ChRiStmAs rEcAp...

wow I can't even believe Christmas has come and gone and we are approaching the new year. time sure does fly!! we went to my mom and dad's for christmas eve and ate yummy food, then played christmas bingo, (where the kids get gifts when they win) and read the christmas story as the little ones acted out. yes, it gets a little hectic with 11 kids trying to act it out. then it was time to open our christmas eve presents (always pjs). this year we opened our gift exchange with everyone that night cause my little sis had to go back to Lehi that night so she wasnt there for christmas day. the kids had a blast with all their gifts. we then went home and it was off to sleep we went. dont worry, i forgot my camera most of the time. yes i deserve... MOTHER of the YEAR award!

its christmas morning....what did everyone get?!

Bryn got a doll house, strawberry shortcake movie, baby doll, clothes and other stuff.

Brax got playstation 2 with few games, a cell phone, clothes, cd, and few other things. Porter got a basketball hoop and movie, clothes a other small things. we also got them Guitar hero. (which is a TOTAL blast!!)

after seeing what santa had left at our house, we went back to my moms to have breakfast. we do this every year. and we give them their gifts. then its back to our house to play with our toys and get ready for the day. then it was off to Johnny and Karis house for our Utley christmas party. more eating, laughing, playing guitar hero, more eating and finding out we are adding not one but TWO new little ones in 2009!! (thats not including Tara's either, so really we will have 3) and dont get your hopes up....mother, its not me expecting either! so this is the result after a very long and exciting day of non-stop plauying with cousins and having TONZ of fun!!

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CHRISTMAS CAN BE ROUGH!!!

hope everyone had a great christmas....I know we did!!

Birthday...

I normally...well I don't think I have ever posted solely about ME! so here it is.... but ONLY because its my BIRTHDAY!! yes that's right. Happy Birthday to myself. I am officially the big 29! so I just wanted to give a little shout out to well....myself! so there it is. enjoy!! sorry no pictures of myself either. aaawww too bad!

Busy, busy, busy

just thought I would post about the cute things I have been very busy making to give away as gifts. this first one I have had done since before December, but I just havn't posted it yet. its our advent calender. for each day there is something we get to do as a family. the kids have had so much fun with this and they look forward to seeing what the next days activity is.


I made 8 of these ones. I made for friends/neighbors gifts

this one me and my mom made 10 of these. I gave 7 of them as gifts to my co-workers at school.

1st Grade Christmas Program

Porter had his Christmas program yesterday. it was really cute. he got to be Santa. they sang songs and had parts. they put a lot of time into it and it turned out nice. GOOD JOB Porter! you did awesome!!

here he is leading his reindeer

I can't believe I got FLOWERS...

that right.... my father in law went and bought each one of us girls (meaning, Tam, Kari, Kelly & me) some of these beautiful Poinsettias, which I like to call "Christmas Flowers" I am not even sure if they are in the flower category but oh well. I will still call them flowers. :) he did this because he thought each one of Shirlene's "angels" needed some. I'm not really one of her own angels, but he told me I was. They are so beautiful. I was so excited that I had actually received this because it has been a VERY long time since someone has given me flowers. yes, that's right folks, I haven't received flowers from my hubby since before we were married! I believe it was the night he proposed to me that I last got some from him. Don't get me wrong here, he does and gives me so much, and I love him for that. (I have told him in the past that I would rather get something else besides flowers, so I guess it is somewhat my fault) so even though they were from another man :) I was ecstatic! my FIL is an amazing guy and has been through so much. I am so glad I have him for a FIL. he is the most unselfish person I know, and I love him for that. Thank you so much for these GORGEOUS flowers! I LOVE them!!

top view

side view

these two turkeys thought they needed a pic with them.

GiNGerBrEaD hOuSes & sAnTa, oH mY!

Tonight we had our annual gingerbread house making and a special visit from Mr. C himself! we started the night off with my mom's awesome homemade clam chowder. mmmm..yummy!! and homemade rolls. thanks mom it was delicious!! then we started our work on the gingerbread houses, and was followed by none other than Santa Clause! the kids LOVE this and look forward to it every year. they all make them sooo cute and they do so good on them.

