Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

The Wildthing’s Year of 2008

It has been an eventful year. We truly have been blessed and have had many wonderful experiences this year. We are so very grateful for the power of prayer and for a loving Heavenly Father. This time of year is always so humbling and we are grateful to be able to focus on Christ and all that he has sacrificed for each of us. We are also thankful for wonderful family and friends! Here is a little bit about each of our family members and what has happened with them throughout this wonderful Year of 2008!

Russ- Still a Risk Manager at Strategic Staffing (or now called BBSI). Russ is still working with the Priest in our ward. He loves this calling. Russ got to go and help out for a week at the Stake Priest Encampment (or as he called it “Man Camp”.) Russ went on his yearly backpacking trip with his cousins to the Sawtooths. He had surgery on his ankle that he broke a few years back to remove the pins and will be having surgery on the other ankle the end of December to remove bone chips.

Amber- Staying at home with the three kids. Loving it most of the time. Enrichment Leader for the ward. Is keeping busy every month with that. Joined a Stamp Club. Love’s getting a night out by herself to do what she loves! Just starting watching a 3 month little girl two days a week. Crazy? Yes, I am!

Jaxon- Is 8 years old and attending the 3rd Grade at Jenny P Stewart. Plays the piano, soccer, and did archery and tennis this summer. Had surgery in August to clean up a ruptured appendix. Stayed in the hospital for over a week. Glad to be able to jump on the trampoline again. Loves to spend his time at home, with his family, and playing with his toys. Absolutely, the BEST big brother anyone could ask for!

Brynn- Were do we start? Let’s just say she is very busy, messy and TWO. She is full of cuteness, though! She keeps our family laughing and very tired from chasing and cleaning up after her. She loves her brother and sister, most of the time. Loves to play dress up and spend time with her cousins.

Avery- 9 months old. She has the best smile. Avery is very easy going, but is very busy as well! She is crawling everywhere especially up the stairs. She says “Da Da” and “Ah-Oh.” She loves her dad, and I guess the rest of the family. As everyone knows she was born with three holes in her heart and they are officially closed up. What a miracle! She has brought so much love into our home!

Happy Birthday MOM

It's my mom's birthday today! I am so glad that she is my MOM! My mom is the smartest, most generous, most loving person, and has the most contagious laugh! You can't help but be happy when she is smiling and laughing. She has the best sense of humor! If you can believe this, my mom loves RAP music. She also works at a prison in California. Most women, and men for that matter would be terrified to work there, oh no, not my mom. She loves helping others and really wants them to be successful in life. One thing my mom has taught me is, when you don't like something, CHANGE IT. There is no time to sit and sulk and say poor me. I love that about her. Thanks mom for be such a "Strong" women in my life. I love you and ENJOY YOUR DAY!

Catching Up

Ok, so it really has been awhile since I last posted. So I will catch everyone up on what has been going on. So the last post was about our anniversary. Right before our Anniversary Russ had surgery on his ankle to get the screws removed from his injury about three years ago Thanksgiving day. All went pretty good for the most part with that. Russ and I got to go on an overnighter to the Armstrong Mansion. Uncle Chad watched the kids. I was a little nervous at first about leaving them, but he did an awesome job! Thank you, Chad! Ok then moving on to Thanksgiving. My parents and brothers family from Vegas came here for Thanksgiving. My dad's side of the family got together at our Aunt Kris' house. It was fun to see most of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and my grandma. The kids loved to spend time with there cousins from Vegas. We don't get to see them much. Brynn had Trinity withdrawls after she left. I have been busy with Enrichment (which is over now) and I also helped my sister-in-law do a bow party and then I had another one the other day. I also started watching a three month old little girl on Monday and Wednesdays. We also took a trip up to Nampa, Idaho for our little neice Ellie's blessing. We had a good visit there. We stayed with Russ' mom. So life has been pretty busy lately. And no, I am not even close to being done with Christmas shopping.So there it is. I will post pictures of the events!

Two of my favorite people............

MY DAD and............

My Hubby!

Happy Birthday Dad and Happy Anniversary Russ! You are probably asking yourself why I would get married on my dad's birthday? Well, I don't know if this is the best gift to give your dad on his birthday (especially since he had to pay for it) but, if it were my birthday and my daughter was getting married to a very special person that would make her happy for all eternity I would be glad to share this day and pay for my own gift. Although, these two special men are very different in personality, there is one thing that they share (well, me of course) but, also there love for there families and the gospel. I am truly blessed to be the daughter and the wife of two of my favorite people. I love you both! Amber
PS. This is a day early, I just had time at this moment and I didn't know when I would get a chance to post again!

Traditions

Grammy and Papa sent a Halloween package for the kids

The kids thought it was Christmas!

The kids playing in the leaves.

Halloween party. Decorating Cookies

Brynn decorating her cookie.

Donut eating contest

Green Slime

Kids in there costume

Pumpkin Patch

Jaxon (Clone Trooper)
Giraffe

Skunk

Jaxon, James, Avery and Brynn



Daves Party!

