Our Christmas!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas. This year we stayed in Utah and had a nice relaxing Christmas at home. I have posted some pics of Christmas morning as well as a picture of our tree this year.

As always, Clint and his brothers head off the day after Thanksgiving in search for the perfect tree. In our nine years of marriage we have never had to pay for our tree and that is thanks to Grandpa Udy and his nice land in Idaho. :)

As in years past, the kids have always received new pj's on Christmas Eve, and of course we had to find the most princessy pajamas for Abby.

This year Pops went to China for business and while he was there he picked up some beautiful dresses for Macy and Abby, and for Blake he found a really cool Ferrari jacket. The kids opened them up on Christmas and I think Pops did a great job picking out some special Chinese clothing. They loved them!

2007 Christmas Letter and Photo

Merry Christmas!

2007 has been a wonderful year filled with many memories and some exciting news to share. Here is an update on what we have been up to this last year.

Macy (7) is in the first grade and loves every minute of it. She is in the school choir and dreams about taking her talent to the next level. Macy loves to make crafts and is quite the entrepreneur. On Saturday’s you can find Macy selling her crafts on the sidewalk to anyone who might walk or drive by. Surprisingly she always makes a profit. Macy had quite an eventful summer. She soon realized that being a monkey is not so easy when she fell out of a tree and broke her ankle. Then in August she discovered that indoor soccer was not the way to go, when she kicked a ball and hit a light fixture in the house. The fixture came crashing down upon her face. Luckily the glass missed her eyes and struck her right in the middle of her forehead; eight stitches were needed. We are hoping this next year she will be able to stay out of the emergency room.

Abby (5) is our little princess. She would have her name legally changed to Cinderella if we let her. Abby loves to spend time changing from one princess outfit to another, putting on princess jewelry, and staring into the mirror wishing for her prince charming to take her to the temple. She is in pre-school this year and loves making new friends and being a social butterfly. Abby enjoys coloring, taking trips to the library, and searching for sweets around the house. She loves chocolate.

Blake (3) is in pre-school and enjoys putting puzzles together. He loves to follow his sisters around, mimicking everything they do. One can find Abby dressing him up in many princess outfits; Blake definitely needs a brother. Blake enjoys playing football, playing with farm animals and trucks. He is such a sweet little boy and loves to give hugs and kisses.

Clint was transferred this year to the Taylorsville Seminary as the new Principal of the seminary. He enjoys teaching and his new responsibilities. After three years, Clint was released from the Bishopric and is now a member of the Stake High Counsel. It has been nice to have Clint home more since the change and the kids definitely enjoy having their daddy around. Clint continues running and finished three marathons this past year. His favorite pastimes are giving horsey rides, listening to Macy read stories, playing Barbie’s with Abby and playing catch with Blake.

Amy continues to keep busy with the kids, running them to their different schools and staying on top of their schoolwork. She feels like a soccer mom some days even though none of the kids play soccer! Amy also keeps busy as the Enrichment Night leader, planning and carrying out fun activities for the ladies in the ward. A new addition to the family will be here in March; Amy is pregnant with another little boy and we are so thrilled. Abby has voted to call him “Prince Charming” but we might have another name in mind!

Our hope is that we all can rejoice this Christmas season as we remember the birth of our Lord and Savior. May His spirit always be found with you in your hearts and homes.

Love,
The Udys
Clint, Amy, Macy, Abby, Blake, & little brother!

Macy's Sweet Heart

About 2 weeks ago Macy had decided she was going to give everyone in her class a gift for Christmas. This year she has really gotten into the "spirit of giving." So she has spent the past 2 weeks making crafts for her classmates and going through her toy box looking for toys that she could give away. She then wrapped 24 presents herself, complete with gift tags.

The day of the school Christmas party, Macy insisted on dressing up as Santa. She searched her dresser for a red shirt and some black pants, and even donned a Santa hat for the occasion. She was so excited to give her friends their gifts.

