New Arrival

Washington D.C. Temple

Amber Posted:
Last Sunday right after church we packed a lunch and headed straight to the Temple. It was so worth it! Everyone should go see the lights they really put a lot up. I think it might compete with Salt Lake Temple?? We missed the live nativity because it didn't start until 6:30 and Spencer had Home Teaching but it was still great! One of the missionaries at the temple took this picture I was so pleased. I think this could be our family Christmas card photo and since we didn't do Christmas cards Merry Christmas everyone!!

What a beautiful temple and the lights are so incredible. I love taking Logan to see the temple he really loves it. I know he can feel the spirit and the happiness from just being on the temple grounds. I am so grateful to belong to our church and know what we know!

Logan is smelling the flowers. Yes they make the lights look like flowers it is so cool.

Just love our daddy don't we Logan! Logan loves seeing Angel Moroni on the temple he always pretends to be playing the trumpet too.

What a kid. He just loves the lights and had a great time.

Wow! I love this picture Spencer took with the Christ in the back ground......

UTAH HERE WE COME!

Amber Posted:
Well after all the waiting and excitment to go to Utah....Spencer is not feeling good and Logan is on his way. I hope we can get them better so it doesn't mess up our time with family. Man it is a lot of work to go out of town I feel like I have been going non stop all week. I am really exhausted and now ready for a break just hope I don't have to be a nurse our whole trip. I am sure I'm exagerating a little bit because I am just nervous. It is a lot of money to go and we want to have a great time. Plus we don't want to get Pauleen sick oh we would feel terrible. Also I am a little gun shy because last Christmas was a nightmare with sickness. I was in the ER with Logan 3 times. The kid hardly ever gets sick and nothing ever major until last Christmas he was bad we had to do the nebulizer treatments and the whole works. Wow sorry that was really a downer!! We are going to have a great trip and can't wait to make wonderful memories with the family!

Pumpkin Roll

Amber posted:
Christie here is this reciepe finally. I didn't want to overload people with reciepes they didn't really want so thanks for asking again.

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
¾ cup flour
2 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
2/3 cup Pumpkin
1 tsp. Lemon juice
1 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Ginger
½ tsp. Nutmeg
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Beat eggs 5 min. gradually add sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Mix all dry ingredients and stir into pumpkin mixture. Pour into greased and floured cookie sheet.
Bake @ 375 degrees for 15 min. cool 10 min. Carefully turn out onto a dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar, roll towel and cake together and leave until cool. Unroll and spread with filling. (Sprinkle with nuts if desired.) Roll up again. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

Filling
1 cup powdered sugar
4 T. Butter
8 oz. Cream cheese-softened
½ tsp. vanilla
Combine and beat until smooth.

Golden Graham Goody

Amber Posted:
Growing up this was one of my favorite Christmas treats my mom would make. Plus it is fast and easy so enjoy!

In two big bowls mix all the dry ingredients:
1 big box corn chex
1 box golden grahams
3 cups coconut flakes
2 cups chopped almonds

Mix in a saucepan on stove:
2 cups karo syrup
2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups butter

Stir and boil for 2 minutes. Then pour over mixture and eat up!

Cream Candy

Today I tried making my Great Grandma Judds reciepe of cream candy. It has been a candy that growing up sometimes it would turn out and sometimes it wouldn't. My mom has perfected it now but it was my first time trying it by myself. I was so nervous about it they used to joke not to breathe wrong or it might not turn out. BUT I DID IT!! I was so pleased with myself. Logan loves it I can't keep him away from it. Sure is fun to carry on this fun tradition.

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Here is the Recipe for those of you who wanted it.....

Sugar Cookies

5 cups flour (usually a little bit more 1/2 cup or so)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all the wet ingredients well and then add your dry ingredients. (Don't add to much flour because you will be using some when you roll them out. ) Split dough into 1/3 and roll out (keep thicker for a more moist cookie) and use a cookie cutter for your shapes!
Bake @ 375 for 8-10 minutes

Frosting

1/4 cup margarine
4 cups powdered sugar
2 egg whites unbeaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1-2 tsp. milk

Then add food coloring if you desire!

