secretly loved those flamingos. They say they are going to get them back. I welcome it, I love a good prank:)

Reason #1 I Love Christmas

This is the note Austin left for Cameron and I last night with a little treat.

Our kids all have stockings on their doorknob for December. They are supposed to write nice notes to each other, leave treats, or whatever else they want. I love this tradition because my kids are always finding fun little things to do for each other. I love leaving them notes and having them come up and hug me and say "thank you mom." I love to watch them quickly hide something in someone's stocking. I love to hear little squeals of delight when something is found. I love the love that my little family shows to one another.

A Little Bit of Everything

What's been happening in the Robinson home, I'll tell you. Alina decided to decorate her room. She chose a maxi pad to accent her walls.

Olivia thinks she can walk around the house with this armor on. The problem was that she had the helmet over her eyes and kept running into walls. She quickly learned it wasn't real armor.

Cameron is always wrestling with the kids and they love it. I think Olivia won this match and Greta lost.

We got a skiff a snow and Alina and Olivia decided to brave the cold. They lasted about 5 minutes.

We have our tree up.

And our stockings hung.

Greta turns 7 on the 29th but we did her party early because she couldn't wait.

We had dirt cups with worms inside for dessert. Greta's choice. Those two sweet girls in the back are two of my Beehives. They came to paint the girls nails all fancy.

And this is how Olivia looks after she eats anything. Why do I even try to get her looking cute.

Dancing The Night Away

Cam and I went dancing with my parents, brother Shane and his girlfriend Amy. We went to the Murray Arts Center. Cameron and I went there a few years ago and took a dance class, we were the youngest ones there and it was a lot of fun. So I was very excited when my family wanted to go again. We went out to dinner at Chuck-A-Rama first and then off to the ball. It was so much fun, so many cute old couples to look at. The live band was great and I can't wait to go back many more times.

Gratitude

This year has been a year of remembering to always be grateful for me. Cameron lost his job the day before Thanksgiving last year. At first I was terrified, but then because of prayer I was calm. I've learned that through adversity we can become stronger. That we have something to learn. That our Heavenly Father knows best. As I'm being molded and shaped into someone better I can't help but be grateful for my trials. Because Cameron lost his job we had many tender mercies offered to our family. It was a chance to teach our children. We had food dropped off, presents for Christmas, money sent in the mail, gift cards, neighbors coming over and demanding to take us to the store to get us what we need, and the list goes on. People are good. My heart was touched. I'm grateful for what I learned, and for how I have become closer to my Savior. Cameron was out of work for a little over 5 months. I got used to having him home. I loved all the time we got to spend together. When he did get a job it wasn't the one we wanted it was still a huge pay cut and far away. But I was once again reminded to be grateful. He now has a job that is down the street. He doesn't even have to get on the freeway, and he loves it. Gratitude brings forth many blessings. I have seen that work in my life so many times. Any trial we face has a reason and a blessing attached to it. It's our duty to find out what that blessing and reason is. It's our duty to become stronger and never waiver. My new favorite quote by Elder Monson says, "Be of good cheer! Your future is as bright as your faith." How true that is.

Halloween

Halloween this year was a bit disappointing because of all the rain. The kids still looked adorable in their costumes. The kids and Cameron braved it out in the rain. We only had an hour in our neighborhood because we needed to get to my parents so we could see my brother and his family before they left.



As we were rushing out the door we were very happy to know that we didn't miss this site. Jason in a flying monkey costume.

The kids got lots more candy in my parents neighborhood and luckily it wasn't raining. Olivia loved getting candy, she's doing a happy dance here in the picture.
And this is Olivia the next day after church. She got into her bucket and took out 3 suckers and would switch between them all. She loves her candy, and we love watching her happy dance when she gets some.

Quality time with Olivia

Last night Cam and I had so much fun with Olivia while trying to get her ready for bed. She ran away while changing her diaper and hid in her closet. She loved this game. She's a daddy's girl and loves her time with him.



We finally got her dressed and she insisted on feeding us from her play food. She refused to look at the camera because she was being a stinker. I love my little family, I love spending time with each of my kids and my husband. I'm so blessed to have them. Tonight made me realize how I just wish I could bottle up each little memory and never forget. I'm already forgetting what Olivia was like even 6 months ago. I'm grateful that I realize I need to enjoy every little bit of right now, soak it all up because my babies are growing and they are growing fast.

Austin's 9th Birthday

Austin is 9, I can hardly believe it! His party this year consisted of a lot of hyper boys in costumes and I got them dancing on video to Thriller. I'm sure that'll come in handy one day.

Austin's disgusting finger and eyeball cake he insisted on.

It's so nice to be in a place where Austin is making friendships that will last forever. I love all these boys and I'm so glad they are his friends.

Halloween Party

Cameron and I hosted our 2nd annual Halloween party in all our superhero glory. We love Halloween. It's the one time a year we can dress up and see our friends in their crazy creative costumes.

The spread at the party, and this isn't even all of it.

My cousin Lyndsey and her husband Josh. I think he made a creepy Willy Wonka. :)

Trent and Jamie. We had great fun with her Dodo Bird.

Jen as the cutest Indian ever.

Tyler and Deann. I love how creative they were.

Clint and Michelle, Clint actually dressed up.

Cam's cousin Amy and her husband Steve. They look really pasty in this pic. :)

Lyndee, Lyle and little Ava. Ava is wearing Liv's costume from last year.

Andy and Joe. Andy is so dark you can barely see her.

Julie and Chad.

My sister Shannon and her friend Amy.

Becki as the God-dess

We played a game we titled human wac-a-mole, we drew pics of each other that were not flattering. We played mafia, ate good food and chatted. It was a great night. It's making me excited for all the holiday parties we have coming up with the same great people.

And here is little Olivia after everyone left. She had so much candy we couldn't get her to sleep. And yes those are boogers all over her face and she's dipping her hand in the salsa. Good thing it happened after everyone left, or maybe it didn't ;)