Why do we do it?

Year after year we load up the kids, presents and all and head to Utah for Christmas. Some think we are crazy, but our kids wouldn't have Christmas any other way. If you wonder why we do it, here are our reasons; Grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles all spending time together, making memories, and enjoying every minute of it.

Fuss ball at Nana's is always a hit

The kids loved playing in the snow, even Sam joined in this year. Our biggest snow lover was Carter, he wanted to stay out even when all the others came in for hot chocolate. Sunday was a rough day for Carter, he could not understand why he couldn't go sled.

Kangaroo Zoo with Lee cousins

Nana and her babies, Sam loves his Nana so much, as he tells me often.

Nativity with the Lee cousins. It was an off Christmas year for the Lee's which meant we spent the first few days at my moms before everyone headed to their in-laws for Christmas. My mom didn't want to miss out on the Nativity, so we did it on Sunday night with the cousins who were staying there.

Tackling Uncle Greg

Uncle Kendall showing Sam the Reindeer at Thanksgiving Point

Hot Chocolate and dinner at Thanksgiving Point

Wimmer cousin Nativity

Wimmer cousins in their Christmas jammies on Christmas Eve

Rhett and Tyler took Jacob and Carter up in the mountains to sled behind the four wheeler, this was one of their favorite activities of the trip.

Papa and Grandma reading to the boys

Eric and Laurie got a new dog, Mollie, a few months ago. The poor thing was attacked by Sam the whole time we stayed there. He carried her around by her neck and told us Mollie really liked him. We aren't so sure about her liking him, but she sure was patient with him.

Christmas morning at Eric and Laurie's

Christmas sledding at Greg and Michelle's

Jacob's snowman

Carter's snowman

Hot tubbing in the snow at our good friends Dean and Kathy's

Dean and Kathy had a dog for each of them, so thoughtful!

So there it is, the reasons we do it every year. It makes me so happy to see my kids with their grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. It makes me feel ok about living away from them if we can strengthen these important relationships a couple times a year. We can't overlook that I love it too. Dinners out with my siblings and Brett's, lunch with friends from high school, talking with my sisters, staying at Eric and Laurie's. It wouldn't be Christmas for me without all these things either!

Christmas Fun

I am so grateful that Santa takes the time to come to our ward Christmas party so that I don't have to fight the crowds with the mall Santa. Sam is very into Santa this year, and sadly Jacob is doing some doubting. He keeps asking how it's possible for reindeer to fly, and how Santa could make it all around the world in just one night. We try our best, telling him it's not actually one night because different parts of the world are on different times, so he actually has two nights. He's not sure Santa could even do it in two nights, but he is not willing to declare his unbelief completely because he does want that DS he asked for. Maybe we can get another year out of it. We love going to Bethlehem Village every year at the Presbyterian Preschool. The kids love the petting zoo, Llama rides and Hot Chocolate. They even do a live nativity and sing Christmas carols.

Jacob looks like he's taking a nap on the Llama, I hate when they close their eyes just as I snap the picture!

Sam loved chasing the sheep and goats, poor guys.

Bound to happen....

A good black eye is bound to happen in a house with three boys, in fact I am surprised it hasn't happened sooner. We are lucky to not have any broken bones, yet. The boys were jumping on our bed on Saturday morning, hitting each other with pillows and trying to knock each other off. Brett told them this wasn't going to end well, and we left the room. Minutes later we heard a loud scream from Jacob, and sure enough, it didn't end well. Carter's head ended up on Jacob's eye leaving a huge goose egg, and now a pretty bad black eye. Poor Jacob is pretty embarrassed by it, he thinks it looks like he's wearing make up.

It's a Girl????

So we went in for our ultrasound today. We decided it would be fun to let Jacob and Carter come because they are so excited about the baby and have been betting on the sex. Jacob was betting boy, Carter wanted a boy, but thought it was a girl. Our ever so obliging (sarcasm) ultrasound tech is 90% sure that it's a girl. She doesn't see any boy parts and she is pretty sure she sees girl parts. I asked if I could move around to get a better picture, no luck, it was probably almost her lunch time. She had no patience for me. I told her I had to know 100%, I have three boys and if I am going to paint the baby room and buy clothes, I need to know. With Sam they couldn't tell for sure so they had me walk around, and then there it was plain as day. She was not willing to do that.

