I hope all our friends and family had a very merry Christmas!? We had an eventful Christmas holiday this year from Christmas tree hunting to school parties, band concerts, ward and work parties, treats, cards, and gingerbread houses. Love all the smells of Christmas too!! We had a ball at the cabin Kathy and Mark rented a week ago. Lots of sledding and Tim and Bri thanks for bringing the 4-wheeler it added to the fun. The cabin was tight but still lots of fun. I honestly can say I do not feel like it is Chris' family they're mine too!! They are the best love all of you. We also did the Polar Express Luke loved it- it was for Luke since he is a big train lover. Luke liked the idea of going to the North Pole and seeing Santa's village and hopeful for that 'spiderman-lizard." Santa followed through on that wish. Christmas means to me family, friends, ( thanks to all of you for your thoughtful cards and treats!), and most importantly love -love of family and friends, but love of Jesus Christ his condecension and continuation in my life. Holy Christmas.

Seth's Christmas Shopping...

I was sitting here do a little blogging work? Is it work I have not decided it is fun to keep in touch with everyone-so I say no. Anyway, Seth was in here looking at a magazine and he said, " Oh man, that is $29.99, I sure wish things had a little cheaper price tags on them." I had to laugh inside because I think at one time or another we all have thought that. He is the cutest. It is from the mouths of our babes that we can find truth. Even if it is something like " Mom why do you still have a belly when you arrive home from the hospital with the new little one. Or the time Dek asked grandpa if he ate too much while looking at his belly. I can just say I am grateful for their honesty and all the other delights they bring into our life. These moments make life merry and the season merry. Merry Christmas!

This is just a quick post to all you fellow moms out there-a parenting moment one might say...

Chris, Derek, Tai, and I ran in the annual Turkey Trot here in Huntington on Thanksgiving and Dek beat me so needless to say I owe him some cash ha ha. Anyway long story short we came home got everything ready for the big dinner and were tired from our exertion earlier that morning so while watching a show we dozed off, yes, Luke saw this as a prime time to do some art work that he learned from watching Barbie Diamond Castle with Sis. He took a brush and painted a lovely picture in the ahll, in the playroom (it was a bit bigger in there), in his room and their closet and the shelves in his closet. One might ask why was paint out because I had started painting a "cliche' " wall in our play room and it was one of the screw cap paint bottles. He managed he is a smartie and very artistic too. I have been repairing the damage for a couple days and feel responsible myself. Yes, this is my baby.

Here is a parenting moment and hope you all can either give yourself a pat on the back for your great families or relieve yourself from some guilt-it is all great-Parenting!!! Love it!!!

Hey Brooke hope this makes you feel a bit better- we've all been in crazy mom moments.

Thanksgiving

"...For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."(Gal. 6:7) This is my prayer of thanksgiving this week of Thanksgiving. I say this because I have much to be thankful this year 2008. As I sit and ponder on the blessings harvested this year they are bountiful to say the least. I know where all my blessings come from but it is due to many people in my life sowing those seeds that I have been able to reap the blessings. For example, family (what a blessing): Chris and I both have supportive and super parents they are always there for us in many ways emotionally, physically-they try to be there for all the kids events-if not in person in spirit; they also taught us values and principals that help us sow various seeds in our lives now. A special thanks to our parents! I can not forget my Grandma she has done so much for me over the years. Her humanitarian efforts are seeds that are endless, I thank her for teaching me literally to plant flowers and a garden things that bring me happiness now in my life-except when I am nagging the kids to weed not much joy there, but that seed will live on, grandma. All of our family extended and you cute cousins we love you and want you to know we're counting you as a blessing too.
My children those seeds are still being nurtured by us and my kids have planted special seeds in my heart that will endure through eternity-oh how I love them and are grateful for their examples: for instance, Bet trying to play with someone new every day at kindergarten thanks, Sis, for planting that in my heart too.
Family is by far the biggest harvest every year but this year I have also help the blessing of great friends you know who you are, your example and friendships have been helpful. I remember one night Steve Stream came by he is a good friend to us and that was just very thoughtful and kind. That seed lives on. What blessings we have in those seeds planted by dear friends.
I have also experience a wonderful harvest from our garden, I love all the stuff and love to eat it still. So literally those seeds that were planted in late spring have sowed much joy in my life.
Books continue to sow seeds of learning, last Christmas break Chris and I read Jane Eyre I read it in 10th grade in Mrs. Wakefield's class, but this time it was fantastic!! Still my favorite book, from that book we have read others this year including Les Mis (Chris' Fav). Now I work at the school library a little during the week. These books are super in helping me with sowing and harvesting many things in my life.
I have much to be grateful for I think all of us do. I most importantly am grateful for the knowledge of a loving Savior. That seed is one that continues to grow and I reap a bit and then it grows some more and just continues.
So lets keep sowing, because then we all share in the harvest. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

You may wonder why I chose blue-Go Cougars!!!!!

