SLEDDING

One great thing about all of this fluffy Idaho snow . . . is SLEDDING (and I'm sure skiing too)! We haven't been able to build a snowman because the snow is like powdered sugar. We keep testing its balling capabilities, but it's just not there. The first time I shoveled off my driveway, I laughed because it was as light as feathers. I was excited to go out and get some exercise, but it didn't prove to be much of a workout. Some people just sweep off the snow with a broom. When it's snowing, it looks just like we're in a snow globe. It's beautiful. I'm now realizing why Audrey loves the snow so much--that Idaho girl!

My Little Princess

Emily got invited to our neighbor, Bailey Nicole's, Princess birthday party today. I think I was more excited than she was!!! We dusted off the Belle costume and gave her hair an updo and placed my tiara on her head. Instant transformation!!! Even her disposition changed into a proper young lady! I hope that Emily always remembers that she truly is a Princess--a daughter of a Heavenly King! I hope she will always remember what a special little girl she is. Love that girl!

Baby It's Cold Outside!!!

James just left with the little kids to go Christmas shopping--for me--and so Hannah and I are ALONE (a rarity) and so we both hit the computers--it's time to blog!

This morning it was about 9 degrees. That is COLD!!! If I had my way, I would have just stayed in front of the fireplace all day long. I wasn't born to be out in the white stuff, or when temps are below 65! We had a really good Idaho snow here a couple of days ago, and so the roads in Rigby are slick as satin!


Alas, it was my lot to go out, so I took two kids to two different dentist appointments, and made it to the post office to send Alex some home made Christmas goodies! The best part; 0 cavities, no lines at the PO, and only $4 to ship a package! Life is good! Oh, and I didn't crash the van on the slick roads! I'm still trying to get used to driving on the, frozen, packed snow! It's been a long time! In VA when it snowed, you usually got slush except for the rare occasion when it was just sheets of ice, and no one went anywhere then. Apparently, Rigby doesn't get plowed out too much, so it's to the tire store for me. Is it wise to spend hundreds of dollars on snow studs when you are driving a vehicle that will barely start on a cold day???

What do cold, snow, and December equal? CHRISTMAS!!! This year feels so wonderfully festive! I'm sure it's because I forced my family to make their Christmas lists before Halloween (thank you Ira) so that I could complete my shopping (well, most of it) before Thanksgiving! I also sent out my newsletter in Nov, so I could just sit back and relax and enjoy the season. It has been very relaxing--until I got an order for 200 Christmas cards ASAP! Thankfully, I found out about them, and had to have them completed within a week! I love to work under pressure! Now that they are in the mail, it's back to relaxing! It's been really fun enjoying our family's holiday traditions, as well as starting some new Idaho ones!



Imagine . . . 200 of these babies!

We attended our ward Christmas party last Friday. We showed up in our PJs. We held our heads high when everyone stared at us and no one spoke to us! We were asked to do a special musical number. In true Moore family style, we did a funny family Christmas medley. Connor started by singing Twinkle Twinkle into the mike. He did and excellent job, and the second he started singing, the entire room became silent! Next was Hunter. He sang All I want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth. He's missing his two bottom teeth, so the song was very appropriate. Next was Emily singing I'm Getting Nothing for Christmas--which she sang after I pried her from behind my back and promised that it would be okay and that she didn't have to do the actions! Hannah totally chickened out when she saw a boy from her school in the audience! She was supposed to sing I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. After the Children humiliated themselves, we did a round of Fish and Chips and Vinegar, only Christmas style. I think it was awesome! I totally wish we could post it on u-tube! All we got was this photo. Aren't we cute in our PJs!


I love having a fireplace mantel this year! It has been so much fun decorating it and hanging our stockings on it. It really makes the house look Christmassy! Also, when I went to Ut and spent the day with Connie Atkisson, we went to Tai Pan and went crazy buying decorations for our trees. After helping her decorate her tree(it looked like a designer tree right out of Tai Pan), she inspired me to add some fun things to our tree! Giant bells! I only put 3 on my tree, but it has tipped over twice!!! I'm sure it's due to the fact that my frugal side only allowed 3 bells and they had to be strategically placed on the front of the tree. Since they are very heavy, they made the tree topple over--with the help of a rambunctious preschooler! Nevertheless, the tree is beautiful this year!


We had a lot of fun with our new friends, the Buska's on Sunday. They came over and made gingerbread houses with us. What a lot of work and mess, but also a lot of fun. Things quickly started getting out of hand when Ken outfitted his gingerbread boy with a bazooka, and put doggie doo on the lawn! They are such funny and fun people to be with. I'm so grateful for their friendship! They have really helped us enjoy Idaho! James worked with Ken for a couple of months before he switched jobs, and they carpooled to work together. Sarah's daughter Lillian goes to school with Hunter. We walked past each other every day, and I never even knew who she was. Then they invited us over for dinner and games, and an instant friendship ensued.



Connor had so much fun oooooozing the frosting all over his own graham cracker house!

Emily and Lillian

The Very Funny Sarah Buska

Little Hayley Buska

James perfecting his silly looking reindeer and flat Santa

Can you see Mr. Gingerbread with his Bazooka?

