Winter Break

It snowed a lot while we were in Utah. We took advantage of this delicious cold weather (delicious to us, because we can leave it in a week and return to So. Cal.) and played as much as we could in the snow. We had snowball fights, mainly between Dad and Anya, and we built snowmen.

We also spent a lot of time with our family. Cousins are the coolest!!! We had slumber parties, went to Ikea, Went to dinner and we also went and saw the lights at Temple Square in Salt Lake City. It was cold, but we warmed in the visitors center when we got too chilled. It was a neat experience for my kids. I am just take advantage that my kids have been to Temple Square to see the lights, when really that is just my twisted thinking since I grew up there. The last time my kids went to Temple Square, I was pregnant with Cora, Anya was 4 and Hannah was 2. They really didn't remember ever going up there...so we decided it was high time we went. I would like to take them back up this summer to see all the visitor's centers has to offer. I think they would really enjoy it!

It was a great break filled with wonderful times with Family. We were sad to see it come to an end, which it does every time all too quickly!

CHRISTMAS!!

It's Christmas, such a magical time of year when wishes come true. Let us not forget the most precious wish of all, that of eternal life. The one who can grant us this wish, through our diligence and righteousness, is our Savior, Jesus Christ. His love for us knows no bounds and is strong enough that He suffered deeply for us. through His sacrifice and love we can gain this wish of eternal life and live with Him someday. I love Christmas and the time it gives me to reflect on this greatness. I also love the more superficial part of Christmas...giving gifts to my children.

It just makes me giddy every year!

This year we stayed with Grandma Jeppson, because Grandma Overton was refinishing her wood floors. It was fun, it has been years since we slept over at Grandma J's house. After breakfast (probably the one meal the kids get all day!!) it was time to line up and see what Santa had left.
They don't look excited at all in this picture! Which is so funny to me, because not moments before it was yells of "look what I got", "I wanted this" and "Yes!". They really did enjoy what Santa had brought them.

Hannah got a D.S. game she had wanted

Anya got her Harry Potter Lego Hogwarts Castle. She didn't think she would get it, but Santa pulled through!

Somehow we missed getting a picture of Cora and what she got. I was bummed, but she got the Lego house set she had wanted, and dog that walks!

The boys got Buzz Lightyear! Which they LOVE!

It was probably mostly for me. Years ago, when Anya and Hannah were little ones, we got Woody, Jesse, and Bullseye. I had to have Buzz to complete the set, and thought now is the time while he is easy to find. Luckily the boys loved him!

Digging in stockings

There is something else in there...I just know it!

This is the unwrapping mayhem at the Overton's house. After seeing what Santa had left, looking in our stockings, and opening gifts from Aunt Leah...we headed over to our Grandpa and Grandma Overton's. There we got gifts from them and our Uncles and Aunts.

Grandpa Overton likes to dress up as Santa and hand out the gifts every year. We didn't get a photo of all the kids with Santa earlier in the season, so we took advantage of this fun opportunity.

It was a great day, filled with wonderful memories, and most of all filled with good times with family.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Jeppson Crew Christmas Celebration

We let the kids open their Christmas gifts from each other and us on Dec. 22nd. We do this every year, since we always seem to travel for Christmas. It cuts way back on what we have to bring...and with 5 kids, space is at a premium. The kids don't seem to mind. We all get in our jammies the night before we leave and have our "Jeppson Crew Christmas Celebration"

We had all the gifts stuffed in this little corner, so they could be protected behind the baby gate.


The boys knew right what to do. The whole evening we were taking ornaments from them that they had removed from the tree. Or gifts that weren't for them.
Cora had been wondering what was in the big gift bag. Both she and Hannah got bean bag chairs for their bedroom this year.


Books seem to be the top gift in our household. We always get lots of books!
Anya does love her Pokemon plushes! She is trying to collect them all...Yikes! I keep waiting for her to outgrow it, but it hasn't happened yet.

I can never resist posting a picture of a cute baby boy!

Finally something to RIP!

Dad is starting them early with a Put-Put golf course. He plans to have them out on the real greens by the time the are 3. We will see...

The girls all got a box full of books, a snuggie reading blanket and bean bag chairs. The perfect set-up for a good read!

We had a great prelude to Christmas, and we enjoyed spending time together as a family, opening gifts we each spent time searching out for others. What a wonder season and time when "others" are at the top of our list.
Now, on to Utah!

Gingerbread

This was a buys day for us. We were packing up and getting the house ready so we could leave for Utah the next morning. Add to that craziness, the kids were bursting with excitement because we were going to let them open some presents that night. To try and contain the girls for a little bit, we decorated a gingerbread house.

They each got a side and/or roof to decorate. I think it worked out well, and there were minimal fights...mostly just candy crunching!

I had to get a picture in fast before it was demolished!

My camera date was acting funny...I don't think I reset it after daylight savings, and it is on the wrong time zone....Anyway, I need to figure out how to fix it because it is starting to bug me! I don't know what Cora is doing in this picture, but it sure makes me laugh!

Disney on Ice!

I have always wanted to go to Disney on Ice...ever since I was little. Disney has always held a magical quality for me...which is probably why I love all things Disney! So when Disney on Ice came to town, we jumped at the opportunity. It just so happened that the show came to LA right during the girls Christmas break, on the 21st...and dad had that day off too. So we took drove on down, did some last minute Christmas shopping along the way, ate at a favorite deli "schlotteskies", and took in the show.

