Santa was Here!!!!!

Caution very long post!!!
WOW! Did Santa ever spoil us this year. We have partied it up non stop up until today and now I think we are trying to play catch up. The 23rd we went and picked Dakota up and then we had some friends (Jake & Jen, Ryan & Marie, Jake & Kelsey) over for a sweet party! The food was great and we all had a great time visiting. I even did an impromptu concert...it really sucked....but our friends listened anyways!





Santa must have came early for this crowd! Look at all these glowing mommies to be! I couldn't help but joke around with them since I was the only one NOT pregnant there. I told them that I had quit drinking water completely and that I was scared to come sit in the sames room with them for fear of me catching that infectious disease! They all made a point to rub up on me somehow throughout the night just to see if I would catch what they have! I am still saying not a chance! Not quite ready for that yet, I am still enjoying the one I have!




Look at all these cute kids! They had so much fun playing together.



After the party I put Oakley in his new PJ's courtesy of Wayne and Pam! He loved them and didn't want to take them off! He looked so cute I couldn't help but post a pic!







Finally Christmas eve!

Christmas eve we delivered some gift to the neighbors and then we came home and watched a Christmas movie. After that we sang some christmas carols and I read a couple of christmas stories to the kids and then we all open one present. After that we went to the kitchen and baked cookies for Santa! Dakota put them on a plate for him while I rummaged up some reindeer food! After that we tracked santa on google maps and then the kids were off to bed! They were both excited!





Every year I like to take a picture of the tree before the kids get to it! I have always thought that the tree with all the presents under it was the most magical thing, so I try to capture it every year! This is this years haul!


This is Oakley and his new car! He crawled over everything in his path to get into his car and he never got out all morning long. If that had been the only thing he had been given he would have been happy!

We all got a ton of stuff and I think we were all a little bit overwhelmed by it all . The kids got it figured out pretty quick though and couldn't stop playing with all their new stuff! After we got our presents open Christmas morning we went to my mom's house for the traditional creamed eggs on toast! LOVE IT!!!!

Then on the 26th we had the Witbeck christmas party. We ate a TON of food. Joce cooked prime rib and Amber brought out a ton of pies! It was awesome! We played some fun games and open up some sweet presents!

On the 27th we loaded up and headed for Idaho for the Bethers family Christmas party! Once again we ate a TON of good food and enjoyed getting to see most of the family!



After the party we went to the zoo lights in Salt Lake City! We had a great time and enjoyed spending time with each other! All our playing finally had to come to an end though when we dropped Dakota off to her mom on the 29th! Now we are home and Oakley is wondering where his sister is! So....I guess you could say everything is back to normal! Guess it it is time to Bring on the New Year!

Christmas Tag!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I prefer wrapping paper, but sometimes I am really lazy or pushed for time so a gift bag has to do.
2. Real tree or fake tree? REAL!!!!! Although a fake tree would probably be more condusive to our needs. Every year we go through the same routine. We go and cut a tree, get it home, usually hate it, throw it out or cut it down for the kids and either buy or cut another one that we like better! I don't know why we are so indesive on the perfect tree the first time!
3. When do you put up your tree? Around Thanksgiving if we can, but we usually wait until Dakota is with us so we can make it a family affair.
4. When do you take it down? After New Years usually...depends on how dead it is!
5. Do you like eggnog? I love it, but I usually have to thin it down a little with milk
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Nerf fencing swords! I was around 6 or 7! They freaking rocked!
7. Easiest person to buy for? Dakota...if it is horse anything, yellow or pink she will love it!
8. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes....one very old one that my mom gave me...and one that a mystery person gave to us for the 25 days to Christmas!
9. Mail or Email Christmas cards? This is the first year I have ever gotten around to mailing them....I always have had them....they just never have made it to the post office!
10. Worst gift you have ever received? A sweater that I would never wear in a million years...I would
11. Favorite Christmas movie? Any one of them does just fine!
12. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually about two weeks prior to, but this year I had it all done at the first of December! It is amazing what you can do when you don't have a job!
13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas gift? pretty sure I have not!
14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Anything sweet, chocolate, or fattening!
15. Lights on tree? You know it!!!!
16. Can you name Santa's reindeer? dasher dancer comit cupid vixen dopey sleepy donner blitzen roudolph doc sneezy
17. Favorite Christmas song? nothing for christmas by sugarland or SAnta Baby by taylor swift!
18. Travel or stay home? Stay home.
19. Angel or star tree topper? big fan of the star!
20. Open presents Christmas eve or Christmas day? Usually we open one on christmas eve and the rest on christmas day
21. Favorite Christmas tradition? being with family or sleigh riding
22. Favorite ornament, theme or color? since my kids aren't old enough to bring my ornament s from school, My favorite is one that my mom brought me from Texas. It is a bare bum Santa riding a holstein cow! It has a bell on it that when you pull Santa's bare legs pop out from behind his chaps!
23. Favorite Christmas dinner? The christmas version of thanksgiving dinner....which means everything is the same, it is just called Christmas dinner instead! I really like clam chowder and chicken noodle soup too!
24. What do you want for Christmas? What I really wanted has passed, so I won't get it, so whatever else I get will be fine!
25. Best Christmas present you have ever given? I gave James a gun one year. I watched them wrap it at the store, when he opened it though it was gone. He sneaked into his presents early, took them out, and rewrapped them. It was pretty funny!

