tastykake

why oh why do u not sell these in the west coast.  these are the most amazing cupcakes ever.  they also make some other yummy things too.  but i think these are my favorite. i grew up on these and only get them twice a year when my friend sends me some for christmas and my birthday.. but what do u do when they dont sell them in idaho..oh well i guess i wait for some more...A-

birthday girl

it was samanthas birthday yesterday.  she had a pretty good day.. she went shopping with her

birthday money and got the shoppping cart and that cardboard coloring thing.. she also

got a cradle that her dad made for her new doll..we had pizza rolls for dinner and then cake and

ice cream.  i still cant believe that my baby girl is 4..

12 years

happy anniversary to my hubby..we were married 12 years ago.. we have owned 2 houses..moved 5 times..have had 5 kids..1 carrier change for him and 2 more years to go on his education.  lots of memories, tears, laughter, happines and also alot of craziness.  it has never been easy but it has been worth it.  i love my husband and would not change a thing.  i just hope the next 12 years are a little easier...A-

christmas

 well we started of christmas with a polar express night at the kindergarten center where carter goes.  they had activities, hot chocolate and a ride around the block..plus of course santa.  we had to miss the ride because emmett was done.  the kids had a good time though.

 my parents came up for a few days and we started out with doughnut day on friday. 

 my dad enjoying one

 we played in the hot tub as a family and watched a movie which the kids loved.  we ate lots of junk, visited a ton and my parents even watched the kids so corey and i could go on a date.  (we have not been on one in months)

 after visiting with grandma and grandpa and uncle james we started getting ready for christmas

 we made lots of yummy food.

 omg and the turkey was amazing

 good spread huh. 

 christmas was good at our house.  it was not big by any means but its was good.  each of the kids got clothes and some kind of toy and a few got books. 

 we had the annual esplin christmas party on monday and we ate and had the fun opening christmas presents. its always crazy but it is fun.

i hope everyone had a good holiday.  i am grateful for a good season but ready for a new year.  hopefully 2012 will be better than 2011..

cookies and humility

i made these for corey today.   after a good breakdown last night and then my good friend katie whom i love so much telling me today to pull my head out of my @#$ today.  she asked me if having money would change me or what i am doing for christmas and i said no.  i still would not be buying t.v.'s or game systems.  maybe a few more necessitites but nothing big or crazy.  i also came across a great post on facebook by one of the general authorites.  he was saying that it is ok to go to the lord and say i am having a hard time.  it could be about your health, your job or even anything.  the lord knows what u are going through.  so do something for someone else to help ease your pain.  so i did something little like that today and made coreys favorite cookies that he has been asking me to make for a year.  i know that this trial of survival and living off of no money wont last forever but it will still be a while.  i can now face it again and hopefully get through it.  its hard and it will be hard but  it will end and i hope i can understand what the lord is trying to teach me.  but until then its day by day and sometimes hour by hour.  A-

christmas concert

wyatt and cameron had there christmas concert tonight.  it was so cute.. the whole school puts it on with each grade doing a couple of songs.  the 5th graders (wyatt) danced in couples.  he of course was embarassed by the whole thing but it was adorable.  they also sang and song with sign language.. camerons songs were really good too.  i was inpressed with both my boys tonight. 

christmas spirit

i was/am having a hard time this year with getting into the christmas spirit.  i dont know if it because it has been a really hard year finanically and christmas is just another thing that i dont have money for or if its everything in general.  we finally got our christmas decorations up this past weekend and the kids wanted to make cut out cookies so we did.  it was fun and the kids had a good time.. (if u cant tell)..but i am still just struggling with this time of year.  i am so grateful for the saviors birth and everything that he means  to our family.  the rest of it i can do with out this year.  i hope that does not sound awful but that is just how i feel this year.  i am just ready for it to be over and to move on..  A-

camerons babtism

cameron had his birthday on dec 1st and had a great day.  (sorry no pictures cuz i cant find my camera).  he got 20 bucks from us and had pizza and cake and ice cream for dinner.  he was also super excited because he turned 8 and was able to go to boy scouts for the 1st time that day too.  we also had camerons babtism on dec 3rd.  it was a great day.  we had  great support that day with family and friends coming to celebrate with us.  cameron did really well esp since the water in the font was freezing.  afterwards we went to my parents and had a taco bar and cobbler.  (camerons idea).. it turned out to be a fabulous day and am so grateful for all of those that came and could be with us on that special day..A-

