Birthday Boy turns TWELVE! 12!

Tyler recently turned 12!

Twelve is big news...

Twelve means we now have two Priesthood holders in the home.

Twelve means Young Men's activities and Boy Scouts.

Twelve means only one more year till Tyler's a TEENAGER.

Twelve is BIG!

Happy Birthday, Tyler!

Since Tyler's birthday starts a whole new year of birthdays I thought I would start a new tradition this year and include a birthday survey just for fun. Here it is...

Q: What's the best thing about turning 12?

A: Getting the Priesthood and getting to pass the sacrament.

Q: What is your favorite book you read this year?

A: Titanic:Voices From the Disaster

Q: Name your best friend/s.

A: Wyatt Lane, Karl Reynolds, and Ferron Prete

Q: What is your favorite hobby?

A: Coin collecting

Q: Favorite Food?

A: Pizza pockets, Top Ramon 

Q: Favorite Treat?

A: Double Stuffed Oreo's

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?

A: A U.S. Marine and a 4th grade teacher.

Q: What do you think is your best quality?

A: I'm a hardworker.

Q: Favorite TV show?

A: Phineas and Ferb

Q: Favorite Movie?

A: Tooth Fairy 2

Q: Who is someone you look up to and respect? And why?

A: Chris Hartley (Deacon's Quorum Adviser)...because he can be serious, funny and adventurous.

This is one proud father.

And one proud Momma.

And finally, pictures from Tyler's birthday photo shoot.

Isn't he just a good lookin' kid?

I sure think so!

Happy Birthday, Ty Guy!

Love you so much.

Roberts 2012...Year in Review

Here's a quick glance at the events of our lives (the ones that made it to the calendar, anyway) of 2012!

 

January

* Ty turns 11!

* Aftyn takes her first steps.

* We celebrate Aftyn and Zachary's birthday -Aftyn's with cake and ice-cream. Zachary's by donating baby blankets to the hospital.

* Ken was released from YM's and called to seve with 11 year old scouts (with Tyler, yay!)

 

February

* Emma turns 9!

*Ken travels to Oregon on business.

* I turn 37!

* Kaylie goes to the district science fair, once again.

 

March

* Sydney sings her heart out at her school choir concert.

* That's all. Apparently, this was a slow month!

 

April

* Ken spends a week in Texas

* Spring semester ends at UVU for Ken and I

*KEN GRADUATES!!!, from UVU with his bachelors in Business.

 

May

* I start summer semester at UVU - I get a new camera for my photography class. It's been a good friend ever since!

* School gets out for the kiddlets - lots of end of the year activities - most notable, Kaylie graduated from 6th grade and gave a speech at her graduation.

* We send balloons up to heaven for our angel baby, Zachary.

 

June

* Ken's Grandma Gurr dies - We travel to Elko, Nevada for the funeral.

* The flu bug hits...before, after, and DURING the funeral.

* Todd starts summer school to help improve his mad reading skills.

* McKenna turns 5!

* Kaylie gets braces.

 

July

* Sydney and Kaylie spend a week at girls camp.

* We spend 5 glorious days together as a family at Bear Lake.

* Ken takes Sydney and Kaylie on a business trip to Denver.

 

August

*Sydney turns 14!

*Attended a family picnic. Visited with a childhood friend.

* Tyler and Dad go on a scout campout.

* Attended another family picnic and visited with cousins that I've missed so much!

* School starts for kids...grades 9th, 7th, 6th, 4th, 2nd, and kindergarten.

 

September

* Dad turns 39!

* Ken takes another business trip to Oregon

* Ken and I celebrated our 15th Anniversary (while he was in Oregon, not cool!)

* More camping for Dad and Ty

 

October

*Todd turns 8!

* Kay shares her violin talent at her orchestra concert.

* Ty plays flag football

* Sydney and Kaylie play volleyball

 

November

* Todd gets baptised.

* Kaylie turns 13!

* Daric turns 4!

* Ken and I spend day in Las Vegas

* Enjoyed a dinner date with Craig and Julianna.

 

December
*Ken bought himself a new toy...a Toyota 4 Runner

* Attended Ken's work party

* Attended "A Christmas Story" party with good friends.

* Had a fabulous Christmas day and later evening with Tami and Darren.

*Spent New Year's with games, cards, food, fun, and our good friends, the Throckmorton's.

