Trimming the Tree

We got a real tree this year, since we don't have any little ones to choke on the pine needles. It's quite big, and takes up alot of space, but what fun is a Christmas Tree if it doesn't? This was "Pre-Ornament" hanging.

Me unwrapping the ornaments. All the kids got to hang up their own, and Sierra hung up hers, and the ones for Josh, Jeremy, and Aubrey since they weren't here. Brenden gets to take his and put them on his own tree this year. (I got 2 cavities filled just an hour before this, so my lips are pretty numb...)

This was part of the process...kids hovering around waiting for their ornament, and the story that went along with it.

Paul was in charge this year of fixing the ornaments that haven't faired to well over the years. He did a great job of gluing, and fixing.

Again, part of the process. This picture captures all the kids that were here to help us. Jacob in the back of the tree, Sierr and Daniel in the front, and Andrew kneeling down by me.

The finished product. The tree is sagging quite a bit, since we have a lot of pretty heavy ornaments, and the fact that ornaments for 8 kids are on the tree, plus the ones I had growing up, the ones for Paul, and the few that we have together.

This is my Americana tree. I normally don't let the boys help me decorate this tree, but this year I caved. They did a pretty good job. We had great fun decorating the trees. Christmas music playing in the background. Only thing missing was my yummy hot chocolate, but we haven't gotten to the store yet to buy the ingredients.

Newest Addition

For those of you who may not already know, Sierra has moved up here to Utah to live with us. We couldn't be more excited. We were hoping that she was going to move up here last year, and start 9th grade here, but circumstances were such that that was not possible. She came home with us after the wedding in California. It has been a busy week. We needed to buy her a new phone, a winter coat, (even though you could hardly tell it's winter....YET) and some school supplies. She decided to go to Hillcrest High School where Paul teaches. This is very exciting for Paul, who loves the fact that he gets to teach at the same school his daughter is going to....plus he gets to keep an eye on all the boys. Sierra told Paul on the first day some of the people she had met, and one of the guys was gay. Paul was quick to point out that that was the best kind of guy for her to meet!
Next year Sierra will go to the new High School here in Saratoga Springs as a Sophmore. The school is not finished yet, or that's where she would have gone this year. We are hoping the transition won't be terribly hard for her, since she already has friends up here from when she would come see us before. She has taken over the room that used to be Jeremy's, and as soon as Aubrey is completely moved out, Jacob will have that room. So all the kids will have their own rooms, (no more fighting at bedtime from Daniel and Andrew) and Sierra and Jacob will share the basement bathroom...more to follow on how THAT works out. :-)

P.S. Daniel is probably the MOST excited about the change of events. Ever since Paul and I were engaged, he was thrilled that he was going to have a sister. He loves Sierra so much.

Wax on, Wax off

The day before we left for California, I heated up my wax so I could wax my eyebrows. I have this wax that is really good, the type they use in Salons. It doesn't harden and adhere to your skin, so it's not as painful. I knew Aubrey waxed so I offered to let her and Sierra, if she chose to, use the wax while it was hot. They came up and Sierra let Aubrey wax her eyebrows.

It looks like Aubrey is having a lot more fun than Sierra....(This was taken after Aubrey had already ripped off 2 wax strips.)

This is Aubrey waxing hers, she done it before so she knows what to expect...and STILL smiling! :-)

Presenting Brenden and Lyndsey Gaskins

Brenden and Lyndsey tied the knot Saturday, at the Redlands Temple in California. Paul and I were able to make the trip with Aubrey, Sierra and Josh. It was a beautiful wedding. The temple ceremony is always beautiful to listen to. They make a very handsome couple and we are very happy for them.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

P.S. Sorry if I got names wrong, and misspelled....I did my best. :-)

If you would like to see engagement pictures, and other pictures as they are posted, visit their blog at: http://www.teamgaskins.blogspot.com/

Jeremy's SLCPD Graduation

It's official. Jeremy Gaskins is now an official Salt Lake City Police Officer. On November 26th, Jeremy, along with 22 other men/women graduated the academy. It was so much fun to go and see all the men and women in uniform, looking very serious, I might add. Most of Jeremy's family was able to be there. His mom and gradma travelled up from New Mexico, along with Josh and Sierra. His cousins, and of course Paul and I, Aubrey, Jacob, Andrew, and Daniel were there as well. Brenden was the only one missing. He was in California getting ready for his wedding. He was missed, but we had a great time none the less.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Just as a side note, we were all sitting around the table Wednesday evening, and Julie happened to notice that a clip of the graduation was on Television. Jeremy was shown several times! We were really excited for him. We recorded it, but here is a link for you to watch on KSL channel 5 if you would like...
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=4910741

Andrew is 9

November is a pretty busy month in the Gaskin home. Two birthdays, and Thanksgiving all withing weeks. This year, we also had a wedding! BUSY BUSY! We celebrated Andrew's birthday the day before, watching the BYU @ Utah football game. Andrew insisted that we go over to the Robbins house to watch it, so he could watch it with Justus. There were a ton of people there, and we had a great time. Everyone sang to Andrew during 1/2 time. Everyone was all to willing to take their mind off the game for a minute or two.

