Nebraska 2015

At the end of December we got to go visit Dans parents on their mission in Omaha Nebraska. Now Nebraska doesn't sound too fun in the winter but we actually had a really great time. The flights there, the kids did pretty well. Lucy played on the iPad and we gave Lincoln a lot of chocolate to keep occupied. Good parents right here!

Dave and Kathy came and picked us up at the airport. It was so fun to see them!!

The next day we went to the Omaha zoo! It was so cool! And I was happy it was mostly inside. Lucy loved the monkeys and Lincoln loved the Bears.

The next day we got to take a tour at winter quarters. Grandma watched the kids and dressed them up while Dave took us around. It was so intriguing to learn about winter quarters. I'm so thankful for the pioneers who sacrificed so much to get to Utah. 

Grandma dressed Lucy as a pioneer and as Mary. She had so much fun. We went and saw the gingerbread houses after. There was some pretty amazing ones. Later that light Dave and Kathy watched the kids while Dan and I did a quick session at the Omaha temple. 

On New Year's Eve we went to Iowa and took a tour of the other place Dave and Kathy work at. They had some other gingerbread houses there too. That light we had some fun minute to win it games that we played with Lucy. Then we celebrated the new year at 11 and went to bed. 

New Year's Day we drove around and then went to the pedestrian bridge. It was bitter cold. We hurried and took a picture of us on the border of Iowa and Nebraska and then hurried back to the car. I've never been so cold. There was ice floating down the river. Br!! It was so fun being with them all week! We played a lot of games, the boys watched a lot of football and the girls watched a lot of princess shows. We are excited they'll be back home soon!

Later that night we went to the airport and flew home. We got lucky the flight weren't full so Lincoln could sleep in his car seat. The kids did great until the plane landed and they woke up. Agh! 

Christmas Eve 2015

Christmas Eve morning we went and hung out with a great friends from our old neighbor hood- the eltons. We miss them being our neighbors! We went sledding behind their house. Lucy was a little daredevil this year going down the hill you herself and even in her belly. 

Dagan pulled out his uti and pulled. Kids on a sled behind. THey had a blast doing that too. After we had delicious chilly and hung out. It was so fun hanging out with them!

Later that night we went to GG miss house for the Christmas Eve party. We had delicious prime rib as always and chatted with the cousins. Then we went around the room and told each other all that we did for our big give. It's always great hearing all those stories of who we all helped out. Then we opened jammies and gifts! It was a great night!

Soderberg Christmas 2015

We had our Soderberg family party this year at my cousin Dons work at the Tennis club in SLC. It was so good seeing everyone! We have 4 new babies in the family- Lincoln, Avery, Ava, and Reid. We also have a new soon to be cousin in law Rino who is marrying Ashley in January. 

We had dinner and chatted. Then the best Santa of all Came to see the kids! He brought reindeer poops for the bad adults and candy canes for the kiddos. It was super cute. Lucy was shy again and Lincoln flipped out this time. Haha. 

Afterward we played out gift giving game and then gave present to grandma Soderberg. I think she really loved the puzzle that Lucy gave to her!

Gingerbread Party

I had big plans for our gingerbread house this year. I was going to make Elf's journey to New York. I was going to make the candy cane forest, the gum drop sea and the Lincoln tunnel....but I got sick the day of. I was trying to push through and we even went, but I layed on Mindy's bed the whole time. Dan attempted to make my vision which was nice of him to try, but.... he wasn't motivated to go all out.
Mindy and Remi's Snoopy house sure turned out cute! But Erika and Ben won with some Star Wars thing. haha.

Chuck Party

This years guck party was hilarious! All the office guys wanted to do a duck dynasty theme and so that's what we did and they went all out! Everyone dressed in camo, we had a photo booth with guns and beards, we played duck dynasty games and had duck dynasty food. Rene made armadillo eggs, frog legs, prime rib, biscuits, and miss Kay's pie. He even added duck butts in the swamp juice. 

For the games we played duck hunt, frog toss, antler ring toss, and target practice. It was so much fun! We got tickets for each game we won and then put them in containers next to items that we wanted to win. They had tvs, games, duck dynasty movies and CDs, train sets, need guns, and cook books that you could win. Dan and I won the duck hunt game and 2 duck dynasty movies. It was such a fun night! I love working for my dad and such a great company!