Christmas Cookies for Playgroup

Amber Posted: Playgroup was supposed to be at our house today but after we received RSVP's from the majority of our group Angela being the sweet friend she is offered to have it at her place. I felt bad because we would love to have all of our friends but we really couldn't accommodate so many. So we loaded up all the sugar cookies Logan and I made and headed to the McGhies. We sure had a great time. It was the first snow of the year but we still had a great turn out. We had including babies 17 kids and 8 adults. The kids had a great time decorating there cookies and playing with lots of toys and friends.
I forgot my camera so you'll have to check Angela's for pictures of playgroup. Here is Logan decorating his cookie after a fun day making them with mommy. He loves rolling out the dough and cutting them into shapes.

Yahtzee

Amber Posted:
For family night we decided to teach Logan how to play Yahtzee. It is one of my favorite games that me and my dad would always play together. He thought it was so so fun!

Wouldn't you too if every game you played you got a YAHTZEE!! No kidding we didn't even cheat or give him extra rolls he rolled a YAHTZEE in one roll, yes one roll. That doesn't happen very often.

Yes as you can see my face is shocked this is a second "Yahtzee" of the game. Lets just say he schooled us. Logan Score: 259 (1st game) 375 (2nd game), Amber: 190 then 265, Spencer: 250 Yup the boy has taken all my skills!!

I just had to post this picture Spencer looks so dang HANDSOME!!! Plus the two boys I love.

New Bedding

Amber Posted:
Logan was really excited for his new bedding for the big boy bed. This is when they first came out of the dryer. He kept saying "cozy".He has been wanting to try out his new bed ever since the new "Cars" sheets so today for nap we tried it out. He did great after the whole excitement of seeing Mater and Kachow wore off.

Three Amigos

Amber Posted:

After a long day of playing together the boys needing a break. They all thought it was pretty great to get in the LoveSac and watch a Christmas movie. Cute boys!

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy!

Logan loves his new crocs if you can't tell :-).

He had to call Grandma and tell her all about them. Nice pose!

Bonny and Clyde

Here are a few pics of Amber a.k.a "Asay Lover" and Spencer a.k.a "Spilter" in action. If you see us on the battle field, watch your back!

Amber is the sniper and I'm the hammer.

Nice Guy!

Amber posted:
I just have to share an experience I had today it was so nice. I was at Michaels getting stuff for my countdown candle and we were waiting in line to check out and Logan found this train that he was playing with while we waited. It was just a $3.00 Train that he was really enjoying but I wasn't going to buy it for him. This guy behind me was talking to me about how he just bought his grandsons a Wii for Christmas and he misses the days that a little train would make them so happy. So we just visited for a minute and he told me how cute Logan was etc..... A minute later he had gone to a different line finshed before us and brought back the TRAIN and said "here you go Logan!!" I was so shocked Logan was thrilled and said "Oh thank you". I was just amazed that he would do something so kind for my little Logan a total stranger to him. Nice people still are around!! Merry Christmas! What a nice man.

2007 Ornaments

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster, one of our favorite rides at Disneyland

Hawaii Sea Turtle, we saw a few when we were snorkeling in Hawaii this summer.

Amber went to the Balloon festival in New Mexico this fall

Blown Glass Balloon from Grandma Dana

Buddha offerings wooden bell from Korea

Dragon roof tile from Korea

Logan's trains

There's Thomas

Here are the rest!

Up with the tree

Last year we bought a plastic tree from Costco and weren't too impressed so this year we decided to go back to "our roots" by getting a real tree! The Turpins pointed us in the direction of Home Depot and we found a winner, for a great price too. The drill bit to put a hole in the thing almost cost more than the tree... I thought I drilled a straight hole, maybe the tree grew off the edge of a cliff or something, if you look at the picture you can see I had to wedge a few game cases under the stand to make it look okay.

