Make a Smilebox slideshow

Our Canadian Christmas Adventure

Have you ever seen a rainbow in the winter, arching over the sun, while it is snowing outside? A gracious picture for Christmas Eve day, don't you think? We finally got on the road to Canada in the late afternoon, and pulled up (as is customary) at 4:00 am. to a fully awake Harker home. Sleep cycles within these walls are a unique phenomenon. Anyhoo, on to Christmas Eve....

Let it begin with the breathing treatments, thanks to Grandpa's midnight prescription. Logan loves to start asthma attacks from a mild cold. He is such a trooper, poor little dude. He felt miserable over Christmas, but he has pulled out of it pretty quick.

Logan's favorite Christmas surprises were a miniature Lamborghini model and Ferrari Pumas just like grandpa Orin's, his Lightning Mcqueen race track from grandma and grandpa Ferney, and all other forms of car paraphenelia. Santa brought Logan cap guns! I never thought that I would see the day that Logan would be given guns to play with. Thanks alot, Santa. Aunt Caroline will not allow Camden to play with them, sorry Caro!

This nativity program was the most unique performance ever. Jesus was a girl, the angels were more like Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears in a duet, the 3 yr. old donkeys were acting like they had mad cow, the shepherd hadn't showered in days, and the narrator resembled a circus tent. Props go to Val for her sense of humor.

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GO FLAMES, GO!!!

4 generations of Harkers- Logan, Brad, Orin, and Jack.

We love you grandma Peggy!Great-grandmas are pretty precious, and Logan is lucky enough to have four of them.

Maddy came with us to Calgary and is having a.... well, an interesting vacation!

This pic is taken from the kitchen window at Brad's parents house. Beautiful!

Pre-Christmas at the Ferney House

The Raymond Christmas party was hosted at my mom's house this year on December 20th. Props to mom and dad for working tirelessly for three days in a row to entertain us. Here is a picture of some of the great grandchildren that are carrying on the family line, looking exactly like we did at their age. We missed 4 cousins that couldn't make it this year. 

Nice pan Rach! We had a little family party and a sibling gift exchange the next night after church. Can you possibly think of a better way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas than eating Prime Rib and watching Dark Knight? Okay, so I wasn't a fan of the movie.  Ty and Rach had to head back to Utah the next morning. We spent the next day packing and cleaning. That night the Stosich and Harwood families came over to the house for the evening. Then on to the north pole! 

Nic, Joe, and a weird moving shot of Bailee. Poor thing got her tonsils out on Boxing day.

The nativity was acted out in amazing form, with a little bit of BYU action going on in the background. Our condolences to all the friends that made the long treck to Vegas for the dissapointment.

Rach and Ty cheezin' for the camera. They spent Christmas with Ty's family in Utah.

Jesse, Kim and baby Peyton

I stole a few pics off of my sister's blogs so that I could show off my beautiful nieces and nephew. This pic is of Logan and Peyton at Rach and Ty's house in Utah. They babysat several weeks ago while Brad and I went to a rockin' coldplay concert to celebrate our 7th anniversary. Brad was pretty darn ecstatic. Those guys know how to put on a concert! Viva La Vida baby! It is refreshing to enjoy the entertainment of true musicians when the opportunity comes around.

Kudos go to Rachel (my younger sis),the best aunt on the planet. She goes way above and beyond to spoil these kiddos with her attention.

If anyone knows Nichole (my other sis), you know that she is a go-getter. I think this characteristic is required to keep track of Ella. She may be the cutest toddler ever, but she has "mischievous" written on her forehead! 

Happy birthday to Bailee, who just turned 6. She is a fabulous little girl! You make me smile beans!

Pics for Grandma

Before I explain these pictures, I want to wish everyone a fantastic month. December always rushes in as soon as the Thanksgiving dinner ends, but this year it has come faster and with more intensity than ever before. I hope that in our own ways we will all pause to remember the one who is even more generous than Santa Clause, and recognize all the gifts that He brings to every day of our lives. Have a fabulous month everybody!

Snow! Finally! Logan looks pretty pumped up in the pic by the fireplace. His enthusiasm lasted about 10 minutes once he was outside in the chilling air. Now for the tree explanation. It may look like a good ole' fashioned holiday tree when finished, but I swear every year that I will burn the p.o.s. before it gets hauled upstairs again! I had to listen to my parents yell at it for about 8 years before it got stuck at our house for the next 7. It has over 200 plug-in possibilities and half of the pre-lit lights still don't work. And it stands like the leaning tower. Too bad this baby isn't in pisa- it would fit right in. Logan may have fallen asleep as Brad and Maddy put it together, but atleast the project was completed. The picture of Logan in the shorts just displays his remarkable talent for picking out clothes to wear to pre-school in 20 degree weather. That's my boy. 

