Observations

* Some kids (Belle) have to make New Year's Resolutions "to read less books this year". Isabelle reads everything she can get her hands on, and for the most part, is reading in all of her spare time.

*Teenage boys will ALWAYS smile when you comment on how tall they're getting.

*Naps with my little boys are such an anticipated, cozy time!  Sadly, I don't need them as much anymore.

*Four- year-olds sometimes crash during the afternoons without naps with their mothers.  And their solo naps don't look as comfortable.

*Perfect angel little boys can often turn into perfect rascals during sacrament meetings.

*There's always some wise mother after a wild meeting that is sure to put in her two bits about what you should do, say, or how much you should "enjoy this stage" and relax during said meetings.

*Abram has a sense of church fashion that is unparalleled.  We have a record of four weeks straight that I have thought I have had everyone squared away and ready to walk out the door only to find upon arriving that evidently I need to do the final inspection in the car! Abram is the master of finding a way to make his feet more exciting for church:) The first week, he arrived at church with his bare feet shoved into his Sunday shoes. We noticed once we sat down at church, and it looked so funny to us for some reason that we all got the giggles.  That must have encouraged him. The second week he had his every-day tennis shoes on.  The third week he had only one sock on, and the fourth week he had one ankle-length black sock and one long black sock.... he tried to once again go with only one sock and I caught it and told him that he needed to get another sock on.

*I don't know how it works, but babies have a built-in wiring that lets them know when you are particularly exhausted.  That is when their eyes look this way:

....And they seem to stay that alert for an amazingly long time

*My last observation of all is:  Isn't he the cutest baby EVER?!!!

Girl's Choice

Having a teenager that is dating is so much fun!!  Our whole family has been enjoying it, in fact.

One of Kami's good friends, Annie, who is the youngest of seven children, and has therefore watched a lot of siblings recently go through it all, keeps Kami abreast of everything they need to be doing dating-wise. Before the Christmas formal had even come and gone, she informed Kami that it had occurred to her that they would need to ask someone to the Valentine's Formal (girl's choice dance) just as soon as they got back from Christmas break in order to have their choice of boys:)

So Saturday night Kami got down to business:

Or should I say that we all did?  Because all of us brainstormed ideas until we felt like we had come up with a suitable one, made a quick trip to Walmart, grabbed some goodies and we helped put things together:

We ended up compiling addresses to businesses that started with the first letters of her name.  She gave him a list of the addresses along with an explanation. The idea was that this boy would have to drive around and figure it out, (he could just get on google earth or something, really.)  But either way, he would have some figuring out to do.

When it came time to drop it off, we were all so invested in the project that everyone wanted to go along with her.  I thought that I ought to drive so that she could run up to the door, knock and make a quick get-away.  But then Caden or Maddie would have to stay home with the sleeping little boys.  So then I realized that Kami could drive and Caden could run it up to the door for her.  They were both keen on that idea!  In fact, Caden quickly came up with the idea to wear a cape I made for Maddie, when she was Syndrome for Halloween one year (here), and a gross mask.  He was being hilarious in that ensemble and we were all getting a kick out of it:

pictures just don't do justice to it all:( 

Caden ended up knocking and then backing up a few steps.  The boy Kami was asking answered the door and didn't see Caden at first so Caden said, in a crazy creepy voice, "I'LL BET YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING THIS!!!"  Then he danced/hopped around the kid's yard for awhile being all crazy/weird before running and getting into the car.

The kids came home laughing and delighted with the whole escapade.

I wonder if the boy will think it was Kami in the mask? Hahaha

The first formal dance

This kid was so much fun - Kami had a blast! They went with a group of about ten couples.

Christmas caroling

I know, I know!  I'm still catching up from Christmas!! But these are on the camera, and it would be nicer to have them here.  Pictures from the annual extended Gee family Christmas caroling:

Every Christmas Eve all of the Gees get together and load up on trailors and carol up and down the streets of Sugar City.  It's one of the kid's very favorite parts of Christmas.  Afterwards we ALL go cram into someone's house for eats.

Fun times.

The things they say

Abram: "Dad, can I have some hanitizer?" (meaning hand sanitizer)

Nolan: (laughing uproariously) "It's not hanitizer!!!  It's hantanicizer!!"