Next came the lights, logan was a big help making sure that the line didn't get tangled up. For those of you who have never seen a "Cottrell Tree" it is kind of a mix between a bonfire and burning bush. We just cut off the, "for external use only" stickers off the lights and get to work. I have great memories of putting lights on at Grandma's house as well as mom and dad's, it really gets me into the Christmas holidays. We put on some B-B-B-Bing and some Jonny Mathis and went to town.

Once we were done with the lights we put up our ornaments and Logan spent the entire night finding the perfect spot for "Kachow" a.k.a. Lightning McQueen.

There's the spot!

Welcome to our winter wonderland!

Happy Turkey Day!

This year has brought so many blessings to our family and we have so much to be thankful for. It was nice to have some time off work to spend at home with Logan and Amber and really get into the holiday spirit. We were shopping for some groceries and we saw a small turkey and thought it would be fun to try making one. Neither of us had any experience baking one before but it turned out pretty good, and Amber's potatoes and deserts were especially delicious.

Pumpkin Pie Squares for Daddy and Strawberry pudding cake for mommy. Logan just licked the cool whip off of both our our spoons.

For Thanksgiving our friends the Rogers invited us over to their house for dinner. It was so awesome, their house was beautiful and the kids had a blast running around playing. Though we only had a few moments when all of us were at the table and not chasing kids or changing diapers, it was really memorable and we feel blessed to have such wonderful friends who make us feel so at home when family is far away. Logan was so cute, after we had all sat down for dinner, Bern and Eric asked us if we wanted to say a prayer. Logan immediately bowed his head and started saying one. It was short and sweet and perfect.

Chillin with Santa and eating ice cream at the "North Pole"

This year Santa was so much nicer, last year he had a crazy look in his eye like he was about to snap under the pressure of running out of candy canes or something. The boys had a blast putting on antlers and looking at the cool workshop display.

With a face like that we were worried they were going to kidnap him and force him into elf labor.

Matthew enjoying an icecream cone.

This was a big surprise, Logan usually dislikes icecream cause he doesnt like anything that is not luke warm. Thankfully, Matthew showed him the licking technique and now he loves it.

November Playgroup

Amber Posted:

This is what Logan made at November playgroup. I never knew how much this kid loved crafts until we did these fun activities with our playgroup. I am so glad we have great friends to get together with. Logan loves playing with all the other 2 year olds!! Thanks to all of you for being so wonderful.

New Furniture

Amber is always on Craig's List looking for deals. Lately we have been looking for a reasonably priced bunk bed. Logan is going to be capable of climbing out of his crib any day so we are preparing for him to have a "big boy bed". Amber found a great set including a dresser and a chest of drawers. The price was kind of steep but Amber was able to talk it down so we spent the weekend putting it together.

The room was not too big to start with so it was a relief to see it all fit alright.

All in all we are excited for Logan's new room. He loves to sit on the top bunk and play with his cars.

Have You Seen Logan Lately?

We hardly ever put up pictures of the poor kid, so here are a few... These two babies are his pride and joy. He loves to fill the interiors with fish crackers...

Logan is a happy kid. Currently his favorite song is "popcorn popping" though he won't let us drive in peace unless we have Enya's "Ornico Flow" blasting. Every time he hears it he says, "I love it song". Yes, my son loves to head bang to Enya... what can you do?

Logan is definately Amber's son. Upon finding some crumbs on the counter, he got out the vaccum and his step stool and sucked them up. He is a good little helper.

Here is Logan modeling his new sunday look courtesy of Grandma Dana.

Last week we picked up some overalls. Uncle Ben would be proud:)

More new clothes, we can't seem to get out of Costco without buying more...

Racing with Daddy.