January

Alden finished reading the Book of Mormon the end of the year.  We told him that when he finished reading the Book of Mormon that we would go to Peter Piper Pizza and let him have $5 to spend on games or rides.  Him and Calvin rode the roller coaster that they have now and we all rode on the marry go round.  We ate pizza and Alden used $2.50 on games and decided to save the other half.  Alden really is a hard worker and accomplishes anything he puts his mind too. We are grateful for him and all that he does! Fun to have a day to be together and celebrate his diligence.

Evan and Benson have become best little buds.  They will go and play together for hours.  After a while I will wonder where they are and go find them happily playing together.  They are both sweet little boys!

Evan likes shoes.  He is always excited to get his shoes on.  The other day he put Michael's shoes on and wore them around for a while.  I was surprised he could keep them on for more than a second.

Alden made this game for Michael's birthday.  He worked really hard on it, making boxes for all the places and on all of the money and other things in this game.  It is basically the game of hotels.  Michael had said that it was one of his favorite games growing up so Alden spent months preparing and making this with things he found around the house and some things that he bought at the store-the poster board. It was a really thoughtful gift!

Pinewood Derby! This was Alden's first pinewood derby, he and Michael did a good job putting the car together and the race went really well. We were quite a bit under wait, so next year we are thinking we will find a better way of weighing our car but it was a fun day for him and all of our family.

Tohano Chul Park- We got some passes from the library and decided to go to these gardens.  We enjoyed walking around the gardens, playing in the kid water area, and learning a couple of new things.

My cute back-pack boys! On preschool days everyone gets to have a snack in their back-pack. They all love this but it has been fun to see how excited Evan gets.  When I mention that I am getting snacks ready, he runs to go get his back-pack, excitedly waits as I put in his snack, and then wants his backpack to be put on.  He comes in and out of preschool all morning but excitedly joins at recess time and then runs in for his seat for snack time.  He's gotten those two parts of preschool figured out really well and loves to be a part of them!

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December

Alden finished up soccer towards the beginning of December and then we celebrated Michael's birthday!

Tara Christmas PJ's! It was so fun to have four little elfs this year at our home.  These boys love their Christmas jamas and look forward to the night that they get to open them up and then sleep under the Christmas tree.

Since we have moved into our home we have done a number of projects that have taken us to to Lowes or Home Depot.  The boys enjoy riding in these car carts when we go.

Visiting Santa at the Wildlife Museum.  The Wildlife Museum did a fun Christmas activity with crafts, games and Santa.  It was a fun night for all.  (Michael finally made it to the wildlife museum, we have gone a number of times but he hadn't been able to go before.)

The last couple of years Andrew has come to spend Christmas with us.  We always enjoy having him come!

Christmas Dinner

Finally Finishing the closet!

Hiking in Catalina State Park.  It was a nice but warm hike...for being as cold as it has been we weren't thinking it would get as warm as it did but it was still a nice hike.  Michael held both Evan and Benson a lot of the time.  He was being our super man!

Playing at the park! Where Alden and Calvin have there soccer practice there isn't a play ground so Evan and Benson have found other play equipment.  This table has a little hole under it where they pass dirt back and forth.  It is fun to see them play together.  They really have become best buds!

November

We finally got sand in the sand box in the back and the boys love it! It is fun to see them all back there playing together.  Benson and Evan especially spend a lot of time out there together.

Evan really liked this tie for a while and would put it on himself and walk around.  This was the only way I could get a picture of him with it because he kept running up to see what was on my phone.  Fun to have my sweet smiley Evan and his fun personality.  He really is my easy going sweet little guy and it is fun to see what he finds as treasures.  Every now and again he will find something that is a special treasure and loves to have it with him.

This was another day with this tie, this time he wore it on his head and loved it that way too!

One of the girls in preschool brought cupcakes for her birthday.  She made sure they were gluten free so both Benson and I could have them.  Benson was so excited that he was able to have one too!

Alden and I knocked out the wall in the hall closet but when Austen came we finally got around to finishing it off by starting on sheet rocking the inside.

This is Alden getting the bobcat award.

Thanksgiving Day Dinner