Christmas Lights

Festival of Lights

I love this little tradition we've done since we've been married. Kids always make it more fun. Lucy was especially excited this year and named everything that she saw. Look there's a castle, look there's rapunzels tower! Lincoln was pretty mesmerized as well. We love the Festival of Lights!

Downtown Lights- Saturday night we went and saw the temple square lights with Dans work friend and his family. It was a lot of fun! We went to chuck for dinner first and then ride trax to temple square. It wa their first time doing all of this cuz they just moved from San Diego. It was enjoyable to show them. I hoped they liked it even though it was super crowded. 

Lucy has really fun because she made a new little boy friend. She was so flirtatious with Devin and even kissed him! Ah! Boy crazy! 

We had a good time and loved seeing the temple lights!

Wood Connection: Stocking Hanger

A Christmas Craft I did for Wood Connection:

Hey crafters, Jamie again. So it's only around Christmas time that I really wish I had a fireplace. First because its super cold and second, I need a mantle to hang my stockings on. Well instead of hanging my stockings in random places, I came up with this peg board to hang them on! Also, I do not have 4 children, but that's how many pegs there are. Maybe one day a Jack and Josie will be born ;) 

Materials you need:

- Family Home Evening Board and Pegs

- 6 Banner Pieces 

- Ribbon 

- Wire

- Paint (Ivory and tompte red)

- Chalkboard paint

- Stain (Provincial)

- sand paper

- paint brushes

- wood glue

- 2 sawtooth hangers to hang it on the wall.

- STOCKINGS!

First sand and stain the board. While that's drying, sand and paint the edges of the banner pieces tompte red.

Next, paint each banner piece with chalk board paint. Let the first layer dry for about an hour. Then paint a second layer. These will dry quick, but let the paint settle for 24 hours before writing on it with chalk. 

Paint the pegs ivory. I painted 2-3 coats. Then glue in the pegs to the board using wood glue.

Next, wire the banner pieces together. I taped the wire on back but you could probably secure it better with a staple gun. Then tie on the Ribbons. Then Attach the sawtooth hangers on the board.

Next write your names on the banner pieces. Then hang on the wall and hang your stockings!

I love it! I hope you do too! 

Have a Merry Christmas!

Wood Connection: Fall Door Hang

Here's another idea for my interchangeable door hang. I didn't see a turkey slat sign overlay at wood co that fit my board, so I just used the leaf for Fall. I LOVE how it turned out!

Materials used:

- leaf overlay 

- Mendocino red paint

- wire

- gold spray paint

- cricut machine

- contact paper

- velcro

- sandpaper

- paint brush

See this post for how I made my board.

- First I sanded then painted the leaf red. I gave it 2 coats.

- Then I cut out hello and fall on the cricut machine onto contact paper.

- I stuck each letter on the middle of the leaf and pressed it down firmly.

- Then I spray painted the the middle of the leaf. I moved the spray can a little further and spray an edge of the leaf. I like the speckled look of the spray paint.

- Once that dried, I peeled off the letters.

- I tied on some wire, applied the velcro on back and put it on my door hang. 

Here are a few other holidays I have done, Christmas will be next!

Valentines Day

St. Patricks Day

Easter

Halloween

Hello Fall!

Wood Connection: Christmas Door Hanger

I've been loving doing these posts for Wood Connection. Here's my most recent:

Here's another door hanger! You sick of seeing these yet? :) I'm not sick of making them yet!

For Christmas I chose to put a glittery red deer head on my interchangeable door hanger.

Materials you need:

- 1 deer head

- tompte red paint

- red glitter

- paint brush

- wax paper

- velcro

- matte spray

First paint the deer head red and let dry. Then spread a lot of glitter out on wax paper and spread it around. Paint the top of the deer head (no sides) and lay flat on the glitter. Here's a more detailed tutorial if you need one. Finish it off my spraying it with matte spray and putting velcro on the back. Then stick to your board!

If you've missed previous posts, here's how to make the board.

Also here are some other months. 

Valentines Day

St. Patricks Day

Easter

Halloween

Thanksgiving/Fall

Timp Christmas Party

We had Dans Timpanogos work party at Blue Lemon. We didn't get much to eat for dinner because they ran out of a lot before it was our turn but we made sure we were first to get cheesecake. We also got this cool prize!