Christmas Pictues at the Mesa Temple

I know the Honey was to happy but I just always wanted to take this kind of photo! He was a great sport about it all!
Here's my honey and I.

All my boys...the larger one kept talking and moving so this was the best one of 3.

My beautiful girls with their mom

Here's the whole crew....They are pains sometimes but I am so thankful they are ours!

I want to wish all of you a Very Merry Christmas!

I wonder what Santa is bring me this year....I was very good!!!

Already December....

(This is our family Nativity with all the grand kids minus one....It is in utero so it's not expected to attend until next year....That one automatically get the role of Baby Jesus!)

This year has flown by so fast....As a kid I can remember wishing for Christmas-time to come!!! As a parent I am excited for my kids but totally over welled with the process of buying the gifts and the hardest part is finding places to hit the treasure I have purchased.....My older kids know whatever they find I will take back! So just that thought is scary for them.

I am working on a family letter but still haven't found my stationary to print it on :( So needless to say our letter may be posted on Facebook and my blog! I still love getting Christmas cards in the mail so if you want to send me one go right ahead.
So until I post again....which might be after Christmas!
Merry Christmas!

Cousins....

The Angels
The Family Nativity

(with candy to bribe the little ones)

Our Cousins came to visit from California and we had our annual Christmas Nativity picture
taken....Then the kids got to go to the Zoo. My children had a blast with their cousins...Especially Miss Ella who stayed attached to Kate the whole day!!! We sure love them and wish they could come to visit all the time!

Family Foot Rodeo---Oct 2010

Every year the Goodman's have a reunion known as the "Family Foot Rodeo". The activities of the day include: Three Legged Race, Egg Toss, Horse Relay Race (using stick horses) and the Magic Carpet ride....This is when a person sits on a carpet and is pulled by an ATV.

We had a blast with our kids and will be back for some more action next year!

A real Party...

My Anna turned 5! I am not sure when this happened?!?!

When she was younger we always had family parties....This year she requested to have a friends party!

Daddy made her cake and she helped design it.
As you can tell she was over the moon about it!!!

All who came had a fabulous time...

Now I have to start planning something for Ella...Who wants a party similar to Anna's!

M&M Cookies

After 3+ years of searching for my recipe....I found the same recipe in a different cookbook. This recipe is for perfect cookies. The M&M's are interchangeable with Cho. Chips or any other type of candies. Here it goes....

1 C. Shortening/ Butter flavored Crisco
1 C. Brown Sugar
3/4 C. White Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Water
2 eggs

Blend all together
Sift all dry ingredients together and then mix with the wet.
2 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt.

Blend all ingredients and Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes( this time depends on elevation and your oven)

Enjoy!!!

Happenings in September 2010

September flew by...Things that happened where broken finger, birthday, orchestra, midterms and finals.

Well Grant broke his finger on the 13th of Sept. in his second wrestling match of the season. So he was benched...but we let him wrestle in the district tournment on Oct. 2nd.

On the 23rd of this month, I turned 36 and feeling better than ever. I thought when I hit the higher ages I would feel like crap. But I feel the same as I did at 35....SO It isn't so bad.

I am still going to school....Don't know when I will be finished. I had midterm in my Jazz class and I got a B on the test. My finals I got A in Children's Lit and B in History 103. So my grades are getting better. Next semester will be Sign Language 201 and Math. Mathew has joined orchestra and is playing the bass. He also joined Choir at school. So for a 4th grader he is trying to be as involved at school as possible. Ella is loving Mr. Curry's class. She is learning so many new songs and the cutest thing is that she is teaching them to Anna.

Anna is loving preschool and she is slowing coming out of her shyness. So it is wonderful that she is growing both physically and emotionally.

Caroline....well what can I say....She finds trouble around every corner. At least once a week, she gets into huge messes or destroys something. Now that the weather is nice she would live outside if I let her. One minute she's a menace and the next so stinking cute....SO she does get her way quite a bit.

Forrest is one class away from graduating...Hopefully we can get it done by christmas. But we are very excited about it!!!!

Happening on the Homestead include: Breeding Rabbits, Buying Baby Chicks, and planting our Fall garden. We really want to by a goat but we aren't sure how much space it would take up in the yard. So that idea is still on the back burner for now.

We will keep you updated on the happening at our house....Bye for now!

xoxo,

Jodi