Helping Dad and Uncle Bryan rotate the tires.
Emery County...So fun, we always have SO MUCH FUN we need to go for longer but Isaac had to work.
First of all the Christmas Goat, it really happened! We had a Goat Roast! (and turkey) Thankfully it didn't ride in little green with us. Buck went to Richfield and got it before Christmas. THANK YOU BUCK

Here's my plate...YIKES...Buck was proud of me for at least trying it. 1 Bite really was plenty for me though. Isaac? He was all about it, for the experience of course... And Bubba just got in on the play'n catch afterward.
We didn't get to the equipment rodeo we ran out of time-bummer-it was supposed to be me against the other wives, Isaac's very confident I can get it done. BUT, I don't have a clue how to run equipment they weren't going to teach us either, just have us figure it out. Random. Crazy. Fun. I'm sure we'll do it sometime. So we just headed home from Ferron. At Emery-ish we were out of natural gas so Isaac switched it over to regular...umm we were pretty much out of both. Well it was a 1/4 of a tank or less. I swear we drove to Richfield on fumes. I was stressed but think I played it pretty cool, only freak'n out on the inside~and kind of with a is the worst that could happen really that bad? perspective, of course Isaac's like "It's not even to the 'E' yet" along with "the gas light only came on because of that sharp turn" (yeah, couldn't have been that we were out of gas) and he told me "it's good for you Honey, it helps you loosen up a little" oh brother! Really that's not even the half of it but anyway I was super proud of us both, we're making progress in our relationship, there was a time when I would have been SO UPTIGHT and he would have been SO ANNOYED that even though we made it Richfield we would have driven the rest of the way in frustrated silence, but it all worked out fine and we had a good trip. Yeah for progress!~ Look where 2 years has got us :)
Tues we got around to unwrapping the rest of Christmas, that was fun
Thursday Blake and Annie came over and we finally got to meet Ayla-so cute- and it was SO SO FUN to visit. Friday Cannon and I headed for Richfield for bball games but Isaac had a fun BBQ with our friends here (the games~eh, we definitely would have had more fun here)
I was a little nervous about Cannon on the bus so we rode up with the Seifert family because they are super nice and offered, and were going up anyway, it seemed like a smart move that way if we had to stop it wasn't that big of a deal. I really did have so much fun visiting with them! (Isaac hitch hiked one time and loved it, loved the conversation. Me? No way! But that Parent-hiking was great!) We made out great going up, and coming back...until just this side of Cedar when Cann Man puked ALL OVER. (yeah I took a picture...what a mean mom huh...its just more evidence of how miserable our poor little guy was but I won't post it~because its gross!) Todd offered to pull over and I had clean clothes for him but he was still going to have to sit in the car seat, which was a puddle of puke, so we just went with it and he just rode home in puke. Hindsight I probably should have had him pull over-I could have dumped the puddle out but I'm just a rookie mom, I don't know anything, poor kid. Finally got him home got him bathed and fed and headed for bed??? NOPE puked all over me and him again. Welcome to parenthood right? I don't dig the sick kid thing-not at all!
Saturday we had a fun day as a family, Isaac was kind of talk'n date kind of stuff and I just thought we were at the start of a fun anniversary weekend, and we were ;) I was just oblivious to the fact that it was New Years Eve. We watched part of the Utah game on the computer then ran a few errands and went and watched the movie Moneyball. We liked the movie, of course we didn't stay up for midnight. Isaac crashed, I'd just get Cannon to sleep try to set him down and he'd wake up, that happened several times so the poor little toad ended up just crying himself to sleep in the crib (that was a first and it made me pretty sad) He finally gave up around 11:30 so then I did too. When the fireworks that sounded like bombs started going off I just woke up grumbling about "If they woke up my baby I'd kill'm" and today EARLY CHURCH!!!! I LOVE IT! I haven't had the early block since the college ward, its so nice. And a little family dinner at my folks, so fun. This post is getting ultra long! But ya gotta wrap up 2011 right, right? And I was up worrying about basketball stuff and couldn't sleep anyway so what the heck-blog away!

