New Year's Eve

This year was an odd New Years.  First off, Justin forgot it was New Year's Eve.  It was on a Tuesday and he typically works an evening shift on Tuesdays.  I thought he had the day off since he was home.  I asked him what he wanted to do.  We usually have a little buffet of everyone's favorite snacks and watch a movie.  I would need to go grocery shopping.  I was about done with work for the day.  He said he totally forgot and was planning on working.  Really?  Poor Isaac had been sick all week coughing up a storm.  I had taken him into the doctor the day before because his ears had started hurting.  Sure enough, he had an ear infection in both ears.  Justin was not feeling well either so it was decided we would skip the buffet.  Justin would work as late as he could based on the way he felt and I would just make a normal dinner for the kids.  We would do the buffet and watch a movie with the family a different night.  I made chicken pockets and bought popcorn and ice cream.  Olivia joined us for the night. Two crazy girls!

Justin got home about 8:30.  We have entered into a different stage of our lives.  It is the one where kids are old enough to go out at night! Nathan had his first New Year's Eve stake dance.  He had not been sure about going.  A group of moms made plans to carpool so after hearing he would have a group of friends to ride with, he said he would go.  I did the first carpool to take the boys to the dance.  We left our house about 8:50 to pick up the boys and head to the church while Isaac and the girls watched a movie and had popcorn.

Left to right:  Parker Thornley, Nathan, Charlie Toller, Andrew Trepanier and Caeden Anderson.  These boys crack me up.  Nathan and Andrew were pretty nervous I think.  Charlie let them know all the ins and outs of the dances since he has been to a couple dances since turning 14.  That is the age you have to be to go to the church dances.  He let them know to not just stand around or else the chaperones would pair them up with someone.  I am so glad Nathan had a good group to go with.  

I got back home about 10:15.  Poor Isaac had already fallen asleep in his bed.  I had washed his bedding so he was laying on the mattress pad.  I woke him up long enough to put his sheets and blankets back on and give him a pillow.  He was just not feeling well.  Hannah and Olivia had hit tornado mode.  They were hyper! Justin said they did not stop talking to him the whole time I was gone.  He had shown them how to dance because they wanted to learn.  Wish I could have seen that!  Justin went to bed.  The girls watched TV and I read the book I got for Christmas from George and RaNae.  I only had a few chapters left.  

The girls were trying to make it until midnight.  I told them I would wake them up just before if they did fall asleep.  About 11:30, this is what they looked like.

As promised, I woke them up at 11:58.  Olivia fell right back to sleep.  At midnight I sent them to bed.  That left me to ring in the New Year with my book.  Nathan got home just after 1.  He had a great time.  These are some questions/answers.

Did you have fun?  Yes

Did you dance with girls?  Yes.  Sister Henderson told us she would pay us a dollar for every girl we danced with...then a little giggle.  She may have some paying up to do;)

Did you dance to fast songs?  Not really but I did dance to some line ones.  Oh, and I did Gongem Style - Oh to have been a fly on the wall.

What was your favorite part of the night?  Playing ping pong.  They only had one table so you had to wait in line a long time.  I also played foosball.

Was there food?  A chocolate fountain (he had hoped for that) but I only had one pretzel dipped in it.

He was very excited that they also had a big container full of gum for the kids.  He said he didn't even need to bring his from home!

These are some pictures from the dance.  Nathan said this is their serious picture.

 This is their silly picture.

I am so glad he went.  Caeden's dad brought him home.  I was glad to not have the late shift but part of me wishes I would have.  It would have been very fun to hear the boys talk right after the dance.

I sent Nathan to bed and then I finished my last two chapters of the book about 1:30 am.  I couldn't stop with only that much left!  Unfortunately, I read the first chapter for the next book in the series.  I have to wait until Spring for the new one to come out though!  It left me wanting to read it NOW.  All in all, it was a pretty good night.  What a year it has been.  There have been lots of ups and some downs as well.  We were blessed to be pretty darn healthy and to have our needs met.  Here is to hoping 2014 is even better!

Christmas!

We had a great Christmas!  Santa had lots of travel points saved up this year so everyone was able to get their Christmas wish.  The kids are allowed to come down on Christmas morning at 5 am.  Well, at 4:58, the kids came rushing into our room and then Isaac says, "whoops, it is only 4:58".  We let it slide:)  They were very excited to see what Santa brought and to start opening the rest of their presents.

 Santa brought Justin a new tent, Nathan a Kindle, Hannah a curling wand and gift card for new clothes and Isaac a new ipod.

 Isaac loves his Pillow Pets!  Perry got a new friend, Spots.

 Hannah liked her new one from Nathan as well.

 The kids and I got Justin a little funny gift.  He joked while he was finishing his masters that he would make us all call him Master P when he got done.  So, we got him a Master P name plate for his desk.  He laughed and laughed.

 Nathan was very happy with his genuine leather scriptures.  He has been asking for them and since he will start seminary in about six months (really?) it was good timing.  

 This was my presents!  I had a great Christmas.  Not pictures is some money from my mom and dad and my season tickets to The Gaslight Theater!  I also got a gift card for a massage with Lisa.  Yeah!

We were able to Skype both my parents in Guatemala City and Justin's parents in Kooskia.  It was so nice to talk to them and be able to see them.  The kids (especially Isaac), love showing them all their gifts.  We lazied around all day and I was able to get started on my book.  We had spicy pork chops for lunch.  I did miss the ham and potato left overs so maybe we will have to do that again next year.