So, we are thinking girl, but with a little caution. I am going to ask my doctor to double check next week when I go in. I am thrilled about having a girl, but honestly I would have been happy with a boy too. In some ways I am sad to think Sam may be my last little boy, I absolutely love little boys. I must admit, however, when Sunshine gave me two darling dresses, I was pretty excited about a baby girl. I love raising little boys, I could raise all boys, but I do want to have a girl when she's grown. A girl always needs her mom, (but then again so do many boys).

We are all pretty excited. Brett wanted a girl, but now he says he's a little scared, the boys think it's going to be pretty cool to have a baby sister. I won't mention that part of the reason Carter was excited about a girl is because he says there will be another girl to shoot with his Nerf guns, he terrorizes the neighborhood girls by shooting them. We'll try to hold him off until she can fight back. Looks like pink is coming to the Wimmer home, I hope we can handle it.

Thanksgiving!

This year we headed to Arizona to spend Thanksgiving with my sister in her new house. I always feel better when one of my siblings moves after I see their house and new surroundings. I like to be able to picture where they are when I think about them. She has such a great house, neighborhood, and area. We had fun swimming in her pool, going out to dinner, playing with cousins and just being together. I've said it before, I just love the cousin relationships. I grew up going to Mesa every summer to visit my cousins, it was truly the highlight of my year. I looked forward to my two weeks in Arizona every year so much, I love seeing my kids get as excited as I did when I was younger. My sister even took us to drive by my cousins old house and see all the fun places we used to go together. I wonder if my kids will someday do the same......

It was pretty cold in Arizona, but that didn't stop the kids from swimming!

Brett getting some sun while Sam throws rocks in the pool.

Cousin bath time

Huddled around an intense DS game

The cousins together on Thanksgiving morning

My sister is an out to eat Thanksgiving girl. We went up to Payson and ate at The Rim Golf Club. They had a big buffet and the kids thought it was fun picking out their food, they especially liked the Shirley Temples they kept ordering.

They were smart to put our group in a private room, we can be a bit noisy.

Sam liked the free toothbrushes in the bathrooms

Golf cart rides around the neighborhood were fun morning and night! Just remember it's not a good idea to send a two year old on a golf cart with a 13 year old driver!

The Mesa Temple does an unbelievable Christmas lights display. The kids loved seeing the lights, watching the Luke II movie, and seeing the Chirstus.
My parents were married in this temple almost 50 years ago. We loved taking our kids there and telling them about when Nana and Grandpa Rex were married.

We truly had a great week, my sister and her husband are the perfect hosts. Our husbands even decided we needed a sister day on Saturday, so they planned a day with the kids and sent us out to lunch and shopping. I am grateful for my wonderful family this and every Thanksgiving!

Chicken is 40!!

One of my dearest friends in the world has hit the big 4-0. She looks fabulous, so I say be proud! I met her 7 1/2 years ago and I have been laughing, eating, and partying it up with her ever since. This is a girl to love, she threw an unbelievable party, filled with friends, food, dancing and singing (thanks to Rock Band).

Many years ago Brett gave her the nick name of Chicken. It started as Chicken Parmigiana, but was soon shortened to Chicken. We all call her Chicken, or The Chicken, even our kids. It was quite funny, or maybe a little inappropriate when she was the Primary President and several of the primary kids called her "Sister Chicken." At least they had the respect to add Sister to it.

We all love The Chicken. Brett loves to tease her because she always falls for it. I like to party with her because she makes everything more fun. I love that she is always willing to help me solve all my problems. My kids love to play at her HUGE house. We are all grateful to have Elizabeth in our lives!

Gotta love the candy bar!

Yes, we made her blow out all 40 candles!

Some of the girls-I think the guys are all singing away! (Except Brett who is chatting it up in the back yard.)

HALLOWEEN!!

Jacob wants to be an animal every year, last year we lucked out with a size 5/6 monkey we were able to squeeze him into. Hard to imagine, but they really only make animal costumes in toddler sizes...hmmm...maybe this should tell us something, most seven year olds don't want to dress up like a chicken, penguin or pig. We settled on a banana this year, at least it's the food of an animal, we'll deal with next year when it comes.

Classic Sam face, how can he be grumpy on Halloween, don't worry he cheered up as soon as people starting filling his bag with candy

Luckily Halloween was on a Friday this year, allowing us to have a fun sleepover with lots of candy eating!

As a side note, my little sister is having a boy. As soon as she told me I thought, oh good now we will have the same thing. I am still pretty sure I am having a boy, it will be great to have a close cousin!