Christmas in Phoenix!

We were not planning on spending Christmas in Phoenix this year but when we found out everyone would be there for Christmas Eve we had to go. So we quickly packed all of our things, laid out Santa's gifts so they would be there when we got back, and left the next morning. The drive is so long but the kids did really well. We spent a week in Phoenix and were able to visit with all of my siblings, my mom, and even some of Mark's family. It was so nice to be there and so hard to come back.


We could not get Jack to take his eyes off his presents for a couple minutes to get a picture


Ashley also refused to look at the camera


Lewis with his Bakugan and Mark in back


Renee was very happy with her stocking


Renee and cousin Hanna


Me and my sister, Tami, on Christmas Eve


Ashley and her best buddy, Hanna

Let It Snow!!

Today we had a super fun time sledding. We brought hot cocoa and found a really fun sled hill at a local park and just had a blast. I guess Utah isn't all bad. We went down the hill with all of the kids, even though some were hesitant. But when we were leaving everyone said they had fun and were glad we went. Which is a big deal. It seems like we always make a big effort to do fun things with our kids and they don't even appreciate it. I'm glad we were all able to have a good time today. Yay snow!

Vacation, kind of

A couple weeks ago we were supposed to take a trip to Phoenix to go to my sister's baby's blessing. We got the tires changed, the oil changed, we bought tickets to the U2 concert, and we were ready to go until I came down with strep throat the day before we were to leave. I probably would have cried all day long if I didn't feel so sick. Mark had already taken time off work and I started feeling better after getting on antibiotics so we spent a few days going to the pumpkin patch, Ogden Nature Center, Living Planet Aquarium, and Tracy Aviary. It was fun; we had a great time! But we still can't get our kids to look at the camera and smile. Mark and I also had Lewis take our picture a couple of times since we are never in pictures together. One turned out well, one not so well.

Phoenix

So, we made a trip down to Phoenix a few weeks back. I drove down with all four kids by myself (can you tell how badly I missed my family?). The trip wasn’t too bad but the night before we left I was having serious anxiety about traveling that long a distance with four tiny kids, one still nursing. But we made it and I’m so glad we went. I’m always so sad to have to miss all the family events happening so I was happy to be down there for two baby blessings. It was so fun to spend time with family and so hard to come back. Lewis and I always talk about how we want to move back to Phoenix. Here are some pictures from our trip.

Happy Family

Just a few recent shots of the family. I really do love this family of mine.

Sweet Sisters

Our boys seem to be going against our better judgement…

Two more of my gorgeous girls.

Christmas approaches…

You sure couldn’t miss the fact that it’s almost Christmas at the Hardin House. Mark has had the house decked out since before Thanksgiving, the DVD player is always on with some type of holiday cartoon or movie and Lewis and Jack are more excited than ever for Santa Claus to come.

Halloween Party

We had a Halloween party at our house this weekend. Mark spent the last week and a half decorating our house with spider webs, spiders, bats, ghosts, skulls, flickering lights, etc. A couple of the kids were frightened when they walked through our door. He also made a disturbing punch bowl featured above that was a hit. We ate pizza and played games and most people dressed up. It was a lot of fun.

This last week I was trying for about a half hour to get Lewis to stay in his chair and eat his breakfast. This is a constant battle we have at every meal, every day. I finally told him if he did not stay in his chair until he was finished eating he would have to sit on the naughty step. He then told me that he didn’t want to be my boy anymore and that he was going to run away and be Tami’s boy. I told him if he ran away I would run after him because he is my boy. He said I couldn’t come because my babies would miss me. I told him I would just have to bring them with me. He finally decided it would be easier to just stay home. It was so funny though that he had decided where he would go and what he would do. Where do kids come up with this stuff? It did remind me of that book I read to him called the Runaway Bunny. It played out very similarly. Maybe that is what gave him the idea. He pulled the same thing this afternoon when he did not get his way.

Last week I told him Colby is going to be the The Flash for Halloween. Later he was going through a list of people telling me what each was going to dress as and he said Colby is going to be a Flasher. Kids are funny!