Gorton Family Christmas Party

Winter Fun for the First Time

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Trevor's 6th Birthday

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Ginger Bread Train

It was time for the annual building of the ginger bread house except this year I think that Trevor convinced Brigitte to get a train instead so this year it was the ginger bread train. It was great because the kit came with all ready made frosting so we did not have to make it. That is always such a pain. I built the train up and then let the kids decorate it.

The kids were having fun decorating the train. They started by handing the candy to me to put them on the train.

But then they started getting into the decorating on their own.

Maya always had to show us the piece of candy before putting it on the train.

I had to add more frosting where they wanted it to give them more places to place the candy.

It got to a point where the candy had to be tested in the mouth before it went on the train.

Trevor was deep in thought as to whether the train was complete or not. He had to make the decision because there was more candy but they wanted to eat it.

The final train decorated. I would usually cover the whole thing in frosting but was not in the mood to do that this year. Besides the kids got to the frosting before I got a chance.

Christmas Tree Time

Well it is that time of year again. Time to decorate the tree. This year we decided to get a real tree. And because we had enough room we wanted to get a big tree. We had heard that there was a self choose, self cut tree lot close by so we thought that we would go try there. It was fun looking at all the trees but they just were not what we were looking for. When we found on that we like from the front we went to the back and it was dead because it had grown so close to the other trees. We decided to go find a Christmas tree lot. We drove for a while and then ended up going to Home Depot. They had just what we wanted, a 9 ft tree that was perfect. Got it home and then decorated it for Family Home Evening.

Alexa and I are putting the ornaments on the tree.

Trevor just had to get this ornament at the top of the tree. He is getting to heavy but I was able to get him high enough.

Alexa was having so much fun. Brigitte got two huge balls and this is the one that Alexa got to put up.

It was time for the kids to go to bed but they insisted that this picture be taken.

The Christmas tree finally finished with tree skirt and all. It is one beautiful tree. Don't you all agree?

Kolby's Thanksgiving

Kolby's cousins thought that it would be funny to put him in the girls shopping cart. He was having fun until I decided to take his picture. He started crying as soon as he saw me with the camera.

IT'S FINALLY DONE

It is finally done. It only took three months of work almost every night till 11:30 but it got done in time for Thanksgiving. The carpet was put in on Monday and then the finish work was finished the night before Thanksgiving. W e are glad that it is done. Now life can get back to normal.

Halloween

We went to the Trunk or Treat at the church and the kids just had tons of fun and got a lot of candy.

Trevor with his friend Andrew. They enjoyed the donuts and hot chocolate.
Maya, Trevor, and Alexa heading out to go trick or treating. They were gone for about two hours and came back with tons of candy. Yum Yum.

This picture was taken at their great grandmothers house for the yearly crazy dinner.

Every year the family gets together at grandmothers house for a crazy dinner. Every one has to eat out of weird dishes. As you can see from this picture I am eating out of a bundt cake pan with a weird type of spoon. As well as that there are bags on the seat with different things in it that you have to where while you eat.

Karate

Trevor wanted to take karate so we got him into some classes at the local USA Karate and he is absolutely loving it. He took his test for his Yellow belt but we have yet to find out if he got it.

Month in Reveiw

Instead of a Week in Review I will do a month in review because it has been so long. It has been so long because every night after dinner I go to the basement and work on it.
Kolby has been such a happy boy. He just eats, sleeps, and plays all the time. He is always smiling and seems that nothing makes him get angry. He is growing so fast and has started sitting up. We have tried him on rice cereal but he is not to happy to eat it.
Trevor lost the first of his two front teeth one Saturday while playing in the basement with on e of his friends. His friend hit him in the face with a pillow chair and the tooth came out. Then while up at my parents house for Conference weekend he was playing downstairs with his cousins and the other tooth came out. This makes a total of four teeth he has lost so far.
Sheet rocking has been my latest pastime. After dinner I would work on the basement getting sheet rock up for about three hours and then go to bed dead tired. This picture is me sheet rocking the girls closet. The whole basement was finished sheet rocking on the the last weekend in September and now the fun part of muding and taping has begun. The bathroom is finished and ready to start sanding.
I can not believe that Halloween is all ready here. This past week we went and got pumpkins and decorated the front steps. These spider webs were fun to put up but they have not lasted long. The wind has blown them and they are just blowing in the wind now. Each of us got two pumpkins, one large and one small. The kids had such fun picking pumpkins but had a hard time leaving the pumpkins on the porch but wanted to take them to bed with them.
The girls had outgrown all their church clothes. We had to go get them new dresses. This is the first time the girls have had clothes that do not match. We are just afraid that they are going to start fighting over who gets to wear which one. They were both so excited to wear these new dresses. Alexa was the first to chose and she first chose the black one and then changed her mind as soon as I had the dress on her so I had to switch them. They are so beautiful, don't you think.

Well that was the month in review in pictures and words. I will try to keep this blog more up to date but I am on a deadline to have the basement finished by Thanksgiving so there is no guarantee.

Meet me in the Stair well - Twin Towers

PLEASE READ TO THE VERY END. IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL'

You say you will never forget where you were
when you heard the news on September 11, 2001.
Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room
with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.'
I held his fingers steady as he dialed.
I gave him the peace to say,
'Honey, I am not going to make it,
but it is OK. I am ready to go.'

I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast
to their children. I held her up as she tried to
understand his words and as she realized
he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor
when a women cried out to Me for help.
'I have been knocking on the door
of your heart for 50 years!' I said.
'Of course I will show you the way home -
only believe in Me now.'

I was at the base of the building with the Priest
ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven.
He heard My Voice and answered.

I was on all four planes,
in every seat, with every prayer.
I was with the crew as they were overtaken.
I was in the very hearts of the believers there,
comforting and assuring them that their faith had saved them.

I was in Texas, Virginia, California, Michigan, Afghanistan.
I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face.
I knew every name - though not all knew Me.
Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought Me with their last breath.
Some could hear Me calling them
through the smoke and flames;
'Come to Me.. this way... take my hand.'
Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.

I did not place You in the Tower that day.
You may not know why, but I do.
However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time,
would you have reached for Me?

Sept.11, 2001 was not the end of the journey for you.
But someday your journey will end.
And I will be there for you as well.
Seek Me now while I may be found.
Then, at any moment, you may know you are
'ready to go.'

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

GOD.

During the next 60 seconds, stop what every you are doing,
and take this opportunity. ( Literally it is only 1 minute.)
All you have to do is the following:

Stop and think and appreciate God's power in your life,
for doing what you know is pleasing to Him.
If you are not ashamed to do this, follow the instructions.
Jesus said 'If you are ashamed of Me,
I will be ashamed of you before my Father.'

If you are not ashamed, send this message...
only if you believe 'Yes, I love you GOD.
He is the fountain of Life and My Savior.
He keeps me going day and night.
Without Him, I am no one.
But with Him, I can do everything.
CHRIST IS MY STRENGTH.'

THIS NEEDS TO GO AROUND THE USA MANY TIMES

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY AND TROOPS
SERVING TO PROTECT IT.