Christmas Tree LOVE. December. Christmas has arrived

It's done, the tree is UP! and it feels like home.

home~home~home!

It's cozy, warm and happy in the Stott household!

I bought a new tree last year for our new house and

(lucky for us!) it fits great in this house too!

In fact, we have a perfect spot for it.

the kids could NOT wait to put the tree up, decorate the house,

put lights up, wreaths, Christmas dec's...everywhere.

It creates such a cozy atmosphere.

Nostalgia. traditions. Kids love it.

Over the Thanksgiving break, we did just that.

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving week!

Our first away!

I was worried it wouldn't "feel the same" w/o family.

But it was great.

Ashlyn and I did our Turkey Trot race in the morning

and (post to come!)

then we cooked a storm up in the kitchen and

headed over to the ward for our Thanksgiving.

Not one house could hold all us! 12 adults, 30 kids

The Rennakers, Coons, Bagleys, Shcramms, Stout's and Stott's

met up for a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner.

We all ate and sat and talked the afternoon away.

The kids loved hanging out and playing.

They are from ages 18 months up to 12.

They all know eachother well and are buds.

Then the rest of the weekend... Black Friday shopping!

I am about done. Ry and I hit some amazing deals

on Amazon the night before. THen on Friday (Black Friday)

I went to Target, Macey's, Costco and the mall. I loved it.

7 hours of crazy deals!

WE then went to movies, watched football, hung with friends,

and decorated the house top to bottom!

I loved the kids out of school and the time we got to hang together as a family.
Now off to our first of many Christmas FHE..

Pick secret names for service and fill Baby Jesus's manger for Christmas!

yay!



Merry Christmas MONTH!

Dear Utah, Family, Friends, Grateful Heart (and a new header!)

first off..I LOVE this song. "A Beautiful Day" found it on GMA. Robin Roberts

wrote it when she had cancer...

such a positive song!

What a trip!

I had a blast.

I couldn't wait.

My 3 days were booked:

Family, Friends, Sisters, Brothers...
and uhhh...ALL my favorite spots I soooo miss!

Like Cafe Rio, a pink sugar cookie from QB,

Kneaders French Toast, Sweet Tooth Fairy.

(oh Colorado you need to get on it!)

The best parts???

My nieces & nephews. my sissas. my friends.

I am simply so blessed.

Oh my little nieces and nephews.

I miss their little faces. so much.

Being away makes you so grateful.

Grateful for family, friends.

It tightens the bond you have.

It makes you realize the love you have.

My heart was so full on this trip.

It was perfect for me.

Thanks Ry for sending me home whenever I need a "fix!"....

My sister Brooke picked me up at the airport and off we went!

She took me straight to the Quiletd B to get a pink sugar cookie and diet coke.

My sis knows me well.

We had a couple of hours alone to chat and it was fabulous.

I love this girl. She is one of the strongest ladies I know.

We met some of the sisters and bro's at Cafe Rio for lunch!

It was great to see all of their faces!

The pork salad is divine. the best ever. We all ate and chatted away...Misty and Brooke!

It was so sweet of my family.

Many of them got off work, got babysitters,

got their hubbys to help...just to hang with me!

We had our weekend booked.

I invited one and all to come.

With 8 siblings in the valley, there are many to see :) yay

After Rio, I wanted to go with my sisters to the school to pick op the kids.

It was my old stomping grounds.

My house I built in 2009 sits 15 feet from the school. (love u house!)

It was so fun to see all the nighborhood kids.

I saw some of my twins friends and they were super excited to talk..

We are setting up a xmas party for all the kiddos to get together again.

Then we hung at my sis's Amber's house and talked and talked....

It was like the good ole days, never skipping a beat!

I love that I can come home and it feels like home instantly.

We all met up for dinner and a LATE movie. We chatted the night away.

WE hit La Hacienda and then the Sweet Tooth Fairy for dessert!

The next day, Kneaders for Breakfast and Christmas shopping at the mall!
(my cute niece Ali! Misty's oldest daughter!) My sis Jan on the phone! and her 2 daughters...Maddie and Savannah too!

In the afternoon I met up with my girlfriends!

Rob, Nat and Me!

I love these girls.

10 plus years of friendship.

These girls are my best friends.

With moving, I feel like it tightened our bond.

You realize how lucky you are to have such a great friends.

(Dani, Rob, Me, Nancy, and Nat)

It means so much.

It was such a great night. We had dinner in a winter Utah blizzard!

We talked and talked...

I got to visit Kim!

A friend I love and have been so lucky to know for 10 plus years!

Thanks to my sis Misty for being the best hostess and

letting me stay there the first night!

The second night I went up to the Mountain House

(in the blizzard, got stuck and had to walk....!)

WHat a life. I feel so blessed. So grateful.

I have love all around and I feel it.

With my fam in friends in Utah and IN Colorado,

I couldn't ask for a better life.

Love Ry and my kids w all my heart!

