Christmas Eve Day

After the party the kids opened the gifts they had got each other. They loved giving to each other this year. As you can tell madie was excited about her gift.

The Elden Jenks christmas party was today the 24th, our family (mary's kids) were in charge of it this year. We had a nice lunch at Mary's house we feed about 40 people. We just love getting together with all the family. Then we had a short program: a few christmas books were read and Garrett sang a few songs. (Christmas shoes, and belleau wood) He has amazing voice it's hard not to cry, the spirit of christmas was very strong.

Heather with the kids opening gifts.

Grandpa & Grandma Jenks

Christmas Morning

We just love this time of year, I love the surprises on christmas day. This year Garrett and I wanted things that we needed to pick out on our own. He got a GPS system and I got a new camera. The other things we got for each other were not really surprises either. But Garrett got me the best gift this year that I didn't know about. He took all the pictures and what we had written on the blog and made it into a book. It was great. If you blog you need to do this, I do not keep a journal so this is a great way to keep a record of what our family is doing. The best gift ever, thanks Garrett. I love gifts that you put alot of heart into.
The girls just love the warmth of their new robes

Christmas morning the girls woke up a 7:15 madie was up first and then we woke up Morgan and then Natalie heard us and she also woke up. Madalyn came into our room about 4:00 am and wanted to sleep with us. She said "Mom I didn't peek and see what santa gave me but I think it's good" I just smiled and let her get into bed with us. Mary spent christmas with us so the girls sleep in the play room, they loved it we had set up the 2 man tent and they slept in that. I had a hard time sleeping, I keep waking up every 2 hours then finally at 5:30 am I got up and went out to watch t. v. I feel like a little kid at heart, I just couldn't wait for the girls to see what they got that morning.

The nerf guns we got didn't work that great so we took them back and have to get new ones.

Natalie enjoying her new baby.

Madalyn Jenks 5 years old christmas morning.

The girls got a big horse from Santa this year. This was something they all wanted and have been asking for it for about 4 months now. We were so glad that Santa found one. He said he looked everywhere for one in his price range.

After Santa left on Christmas eve we came out and took pictures of what he left for us.

This is Natalie's pile. The stroller was a big hit for her.

Morgan's pile from santa, a Cinderella bike. Just what she needed. She has been riding madalyns old bike.

Madalyn's pile from santa. This is her first robe, she wanted one just like mom wears. She wears it all the time.

Let it snow!!

The weather here has been crazy. Every year we hope for snow for christmas and most years we have just enough to make a snowman but this year we have lots. We started getting snow about 2 weeks ago and ever since that day it really has not stopped. It has been really cold. Here are few pictures of the girls playing in the snow.
Madalyn in blue and purple. Morgan in pink

Go faster madalyn, we wish we had snowmobiles.

Morgan had garrett clear a spot for her to ride her bike, garrett has shoveled lots of snow this year.

Making snow angels. The kids are finally feeling better and could not wait to run and play in the snow. It feels like christmas with the snow.

This is so cute of Natalie, she didn't like the snow that much. It didn't help that her sisters keep throwing snow in her face and her gloves would not stay on. She was ready to come in the house after 20 mins. Let it Snow.

now 5 are sick

Garrett is now sick also. He is at work today, he was going to stay there and just hope he doesn't start throwing up everywhere. Plus now it is night time for them so he can just stay in his room

4 out of 5

That is right 4 out of the 5 of us are sick. I can't believe how hard this flu has hit our family. Natalie got it friday morning, then madalyn woke up saturday night with it and Me sunday morning and Morgan was throwing up by that night. The good thing is it seems to only last 24 hours, but it's a long 24 hours. Garrett is the only one that has not got it yet, we only hope we are all better by christmas.

On Saturday when everyone was feeling fine we went bowling and to dinner with Justin & Heather and Grandma Jenks.

We had a great time this was the first time the girls had been bowling, they loved it.