 

Our year was also full of weekly date nights, thanks to Tami. Lots of babysitting for the girls. Dog sitting for Tyler. Lots of books read, and school work done. Many home repair projects. Good times and bad times and plenty in between times. All the stuff that makes life real and wonderful.

 

We have much to thank our Heavenly Father for, most of which is the gospel of Jesus Christ, our family, and friends!

 

Hope you all have a BEAUTIFUL 2013!  



Snow is Falling all Around...and LOTS of it too!

Last night I went out and shoveled the walkway and driveway, boy was that a waste of time. By morning is was all covered again as if I'd never touched it.

 

 

I think this may be the year to invest in a couple more good snow shovels, or maybe a snow blower, or even better maybe a four wheeler. After the tiny bit of snow we got last year I think this year will make up for it.

 

The kids love to play in it. Kaylie was even out so long today that she got herself a sunburn.

 

 

I didn't measure but I think we got about 10 to 12 inches.

 

 

Kaylie, Emma and the neighbor boy spent the day building a snow cave.

It may be months before I see my front yard again, but it's fun and keeps them busy.

 

Tomorrow feels like a sledding kind of day. Yay!



The 12 Days of Christmas - Nativity Style

 

Years ago when the kids were all young we received a fun Christmas gift.

Every night during the 12 days before Christmas we would receive a knock on the door, then we would find a single piece of a nativity set.

On the first night we received the stable and this note...

 

Then each night following we received a new piece to add to our stable, along with a special note to go with each new piece.

 

 

 By Christmas Eve we received the last piece to the set; the baby Jesus.

It was a really fun treat for our little ones, something that they could look forward to each night.

 

This year when I asked the kids what ideas they had for us giving to others this season, Sydney suggested that we do our own 12 days of Christmas-nativity. We selected a family in our ward with 6 young children. They reminded me very much of our little family 7 or 8 years ago when we first received the nativity.

 

We scoured Utah County looking for another 12 piece nativity set. We did find one hideously painted one at Walmart buy opted instead to give away the one we received those many years ago.

Sydney spear-headed this service project. She recreated the letters and notes, and for the 12 days before Christmas each night the kids would go door bell ditch our nativity scene one piece at a time.

It was fun and memorable for all of us.

 

 

Now I must go on a hunt for a new 12 piece nativity because we can't wait to do it again next year.

I already have a family picked out! Yeah, fun for us!







Our Christmas Day

 

I may say this every year, but this may just have been the best Christmas ever!

We truly had a wonderful day.

We started the day by checking out our stockings, as we always do.

 

Do you see that red bag full of presents? We found it on the front porch Christmas morning. We don't know who brought it but we sure do love our Christmas Angels! We have the best friends. Who ever you are, THANK YOU! (We have more than one "Angel", thank you ALL!)

After checking out our stockings Ken read a nativity story co-written by one of the member of our ward. It was a beautiful story and a wonderful way to start the day thinking about our Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Usually each year on Christmas Eve we give the kids a new nativity scene. This year we gave it to them Christmas morning after reading the nativity story. Getting a new nativity is something they look forward to. We've now designated the front room as the Nativity room. 

(This year we did something really fun with one of our nativities, I'll share that in another post)

 

We also opened our surprise Christmas Angel gifts as this time. Usually gifts are opened after we eat breakfast but this year it was sort of like having to different Christmas's, which was fun for all.

 

 So, that was our "front room" Christmas.

 

Then we ate a yummy breakfast.

(scrambled eggs, french toast, muffins, sausage, and juice)

 

Then we started our "family room" Christmas gift opening celebrations.

This was SO fun to watch the kids open their presents.

I especially love watching the way they react to the gifts given to/from each other. This year they each drew names and were given $15.00 dollars to spend on the sibling they drew. This is a tradition that we haven't done faithfully every year, but I LOVE IT! The kids are so good and cute with each other, that's the best part!

 

As always, I took too many pictures so I'll just highlight 4 of each of the kids throughout the day.

 

Aftyn

(Her 2nd Christmas, she's almost 2.) 

 

Daric

(age 4)

McKenna

(age 5)

 

Todd

(age 8)

Todd spent half the day putting Lego's together.

He was in heaven!

 

Emma

(age 9)

Tyler

(age 11)

Kaylie

(age 13)

 

Sydney

(age 14)

 

And some general family photos...

 

To top off an already great day we ended it with a great family dinner with Tami and Darrren.

 



 

A perfect family day. 

 

Merry CHRIST-mas everyone!