Happy Birthday!!

 I had a great birthday and enjoyed being with my family.  My sweet girls came home from school and made me some birthday presents!

 Eliza made me this fairy house!  I loved her little creation and was so impressed with her imagination!  The door has a Christmas wreath on it and it even has a little welcome mat at the front door.  I LOVE my fairy house!

Anne made me a birthday garland!  They are so sweet and are the best daughters around.

The kids came home from school and we started the party right off.  I got some new running shoes, and some clothes.  We then dropped off the kids at Grandma and Grandpa Schwitzers and Mike and I went out to dinner with Mom and Jill.  I really missed not having Dad there but, he couldn't get work off.  We went to Macaroni Grill and then headed over to the Mall to do a little shopping.  Mike was so good to put up with all the shopping!  The best sales are on my birthday because everyone is trying to get rid of winter stuff to get their spring stuff in!  So, we found great sales!!  It was a great day and I think being 36 will be great!!

Happy New Year

 On New Year's Day we cleaned up Christmas and then in the afternoon headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Young's.  We decided it would be fun to go sledding!  We headed down to Mountain View Park with everyone else in Cottonwood Heights. We seriously risked out lives and went sledding.  People were getting hurt all around us so, we didn't stay to long but, long enough.  It was such a pretty day and was actually really warm out.  It felt so good to soak in some vitamin D and enjoy being outside.  I love the picture above of Lucy screaming down the hill.  She loved sledding and would let out a scream every time she went down the hill.

 Grandma Young is always in on having a good time!

 Yes, Mike and I even did a couple run!

 Some of the cool people in the family tried snowboarding down the hill.  Only the cool do this!!  :)

After we headed to Grandma and Grandpa's and had hot chili, warm rolls and hot apple cider.  We had to head back home early because we started back to school.  It was a great winter break!

2013

2013 has come to a close and it has been a wonderful year for our family!  We started out the year by going on a wonderful family vacation to Disneyland!  This was such a fun trip and we enjoyed every moment.  We went in February the week of Mike's birthday.  It was so nice to soak in the sun and wear short sleeves shirts for a week during the winter!

Jason enjoyed another year of Basketball.  He also got involved in track and field and really learned he was fast.  He was one of the fastest boys in his age group!  He ended up going to state and taking 3rd place!  Jason went fishing and camping a lot with Mike and they even got a new canoe to take their fishing to a whole new level.  Jason also finished up cub scouts  this year by getting his Webelos badge and his Arrow of Light!

Anne had a big year with her Baptism.  It was such a special day and she looked so pretty all in white.  It even snowed on her big day which made everything super clean and white!  Anne was involved in 2 dance recitals this year and she is improving in dance.  Anne also got Brace this year!   I was surprised had how excited she was to get them and she has started her path of having a perfect smile!

Eliza learned how to ride her  2 wheeler this year and loss some teeth!  She also is in dance and she is making huge progress in dance!  She graduated from pre-school and started kindergarten this year.  She enjoys school but, always loves being home with Mom!

Lucy had a huge year in over coming anything baby.  She moved out of her crib, she was potty trained, and has over come her habit of sucking her thumb!  So, she tells me she is not longer a baby but, a little girl.  She is talking a lot better and loves playing with her older sisters.



As a family we finished the basement and Jason and Anne moved downstairs!  It is so nice to have that all finished and done.  We worked on the yard by planted more trees and shrubs.  We also put in a nice fire pit and have enjoyed sitting around it and telling stories.  We love our yard and we had so many outdoor parties in it this year.  One of our favorite is when we set up the outdoor movie screen and enjoy the nice warm summer nights watching a movie!  We always love going to Bear Lake and hanging out with cousins!  Mike and I enjoyed our back East trip.  It was so much fun being together and learning about our church's history and the beginnings of our great country.

We also were excited to welcome cousins into our extended families.  Miss Elizabeth was born in February and Dallan was born in July!  We also are so excited to have David join our family through adoption.  He was also baptized in December and we are so proud of him!

We have so much to be thankful for and I know we will look over 2013 with good memories!!

I want my kids and Mike to know how much I love them!  Being their wife and mother makes me so happy!  I am so grateful I have to chance to spend this life with them and each of you help me along the way.  I learn so much from all of you and each day each of you make me a better person.  I love you!!!!