Brynlee working on her house. she basically did it all by herself this year. all i did was put frosting where she told me to. she had so much fun

heres Brax working away at his soon to be awesome gingerbread house

Ledger was having fun making his (although I think he ate a lot while decorating)

Bryn, Saylor, & Morghan

Porter and Hayden just having fun

Parker & Landen


this is where SANTA came. so all the kids are sitting there waiting patiently for their turn to sit on his lap.

Bryn was second to last to be called up. she was excited and scared at the same time. it was soo funny cause she would NOT look away from him for nothing! but she sat there and told him all that she wanted without crying! what a big girl she is!

Braxton telling SC what he wants..

Here's Porter telling what he wants...santa asked him if his room was clean, and by the look on his face he wasn't quite sure if it was...so he was looking at me wondering what to say. luckily for him....it was!! yea! (you can see Josh in the background there....he got to be SANTA'S helper tonight and pull the presents from santa's sack to give to him. he was super excited!!!

Brynlee got a pretty pink purse with a phone, lipstick, fingernail polish, perfume, (yes all fake of course) sunglasses and a phone. let me just say she was in HEAVEN!!

Brax got some finger skateboards

Porter got a remote control four-wheeler.

aNd AnOtHEr...

I found this on a friends blog and thought it would be fun. so I gave it a try.
I am: way excited for christmas
I know: that even though my kids fight with each other, they still LOVE each other.
I enjoy: having a girls night out
I want: my husband's back to get strong again
I have: my bathrooms that are in need of a cleaning
I dislike: that my kids don't know how to keep their rooms picked up
I miss: my kids while at work
I smell: the scent of popcorn. my kids just popped some
I cry: when i see someone I love crying. ya I am a cry baby
I search: for peace and quiet right now! both my boys have friends over :)
I wonder: what I am going to fix for dinner tonight.
I regret: not being able to do it all
I love: when all my kids are playing nicely
I care: too much about how my house should look
I worry: that I will loose another person close to me
I remember: that things happen for a reason
I believe: that when its all said and done, everything will be ok
I dance: not like I used to!
I don't: like to get up in the mornings
I argue: with the kids to clean up after themselves
I write: not near enough down of what my kids have said that i want to remember
I win: because i'm the mom and i said so
I lose: when my 2 year old cries to her daddy
I wish: that i could make sure nothing bad would ever happen to any loved one
I listen: to my bryn tell me she wants to watch little mermaid too often
I am scared: of loosing someone close to me again
I need: to get caught up on my scrapbooking, its just too overwhelming sometimes. (I would like someone to just make pages for me so that all i have to do is put pics on and journal...aaaww....that would be nice)
I forget: things all too frequently
I am happy: that i have a wonderful husband and three beautiful and healthy children

that was kind of hard...but fun. go ahead and give it a try.

Google Tag

Type the following things into Google (image) and see what comes up. its pretty fun!

First Name :Tasha

Middle Name: Payne. well since I don't have one I used my maiden name

Last Name: Utley

Favorite Past time: Shopping!

Age: I need to enjoy this number... it will be gone in a couple of weeks!!

Nickname: well babe is my number one that Josh calls me but when I googled that, well lets just say that I wasnt going to post any of those pics. so I went with the next one he calls me which is honey.

something on my wish list: that would be my back yard completed!


AND.... this

a new car.

Favorite movie: well right now its Christmas Vacation.

BUT... my all time fav is this

Dream Vacation: Hawaii. well any place would be great.

Occupation: teacher

Favorite Holiday: Christmas

Favorite snack: Banana Split....yummy!!

Favorite Color: Pink

Favorite Food: Seafood

anybody who wants to try this, check it out!

My Little Artist....

I was at my mom's tonight working on some christmas gifts were giving to people and Bryn was left alone for a few minutes when I kept hearing her yelling for me. I walked into the garage and this is what I found....

Yep...she helped us paint our boards....again except the WRONG color!! thank goodness she didn't paint grandpas truck that was right behind her. :) I couldn't even get mad at her cause I was laughing sooo hard. she was so proud that she had done this all by herself. she just kept telling me, I help too momma, I did it too. she was even so busy painting that she forgot to go pee....OOPS!! (so she got double bathtime tonight, as you can see she is already in her pj's, cause she had already taken a bath before all this)