Making Christmas cookies

Last night we made cookies together. It was fun. Jameson had a blast as you will see in the pictures. :) Even though he was making a HUGE mess, I couldn't bring myself to stop him cuz he was having so much fun! It was so cute to watch him try to roll with the pin. Then he'd poke the cutters down on the dough. Then he would get the spatula and smack everything a little. His favorite was the flour shaker though---I refilled it twice just so he could shake it all over! He just loved that part and it was too cute to make him stop.

My sugar cookie recipe is the BEST. It is my Mom's, and it is different than most sugar cookie recipes because it has brown sugar in the dough. It gives the cookies the BEST flavor. I have so many memories of me and my siblings making these holiday cookies with my Mom. She was always so patient and let us do what we wanted too. Even when we made huge messes. So Jameson has Grandma Margo to thank that he got to do this! It's neat to see the things you get from your mom that you do with your kids, cuz mom would do the same thing; just let us be KIDS. Huge mess and all. She praised us for our greasy, flat, ugly cookies and didn't worry about the mess. :) That little rolling pin Jameson has was mine when I was little.

Baby #8!!

So by now, most family members know. The only people who dont know are my ward. I wanted to hold off as long as I could with them, because the less time you have to listen to all the dozens of comments and inquiries of "how are you feeling" every week at church, the better.

I know that sounds mean, but anyone who has had a few children should know where I am coming from. :)

But, when you are expecting your EIGHTH, your uterus is pretty much shot. :) Those ligaments say, "Oh we are doing THIS again?" and just pop out sooner. So I already have the round pooch and I am sure many have already suspected it. I will be 15 weeks this Sunday and the baby is due June 21. We are so excited!

I have had a couple people ask me if its as special and neat expecting your eighth: YES it is. I LOVE being pregnant. It is extremely special to me every single time. The moment I know, I am filled with love for this tiny being that is "us". If anything, it gets MORE special, because the older you get, the more you "get" life. How precious it is; how quickly time flies. As a 38 year old mother, I feel much more in awe of the privelege it is to carry a child of God and give it life, than I did as a 19 year old pregnant with my first. So, yes. It is no less special to give birth to my eighth. :) This ultrasound picture is when baby was 12 weeks.

Christmas Decorations

My cousin Rachelle posted her favorite Christmas decorations and I liked it so here is mine. I love my Nativity Scene. I wanted a white one and looked for years. I found one at Penneys, and haven't seen one before or since. So I love my set.
I also LOVE my village. It is the cutest one I have ever seen. I had wanted one for so long and got it probably 5 years ago.The kids love it and Jared used to say he wanted to get in it and be a part of it--one of the little people.
I love my mantle full of stockings. No more will fit. :) Can you see the little tiny one at the end?:)
I love my tree each year--decorated with all the things my kids have made me thru the years. And ornaments from their first Christmases with their baby pictures on them. Every Christmas I cry a little when I see those little ornaments with their pictures on them from elementary school. This year you will notice the bottom of the tree has no decorations--baby Jameson won't leave them alone, so everything got put up higher. :)
If you click on the pictures they will show full size so you can see better.
These are my favorite things, the things we get out each year that mean its Christmas.The things my children will remember from their childhood.

Brighams Christmas Program

Brigham had a little program the Third grade put on called "Santa got abducted by some pirates" It was cute. I LOVE watching my kids programs. It always makes me cry.Because I just love how innocent and sweet little kids are, up there singing away. I was so thankful today that I still have more little children in my future. I am not ready to be done with little kids! They are AWESOME.

He was so funny...it embarrasses him to do actions so he would just stand there when the others were doing actions, with a funny look on his face.

Christmas time

One of our favorite things to do at this time of year is to go to Festival of Trees. We have been going ever since I was a kid. And now my kids love it too. The trees are fun to look at, they have really fun crafts for the kids, entertainment, and the best homemade goodies. And the really good thing is that every cent they make goes to help children at Primary Childrens Hospital.
This year my Mom and Dan and Jamie went also, and we had so much fun!