Every year since Jaxon has been in our family we have gone to the same Pumpkin Patch. It' s more like a farmers market but nonetheless it is "Tradition". I have been reading "Spookley the Square Pumpkin" to Brynn, so when I told her about us going to the Pumpkin Patch she said, "I want a Pink one". You will have to read the book if you haven't already. I grow pumpkins every year and this year my pumpkins were very odd shaped. Which fit perfectly with the book. Jaxon loves tradition and picking out his own special pumpkin. I went to Jaxon's Halloween Party at school. It was a Carnival theme. The kids went around and played games and got tickets for them and then got to buy things with there tickets. It was a hit. The kids love the leaves. I remember loving to rack them into a pile and jump into them. I love the sound still of crunching leaves! My friend Liz and I had a Halloween party for the kids. Liz went all out. She had a donut eating contest, pin the nose on the Jack-o-Lantern, Dunking in Jello, Silly String, Bean Bag Toss and the kids decorated cookies. She had all sorts of prizes. The kids had a wonderful time. Halloween was perfect. You could not of asked for better weather! Brynn was a little timid at first but once she saw what the reward was for just knocking on a door, she loved it! It is tradition to go over to our friend Dave's house. He serves hot dogs, scones, hot chocolate, and has a band going. It is always fun. Russ helps cook. Marcus and James came trick-or-treating with us this year, which was great! Jaxon then got up this morning and went to his friend Caden's baptism. He said it was fun and that he wrote some silly thing on a card for him. There is a ton of pictures!

Our Trip to Lava Hot Springs

This past weekend my dad was going to come here to Utah from California, and then we were going to head to Blanding to my Grandmas house. My dad decided that he would wait and come for Thanksgiving because my grandma would be coming here to Salt Lake for Thanksgiving and then he could see everybody at once. So I was a little sad because I was really looking forward to of course seeing my dad and grandma but also just getting away for the weekend. Russ had already planned on going deer hunting and I didn't want to ruin his plans but I really wanted to go and do something. So he decided that we could as a family go up to Lava Hot Springs when he got home on Saturday. Russ took Jaxon for his 1st deer hunt. I was very nervous. The thought of guns going off and how cold my little boy would be spending the night in the tent made me uneasy. It turned out well. Jaxon and Russ had a great time. They didn't get a deer, so all is well with me! Anyway, we looked on the internet to see if Lava was still open this time of year and it is. It showed pictures and it was only $15.00 for a family. Sounded Great, until we got there! We pulled into the town of Lava and theres a sign "Mineral Hot Springs, Open to the Public". It didn't look like the pictures that we had seen on the internet but we went ahead and checked it out. We went to pay and the lady said that will be $42.00. I thought that was a bit pricey, thinking it was only $15.00. Well we had come all this way and the kids were expecting to swim, so we forked out the money. We changed into our swim suits and all was great until some couple, I'm assuming started to get it on in one of the pools. I don't mean just making out but making babies! I was in shock and kept thinking this can't be actually happening. So I asked Russ "Are they?" He replied, yes there doing the nasty or something like that but of course more crude. So I could see that everyone was feeling very uncomfortable and I was just hopeing that Jaxon wouldn't look over. I kept thinking to myself Should I go and saying something to them, oh theres noway or should I go and tell the management. I waited hoping that someone would. I don't think anyone ever did. So what did I do? Nothing. I still fell bad. I should of stuck up for me,my kids, and everyone else there but I didn't. I was just in shock and couldn't believe what was really going on. Wow. What would you have done? You probably wouldn't have done nothing I am sure. So all in all the kids were oblivous to it all and we still had a great time. I still can't get that horrible image out of my head though. Oh, and then I said to Russ as we were leaving lets go and check the town (which was all on one street) and as we reach the top of the street there was the hot springs that we were suppose to go to. Why? Oh well!

The kids are so excited for Halloween! Me and my friend Liz are having a Halloween Party together on Friday. It should be lots of fun. I will post pictures after Halloween. Check back!

It's getting cold...........

Brynn wanting to go out in the snow.
I just had to put Avery's leg warmers on. I love all her chubb that hangs out.
Jaxon playing his games. He's so handsome.
Brynn playing "Reader Rabbit" on the computer
Brynn playing out in the snow. She still had her PJs on.
Jaxon and Brynn out in the snow
Russ decided that the kids couldn't have all the fun, so he joined in.
Avery watching the kids from inside.

I can't believe that we have had our first snowfall. I do love the snow though. We just stayed in all weekend. Friday Russ and I watched movies (Made of Honor and Leatherheads) both were good. I did take the kids swimming at the Rec Center on Saturday night. Russ stayed home with Avery and watched BYU. Brynn loves the water and has no fear. It was scary. I had to watch her every move or she would just go under. Sunday was Stake Conference or as Russ calls it "Get out of Church Free Sunday". And yes we did stay home. I thought that it would be best not having to chase Brynn around the building. So our weekend was lazy but good.