I took a picture of Macy the night before while she was stuffing a big stocking with the gifts, so unfortunately you will just have to imagine a little seven-year old dressed up as St. Nick.

She really does have a kind and giving heart!

Udy Christmas Party

This last weekend was our annual Udy Christmas Party, and unfortunately I have no pictures from the grand event. I guess we were either having too much fun or I was being lazy about the camera. Sorry.

We all met up Ogden Canyon and stayed in Clint's parents timeshares. The kids had so much fun running around with the cousins and I think the family staying below us was glad when we were leaving!

This year we took gifts to the St. Anne's Homeless Shelter and helped our five different families with Christmas gifts. It was really special for the kids to see those less fortunate than us and to be able to lend a hand where we could. We wrapped our gifts and delivered them to the shelter for the families. I think this will become a yearly tradition to help those in need. What a learning experience as well for the kids to have.

Santa came Saturday night (Uncle Mike) and was very loud and boisterous. I think some of the kids were scared to see and hear such a vocal Santa. Santa brought all the girls little puppies with dress-up clothes and the boy all got Nerf guns. I have never seen so many flying Nerf darts at once. You had to be careful or else you might get one planted right on your face! They loved it!

We all had a wonderful time and always enjoy spending time with the family. The girls always cry as we leave the cousins. Next year I will do better at taking pictures.

Baby Blanket

Seeing how we are having our fourth baby, I thought it was about time that I make a baby blanket. I have not sewed one for any of the other kids, and I just felt it was about time I try out my non-existent sewing skills!

Blake's room is decorated in a western, cowboy theme and this little boy will be sharing the room with him. So I found some really cute cowboy print fabric to make a blanket.

I am very happy with how it turned out, and love the print of the fabric. Just don't look too close to the stitching; remember it is my first blanket!

Abby's Birthday!

Abby had a special day on Thursday and said so long to 4 and hello to 5! We have been counting down to her birthday for almost a month and it was nice to be able to say to her that the day had finally come. We had a little family party Thursday night before we left for Macy's choir concert and she "loved" all of her gifts. Nana and Pops got her a Sleeping Beauty castle the folds up into a storybook as well as a M&M's lunch tote. Grandma and Grandpa Udy got her a trunk full of dress-up clothes and we got her a Sleeping Beauty Dress. Macy used her craft skills to make Abby a special necklace. You can see the necklace around Abby's neck in the photos.



Last night Abby got to invite one friend to eat at McDonalds to celebrate her birthday and she invited her best friend, Olivia. Olivia gave her a giant Barbie coloring book with crayons and paint. She was thrilled! Abby really had a special birthday and is excited to be five!

Craft Show

The craft show over the weekend went well, and I hit my goal mark of sales. There is still one more day left of the sale which will be next Saturday. Let's hope that I sell everything I have left. That would be great! But I am happy with the outcome so far, and I am already thinking of ideas for next year. Way to plan ahead, right?!

Doors From Heaven

In preparation for my upcoming craft boutique, I have been searching for some old doors to use for my display. I have not had much luck finding any and the ones that I have found have been too pricey.

So, last week I was driving down the road and to my amazement I saw a stack of about 20 doors on the side of the road with a sign that read, "FREE." I quickly pulled over and examined the
"free" doors. They were just what I was looking for except for the fact that each door had at least one ding or hole in it. I didn't care about the holes because I was going for the rustic look anyway.

I have to say that these doors were just waiting there for me and I am so thankful that I was there to retrieve them!








Doors after I distressed them

Halloween Fun!

Last night the kids had a wonderful time. We started the night with a pumpkin-shaped pizza from Papa Murphey's. Yummy.

We all went trick-or-treating around the neighborhood together for about 45 minutes, and then I went home to pass out our candy. When the kids finally arrived home, their sacks were bulging. I think this year is the most candy they have ever received. Let's hope it lasts until Easter!

I also posted a picture of the Spooky Halloween House the kids made. Thanks Grandma Nana!

