This year we all went to PA to be together at Liz’s house and hang with Ian before he leaves on his mission to Brazil in March! All of the Forsyth’s converged and it was awesome to be with everyone. We miss seeing them and loved every moment. I want to get all the pictures up, so that’s first. I will write about the vacation later. Too little time and so much to share!

Dave and Misha stopped by!!!

Brothers and babies – Daniel and Baby Ray(6 months), Eric and Baby Henry (11 months)

Ian …. doesn’t he look grown up?? He’s a college boy, with a girlfriend and an Elder!!! crazy. I remember when he was 8, at my wedding, but he’s so different now. He’s a blast.

Aunt Jaime, Uncle Eric and Liam sharing his “Wed, Hot Bw-oos” (Red Hot Blues …. Liam’s favorite chips).

Jonathan … cute rosy cheeks.

Hottest Man Alive … aka Daniel Cakes.

This is Little Will. So beautiful. Does he get that from his pretty mommy next to him? eh??

Christmas Eve Dinner

Christmas morning …

These guys both look pretty interested in what they’re opening.

One of my favorite gifts – my checkered Vans. This is a teenage dream finally coming true.

Santa got Liam dress-ups … does he know Liam, or what?

An after Christmas walk …

Dallin …. sweet, chubby faced Dallin. mmmmmm.

This year was supposed to be a small party. We’re trying to stick to the idea of doing big parties on certain years: 5, 8, 12, 16 & 18. So, we only invited the Ordaz boys and one of Noah’s friends from school, his best friend, Jason.

They played Noah’s Lego Star Wars computer game, R2-D2 Trouble and ate lunch. Noah requested hot dogs, apples and pears cut up and “Noah salad” (lettuce with homemade balsamic dressing). Then we opened presents and played! Noah had been saving up all of his birthday money he got from: Grandma & Grandpa, cousins in Santa Cruz, Gammie, mommy and daddy. He wanted to buy the Millennium Falcon and that’s what he got! He also got a few awesome Lego creations from the Ordaz boys, a movie (Madagascar 3) and he got to take a gift card from Gammie to Target and he picked out the Droid Escape Pod Lego set. It was a fun day!

In case you’re wondering …. those Lego bricks are candy … and the tall Lego bricks are candles. It’s amazing what kind of Lego stuff you can find when you’re looking for it

We celebrated Noah’s birthday on Saturday, December 8th, but we celebrated it again with cake and ice cream on Monday, December 10th too. He looks so big. I feel like there has been such a huge leap in his face, his manner, in the way he talks …. he just seems like a little grown up now. This is the first time that has made me a little bit sad. I’ve always loved seeing my boys grow and develop and get more independent … until now. He is so smart and does so much on his own. He walks to the back of school for me to pick him up. He as his whole day away from me and tells me things he does at school and who he likes and hangs out with …. sigh. He’s big. Time to face it – I need to make the most of the next 11 years, because my heart already aches thinking about sending him away on his mission and one day giving him to someone else. For now, he is mine. My sweet Noah. And I love him. Happy Birthday big seven year old!

I never posted these, but we actually had a fun early part of December, before things got closer to Christmas and insane. But for a week it was quite nice. The boys and I made gingerbread cookies, then decorated them. See if you can tell which cookies are mine and which belong to the boys I also had to post the boys’ letters to Santa. Always a hit.

translation: Dear Santa, I want a Lego Captain Rex and Cad Bane.

translation:  To Santa, I want to get the big Deathstar that is made of like 1000 legos and the Y-Wing that you can fit a Lego guy inside and Captain Rex! Lego List! Love, Noah.

One more tack-on for December – I was in charge of making the Christmas cupcakes for Noah’s class at school. I found this idea on Pinterest, I think. They are red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese cupcakes and coconut flakes, with a peppermint “north pole” stick. Yeah for December 2012!

I know, I know, I haven’t posted pictures with the last few entries and that’s no fun. But Ray has completely commendeered the office and our desktop has all of our pictures on it. Anyway, I have some things to write, so I will. And maybe tomorrow I will find time to get into the office and show some Christmas vacation pictures.