After the game, we went home, and had the official celebration with Grandma and Grandpa Rick, Grandma Nell, Preston, Aunt Teri, Uncle Jason, Alisa, and Alison, along with Jacob, Daniel, Paul, and myself.

BYU @ Air Force

For part of Paul's Birthday he and I went to Colorado Springs to the BYU @ Air Force game. It was a long drive, I don't think either one of us realized how long it actually was before we started. Colorado had had a snow storm on Friday (November 14) so driving through the mountains at 11:00 at night was pretty slow going. We got to Colorado Springs at about 2:00 a.m. We got to sleep in a little, since it was a 12:00 game. The game was a little scary at times, but BYU prevailed. Even though Paul and I both agreed that it was difficult not to root for the home team just a little...after all, they are part of the armed forces! They had a pretty cool show before the game. That is what we took pictures of mostly. As a side note, for some reason Andrew really likes the Denver Broncos, so while we were there we took the opportunity to find Broncos "stuff" for his birthday on the 23rd of November.


Ok, we got a few in there of Brenden warming up. By the way, if anyone watched the game on TV, Paul and I could be seen in the crowd when BYU scored their first touchdown...thankfully, we were cheering, not eating our Chick-fil-A!

Paul's Birthday

Paul turned 44 this year. We were able to have most everyone around to celebrate. We were missing Sierra and Josh, but they were not able to make it up that weekend. I decided that I was going to buy Paul the new T-Mobile G1 phone, but I didn't want to buy it too soon, because I knew you only had 14 days to try it out and return it if you didn't like it, so I waited until just a few days before. Probably not the best idea. We were on a 20 day waiting list! So I tucked the cash in an envelope, and told him in 20 days he could get it...pathetic! He had a great birthday, and we love to find any excuse to get together and celebrate.

Halloween

Here are some Halloween pictures. Sorry they are late, and out of chronological order. Since I haven't blogged for so long, I keep remembering things that I want to add. The boys had fun dressing up as always. They were pretty disappointed that they couldn't go trick or treating around our own neighborhood this year, but it is what it is I guess. I felt really bad when all their friends came to our home trick or treating asking for them. I did get to take the pictures of them before they left for school that day. After much debate, Andrew was a bleeding ninja, Daniel was just a ninja, and Jacob was a dead football player, although he wouldn't let me put blood or anything on his face, so he looked more like an injured football player!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Pumpkin Carving

We had a great time carving pumpkins this year. I tried to ignore the pumpkin guts that were getting all over the floor and table. I figured we were making memories, so just suck it up!

Daniel chose a pretty difficult design, and Paul and I ended up having to do most of it. He thought it was pretty cool though. He said it looked just like Iron Man.

This was the desing Jacob picked out. He did this all by himself, he was pretty proud.

Andrew did the skull and cross bones...

WHAT! How did this happen? We couldn't very well leave Athena out of the festivities.

All 3 boys with their jack o lanterns. Paul and I ended up doing one, and then Aubrey had hers, so we ended up with 5 Jack o Lanterns on our porch for Halloween. It looked pretty cool for Halloween.

Moving Out

Paul's daughter Aubrey came to live with us in August. She graduated High School in May, and is looking forward to attending UVU in January. We have sure enjoyed havig her here. She has had the unfortunate luck of getting the absolute smallest room in the house, and for a girl to have to endure that is just unspeakable, but that is all we could offer, and she hasn't said a word!

She was planning on living here for awhile, but with Brenden getting married, his fiance needs to unload her BYU apartment that is under contract until end of April. Aubrey went to meet the potential roomies, and apparently had a great time, so she will be moving out shortly after the wedding. I know she is excited to be able to stretch her wings. While she is an adult, living at home there are still certain rules that you have to abide, and now that she will be living on her own, she gets to make her own rules pretty much...what an exciting time. Oh to be 19 again....but this time, without a certain person tagging along....( :-)most of you know who I mean!)

I need to get more pictures of Aubrey, but for now this will have to do. This is her 19th birthday celebration.

Braces

Jacob and Andrew both are going in to get braces started started. Andrew will just be doing a "Phase 1" just to make room for his teeth to grow in. Jacob's teeth aren't so bad, he just needs a little bit of alignment done, but he will need to get a spacer on top to fix his cross bite. Jacob is thrilled to be getting braces. I loved having braces. I know I am crazy, but I did. So my 2 little babies will soon have braces on their teeth. I don't have any pictures right now, but they are going in on Thursday to get molds taken, and that sort of gunk...I will post pictures of this as soon as I get them.

