Christmas 2011

This Advent season our family enjoyed a trip through the Bible and it's key events that led up to our promised Messiah! Each morning (that we could) a child would open in prayer, we would read a part of God's Big Story (as we like to call it around here) and the kids would all color a little image to remind us of that days reading, we would sing O Come O Come Emmanuel and then usually the dad or I would close us in prayer. My mom is in the process of making me a cute Jesse Tree but even when I have it we might keep up the coloring.

It was a precious time!.

Christmas Eve we did our usual church service at Oak Hills and then came home for a Birthday party for Jesus. Because I had a fussing baby on me I was not able to get as many pictures as I would have liked. We had a great time playing birthday party games, singing happy birthday and ending the evening by sharing about why we have chosen to give the best gift ever - the gift of our heart to our King.

Here are just a couple from Christmas Eve

The party table

Party games

In case you are wondering - Kyle won!

Party Food

Party pooper -

Kaden was so tired he couldn't make it around to hear why and how everyone is giving their hearts to Jesus.

And then it was Christmas morning and we tried our best to keep it slow and fun. The kids have such a good attitude about waiting patiently for gifts. This sis Avery waiting for everyone to get up so we can finish off the Advent book (that same one we have been doing since Adia was 2).

Still waiting for probably Adia!

Usually I make omelets on Christmas morning but in an effort to simplify I tried this egg dish I was able to prep the night before and then just add a few things and throw in the oven on Christmas - so yummy!

And finally we dug into the stockings. For our sibling exchange each of the kids draws one sibling they will buy a gift for and one sibling they will get to fill the stocking for. We really like how this has turned out!

After breakfast, Advent and stockings we headed out to church. It was nice that we were able to wear our Christmas Pajamas - made the whole getting ready part much nicer! You will notice the boys who end up always being dirty wore junky pajamas to bed and I laid the cuter ones out for church... I felt like I was cheating.

Group shot before church

I LOVED being with my church family on Christmas! It was so fun and felt so intimate. Half the people came in pajamas, the kids sat on the floor in front, making messes and drinking hot chocolate and yet we still felt a real sense of worship as we gathered together to celebrate the birth of our Savior!

When we got home from church we each opened one gift before Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle Ty and Aunt Christie came over. We had got the older 3 kids new bikes and wanted them to get to enjoy them while the sun was still out. I have more bike pictures to come when I show our first family bike ride!

And of course we found time to practice a little volleyball - yes this weird contraption was build by my wonderful hubby who LOVES having a little volleyball star!

Then finally everyone showed up and we were able to show off our new bikes and open the rest of the presents. We love being local and getting to have the grandparents join us for Christmas most years. The kids really love an audience while they open the gifts and friends to play with them right away. Here are some random pics of the rest of the evening

Adia and Avery playing with a new toy!

Grandma and Grandpa playing our new Just Dance game - Grandma WORKED IT!

and so did Uncle Ty I might add!

Since Ty and Christie were going to be in our home we got them a little gift too.

Not sure why Christie wouldn't open it and looked so nervous... it's not like I would give her lingerie in front of her in-laws and all my kids - oh wait... maybe i would! :)

Kenyon playing tag with Grandpa Paul - thank you cousin Holyoak for the fun game!

Adison with her gold gift... she had just gotten a new bike for her birthday a few months before.

I feel like this didn't close off well but oh well! The celebrations were full of JOY and awe over what an awesome God we have to send his only son for us! I guess I like that this doesn't end well since Christmas isn't something that really ends...

Introducing Maddie

Safe Families is a program Kyle and I, and several friends from church, fell in love with over a year ago at a Home For Good Conference. After hearing about how this ministry provides Safe Homes for children while mom or dad deal with crisis situations our hearts were pulled and we were ready to go out of our comfort zone.

