Cookie Mania!

We have been making way too many cookies around here. There are a few reasons why this has become a problem. One, Mark and Dax love making cookies. They drag their chairs next to the counter and help add all the ingredients. Second, we all love eating cookies. This is a major problem since it is not helping Randy or Natalie lose weight. Third, I usually have someone to make cookies for. This week it was for the Primary teachers--I had all the teachers in Senior Primary. That might not seem like a lot, but in my ward it is 16 people. So I made 4 different kinds of cookies, wrapped them up, and delivered them with my family. Finally, my friend in my ward has a great website with lots of recipes. She makes amazing things (you don't want to miss Relief Society meetings around here). I have been looking through her recipes and I always find a cookie recipe that I want to try. You can check it out yourself (Stephanie's Kitchen). Anyway, we love cookies! And I loved these two pictures of the boys making cookies this week and wanted to share!

Pleasant Sunday

Today I looked at my house and wanted to cry. It was a disaster. Even though it was Sunday, I decided something had to be done. So I started in one room and worked through the rest, you know--putting things away, wiping down counters, and cleaning up clutter. My boys actually started playing nicely together so I could accomplish this project. And the rest of the evening was nice and peaceful. I might have to start cleaning up every Sunday. I actually sat down and read a book for a few minutes.  I decided to check on everyone after a few minutes of peacefulness.  Look at what I found.

Dax, in the office, reading books.  He read books for about 30 minutes!

Mark and Randy putting together a bird house.  They are building 3 different bird houses to attract more birds to our yard.

A Day in Ogden

Yesterday we headed up to Ogden to see my grandparents, and to check out the wood ducks at Beus Pond.  First, we went to the pond near Weber State University. We had some hamburger buns to feed to the ducks there, but we had to elbow the geese out of the way to do it. The geese were loud and aggressive. One even took a nip at me! Dax stood intrepidly (or foolishly) staring down a goose while Mark scampered across the bridge. The wild wood ducks got over the fear pretty quickly when they saw the other ducks chowing down. If you want to hear (and see) more about Beus Pond, check out our other blog: Utah Valley Family Adventures.

After an icy walk around the pond, we went to see Great-Grandma Betty and Great-Grandpa Dan (that is what my boys call them). The boys loved the new chairs my grandparents had just unwrapped.  It was hard to keep them from climbing in and out. We had a great visit and did lunch. The boys were really good with Grandma and Grandpa and took adorable pictures. It was a pleasant surprise for them to cheese together at the camera rather than act shy and duck their heads for the pictures.

Dax vs. Goose

Male and Female Wood Ducks

Mark and Dax feeding the ducks.

My cute boys!

Mark and Great Grandma Betty

Dax and Great Grandpa Dan

Mark and Dax sitting in grandpa's chair for the millionth time.

Mark's prayers

Last night as we were kneeling next to his bed for prayer, Mark turned to me and said, "Mom, how long do we have to do this for?"  I had to hold all of my laughter in and tell him that we do it forever.  He will appreciate it someday!

Dax LOVES corn!

Dax loves corn on the cob.  He eats it any chance he gets.  I don't blame him--I love it, too!  Tonight we went to Chili's and I took this picture of him.  Then I remembered another picture I had of him eating corn this summer.  Enjoy!

Dax eating corn at Chili's

Dax in the summer enjoying corn on the cob.

He just loves it so much!

Christmas: Come and Gone

Christmas has come and gone.  We had a wonderful holiday.  It was nicely spread out.  The Ockey Family Christmas Party was on the 19^th, Christmas on the 25^th, and then The Daniels Family Gathering on the 29^th.  It allowed the kids to love all their presents and have more time to spend with them.  Mark's favorite present:  I’m not sure, now that I think about it.  He loved his Woody doll, but he also loved his Magic Tree House book set.  Now he has #1-40.  Dax’s favorite present: I wish I could say it was his new chair, but I think it was the shopping cart he pulled out of the crawl space a few days before Christmas (an old toy packed away—sounds about right).  But then it quickly became the tractor given to him by Grandma and Grandpa Daniels.  Here are some pictures from the Christmas celebrations.  

Christmas Eve jammies and slippers

Mark and Woody

Mark got a huge helicopter!

Dax loved his new tractor from Grandma and Grandpa Daniels 

So cool!

My favorite picture of the boys this Christmas!