Have a great Thanksgiving week...

xo!

(next pic is the post I wrote the day I got back :)

*This is a pic of me walking up to the Mountain House with my parents.

They picked me up from a late dinner with friends and a SNOW STORM

hit the valley! (ohhh I loved it!)

We got stuck at the bottom of the neighborhood and had to walk up

to the Mountain House! (fun, fun!)

I was definitely HOME....Utah weather!

( I miss the big snow storms!)

It was nostalgic!

My Utah Post later.

Thanksgiving is here. so much to do.

o buy, to cook, to organize, to plan...You get it!

(and a race (Ashlyn and I) to prepare for on Thanksgiving :) yay!)

loves!

red. color. love. and time. my time

I got my pier one pic! its so pretty! seriously.

I love the

colors and textures.

it makes me so happy just to look at it!


and I added wreaths. 3 now. (below) love it. (and 4 total to the windows above....)

And we now have time=

Approximately= 1 month and 12 days.

NO sports till Jan 2, 2011~:

no soccer, no swim, no practices, no meets, no games.

nothing.

I can't believe it.

We have time.. Time for Thanksgiving, Holidays, traditions, projects.

Time for FHE, scripture study, homework..

and time for CHRISTMAS (yay!)...

time to just be a family.

And I am so happy about it. (first time in years!)

Our Family Home Evening on Monday:

Gratitude FHE. Be Grateful.

1.Realize all the blessings (in your life).

(Even the smallest of one's.)

2. Seek the good in the days

3.enjoy the moment.

4. Give thanks.

The kids wanted to create a winter scene...a Christmas winter scene.

Set in the mountains, with glowing stars and snowflakes in the sky. They wrote on each one to say what they were grateful for.

I hung it up so the kids could always be reminded....

and btw, do you notice something on the floor?


yes, it's Rexy. He is a cute little guy.

now, I am off.
off to Utah..My time. To my fam, to my friends!
I am so excited.

When I get back, the trees go UP!

Thanksgiving will be around the corner!

Love this time of the year.

G R A T I T U D E!

loves! xo

Life in Collages.

The Holidays are here.

And I have the decorating bug.

I want to decorate and add color and textures.

I can't wait to put up the tree.

It's to early, so I only put up a little wreath and a tree!

and
I had a blast with my mom.

Really I did! The best part?

I got her all. to. myself.

With 9 siblings, I dont think that has ever happened.

We loved our time:
I picked her up at the airport and we headed to lunch,

then spent time with my kids, then off to Jake's pizza soccer party,

and then chatting at dinner!

(till well over midnight.)

The best....Our time!

The next day, shop at the mall, bought watches and necklaces,

ate some mexican and ended with chocolate covered

rice krispie treat at Rocky Mtn. Choc Factory...

(oh diiiivne! you've got to try!)

then off to the airport and said our goodbye's!

a fabulous 32 hours!

( I think we chatted for 28 of the 32 hours~ no sleep!)

love you mom!

and thanks for the kid's cute gifts:

CTR rings (they paint!), Lindt chocolate, scarfs, treats...thanks Grandma!)

And

Mace has been lovin' his playgroup.

Jodee, Staci, Mandi, Paige, Amy and I

let our kiddos meet up every week.

They learn a letter and hang out!

Mace loves his new little buddies.

(we had the Letter F!)

And

Ashlyn got her first hair color!

With her hair bleached out from swimming in the chlorine every day,

it was time to fix it. (I hesitate to start!)

We went to a salon and she got her foils..a cut and layers.

It looks great!

(and hopefully subtle!)

and

look closely.

we have a new, little, soft, fluffy pet.

His name: Rex.

a.k.a Rexy.

(like we don't have enough hopping around outside! the kids beggggged!)

best of all,
we have been hanging out together lots! (pics from summer)
Lately and on the weekends, we have:

~Boys played hoops, football, watched the Miami Dolphins and Canes!

~the boys also went to the BYU/ CU game (score 45-10) Go Cougs!

~Ry went to a Bronco's game with his buddy.

~I got to go downtown Denver to the Buell Theatre (amaaaazing!)

and see Mamma Mia, (so great! fun black tie event!)

~all my Colorado friends (yay M!) gathered for the evening (with no kids!)

and had a great night,

~I went on a mama daughter date with Ashlyn

(Benihana's! yum... Ashlyn's shrimp!) and then shopping!

~Jake went on a fishing outing with his buddies,

the list goes on....

we are having a great time!

and lastly,

did I already tell you

I want to decorate~ and decorate ~

and don't walk into Pier One if you don't want to
to buy the entire store.

especially the chairs and pillows~

Oh I loved their colors!

but I am going to buy the 3 flower collage.

I have got to have that.

Now off to winter, no more Fall.

I love this time of year!

I am visiting Utah soon... (oh I am so excited!)

then when I am back...Thanksgiving with 6 families

and BLACK FRIDAY shopping....

and then....Christmas!

yay!

xo!