Family Christmas Card

Behind the scenes of making a Christmas card...

Step 1: Take a family photo.

This will allow friends and family far away to see how much the kidlets have grown.

Gardner family photo - take 1

 Gardner family photo - take 5

 Gardner family photo - take 13

 Gardner family photo - take 17

 Gardner family photo - take 23

 Gardner family photo - take 31 = good enough.

Step 2: Book photographer for next years family photo ;) Using the self timer on the camera with small children = less effective.  You good for it Val?

Step 3: Collect addresses of family and friends in far away places. Dang. For those of you who have recently moved or whose addresses we lost - we hope you had a WONDERFUL Christmas!

Love, the Gardners.

My Present

Dear Santa, I know you have your hands full so feel free to skip me this year. I've already got what I want under the tree.

It's not wrapped in paper with a pretty red bow - it's too perfect for that.

Didn't come from a fancy store - it came from a place much better.

This precious gift has brought more joy to us this Christmas

than anything from your workshop ever could.

She loves looking at the lights and tasting the tree.

She is a special reminder to us of another Special Baby whose birth we celebrate this time of year. And because of His gift we get to be with our sweet little gift (and our other gifts Rachel and Ben) forever.

So while we're grateful for the love and generosity your gifts represent, nothing in your bag could ever compare to this. Thanks anyway Santa! Merry Christmas!

Tonight I had the hankering to get all fancy

and exercise my mad culinary skills

(I watch Food Network - watch out)

by making poached pears with vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.

They were nasty.

So while admitting defeat

(alright my culinary skills aren't that mad)

I reached in the fridge and pulled out a simple jar of

home canned peaches.

And that's when I realized

sometimes you don't have to get all fancy to succeed.

Sometimes success is found in the simple things.

Although I don't think the series "Iron Chef - Home Canner Edition" will be airing any time soon...

FALL!

We love Vernal in the fall.

 Our home is surrounded by very big trees which provide beautiful shade in the summer, and a TON of leaves to rake in the fall. But the kids don't mind those big leaf piles...

 Benny especially loves playing tackle with Daddy in all those leaves...

 And Daddy loves playing tackle right back.

 The lil' sweet pea likes to sport the pink warm weather garb...

 And Daddy loves those rosy pink cheekers.

 Happy Fall!!

3 Months Old

Baby is 3 months old today.

 I can't even stand it. How did that HAPPEN?!

 She has the sweetest smile and cutest toes.

 She has sweet rolls on her little thighs that are scrumptious!

 She LOVES to suck on her entire fist - one little thumb just isn't enough for this girl!!

 When she gets excited she purses her little mouth together and kicks and kicks and kicks.

 She has the biggest bluest eyes, the cutest little nose, the roundest head, and the sweetest lips.

 Her smile is KILLER CUTE and she is THIS CLOSE to her first laugh - I can't wait for that one!

 Abby Joy truly IS our JOY and we couldn't imagine life without her. These have been the BEST 3 MONTHS EVER!!

WE LOVE YOU BABY GIRL!!

Glow Worm

One of my mission buddies sent me this photo after seeing Abby's Halloween costume...

Do you remember Glow Worms?

The resemblance is a little scary but

OH SO CUTE!!!

(thanks Connor!)

Halloween 2011

We were so excited to have our Lil' Sweet Pea with us this Halloween! 

 Our Dinosaur and Princess were very anxious to get outside and start collecting their LOOT!

We started the night at our ward "trunk-or-treat". The weather was perfectly warm, all the kids looked cute in their costumes, and we passed out 2 HUGE bags of candy in less than 15 minutes! That's my kind of Halloween!!

Our ward trunk-or-treat

Then the whole ward went to the nursing home in our neighborhood for the kids to parade around. A lot of these folks are in our ward and Paul loved having the chance to take the kids around to see them. We were shocked at how well the residents dressed up!!

Lovely witches at the Beehive Home in our ward.

Abby was pretty tired after all the trick - or - treating!

Paul loves visiting the people here!

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Yellow Hill

For Family Home Evening this week Paul took us on a hike walk up Yellow Hill.

 We started off with some stretches. First backward...

 ...then forward...

 ...then we paused to watch Ben break dance.

Abby was snug as a bug in a rug. Her cheeks are simply scrumptious - I know! 

By the time we reached the top Abby was fast asleep so I flipped her around and tucked her right in. She snoozed the rest of time and missed the view at the top.

 The kids took turns throwing rocks off the top. Then Dad stepped in to show them how it was REALLY done. There were a lot of "WOW's!!" and "WHOA DAD YOU THROW FAAAAR's!!" from Rachel and Ben. We love Vernal and it was so great to see the beauty of our little town from up that high. The farms and streams and trees look beautiful this time of year.

(It kills me how much Ben is a cookie cutter image of Paul, even down to that little cow-lick of hair that grows straight down their forehead!)

 On the way back down we saw two snow-tailed rabbits, and some hawks and other birds. We took turns talking about our favorite things about Vernal and our favorite parts of the day. This moment together as a family was at the top of every one's list.

  It was wonderful to talk to each other with no interruption from LIFE. We were out of the house, away from noise and chaos, and just focused 100% on our family. Thanks for taking us Daddy!