Laundry Day

Since Jeremy and Aubrey have been living with us, we have come up with a laundry schedule. Mondays and Wednesdays are their days, and I get Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Saturdays and Sundays are open for anyone who HAS to get laundry done, but I have tried to only use the 3 days during the week, that way Jeremy and Aubrey could get laundry done on the weekends if they couldn't do it on Monday or Wednesday.

With me doing laundry for 5 people, only using the washer and dryer 3 days a week can be a challenge. So if you will imagine, by Friday I have done all the laundry and try to get it folded on Saturday, so by Sunday, I am feeling pretty good.

Well, if you read my post earlier, about football season for Andrew, Daniel, and Jacob, combine that with Saturdays being monopolized with BYU football (for those of you who don't know, Paul's oldest son plays back up quarter back for BYU) I was not at all successful with that plan. Here a few pictures of what my laundry situation looked like most Tuesdays.

This was my pile of laundry I still need to fold...

This was the dent I had made sorting and folding in between preschool classes that day...

And this is the laundry that I still had to do that day. (I just wash clothes on Tuesdays, and the on Thursdays and Fridays I was clothes, and sheets, and rugs, etc...)

Moving Day

As most, or maybe some of you, may know, Jeremy, Pauls 2nd oldest son has been living with us since January. He came up to Utah from New Mexico to get into some sort of law enforcement. Either the Highway Patrol, or the Police Academy. After some very gruelling physical test, as well as written tests, Jeremy was accepted into the Salt Lake City Police Academy. He started in July of this year. It has been a very demanding 5 months for him. He has had to endure physical abuse, mental abuse, hard core testing etc, and I am proud to say he has done so with flying colors. I can't believe what those men/women have to go through to become a Police Officer.

So, after living with his Dad for this long, as you can imagine, he is pretty anxious to get out on his own. He has been searching for an apartment for a little bit and a couple weeks ago found one that will be perfect for him. It is a basement apartment that has been completely updated. Stainless Steel Appliances, 2 bedrooms. Sounds pretty nice. He has put money down, and Jeremy and Paul are planning on moving Jeremy out this next weekend. The people he will be renting from gave him a dresser, king size bed, and a pretty nice coffee table. He will be using some of our unused furniture as well. He has been staying part time at the apartment for the past couple days. Last night Paul and I were sitting in the office and commenting on how much we missed having him around even after just a short time. He has been so busy with his Police Academy that he hasn't had much spare time to spend time with the family, but it was nice knowing that he was downstairs.

We will miss him, but we are excited that he is beginning the next chapter in his life. (He will graduate from the Academy on the 26th of November, but I will post about that whent he time comes.)

Jeremy was able to sneak away now and again to enjoy family festivities. This is when we went camping over the summer.

Kids,Kids, and now....more kids!

(WARNING...THIS POST WILL MAKE ABSOLUTELY NOT SENSE TO MY NON LDS FRIENDS AND FAMILY...)

About a month ago the Bishop called me into his office and extended a calling to me. I had gotten the call on Tuesday that he wanted to see me Sunday after church, so I had all week pretty much to speculate what "the call" would be. I was pretty sure it would be Primary, since I haven't served in primary since we moved to Saratoga Springs, (7 1/2 years ago). Ok everyone, pick up your jaw...I know that is UNHEARD of, but let me explain, up until recently, I have had allies, friends, in the Primary Presidency that know how much I deal with kids during the week, on a daily basis. Teaching Preschool all day, and then my own kids at home during the afternoon and evening. My allies in the Primary were safeguarding me from more kids. I was able to enjoy Sunday School, and Relief Society. I looked forward to those 2 hours of church uninterrupted by my own children. Anyway, I have to admit that I was fully prepared to turn down a primary calling. I just couldn't teach little itty bitty kids 6 days a week.
So... back to the Bishops office. He called me to be....(drum roll) Jr. Primary CHORISTER!!! Ok, for those of you who are familiar with me at all, I don't sing in front of anyone but children. And now they were asking me to not only sing, but sing songs I didn't know, in front of not only the children, but the teachers too.
However, it wasn't teaching, so I went ahead and accepted the calling. It was only then that the Bishop kindly reminded me that the primary program would be in 3 weeks! Great, so now I had to really step outside of my comfort zone and LEAD music in front of HUNDREDS of people. I know, they are watching the kids and not me, and believe me, that thought is the only thing that got me through. I made it through, not with flying colors, but I did it none the less.
I still don't know all of the songs. I spend alot of my free time playing the songs on the piano, trying to get the tune, and the words. It's really sad. I am still not at all comfortable standing in front of adults leading music,when I know that any one of them would be a heck of a lot more qualified than me to lead the music...but I will endure. HA HA!