Merry Christmas!!

We just want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love,

The Asays

Christian, Jill, Carson and Travis

Holiday fun!

The past couple of weeks have been super busy for us with all our holiday happenings! One of the highlights was playgroup last week. We made gingerbread houses out of graham crackers. They turned out super cute and I think I had more fun making them than Carson did!

Another highlight was making Christmas candies. Carson helped in the Christmas tradition of making Christmas candies and handing them out to friends this year. We had two days last week where we got a bunch of snow which turned out to be perfect for candy making because Christian got to stay home and help controll my little monsters!

I just had to post a picture of this giant gingerbread cookie we got from some friends. Carson thought he was the coolest thing in the world...and he was quite tasty!!

We are so excited for Christmas to come! We are heading out of town next week to spend the holidays with our families and can't wait!

Christmas Kick-off!

The first weekend in December is Christmas kick-off weekend in McCook. There are so many fun things to do to start the Christmas holiday...Santa flies into the airport and then is found at Santa's workshop all day, there are lots of craft shows, a free movie matinee, and the lighted parade downtown. Christian had to work Saturday, so the boys and I decided to take advantage of all the fun things going on. We started the day with making Carson his birthday breakfast...pancakes in the shape of gingerbread men and sausage (one of his favorites). After breakfast, we got ready and headed to see Santa at Wal-Mart. After that we ran to the free movie and saw Monster's in the Attic. After the movie, we ran to the craft shows (which are nothing like the ones in Powell and Cody), then came home for naps. After naps, it was time to head down town to watch the parade. We went down a little early so that we could go see Santa at his workshop. Carson is so into Christmas this year and it has already been lots of fun! Travis, on the other hand...is deathly afraid of Santa (as you will see in the pictures). It was a fun day and a good way to celebrate Carson's actual birthday!

Waiting for the parade to start

We got our tree decorated earlier this week. The boys both helped put the ornaments on. I thought for sure that Travis was going to be the one that would bother the ornaments, but it's Carson that I have to worry about. He rearranges them daily!! Both of my boys love it. Travis kept saying "wow" and Carson kept telling, and continues to tell me daily, that it's the most beautiful! He kept hugging the tree the first night it was up...too cute!!

Birthday Boy!

Yesterday was Carson's 4th birthday! Carson is one of the most loving/caring little guys I have ever met. He loves little kids, has a great imagination, is very sensitive, has the best smile in the world, and has a great little personality...he loves to tease! We are truely blessed to have him as part of our family! As I tell him every night when I tuck him into bed, He is truely my favorite Carson in the whole world!!

It seems like every year, Carson's birthday gets spread out over a week and ends up having numerous parties. This year was no exception. We started with a party at Gramma Foulger's at Thanksgiving and opening gifts at Gramma Asay's house too. Carson had a little friend party Friday afternoon with 7 friends. The partying continued today with lunch with some family friends. Carson is smitten with a family in our branch! He really looks up to one young man in our ward, in particular,and considers him one of his friends. When we were first talking about having a party, I asked him who he would invite and three of the first people he mentioned was this young man (he's 14) and his two younger siblings that Carson's loves to play with. Since they live in another town I told him they couldn't come to his party but we would have them over for dinner instead and cake instead.

Here are some pictures from his parties the last couple of days! Happy Birthday, Carson!! We hope you had a great day!

The party site

Playing Don't Eat the Monster! (our version of don't eat Pete)

Carson posing behind the monster that we had a bean bag toss with

The kids decorating monster cupcakes

Carson and his cake

Enjoying on of his toys from the party

Yummy cupcakes!

Sunday party...blowing out the candles!

getting ready for some cake!

The mighty bow hunter!

Turkey time!