I have spent a long time not knowing much about myself. For instance, I still try relish on my hot dog just because Daniel does and I always think, “maybe I like relish” …. but I never do. I am 32 years old now, have three children and have been married for ten years. This New Year’s I have a few things that I have figured out are facts about me and they lead to a few resolutions as well. Here we go:

FACT – I am over 30, I HAVE to work out at least a few times a week. My knees are bad, I still have baby fat on me and I just generally feel better when I workout (even though I hate it).

FACT – I am not a runner.

FACT – I don’t know my limits, so I usually agree to much more than I can handle. I always think it will be simple, no big deal, I can fit that in. sure. nope. Wake up, I have three kids and nothing is easy anymore.

RESOLUTION – I will say “no” to more things this year.

FACT – Donuts are never the answer. They are yummy. They are tempting. They are my kryptonite. But they will NOT make me feel better.

FACT – I feel better when I take care of myself (i.e. shower, put on makeup, blow dry my hair and eat breakfast).

FACT – I feel better when my house is clean and my bed is made.

RESOLUTION – The only needful things that must get done before noon are: get kids to school, take care of myself, workout and clean up. Avoid answering the phone if need be, but only do needful things before noon. After noon – ruin your life doing whatever you want, but before noon – take care of business.

FACT – I need to go out on a date with Daniel twice a month. Things get a little crazy if I don’t.

RESOLUTION – Date Daniel more often.

FACT – Mom and Dad were right about a lot of stuff (that’s hard to admit). When in doubt, call and ask them for advice.

FACT – I am not good with money. I should never carry cash around. For some reason it disappears. Everytime. Do not take cash out.

FACT – I love almost everything in Anthropologie. It’s always safe to buy something there. I will love it.

FACT – I will never “acclimate” to 20 degree weather (or lower). It’s never going to happen. I will always walk out the front door, with all my warm clothing on and it will still sting my face and make me want to curse outloud. I realized something similar to this about 10 years ago – I will never get used to waking up at 3:30 in the morning (I used to be an early morning custodian at BYU). I was right about that realization and know that even now … after 3 babies, it is still true. You never get used to waking up at 3:30 am, not matter how many times you do it. Same thing with the weather – doesn’t matter how many years you are subjected to awful weather – you will never get used to it and you will always want to move to CA. Just a fact about myself.

RESOLUTION – Leave this God forsaken state of Michigan. If only for the weather situation. There is absolutely no reason why I should continue to suffer through these terribly frigid, overcast and sad winters or the humid, nasty summers. No reason for this. I resolve to get out.

FACT – I cannot watch sad movies. ever. I cannot handle them. No matter how much they might touch my soul or teach me about something or might have amazing actors … I cannot handle them. Sad movies will haunt me and bring me down for weeks, possibly a month afterwards. I will cry and I hate to cry. No matter who tries to persuade you, do not see a sad movie. You will regret it. Everytime.

FACT – I hate eating chicken warmed up in the microwave …. or on the second day at all. Can’t do it. I hate it. I always think it will save money and be smart to eat the leftovers …. and that’s true, as long as they are not chicken. I will hate it.

FACT – Daniel knows all of this about you and knows you better than you know yourself. If for some reason you are confused and wondering if you like or dislike something – ask him. Daniel knows. He will also give it to you straight. That’s why you love him so much.

FACT – You will never find anyone as perfect for you as Daniel cakes. He is it. Good for you for finding him. How did you ever have your wits about you enough to marry him? Amazing. Good for you.

FACT – I love my kids. No matter what they do or how mad you are, you love them. They are everything to you and you’d be lost without any one of them. No matter what. Really.

RESOLUTION – Tell Daniel, Noah, Liam and Ray you love them more. Everyday. Several times a day. Sometimes I feel like I need to be more strict with my kids, or punish them more and then they’d be more obedient. But that is wrong. The boys always respond better to love. When in doubt, stop and show love instead of sterness.

FACT – Blogging/journaling is good for me. I love it and it’s therapuetic.

RESOLUTION – Turn all of my blogging into books. Organize them and print them out using blurb.

Alright. That’s what I’ve learned so far. If I think of more, I’ll write it down. Here’s to a good New Year. Go 2013!