You know that you wish you could move like that!

First matter of business: I am going to go ahead and be honest in admitting that I have completely messed up sleeping habits! Brad and I need professional help in the circadian rythm department. For as long as we have been married, our minds have come to their most alert state after 10:00 every night. It is between 10:00 and 1:00 that we get the most creative ideas (atleast they seem so at the time), engage in the most intriguing conversations, and find some perspective. It is also the only time we have to catch up on the DVRs like Chuck, My Own Worst Enemy, and Survivor. When does everyone else get there "thinking chair" time? Someone, teach me how to not be nocturnal!

Second matter of business: These you tube videos make me laugh! I sooooo want to be the old lady in the middle when I am too old to be moving like that. Dang, girl's got it. She is good. Who's grandma is she??? Thanks for the clip Ashley. As for the second clip, you won't appreciate the sheer raw talent of Justin Timberlake unless you have already been introduced to Beyonce's music video for this song. Go to youtube for all the male impersonations of this dance. I wouldn't want to have to compete against all the guys out there who can shake it better than their female counterparts. 

New Game with New Rules

Brad and I have most recently entered into the world of teenagers. In two days, we have learned all about transferring school credits. We have invented new ways of waking Maddy up in the mornings. We have been taught about the weed problem and the location of "stoner hall" at Idaho Falls High School - thanks student tour guide. We have reviewed curfews, chores, and Algebra homework. Most of all, we have had some major excitement and chaos trying to figure out how our new family can all work together so that Maddy and Casey (my cousins, 15 and 16) can have a good time here, despite the bummer of having to leave their home. Casey is living with my uncle down the road and we are hoping that we will get to spend a lot of time with him. I may not be any good with change, but I don't think I will be getting as bored this winter as I was last year. I hope that our friends get to know these kids. They are pretty amazing and they need more reasons of why living in I.F. doesn't suck!

Pics of Logan's first hockey lesson

A quick update....

Where is the time going? Holy smokes, Christmas is around the bend, and Halloween just passed. We are going to have weather in the 50's all week! Thanks, Idaho for cutting us a break before the wrath of winter sets in. Life in our home has felt crazy and chaotic! I want to remember later, what is it that we have been up to.

Brad just moved into an office in the Kingston building downtown. He also just started Hockey season. He came home today and told me he wanted to beat an old man up that he plays against. Now that would be a sight. He is totally swamped with getting Landspin in motion, but I can tell that he is liking the work despite the all the stress and late nights. Boy never sleeps.

I have been feeling better and better with my hips/butt/legs scenario this last month. I hope that no one ever takes their health and ability to move for granted. Health is a daily gift. Once in a while, I get discouraged about not having a baby on the way, but I just feel an overwhelming need to trust the man in charge and know that the baby plan is going to unfold. I need atleast a little patience. I swear that time stops when you are waiting for something to happen immediately. I want another babe so bad, I can hardly bear the idea of ten months gestation. We have so many good things going on around our neighborhood and family, that the excitement is a great consolation in the meantime. The missionaries in our ward have been really wonderful with teaching some of my cousins, and it''s been fun to be part of the process. Two of my other cousins, Madeline and Casey will be coming to Idaho Falls to live with us next week. Brad and I will have Maddy, and Casey will live with my uncle. We get both of the kids on sundays for church. Maddy is 16 years old and will likely be here until she graduates high school. I hope that she will be able to tell me how to raise a teenager, because we have NO CLUE what to do or how to do it Good thing they are such fun teenagers to be with. This will be an adventure for all of us.

Logan and his friends NEVER stop playing. I never cease to be amazed with the ideas that they come up with. Logan just came in SOAKING WET from head to toe. The boys had decided that they would pretend to be cars going through a car wash. Brilliant. Logan is a very scrupulous colorer lately, and loves his preschool teacher. He pretends to speak in spanish, LOVES to rhyme, and is getting pretty good at making his own food. Brad took him for his first skating/hockey lesson this week. I felt like wrapping him up like bubble boy before he hit the ice, but he was ready to get out there without his mom. He still can't make it through a single day without a nap. And he thinks that after I have bought him each of his Christmas presents, that I just mail them off to Santa, and that he will only bring them back on the big day if he obeys. The concept is working well so far.

Happy Halloween! We have all been so lucky around here to finally have a trick-or-treat night that was nice and warm.... okay, atleast didn't call for winter coats. This fall has been so dang nice. It may be winter this next week, but atleast we got some beautiful days. The Holm and Harwood families joined up with us for dinner and then a route with the neighbors through the neighborhood. We went to both great grandparents' houses and ended up at the Harwood's house for the usual invasion. Logan loved every second. I made him sell me half of his Halloween candy yesterday. It is slowly going to the trash can so that grandpa Orin won't be filling cavities this Christmas.