Temple Lights for FHE

We had plans to go see the temple lights for FHE. We do it every year. It is always so beautiful. I look forward to the time when I could go and not have to worry where all of my kids are and if they are dry and not wet from falling in the fountains or the reflective pond. I worry every time we go since Jacob was a baby. Anyway we went this year after Christmas because of how busy everything was this year. Jacob and Ester were not feeling so good. Clint stayed home with them. I took Hanna, Eliza and Katie with me. We met up with my sisters and their families at the temple.

Hanna Katie & Eliza



The missionaries gave the girls a picture of Christ. Such a nice gift and Eliza and Katie fought over who got to hold it. Kind of runes the spirit.

The Cousins by the fountain.

(No one fell in this year)

Me and my girls. We missed Ester.

Me and Monica, Carla wouldn't get in the picture.

My cute girls and the pretty lights.

We went into the visitors center. The girls were amazed by this. We need to go back soon and just spend time in there. There is so much peace. That is just the visitor center. There is more inside the temple. I love going there. For the new year I need to go more. It is a gift to me that I do not use as often as I should.

This is a new statue of Christ that is on a thing that spins around. Katie loved holding His hand and pretend to dance with Him.

I love each year going to the temple lights for FHE.

It was cold but we had fun.

It was cold but we had fun.

We went to Globe to go quad riding. It happened to snow the day before. It was so cold. I have never rode a quad in the snow. It was fun. There wasn't a lot of snow. Maybe an inch. To us it is a lot. The kids were so excited to be in the snow. We had left our younger two with my sister. I am glad we did they would have cried the whole time because it was so cold. I had on 3 pairs of gloves and my hands were still so cold. I grew up in weather like that I do not miss it at all. It was cold but we had fun.

RoCk BaNd FuN!

I bought Rock Band for the WII for my children the day after Thanksgiving. They were not allowed to open it until Christmas eve day. I am so glad I made that rule. It is so much fun to play but is kind of addictive. We played it on Christmas eve with my brother in law Russ and his boys who are all very good at it. Then on Christmas with my brother in law Lee.

Christmas Eve

Jacob on guitar taking it very seriously

The Hyman Band

Danny (singer) Russ (drums) Jacob (guitar)

David (groupie/dancer)

Russel is amazing on the drums. He plays on expert and does awesome.

Christmas Day

The 2 year old band

(Grant - Katie - Kedrik)

The babies as we call them all got guitars for Christmas.

Me on the guitar. I am not very good.

Jacob on the drums in his Christmas PJ's

Lee on vocals. He thinks he is awesome but I think I heard some dogs howling.
RoCk BaNd FuN!

Santa was really good to us this year!

I love Christmas morning. I always loved it as a kid. I could remember wanting to wake up so early. My kids are not like that. They woke us up at 7:00 am. They were all so excited. I always take a picture before they can open any gifts. Santa brings them a few gifts that are not wrapped and mom and dad give the rest or the kids give to each other. This Christmas was so sweet. My children have and get a lot. I think I do that because even though my mom did all she could to give to us as children it was always a struggle for her. I knew we were poor as kids. I am sure it was very hard for my mom being a single mom. I could remember being made fun of as a kid by other kids because we didn't have a lot. I had thought a lot about something I wanted. I realized I have everything I need and want. I want to give to someone. This year a gift from my husband was being able to give a single mother we know a nice Christmas. We tried to do it as a secret for her and her children. I got caught though. It still was a lot of fun doing it. I am trying to teach my children how very blessed we are to have all we have. My husband provides very well for us. We are in no way millionaires, but I am very thankful for what we have and we like to share it.

I love Christmas morning because of the joy it gives me to see my children just so thrilled that Santa and mom and dad got them what they wanted. This was a wonderful year for us to teach our children how to give to those who don't have as much as we have. I am very thankful for that. Santa really was good to us this year.

Merry Christmas to all!

Our family would like to wish all of our friends and family a wonderful Christmas. We want you all to know how thankful we are for all of our many blessings and thankful to know so many wonderful people. May you all feel our Lord a Saviors spirit this time of year. Merry Christmas to all!

