December has sped by at warp speed ( I am sensing a re-occurring theme in my posts). As usual the Christmas season has been one filled with rushing around the stores, worrying about the gifts we are going to give, (and get, in the kid's case).....and trying to keep the spirit of Christ as the focus of our holiday season. This month we have wrapped a door in our house - only half way up because of Jiles, needless to say he has the tendency to rip, pull, take apart anything and everything he can. Our tree is now only decorated about 3/4 of the way up, it is a hot mess!!
I digress....the purpose of the door is that each time anyone in our family does an act of service we get to put a bow on the door - it has been fun watching the way the bows get put up. There have been things from purchasing gifts for the Angel Tree in our ward, pushing a lady's car out of a snow bank, fixing a neighbors light, making one anothers beds, or cleaning up the dinner table. Big or little acts all count equally and Ella has been the one who has really gotten in to this. This will be a tradition that will be one that lasts - we are going to spend our Christmas Eve as a family talking about the service that has been performed and hopefully there will be a desire to continue with the service even though the door will soon be back to normal, a white coat closet door.
Morgan attended the Christmas dance at Alta this year - thank heaven there was no need to purchase or worry about a fancy dress - I love the more casual dances. The stress levels go WAY down and I think that everyone has more fun because of it. They spent the day sleigh riding, then off to Training Table for dinner.....good, good times.
Ella's Kindergarten class put on a Christmas program.....she has been singing her heart out all month at home in preparation for the big event. One of my favorites that I have heard her singing is about a 'Fartridge in a Pear Tree' - sometimes I just don't have it in me to correct her. The days will pass that she just isn't quite sure what she is saying, so I am enjoying all her little bits of silliness.
Me and my girl.....
Ella's class did the Hula and sang 'Mele Kalekemaka', and I must admit that girl can shake her hips and do the hula with the best of them. Her dancing skills I am sure come from her big sister Brenna. 
Grandma and Aunt Julie joined us at her program. I am pretty sure she felt proud as could be with all of us there supporting her in her short, but very sweet Christmas program.Jensen has replaced football with basketball for the next few months. He was invited by a friend of ours to play on his team. There are 3 others from his football team and a few boys that he has played soccer with in the past. Jensen has never played basketball....I will be the first to admit that probably going to a super-league was not the best idea, but he is having fun and his team is doing well. Having a sport that is indoors and not effected by the cold and rain is a nice perk also. Still, football reigns supreme at our house as everyones favorite.
My Jiles.....there are so many words to describe him. This last week one of the words of choice was 'straggly' - the boy needed a hair cut. J.D. has taken him one other time, but I needed to get the 'Cookie Cutter' magic. He loved it there. Watched a movie (which he does not do at home, because he will not hold still for long enough) and driving in a little car was super fun for him. The girl that was cutting his hair got such a kick out of the way he immediately posed for the picture as soon as I got the camera out.
A less 'straggly' version of the boy. There was oodles of hair on the floor. I am so glad that he enjoyed the hair cut, it makes it so much easier for next time.
J.D. wanted to do something nice for my family this Christmas. We have stopped drawing names for the adults and giving gifts. We don't have a whole lot of parties that we go to so this year as part of trying to show service he planned a party at Incredible Pizza for the Hackwell clan. Everyone was able to come and the kids ran around like crazy people for 3 hours, eating and playing games. It is fun to be able to spend time with cousins and aunts and uncles and Grandma and Grandpa. Isn't that what the Holidays should be about anyway. Family is all we truly have.
Jensen tried his hardest to add up all his tickets to get the 'big ripper' - he is such a crack-up!! Not many people that I know would let me take their picture while pulling such a scary face.....I am glad that my kids will be silly.
J.D. pulling out all the stops and showing Ella all of his mad football skills (I am not quite sure how many balls actually went through the holes, but Ella was impressed and that is all that matters, right?)
Again, what is up with my kids and the faces that they will pull???? I don't know what else to say.
Jiles is going to be a pro at swiping cards when he grows up. He figured that is how the games worked right away - he is going to rival Ella and swiping my debit card at the grocery store (she even has my PIN memorized......)
Drew and cousin Jake.....they played shooting games and driving games all night - I don't even think I saw them for more than 15 minutes at the beginning while they were eating their dinner. Drew is officially taller than me.....he is weighing more than me as well. Kind of a strange place for a mom to be. When he gives me his big bear hug and the beginning or ending of a day, I have to say...."Please don't hurt me," - I am living with another grown-up. He is a joy to be around. He doesn't get to say alot living with the sisters and brothers that he has. They are all so outspoken and loud.....Drew is my gentle giant.
Aunt Julie and Uncle Bradly with Tater boy....everyone got into the game playing. You know those prizes are spendy with the tickets, you have to get as many as you can if you want anything worth while.
Uncle Trent, Aunt Jill and Aunt Jana
Brenna and Morgan with Aunt Janeen. Morgan and Brenna took their game cards and after they were finished they gave all the tickets that they had earned to Brittyn. She really wanted a Lava Lamp and it was like 1500 tickets.....thanks for the kindness ladies. You continue to make me proud.
Ji-Ji riding the Merry-Go-Round......I laugh when I see the faces he pulls.
