NEW YEAR'S EVE

Robert and Marissa went to the chruch's New Year's Eve dance with Avery, Meg and Ben.

They had a great time dancing, eating pizza and having fun with friends.

Avery Pryor, Robert, Marissa, Meg O'Brien and Matt Saxey

Week 28 - Week after Christmas

This last week was Christmas and many people were busy and told us to come after the holidays.  We didn't get many lessons this week but next week looks promising.  We contacted many people that we could not get a hold of and set many appointments for next week.  I feel blessed that the Lord helped us this last week. Everyone before Christmas eve and day told us to come back after the holidays During the week we felt discouraged to go and visit people during the Holidays making the excuses that people were to busy.  After Christmas one night when it snowing we were heading to the Waggamen's late at night and Elder Perez looked at the house and was discourage because of how late it was and recommended that we should head home.  I felt that we should go and i told him lets go because the worse they could say is come back some other day. We went to the door and their daughter opened up and she was friendly we asked if her parents were home and she said that they were not but then she said that we could come tomorrow at night.  After we left we were excited and we wanted to go and visit more people then Elder Perez said tonight I will give you a night of boldness.  We went to visited more people that night.  On the way home Elder Perez hair froze and his check numbed and the next morning he felt sick.

Boxing Day at the Zoo

Mark and Betsy took the day after Christmas off so we could enjoy some fun family time together.  We had hoped to go skiing or sledding but didn't get the chance (the weather was way to warm).  Marissa came up with the idea of going to the zoo!  What a great idea!  

We brought 5 cans to donate to Dare to Care.  Today was a cloudy day and a bit cloudy but still very nice for a day in December.

pounding on Santa's workshop's door

Up first on the list of exhibits was the TIGERS!  This tiger seemed to really like us.  He was very active and kept coming very close to the window to be near the girls.  It was amazing.  They didn't want to leave the exhibit.

Jessica and the tiger

Mark and I went on to the enclosed exhibit with bats, snakes, etc.  We saw the most amazing fruit bats.  They were huge - later on they opened up and we had an amazing show of their slender.

We had a wonderful time there - there were so many active animals

Another animal that the kids just adored was the charismatic orangetange - we fell in love with him instantly.

it was super fun to find this map - Jessica pointed out how far away the Philippines is from KY!  It's a long way away!

When we walked back through the exhibit - the bats were waking up - this bat was actually eating a piece of mango - amazing! 

look at their amazing wing spand

From there we went for a walk around the lake over to the Polar area - I love this photo of me with my girls.  Marissa is 17 - ready to start her adventure in the big world, and Jessica is 21 - back from an amazing adventure but ready to start the next chapter in her life.  They are amazing girls - and I love watching them grow up.

twinsies without trying

Robert went off ahead of us and we couldn't find him for a bit, luckily Marissa found him and guided him back to our group.  He has grown up so much and was a little adventurous - ready to grow up even more.

Robert and Marissa 

Marissa with an EMU

This was one of the most entertaining exhibits of the day - the Polar bear really put on a show.  He was awake and alert.  He was walking around everywhere ... and then all of the sudden ...

he decided to get right on the water's edge ... and ... 

jump in.  He swam over to this rock in the middle of his pond and looked right at us.  AWE!!!

Then he jumped in again to enjoy another swim. 

We also saw seals and otters!

Next on the show were the mighty elephants.  The king of land!

This one seemed to be waving at me. 

While we were admiring the elephants we all of the sudden heard the mighty roar of the LION!  Wow, I've been to the zoo a hundred times and never hear the lion roar.  Well, he kept roaring so we ran over (luckily it was very close) to see what was going on.  The lion's exhibit is very close to the giraffe's exhibit and it seemed that the lion wanted those giraffes to know they would be lunch if it weren't for the fact that he couldn't get out.  He was searching for a way to get over to them.  Awesome to witness.

We were all in awe of this majestic animal.  He had such power with his roar.

New family photo!

What a great day - thank you Marissa for suggesting such a great activity!!!

Family Picture

With Jessica home we wanted to be sure to get a nice Family Photo. 

 (Wish Devon were here but we are so happy that he can serve his mission)

Jessica 21, Mark, Betsy, Robert 15, Marissa 17

Christmas Day

Christmas Morning was so nice this year as all the kids actually slept in - what a miracle for me.  I love my sleep, but I also love the excitement of the day.

The day started with running to the stockings - I've never understood this - except that sometimes there are things in the stockings that they will need to go with other presents.  Then they oh- and awe over what Santa brought them.  This year Santa brought all of them shoes - Marissa and Jessica got Sperry's and Robert got indoor soccer shoes.

opening stockings

The next presents for everyone to open were the "Season" scrapbooks that Betsy made for each of them.  Robert received two since he ran XC and played soccer.

