Last Post

This is my last post for the night. I just found some funny pictures I wanted to post. Every time Ellie practices the violin the kids like to get out the violin that she has grown out of and try and play with her. So one day this is what they looked like. It is our own family band.



Terry likes to make this face a lot so I thought we should share it.


I made these little wall hangings for Sam's room. I was pretty proud of them. They cost less than $2 a piece. All I did was paint and stain the background and glue the animal on. That is about the level of my craftiness.


One day Suzette invited me to meet her in Idaho Falls for lunch and so while I was gone Terry made snowmen with the girls. The local radio station had invited people to build snowmen and send in pictures. Unfortunately our computer malfunctioned and we couldn't get the pictures in.

Christmas in Oklahoma

I know this is way late, but I am going to write about my Christmas. We went to Oklahoma City to visit my parents on their mission. We were there for about a week. It was so much fun to be there and visit with mom and dad. The mission home is big enough that we had lots of room to spread out and feel at home. While we were there we made gingerbread houses, ate, made carmel-chocolate dipped preztels, ate, went to the bombing memorial, ate, went to the natural history museum, ate, went Christmas caroling with the missionaries, ate, and had a nice Christmas day with mom and dad.

We weren't able to take very many presents with us so our Christmas there was pretty simple (we opened our presents after we got back). But I liked not having so many presents because it showed me and the kids that we could have a good Christmas with very little. My sister had heard of a lady who didn't have any money for presents so on Christmas morning she lit a bunch of candles in her house and had decorated the house like the nativity scene and brought her kids in and said something special had happened in the night and they talked about Jesus being born. So Suzette thought it would be fun for us to do the same things for my kids. So Christmas morning we lit a bunch of candles and Terry and I sort of dressed up like Mary and Joseph and we tried to hold Isaac like baby Jesus (but he just didn't want to stay on my lap). The kids came in and sat down and we told them what had happened during the night and let them ask questions. It was a little funny, but my mom and Suzette thought it still turned out neat. I think I felt funny because I was the part of the center of attention. But I liked that the first thing we did that morning focused on the Savior.

Terry's Heritage

Another thing we did while in Oklahoma City was track down Terry's dad's childhood home. Terry's grandparents lived in Oklahoma City for a number of years and his dad grew up there. His grandpa was a stake patriarch. My parents have met people who remember Terry's grandparents well. When we went to church my dad introduced Terry to this little old lady who loved his grandparents. So they got to visit for a while. Terry's great grandpa was the author Nephi Anderson who wrote "Added Upon". I don't know if anyone my age has heard of it, but I think maybe the older folks know what it is. Someone told us it was the inspiration for Saturdays Warriors. Whether that is true or not--I don't know. But this little lady asked Terry if he knew where she could get a copy.

Here is a picture of the house. The neighborhood is more run down now, but it looks like it use to be nice. :) It was fun to see some of the Anderson heritage.

Oklahoma City Zoo

While we were in Oklahoma Terry Suzette and my dad took the kids to the zoo while my mom and I went shopping (I had to get a Sunday outfit since we were unexpectedly staying for church Sunday due to a flight cancellation.) Here are some fun zoo pictures.

Abby's Birthday

Abby had her birthday in December too and I can't remember what we did on her birthday. I know I asked her what she wanted for dinner and she chose corn dogs. Out of all the things she could have chosen that was what she wanted. So that is what she got. And she got pancakes that spelled her name. She only ate the A and the other kids ate the rest of the letters.

Isaac's Birthday

Isaac turned 1 in December and I guess I should document this. I don't remember much about the day except it seems like it was busy. We ended up going to McDonalds and then doing cake and ice cream. Here are some pictures of him with his cake.






He is such a sweet baby-except for when he lets out his ear piercing screams. I am sure I am losing my hearing. He is super stocky and I think it gives him good balance because he is a pretty good walker. I asked Terry if he looks like Terry's Grandpa Reed Thomas because he was short and stocky and bald. Terry said, maybe. So I call Isaac little Reed.