We Are Having A...

Today was the ultrasound and the results are in. It's a... BOY! I was going to have the tech write down on a piece of paper what we are having and open it up with the kids, but I couldn't even be in suspense for an hour. So Clint and I found out there, and then I wrote on a piece of paper what we were having and Macy read the results to us all. The kids were thrilled! They were all hoping for a little brother.

I have posted some pics of the little guy, and the tech said that he is "definitely" a boy unless something falls off!

Now I need to think of a prize for those who guessed correctly.

Fun Weekend With Mom and Dad!

Mom and dad were in town the end of September for meetings with the CNP and we were lucky to have them here in Salt Lake with us. While they were here we went to a corn maze together and had a wonderful time. The kids were great at guiding us through the maze of corn. No one got lost!


Mom brought her supplies with her so she could make cookie bouquets with the kids. They loved decorating the cookies and eating the yummy frosting! After they finished their masterpiece, they "scattered sunshine" by sharing their treats with others.

We had a wonderful time with mom and dad while they were in town. Other things we did with them were making a fire in the backyard and creating smore's. One night we even cut down our cornstalks, cut our gourds, and our one pumpkin from the garden and decorated the front porch for fall. It looks great!

Mom and dad stayed at the Grand American Hotel for a couple of nights and one afternoon we met them at the hotel and took the Trax train to the Gateway. We had lunch at the food court and then made our way to the arcade next door. Blake immediately sat himself on the horse race game and raced his sisters. I tried the game, Dance, Dance, Revolution and put a show on for some weirdo watching from behind! It was my first time trying the game and I loved it. Butch, I hear you are really good at the game and I would like to have a dance-off with you sometime!

Introducing....

A special delivery during the month of March! That's right, baby number four is cooking right now, but the real fun is that Diana and I are due just two days apart. March 19th is the date and we are excited.

Tonight we told the kids the special news. I had made some chocolate pudding for dessert and stuck little plastic babies in the kids pudding. While they were eating they found the treasure, but couldn't figure out why anyone would put a plastic baby in someone else's food. It took some convincing, but they finally understood that was my way of saying, "Mommy is having a baby!"

$20.00 Richer

Macy has been collecting and saving aluminum cans for the last 2 1/2 months, and Saturday we took her stash to the recycling center to cash them in. She had 40 pounds of cans for which they paid her $20.00. She was so excited to have that much money that it was hard for her to quit smiling.

She has had several neighbors involved in helping collect the cans. One neighbor has even set up a box at his work for his co-workers to place their empty cans. We opened up a savings account for all 3 kids so they can start saving for college. Macy immediately knew where her money was going. She said, "This is going right to my savings!"

Deseret Village

Hello to all!

Yesterday I took the kids to the Deseret Village in Salt Lake City and we had a blast! Clint was in Idaho running another marathon so the kids and I spent the day traveling back in time and walking through all the old pioneer homes.

They had an original one room schoolhouse there where we were all given a lesson in the Deseret Alphabet. The teacher even explained to us how kids would have been disciplined back in the 1800's and had Macy, Abby, and Blake come up for a demonstration.

Macy, being the oldest, would have received the strictest punishment. She would have had to stand on a log and place her nose against the wall with her hands help up behind her back.

Abby would have had to sit on a chair and wear a dunce cap.

And Blake, being the youngest, would have had to touch his toes and receive a swat on the bottom.

We had so much fun there and Blake absolutely loved the chasing the goats around and giving them kisses.

Our Accident Prone Daughter

Poor Macy. She just can't seem to get a break. Well, actually I guess she can. (her ankle!) Yesterday she was playing in the house with a ball and kicking it around her bedroom. She kicked the ball high enough to hit the light fixture above her head which then broke the glass and came down on her head. A large piece of glass pierced her head and sliced her in between her eyes. Luckily it didn't hit her eye but just above her nose.

We quickly took her to Instacare and the slice on her head did not need stitches but above her nose she got 3 stiches. Hopefully it won't leave a bad scar.