Amazingly the boys did very well. They have started to learn to point...so they were pointing at all the lights with this look of amazement on their faces. The best is, after the show had finished, Hannah finally relaxes and leans back in her seat and exclaims:" It was definitely worth it!"

Visiting Great-Grandpa again

My grandpa on my father's side lives about 1 1/2 hours away from where we live. I love visiting him. It brings back so many memories for me from my childhood. We used to go spend the summers with him, riding horses, camping and just hanging out in the Air conditioning (which I did not have in my childhood home. We thought it was the "bomb"!). So, naturally we needed to over the river and through the woods to Grandpa's house before Christmas.

Here is great-grandpa with Jack

Hunter loved talking to his reflection in the face of the oven.

You can kind of see his reflection in this pic if you look closely.

Grandpa loves to cook. He has always been a fabulous cook! In fact, I am trying to wrangle the recipe for his secret spaghetti sauce from him now...! While we visited the girls helped grandpa make cookies to take to his neighbors. The turned out delicious!

Here is grandpa's version of baby proofing...just slip a golf club threw the cupboard handles!

The funny thing is, the boys would work together sliding the club down, and eventually free the cupboards...then the whole process would start again. Until we got smart and secured the club to the handles.

We love going to grandpa's house and spending time with him!

Hannah got Glasses!

We found out a couple of weeks ago that Hannah needs glasses. We had no idea, she never complained about not being able to see. She is nearsighted, so she can't see far away, because of that it never really effected her school work or performance. She has passed all her eye exams for sport physicals, so we had NO idea. She came home one day from school with a note, telling us she had failed a routine eye exam. So off to the optometrist we went, and Yes, she needs glasses. Hannah was in denial the whole time. Telling the doctor she didn't need glasses and that she can see just fine. Eventually she came around, especially when she found a pair of glasses she loved! Now she is excited about them. The sad thing is, for the past while, when we have gone on road trips Matt will do a scenery pause. All DVD's, D. S.'s, and other electronics are paused to see something we are driving past. We would point out a waterfall, or horses, or rocks, or something that is large, and she will protest that she can't see anything. There is nothing there, she would say. Then we would get after her for not paying attention, and trying to see what we are pointing at. I mean, HELLO, it's not like we were pointing at something small flying by. Now, Matt and I feel really bad, because she probably really couldn't see it. She needed Glasses!

Isn't she so stinking cute!

Uncle John's the Man.

We went home to Utah for Thanksgiving again this year. It was great seeing family and spending the weekend with them. One of our uncles has the magic touch with babies. We secretly call him the "baby whisperer". He always manages to get the twins to sleep at the SAME time. Pure magic! The proof is in the pictures...

This was taken last year when the boys were a little over a month old.

Here is the "baby whisperer" this year...he even was able to put himself to sleep as well.
Like I said...pure magic!
(He's probably going to kill me for posting this picture, so if you don't hear from me again, you will know why. Ha Ha!)

Protecting The Tree!!!

Here is our Christmas tree. We had so much fun decorating it. I only wish it lined up more with the windows, So you could see it from outside. Alas, our couches are too big.
This is what we do to protect the tree from two little destructo monsters.

So far it has been pretty effective!

Had to post this one, all kids looking at the camera and BOTH boys SMILING!

Decking out the Tree

This past Monday and Tuesday we spent decorating the house for Christmas. I used to be able to get it all done in one day, but the last couple of years it has taken me two! I wonder why? So, we didn't get to the tree for family night like the plan was, but Tuesday night seemed to work out better. Dad's plans for church meetings fell through, which made it even more perfect since he was able to be there. It was very interesting this year, putting decorations on the tree, having the boys take them off the tree, and putting them back on. I mainly have simple, homemade looking ornaments made out of wood or cloth, so none of them are breakable. The few "nice" ornaments I have, which might be a little more fragile get put up at the tippy top of the tree! We don't have many expensive ornaments like I mentioned, but a fun tradition we have started the last few years (because of all our travels) is that we pick up an ornament from the places we have been. This year, our new ornament was a little cable car replica from San Fransisco.

Digging out the ornaments and picking out the ones they want to put on is a fierce competition in our family. I store all the ornaments in Ziploc bags, three to be exact, and then the girls get to pick which bag of ornaments they want to put on the tree.
Hunter liked the little stuffed gingerbread men. He has a fetish for soft, stuffed toys.

Jack liked the lights. Two years ago we retired our little $20 Walmart tree, and bought this gorgeous pre-lit tree. We love it, it is so easy to put up, gone are all the "arguments" stringing the lights can cause! luckily the lights don't come off easily, but Jack is persistent...he may pull one off yet.

Corralling the boys was a full time job.

We had pizza for dinner...can you tell?

Dad and Jack putting up the star, the final touch!

This is what Hunter did most of the night. He wasn't feeling very well, and he loves my soft, velvet like pillows that go on my couch. He spent most of the night laying on them, watching us trim the tree. Poor guy, He looks in Ok spirits here though.

So the tree is trimmed and the stockings are hung! I will post pictures of the finished product in another post, and I will also post pictures of our idea to "protect" the tree from the boys!