Christmas Party

We went to the Gryphon Christmas party. This year it was fun my mom was there because she now works for Clint. Carla's family was there also because Lee works for Clint too. I always feel more comfortable when my mom or sisters are somewhere with me. The Gryphon party has a bunch of Clint's extended family there because a lot of them work for the company. It was a nice Christmas party.

He is our protector

My husband is a good provider and protector of our home. He is not the cleanest though. Any way our family has had chickens on and off for the past eight years. The kids like to collect the eggs. The other morning really early like 4:30 - 5:00 am Clint jumped out of bed and I heard him open the back door and then I heard him whacking something out side. It was raining which is not common here and I got worried to think what the heck is he doing. I got up and went to the back door to see what he was doing. I called for him and no answer. I was so scared. I called for him again then he walked around from the chicken coop and said something was after the chickens. I asked him what and he said a raccoon. I thought yeah right they don't have those here. It was dark he must not have really seen what it was. I asked him what the pounding sound was he said he was whacking it with a pole. We went back to bed. Later that day the kids and I went out to see it. Sure enough it was a raccoon. It had gotten into the coop with the chickens and was after them. Clint was protecting what is ours so he had to do away with the raccoon. He is our protector.

Christmas is a busy time of the year. I love it!

Oh my heck. I am busy. I can't wait for the kids to be done with school for the year. A week ago Monica and I had our first boutique of the year. I was so busy gearing up for it and very disappointed when we hardly sold anything. It was fun though. All our stuff looked pretty and made me decide to start a blog for Label Twins in 2009. We have only been doing the labels for the last four years. I thought it was time or shall I say it is about time to start a blog. Christmas is a busy time of the year. I love it!

Our Snow Days

Our Snow Days

Here in Apache Junction the Parks and Rec. department brings in a truck load of snow for the kids to play in. They do it every year. It is fun for our kids to get to really play in the snow since we don't get it here. Ever since I have been a mom every year one of my kids asks me "When is it going to snow?". I always tell them it does not snow here. They don't quite get though. I have gotten used to living here in Arizona. I like that I don't have to wear a coat. You could wear flip-flops all year. My sister Carla does.

It is fun living here in Apache Junction, Arizona. My sisters and I took our kids to the snow and then they got to sit on Santa's lap.

Hyman Kids

Steele Kids

Spencer Kids

(Quade telling Santa I am trying to be good. It is just so hard.)

Then we went to a small light up parade that Apache Junction has every year. It is so cute. Every year I say I want to be in it. I just have to put lights on my Rhino and throw candy. Maybe next year.

That is how we have a snow day.

The real reason for this Season

I love this time of year for many reasons. I love all the magic for children. I love that I am able to give to all I love. I love the beauty in Christmas and most of all I love that the world rejoices in the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. He is Christmas. I wish everyone would remember the real reason for this season.

Hiking and Quad riding in the Superstition Mountians

Hiking and Quad riding in the Superstition Mountians

On Saturday our good friend Ray wanted to show Clint a natural bridge in the Superstition Mountains. He does a lot of hiking and knows a ton of different places to go in the mountains. We all went and decided to take the Rhino and my quad to see how far we could get. We followed Ray's GPS to get us to the natural bridge. When we first got to where the bridge was we thought the GPS was wrong because it looked like a cave. Then we went up the trail a bit and we were able to see it was a natural bridge. Clint, Ray, Hanna and Ester hiked up to the bridge. It took them about an hour to go up and back. I waited with Jacob, Eliza and Katie. We kept yelling to the others to see if they could hear us. The echo was cool. When they got back from the hike we continued on the quads. Some parts were a little scary. It was just wide enough for the Rhino and I was behind on the quad hugging the mountain as I followed Clint. It was so beautiful though. We don't live very far from the mountain. I see them every time I go outside and drive by them daily. I never knew there was such beauty in my backyard. Thank you Ray for showing us such beauty and for putting up with screaming tired kids. I am thankful for Ray being the navigator. We are home safely. I love my husband but his scents of direction isn't the best. I am getting him a GPS for Christmas. I can't wait to go hiking and quad riding in the Superstition Mountains again.

Quad riding with my family nothing more FUN.