Well, we had a very successful trip back home for Thanksgiving. Here's a quick run-down...Our trip started with a night in Laramie with Matthew and Charlene, and the next day we car-pooled together home. Wednesday we spent the afternoon getting new tires put on our car and eating at El Tap...yummy! Thursday we headed to Lovell in the morning and had lunch at noon with Christian's family. Around 3 we headed back to Powell for dinner with my family. Dinner that night was followed by a little birthday party for Carson while all of my family was around. He got some fun toys that we all loved to play with! Friday, is the Asay annual preg-testing day for cows, so Christian got up early and headed over to Lovell to help out. As soon as our car was done being realigned, the boys and I headed over just in time for some yummy chilli! After lunch we went and helped decorate the church for Kasi and Daniel's reception. Saturday was Daniel and Kasi's wedding. It was a beautiful sealing with lots of family and friends in attendance. The rest of the day was spent celebrating the new couple with a luncheon and reception. Sunday we headed back to Matthew and Charlene's and then home the rest of the way Monday. It was a great trip and we loved seeing so many family members and friends! We are truely grateful for all that we have and all the blessings we've been given in our lives. Now if we can all just recover...we're all fighting colds! I guess that's what happens when you party hard, but we wouldn't change it!!

Thanksgiving with the Asay's

Thanksgiving with the Foulger's

Carson got a whack-a-mole game for his birthday and of course we had to have a tournament...my sister was the overall champion.

Christian and my sister fighting it out with Carson's new gun

Our little family

Grampa and Gramma Asay and the grandkids...look at all those thumbsuckers...too cute!

The new couple. Congrats, you guys!

The whole family.

A little brotherly love!

My sister and I at the reception.

Travis making some crazy faces on the plate.

Trying to catch some bubbles.

Fight night and more!

We're back...not that we went anywhere though! We've been pretty busy the last couple of weeks, but really haven't had much to blog about. Plus, I got a new camera and have just been too lazy to put the camera software on the computer. Here are some things we have been up to in the last couple of weeks.

It's become tradition now that a group of people gather at out house for UFC fights. It started as just a bunch of guys watching it and now it has upgraded to the women joining the group! Which is great for me...now I'm not the only lady there! Everyone brings food and we chow down while watching the fights. It's been a fun way for us to get to know some of the people in our branch a little better. This weekend, we bought the pay per view fight, enjoyed great food, and even had a girl from our branch come and occupy the kids for us! Thanks for all your help L!

The kids hanging out...

Some of the group...

It wouldn't be a fight night without a little wrestling...it's in the Asay blood! Christian and one of the guys in our branch trying out some moves!

In the last couple of months we have had a couple of young families with kids our boys' age move into our branch. It has been SO nice to have people our own age in our branch. Before, the closest ones were the missionaries. Anyways, we have started a playgroup that meets once a week. We rotate houses and usually have lunch. The kids love to play together (and all get along surprisingly well) and us mom's love it because we get to sit back and talk. I've made some good friends and am so glad that we've been able to continue to get together every week.

This last week we went to a farm and ranch expo and watched some pig races. They were pretty entertaining to watch!

As for our family, we have all been rather healthy. Carson had a short bout with a cold last week but was over it quickly. He continues to grow like CRAZY! I have people all the time tell me how much he is growing! He has become quite the little singer recently! Carson participated in his first primary program this Sunday and did great. He acutally sang some of the songs and did good on his parts. He had them all memorized and could say them on his own, but when it came down to it, he had to have some help!

Travis is continuing to grow too! He is starting to say some words and it's so fun! He now says mom, dad, ball, bye bye, NO (lots of no!), thank you and nose. I love when they start to talk! Travvy now has 11 teeth...and we're so glad that his molars are finally all the way in...!

Christian is busy soil sampling as much of the ground that is available to. This year has been a really unusual one in that the farmers have not been able to get the corn picked because of their high moisture levels. He's also working on getting all of his contracts signed for next year.

I've been busy keeping up with everyone. I've been doing some craft projects that I've been wanting to do. I'm looking forward to the upcoming holidays, seeing family, and Daniel and Kasi's wedding. We are headed home this week for Thanksgiving and for the wedding. We hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving and that you all travel safely!