Owen, Aliza and Tate
Me and my boyfriend, thanks for the fun night honey!! You are the best!! I am so thankful that he loves my family so much. I am truly a very lucky lady.
Climbing in the Play Place - Gosh, Brenna.....you are so lucky that you still fit up those small tubes!!
My Jiles.....there are so many words to describe him. This last week one of the words of choice was 'straggly' - the boy needed a hair cut. J.D. has taken him one other time, but I needed to get the 'Cookie Cutter' magic. He loved it there. Watched a movie (which he does not do at home, because he will not hold still for long enough) and driving in a little car was super fun for him. The girl that was cutting his hair got such a kick out of the way he immediately posed for the picture as soon as I got the camera out.
A less 'straggly' version of the boy. There was oodles of hair on the floor. I am so glad that he enjoyed the hair cut, it makes it so much easier for next time.
J.D. wanted to do something nice for my family this Christmas. We have stopped drawing names for the adults and giving gifts. We don't have a whole lot of parties that we go to so this year as part of trying to show service he planned a party at Incredible Pizza for the Hackwell clan. Everyone was able to come and the kids ran around like crazy people for 3 hours, eating and playing games. It is fun to be able to spend time with cousins and aunts and uncles and Grandma and Grandpa. Isn't that what the Holidays should be about anyway. Family is all we truly have.
Jensen tried his hardest to add up all his tickets to get the 'big ripper' - he is such a crack-up!! Not many people that I know would let me take their picture while pulling such a scary face.....I am glad that my kids will be silly.
J.D. pulling out all the stops and showing Ella all of his mad football skills (I am not quite sure how many balls actually went through the holes, but Ella was impressed and that is all that matters, right?)
Again, what is up with my kids and the faces that they will pull???? I don't know what else to say.
Jiles is going to be a pro at swiping cards when he grows up. He figured that is how the games worked right away - he is going to rival Ella and swiping my debit card at the grocery store (she even has my PIN memorized......) 
Drew and cousin Jake.....they played shooting games and driving games all night - I don't even think I saw them for more than 15 minutes at the beginning while they were eating their dinner. Drew is officially taller than me.....he is weighing more than me as well. Kind of a strange place for a mom to be. When he gives me his big bear hug and the beginning or ending of a day, I have to say...."Please don't hurt me," - I am living with another grown-up. He is a joy to be around. He doesn't get to say alot living with the sisters and brothers that he has. They are all so outspoken and loud.....Drew is my gentle giant.
Aunt Julie and Uncle Bradly with Tater boy....everyone got into the game playing. You know those prizes are spendy with the tickets, you have to get as many as you can if you want anything worth while.
Uncle Trent, Aunt Jill and Aunt Jana
Brenna and Morgan with Aunt Janeen. Morgan and Brenna took their game cards and after they were finished they gave all the tickets that they had earned to Brittyn. She really wanted a Lava Lamp and it was like 1500 tickets.....thanks for the kindness ladies. You continue to make me proud.
Ji-Ji riding the Merry-Go-Round......I laugh when I see the faces he pulls. 
Owen, Aliza and Tate
Me and my boyfriend, thanks for the fun night honey!! You are the best!! I am so thankful that he loves my family so much. I am truly a very lucky lady.
Climbing in the Play Place - Gosh, Brenna.....you are so lucky that you still fit up those small tubes!! The family had a great time. Good Food (well, maybe) Good Friends (a.k.a family) and Fun.
My girls decided that this year that they were going to make homemade gifts for their (yikes) boyfriends. We spent hours going to the fabric store and trying to figure out how to get these blankets sewn for them. I am not a seamstress, never will be, but the experience has been fun. I am glad that I was able to help them out.
The naughty little poot Jiles got himself put in time out yesterday. Morgan thought it would be funny to put him up on the top shelf of the pantry. He thought it was hilarious, and would have stayed - Ella was worried that he might fall. I am glad someone was concerned for his safety and well being, because Morgan and Brenna certainly were not. They love to see how far they can push sometimes.
Equally as frightening as Jiles at the top of the pantry is the amount of junk food that I have in there!! Sugared cereals, potato chips and cookies.....yikes.
So, this was a wrap-up of our December so far. I am positive that there is stuff that I have left out. Trying to stay on top of my blogging is going to be one of my New Years Resolutions.
My girls decided that this year that they were going to make homemade gifts for their (yikes) boyfriends. We spent hours going to the fabric store and trying to figure out how to get these blankets sewn for them. I am not a seamstress, never will be, but the experience has been fun. I am glad that I was able to help them out.
The naughty little poot Jiles got himself put in time out yesterday. Morgan thought it would be funny to put him up on the top shelf of the pantry. He thought it was hilarious, and would have stayed - Ella was worried that he might fall. I am glad someone was concerned for his safety and well being, because Morgan and Brenna certainly were not. They love to see how far they can push sometimes.
Equally as frightening as Jiles at the top of the pantry is the amount of junk food that I have in there!! Sugared cereals, potato chips and cookies.....yikes.
So, this was a wrap-up of our December so far. I am positive that there is stuff that I have left out. Trying to stay on top of my blogging is going to be one of my New Years Resolutions. Basically, I love my people!! I love my life and am thankful for each and every day that I am blessed to be with them.
