Fun Holiday Traditions

I know I am a little behind but I couldn't go withouth posting our usual Holiday traditions.
Getting ready to do gingerbread houses with all the grandkids
Don't they just love helping!!!
A little playing with the cameras never hurt anyone. Gotta do somehting to keep us interested while were waiting on the process
Gotta hole that roof on some how!!!

I think the kids would rather taste than wait for it to set up


The absolute best part of gingerbread houses is decorating it.
Nope I was wrong. The best part is eating it!!!!

Emma my little sugar lover couldn't help but get the frosting off my hands. EWWWWW GROSS!!!!!! Despite the slimy hands we still had lots of fun!!!

End of an Era

Well I had to document this. We are officially at the end of an era for us. Yes yes its a little bit sad but after having such a rough year I am at a point in my life where I am just excited and grateful for what I have. All my little ones and no desire to have more.

We thought that she might be a little upset as she watched everything being taken down.
She watched happily and even danced all around the room as we were doing it.
We talked the whole time about how big she is and how she gets a bed just like her sisters.
We sang and danced with her and just tried to make a game of it. And wala- big girl bed here she comes. She loved it and was totally excited. Now ask me how bedtime went after a week of being in her new big bed???? As you would expect. A bit of a nightmare it became. But a little adjusting of the door knob and she got the idea real quick that bed time was in her bed and naps were in her bed. She is my little prize. She may have had a rough start in life but she is my little prize for all the nights staying up with babies and all the heartache I had with some of my kids potty training. Easy Easy Happy Happy. I think the Lord knew I needed an angel and that is what I've got. She is just precious and I am glad she loves her big bed!!!

P-j Christmas eve

So for a couple of years the kids have gotten pajamas for Christmas and its nice to open that up on Christmas eve. I am dedicated this post just to pj's because I have lots of sweet babies and I just can't leave anybody out. They were all very excited about them. I was able to very quickly hem the boys pants because they were all too long. Its so nice to make them shorter so that they aren't tripping over them.

Goffy I tell ya!!!





She wears these every night and doesn't want to take them off in the morning. I was hoping to find some more but when I went back to purchase them they had no more warm pajamas. Goes to show you we are not prepared for the cold weather anymore.
We have taken a couple of kid pictures each Christmas before everyone heads of to bed. One silly one of corse and then one sweet one. Aren't they all beautiful!!!
Notice Matthew does everything his older brothers do.

ThirTEEEEEEN? oh my

Okay like I said things are jumbled up and our festivities are in no particular order. Also I forgot that the pictures get posted all on the top and there are just too many to change so the funniness of it is less but you still get the picture of our life. So this is the after math of the birthday party. Eliza thought she could get better access to the cake if she sat in the box.

YOu can't tell very well but it was all over the cabinets and it was just a huge mess.




As you can see even an old foogie like me can skate. I was much better in my day but a few pounds and babies later I was a little wobbly


I can't believe he is 13. Its kinda scary. Daniel will be 12 in less than a month and that is scary too. They are pretty good boys though.
Everyone had fun skating except of corse Eliza. She slept for most of the party which acutally worked out well. I guess she must have felt left out for not getting any cake thus the pictures at the beginning.

Christmas festivities

So I haven't blogged in such a while and so much has happened that I don't know where to start. So in no particular order:

So the beginning of our festivities all started off with band concerts. Both Aaron and Daniel play clarinet and a little pride wells up inside me becuase that is what I played growing up. They sounds wonderful and I was so proud of the both of them. Daniel is in beginner band and as usual they didn't sound like it. Aaron is in concert band and they had some pieces that were difficult but sounded so good after much practice. I secretly hope that everyone wants to be in band and we will have our own little Porritt band. I love music and it would be wonderful.


These may seem a little random and they are but we were on our way to church. We were all dressed up in out matching clothes so that someone could take our picture for the cards that I sent out. That is another Christmas activity that gets done when the holidays roll around.
It really is the best way to take a picture for us. Just having it a part of our Sunday dress. Although the first time we tried this it didn't turn out so good and then the second time we did it, we succeded in the picture taking part but then we had to leave church early because one of our kids ended up throwing up. I am just grateful we got the picture cause in a family our size sometimes you never know.

Guess the art work

This picture I was so surprised at. Can you guess what it was and maybe who drew it. Hint of hew drew it, look at the little fingers holding the picture.

Wonderful Temple Experience

If those of you that follow my blog and you don't know as part of our religion we believe in eternal marraige. If you and your spouce are worthy of entering the LDS temple then you can go and be sealed for time and eternity. He are earth when a coupld is married they are married for just this time on earth. We believe that if you are sealed to your spouce you can be married even if one of the spouces die. It is a very special spiritual experience to be able to participate in.
Friends and loved ones checking out a menu for lunch.

Some of the guys gabbing about the football game going on in the background.
Gals talking about their sons
Sisters waiting to be seated
Close friends enjoying in their special day. This is John and Carol our very dear friends. We were so excited to be able to be a part of their special day. John joined the church a little over a year ago and they wanted to be sealed for all eternity.
You have an escort that will help you through the temple. John's escort was Victor. We were so glad he could come back and be a part of it. Carol had her mom and her sister in law as her escorts. They are there if you have questions and you need help.
Carol's family Brother and sister in law on the left and mom and dad on the right.
And just a few special moments with the bride and groom just after their big day. How cute do they look!!!