After the initial work of getting the ministry going at our church and doing the paper work, in late November we got the e-mail saying a little 1 year old girl would need to be cared for for a 6 month period of time - without even talking to Kyle I said YES! In fact I texted my friend who heads the ministry "we want her" immediately. Thankfully I was able to get to know mom a bit and spend some time with her and baby Maddie before the move in date which was December 9th. It was a VERY hard transition for her but I am happy to report that just under 2 months later Maddie is happy and doing so well! An added bonus is that mom is going to be able to be reunited with her little girl early and they will be back together February 21st!

Here she is the day after she took 20 steps... she waited so long to finally walk she was a pro on day 2. When she just crawled around all the time it wasn't as obvious how long the pants were. But she's a chunk of baby and needs size 2 to fit those thighs. Now we have to wear shoes with those ones or wear the tighter legging type of pant so she doesn't get her feet caught in them.

This experience has been difficult for a couple reasons and wonderful for many! My kids are doing SO WELL with her and watching their hearts make room for her and feel compassion for Maddie has been so beautiful. It's also been fun to start building relationships with other members of her family and we are excited to see where God takes us with this.

OCTOBER & NOVEMBER

Due to being SUPER disappointed with the quality of EVERY single picture I had taken with my Nikon Coolpix I fell out of love with taking pictures. Unfortunately I don't have many pictures to show for October 2011 & November 2011. But that doesn't mean we weren't busy and having fun (and having bad days) as usual.

So I will post my HAPS (Middleton family REQUIRED tri-monthly update)

October – This is the month that began in Vegas where we were forced to be by State Farm. Since setting up child care for something like that isn’t easy to come by we took advantage of it and extended our trip – just me and Kyle! Well, just us until P&J and B&R showed up. We had a great time! I somehow decided while on vacation that I could handle a few field trips and signed up for everyone that came my way – organic farms, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, plays and more. I quickly realized we don’t have room for that and we haven’t been on one since. Soccer season was still in full swing at this point and Kyle and I were very ready for that to end… 3 kids practicing at 3 different fields + Adia doing agility training and speed training every week can take a toll on a family. It was also during October that we accepted our first full time placement with for a little one year old named Maddie. I was able to meet with the mom and start spending time with them in order to better prepare Maddie for her December move in. We also began working with a 4&5 year old who needed to be watched and Tuesdays and began spending time with them as well as they adjusted to some BIG life changes at home. Thinking back on October I am a bit exhausted.

November – As soccer came to an end Avery convinced us she is truly in love with the sport and ready to take it to the next level – we being weak parents couldn’t say no and signed her up for more soccer and by more I mean she lived and breathed it from mid –Nov. – Dec. training to hopefully make it on a more competitive team in January. Kenyon started wrestling and we really think it might be the PERFECT sport for him! He loves it, it works him out hard and brings him home very tired! Love. Oh and about the field trips I backed out of all future ones except the HUGE one I was co-hosting with your parents at their house. We had a million or so people at the River House for a great lesson on the gold rush then walked to Marshall Gold Discovery Park for a tour led by Paul and some fun activities. The weather was perfect and it was a GREAT day for all! THANK YOU Paul and Jenny! Thanksgiving was also at their house and was nice and small which left a lot of space to catch up with those that were there… we really enjoyed it!

Happy 5th Birthday Adison 9.11.11

Last year we did a big party for Adison so she is on a break from those for a couple years. On the non party years you still get a special date with mom and dad and then a little fun with siblings at home. She even got a one on one movie date with dad before dinner. She was just as excited as the year before when we had a big princess party. Makes me wonder why I ever do those anyway?

We sure love having a 5 year old princess in our family!

She really is such a sweet little girl and adds so much to our family. I love her sensitive nature and her desire to do what is right. We love her endless cuddles and even her monsoon moments. Listening to her sing and watching her dance are daily joys. And if ever I need a glass of water or a small favor there is one kid I know will always be happy to do me the favor - my sweet Adison! Can't believe she is 5... where does the time go?