thanksgiving

so we did thanksgiving with my grandma and extended family this year.  it was alot of fun for the kids becuase they have not done it with this side of the family before.  we started the day with  me making pies and getting the house picked up.  after that is was loading the car and then realizing that the van was dead.  so after a quick jump we were off.  we had to stop and see a friends new baby 1st but then we got there just in time.  grandma always has table settings and cards for everyone and also really good food.  we also visited for a few hours afterwards and the kids had a great time playing with there cousins.  of course after a day with family it was then hitting th stores for the black friday sales.  i did really well and got most of what we needed for christmas. i just need to get the final touches but were thankfully still have a few weeks for that.  A-

girls night out

so yes i am one of those crazy twlight freaks.. and yes i went and saw it at midnight.  but boy was it fun.  my cousin and i went with 5 other girls from my old job.  they went up earlier but my cousin and and i could not leave until 9.  but we drove up there and got cafe rio pork salads before the movie.  omg how i miss those yummy salads.  they are so ooooooo good.  i have the recipes to recreate them but there just not the same.  then we went into the theatures and got to our seats that my freinds had and just visited with everyone till it started.  it was such a good movie and i think i will def go see it again.  got home at 330 in the morning and still had a full day.  i was very tired but boy was it worth it.  now we just have to wait a whole year to see the 2nd half.  oh well it will be worth it...

my husband

so my husband passed his 3rd year of his apprentiship program this past week.  he passed his year with a 88.8% .   i was so proud of him for passing.  we still have 2 more years but it will be worth it in the end.  these past 3 years have been hard, really hard but i am very grateful that we decided to take this road in order for him to get an education.  i keep thinking that in 2 more years hopefully things will be a little easier and that we will finally be able to do the things that we have always wanted.  its a sacrifice now not to be able to do very much but it will be worth it in the end.  congrats baby i am so proud of you..

coreys birthday

coreys birthday is acutally tomorrow(10th) but we celebrated it on sunday because he is working nights for the next 7 weeks.  we had his favorite dinner of steak, potatoes and shrimp.. we had cake and ice cream afterwards and if u cant tell he was being a stinker for the pictures.

carters birthday

carter oh my carter turned 6 today.  wow cant beleive it.  he had a great day though.  we went in the morning and got his birthday present.  he wanted some remote control cars so between what we spend and granda merrifields money he was able to get two.  he took cookies for a treat at school and then for dinner we had pizza and then cake. wow where has the time gone..

1st day of preschool

samantha had her 1st day of preschool on tues.  she is just going to the high school but she is having a blast and its 30 bucks for like 7/8 weeks.  she was up and ready to go at 730 but we did not have to be there till 830.  she had so much fun and could not wait to tell me all she did.  i am so glad she is having fun..

so for halloween our church/ward does a trunk or treat.  which i love.  everyone parks there cars and hands out candy from your trunks.  it is the best thing ever.  the kids go around the parking lot and get enough candy to last them.  we even have a family that does hot dogs every year and the church provides dounuts and hot chocolate.  the kids had a great time and its a plus for me cuz then we dont even have to go door to door. 

new roof

so here is a pic of the new roof... mainly for my mom... hi mom

a new roof

so we had to put a new roof on do to damage and we had water leaking into our house.  the insurance covered it thank goodness but when it came to finding someone to do it we were a no go.  i called a few contracters.  some did not even call me back and the others said we are not taking anymore work.  so we had to do it.. let me tell u it was not fun.  but we had some wonderful people from the ward come help us.  and now its done.  well all but the shingles that are in my drive way..

seeing family

 so this past weekend i was able to go with my grandma to go to my sisters baby blessing.  it was so fun to see a few of my siblings and also my parents.  tiff and her family are so cute and it was fun to hold my little niece.

and yes after all the canning was done i cut my hair.  this isnt the best pic but here it is...

duck call

so night one of coreys friends came over and hung out.  he had just been duck hunting and had his call with him.. this is what happened with that.  it was pretty funny..

life latley

 so this had been life lately.  lots of rain and it got cold really fast.  plus it made me pull up the last of my garden and get things done at my house and at my parents.  with all that done it was finish up the canning which meant apples.

 i had the kids help me and we turned it into a game.  i did a batch of apple butter and 21 quarts of apple pie filling.  after all that i cleaned my kitchen at 11 pm that night but now i have to learn how to make pie crusts..