Marissa got her book about her senior year on XC.

Even though I had technically already given Jessica her books about her mission - I decided to wrap them up and give them to her for Christmas so she would have books to unwrap when the kids unwrapped theirs.  I made her a 12x12 scrapbook and a 9x11 bound book of each of her emails and communications - including some from her mission president and the area president.  Memories mean almost everything to me.  I want my kids to know how much I cherish them and cherish the wonderful moments they have given me by letting me be a part of their life.

Marissa loved her book - she even took time to look at it right then.

Mommy always makes a copy for us to keep

Next they all opened the boxes with clothes in them from me.  Robert got a sweater and pair of pant (ones long enough).

Robert with some new clothes

I got Marissa a BYU sweatshirt!

Marissa is ready for BYU

Since I had already spent a lot of money on clothes for Jessica, I got her jewelry instead.  I hope she loves it.  Jewelry is used to finish an outfit.  She will look amazing!

Mark even got in on the new clothes - I got him a new burgundy striped shirt and plaid tie.

Robert made mommy go around the house on a scavenger hunt to find her present - up and down - up and down stairs.  Eventually it ended with me finding a box with gray sweatpants (what I wanted) and a $25 gift certificate to Longhorn (my favorite restaurant).  AWE!  so thoughtful.  The weight was just a decoy to through me off.

Jasper is the joy of the family

We all got matching pajamas on Christmas Eve but didn't get a photo so here are the girls together in theirs!

  Since we had different colored shirts (from year's past) Jessica wore the blue, Betsy the red and Marissa was in the new gray!  Too fun!

Here are the boys in their matching pajamas, but you can't see the blue bottoms.  Robert got dad an Amazon gift card for him to be able to purchase his kindle.

Robert, 15 and Mark

After Jessica  -  a purse she really wanted and perfume - he went crazy with a massive hug!  AWE!!!

Robert got Marissa a Starbuck's gift card, purse and some yarn.  Marissa has taken up a new hobby of knitting and pearling.  She loves it!

Marissa and Robert

Robert and Jessica

The kids opened their Christmas Outfit presents - Robert got a Christmas tie

Jessica got a beautiful dress from Banana Republic and 

Marissa got a stunning dress from Banana Republic.  All compliments of a loving mommy!

Marissa got Robert two pull-over shirts and a button up shirt.

Marissa was so excited to "get" Robert.  She not only got him three shirts but she hid a gift card inside a huge jar of M&Ms.  He was so surprised.

Great photo capturing the surprise 

Marissa loves knitting so much she got some needles and yarn for Jessica, along with massive amounts of presents.  First - she got her a blue water bottle since Jessica kept using Marissa's BYU water bottle.  She also got her boots & clothes.

Jessica and Marissa
Friends and Sisters forever

Marissa got Betsy a $50 Banana Republic gift card and a wonderfully scented candle.

Mommy and Marissa

This was the year of plastic for Mark.  Robert got him an Amazon gift card and Marissa got him an Olive Garden card... later Betsy got him cards, too.

Next on the agenda was the "BYU Presents"  Mom got everyone something with the "True BLUE".  Marissa got a water bottle since Jessica kept taking hers and Mark accidentally ruined it in the dishwasher. 

Robert got a BYU Sweatshirt

and I got Jessica a BYU water bottle, too ...

look at that face

 since she was stealing Marissa's - I guess everyone was thinking the same thing.  

Jessica got Robert some awesome Blue Sperry shoes, and she got Marissa awesome blue and maroon Sperry shoes.

What a great big sister

The best presents were saved for LAST.  First up was Robert.  Mom sent him on a super duper scavenger hunt, up and down, and around the house ... ending in the basement.  The present under the tree was a 10 pound weight with a clue "go to where you go after a work out" - taking him to another 10 pound weight in the bathtub with another clue "go to where you put your clothes after a work out" ... taking him to the laundry room.  The laundry room had the dumb-bell kit in it.  This clue lead him to the basement where he found the box with the work out bench and bar bell and 85 pounds of weights.  I don't think I've ever seen Robert more happy!  We got him the right present!

The girls were a completely different story.  I had bought Taylor Swift concert tickets as soon as they went on sale, but had to wait to give them to them for Christmas.  I couldn't believe it but just before Marissa went to open her present, she asked if she could guess.  Assuming there was NO WAY she could guess what I got her ... I told her - go ahead ... and she said, "Well my friend just got tickets to some country artists concert, so did you get us Taylor Swift Concert tickets?"  I was like NO WAY!  Now did you guess - then they opened their presents and wah-lah... Taylor Swift Concert ticket!!!!

Jessica and Marissa went crazy!!!

It was a very happy Christmas!