Shasta September 2011

I want to at least highlight a few of the really fun things our family did during 2011 before I move onto 2012.

This picture was taken during our Shasta trip with my sister Tammy's family. It was SO FUN to be there with them and watch our kids hang out on the lake together and ride quads around exactly where we did as kids.

And here is a picture of my sisters beautiful kids. No they do not all have different fathers and no none were adopted.

Highlights from the trip were Kenyon, Adison and Avery all getting up on wake boards and knee boards. Adia wake skating for the first time. And although you couldn't pay me to show a picture of it Tammy and I got on the tubes to provide the days entertainment... I have NEVER seen all of our kids (and husbands) laughing so hard. BTW - it was nowhere near as fun as I remember!

Here is Adison on the kneeboard

We all wondered if she would be smiling after the fall - and she did!

For all my other kids that wouldn't be a big deal but for this little princess it really was... I was so proud of her for trying something new. She did great!

Grand Canyon - better really late then never!

Okay so this post is about 5 months late but I didn't forget. I think I might try and catch up on some of the bigger highlights I have forgotten. Probably the BIGGEST is the much anticipated Grand Canyon Trip - and by much anticipated I mean Kyle has been on a waiting list for about 16 years for the family to get to do this again. And before I show how wonderful the trip was you all need to know the story behind me NOT being there.

About 11 years ago while we were engaged Kyle took me to dinner and told me he needed me to promise him something. He wouldn't tell me what, he just said there is something very important he wants to do with me and he needs me to promise I will do it before he tells me what it is. After much persuasion I gave in and promised. He then told me his family is on a waiting list to go on the Grand Canyon again (Kyle did this with his family when he was young) and he so badly wants to have that experience with me. After 10 years of marriage and 4 more kids when the time came for the trip he never mentioned me going. One day I said "Maybe I should go too just to see Adia have this experience"... I was quickly told "No. You wouldn't like it and not only would you ruin it for me you would probably ruin it for everyone." So I was uninvited and Adia took my place - WHATEVER!

But I was still SO HAPPY for them to have this opportunity and here are some pictures of the fun they had.

Getting read to go... hair station. Notice there are 2 people working on Adia. :)

Adia and Kyle ready to go!

Finally after years and years of waiting they are ON THE WATER! and they don't get to get off of it for 14 days!!!

The group was Kyle, Adia, his parents, 3 of his sisters (2 brought spouses), 2 brothers and their wives, 1 cousin, 1 nephew and 1 really old guy that is a long time rafting buddy of the family... he has done this trip I think like 30ish times.

Here are the guides - each responsible for one of the boats.

Group shot - when Adia got home she mentioned several times how lucky she is to have such a fun family...

but mostly she mentioned her love of UNCLE TY &

UNCLE BEN who kept her more entertained than the river.

And here she is with her wonderful Grandpa who pulled the whole thing together for everyone for a second time. Our family has so many amazing memories due to this man and his love of travel and water and nature and family!

The fun group again.

Here is what it looks like to set up a kitchen in a canyon.

Even chopping tomatoes is fun in there.

And what would they have done without all the card games???

Shaving is a mandate in our family... I was so proud of her for this picture. Kyle don't me that she probably wouldn't shave the whole time but I knew my girl would and I love that she did!

There is so much I could tell you about the trip and all the cool hikes they went on, the beautiful things they saw, the crazy rapids, the entertaining fights (yep, they are a real family) and more but I will just end with a bunch of adorable father daughter shots. If you can look past my two cuties than you will notice that yes indeed God is a marvelous Creator and his artwork in that canyon is truly awe inspiring. I'm so grateful Kyle and Adia had this opportunity!

The End!

A2 Piano

I realize that i am forever behind on this blog but my life is more full than ever. I recorded this as a thank you to the man responsible for us having this piano, and that is how it moved up the priority list. Enjoy!