"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"

We all had such a great time getting ready for Christmas this year - we had so many fun friend parties and family and work events - it was a great month!

The first things we did to get ready around here was to set up the tree and "inside" decorations.  Everything was so new to the triplets so they were loving every single moment

Austin and I were trying to separate out of tree branches - he is honestly the biggest helper!  He loves to do what mom and dad are doing at all times.

Little dark and Jax's eyes look a little creepy but  here we are showing off our little tree helpers

Whew!  We got the tree done and Spence was the last finisher way up top of our tree - little cuties!!

This pic was taken at Spence's work family party - Ho-Ho-Ho! 

Santa looks a little bit worried to have all 3 sitting on him :)

Later that day, we all got out the ornaments since we didnt' have time to put them on after setting up the actual tree a few days earlier.  Here's Rio with her little section that she decorated

And here's my Jax being extra protective of "his stuff" - he was really worried all night about people moving the ornaments that he had set up so he kept taking them off and putting them into his box as you can see by his foot.  Silly kid!  It took a lot of persuading and reassuring but he finally realized that no one would move "his stuff"

Austin honestly just couldn't get enough of it!  He loved to put the ornaments on the tree and was so diligent about taking care of each one - isn't this the sweetest picture??

One more Austin... he wanted mommy's help

Jax had one more too and did not want my help :)

Lennox joined in the fun too!  I wish dogs eyes wouldn't look so funny in pictures - I can't seem to fix them - o-well, he's super cute anyway

Here we all are!  All done!

When we set up the tree, we also set up the little nativity that I have -

these cute kids were so gentle with all the figures but really wanted to know the story about baby Jesus so it was so fun to use all the characters to tell the Christmas story to these eager little learners

I have to say however, that even more than the tree...their favorite part of all the decorations were all the little snowmen that we had.  These little snowmen became their best friends this month - they would sleep with them and carry them around and they even went on car rides with us!

Love all the beautiful decorations this month - it really brings the excitement of the holiday. 

Quick Dino trip with the trips and my cutie Logan

Ok so honestly, we go there all the time but the kids never tire of it & I can't resist taking more pics every time I go!

 

 Diggin' for bones

 Oh she's cute!

 How many brushes can one little one hold??

 These two decided to swim in the sand - good times getting that sand out!

 I think Jax beat Austin in the brush holding contest :)

Couldn't help but post this little cutie pie - he joined us that day at the museum but he was asleep in his carseat so I got this one later that night is his cute "feety jams"

Triplet Christmas PARTY 2012!!!

LOVE this tradition that we've started by having been privileged by triplets!  We are so lucky to have this great community of triplet families to share in the joys (and sometimes tears) with.

I often get together with the moms and kiddos but every year we have a triplet family (so the daddy's can come) Christmas party.  It is utter chaos but a complete blast!

Santa arrived at our party right after dinner and it was so awesome!  The kids loved hearing the sleigh bells and then see Santa enter - it was so cute!  From then on, all Austin said he wanted for Christmas was a candy cane :)

Rio and Jax hanging out by Santa waiting for their candy cane - Austin had already taken off with his treasure

A couple of adorable pics of the kiddos with their Christmas shirts on - love them!!

If you look close, Jax really isn't wearing a necklace :) - it is part of his shirt that is supposed to look like a "Santa backstage pass" - but every time I see it, it looks like he is a little gansta :)

I love this pic so much!  All my little munchkins with Santa this year - loved him! Whew!!! Don't know if you remember last years pic with Santa but it wasn't pretty...they were terrified!  Ha-ha

Still makes me giggle :)



Spence as always is a kid magnet cause he is SO MUCH FUN!  My friends Roxy and Ang's kids couldn't help but join in with Spence too

Roxy with her pretty girls : Reese and Avery

This was Spence's came he called "switch" that he played with the 9 kids most of the evening - he would tell them to sit on the bench and then yell "SWITCH" and they'd all rotate - so fun for them

This was the other game they all played - lay on each other until you either laugh or cry - fortunately this episode was followed by laughter.  Avery was wondering what those boys were doing