I tag anyone who wants to participate! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!

Holly Days!

This is a little late, but I have been very distacted by Christmas shopping, hanging lights on the house, blah blah blah! Once again we went to the Vernal Holly Days Celebration. James and I have made it a little Bethers tradition. We freeze our butts off, but we do have a lot of fun! Sadley Dakota couldn't be there for it this year, but we look forward to taking her next year! We all love the fireworks! As you can see Oakley is getting an eye full of them. I really think that was his favorite part. We didn't make it over to see Santa this year, but I am sure we will get our chance to see him soon. To tell you the truth I am sure it would have scared Oakley to death! I know it did Dakota her first year! All in all, we enjoyed the kick off to another great holiday season!

Oh! And the pooh bear hat and gloves are for you Aunt Sandy!

What I am thankful for

With it being Thanksgiving day I thought to myself that I am so much to be thankful for. I can't even begin to put a dent in all the things that I am thankful for, but here is a start:
1. My family ( My husband and kids are the most amazing people and I find myself learning new things from them everyday.
2. My extended family ( Mine and James' familys are amazing support groups for us. They are always so willing to help out and whenever you need them they are there. I always know that if we ever run into something that we can't handle we can call on them for help. My dad always told us that friends come and go but family is always there for you. When I was younger I always thought he was full of it, but now I know that his words were never more true!
3. My friends ( You know who you are- Throughout the years you have been there for a lot of tuff times. I am so very appriciative of all the laughter, tears, advice, and time!)
4. The Church- ( I know I am a rebel without a cause at times and I didn't always depend on the Lord to lead me through the dark times, but I do beleive without a shadow of a doubt that if you allow it, he will. I have felt the Lord's hand in so much of my life lately, it is hard not to ignore all that He does for us! I know without the gospel and the church in my life, I would be lost! There is nothing better than to know that prayers really are answered, tithing really is a blessing, and that if you knock the door will be opened!
5. This country- I know that I am not pleased with the way the election turned out, but even if this guy runs our country compleatly into the ground we still have more.....more....more than 90% of the people in the world. We have a roof over our heads, food to eat, jobs to go to, clothes on our backs, money in our pockets, and most of all we have our FREEDOM!
6. The military- I know that these boys and girls do not get the credit they deserve. I am so very thankful that they are WILLING to risk their lives to protect mine! I am thankful that they are over in Irag and Afganistan and where ever else they might be, so that we do not have to fight on American soil. So we can go to sleep at night without the worry of whether or not somebody is going to bomb your house because of your loyalty to one certain god or belief.
7. Most of all, I am thankful that our brother Jesus Christ gave his life for ours so that we might return to him one day. What the ultimate sacrifice!

Hope you all are filling your hearts with Thanks this holiday season!

Sweet Family Pics!

Alright.......I am soooo sorry about all of the pics. There are just so many of them that I like I couldn't just pick out a couple. After all that we went through this weekend (It would take to long to explain) we were actually able to get some sweet family pictures, courtesy of my sweet sister Joce! She took these amazing photos and we couldn't be happier! Anyways I was too excited not to share, so I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do!

Veterans Day!

Today is Veterans day....so here is a big shout out to all veterans everywhere! Mostly we want to thank my Grandpa Witbeck for all the years of service he put in. I have never been to a sweeter funeral. It was really something to see all of his comrades giving their final farewell. There was not a dry eye in the church....just as there is not dry eye now! We love you and and miss you and will honor you with a poppy seed for years to come! Holland thanks you for their freedom just as we thank you for ours!

A couple of Funny things!

So over the last week I have had a couple of funny momments that I couldn't help but share. Although I might embarass myself or my children I couldn't help it.

The first story happen about a week ago. My sisters and I went out to lunch for my birthday. We are all sitting in our booth chatting away and Oakley decides he needs a drink. I let him try to suck out of my straw....and to my amazement I start to see liquid coming up the straw. I was so excited I started cheering him on. "Come on Okee!" Well he did it! He learned to drink from a straw on my birthday. I was so happy I was clapping and cheering(rather loudly)! Then...............the tears started coming. My sisters are going..."You can tell you are a first time mom!" Joce broke her camera out.( Her big tuff sister was showing some sign of emotion.....I think she thought Hell has froze over and she wasn't going to miss it!)
Meanwhile these to older guys in the booth next to us are looking over at me like I had lost my mind! Oh well....I got the best birthday present ever!



Okay, so now that my embarrasing moment has passed. I hope Dakota is able to read this twenty years from now and get a laugh out of it. The other day she wanted to go outside and help her dad do chores. We told her to go get her clothes on and she could. After a little while I go back to her room to check on her and notice that she has squeezed herself into a pair of jeans that are a little to small and somehow they were sitting crooked on her. She just looked us at me as I walked in and said.........."My balls are being squashed!" I just stood there and was like "What?"
By that time James had wandered back and she repeated herself for him. All we could do was laugh. Finally I composed myself enough to ask her where she had heard that and she said "Nowhere...I just thought it myself!"


Honestly....our kids come out with and do some of the funniest things I have ever seen or heard. I am glad that I get to share those moments with them!