Family of Bull Riders

The kids had so much fun on the new mechanical bull at the fun center...

Enjoying Redding's Beauty...

We went on a walk on the Lema Ranch trail while we were in Redding. It is one of my favorite spots there. I love the willow and oak trees and the ponds. When we lived there during Matts academy I would take Mazz in on walks there several times a week after dropping the older kids off at school.

The kids walked the whole two miles and complained for the last mile. Mazz ended up needing to becarried quite a bit. At one point the kids were falling so far behind that my parents and I decided to hide from the to see what they would do. Mazzi started running the opposite direction, Ashton began to run ahead to try to find us. Tera said, "What about Mazzi?" There end conclusion was that Tera would stay with Mazzi while Ashton went to find us. It was cute overhearing their conversation as we hid on the ground. At this point we popped up and started laughing. They thought we were very rude, but I think they deserved it!

The highlight of our Sunday walk was picking cattails and pulling them apart. The kids were fascinated by them, and called them hot dog plants. They actually do look more like hot dogs then cat tails. My mom was also fascinated with how they came apart and got in on the fun with the kids.

While we were in Redding we went on a group date with some of our favorite people. We used to hang out with the Royals and the Candalerias when Ashton was just a baby. Then we all went our seperate ways and moved apart. It was so fun to get back together again. We had a great time! And we were happy that my brother Trevor and his wife were able to join the gang. We went to eat at a steak house, went out to our favorite local ice cream parlor and then walked the sundial bridge and took some fun pictures. I wish we all didn't live so far apart... we love this group!!

Christmas with the Smiths

We celebrated Christmas with my family the day after Christmas so that both CHP men (Matt and my brother) could be there. The kids had fun getting spoiled. Ashton loved helping Mazzi open her presents. He was even more excited than her.

Ashton got this cool bike that spins 360's. He played on it for hours at Redding (so did the grown ups)

Nana got the girlies these cute dolls and sewed sevreal outfits for them. They love them and have spent a lot of time dressing them up.

Mazzi discovered my brothers old bear, "Buddy the bear" and loved snuggling up with him.

My dad made these for the boys. They hook on to the hitch of your car to carry the dirt bike. Once we get a hitch Matt can hook that onto the car so Matt can take his bike when we head up to Redding

Brother Wilson, (aka Gradpa Wilson) got Tera this beautiful necklace and earrings. She said itw as her favorite gift. She feels very fancy in it and has worn the necklace every day since she got it. I told her she could get her ears pierced when she is eight, so she is saving the earrings and is excited to wear them. Now when she sees girls younger than her wearing earrings she doesn't get why she can't have hers pierced.

We were happy to get to spend some time with "little guy," Brody. He is the sweetest little guy with the cutest cheeks. Loved getting to snuggle him.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas 2011

Matt got home from his Graveyard shift in time to spend Christmas morning with us and open presents before heading for bed. Ashton had already been up at 11 to see what Santa had brought and was up again at 5 am to see his presents. He was nice and let the rest of us sleep in till 6. It was actually Tera who woke up earlier than usual out of excitement. She ended up paying for it later as she lay on the couch feeling sick for a few hours. She, like her mommy, does not handle lack of sleep well.

The kids loved their presents from Santa. Ashton got a Harry Potter lego set,

Tera got two apple pies (made by Mrs. Clause... the kids say they are the best pies ever) and some crafting supplies...
And Miss Mazzi Pants got the Tag jr and some books to go along with it. I love the look on this feisty little ones face. She is full of looks this one!

but she also has some pretty faces too :)
And our hit present for this year was Ashton's "Money Machine" It counts and sorts money. a He played with it for several hours straight and rolled all the change we had. It added up to about $13.00

Matt got this much needed pair of pajama pants. His have had this huge hole pair in his old ones for about a month now (he's had those pajama pants since we got married), but he would never go buy himself anything... this is evident by the fact that he is wearing this fleece from about 12 years ago... so I bought them and saved them so he would have something to unwrap Christmas day. He already bought his snowboarding season pass which was his real present this year. The kids gave him a cute bag filled with random things in it. Two of the things in it said, "Free masaj (massage) and Free hug"

We had a Merry Christmas! It was simple and sweet, just like I think Christmas should be. Matt tends to think I get carried away at Christmas, even though I don't think I do.... but this year I felt like it was just right. We all felt loved by one another and we felt the love of our Savior, whose birth we celebrate. We are truly blessed!

Christmas Eve

We had a nice, low-key Christmas Eve at the Thompsons home. Matt was working that night and Christmas night so we opened our presents from the kids early that afternoon and then spent the evening baking cinnamon rolls for Santa, watching a movie....

and playing an intense game of Yahtzee (as you can tell by the look on Mazzi's face, it was super intense)...

and anxiously went to sleep excited for Santa Clause to come :)

Kids say the darndest things...

When I was watching news while our car was being washed, Ashton said, "Com on Mom, you're not a news girl." He didn't want me pretending that I was current on my current events.

After eating Wienerschitzel Ashton said, "I hereby declare these are the best chili dogs ever!"

Ashton- "Mom, want to know something? When I'm by a mess I get all angry and feel all crowded." Oh No! I have created a monster. That is exactly how I feel. Not only did he inherit my OCD but my feeling of claustrophobia also. Sorry little man!

When I was snuggling Tera one morning I was pretending to bite her and she was giggling. Then she looked at me and said "Mom, you are not like other moms." I asekd her why, and she said "Most moms don't bite their kids."

On the way home from Redding we were telling Mazzi that we were going home and she got very concerned and started yelling, "No home! I want Nanas house!" She loves it in Redding with both of her grandmas and grandpas there.