Clint n' Britta's Tribe: January 2011

First of all I'm going to talk about the "lasts". Last night we went to Calvin's pinewood derby. Yes it was his last one. The last one for our family to attend. (Until the kids have boys of their own, but that's way off in the future.) Being in a different ward, (because of boundary changes). Calvin had a lot more competition this year and there were some pretty cool looking and FAST cars. The whole time making his car, Calvin kept saying that he wanted to win 1st this year, when he said the blessing on the food for dinner that night, he blessed that he would win. Of course, we kept reminding him that he has more competition and that the purpose of the race was to have fun. Well, his car did really well and he won 3rd. He was happy and we were so proud of him.

This is one happy kid! He got a dog tag with a #3 on it. (Made by a woman in our ward.) and a 100 grand candy bar.

I realized that I never took a picture of the car by itself with the wheels on it. When I did the license plate, I super glued the word on it and got it crooked. Oh well, Calvin didn't seem to mind.

(He painted it and wanted me to do the details)

Here is Clint putting graphite on the wheels right before the race.

This last one was one of the final run of the night.

Their were three final runs and they were all very close like this one.

That same night, Dallin had his first Court of Honor. He received 4 centennial merit badges. What makes these special is that last year, being the centennial year of Boy Scouts, was the only year to earn these merit badges. We are so proud of him and glad he loves scouting. We are also very appreciative of his and Calvin's scout leaders. It really does matter when there are good leaders out there.

This is one proud and happy kid!

This is one silly kid!

Well, what a Christmas this turned out to be. We had a great Christmas full of family and friends. The weekend before Christmas we went up to Salt Lake City, (Woods Cross), to Clint's company party. It was fun. They had motivational speakers, then dinner and dessert, then had a gift exchange, then a trivia game with awesome prizes. Clint and I got 9 right out of 30, but we still got a pretty nice prize. (A waterproof digital camera). We decided that next year we're coming back ready for the trivia game. The kids stayed the night at Ron and Sariah Anderson's home. They had a blast with their kids and then we all went to their ward in the morning. They had a nice Christmas program for Sacrament meeting and we ended up staying for all of church and then ate dinner with them after. It was delicious. Sariah cooked a turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a hen. I can't remember what it was called but it was delicious. We then had to hurry and get on the road to go back home. Then came Christmas! But first let me tell you what happened on my birthday, the 22nd, we sold our car! We've been trying to sell it for almost a year and we finally sold it! It was a great birthday gift! Then, on the 23rd, we drove to Sparks to be with my family. Then on Christmas eve morning we had a birthday breakfast for me. My mom put a candle in my pancake and everyone sang Happy Birthday to me. Then, Hannah gave me two candles that smell heavenly. Then, as if that wasn't enough, she proceeds to give me more gifts. She gave me vinyl for a Silhouette, (just in case I get one sometime), then she gave me a gift card to the Silhouette store, then Camille told me that she and Micah ordered some tools from the Silhouette store, but they hadn't arrived yet. Then, Hannah brings out a big gift. I open it and surprise! It's a Silhouette! Yeah! I couldn't believe it! She actually bought one for me! I have so many ideas in mind for this!
I was thrilled! Yea! And still am!
Well then the rest of the day, Hannah, Jeff, Clint and I went and did some last minute Christmas shopping. Then, we went back to our parents home and we all feasted on our tradition of potato soup and all varieties of cheeses and bread. (and other yummy stuff). Then, we had our little Christmas talent show. Calvin and I played a duet of "Frosty the Snowman" on the piano. Calvin just started learning to play in October and he is doing really well so far. Then, my Dad led us in singing a poem about making a snowman. Then, my brother and his son, Nigel sang the 12 days of Christmas. Then my other brother and his wife read a story about Rudolph and every time he said Rudolph the little kids would jingle their bells. They liked it for a while but then their attention spans were running out, so he skipped a few pages and ended. Then, my other brothers wife and their daughter did a presentation of their daughters FAVORITE show. They live in San Diego and they go to the zoo, which is within walking distance of their home. Their daughter, Scout, LOVES the sea lion show, so she acted it out for us. It was so cute! I only got the last part of it on camera.
Well, then we put our kids to bed and the few of us that still had some wrapping to do met in the ping pong room and finished wrapping and such. Then, came Christmas day!
Here are some pictures......

The kids are waiting to go into the room to see what Santa left for them. Oh yeah, do you like their p.j.'s?

Elsa loves her jump rope and headlamp that Santa left in her stocking.

Elsa and Abby both wished that Santa would bring them a giant lollipop. Then he surprised them with a scrumdidiliumptious bar from Willy Wonka. (They love those movies)

Abby loved getting her candy cane lip gloss.

Elsa got beads to make a necklace and little artist trading cards that she can draw her masterpieces on then trade them with her friends.....or anyone.

Calvin wasting no time eating his Willy Wonka bar.

Cute little Abby with her head lamp on.

What is it? According to Elsa's face, it's something really good!

Yeah, it's a leapster 2!

Yeah, clothes! I think Mom was more excited for him to get new clothes then he was.

We have a tradition that we draw names and whose ever name we draw we make that person something. Well, Abby got Clint's name. She painted two little cars, and colored a picture and put the picture on the outside of a cup that he can take to work and drink through out the day. She was so excited to give it to him.

Dallin got Calvin's name. He made him a checker/chess board and painted each checker piece with each chess piece on it. Does that make sense? He worked hard on it and Calvin liked it!

Elsa got Dallin's name. She was so excited to give him this little dog that she painted and this box that she decorated for his Lego mini figures.

Calvin got this shirt and another one of the same theme. I always said I would never get shirts like this for my kids. I mean really, why give them more excuses not to do their homework. But these were so cute and I figured Calvin gives me excuses anyway. He loved them.

Abby loves her "candy necklace" that Aunt Danielle made for her.

The boys got lego sets, that's what they asked for.

Hide yo' kids....hide yo' wife! J/K That was for you Hannah. Elsa loved her "Candy necklace" and her real candy ring.

Abby loves her new clothes

Elsa loves her "girly" legos and Dallin loves that now she doesn't have to go into his room and get into his. Everyone wins!

New clothes!

The boys love their nintendo mag. and subscription. And they all loved their gift cards. Thanks Aunt Steph, Traci, Aunt Danielle, Uncle Anthony, and cousin James.

Yeah, they got a little video camera!

Elsa got 2 books from her teacher, Mrs, Atherton

Yeah, new movies! The Blind Side.....great movie!

Toy story 3......very cute!

....and Call of the Wild.

Getting his lego game ready to play.

Putting together his Star Wars set.

Here are some of the little ones running around that morning.....

Cute little Rebeca, Jordan's daughter. Norah, Hannah's daughter

Cute Camille, pregnant with little Bradley Davis.....Micah's wife

Eating her lollipop. Lucky for Laurel or Maisy, it broke. She gave that piece to one of them. I can't remember who it was, but it was sweet of her. Literally. :)