Phoenix Suns

For Christmas, Connor's "friend" Madi gave him 4 Suns tickets. (Her parents have season tickets, and they couldn't go, so they let Madi give them to Connor). What a treat!! So, Hugh & I took Connor & Madi to the game last Friday. It was a great game. (And side note, it was the first Suns game I have been to in the Arena. The last game I attended was at the Madhouse on McDowell.......). Connor & Madi even made it onto the JumboTron for the Smile Cam. Adorable!!

Connor & Madi

On the Jumbotron.....can you see them??

Madi, The Cheerleader & Connor

Me & Hugh....notice the new hair on me. I got bangs!

Me & Connor

Ice Cream!!

New Year, New Hair

Last night, I hated my hair. It's driving me crazy! I need a new hairstyle, but I don't want to cut it. I love long hair. I found this picture. It's my dream hair.

New Year's Eve!

Last night, we had a few friends over to hang out, play games, eat, and most importantly....LAUGH while we rang in the new year. (Ed & Heidi....you were totally missed!!!) We played the Newlywed Game which ended up being HILARIOUS, and then played Left Right Center and Kort won $30!!! Lucky guy! We let our kids stay up until midnight (they were banished to their room all night where they had their OWN party) but they came out and joined us out front at midnight. The kids then went to bed, and we played a little Guitar Hero on Connor's XBox. The last of our guests left at 1:45. It was fun, but my stomach hurts from laughing so much. That's ok, it's a good hurt.

Look at the signs the girls put on their

bedroom door.

They are ready to play!

Kamon & Bonnie and Amy & Kort

Wendy & Loren and Cody & Brenna

Me & Kamon (sorry, there are no pictures of Hugh

& I on here because they ones we took were not

very good pictures of me. And since I control the

blog, they are not going up on here!!)

The question was "Who was the last girl your spouse

dated before you two got married?" I loved her

answer. It says "Jordache Jean Girl".

Don't remember the question, but their responses

were great.

The question was "My wife will never win a contest

for her ____." The answer from Bonnie: Athletism.

Kamon got it right.

Kort & his winnings from Left Right Center.

Wendy & I trying to do a cheerleading pose. Didn't

quite make it.

Wendy & I with Courtney who snuck in.

Cute!!

Prom Pose.

Kort & Amy

Brenna & Cody at Midnight. Kort & Amy are

making out in the background.

My four children....

Their last New Years Eve before they become parents!

The Good and Bad of Christmas Day

The good was that it was finally Christmas. The bad was that Courtney woke me up at about 7 am and told me that she didn't fell well. By 7:10, she was throwing up and and she did that ALL DAY! Poor baby. But, despite that, we did have a good day. We had my parents, my brother, my step-brother and his wife and son all over for brunch. We ate, exchanged gifts, and watched the Suns game. We usually go out to a movie on Christmas day, but we couldn't this year because of Sickie, so we stayed home and watched a few movies. It was a good day. The rain made it awesome. And side note....Courtney is feeling much better today.

Connor is cool with getting clothes.

Courtney in between throw ups.

Caitlin

Courtney and her new scriptures

Connor and his bow & arrow set

Caitlin and her Nintendo DS

The new bikes!

Courtney resting on the couch

Uncle Scotty & Caitlin

The Scotts...Scotty on the left and Scott on the right

Christmas Eve

This year, we invited Kort & Amy and Kamon & Bonnie to go to dinner with us (Arribas) and then back to our house to watch The Nativity Story. (Well, Kamon & Bonnie didn't come back to our house, and Kort & Amy left early so it was just us who watched the movie.) The kids also got to open their traditional Christmas Eve pajamas. They tried to talk us into letting them open ONE more gift, but we didn't give in. We did, however, let them give out their gifts to each other, which was fun to watch. The movie was great, and really helped us turn our hearts back to the true meaning of Christmas...the birth of Christ. It's a great movie. If you haven't watched it, you should. Then the kids went to bed, and Hugh and I finished up our Christmas duties. :)

Courtney bought picture frames for everyone

and put her favorite pictures in them....great gifts

Connor gave Courtney Slim Jims...her favorite snack

Caitlin gave Dad a Red Bull

Christmas Pajamas!!! Slippers too!

Christmas Eve Eve

Each year on Christmas Eve Eve, we get together with Hugh's ENTIRE family. There's easily over 100 people there (I counted 107 last year, but didn't count this year). Years ago, the tradition was to get together at Hugh's grandparents house, but we outgrew that. So, we moved on to Aunt Julie's and we took up every square inch of that house. We outgrew that as well. So we've moved on to cultural halls. This year was at the Ashland Building (Hugh's mom's ward) and we had lots of food and lots of fun. It's so great to get to see everybody. We have lots of pregnant women.....Jamie C., Kammy, Amy, Jenny, Clarisssa, and Shea. All due in 2009. So, our numbers will increase for next year.


Grandpa Ollerton, Kolby & Karlie

The "Aunts" singing....Julie, Patsy, Peggy, Mom & Susan

Courtney & Avril

Adorable Karlie....love this picture

Aunt Susan & I

This was the best shot I could get of everybody.

Me with Charlie, Mike with Rach, his wife Jamie

and there's Kolby trying to sneak in the picture.

Kolby, Chris, Karl & Chantae

Studs

1st Annual Adult Christmas Party

When Hugh was a teenager, he and his sister Kim were always invited to the Adult Christmas Party. This party was comprised of Hugh's parents, and his mom's sisters and their husbands, and Hugh's grandparents and great grandparents. (I remember being Hugh's date to this party when we were seniors in high school). For some reason, Hugh & Kim were always invited to the party, even though they were teenagers. And it was something they looked forward to each year. Well, after the other cousins got older and got married, it was their right to be invited to the Adult Christmas Party. Pretty soon, the aunts & uncles & grandparents were being overrun by the nieces and nephews! So, it went back to the original plan.....AUNTS, UNCLES, AND GRANDPARENTS ONLY!! Hugh has decided that we need to bring back the Adult Christmas Party, and we did. Last night, we had Hugh's brothers & sisters over, with their spouses, and Hugh's parents, for dinner. It was so nice. We ate, exchanged a few gifts, and played a wicked game of Pictionary (the women won....of course!!) It was so fun. We will be doing it again next year. Can't wait! It's so fun when we all get together. I love my kids to pieces, as well as all of my nieces and nephews, but it is so nice when the adults can all get together to just talk and laugh. We always have such a good time.

My Christmas tree

We moved all of the furniture out and put up

these two tables.

Hugh trying to score some points

for the guys....no such luck

Kort attempting to draw at Pictionary

Mom & Bob

Kammy & Mom (Kammy was husbandless because Mo

is in Tonga visiting family)

Karl & Chantae (ok, we did let ONE kid in past the

doorman, but babysitting was an issue)...Kort & Amy

Wayde & Kim looking oh, so happy....Kolby & Lynette

& Dad