Mom

New Year's Eve

 Paul and Kari hosted a really fun New Year's Party this year.  We had dinner and then they  put together about 10 games that we played together as family teams.  There was the Neddo team, the Paul Schwitzer team, the Mike Schwitzer team and the Greg Schwitzer team that included Jacob and his friend Lawson.  The picture above is me playing the cup game for our family.

 Each team had to dress in all the same color so, since we have a billion junior Jazz uniforms we thought we would all wear a uniform.  Mike made a homemade uniform for Lucy which she loved!  Our family took the bronze 3rd place medal!!

 I have these pictures a little out of order.  Andrew won the very last game of Right, Left, Center and he was so happy.  We then stuffed his shirt full of candy.

 Mike pulled through for the family by shooting a target with a nerf gun.

 Here is a picture of everyone at the party this year. ( minus Kari who is taking all these pictures!)  We are getting ready to play Right, Left, Center

 At about 10:00 we called it a new year and let the kids celebrate!

It was a fun evening and we loved being with family to bring in the New Year!!

Christmas

 Christmas morning the kids were up early.  Jason woke up at 2a.m and he went back to sleep.  He then woke up at 5:30a.m with Anne.  I finally went downstairs to find them awake at 6:30a.m.  Eliza and Lucy soon followed when they heard voices.  We first came down to see what Santa brought.  We then sat down and ate Christmas Breakfast together.  After breakfast we opened up the presents under the tree.

Jason got a bow and arrows from Santa.

 A Leather man

 New basketball shoes

 and he got this crazy fast remote control car.  He got some clothes and a rocket launcher also.

 Anne got the American Girl Doll Julie from Santa.

 She got some doll bunk beds and new doll clothes.

 a crazy loom that all the girl's her age are going crazy over!

 and this Lego set.  She also got clothes and some more stuff to play school with.

 Eliza got the American Girl Doll Caroline from Santa.

 She has been waiting months for this white fluffy dog!

 A table set for her doll and new clothes for the doll.

 Disney Just Dance and a sewing kit.  She got new clothes and a nail kit also.

 Lucy got this Rapunzel doll from Santa.

 She got a kitty key board

 A Merida dress-up

 and a new princess castle.  She got new clothes and some blocks also!

 The girl's enjoyed playing dolls together!

 Mike got a bunch of new clothes and his favorite under armor hats.  He also got an awesome new canoe!

 I got a vitamix, photoshop, and some new glass containers!

 We headed back over to Grandma and Grandpa Schwitzers for Lunch.  We then opened presents on the Schwitzer side from each other.  JoAnn gave all the ladies in the family new house coats.  Some of us call them sick robes.  I wasn't married to Mike when the last robes were given out but, I have been missing out!  They are so soft and comfy!

 Tom showed up in this Elf outfit so, we had to get a pic of the purple robes and Tom.

Then the guys needed a picture with Tom the Elf.  We had a good afternoon with the Schwitzer side.

Later in the afternoon we went to Grandma and Grandma Young's to celebrate Christmas with them.  Grandma Young made a fancy Christmas dinner that was so yummy!  We sang Christmas carols around the piano together and opened up presents from each other!  By the end of the day our family was beat!  But, we sure are grateful for our many blessings this Christmas season and chance we have to spend it with family!

Christmas Eve

 I love Christmas Eve!  I love the excitement that is in the air and all the traditions that come with this day and night.  In the day Jason and Anne enjoyed making a snow cave in the back yard.

 Anne made cookies for Santa and they were so yummy!

 Lucy helped make cookies by eating chocolate chips!

 So, I know there is the whole ugly Christmas sweater thing going on but.... I love Christmas sweaters on little girl's.  They are not ugly right?  I thought they looked cute and were perfect for Christmas Eve.

 Christmas Eve was with the Schwitzer side this year.  Grandma made a huge Christmas feast for all of us.  We had a Christmas talent show and the kids did the Nativity.  It was a nice evening.

 After coming home from Grandma and Grandpa's the kids opened their gift from each other.  Lucy gave Anne a book and Anne gave Lucy some princess clip dolls.

 Jason gave Eliza a Lego set and Eliza gave Jason a glow in the dark football.

 They opened their traditional Christmas pajamas.  There is nothing better than sleeping in new pajamas on Christmas Eve night.  I love this picture!

 That night Santa came!  The kids have been super good this year and I know that Santa is super, super proud of them!

Max loves Christmas and he saw Santa.  He is in awe that he just saw Santa in this picture.  Max Believes and so do we!