We're Still Alive

I guess it is time to write so that all our friends don't worry that we have disappeared. I think I am going to be a quarterly blogger. Anyway.

Here is a funny tidbit. We were watching the inauguration of President Obama and the kids were watching as they played. When all the old presidents were announced, Terry explained to Abby that they were old presidents. Abby said, "Oh. They are just resurrected?" I guess she was mixed up with how we get a new prophet and how we get a new president. We thought it was funny.

My sister came and watched Lord of the Rings at our house the other night and my kids watched with her (except the oldest). I was worried they would have nightmares and kept telling them it was too scary for them. But they didn't listen to me and now that is all they want to watch. But I have been firm and told them when they are 13 they can watch it again. Abby seems to love anything that is violent. I was talking to her about Sunday videos she could watch and I suggested Work and the GLory. She wasn't too interested till I said, it is a little violent (I said it because I knew that would catch her interest). She immediately said, "Yeah!". I"ll have to watch her closely.

Terry had a conference at Park City last week. It was really tough for him. They had class from 7-9 AM and then they had the day off till 3:30. So he skied and toured the olympic sites and stuff. I went up for a night and my little sister took care of 8 kids under the age of 8. So nice of her. Sam ended up throwing up while he was with her. Glad I didn't have to clean him up. Anyway, it was nice to get away and spend some time with Terry. I don't remember the last time we went somewhere overnight without kids. It seems like it might have been about 7 years ago.

I think that raising kids is crazy. I think that I kind of have them figured out and then they start going through some weird phase. That can be good or bad. Ellie has been such a sunny kind and helpful girl the last few months. Before she was sulky a lot and we had a lot of run-ins. But something has changed and she is so much fun to be around.

Abby on the other hand has been so difficult lately. And before that she was my super helpful child. She always cleaned and helped out her brothers and sisters and was so positive and obedient. But lately she is super sulky and gets her feelings hurt over EVERYTHING! It is so sad because of a lot of her negative feelings come from her comparing herself to everyone else. For example (and this is kind of funny) but she came upstairs today all long faced and sad and I asked her what was wrong. She wouldn't talk at first, but then she said, "Ainsley is organizing her drawers and she is a better organizer than me." She has a hard time seeing others do something well without feeling that makes her less significant. But hopefully she can learn the lesson now that she is still valuable no matter what she or anyone else can do and learn to be happy for others accomplishments.

Ainsley is at a stage where she keeps tricking me. I think she is finally mellowing out, but then she can go totally berserk. She and Abby feed off each other and drive me CRAZY. They get so silly (silliness that eventually leads to trouble) together and almost nothing I say or do can stop them. I can be yelling at them and threatening them and they just look at each other and keep giggling. I think they love to gang up on me. I love that they like to have fun together, but I hope they can learn to do it in a more positive way.

Sam is funny. He is almost 3 and does NOT speak very clearly. But he is improving all the time. He loves animals and dinosaurs and every night when I put him to bed he makes me look at a dinosaur book. I would much rather read a story to him because then I can just read the book and be done. Those dinosaur books have so many pictures and tidbits on them we could stare at the same page for a long time. I am always surprised at how much little kids can learn and remember. They have amazing little brains.

These are Sams lips. He loves to do this with my budnt pan.


Sam is also getting really independent. He has to do everything himself--which I guess is good because it means he is developing. He loves to pick out his own clothes and put them on--until he gets so frustrated that something isn't going on correctly. At least his independence means he is starting to be able to make his own bed and clean up his own toys.



Sam also loves to pester Isaac. He is a little bully. I have told people he reminds me of Tom the cat on Tom and Jerry. One day I found him laying on the family room floor with such a happy amused look on his face. Laying next to him was Isaac who was screaming bloody murder because Sam wouldn't let go of his leg. Sam loves to give Isaac little pushes and block his way because it makes Isaac so mad. But despite all this, Isaac loves to be around Sam. He thinks he is a lot of fun.