MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

As most of you know that look at our blog we got our Christmas cards through "Shutterfly" this year and unfortunately we didn't have quite as many as we wanted to send out so for those of you that didn't get one here it is and we hope you all know we love you. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!!

Love: The Sloans

Shutterfly Christmas card promo

I’m so excited about shutterflys promotion. Right now they are giving 50 free Christmas cards to bloggers. I been looking at their selection and they have some cute Christmas cards. I’m so excited to use them for my Christmas card. I found a few templates that I REALLY like I’m excited to pick one out and make my card. I know they are going to turn out great. Go here to look at their selection. I love shutterfly I have made a book for my husband that turned out really good and I made invitations for a birthday party through them the cards tuned out so cute. I have been REALLY happy with shutterfly and I will definitely use them again in the future. The website is easy to use all you have to do is upload pictures find the card that you want and drag your pictures in. They have other things on their site that are really fun too, like desk calendars and fun photo gifts. Don’t take my word for it. Go check them out.

Christmas cards

Desk calendars

Christmas gifts

Birth annoumcements

Birthday cards

If you want their promotion for 50 free Christmas cards you better hurry the registration ends tomorrow click here to register hurry and do it fast, even if you miss this promotion they are doing new promotions all of the time.

Family pictures

We took family pictures on Saturday, I think they turned out GREAT thanks Alyssa for taking these pictures, you are amazing!! We got so many good ones I don't know how I'm going to choose which ones to put up in my house.

Sleney Thanksgiving

Brandon had a whole week off of school for Thanksgiving so we decided to go see my sister in Houston TX, The 10 hour drive there was worth it. We had such a fun time together. Neither Gretchen or I had ever made a Thanksgiving dinner but I think we did a pretty good job, Our boys got a long so well, they both REALLY like Buzz and Woody so they would jump on the couch together saying "To infinity and beyond" all the time. They were really cute to Watch play together. When we left Krew really didn't want to leave and just the other day we got in the car and Krew said "YAY we're going to Carters house" it was so sad trying to explain to him that we weren't go to Carters house. He loves his cousin Carter. There was only one downfall to the whole trip my boys got sick so they were up a lot of the night, Brandon and I had to take turns on who got to sleep and who got the kids. So there were some days we would be up all day then up most the night I hate days like that but we made up for it by getting out of the house and doing some really fun activities. Here are some pictures of these fun activities.

Yes it was hot enough at the end of November that we could take the kids to the splash park, That is still so weird to me.

Grays first time on a swing and he LOVED it!

Sweet baby Wendy

The boys cruising on the bike!

We went to this really fun place "Pump it up" they had a bunch of bouncy house things the kids just loved if.......so did the men.

Gretchen and I with our babies

Thanks Cheneys for a fun Thanksgiving!!

4 Years!

Us then:

Us now:

Brandon and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary a few weeks ago. This year I decided that I wanted to plan everything because Brandon is always planning special occasions and this year he had to study for tests so I took it on. On our anniversary (the 10th) Brandon and I were able to go to the temple. Every year we have made it a point to go to the temple on our anniversary to do a sealing session it's been a really nice tradition. I love to hear the same words we heard when we were sealed. We thought we weren't going to be able to go this year but Brandon's classes were cancelled so his morning was free. We weren't able to do anything else until the weekend because Brandon had to study. Every anniversary we have gone to "Texas Roadhouse" for dinner but this year we were a little strapped for cash so instead of going to dinner I re-created the meal that we always get there. I made menus so we could "choose" (I only really put what we always get on there) what we wanted for dinner. Steak, baked potatoes, veggies, a house salad, and cheese fries. I also put peanuts on the table and crushed some on the floor and the table to make it feel like we were really there. It was really fun, I wish I would have gotten pictures of it though. I was little nervous about making everything so I kind of forgot. after dinner we put the kids to bed and watched "Mortal Kombat" (This is the movie that our whole marriage Brandon has asked me to watch with him but I always turned him down so this year I thought I should watch it for him). We also gave each other presents Brandon got me new Corelle plates I'm so excited because they aren't breakable and most of our plates were broken, and he got me "Beauty and the Beast" on blu-ray ( this is the movie that we were watching when Brandon first laid his succulent lips on me) I made him this can thing that says "dates CAN happen" and I put a whole bunch of cheap date ideas inside, and I made a little notebook that we can write each other little love notes and then hide it for the other person to find, and I got him tickets to see the entertainer of the year, the one and only, BRAD PAISLEY!!!!

We went to the concert on the 18th and it was AMAZING!!!! Justin Moore and Darius Rucker opened for him, I don't really know much about Justim Moore but he was pretty good, and I really like Darius Rucker so that was really cool to see him in concert. But when Brad Paisley came on stage I felt like a giddy teenager, I LOVE him, he is AWESOME!! We went with some really good friends of ours, Ashley and Josh Watt. Ashley and I were screaming like the WHOLE time. After the concert my voice was pretty much gone. We had such a blast!! Here are some pictures of us at the concert.

Brandon and I with Jack Daniel

Ashley and I

Brandon and I goofing around in between Justin Moore and Darius Rucker

Ashley and I freaking out right before Brad Paisley came on stage

And here he is Entertainer of the year BRAD PAISLEY!!

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After the concert we saw this trailer and took pictures!

Happy Anniversary Babe!! Thanks for all that you do, and for making these past 4 years the best 4 years of my life!! You are Amazing!! I LOVE YOU!!!

Hoyt Ardell Martin

Born:

May 2nd 1925

Passed away:

October 30 210

My Grandpa was an amazing man he was a very hard worker, He loved his family very much, especially his wife, family was the most important thing to him, and he also loved this country, he served in the Navy in World War II, he also loved to garden. The thing that I remember most about him is he was usually very quiet but when he would talk he always had something witty to say. He was always happy and you could always feel his love for you. He Passed away a few weeks ago and I went to Boise for the funeral. It was the most wonderful funeral, everything seemed to go so smoothly and perfect. It was nice to see most of my family we mostly sat around talking and reminiscing about Grandpa and mostly laughing and crying at the same time as we shared funny storied about him and would laugh and then cry because we miss him. The thing that was always a very special time at christmas was when my Grandpa would pull out his harmonica and play Silent night I found this video of him playing and thought I should share it.

Here are some pictures that I stole from my sisters blogs, I didn't have enough room in my bag for a camera so I just relied on my sisters for the pictures.

The theme for the funeral was red white and blue to represent grandpas love for this country. My sister Heidi is a Genius at floral arranging so us girls(my mom, my 2 sisters and I) banded together the night before the funeral and with Heidi leading us we made 60 boutonnieres/corsages for all of the family. and 2 bouquets.

Here is one of those bouquets to show how amazing Heidi is.

These next pictures are after the funeral we had a cousin dinner. We are missing some cousins that weren't able to come but this is most of us we are just missing one family and one of my brothers

This was the first time my sister had met Gray he was such a good baby the whole trip even with missing a few naps. The only time he really ever cried was when he was in his car seat. I think he was just so happy because there was always someone willing to hold him, he doesn't like being alone so if there is someone there with him he's as happy as a clam.

And here is my wonderful grandma, and my sisters and I with our babies

It was such a nice week I'm so glad I was able to go. We love you Grandpa!!