Nine Years!

Aaron and I were married 9 years ago!  I can't believe it's been that long.  In honor of our anniversary, we are going to share some advice that we think has made our marriage so awesome.

9 snippets of advice for our 9 years of marriage.

1- Pray together.

2- Aaron says "Husbands, it's okay to help your wives around the house."  Just because you are at work all day doesn't mean you can't come home and do the dishes. We know you are tired, but guess what, so is your wife.

3- Continue to do date nights.  We make an effort to have every Friday be date night.  Even if that date is just relaxing on the couch watching a movie.

4- Go to bed at the same time.  

5- Everyone says "don't go to bed mad", well, sometimes it is okay.  Whatever you are upset about might not be such a big deal in the morning.

6- Overlook the little things.

7- Remember, you are in this together.  You are equals.

8- Never EVER raise your voice to your spouse. We can honestly say we have never yelled or shouted at each other.  We might snap at each other or disagree, but we have never raised our voice in anger.

9- Make time to keep the spark alive.  Just sayin'. ;)

Nursery! Finally!

Aiden finally had his first day of nursery on the 30th.  He was supposed to start on the 2nd, but he has been sick all month with one thing or another.  So, he was finally able to go on Sunday.

Here are some pictures from after we got home.

When I dropped him off he went right and found the toys.  I barely was able to get him to look at me so I could say goodbye.  I was able to sneak away from primary for a second to peek in at him and he was fine.  One of the ladies that was in with him said that he did great and he loved snack time.  I'm so glad!  Now Aaron can start going to his classes instead of wandering the hall!  

Christmas Part 2

We had Christmas with Aaron's family on Saturday the 29th.  We did a progressive dinner and started with appetizers at our house.  Then we went to Adam and Danielle's for a yummy chili dinner.  We ended at Aaron's parents for an amazing dessert selection and presents.  The kids had so much fun playing with their cousins.

Here are some pictures, and I realized I need to take way more pictures when we are with this side of the family.

Christmas

This year, Christmas was different.  It was our 1st one without Pa and it just didn't feel like Christmas.  I never really did get the Christmas spirit this year.  I did feel it during our concert, but that was it.  I just wasn't in the mood.  I think if we didn't have kids, I would have boycotted it altogether. Hopefully next Christmas will be better.  Also, we only got the kids 1 thing they wanted, 1 thing they needed, 1 thing they can read, and 1 thing they could wear.  It was good, but not as fun as last year when we went overboard.

all ready for the kids!

the traditional stair picture.  Aiden had woken up really early, so he wasn't happy.

Opening their stockings 

On to the presents

Dallin got some Magic Tree House books

Aiden's "need" was a new water bottle

Brooke's books

This was Dallin's "need".  It holds his DS games

Brooke got a princess and a matching dress up

After we finished, we got ready and drove to my parents' house for breakfast and presents.

Aiden got some animals 

My mom made this awesome LEGO blanket for Dallin

Aiden got a dump truck

Oh, and the older two got Kindle Fires.

They got spoiled.

Spencer and Natalie were supposed to be getting on a plane to fly up from St. George.  Spencer called and talked to my dad and said they weren't going to make it.  My dad said that Spencer was almost in tears.  Well, a little while later, Nate and Kas got there from being in Payson and right after that the doorbell rang.  I answered it and there were Spencer and Natalie!  I screamed out of shock!  They came in and everyone was so excited.  It was a fun Christmas surprise.

We just spent the day at my parents' until it was time to go to MeMe's.

We ate and opened presents.  MeMe got most of the adults a puzzle with money inside.  You had to solve the puzzle to get the money.  It was really funny.

Dallin and Aaron trying to solve the puzzle.

Nate and Kassie trying to solve theirs

Hunter and Ralph

Aaron solved his first!

Here is Aiden.  Just because he is cute.

We decided to do white elephant gifts, and let me tell you.  If we do this next year, there needs to be better rules.  That's all I am going to say about that.  We also had Italian sodas this year.  Yum.  This year was the 2nd annual Ugly Sweater Contest.  Aaron and I didn't participate because 1. I had no time to find/make a sweater and 2. I wasn't in the mood (bah humbug).  Here are the lovely contenders for this year.

Amanda-1st place with her light up tree

Quin-2nd place.  This picture doesn't do it justice

Hunter-3rd place

Ralph

My mom

Ange

My dad(shocking that he even participated, let alone smiling)

Nate

Cam (who will be officially joining our family in the summer!)

Brittney

MeMe flashing her gansta signs

Spencer

Nat and her cat pose to match her cat sweater

Well, it was a pretty good night.  It wasn't the same without Pa blasting the Messiah, making sure there was a fire in the fireplace, a real live Christmas tree, and without our art boxes lining the hallway.  It was a hard night and I cried most of the way home.  I felt like I was the only one (besides MeMe) that was having a hard time with Pa being gone.  It really has been a rough year and I am glad it is over now.  

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, we got a good amount of snow, so Aaron took the kids out to build a snow man.

Here they are catching snowflakes on their tongues.

Rolling the snow.

Snowman complete with a drink cup hat and paddle hands.

Dallin and Brooke and Mr. Snowman

Later, Aaron's parents came over for dinner and to hang out.  We normally go to my grandma's, but we decided that was getting to be too much, so we stayed home.

After dinner the kids opened their pj's, and their gifts to each other.

Brooke had Dallin

Dallin had Aiden.  He got a big pack of hot wheels.

Aiden had Brooke.

Here they are in their cozy pjs!

It was a fun night and I think we all liked the new tradition.