Happy Birthday Derek Benjamin Justice (A.K.A Dek)

Deks Favs
-Color Orange

-Football, Basketball, Baseball

-Cookie Dough

-Red Sox

-BYU

-Dolphins: the team and the animal -

-Friends

-Reading

-Drawing

-Boating

-Chocolate: pie, candy, cake etc.

-Legos

-Mexico

-Hawaii

-Music and the giutar
-Star Wars

"My Lovely living Boy, My hope, my hap, my Love, my Life, my joy." -Guillaume De Saulluste Du Bartas

I can not believe Dek will be ten this week-where has the time went? He is just simply growing up too fast. We love him tons and that quote sums up how I feel about him. He is all of that and our little firecracker: bringing us light, joy, smiles, beauty/hansome as ever, laughs, fun, and a few pops-ooh the excitement of Dek's moods. Yet we love him dearly and wish him a happy week and especially much love and light in this life and in the next.
Love Mom and Dad

The Justice Halloween

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween. We did. Halloween mornings are always crazy at our house- it possibly could be me getting out of my routine not the kids. Anyway getting all their costumes on and last minute touch ups. We could never fit piano in on those mornings (sorry Kelcy and Brenda.) Tai could not decide so at about seven in the morning I threw a referee shirt on him and said, "You make a cute ref." He did not complain so a referee he was. Dek joined up Kobe and they were secret agents/Men in Black whatever, except they looked very handsome. Seth was Vader. He was happy as could be just to be some guy off of Star Wars. Bet was Little Red Riding Hood. She had a party the Sat. before and they went on a hayride, had treats, and played a couple games -cute girls. She thought Halloween was 'splendid.' Luke was Superman, he practiced well, he wore that costume around for three days and flew to the best of his ability. He only hurt his foot in the adventure and only has a slight limp today. We did the school walk, trunk or treat at the church parking lot, and went to Lawrence (Lawrence is the place to trick-or-treat, the good stuff is out in Lawrence -a tip for any Huntington folk.) So our bags we full. Dek's was so heavy that he could barely pack it. As you can see it was fun. I would not say it is my fav, but I enjoy anything my kids do. So Happy Halloween! Life is fun fun fun.

Thanks to all our friends and fam for responding-I can honestly say that blogging could be a "fun" thing for me! If I can get it all down-wish me well. We have had a busy week-flag football is over and fun it was!! Sethy's team won I have some cute pictures of Seth he is very animated to say the least. Chris is relieved to have it over- it is lots of work for him. Tai is wrapping up his season. Halloween is just around the corner so all post some of our pictures.
Fall is great leaves were crunching under my shoes this morning on my run-love the sound of crunchy leaves. So with that I will list my "Harvest Blessings:"
-Chris and the kids
-Our parents- Mark and Kathy are the fantastic, Mom and Dad thanks for all your support
-Our great garden this year-the pumpkins have been super
-Good friends
-warm blankets on the chilly nights
-music
-laughter
-the van it takes us every where
-good books
-running-it keeps me sane
-I know there is more but that will do for today-Life is great!!!!!!

We're Back!!!

Hello Friends and Family!
Mel has been helping me with my blog- that will be the difference in my blogging skills ha .
I will update you on our life since I last blogged. We celebrated Luke's 3rd B-day he is a spiderman junky so we had a spider cake and spider cupcakes. He had a party at our house with grandparents and Champ (He loves Champ)-we love Ike and Tiff too.
From there we jumped right into the Castle Valley Pageant. Bet was Bessie and thought it fantastic to be a main character in one of the families. She had a super experience, even though Dingus her favorite horse stepped on her foot. After some TLC and a couple days she was good to go. Thank you grandpa Mark for all your hard work and encouraging us to do it because sometimes we would quit.
We are not campers to say the least so in mid-August we created the "Justice Camping style". We went boating to Huntington Lake and stayed in our tent for the night. It was fun. We told scary stories and also got to do one of our families favorite things boat!! Dek got up on skis that time. Dad mastered his 360 turn on the knee board. We boated until the 2nd week in Sept. That time it was a bit nippy.
School started on the 19th of Aug. We have four at the elementary wow! Make that 5 I am there too as the Librarian. It is o.k. but nice to be there with the kids. I love Dek coming in at lunch recess.
We joke that in the fall we worship two gods the 2nd being football. Yes we play football, watch it, cheer it, go to games, and chris coaches 3teams between the boys. It is fun. Seth is cut as a flag puller, Dek is a bit intense, Tai is QB and very goal oriented, & Luke walks around saying "BYU, BYU." Bet and I love it too. Dave blocks for BEt so she will occasionally score in our backyard games.
Fall is great...our garden gave us wonderful tomatoes, squash, cucumbers,beans, peppers, berries, and now pumpkins!! We have been blessed. We have wonderful friends and family to support us and many blessings . Honestly we do recognize where all these treasures come from- the Lord.
That is us for now good and still going strong.