Banks party!

I was cracking up when I came out and saw Kels lifting up My for a drink. She's close to her size.

Another family Christmas party! It was so fun to get together again. I swear we are always doing something. I love how close our families all are. Santa came and Mylee loved him. I thought she would be scared and she ran right up and got on his lap without us. I was shocked! Derek was analizing him pretty good. He didn't cry though. It was another fun party with the crazy Banks family!

Happy birthday to mymy

I decided to have a little playdate party with her cousins. She loved it! She has been so excited for her birthday and couldn't wait so I thought I would make it kinda fun for her. Nothing too exciting but she had fun. They played and made a mess with the cupcakes!

I seriously can't believe my baby girl is three and headed to sunbeams! It is so crazy and I'm so sad she is getting so big! It goes way too fast! We had a little party for her on her actual birthday with the grandparents. I made peach cobbler and we just hung out and opened gifts. She loved the attention! Earlier in the week I asked Josee if she wanted to go to the movie with us and go see Princess and the frog. They loved it. Braylee was cracking me up the things she would say about her prince! Then we had her little cousins party. I wasn't gonna do it this year but she was so excited. We decorated the house the night before and she LOVED the balloons her dad put everywhere! They were all down the hall and in the family room and she thought it was pretty cool. She kept telling us to sing to her under the ABC's. (happy birthday sign) She wanted a elephant cake so we made that. It was such a fun year. We gave her a couple things for her doll house and Cinderellas dress up. She loved it!

Oh christmas tree...

This is what Mylee did the whole time we set up the tree. Little turd! She was so excited and fell asleep on us after trying to find the best deal at 4 different lots! Courtesy of her dad.

Like I said....this boy has to have everything in his mouth. Only one shattered ornament this year. I was in the office editing and I hear this break and then his little voice saying uh oh... how do you get mad at that?

Since Mylee was asleep the entire night we did the tree we saved the star for her to put on the next night. She was so excited!

The night the tree got all decorated. He loved the train!

Chubs eating a celery stick from the delicious wings we got from Wingers.

Layne worked up quite the appetite since we went to 4 different tree lots this year! He wanted to find the best deal! It's so funny how kids change things. Our first year of marriage we got in a huge fight cause I didn't find the perfect one at the first place we looked and now it's him doing it! We let Mylee pick out the tree this year. I kinda put my foot down with the ones she really wanted. They were so small Layne said we could set it up on the table. Really? That was one of the dumbest ideas I'd heard in a long time so it got shut down real quick. hehe. We had so much fun out looking for a tree though. Mylee found this one and we brought it home and decorated it in no time. I think I'm addicted to smaller trees! So much less work. We decided that every year we are going to stop by for some wings from Wingers and make hot chocolate! Such a fun night for us. I love this time of year and making fun memories!

homeless

Layne and Mal.

Mylee and Malorie....she loves her cousins! I'm so glad she has a bunch around her to grow up with!

Ok.....so this was one of the funnest nights and coolest experiences I've had in a long time! My sister and her husband are the ward missionaries and leader in their ward. They had a guy names David that was there for a bit but ended up leaving up to s.lake. He ended up getting baptized and they have kept friends with him. I left my camera out in the car for this part but if I can get ahold of Shels picts I'll post some later. They invited a bunch of us family up to go and take clothes and shoes and a bunch of other things needed to a homeless shelter house. This is where David is living. We got there and the workers were telling us how they are all vets that have served in war for us and from what they have seen they kinda have gone mental abit. There was this young nurse that was so cute. She was in her 40's probably. They told us that she served as a nurse. These people here don't have family or friends that come around. They have pretty much nobody! We got there and set out all the clothes and goodies for them to come and see what they could use. I was put back in place and realized how blessed me and my little family are and how easy it is to get caught up in thinking you need it all. There was one little lady, named Audrey. She had on a pair of shoes that she found in a dumpster 5 years ago! They were getting holes in the toe and completely worn. We didn't have any her size so we told her we were going to go back up and bring her a new pair. She said that would be nice but hers were still pretty good too. I about died! This is the same lady that hasn't had a visitor in over 16yrs! She loved the little kids too. None of them took more then what they needed and were so grateful for what they received that night. We took all the kids and I'm so glad that they were able to have that experience. I thought about leaving mine home cause they aren't old enough to really know but I'm so glad I didn't cause they lit up around them. They loved the little ones. The nurse told us that she had to go do some artwork and came back with my sister a thank you note that she drew a picture on! Layne helped one guy that was close to being blind. Layne told him he could take whatever he needed to go ahead and look around. He said that would be kinda hard cause he can't see so he walked him around and got him a good pile. Also there was a man with a long silver ponytail. We walked in and started setting up and he went in his room and put on his nicer shoes and came out with 2 dark choc. candy bars for the kids! You know, I probably would have been alittle nervous with them out on the street and it sure taught me a big lesson. I will look at them and recognize that they are there and go out of my way alittle more now for people like that. I think it is amazing that they went to war for our freedom and now have a life like that. You never know peoples real stories. I told Layne after I would love to know their background and there real stories. Probably pretty interesting! It's so funny how when you go and serve and think you are helping them out so much, you learn so much! It was an experience I am so grateful for and hopefully we can go up there alot more times. After that we went and got pizza and decided to brave the cold and go see the lights. It was so much fun! Thanks Joel and Shel for inviting us and giving us that experience!