Other than that...We play a lot of "pick it up stupid" Cannon's learning about gravity and I get to be the "stupid" . And he loves doors. LOVES LOVES LOVES them a favorite trick of late is shutting mom and dad's bedroom door but its trouble when he then blocks it shut. Oh well. His top two teeth are through but barely, and he's getting to where he'll rock back and forth a little on his hands and knees and think about crawling~ but then he just goes back to scoot'n cuz he can cruise! Everyday is an adventure, he's so fun, I love it! And I can't think of anything else...

Merry Christmas

Santa found us! I think the Cubs hat was more for mom!

At Gramas! Look at this cute dog! (Just the kind of dog mom likes)

Driving to Huntington, Bubba needed a little break, so we stopped and dad let him drive for a minute (not really...just in case I needed to clarify) he loves it but then when I was riding with him in the truck and he was stuck in the car seat but reaching for the steering wheel like crazy, it was pretty cute.
Meeting dad's buddy BuckOpening presents at Grandma Ison's House

Monday we finished up some little Christmas things for the Bball girls at Gramas and played with Ann we LOVE this round and round their kitchen game!Tuesday our cousin Elsie made it into the world! And Sarah Max and Calvin came over. Sarah and I are cousins and were roommates at BYU, she now lives in the suburbs of Memphis while her husband finishes up his residency. It was SO FUN to have them come over we had a blast...well maybe not Max :( We played basketball, then when to feed Burton's goats, Max got bit. We even stopped by Burton's field and other goats just to see the Llama. Then we went to feed the horses and again Max got bit :( it was so sad! We shouldn't have let the 3 year old in on the "hey let him eat grain out of your hand" trick! Thank goodness he'd spotted that big John Deere tractor a ride on it might have saved the day! and ...thank goodness it couldn't bite! He now refers to Chip as "the farmer" too funny. Next time they come we'll have to get him on a horse (however he's not interested in feeding them again anytime soon)Tuesday and Wednesday was our Desert Hills Tourney, it was fun, Soph and JV won and varsity...SHOULD HAVE! But we played a pretty good team and had our chances so hopefully we learn from it. This little guy is a trooper at basketball games!
Thursday morning Aunt Kay tended for us, Cannon wasn't so sure about Grama Cottam (I guess she had curlers in her hair when he first saw her) but he warmed up once mom was around and check out this priceless pic. I loved it!
Friday Cannon and I did a little Christmas shopping. He's all over the sitting up in the cart thing and he just loves getting people to smile at him. Too cute, too fun. And we just bought little simple things here and there but it was SO FUN, I loved being out shopping, it was a fun day. Cannon was all over Home Depot, maybe it was the paint stirrer that was a blast or maybe he's just 100% boy! Saturday we went shopping again, with Dad this time! It was a fun family day, we had Christmas Eve dinner at Grama's, cute little Elsie came and we got to meet her and we did the cousin gift exchange. I finally got to cough up what I've been up to with Ann's blog, I think it was a pretty big hit. We'll do a separate post for Christmas Day but we've had fun!


Oh and the 12 days of Christmas finished up with 6 new socks, 5 balls, 4 Night Lights! (Isaac was in charge of day 4 its a little bit of a family joke I trip over EVERYTHING and Anything at night and he's been trying to teach me out to strategically shuffle myt feet along the floor so I feel it before tripping but its not working so he went for night lights, it was pretty cute) 3 bigger bottles for Cann Man, 2 Free Shirts (Isaac's favorite shirts are free shirts and coach was cleaning out the basketball closet) and 1 bag of Kisses!
I love the Christmas Season!

This is Cannon's new favorite thing, its just the pits that mom won't let him pull on them every time we talk by, dad is way more fun.
And I wrapped the closet door by the tree, its a cute fun place to put our Christmas Cards...it's of course only 1/2 wrapped now, but he had fun. Isaac was in there with him when he was unwrapping it. Those 2 are always up to something. Last night they were "dribbling" the little rubber basketball. I think my favorite sound in the whole world is the 2 of them laughing together!
Becky (and Trey) helped us out a TON on tending this week. Check out this darling pic of the boys playing the piano. (Good work on the diaper bag camera Beck) I love it and Cannon LOVES music (...even if its me singing to him-so we know the kid's not picky.) But she said part of the time he'd just watch Trey's fingers as he played. Too Cute!

Monday we finally got around to a well child Dr. appointment. The nurse told me Bubba looked just like me. HA, she obviously hasn't seen Isaac, and my little clone, was 22% in weight and 77% in height. Hmm fitting! 22% is pretty low for what he has been but a few days earlier when my mom had take'n him in he was 5 ounces heavier so I pretty much just think-eh drink 1 bottle and you're right back there so whatever. The Doc was going over things he "absolutely shouldn't have" until he's a year or 15 months...it was pretty much a what's what list of things he HAS had. Hmm whoops, oh well, and he's fine so~isn't there some room for just being the mom and being reasonable. I think so! Tues/Wed/Thurs...blur blur blur, there go the days! We tended Ann I tutored a little it seems like life is crazy busy but its good so ya go with it :) Friday we went to Mesquite to Burke and Emily's "Ugly Sweater party" We had so much fun it was so fun to see them and visit and watch Cann Man and Daphne play. I just feel like we're right at the same stage of life so we have a ton in common and its always fun to visit with good friends, it was a blast! Saturday my kids played basketball, we won (which makes coaching so much better) they were day games but I think I prefer night games, somehow I was thinking the evening was going to be open but it sure felt like it was gone when I got home, not getting home from Mesquite until after 1:00 but having a 7 month old little alarm clock could have been part of it though.
Today we got to (had to?...had the opportunity to...whatever you wan to call it) speak in church. Our topic was "Honoring the Saviors birth by..." and Isaac had service and I had obedience. I especially liked his talk, he did awesome! Mine was a little scatter brained~no surprise~ I'm a little scatter brained. Talking in church, eh, but preparing is always a good thing I like the focus it brings.
This week (maybe in one of those blur days) Isaac officially became an adjunct professor at Dixie. I'm so excited for him and proud of him! I just think its such an important and good thing to do if he's considering a PHD.
And this week the 12 days of Christmas started :) I want it to be our family tradition, I think I enjoy it the most. Anyway Isaac got 12 Cans of root beer Cannon got 11 Silky's (ok almost they're not all done yet, my bad-whatever) 10 Hi Chew candies for Isaac, 9 baby spoons for Cannon and 8 Almond Joys (Poor guy-basically all he gets is treats and he's more of a "real" food guy but oh well ) Today was 7 new books.
And how bout this little helper, he's figured out there's stuff in the cupboard and he gets irritated when he pulls on the wrong side and they don't open.
TONS MORE. But that's just life, we'll call it good for now :)

Hmm this week I was think'n about going private with the ole blog, I guess if you go to check us out and you get permission denied you'll know I did. For now though, same old.
TEETH TEETH TEETH, we've jumped from 1 to 3...and maybe four this week, I'm not sure if that other one is really fighting through yet. Little buddy looks like a Jack-o-lantern, they're all on bottom!
I didn't travel with my Basketball team this weekend, it was just going to be too hard, but that left me here Thursday night so we all got to be part of the live Nativity at Tuachan, so SO FUN, it was super neat to just be there with people in our ward and get into costume and just enjoy the Christmas spirit/story. It was probably ok to watch but it was awesome to participate in!
Look at this cute Centurion.As it turned out they wouldn't let Isaac ride in on a horse because he was too tall, so he traded with Tyson and was one of the regular tax collecting Roman Soldiers, Cann Man and I were townspeople, specifically I was the Innkeeper (my hat identified me as such for Joseph) It is definitely something I would do again.

This morning Isaac went down to help Grampa Frei feed the cows, he had been playing with Cannon so they both decided to go. Isaac is the funnest dad, we had Cann Man in his little snow suit that Grandma Ison gave him, so Isaac just piled the Hay in his lap and let the horses eat it right out of his lap while he laughed at them and would sneak his little hands out to touch their lips. I wished I had gone to photograph the event, Isaac said Cannon wasn't as impressed with the cows. The car seat was full of hay leaves and maybe a little manure on the bottom, oh well, we didn't take it into church, but they had fun, and Isaac cleaned it off and vacuumed it out :) I just missed out on the pics. Bummer. Speaking of pictures, cousins pics, DISASTER! Riley screamed the whole time and Cann Man was tired so while he wasn't the screaming one we didn't exactly get those good classic smiles either it was more like I'm here, good enough! He did look super cute though today at church in his new white shirt and Christmas tie.

Say Cheese, NO Mom, I've had it!He sure is seeming busy lately, he's kind of into bonk'n heads with people or things, and today I noticed, he's figured out how to throw a fit, not cool (can I blame Riley-just kidding) but he did NOT want to get dressed this morning and he made sure I was fully aware! Oh well, this morning while my guys were gone feeding cows I read through the Sunday School lesson, made Cookies, and of course had Christmas music on, the old Oak Ridge Boys song "Thank God for Kids" came on and I just loved it, the line about "the closest thing to heaven is a child" just caught my ear and I smiled, I loved it, I love Cannon and I love being a mom.

Look who's big enough to ride Ann's lion all by himself... then the next pic, like father like son, they make me smile, Isaac really woke up when I was digging the camera out but I snapped 2 pics and used the one with his eyes back closed.

This week has FLOWN by. Poor Little Guy was so sick :( finally Monday while I was as basketball Grama took him to the Dr. they said his lungs were fine, (which I wasn't sold on) but that he had and ear infection so they got him an antibiotic, and he HATES HATES HATES taking it but I think it has helped SO much. (Ears AND Lungs) And he just seems a lot more like himself. Games started this week and he's a little trooper. Becky tended at the game on Thursday then my mom went to Enterprise with us. He knows when he sees those girls is time to play! He loves them, when its time for them to play basketball he like hey, where did my entertainment go? Its pretty cute, and Friday I had a surprise day off from tending Ann so we cut up one of my old DH t-shirts and we made him one, it was pretty fun and cute, he's game ready now :) It was a Blizzard driving home from Enterprise I was SO THANKFUL my mom was driving, oh but it was hilarious her finding out all of the little nuances of Little Green, the door handle, the blinker, the window and rear view mirror, when it doesn't start...I just kept thinking oh crud, what's she going to find next... anyway. Saturday was the last day of Thunder Camp (Yipee) but it went pretty smooth this year (especially since I only helped on Saturdays)
Bout it, this post feels pretty scatter brain, hmm so do I!!!! Maybe I'll fix it later. Maybe.
Oh and TODAY (Sunday) Bubba is 7 months old!
The thrill of the cell phone! Don't mind the cords~I was right there I promise. The one on the left shows how big his tooth is getting but you have to look close (or zoom in on it.)

Thanksgiving!

Oh we have ton to be thankful for! (This is going to be a long one...maybe I should break it up but as usual~read at your own risk.)
Last Sunday morning we'd gone for a little walk, we ran into the Rigby's our neighbors who hooked us up with a ton of popcorn and a popcorn popper because they didn't want/couldn't eat it. Then we saw Harold another neighbor out in his yard, he invited us in and gave us some cool Christmas decorations he'd made. So that night we made some cookies and took them to both of them to say "Thanks" it was fun and fun to visit at both places, we really do just love this little corner of the earth we live in.
This was the scene I saw from the doorway, guess its time to lower the crib mattress...we didWednesday Isaac got off a little early and we headed for SLC which was pretty smooth except for the part where I took the pump but forgot the pieces to actually make it work~LAME~but no need to stop I had some baby food, but that spoon that is always in the diaper bag, yeah it wasn't, so Cann Man had to lick pears off my finger which didn't bother him at all but did me cuz I had washed my hands but I hadn't just washed them and who knows what you touch and when...but we were in a bind so it was baby wipe and go, then we stopped at a gas station and they didn't even have a spoon, so I stole a straw to try and feed him more with. The pump was missed more than just on the drive, who wants to eat when there is all kind of stuff to look at? NOT Cannon. Oh well. We didn't do much Wednesday night but it was fun to visit. Thursday was a nice day too I took tons of pictures (to send to Uncle Shawn) The kids were so fun playing together, my favorite thing though was them ask'n if they could hold "baby Cannon." Jacob and Eric were both pretty enamored with him~probably more Jacob but Eric was always tagg'n him around and ask'n where he was but they were so cute and funny. Jacob:"Why does that white stuff come out of his mouth?" He wasn't even spitting up, I said "Oh where did he spit up?" "No but white stuff comes out of babies mouths" pronounced mouffs. I got a few "EWWWW Slobber!" Comments and after Cannon scratched one of them Eric gave me the perfect solution in a duh I've got the answer kind of voice~ "Why don't you clip his nails once in a while?" It was just funny, they loved to make him smile and Cannon loved being right in the middle of the other kids. It was definitely fun to see all the cousins!
Dinner was good we had all the regular stuff I did a little fruit (Dixie) salad then we had to watch the "Show" the cousins put on. Its a common thing when they get together, with admission tickets and all. Then it was a "Punkin Chunkin" marathon. I mean we checked the scores on the ball games every once in a while but yikes! Every time Isaac is enthralled in something like that (that I think is so unbelievably stupid that I can't believe its actually holding someones attention) I try to think Oh, this is what my mom thinks when sports are on. Really the part of it I watched I end up thinking things like how do they sell enough advertising space to be able to air this? etc then we went to visit Nick and Emily on Friday and it was on both places they were at Thursday too. YIKES. Who knew, throwing pumpkins could be so fun. Anyway he watched it, clear until the end which was like 8:00, I got everything ready to go then had fun visiting with the sister in laws, after it we tried to get out of there and headed southeast, we swung by Grama's new place up there and said Hi real quick then went to Huntington. Friday was jam packed! Isaac messed around with his dad, new torch, welding, plasma cutter, I don't really know much but I heard all those words and I know there was a machine in our little miniature trunk coming home. We went to visit with Nick and Emily for a few minutes which was a blast. I don't think we've seen them since we got married. Their kids are darling, little Avery LOVED CannonShe'd say "Ug" and give him a hug and Harrison is getting so big, he was a cutie too. Then we went to get a Christmas tree. Ethan didn't let Isaac out of his sight all day after he found out he was going with us. Which meant he came to Gordon's with us, he was bored out of his mind. When we left and headed to Jesse's he said "I hope Isaac doesn't get in a talk like he got in at Nicks" It was funny, I just kept wishing I had something to write with because I would have written down some of the funny things Ethan kept saying, anyway, we swung by Jesse's he was at the car lot but busy so we didn't talk to him but ended up swiping a truck he had parked in front of his house (that'll teach'm to leave the keys in it) and headed up the canyon. Notice the single cab doesn't exactly have seat belts for 4 of us so when we drive by the cop Isaac says "Ethan duck" then the cop hits his break lights and we get "Oh crap, we're totally getting pulled over." Oh yeah, this truck doesn't have a license plate, I was just so happy to have a 7 year old there freak'n out about if the police were going to catch us so it wasn't just me. Anyway the cop was just turning around so then Ethan sits back up and Isaac says "So much for there never being cops up the Canyon" and Ethan was wondering if we would have went to jail if he really had pulled us over. Here they are cutting one of the trees.
Tree Hunting was fun, I've been merciless my whole life calling my older brother nicnames like "Mr. Tradition" and at this time of year "Ho Ho" but I could totally go for a getting a Christmas tree when we're in Huntington tradition (I say this now while it still smells awesome and I haven't had to clean up pine needles continuously for a month.) Cannon slept through the whole deal, so we took a picture when we got back. We got a tree for us and a tree for Jesse. Then we loaded up (tree in the car! I'll totally take it, it smells like Christmas and it NOT A GOAT!) ate dinner and hit the road. Ok, it wasn't that smooth and I was ornery (sorry Ison fam) but it all worked out. We got to see Laur and Dale and Shad at my Grandma's for a few minutes it was the first time Cannon's got to meet Uncle Dale, we went back down Saturday morning. Saturday we fought the tree stand battle, but with a softball and a screw coming out of it, some gravel, and about 10 attempts that sucker is up ~maybe a little crooked still but who cares~ and Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas! I love it! Good good times.
Cann Man's been pretty sick, he has super raspy breathing, I'm worried about him but hoping he'll pull out of it soon.
So I know I'm plenty biased but here's just a pic of Grampa's little cowboy...pretty darn cute, and dad's work boots are his favorite toy-so he tried them on.