Our Utah triplet group now has almost 75 members!! This is just a few of us with Santa and on the left me, Ang and Stephanie are holding our new little singletons all born within a week of eachother

This is a favorite pic of mine of the evening - my friend took this pic of Spence and the kids - see!  He's the funnest! Austin, Avery, Jax, Reese, Lucas and even baby Logan played

And here's our fam pic of the evening

Goofy kids!  Love you and feel so blessed to have you all in our family

Honoring Grandma Morris

Spence's great-grandma died on Wednesday, November 21st, 2012

She was a very amazing woman and I feel very lucky to have known her.  The time that I knew her of course were some tricky times in her life and she was living with the Morris' for that last 7 years.  Bonnie was honestly the best caregiver she could have asked for.  She took such great care of her mother in law and never complained.  I know she will receive great blessings one day for her sweet and kind care.

Unfortunately with death comes funerals and viewings so after the holiday, we headed down to Cedar City to honor her in her "home."

We stayed in a hotel and the kids thought the closet was the coolest hiding spot - they are so funny!  Any tiny nook and cranny they could find was their place to play

All the great grand kids were asked to sing I am a Child of God at the funeral which was on Sunday, the 25th.  They did such a great job!  My kids sang so loud and knew all the words; it's one of their favorites to sing :)

(FRONT) Ethan, Austin, Rio, Ary, Lainie and Jax

(BACK) Dylan,Treyson, Gaige

At the cemetery daddy had to hold all the kids - one just wasn't going to cut it!  What a beautiful day in December right?  Gorgeous day for great-grandma

 

 
(BACK) Logan down below, Marc, Me and Rio, Austin and Spence, Kisty, Andrew, Mike
(FRONT) Jon, Erin, Ranger (Richard), Jax and Bonnie, Brinlee, Kristin, Hayden and Tyler
*Good looking fam if I do say so myself*

Baby Logan and Spence - (little more up close of Logan)

And there she is - I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have this picture of her and Logan!

She was a great woman and full of talents and stories and I cannot wait to see her again someday and get to know her more!  What a great knowledge we have to know that there is life after death and that families are together forever.  What a great blessing it is to have temples surround us and to enjoy the blessings within them.  I'm so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ and the great plan of happiness!

Thanksgiving 2012

We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving Day this year as we do every year.

It is such a great day for so many reasons: I love to really think through the year of being grateful for all we have and this year, the great addition to our family was such a joy!  Thanksgiving is the start to the fun holidays to come and I just love it!

We had a great lunch/dinner at the Morris' this year and the kids had a blast with their cousins.

Sweet Papa Ranger with the little ones:

Rio, Austin, Jax and Brinlee

 Kisty, Erin, Bonnie and Kristin with Mike and Marc in the background getting everything ready for the delicious feast

 After the Morris gathering, it was on to my parents house for pie and our yearly tradition of "Thanksgiving Bingo"

My always entertaining dad (in his turkey hat) conducts our bingo and we all have so much fun!  My parents buy prizes when you win and all the kids (and adults) have a blast!

*Anna, Rio & Spence, my dad and Jax*

 *Gave, Ella, Zak with Austin, Halle and Anna with Sky, my mom and my uncle Steve (so glad he could join us this year) in the back*

Had to throw these pics in too

Me and my sweet Logan - man he's getting big!!!

Oh man, he's adorable and he honestly is the such a happy little guy.

This little one was at the top of my greatest blessing in 2012 - I love you Logan!  Thank you for making my dad so full of smiles and love

Getting ready for Turkey Day!

Last year on Thanksgiving Day, my parents, sister, bro-in-law, nieces, nephews and our kiddos did the Human Race Walk/Run.  It was so much fun and I loved spending the morning all together doing something active and fun.

We didn't sign up this year but we get decked out in the "gear" we got from the race last year.

The kids were so excited to wear their turkey headbands - so much so, that even little Logan joined in the fun :)

 

What a bunch of little hams they are!  Oh, I mean turkeys :)