Our day shopping

I have been done christmas shopping for a few weeks now but the girls really wanted to get each other gifts for christmas so we headed to tri-cites. I thought it was a great idea. Garrett had the day off yesterday and so we all went. We are driving into town, we had to get garrett's pick-up oil changed so the girls were all in the back. They love riding in the truck cause they can touch each other and I hate it cause there is so much more fighting going on. We are about 10 mins. down the road and they are half playing and half fighting and the car is so loud that we can't even talk I turn around to them for the 10th time to tell them to be quite and Madalyn says "But mom we are kids were suppose to play" it just made us both laugh. We ended up taking the kids to the dollar store to pick out gifts for each other, it was really cute to have them think of what their sister would like. Madalyn just can't wait until Morgan can open her present. After a few hours in tri-cites Garrett says "I don't know why you like to do this" I was thinking I should make him take them to do the shopping one day all by himself, and give him the longest list of things to get. I wonder how much he would get done.
Natalie woke up at 4:00 am sick with the flu. I felt so bad for her she threw up 7 or 8 times, but she seems to be feeling alot better this afternoon.

Parties

This past week has been a lot of fun with lots of great parties. This 1st picture is the Eppich Christmas party. The kids loved the gift exchange.

Madalyn is thinking hard what to tell Santa what she wants. The ward Christmas party

Opening a gift at the Eppich Party

Natalie did not even cry when I put her on Santa's lap, she just looked at him like he was crazy.

Morgan was a little shy, but still jumped right up on his lap. Morgan was helping lead the music at the ward christmas party, all the kids where clapping their hands as we sang a song.
Great Grandpa and Grandma McGary were telling a few stories. As aways they were very funny.
Aunt Sarah and Natalie, she never wants to smile anymore.

Merry Christmas from the Jenks kids!!!!!! We will fill you in on more exciting events as they come.

15 Days until christmas

I love this picture. We were all really tired yesterday so we decided to all take naps. The girls really wanted to sleep with Garrett in our bed so we let them and I sleep in the kids room. I woke up and started to do some things around the house and I went in to check on them and this is what i found.
We have a king size bed but the girls always what to sleep right next to you. When I went in the room Moragn and Garrett where in the same position, by the time I got the camera out she had moved her arm down a little bit. But look both arms are the same.

We took some plates of goodies around to our home teaching and visiting teaching families and to some friends.

The girls were excited to finally give the cookies and candy away to the families. We have been baking a lot around here, and I keep saying that we are giving it away. They loved singing songs.

christmas season

Today before church I wanted to get a few pictures of the kids and the family. The kids were not into taking pictures, they would not look at the camera or smiles especially Natalie she looks like a stone face.
Our family is so excited for the holiday season, we will be staying home for Christmas and Grandma Jenks will be spending the Christmas season with us. We can't wait especially the girls.

The kids Christmas Dresses.

As we kick off the Holiday season our family is trying to remind the girls each day the true meaning of Christmas. It is so cute to hear their little remarks about baby Jesus, presents, and Santa. Mary took the kids to the Santa party at her ward they were in heaven, they are still talking about the fun they had. They spent the night last Friday at Grandmas house and then went to the party, we are so blessed to have such great grandma's. This time of year is so busy, our family loves all of it. Here are some things that we will be doing in the next few weeks: Family Christmas parties, making candy to give to different families (and eating lots ourselves), helping a few older sisters in our ward wrap gifts for their family, christmas caroling, ward party, Garrett doing tithing settlement each week, watching lots of christmas movies, wrapping gifts for our family(yes I am all done shopping for EVERYONE) and most importantly remembering the savior and enjoying my kids and husband.

Black Friday

YES, We did it. And more importantly lived through it. Garrett and I left our house at 3:00am yes that early. There was a few things that we really wanted so we needed to get there early cause we knew they would go fast. We took 2 cars in and spilt up. I went to Walmart and he went to Best Buy first. I think we hit almost all the store we could: Toys R Us, Sportsmans, G.I Joe's, Kohl's, Sears, Bath & Body Works, and Walgreen's. The lines were not too bad at most places except Kohl's we waited 1 1/2 hours, and Best Buy 45 min. I got home about 11:30 and was so tired. But overall we saved alot of money and got all the things that were on our list. Plus I love to shop and feel like i got a great deal.