randomness

Derek is a crack up right now. He has to have something in his mouth at ALL times! He crawls around and if he needs to hawl it with him he puts it in his mouth and off he goes. I love this boy!

I'm trying to teach My that she needs to make her bed. This was one of the first times she made it and was so proud after!

Just some random picts of the kids. Mylee is completely obsessed with horses right now. She has to have everyone in the house to play with at all times. So funny their stages they go through. I love listening to her imaginary play. She puts them on time out and gets mad at them and I sit and crack up cause she sounds just like me with her. Kinda sad!

light parade

We love taking the kids to the light parade every year. We are pretty lazy and usually just stay in the truck and watch it from there but this year we went to eat before and got there alittle late. We ran out, leaving Derek asleep in the truck and caught the end of it. Mylee has always loved this! I love having my own little family to start traditions with.

happy birthday to mymy

I seriously can't believe my little girl is 3!!! Where has time gone? I remember the day she was born so clear. We were a week overdue. My parents were getting ready to leave to Hawaii in a couple days and I was determined to have our baby before they left! I contracted all night and we went into the hospital that morning only to get sent home. I went to the dr's and begged him to strip my membranes again! He did and then I left and went to see Layne at his work. He was booking a very important golf trip for him and his brothers and dad. I was standing at his desk and my water broke. I looked at him and told him it broke and of course all his brothers were around and started tiptoeing around me in disgust! I was just laughing at them. Layne told me to hold on cause he had to finish booking that dang trip. After he was done we headed to the hospital. This time I couldn't be sent home. We got there around 4pm and had her at 12:43am. That was one of the best days of our lives! She was born at 6.13oz. and had tons of black hair that stuck straight up. She was beautiful!

Now she is getting so big and is going to be going to sunbeams in Jan and I want to bawl! I can't believe how fast those 3yrs has gone! I want it to slow down. It was such a battle to get her in our family and now I'm just trying to enjoy every bit of it. She gives us a run for our money sometimes but that's what keeps it interesting.

Right now My is loving to dance and sing! Everywhere we go we have to listen to her music. She begs me to turn it up and has started learning the words to her songs. She is starting to eat so much better and we can reason with her alittle better now days. I'm loving that part. She is saying the funniest things right now. If you ask her a question she'll respond with "yes I am mom." Everything is yes. She gets so frustrated with her little brother cause he loves to destroy whatever she is playing with. She'll get her horses just perfect and he comes and knocks them all down and she gets ticked off! She is obsessed with horses right now. She loves her Eeyore still and when she hasn't seen him all day she'll say "hi buddy, I've missed you." and then give him a hug. I love watching her imagination. It's getting so big. I could sit and listen to her play cause of what she says. She is learning her colors and shapes and can count to 10. These are just some of the things I don't want to forget!

I love that she is part of our little family. She couldn't wait this year for her birthday and I am having so much fun watching her grow up. I feel so blessed that she is my little girl and want to try better to appreciate the little things she does. I'll post her birthday next.

gobble gobble.....

This is where all the craziness began! I can't even put into words how much I love these two! They are such a huge part of my life and always have been. We decided to get together this year with my side since gramps was diagnosed with leukemia. Grandpa asked me to take pictures of every family. I think it took me around 2.5 hrs! We have a huge family and we've all had a bunch of kids too. I was so happy to do it for him! I love these two so much!

Here are the 5 babies all born in the month of Jan. Craziness! They are all so cute. Mine is definitely the biggest and has the biggest head too! They are going to have so much fun together!

My brother and his family kept us entertained along with my cousin Sam!

I made sure to get one of grandmas rolls! They are the best rolls ever!

I can't believe how much food we had! I can't remember how much exact but it was a butt load!

3 long tables full of people. I was worried about it being at a church cause it's not as cozy but it ended up being so nice! I have been feeling so overwhelmed at how blessed I am to have the family I do and you can see why! I have the best support team and some of my best friends are my family! (Most of my best friends) It was such a nice day. We sat around and decided where we were going to attempt at black Friday! Wasn't as crazy as the Gordon girls but still had fun that next morning!