Goodbye '08 Hello '09

To be perfectly honest I am kinda sad to see 2008 go. We have had an AMAZING year. I just feel so blessed. We have been extremely fortunate this past year to be surrounded by both our families, to celebrate our 11 anniversary, birthdays, our oldest child being baptised, a new home... which brought new friends. As always our "old" friends continued to be great, we had some great family get-aways as well as an immense amount of success with Jason's new job (which has led to another promotion...3 1/2 years ahead of schedule-details to follow). We are so grateful for all that 2008 has given us.

2008 also threw in some curve balls that taught us some very tough but rewarding lessons. We have had our trials but have never felt alone in them. For that we are grateful.

Our love goes out to you during this next year. We hope 2009 will treat you as well as 2008 has treated us!

Happy New Year!

Artic Blast 2008

We were hammered with snow for 2 1/2 weeks and wow it is beautiful. The kids loved making snow angels and just sitting by the big window watching it fall. The only down side to all this beauty....being stuck inside for 2 weeks. I'm not gonna lie to you, we were all going stir crazy. The roads were one huge sheet of ice and so driving we simply miserable. The interstate was constantly being shut down so thankfully we could just walk to the neighbors (Wal Mart, and yes Libbie, I stole that from you) to grab what we needed without having to clear off the cars, warm the cars up, drive 3 miles an hour there and then repeat the process when we wanted to head home. This was the craziest winter weather that Oregon has seen in 40 years and I am so glad we were here for it.....it sure made Christmas extra special to have snow on the ground.

*Let it Snow*Let it Snow*Let it Snow*

Christmas...a bit late

We hope everyone had a great Christmas. We sure did. We enjoyed being snowed in and spending some of our day with grandma and grandpa and friends. Isn't that what this day is all about?

Everyone in their new Christmas jammies. Forsberg tradition states that everyone gets new jammies on Christmas Eve so that you don't don't look like a slob on Christmas morning.

Visions of sugarplums dancing in these little heads... Santa came and did not disappoint!

Santa brought the kids some new dress up clothes for the dress for our dress-up box. I think that he must have thought that Ansen should not be dressing up in frilly dresses and tutu's and that the ladies should start exploring career options.

"Shooter McAnsen"

Jayden the jolly Pirate.

And taking after Grandpa Rudy, Train Conductor Braley.

He also brought them a doctor and a surgeon outfit. The look adorable and it is hilarious to watch the costume changes they make in a day.

This is Ansen and his new best friend Barney the wiener dog (named for our pooch we had to get rid of when we moved). He has been carting him around everywhere and it is so cute.

Our day was wonderful and we hope your was too!

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Tag

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper and gift bags. i love how they look together
2. Real tree or Artificial? Real! Real! Real!
3. When do you put up the tree? Forsberg tradition states we do it around my ma's birthday each year (dec.9.)
4. When do you take the tree down? a week or two after new years
5. Do you like eggnog? no thank you, but Jason is a fan
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I got a pair of brand new ice skates one year and then the streets froze over and we skated on the street just like in Norman Rockwell pictures. Also Rudolph ALWAYS left everyone undies. Every year.
7. hardest person to buy for? Jason.
8. Easiest person/people to buy for? the kiddos
9. Do you have a nativity set? Yes, we have 5 up right now
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Cards
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? can't remember
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Grinch who stole Christmas (can't ever go wrong with Dr. Seuss...plus he's from my hometown)
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever we feel ready to tackle it
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Anything in my stocking
16. Lights on the tree? Yes, little ones and lots of them
17. Favorite Christmas song? Walking in a winter wonderland (reminds me of home), Frosty the snowman, o holy night
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? we are home
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher Dancer Prancer Vixen Comet Cupid Doner Blixen and Rudolph (side note: The night before Christmas story was written in Amherst MA...does everything remarkable come from Massachusetts???)
20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas Eve, the rest in the morning
21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? It drives me batty when people say Happy Holidays...its CHRISTMAS people. Say Merry Christmas! It doesn't offend me when someone says Happy Hanuka or Happy Kwanzaa...say Merry Christmas!
22. Favorite ornament theme or color? Anything hand made and the ornament from my parents of the washing D.C. temple (where we were married...)
23. What do you want for Christmas this year? Besides world peace and to sleep in? Hmmm, more snow!

I tag...All of you...get cracken' and Merry Christmas!

O Christmas Tree!

Lights? Yes, 800 of them

Ornaments? You betcha, about 150 of those

Bows? Duh...40

Hours spent with kids decorating...2

Hours spent "rearranging" ornaments so we don't have 10 on 1 branch...still working on it

Tree topper? I tried to get a new one this year. A pretty gold star. But sadly, she was too small for our tree. So we are back to the angel we have had at the top since we got married. I have to admit, she is pretty.

