Happy New Year!

We are old. And lame. There is no way anyone in this house is making it to midnight. When did this happen?

My awesome friend Sally had a countdown to noon party for the little ones. Staying up until noon? That I can handle. The boys got pancakes, noisemakers, confetti and balloons. I got to be asleep by ten. Everyone was happy.

After the Easter egg fiasco I was glad that Logan got into the popped balloons and noisemakers.
McKay and Loren made his cute hat, which he wanted to sleep in.

I made five or six goals for the year, and gave the boys two each. Potty training here we come. (That one was McKay's, by the way).

Reunion Fun

Besides Christmas festivities, we had a great time getting together with the whole Chase clan for some good old fashioned fun. We stayed at a lodge all together for a few days and there was no excuse to be bored.

McKay is modeling his very first pair of Cabela's snow pants. Somewhere my Dad is very, very proud. I think Logan and McKay enjoyed the sledding the best.

Here McKay is being a bear and growling. We found some animal skins lying around--I'm not really sure what type it was.
We also had a family-wide "sock-war." Two of Loren's sister-in-laws are trying to take him down. After taking the picture I jumped in and got him out. Of course, I got picked up and thrown on the floor for my efforts; but he got a foot in the neck. Our boys loved wrestling with their cousins, who were so good natured and willing to play.
We also tried out cross country skiing. I loved it. The boys not so much. Perhaps downhill next time? I took plenty of spills, but still, good times.

Loren pulled the kids in a sled behind him, but they were just too tuckered out. McKay fell asleep in the sled on the way back to the lodge.
We watched movies, played games, had a fireside, ate great food, did crafts, played the Wii, and caught up with all our awesome family members.

Thanks Kevin and Becky, we had a great time!

Christmas with the Chase's

After our Idaho jaunt we joined the rest of Loren's brothers and sisters for a little Utah reunion. The boys went crazy with joy. On Christmas Eve the cousins got together to perform the Nativity, sing songs, and read Luke 2. The boys were sheep, and were adorable--as are all Chase children.

Then, we all got to open our new pajamas! Logan got some fire fighter pajamas that he wants to sleep in every night. We made McKay go to bed before this tradition, so he didn't know about his new truck pajamas until the next day.
This was the first year Logan really understood what Christmas was, and it was quite the exciting event!
McKay still doesn't really have a clue, but there was candy so he was happy.

Boys and their Toys

We left our beautiful 70 degree temperatures to drive up to frigid Utah. We enjoyed the new Hoover Damn bypass, but not the wind and cold that greeted us in Nevada. After some time in Provo seeing friends we headed up to Franklin, Idaho, to stay with Loren's parents. We borrowed snow clothes for the family (thanks, Mary and Lisl) and introduced McKay to the white stuff outside.

While there we got to drive tractors, four wheelers, and shovel snow. For some reason the kids loved shoveling snow. I got to drive the quads for the first time in the snow, and had a great time.

Luckily we only have a rock yard in Phoenix, so Loren has no chance of talking me into one of these.
Everyone got a turn.
Notice the shovel in the background?

We also got to hit the Pepperidge Farm factory, play with new toys, and enjoy spending time with Grandma and Grandpa. Also, one of these days I will win at pinochle. Not any time soon, mind you, but one of these days.

Christmas Part One

I took the boys to see Santa at a ward party. The enjoyed chasing around the girls and eating ice cream. They were a little less excited to see Santa.

I love Gingerbread Day at the library. I look up the registration day in November, I put it on the calendar, and I call right at nine. I'm a little weird about it, to be honest. But if you could just go, you would understand. The boys get to read Gingerbread stories, sing Gingerbread songs, and then... decorate Gingerbread people! Ah, the happiness of it all. The best part is that they share! McKay's was prettier, as he let me help more, but Logan is quite proud of his creation.

The Polar Express (or Expreth if you are McKay)

Our boys love trains, especially little McKay. So we decided that we were going to take them on the Polar Express train while they were little, and still in the Christmas mood.

We invited Loren's parents to come down to balmy Arizona and join us in the fun. Besides some fishing, soccer, hunting, and general playing we planned to take the hour or so train ride out of Williams, Arizona.

We stopped at a Route 66 themed restaurant for dinner, which Logan loved. Then to the train! We put on pajamas and enjoyed cookies, hot chocolate, and looking at all the lights.
It was more fun with grandparents!
After going through a magic light tunnel we made it to the North Pole and picked up Jolly Santa Claus.
The boys and Grandpa got bells for being such good kids.
I can still hear the bell ring, can you?

I am officially a soccer mom

Yes, I know that soccer ended in December... I'll admit I'm a little behind.

This fall we decided to enroll Logan in the beautiful game; futbol. His team was part of our community center, so all the games and practices were five minutes away. We also signed him up with two of his buddies, Collin and Mason, so he was guaranteed a good time.

Soccer for four-year-olds is hilarious, of course. Mostly we were excited if they were running in the right direction. The first game didn't go so well, but as the season progressed he started to warm up. He still fell more than the average child; we worked on getting up without crying.
Here is Logan getting ready to take a kick. Look how small he is! What a little cutie!
By the end of the season he was usually getting a goal or two each time; this picture was taken right before he got a goal.
There is a three month break before the next session, but Logan is already asking when he can start again. McKay is also desperate to get on the field, they play a lot at home and I am glad nothing has broken yet.

I love the cleats (tacos?) and the shin guards. Go, Logan!