Parade Trophy

The float that Hoss was on in the parade won a trophy!  They won the Sweepstakes Award, which is apparently the top honor prize.  

Gift Exchange

I love our yearly homemade gift exchange.  It's seriously the highlight of my christmas.  I love the thought that goes into each gift.  However, this year was not as well planned.  With moving, we never really had time to think or make anything that would take lots of time.  4 out of the 5 were made Christmas Eve.  With that said, here's this year's outcome.

Sexy Farmer drew Duke

Duke loves Paw Patrol and has each one of our family members named after one of the puppy characters on the show.  He is Zuma, so Sexy Farmer had me embroider Zuma on a shirt for him.

Duke drew Hoss

Hoss has been asking since January, when he went to the Customer Appreciation dinner with Grandpa Johnson, for a Claas jacket.  So, Duke had me embroider Claas on a new jacket for him.

Hoss drew Boone

Boone's room is decorated in a cowboy theme.  So Sexy Farmer helped Hoss weld some horseshoes together to make a coat rack for Boone's room.  Hoss was pretty excited to be welding, it made him feel pretty grown-up.

Boone drew Me

In Kindergarten in Vale the teachers have the kids give their parents a handprint for Christmas.  I have always LOVED the one Lilli made us and always wished that the rest of my kids would be able to make them too.  Well, they don't make them here at this school, so Sexy Farmer helped Boone make my dream come alive.  During Christmas Eve at grandma and grandpa Wayne's house, they each stuck their hand in plaster and made my gift.  I LOVE them!!

I drew Sexy Farmer

 He asked for smore's cups, but since that's what Boone made him last year, I wanted to do something different.  He's always talking about how much he loves jell-o boxed cheesecake, so I decided that would be my gift.

Christmas Morning

This year Christmas was busy.  Duke was sicker than sick and the move made everything different.  I felt really bad for Duke.  He got sick the night before Christmas Eve.  He slept all day Christmas Eve, even at grandma's house.  So when Christmas morning came, I wondered if it would perk him up.  No, he got up just to open gifts, then went right back to bed for the rest of the day.

Hoss got John Deere sheets and comforter, boots, a watch, and a couple smaller items.

Duke got Paw Patrol sheets, John Deere comforter, Paw Patrols play characters and a Mack truck.  He looks so miserable.  It's hard to see your kids sick.

Boone got a ride on Tractor, boots, clothes, and some of the older boys toys from the outside tote that we cleaned up. (pull behind telephone and push popper)

The Nutcracker

My sister Danna Jo and I have been trying to get our mom gifts to things that she can go do.  Which also means that we get to go to so it's more fun.  For Mother's Day we took her to watch Wicked.  For her birthday we bought her a ticket to The Nutcracker.

Her birthday is in October, but the ballet wasn't until last night.  It's been really fun going to these things together.  This one we had the best seats in the house.  Danna Jo scored us front row and center tickets!  It was even better for me because I wasn't nursing this time.  During Wicked I was still nursing Boone so I had to pump in the car.  Ugh, this was much better.

Pack Meeting

Hoss was able to lead the flag ceremony at pack meeting.  He looked so cute up there.

Pack meetings are so great because that is when they receive their awards.  I'm so proud of all the work he is putting into scouts.  He loves it and has a great time.

Here are the awards he received:

Thomas S. Monson Award

4 White Beads

2 Orange Beads

Academic & Sports Belt Loops

Reading & Writing, Map & Compass

Sports Pins

Pet Care, Heritages, Video Games, Good Manners, Family Travel, Communicating, Reading & Writing, Map & Compass, Hiking

Fun for the Family Program

Facing Family Challenges

Building a Family Team

Christmas Concert

Hoss had his school Christmas program last night.  They dressed up as cute little Christmas Trees.

I'm sure the reason they dressed up that way was becuase the two songs they were singing were both about Christmas Trees:

O Christmas Tree

The Happiest Christmas Tree

We were so busy moving that we forgot to even tell our parents about the program.  My father-in-law came over to help us move some of the bigger items and it hit us that we hadn't told them yet.

Santa showed up and Duke just ran over to him as soon as he walked in the door.  Santa was very nice, he took Duke by the hand and walked with him all the way to the front of the gym and on stage.  Then he held him up for all to see.

And since he was already up there holding his hand, he got to be first in line to sit on his lap!

Hog for Dinner

We heard through the grapevine that my cousin had two pigs ready to butcher.  We decided we wanted one for our freezer.  We called our favorite butcher but they were booked until mid January.  We called our 2nd favorite butcher, but they too were booked until January.  Darin offered to teach Sexy Farmer how to cut the meat himself.  It was decided that we would get our families together and cut up the hogs for Family Home Evening. He took Duke over on Saturday and they shot the pig.  Just like Deer hunting, Duke tells everyone he sees about shooting the pig.  He even squeals and acts it all out. 

One of Darin's other cousins purchased the other hog, so Sexy Farmer brought them both home so we could hang them over the weekend.

Sexy Farmer was super excited to learn how to cut meat.

And I'm excited to have a freezer full of pork.

Book of Mormon Goal

Earlier this year, in October I believe, Hoss made the goal to read the entire Book of Mormon before his 8th birthday.  In order to make this goal realistic, we made him a chart that he can color after every page he reads.  To finish by July he will need to read 1 page on school days and 2 pages when there is no school.

Today he hit the 100 page mark!  He was so excited!  I had taken these pictures earlier, but decided today was a big goal reached for him.  This has also made him a more confident reader.  His teacher has commented on how much better his reading has become.

Winter Wonderland Parade

The Charter group for Hoss' Cub Scout Pack is the Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida in Ontario.  They entered a float into the Winter Wonderland Parade and asked the scouts to be in it as well.  The parade them was "A Snowman's Summer", based off the movie Frozen.  For one of their den meetings, they made Olaf hats to wear in the parade.

They asked for parent volunteers to walk with the boys during the parade.  Sexy Farmer volunteered.

Hoss found us!  He came and gave Duke and Boone some candy.

Duke was pretty excited about all the people tossing candy out to people.  He saw some down the street that nobody had claimed yet, to he went for it.  We sat with our friends, the Pace's, so Jeff walked down with him to fetch the candy.

Boone just had fun picking his nose.

Then we saw the best float ever.  Look at the pick-up.  Those are real Elk and Deer mounts.

Here's a closer look at the deer.

And the Elk was Rudolph.  So creative.

Sadest Day Ever

Yesterday, Lilli decided she wants to try living with her Dad.  Being divorced, you always know this day will come.  The day your child wants to live with the other parent.  I'm excited for her, but hurt for our family.  I just want her to be happy, and if this is what she wants, I need to support her.  Her brothers are having a hard time with it, but she insists she will Skype them.

We met her dad in Utah and stopped on our way back in Twin Falls to see the temple.  It's so beautiful at night.  The lights sure have a way of making it shine.