As you all know our family loves to go quad riding. I would like to make it a tradition to do it every year the day after Thanksgiving day. This year was especially fun because it had rained for two days before. I love riding when it is muddy. There isn't the dust from when it is dry and you get to look like you had a bunch of fun by getting muddy.

For some reason I was the only one that got muddy this time.

We went riding on Friday. My sister Carla and her family all came finally. I always ask her to go. She drove the Rhino with her two younger kids and my two younger girls. I rode my quad that Clint bought for me like four years ago. It doesn't get much use because I always ride the Rhino. It was so much fun. Clint's brother Russel and his boys also came. We rode out to this field where there were jumps. Jacob and Russel's oldest David ride so good for only being 11 years old.

I am always impressed with my sons riding abilities. It just comes so natural to him just like Clint.

These are the boys. Can you say Like father like son.
(From left to right Jacob, Clint, Danny(Russel's youngest) Russel and David.)

I love to see Clint and Russ together and then the younger generation together. David is just like his dad and Jacob is just like his.

While we were riding we came across this cool wash that went under the highway. I thought it would be a nice place to take pictures.

In the field the kids had so much fun just playing while the guys were jumping. Clint taught me how to jump Jacob's quad I got like an inch of air. I was so happy. The next day I felt it though. I am an old lady.

Daddy & his Girls

They all love to ride with him

Then with all fun sometimes something bad has to happen. Thank you Clint for taking one for the team. We got a stupid ticket for riding in a place where we shouldn't have been and AZ Game and Fish caught us. We didn't know we were doing anything bad but we were. So Clint has to go to court on the 15th and pay for us. But like I said quad riding with my family nothing more FUN.

Look what the CATS brought in!

Along with our family we have two cats. Oreo is the black and white one and Diego is the black one.Our Hanna is a cat lover. I try to give my kids what they want even if I don't like it sometimes. Today was one of the times I wish we didn't have the cats. One of the main reasons for having them is we live where there is a lot of critters. So I thought they would help with the mice. That is keeping them out. They bring them in along with bunnies, lizards, birds, squirrels and today a snake.

I was working on somethings with Monica today and Eliza came up from downstairs and said mom the snake looked up at me. I thought she was talking about a toy. I said what are you talking about. I got up and looked downstairs and sure thing there was a snake. I was so afraid. I asked Monica what to do. She called her husband to see where he was. He was to far away. Then I called one of my friends to see if her husband was home. He is an AJ fireman. He was not home he was at the station. She told me to call 911 and tell them what was going on. So I did. Well Monica did. We just kept watching that snake to make sure it didn't move. It didn't so then I started to think it was a toy. I would have been so embarrassed if the firemen got here and that is all it was. Three manly men came. One with a long grabbing stick one with a bucket and the other for support I guess. They slowly went down the stairs. Then the stupid snake moved and me being me started screaming and jumping up and down. It scurried away towards the wall and I screamed again. They finally go it with the grabber thing and started to walk toward the steps to put it in the bucket that was being held by one of the firemen. I think they got a little scared also. It was kind of funny. They said it was not a poisonous snake. They took it away. Thank you Apache Junction Fire Department. They saved my life today. Now I know I have a place to call the next time I say "Look what the Cats brought in".

My TBF

My family means a lot to me. My husband and children are my world. Before I was given them I had the family I was born into. My mom is an amazing person who I look up to for many reasons. I don't know how she did it alone for so many years. Then I have two sisters who are my best friends. They are always there for me. They both give me so much of their time. I also look up to them both for many reasons. Carla my younger sister is a good mom who tries to teach her children to choose the right all the time. She does without so her kids could have the things they enjoy. I guess all three of us do that. We must have learned it from our mom. My twin sister Monica is an on the go mom. She is showing her kid how to serve in the drop of a hat. I love both of my sisters very much. They each teach me thing that I need to be better at. Monica's family makes me very thankful I only have one son and really obedient children in school. While Carla's family makes me thankful none of our kids have food allergies. I could not pick a favorite sister. I have fun with both of them but my sister Monica is my rock. She is always there for me. We have a lot in common. We have a little business together and love to just hang out with each other. Last night my mom and us three girls went to the midnight Twilight movie. It was fun to be all together. Monica an I got there like 3 hours before the movie and we hung out with some of my friends till the movie started. I am thankful for My twin best friend.