Taa-daa! Our perfect Widing Family Christmas tree!

C-c-c-c-c-o-l-d!

Brrrr! It is chilly here! Last night it got down to 9 degrees and oh man....it! was! chilly! School was canceled yesterday (Monday) and again today. Don't get me wrong, I love a good snow day, but with snow expected again tonight and Friday AND Sunday I need my girls to get to school OR they will be home for 3 weeks straight due to Christmas vacation. Our street is completely iced over and is one smooth rink. Yesterday we spent some time out slippin' , slidin' and fallin' all over.

We also decorated the tree and the front of the house (those pictures to come soon). So for now we are just trying to stay warm and enjoy the beautiful, but chilly, sunshine.

SNOWWWWW!

Big snowflakes...

Rarely happen in December...

Here in Oregon.

Before church we had this snow...

After church we got more snow...
Tonight we should get more!

They have already canceled school for tomorrow.

Did I tell the kids?

Heck no! 7:30 bedtime as usual.

They need to sleep tight tonight so...

We can be up early tomorrow to...

PLAY in the SNOW!

Holiday Tradition # 1209

Do we have holiday traditions? You bet we do and Storybook Lane is one of our favorites. What's so great about it? Fairy tales. Nursery rhymes. Children's stories. Crisp air. Trains sets. Victorian houses. Memories. Grandparents. Mrs. Claus. Santa Claus!!! Candy canes. What's not to love?

Me and my best friend.
Merry Christmas.

Tree Hunting

We found our perfect Christmas tree yesterday and we love it. Because we have the 10 foot ceilings now we decided to go BIG this year. We went a tad too big and ending up cutting 3 feet off the top but oh well! It's great. We invited some friends from our new ward, the Morgan' s and the Maughn's, and we were so glad they came along. Jayden and her impression of a Northwest Reindeer.

Bundled up Braley.
Our little scout. Ansen didn't want to go and get a tree because it wasn't snowing. I felt kinda bad because he had his little heart set on the white stuff but what are you going to do? Well Jack Frost must have heard his 10,000 requests for snow and it actually started to SNOW as we got out of our cars. Ansen was thrilled and the rest of us were pretty stoked too.

Hailey, Jenn and Savannah Morgan. Jenn braved the old weather without her hubby (who had to work) to find the perfect tree.

It was the great debate with Tish and John and little Payton. They were back and forth between a few different trees and then they found this beauty. Good choice guys.

Our lovely tree and Roy!!! He has the best trees around and we can never lose going up to Roy's Tree Farm. Jason has been heading up to Roy's ever since he was a kid. I must admitt a few years ago we strayed away from Roy's and tried someone else....we will never do that again.

After we were done hunting we headed back to the cars for hot chocolate and cookies. So good if I do say so myself.
Time we got to decorating!

Tragedy In Woodburn

Friday night a bomb went off at a local bank a half mile from our home. The bank was evacuated of all customers and employees but sadly emergency personal were still present when the bomb went off. Two police officers lost their lives in the explosion and one remains in critical condition.

For this to happen so close to home is scary. Both men were fathers and our thoughts and prayers are with their wives and children at this time. The Woodburn Police Department and the FBI are still at the bank with lights flashing and everything blocked off. We have heard there are no major leads and we hope that changes. Our hearts break for the families suffering loss at this time.

In The Spirit

Do you like my gingerbread house? I sure do. Wish I could take credit for making it, but sadly, I cannot. My mother-in-law had a girls day with some friends and this is what they did. She spent hours on it and now it sits on my kitchen table where my three kiddos spend hours wishing I would let them have a taste. No Way. This is just too cute to devour. Ansen and I are on the left and Jason and the ladies are on the right. Thanks again mom! You did a great job.The 2nd and 3rd grade music program "In The Spirit" was tonight. Since Jayden is a big third grader we were there and in the front row. In case you can't find Miss Kahau, she is the white girl on the top row next to the only other white girl. Yup, see her now?
See her now? Red shirt, blue jumper. Her friend April is standing to the left of Jayden. The girls did such a great job and the concert was so fun. Good job ladies!

Jayden rocking out on the sand blocks and cymbals.

Tonight was also Family Math Night for the 1st graders. We had the chance to spend an hour in Braley's classroom play a bunch of different math games. It was wonderful to see how excited Braley gets about math. She sure as heck doesn't get that from me!

It was a good night and now I am tired! The kids on the other hand--wide awake!