Christmas Eve

We had a pretty low-key Christmas Eve.  We stayed home this year and did not have any visitors.  Poor Hannah had been very sick earlier in the week.  I was lucky to get her into the doctor on Monday and got her on antibiotics so by Tuesday night (Christmas Eve), she was feeling good enough to participate.  She had strep throat.  So thankful for modern medicine.  Boise State was playing their bowl game so we decided to do sugar cookies a little earlier than usual and do it before dinner. 

 Mom's 

 Dad's

 Nathan's

 Hannah's 

 Isaac's 

 Isaac had won a gift certificate for a free pizza from Papa Murphy's Take and Bake at the Jingle Run and he really wanted to use it for Christmas Eve.  We decided it was a good choice since it was game night.  So, I did not have to cook a big dinner like I usually do.  Clean up was easy too!  Of course, we still had to do the Christmas Eve Crackers.  Always fun to see what surprise is inside.

We then watched the first quarter of the BSU game.  Boise did not have a good game!  We paused it and read from Luke 2 about the Savior's birth and talked about the true meaning of Christmas.  Then, we opened our traditional Christmas pjs.  Hannah wanted footie pajamas so that is what she got.  If only she could act normal for a picture:)  The boys loved their team shirts.

The kids went to bed and Justin and I watched the very long and painful rest of the game before turning in rather early around 10:30.

Arizona Snowball Fight

What do you do when there is no snow in Arizona and you want to have a snowball fight?  You make snowballs!  Hannah and Isaac spend all afternoon making some out of yarn.  Then, they ran all over the house having a snowball fight.  They didn't even need to put on a coat.  One of these years we do need to go where there is actually snow so they can experience a real one.

Logan's Birthday Party

Today was the last day of school for the kids before Christmas break.  They were up and ready to go by 6:50.  That is definitely not normal.  They all had a good last day full of no learning!  Isaac's friend Logan had a birthday party that afternoon.  I volunteered to help transport the boys so her and her husband could ride together, take everything they needed and not have to have any more of the moms drive since it was a good 30-35 minutes away.  No need for all the moms to take kids, especially moms with little kids who needed naps.  The boys were very excited!  I usually have a van load of girls so it was a little different;)  The party was at Get Air, the new trampoline place we went to for Tate Wazenegger's birthday back in October.  They all have a great time while I went to Costco and Walmart.

 Tate Williams, Taten Pledger, Isaac Park, Logan Stewart, Carter Glass, Devin Pratt and Justin Burton.  I had all of them in my van except Logan. 

The ride home was quite loud.  They were all speaking "minion" until they started making tooting noises followed by some country western singing and lots of screams and squeals (kind of like girls...ha). 

Max's Milers Assembly

Today was the first Max's Milers assembly for the year.  They started the program the last week of September.  Today, he and three of his friends, Isaac Parker, Brayden Hancock and Carter Glass got their marathon awards.  26.2 miles run during lunch recess three times a week.  They all worked very hard! Logan Stewart, the fifth of the group, was right behind at 20 miles.  Fifth grade is leading the classes with 569 miles!  ORE has run/walked over 2100 miles in this short time.  They had a map showing the kids that they had run/walked enough miles to get from Vail to Pennsylvania!  I love being a volunteer for this program.  It is so much fun to cheer the kids on.

Vail Jingle Trail 5k

Isaac and his friends have been running for the Max's Milers program this year.  They all wanted to do a real race so we decided the Vail Jingle run would be a great one to do.  Unfortunately, Isaac Park and Logan were not able to do it but Brayden and Carter were.  The boys were very excited and nervous.  Isaac was just fine since he ran it by himself last year when I started out with him but stayed behind and encouraged his friend Isaac Park who had struggled and finished with him.  It was a chilly morning thanks to the darn wind!  The night before I had asked Isaac if he wanted me to run with him or on my own.  I was thinking I would take it easy and just run the race and then run home to get in 7 miles for the day.  He said I should try and beat him.  He said, "I don't know if you can do it but try."  Of course, that meant GAME ON!  I am a Thompson!  I honestly thought that I could win this year.  I knew by next year there would be no chance.  Last year he ran it in about 29-30 minutes and I knew I could do it between 25-26.  I expected he would probably run it in about 27.  Nope I was very wrong!

 Isaac, Brayden and Carter before the race started.

I love this picture.  Look how tiny he looks right up at the start line.  I lost him and couldn't find him so I started in the middle of the pack.  I didn't think he would be in front.  I wish I could have started with him.  That would have been the only time we would have been together! 

 He and Brayden pushed each other the whole race.  They were definitely where they should have been, up at the front!

That is my race bib making my stomach look so big....really...

 They were definitely flying!  So glad Justin could be there to take pictures and cheer them on!

 Heading back into the track for the finish.

It was a fight for the finish down the straight away  A man had been trying to catch them and pass them for about a mile.  Justin said he did not get Isaac at the end and the man was very impressed.

 These boys did something I will NEVER do: Isaac's time, 23:16 and Brayden 23:17.  Wow.  He smoked me for sure!

 I ran a 26, hoping for 25.

 Isaac got first place for 12 and under.  Great job Isaac!

 Brayden got second place.  They got home make ornaments the high school students made.  Carter did great too and took 2 minutes off his last 5k time and finished in with his dad.  

 It was a great morning.  I thought I had one more year but boy was I wrong.  It was a lot of fun.  I am so proud of Isaac and so happy he enjoys running.  I hope he will continue to do so.  He was very tired when we got home and even though he would not admit it, he was sore that night and the next day:)  He also got sick so I am glad it hit after the race!  

I loved the shirts this year!