Christmas Morning Dec 2010

The kids aren't very happy that they have to wait to open their presents. The boys all got new pajamas in their stockings so these are it. Kenzie got hers but we didnt have her open before the pic was taken.

check out the scowl Kenzie is giving us.

Sorry i cant figure out how to adjust the picture so just turn the computer and maybe you can see our tree and the presents before the kids tore into them.

Collecting the wrapping paper before i would let them open up the actual boxes.

Kenzie would not open her other few gifts, she was to interested in playing with her magna doodle. Poor Shady is waiting for her gift, though she didnt get anything, oops i forgot her. but i do have a soup bone in the freezer that i will take out for her.

Kenzie showing us how happy she is with her gift.

Everyone got BYU sweatshirts, i would have but mine got cancelled off the order cause they ran out. So that is why there is only the boys in the pics. any you know kenzie grows so fast i didnt get her one.

my boys in the hood, or is that in their hoods. they just thought this was the best pic for me to take so i had to give them the joy of posing.

Christmas was a bit simple this year when it comes to the amount they had under the tree. Nick and Dustin gave up their birthday presents in October so they could get an ipod touch, we told them that if we got them that would be all they got, looked like they were a little sad to only open 1 present but they understood. they did get connect 4x4 for the family, a wii game and a couple of movies that they opened together so that made them feel a little better. TJ could not make up his mind as to what he wanted to he got a visa gift card to figure it out on their own and some jammie pants, a orange sweatshirt for hunting and some bib overalls for hunting and winter gear. so he is happy. Kenzie got her magna doodle you saw in picture, a dora memory game. friends gave her some stuffed animals (which will go great on her bed that she moves into this week) and some princess hair stuff. Friends of the family gave us all some card games, fruit, jelly and lots of baked goods and candies. Michele got some puzzles, a puzzle stow away when she just cant finish it but doesnt want to destroy her work so far, some colorful metal geckos for a wall decoration that has a story behind it and she got a camera for herself. Robert was like when you open the present dont think i spent a lot of money on it come to find out a friend of his, wife got a new camera and she was going to throw this one away so it is a great gift for Michele now. and this brings us to robert, well he got some hats and some pj pants. he also got some hunting gear for the season and he got that early, oh yea and he also got the sweatshirt. so that is our christmas for everyone to share with us. every year we do something to help other people, we either pick a family or chose a gift tag off a tree, every year a little different. this year we chose to help a certain lady in our church ward by offereing a monetary donation to her for some things she is going through. it was a little different writing a check rather than going and buying stuff and delivering it but you know the kids understand it was the thing to do and we have felt great about it since. i can see the benefits our own family has received from doing this. christmas is a great time to remember christ and all he did for us and share that gift with others. i hope that everyone who reads this had a great christmas and will have a wonderful new year.

A few days in the Albrecht household

Kenzie does not like being told no and this is what happens when we tell her no!!

Kenzie keeping herself busy with a tea party while we all watch Survivor finale.

Brody, our neighbor enjoying some tea with Kenzie.

Rober and Kenzie ready for church. Thanks to Laurie for the dress to wear to church.

Kenzie sure likes getting her picture taken.

Some more of Kenzie

showing off her dress

This starts the pictures for the Military Holiday Party. We took some friends of the boys and we made each of them sit with santa. This is Owen, he is 12 and really didnt want to be there.

Dustin also not really wanting to sit on Santa's lap

Nick also really didnt want to sit on Santa's lap, but that is the joy of being a mom, being able to force them to do things just so we can get some enjoyment our of being a parent.

Our friend Andrew with Santa, now he kind of wanted to sit on his lap but was nervous but then really didnt want to cause the older boys didnt want to but he eventually went up there

Our other friend Griffin, see how much he is enjoying it, haha

Kenzie playing with her little skateboard that she won.

The whole gang sitting having pizza at the military party.

All dressed up ready to play laser tag.

Getting ready for laser tag.

Nick and our buddy Andrew, guess he was going to fast so the picture came out blurry.

Kenzie wanted to put skates on to be like her brothers but she made it about 10 feet onto the skate floor and she had enough.

Dustin, Andrew, Owen, Griffin, Nick all enjoying some time in the bounce house. Kenzie went over about 3 times and each time she said, i am scared and we left the area. The place we went to had roller skating, bounce houses, laser tag and video games.

Dustin and Andrew posing before they did their summersaults in the bounce house.

ok not a great picture, but dustin was moving so fast i couldnt get a picture

just chillin before their time on the obstacle course

andrew coming down the slide

dustin was to fast coming down the slide i finally got the picture as he made it all the way off and in my face

this is about as close as Kenzie would get to the bounce house. she kept saying she was scared, i didnt even know that she knew that word.

Variety of Pics

Here is our new car we bought to help save some money on gas prices, it is a 2005 Chevy Cavalier. It is in great shape and it is royal blue which makes me happy.

Nick carrying Kenzie out of church, they really do love her.

Nick trying to get Kenzie to the car, the reason he is carrying her in the above picture is because she would not move for him.

This is the best shot i could get of Dustin at his holiday chorus concert. In case you are not sure that is him in the stripped shirt with the santa hat on, the rest of the kids were lining up in front of him before the show started. he is actually waving at us.

Shopping pics

Nick is really bored to be at the mall, this is why we dont go there very often.

He still wanted to be bored, but you can see a little smirk there on him, cause i make him laugh even when he wants to be mad.

Dustin chose to ride the carosel, that is really why nick was so bored, he didnt want to admit that he really wanted to be up there riding it also, but a 13 year old boy just doesnt do that, or at least that is what he says.

Pre Christmas Pictures

Robert had just put up the tree and Kenzie found the elf hat in the box so she decided it was hers to wear.

Robert wanted a close up of him with Kenzie and the hats on.

TJ wanted a picture so he could put it on his phone. You know as much as the kids drive each other crazy and i was worried that the excitement of a little sister would wear off, they really like having her around and doing things like this, taking pictures with her and such.

We got our christmas decorations out and we have hats in the box so they all sat down on the futon for a picture.

But they had an argument as to how come TJ got to hold Kenzie, so Nick held her.

And Dustin held her, 1 time

2 times...

and 3 times because i couldn't get a good picture. i still dont think i got a very good one but oh well.

Our last few months

ok so i have not been very good about keeping up on this recently. we had a busy end of the summer and then a wedding to go to in Oct which was so much fun. We found out i was pregnant and announced it at the wedding, then 2 weeks later i miscarried. so i have been letting my body heal but at the same time trying to keep up with 4 busy kids. below are pictures of what we have been doing. i will try to keep up on this better but for now enjoy!!!!

Hunting season in New York. Much joy is brought by getting the deer and then filling the freezer. We save money if we have the time to process it ourselves which means skinning it, cutting it, and grinding it up into burger. Robert is grinding here, you cant see the machine behind his right corner but the bowl shows it all ground up ready to go into ziplock bags and into the freezer.

Before you can grind it you have to cut it into pieces so i am working hard at this. Do i enjoy this, not to much but it saves a lot of money and we use burger alot in the house so it all works out and you know Robert and i are in the kitchen spending time together and the kids see us doing things together and understand the whole circle of hunting and what happens after they are shot. You should all be grateful i didnt take pictures of the deer in the truck or hanging from the tree in the back yard.

Robert starting the cutting process. We have 2 deer in the freezer, 1 we had a company process and the other we did. i am happy with that amount of meet in the freezer but would be ok with at least 1 more.