THANKSGIVING!!!

Okay, it's not really the turkey's butt, its where the neck goes, sicko!
Cute little Sallie!
Dad, the turkey fryer!
Gorgeous Grandma Shirley
Now, that's a dog for me (and Emily).Hunter's dream come true--Pinata!

AWW I love you Mom!

Pies Galore! The best is eating pie for breakfast the next day!

Amazing FIRE!

We had so much fun on Thanksgiving Day! It has been almost 9 years since we've been home for TG. Out of 9 of us kids, 8 were there in all our glory! I have the most entertaining siblings, so there was never a dull moment! Sallie and I helped Mom prepare Dinner. Somehow she convinced me to pose with the turkey! Dad deep fried the turkey, which was amazing!!! And. . . the very best part of Thanksgiving (my most favorite family tradition) is right after the turkey comes out of the frier, we all stand around and singe our fingers as we pick the crispy skin off and eat it!!! I have very fond memories of this as a kid, and I got to experience it again this year! I made 6 pies! They were yummy, if I do say so myself. Bliss, Jon's girlfriend, made a homemade key lime pie. It was yummy too! The kids got to do a pinata, and the grand finale was a fire show put on by my brothers Jon and Ian and Bliss. It was freezing, but so amazing to watch. James, as usual was behind the camera taking many (almost 200) photos. I can't wait to share them! Oh, I almost forgot, Sallie, Sadie, Susanna, and I went shopping in PC from midnight to 2:30 am. It was so much fun!!!

On our way home, we decided to visit Temple Square. The lights were awesome. It was really fun even though it was freeeeeezing outside and we didn't get home until after midnight! What an amazing weekend.

Our 16th Anniversary

We had so much fun on our anniversary. We had to go to Ut for a Parent's retreat, so we paid the kids to miss school and headed down. We dropped the kids off at Grandma and Grandpa's house and headed to Salt Lake. We stayed in the Little America hotel and ate dinner in the Dining Room. It was soooo yummy, and way too expensive! The next day, we did sealings in the SL temple, which is where we were married, so it was very meaningful. Our experience was also very memorable because of some very unusual things that took place. All in all, I am convinced that I am married to the best guy in the whole world. I am the luckiest girl in the world!

Family Photo Shoot

On Oct 14 th we decided to do Thanksgiving pictures. So, you find the perfect spot, pose nicely, and smile. That's it! Easy!!! Yeah, right! We almost got the perfect shot SEVERAL times. Connor, who smiled adorably in the shot with just him in the tree, could not seem to cooperate for any other picture. Oh well, he is cute anyway and we all adore him. After a while we bagged it all and decided to just have a leaf fight in stead. It turned out being a very fun family outing!!! Maybe we should have had the leaf fight first. Maybe we'll try that next year! Thanks, Mom for all your hard photography work!!!

Connor's 4

Connor's birthday finally arrived on October 20th! We told him that when it was Halloween time, it would be his birthday. He was a little confused by this. He kept saying, "it's Halloween!" And we had to keep correcting him. Then when we were getting ready for Halloween, he couldn't be convinced that it wasn't already over! The things we do to our children!

Josh and Susanna and Grandma and Grandpa and Alex all came up for the celebration. It was so fun!

Happy Halloween!

James dressed up as Gandalf for work. His fellow employee won the $25 pot. It's understandable why!

Connor as the brave KNIGHT
Emily as Sacajewea
Could that be my Hannah? After being a pirate at school and seeing all of the pretty princesses, Hannah decided to be a princess. After going to James' work party, she changed back into a pirate. I guess she just couldn't handle the prissy stuff after all.

Hunter as the Red Ranger (thanks Whitney who always plays Power Rangers with my kids).

Can you believe it's already November first??? Halloween is over and it was great. In fact, I think this was the first year ever that I wasn't totally stressed out! I didn't even yell at the kids! I was totally laid back and easy going! I didn't even freak out when Hannah decided to change her costume 3 times yesterday! I did a veggie platter and deviled eggs and rolls for dinner. I had it on the table when the kids came home from school and I just let them eat whatever they wanted. NO STRESS!!!

Day 21--The End!

The Dunes are better than Disney!

We took the kids to the Sand Dunes in St. Anthony, ID the other day. They were so excited! The second the car stopped, they started screaming and running toward the massive mountains of sand. The only expense was the cost of cleaning the sand out of everyone and everything. Pretty goot deal, I think!

Hunter got his cast off!

After 4 weeks, Hunter finally got his cast off. He cried more at the thoughts of getting it off than he did getting it on! He was so scared. The saw they use is amazing. It only cuts through the cast--not to the skin. I felt a little sheepish taking so many photos of the tech in action, until he said that he is in more scrapbooks than I could imagine! I felt free to let the shutter fly after that. When they pulled the pins out, it bled quite a bit. I was surprised. I also mistakenly thought that once the cast was off, he'd be back to normal! I was a little wrong. Hunter still hasn't straightened his arm after 4 days. He is using it a lot more now, though. It was a painful but very effective method of breaking thumbsucking!!! He only sucked his L thumb. He tried a time or two to suck the R one, but I guess it just wasn't the same. We're so glad that it's over!

Connor being empathetic.