Happy Holidays 2012

I have now beaten my record of the longest lapse between blogs.  I have also taken a good many too few pictures of our busy lives since my last blog.  

For example, Thanksgiving: none.   We spent the weekend in St. George where the Robinson's put together a beautiful dinner and we had so much fun!  

We went to see Rise of the Guardian's, which we loved and laughed at the "kiddie cones" we got at Marv's diner.  They were 8 inches tall.  Even the grown ups couldn't down them.

Amidst all the busy-ness of the month of December we found ways to have fun and enjoy the season.  We played in the snow and went to lots of fun parties, and even had one ourselves.  Kwint's birthday party this year is set to become a yearly tradition for us.  He went snowmobiling with Kris (which was a one time break in the tradition of snowboarding together on his birthday) and then we had a hot cocoa & cinnamon roll party.  Oh, I wish I had pictures!!  And if I had pictures, I would wish that they could have captured the sweet, soft, mouth-watering, Mmmmmm feeling of biting into one of those warm Kneaders cinnamon rolls!!

As is our tradition, we spent Christmas Eve feasting at Kris and Barbi's.  We always gather around the piano to sing carols.  When Great-Grandma Enid was alive she played, then Grandma DeAnn took over, and now the duty has fallen upon Bailee, who is an amazing pianist already, at age 11.  Barbi played her flute and Kwint played his guitar, and we all felt the Spirit of Christ.  What a gift He gave to the world with his birth, life, death and resurrection!

Here are our favorite shots of Christmas morning!

Poor Kaeleb, all he wanted for Christmas was his two front teeth, but he didn't get them.  I think he was pretty happy with what he got instead, though.

 

Brennan was not short on holiday cheer either...He was really glad Santa remembered what he wanted most!

                                     Just for fun, I'll include Mom and Dad... We love Santa too.

 We had a slow start to the snow this year- which is strange for Heber.  We love snow sports and we love a White Christmas, so we said a lot of prayers for it to snow before Christmas and we know the Lord was listening!  We taught the boys to cross country ski over the break from school and they picked it up like it was nothing!!  They also spent a lot of afternoons at the park on their snow skates- including Dad who got one for Christmas.  Santa knew Daddy was jealous of the boys' skates. :)

We always love our Little America brunch with Aunt Marie as well, and got a great family picture, which I hope I will be getting a copy of soon!  I can add it in- everyone was there except Paul and Coby, so it is quite a treasure! 

December seems to sneak up on me and I am always stunned when I realize that a whole year has come and gone.  I always look back and think "How?  Where was I?  It's really gone?"  So much has happened this year, though and we have all learned and grown.  Nobody wants to hear about the crummy ins and outs, or the stresses and challenges of day to day life, though they are ever present, so I try not to write most of them.  I am so glad to have a place to store pictures and memories of the good, great, and fun experiences we've shared here on this blog and in the book it will become.  We are a family filled with love for one another, which is the best gift we could hope to receive, and we do have a lot of fun together.  We also feel blessed by family and friends who add to our blessings every day.

Halloween and Beyond

Happy Halloween!!!

 We had tons of fun this year, designing, constructing, painting, and sewing our costumes.
First, meet Link and Link.  Kaeleb and Brennan both love Legend of Zelda.  Kwint cut out the shields, I sketched the patterns and we all helped paint them.  I sewed the costumes and the boys had a blast trick or treating. 

Kwinten and I chose the Avengers, Black Widow and Hawk Eye.  Easy to make and comfy! 

                                     

 We always love the annual costume party at Kris and Barbi's house.  This year we were greeted at the door by Lucille Ball herself. (She's like Elvis, she never really died.)  Oh, and of course, Gandalph.

 And, there's us again, we just look so happy and I think Kwint looks good with a bow, so I added this pic.

 What can I say about this?  Kris was a pregnant 80's bride.  He played the part well.

                                            Link and Link trick or treating around our block.

                  Little Gracie in her clown costume.  She had clown lips but licked it off with all the chocolate.

 After the trunk or treat and trick or treating our neighborhood and Kris & Barbi's, I'd say they took in a good bundle o' candy.  Kwint and I both got a stomachache and a toothache each from looking at it alone.

 Gracie celebrated her 3nd birthday.  We couldn't go to the party on her b-day so we threw one at our house the Saturday before.  I am utterly smitten with this little spunk of a girl.  She knows exactly what she wants and exactly how to get it.  Seriously, look at this face!  How would anyone say no?

Kaeleb competed in his first ever Pinewood Derby.  He did most of the work himself and won 2nd place in all the races.

I don't know why there is a box around this one,  I can't delete it.

 One day Brennan was washing dishes for me (translation: spraying soap and water around the kitchen).  I went upstairs for something and when I came down, this is what I found.  Brennan in a soup pot.  Life just never gets boring for him!

The past 3 days have brought us our first substantial storm.  Yesterday, after just waking, Brennan put on his new boots and said "I'm going to be outside shoveling the driveway."  I said, "Ok, have fun."  I didn't expect him to get too far, but he shoveled the whole thing!!  

Kaeleb took this picture so he can use it as a model in drawing our house.  He is really getting into drawing and is pretty talented too!  I love watching him draw.  Today in sacrament meeting he drew a collection of Lizardmen with various weapons.  Brennan loudly begged Kwint to draw him a Minotaur.  Boys...

