Over the break...

We enjoyed a visit to Grammy and Grampy's in Dallas after Christmas and were able to go to holiday in the park at six flags, relax, eat too much food, sleep in, and Mike and I got to watch way too many movies (oh so fun for us) and most of all just be with people that we love. Though I got (annoyingly) sick over the break I was grateful we were still able to relax and have fun (thanks for taking good care of us!!) We always really enjoy going to visit Grammy, Grampy, Brett, and this year we missed Uncle/Elder Jeff, and the Grants! :( Love you guys!

Opening presents from Grammy and Grampy- thank you for all the fun Christmas stuff!!We love it

We got to go to six flags holiday in the park with the fam while we were there.

olympic champions Zach and Savannah

Jackson and Bella

just a few of the fun rides

getting ready for a spin

Jacks's favorite- the train (the "choo")

It was so fun to get to hang out with the Aaneruds-
even if only for a while!

This is what Savannah does anytime I ask her to smile. At least Grammy smiles at me :)

Zach always wants in on the action, while poor Grammy is getting smothered by all our kids!

Super boys!

pretty lights everywhere

yes we're in t-shirts!! I think it was like 78 degrees or something crazy-warm like that

restless kids anxiously waiting for the sled ride.

cute cousins

Mike and Grampy entertaining the busy 2 year olds

REAL SNOW!!(or atleast ice) in Texas!! this was unanimously the favorite ride for us.

Jack and Grampy sledding down the hill!

we love the merry go round

cuties

Jack's mommy- aunt Sarah with the the tiny ones

see we told Sav to smile again... and this is what she gives us

She does smile for cupcakes though We celebrated Savannah's 4th while we were there. She got to decorate her very own cupcake

making a wish

Savannah LOVES her stuff from G & G- Thank you!! We love you!

Savannah and cousin Addie (who she now constantly talks about) stylin in their gifts from Aunt Carrie- we love them - thanks Carrie and Sarah!!!

Back home to RR for New Year's we enjoyed a fun get together with some good friends (thanks Bullocks we had a blast!!) but had to rush home to put Bella to bed and ring in the New Year with some of our favorite traditions...

the awaited for pinata

Sav was cute, she hit well...like a girl!

Zach Attack!

And of course Josh monster mashed it and...

now for some CANDY!!!

getting ready to count down!! this was the before picture unfortunately (or should I say fortunately) the camera died, so you don't get to see the mass destruction that swept through our house- confetti, confetti and more confetti!! It was well worth it though!! Austin Park n Pizza To finish off the break we ended with going to Austin's Park and Pizza. Mike won an auction a while back so we got in for a measely $10 each (reg price is more than 2X that!!) and the the girls were free. What we got for $40= Fun filled, exhausting day. We got there at noon and got home at 8:30pm. So we ate lunch, played video games, rock climbed, bumper boated, go carted, mini golfed, rode some rides, did the batting cages, laser tag, ate dinner and played some more video games to finish off the day (hey after all it's all included- so of course we had to get the most bang for our buck!)Phew, it makes me tired just thinking about it. Good day and fun way to end the break.

So this is Christmas...

MERRY CHRISTMAS Y'all!!
It's been wonderful (and busy) month as we have prepared to celebrate the day of our Savior's birth. I have been wanting to post for a while, but kept finding excuses of other things that needed doing first. So here's December at a glance...

We started the holiday season with a visit from Santa at our Ward Breakfast


( a typical Asay kids picture- no one's looking... Bella was ok with Santa for about 1 sec then changed her mind as you see here)Here's a better one

We had our polar express night, that ended with receiving the 1st gift of Christmas (hence the bells)Someone was naughty listed... can you guess who?...
yes, this "sweet" little princess has enjoyed watching things (i.e Santa) swirl down the toilet lately
We celebrated our 10 year anniversary on the 18th with the kids at home


fun at the class Christmas parties... pj day

Mrs. Z's class



Silly Zach decorating a sugar cookie for his class party while Bella...

was off making herself lunch in the kinder kitchen areaPlaying Bingo or rather eating all the bingo pieces

We took the 3 bigger kids to see the Nutcracker performed by the Austin Ballet this year. We learned that Josh LOVES music, Savannah LOVES ballerinas (no surprise ) and that Zach LOVES neither of those things. Note to self- don't take a 5 yr old boy to a ballet
this is what he would rather be doing than seeing men in tights or ballerinas prancing.

bustin a move on the strobe-light-floor thing outside of the Austin BalletDaddy/daughter photo op with the Austin skyline in the background

sillyness on the elevator

In lieu of the traditional ginger bread houses (which has gluten and casein that Josh can't touch) we made a holiday village on Christmas eve.

the boys were giants terrorizing the small village
Here it is almost finished

final touches...
the finished product. Living vicariously through our little village while dreaming of a white Christmas...

Reading Luke 2 and acting out the nativity scene
Sav- Mary, Mike- Joseph, Josh- Shephard, Zach- wiseman, Bella- cow that lives in the stable.

Bella was WIGGLY !!!the big kids thought it was funny that Bella kept laying by Baby Jesus and kept insisting SHE was the Baby

sprinkling our magic reindeer food before bed...

The stockings where hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nick would soon be there...

He came!!!


robot eye lamp thing

yay- princess stuff

Love at first sight, Bella couldn't stop kissing her new baby dollAdmiring the big doll house that Mike stayed up till 1am putting together, Thanks daddy (I mean Santa)

Savannah and her princess bottom coloring

Josh' s favorite present- the latest Leven Thumps book#4

excited faces

The presents were fun, but I'm thankful that our kids were able to comprehend the true meaning of Christmas. During our dinner prayer Zach thanked Heavenly Father for Christmas day and for the birth of Jesus. I'm grateful for this time of year and for the spirit that fills our home and the hearts of those all around the world as we celebrate the most important gift that's been given. We love you all and wish you a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Happy Anniversary !!! (well... almost)

In just a couple of weeks (12/18) Mike and I will have been married for 10 awesome years!!!
4 kids, 4 moves, 8 years of school , finally a career, and a bunch of other stuff later we are still madly in love!
I'm so grateful that I get to be married to my best friend and better yet that we still love to be around each other all the time :) I'm also grateful for all that we have been able to accomplish and learn together over the last 10 years- so here's to the next 10 + years!

To celebrate we went on a quick trip to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico for 4 days and 3 nights. It was SO relaxing and fun to get to be alone for such a long time!!! (I promise we do love our kids:) It was so nice to be able to have extended conversations over fancy dinners that I didn't make, hold hands on long walks, read, take naps(!!!), go on little excursions (like zip lining) and just do what ever we felt like doing for a few days- ahhh......fun fun!! This was our first vacation that we've ever taken alone together and I wouldn't have imagined that it would be so great! We can't wait to see what the next 10 years holds for us and then to get to celebrate it again together! Thank you to Grammy and Grampy (Mike's parents) and Abuelo and Abuela (my mom and dad, and the Grants for taking care of our babies and making this possible- we love you!!!