One morning, while driving home after dropping Caden off for school, a song came on the radio.  It started with the words "I've been waiting for my dreams to turn into something".  Abram immediately piped up with, "I've been waiting for my dreams to turn into something..........but they can't!............Can they mom?"  Then a little worriedly as he thought about it more,  "Dreams CAN't turn into something right mom?"  I guess that would be plenty scary from a kids point of view.  All from a child's perspective...


Abram likes all of the characters from "The Avengers".  Especially Hulk.  But Hulk also really scares him, and perhaps this is why he is so fascinated by him.  He mentions regularly how the other characters and Hulk  have "anger issues."  Today he said, "sometimes dad has anger issues too.  Like one night you were gone and he told me to go get my pajamas on, and later he came upstairs and I still didn't have them on, and he said, "Get your pajamas on for Pete's sake!!!" For some reason, the fact that his dad just might have anger issues like the Avengers seemed an admirable trait in his eyes. Grreeeaaaat.


I was told today that it would be a great day to take down Christmas "directions".


"Games" with Abram are always entertaining.  Today we sat down on the couch with some goldfish crackers to have a little snack.  We started pretending that we were on a boat stranded in the middle of the ocean.  We had been there for weeks with no land in sight, and were only able to survive because every once in awhile we were able to catch a fish.  One day, when we were literally on the point of extinction, fish started "jumping out of the water straight into our mouths"!  (We were gorging ourselves on crackers) Then we noticed that the ottoman was a fairly close island!  Abram said, "I know!  I brought a trampoline!!" (everyone brings that on a boat trip...just in case...at least they ought to! They really come in handy.  Boy do adults need to be more resourceful like this!!)  Later, we were wary because sharks were following our boat. Abram chimed in that "there was also a crocodile following the boat!"

DVD's are "diva-d's"

Isabelle, ever the teacher:  "Abram, what do you believe in?"
Abram: "Heavenly Father"
Isabelle: "And?"
Abram: "Jesus"
Isabelle: "And?"
Abram: "The Holy Ghost"
Isabelle ready to move on: "GOOD!!!"
Abram: "And Santa Claus"

The Sealing

On the 28th, Shawn, Maddie, Pace and I made a quick trip over to Boise to go to my sister Katie's temple sealing.  Shawn and I to attend, and Maddie to watch Pace while we did so.

(below)l-r: Ivy, Danny SIL Sarah, Matt, SIL Kelly, Heidi, BIL Steve, Katie, SIL Leslie, Nathan, Adam, me, Pace and Shawn.  Only two of my siblings are missing from this picture: Aaron, and Eli who is on a mission in Chile.  Lots of siblings make for lots of nieces and nephews! Mom and dad have 43 grandchildren with four on the way.  Ivy is due in April, Sarah is due in August? , Heidi is due (with her ninth) in March, and Ori couldn't make it because she is due this month!

I'm so glad that we went - it was a really special and neat time!  I am so glad that Steve is a part of our family.  He has been like a real parent to Katie's kids and a perfect husband for Katie. He is great - a kind and genuinely nice person.

Katie, Steve, Danny and Sarah and us at a restaurant afterwards. Danny and Sarah:

There's nothing quite like family.

2014

Welcome, 2014 - I can't wait to see what you have in store!  We rang in the New Year with three of my nieces, Ellie, Abby and Ainsley.  We wrote up goals for the New Year, ate a lot of food and played some games.  Whenever all the girls started to get sleepy they solved the problem by running outside and around the snow in the yard...barefoot.  They were determined to see the New Year in!

Kami and Caden came home early from a Stake dance because they deemed us more fun (smile smile).

But alas.  I was not that fun this year and neither was Shawn or Ainsley.  We turned in at 10:30...Ainsley at ten!  But I could tell that the New Year started without us.  I could tell because there was still lots of shrieking and laughing going on at 12:15 (and every minute leading up to it).  So everyone was having a great time.  Apparently a very great time because I went to see about getting Abram to bed at 12:15, because I could still hear him chirping away upstairs, and everyone was planning on staying up for a couple more hours.  They would have, too, except that the little boys wouldn't go to sleep if they all weren't going to sleep.

The next morning, the Anderson's invited us to go sledding with them, so Shawn and the kids rang the New Year in that way!  I stayed home with Pace because he still has a bad cold. (And do you know, we all enjoyed our day!!)

Carrie and Tom Anderson:

l-r: Mads, Caden, Kami and Abram:

Terry, Eli and Kristi Anderson: