Merry Christmas from the Dittos

A few tidbits about our litter...

Favorite Song: Rap, Coldplay, "What Are Words" by Chris Medina
Favorite things to do: Outdoor sports, ski, baseball
Favorite food: Chinese food Favorite movie: Sorcerers Apprentice
Favorite subject: Algebra or Science
I think I am going to go on my mission to...England
When I grow up I want to be...a physical therapist
8th grade
13.5 years old

Favorite Song: Price Tag
Favorite things to do: Basketball, Outdoor sports
Favorite food: Stromboli and Crockpot Lasagna
Favorite movie: Sorcerers Apprentice
Favorite subject: Science
I think I am going to go on my mission to...California or Montana
When I grow up I want to be...a chiropractor or dentist
5th Grade
11 years old

Favorite Song: Love Story and Fireflies
Favorite things to do: swim, sing, dance, and read
Favorite food: corn, oranges, and apples
Favorite movie: Tangled
Favorite subject: Language Arts
I think I am going to go on my mission to...wherever they don't speak a different language
When I grow up I want to be...veterinarian
4th Grade
9.5 years old

Favorite Song: Dynamite
Favorite things to do: soccer and all sports
Favorite food: spaghetti and meatballs and shrimp
Favorite movie: Kung Fu Panda
Favorite subject: PE I think
I am going to go on my mission to...Japan
When I grow up I want to be...physical therapist
2nd Grade
7.5 years old

Favorite Song: Dynamite
Favorite things to do: sledding, play basketball, pretend to snowboard, legos
Favorite food: Macaroni and Cheese
Favorite movie: Cars 2 and Ratatouille
Favorite subject: Recess
I think I am going to go on my mission to...China
When I grow up I want to be...police man
Kindergarten (half day)
5.5 years old

Favorite Song: Break My Heart and Dora songs
Favorite things to do: go to daddy's work, play with friends, and go to preschool
Favorite food: Candy
Favorite movie: Dora Movies on Netflix
Favorite subject: Jesus' birthday
I think I am going to go on my mission to..."I don't want to go on a mission. I'm too scared."
When I grow up I want to be...a girl that wears Alysee's dresses
Co-op Mom's Preschool
3.5 years old
How lucky are we to be parents to these GREAT kids!!!

December Happenings

One of these days I am going to write down all of our family traditions. Gotta kick of December with decorating our Christmas tree. The kids all opened their new ornament for 2011.

Lots of Christmas programs for school

Alysee was asked to be the game show host for the kinder/First grade program. She is AWESOME!

Coop was a star too!

Tyler was finally (he earned it in October) awarded the "I did everything award" for Webeloes. He also had his first band concert and did awesome at playing his trumpet.

We also celebrated Mark Cox's birthday party this past week. It was a memorable night with a bounce house, pizza, watching the movie of his life, and the finale of letting off these beautiful wish lanterns.

It was freezing outside but honestly my heart warmed me up that I wasn't even phased by the cold.

Letting go...but loving strong!

Click on this link if you can't see the movie above. http://youtu.be/qj7BVtX2X10

What a wonderful time of year!

Tender Mercy

Seth and son Tommy in Zambia, African September 2011

Last month I experienced tender mercy from the Lord. I don't want to forget the Lord's hand in my life so I thought I would write this experience down. My brother and his family moved to Zambia, Africa this past summer for three years for an excellent job opportunity. It has been incredible to read their experiences and trials that they have been experiencing while living there.

Several weeks ago they asked if I would do the research and book their plane tickets to come back to the states for Christmas. Their internet and power is real spotty so it makes it hard to do this type of thing. Gladly I accepted the challenge -- and was it a challenge. In just a few days they will start their 33 hour travel time with two kids under the age four (Caroline will have to do this by herself with the kids coming here to the US -- pray for her).

Anyway, I had spent many hours on the phone and researching online to get the best flights possible. As I was doing the actual booking part of the flight I started realizing that I needed more info (like birth years for everyone, credit card address, etc...). I was so frustrated because the ticket had already gone up about $1,000 overnight and because of our time difference it would be another day until I would hear back from an email if I sent it to Seth.

I started emailing and calling all my family members and Caroline's mom to try and find out the information I was lacking. I tried skyping with my parent's on their mission in Fiji to see if they had the information I needed. No one even had a phone number that I could even try to call Seth. I also kept attempting to google chat with my brother to see if maybe I could wake him up. N.o.t.h.i.n.g.

I said a little prayer and not one minute later the phone rang.

It was Seth.

He said that he just felt like he should call before he went to bed.

Oh my, talk about the Lord's hand in my life. This was a tender mercy...this was a miracle. Seth had no idea that I NEEDED to talk to him but he followed his prompting to call me. We ended up spending the next hour on the phone and emailing in order to get all their ticket stuff straightened out.

I am thankful for the Lord's hand in my life. Here is a little video clip from a modern day apostle of our church that shares more about what a tender mercy is:


Click here to link to movie: http://youtu.be/y7XA5X5CxJc

To The Moon and Back

We fit together like a glove...
Eternally Yours!!

Happy Fifteenth Anniversary!!

Gobble, Gobble...we are thankful

Thanksgiving 2011 will go down as one of our family's favorite holidays. We spent the day surrounded by family and friends, focusing on what we are thankful for -- not to mention grazing on food all day long.

Cousin Sage and Chloe LOVED every second of making their oreo cookie turkeys.

Can you tell this was a popular activity? Nate and best bud Chase had so much fun too.

A couple of weeks ago, the kids and I were watching an old episode of The Food Nanny where the chef showed how to make these cute rolls shaped like a turkey. The kids were all dying over them and begged for me to make them for Thanksgiving. They did turn out pretty darn cute. (behind the roll is the cornicopia waffle ice cream cone filled with reeses pieces and runts).

We were all too busy eating to get a tasty picture of our most delicious turkey dinner. Mila was in love with Alex's special jello dish that he made.

We felt so lucky to have this dear family join us for the day! Our kids are sure to always say, "the Coxes are practically family." Our friendship goes back eleven years ago -- as their daddy and our close friend Mark passed away suddenly five months ago we have been reminded how our families have been woven together for years and this close friendship has brought us joy but also an unbreakable union. The Cox Family is AMAZING!!! They were amazing before Mark died but their love for God and their family shines even brighter now. I love to see how Mark is able to still be apart of their family from the other side. It is a true testament of live after death. We feel blessed to call them friends--and if they ever wanted to change their last name to Ditto it's guaranteed that no one in our family would complain.

Birch drew our traditional "Thankful Turkey" that we all added our gratitude leaves throughout the day. Our list included:

• clothes and a house
• food and water
• school and church
• my relatives
• hot showers
• living by family
• my parents
• the Book of Mormon
• computers and phones
• eternal friends
• turkeys and thanksgiving
• scriptures
• the Cox family
• friends
• nature
• the priesthood
• everything
• my family
• that family's can be together forever
• school
• Jesus
• Grannie
• Sara
• My Lover
• My girls
• trips
• church
• food

This past year we have been so lucky to have Emi, Ryan, and the girls live just five minutes away. We regularly swap kids, double date occasionally, enjoy many dinners together, help each other with projects, and talk several times a day on the phone. Mila is in love with Birch and loves her kisses from Aunti Sara. It's looking like they are going to spread their wings and move in a few months. We're going to miss them BADLY. Thankfully they are not scared of a little car drive so hopefully their visits here will be frequent. It was a treat having them (and their co-worker) join us for Thanksgiving.

The evening was spent putting the house back together again and then watching the debut of the movie I put together of the "Cox and Ditto's Sheep Lake 2011 Camping Trip." Both of our families do not do sleepovers but we do occasionally babysit each others kids overnight. Thanksgiving night was one of those nights -- the Cox family stayed overnight so Brooke, Emi, and I could head out for same late night and early morning Black Friday shopping. We joined the crazy Walmart crowd and cashed in on some great deals (especially price matching with other store's Black Friday deals). The kids loved spending most of Friday together too.

Lastly, I must share the most delicious and fool-proof turkey recipe.

Smoked turkey

1 turkey

2 c. tenderquick (in the salt section in a blue bag)

1/2 c. rock salt

3/4 small bottle liquid smoke

2 gallons hot water.

1 large syringe and needle (it's recommended to get the largest guage needle you can find. You can find them at places like coastal farm or other supply stores. I used a 16 guage needle. They are really inexpensive, $2-3 and you can use them forever)

I got a bucket from lowes for about 2.00. Fill the bucket (we put our turkey in a cooler) with the hot water, tenderquick, rock salt and liquid smoke. Stir until everything is dissolved. Place the bird on a cookie sheet with sides (jelly roll pan) Shoot the bird with 6-8 cups of the brine, or until the bird starts to leak. Then submerge the turkey in the brine/bucket for 24 hours. After 24 hours put bird in a paper bag and roasting pan and cook @ 200 degrees for 12 hours.

Tip: I lightly sprayed the inside of the bag with Pam so the bird wouldn't stick. Bird will look more pink than a regular cooked bird, but it is done and delicious.

**the only drawback to this recipe is the gravy isn't very good -- it's too salty.

What's been going on at our house this month...

Cross Country Meets for Alex --This kid is on fire. He says he "doesn't love running but he is good at it." Alex surprised himself each meet with being able to beat his previous time. Not sure if he'll be back next year but this year was amazing! It was FREEZING at his last meet.
Enjoying the last of the warm days...

Alysee filled each warm fall day out catching praying mantis, playing with our friend's kitty, wishing she had a pet, and begging for a pet.

Dirt Biking for Tyler and Alex --

Right near where Nate plays soccer every Saturday there is a great dirt biking course. Tyler has had a great time going off of jumps and getting flat tires from all the goat heads.

Soccer and more soccer for Nate --

This kid is on fire too! Nate is amazing to watch and even made those chilly Saturday mornings worth it. He can't wait until next season.

Pumpkin Carving time--

I told the kids that they were on their own this year with cleaning out the guts. Everyone got on their brave faces and dug in. (please note Coop's cool hair du -- every day he surprises me with something new)

Candy and more candy for Chloe (oh yeah, and Halloween fun)--

Chloe, our candy-fen, loved every minute of Halloween. She exclaimed to Birch, "I just LOVE this day" as she truck or treated to each car.

Halloween 2011: Tyler - skateboarding gangster dude, Nate - ninja guy, Coop - rock star, Chloe -- fairy, Alysee -- Little Bow Peep, Alex -- solemn teenager.

Halloween night we had a super spooky dinner. The kids each picked five items from the menu of: brain goolash (jello made in a brain mold), moldy spider web (salad), witches finger (bread sticks), Boogers (Parmesan cheese), Pooper Scooper (spoon), worms (spaghetti noodles), Eye Balls (meatballs), Fish Eyes (pomegranate), Blood (spaghetti sauce), Vampire Venom (milk), Pitch Fork (fork). I remember doing something like this when I was a kid and loving it -- our kids did too!

Cousin time --

Emily and Ryan went on their anniversary get-a-way ten months late and the girlies started at our house. They were champs and even slept in way past their usual morning wake up time. The cute dresses the girls are wearing all had personalized applique work that Emi did for each of them -- super cute!

Rock Climbing Trip for Daddy --

Birch and his friend headed to Sunshine Wall for a morning of climbing fun. Looks way to high for me!!! We've got a second rope now so we're planning for more family climbing fun when it warms up again.

For me: Lots of photoshoots (and hours of editing) with my hubby, organizing 104 hygiene kits to be made by wonderful women at church, read the "Last Lecture" and loved it, went on a long awaited date to see "Courageous" with my hubby and LOVED it (GO SEE IT), designed several holiday cards and posters for events, helped put on our elementary school jog-a-thon that raised over $11,400, and did a presentation on Organization at our church's Women's Conference filled my days. I will admit I filled my plate way too full this month. I'm trying to go on a diet (of activities) this month and focus more on my loved ones. Pass me the Slim Fast please!

A little re-cap of some Ditto entertainment too:


Click here if you can't see the movie: http://youtu.be/_Luti_3RN5U