September/October 2012

 September 1st was an important day for Kaeleb, as you can see.  He has learned the gospel, prayed for a testimony, and made the choice to be baptized.  We are very proud of him for taking this decision seriously.  He reads his scriptures and has been memorizing the Articles of Faith.  The Primary Presidency gave him a special baptism book in which all who attended wrote him letters and he wrote his testimony in the front.  The Spirit there was so sweet- and watching him in the water with his Dad felt like the most right thing in the world.  It was truly a blessing.

 We had a family lunch and party for him after the baptism.

 On Labor Day we took a trip to the cabin so Kaeleb could try out his new Swiss Army Knife and practice shooting his bow and arrow.

 I love this picture of Brennan.  He is getting so tall and loves anything adventurous and fun.  Including hoses and water.  And mud.

 Oh, the musty old cabin.  Always endearing.  It is such a part of Kemp Family living, so sometimes I just have to take a picture.  What a legacy left by Kwint's grandparents.  They would be glad to know our children are being raised close enough to spend a lot of time there.

 We are having issues with the current fake smile Bren is using in pictures, but here he is on the 1st day of his 2nd year of preschool.  He considers it a sad day, as he desperately longs for kindergarten, but he loves the kids and his teacher at ABC Discovery Preschool.

 They all brought their favorite stuffed animals, which in Brennan's case is Chaucer the Bear.  Pictured also are two preschool friends, Britton on the left and William on the right.

 Next in the line up of exciting days in September was BRENNAN'S 5th BIRTHDAY!!!  YAY!

 He had an Avengers Party with some of his favorite friends and has loved being 5 so far.

 My mom and her husband Gary are now home from their mission in Washington DC and we were happy to spend part of conference weekend with them here in Heber.  One of the things we did for fun was pumpkin painting.  All of these terrifying and spooky pumpkins are frightening the neighbors out on our front porch.

 This was a fun day babysitting our friends, William and Jackson.  I love William because he goes from the straightest face to the funniest laugh in .01 seconds.  I love Jackson because he calls me "Mom".

 Yesterday we took our annual trip to the corn maze.  This year we went to Syracuse so we could spend the day with GnG afterward.  Here's me with my little pumpkin heads, as my mom used to call us.

 Big smiles all the way down the hayslides...

 Well, ok, that doesn't look like a smile... Kaeleb smiled at the bottom.  I promise.

 Kaeleb and Kwint took a turn on the rock climbing wall.  Kwint scrambled to the top twice and then helped Kaeleb go as high as he could.

I love this picture of my guys.  We didn't even get lost this year!  We are getting good at this.  Daddy is a good corn maze map reader and the boys are picking up the skill.  I just go where I am told.

We also went to see Hotel Transylvania, which we found hilarious.  We love the Halloween season and are busy getting ready for the next 2 big days of the month--Saige's annual costume costume party (we never know what we will see when the Kemp's and Parker's combine in costumes.)--and Halloween next Wednesday.  The costumes are more complex this year and have required more creativity, sawing, sanding, painting, and sewing prowess.  Not that I really know what prowess is, I just know I must have it to do what I have been called to do this Halloween.

Speaking of being called, Kwinten and I have new callings.  Our ward split a few weeks ago, which has been quite a big change, actually.  We have loved every ward we've ever lived in and are amazed by all our great neighbors here in our new Wheeler Park ward, many of whom were in our ward previously, and we also miss our friends who stayed in the Daniel's Canyon ward.

Kwinten was called to be the Sunday School President which he has found a very stretching experience and is teaching him much.  I am a Sunday School teacher (Totally by revelation, not convenient proximity, of course.  Haha!) and I love it.  I feel really grateful to be able to have this chance to teach the scriptures to the youth.  My class kids are 14-15 years old and so much fun.  I love teaching the scriptures and they are a great bunch of kids. 

The kids are doing great in school.  Kaeleb  scored high in Benchmark testing and is really happy with his teacher and classmates.  I feel like Kaeleb has been in God's hands every year, getting exactly who he has needed as a teacher to help him grow the most.

Brennan says he already knows everything they teach in preschool, so he should just stay home and play all day, but we're making him go anyway.  I have had to get creative to keep him busy.  Tumbling, sports at the Rec Center and millions of books at the library are among my tactics.  His energy level is something to behold.

Party Time!

 Last weekend we had an end of summer cabin bash with some good friends and family.  Kaeleb used his birthday money to buy his very own compound bow.  The cabin is the perfect place to target practice and everyone had a lot of fun.

 Nathan and little Andrew spectating...

 Here's McKay taking a shot...

 Brennan's turn at the target...

 Kaeleb is preparing for his baptism next week.  He is learning all he can about the covenants of baptism, reading the scriptures, memorizing the articles of faith, going to cub scouts and working on the faith in God book.  Here are some of my favorite pictures we took for the baptism announcements we sent to our family.
This is the most important step he will take and the first of many on the path of discipleship, which is the path of happiness. 

 Yesterday we had our annual double birthday party.  Both boys have birthday within a month of each other, so it seems easier to have the family parties combined so more family travels less.

 

 

 Later we went to Talan's soccer game.  He is the goalie, and made a good many saves for his team last night!

 Meanwhile, Brennan taught Saige and Krystal how to use the suction cup bow and arrow he got from Grandpa Tom.

We love these boys and feel true gratitude for them and our mountain home. :)