I think I am going to have to keep Macy on a close leash!

Garage Sale

Clint and I had a yard sale today and the kids were great helpers. Everytime a car would pass by, Abby would raise her hand to the yard sale sign and pose. Just like a little model. It was too cute. We only made about $40, but that is better than nothing.

Surprisingly the big hit at the sale were my used, old, towels. I really almost didn't put those in to sale, but those are the things that went first. Go figure!

The Dentist!

Hello ya'll!

Last week I took Abby and Blake to the dentist for a check-up. What an experience! Abby did okay but had to have a lot of reassurance that things would be alright. In the end, she cooperated and did great.Blake on the other hand is another story.

Blake refused to do everything asked. He wouldn't open his mouth for x-rays or for the actual checkup. He clamped down on his mouth and wouldn't budge. The only time he opened his mouth was to scream bloody murder!

So needless to say, I am not looking forward to his next checkup in 6 months.

One neat thing the dentist offers is a reward for no cavities. If the patient had no cavities on their visit, they get to put their name in a drawing. At the end of the month they pull a name out and that child gets a gift card to Toys R Us. So Abby got to put her name in the jar and they said as far as they know, Blake didn't have any cavities either. So he got his name in the jar as well!

Bike Parade

Today the Primary had an activity for the upcoming Pioneer Day. The kids all met at the church with their bikes and decorated them for a parade around the neighborhood. The girls were so excited about being in the parade that they woke up very early at 6:00 a.m. They came into our room and asked if it was time for the parade. They continued coming back every 30 minutes with the same question!

Blake saw the girls having so much fun that when the parade passed him on the side of the road, he ran into the mix and joined the group. He loved it!

Gone Boating

Last Tuesday our neighbors invited us to go boating with them at Jordanelle near Heber City. We had a wonderful time and the kids LOVED being on the boat. They couldn't stop smiling. Clint got out and waterskiied and did very well, while I was more content just being an observer. I wasn't ready to make a fool of myself while attempting to ski!

Ever since we got back the kids have been asking when we can go again.

Princess Abby

Yesterday we went to Wal-Mart to get Abby a new backpack to use when she starts Pre-school in September. Of course she picked out the one with all the Disney Princesses on the front.

When we got home with the backpack, I asked Abby to point to each Princess and tell me her name. She began naming them one by one, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, and then she got to Cinderella. Instead of saying Cinderella, she said Me!

She truly thinks of herself as Cinderella. :)

Macy's Broken Ankle

A few weeks ago our little Tomboy, Macy, was climbing a tree and lost her footing. She fell about 8-9 feet from the tree and broke her ankle. Instead of a cast, they put a boot on her which gives her more flexibility with taking baths and stuff. (Although the boot can come off for bathing, I can't seem to get that awful stink out of her foot!)

Macy can't be as active as she normally is and she even made the comment the other day, "This just isn't me." She is ready to be back to normal and running and playing everywhere. The plan is to have her boot off permanently next Wednesday. We all can't wait!

Ocean's Thirteen

Last night Clint and I had free babysitting from the Bishop and his wife, so we took the opportunity to see Ocean's Thirteen. We both really liked the movie and I thought it was funnier than the previous two had been. Since we had just visited Las Vegas, it made watching the movie even more enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone and would actually like to see it again!

The Great Outdoors!

These last 2 days I have been taking a Google Tools class and have really enjoyed all that I have been learning. Clint was kind enough to take off the last 2 days to stay home and watch the kids. They have been having so much fun with dad!

Last night Clint set up our tent, canopy, and firepit in the backyard and we all roasted hot dogs and made smores. The kids and daddy then slept outside in the tent while I stayed inside so I could get up early and get to my class this morning.

My Family Blog!

Since the Istook Family Blog has been so much fun, I thought I would start a blog for my own family. That way I can share more in detail with you all about our comings and goings. I hope you enjoy the site and feel free to post comments, etc.