Christmas 2010

It's crazy to think back on this past year. I am thankful to know that my Heavenly Father loves me and my family. I'm thankful for a husband who loves me and honors his priesthood. I am thankful for each of my kids and the sweet spirit that they bring into our home. I am thankful for my many trials to make me the person I am. I am also thankful to live near my parents. I haven't been on the east coast long, but this is the place that I've always dreamed of.

My dreams begin

Although Grace is 7 months, I'm very excited to get her big girl toys. She didn't get any baby toys for Christmas. Nope! She got a play kitchen with food.

As a tradition, the kids get an ornament every Christmas. My mom also has a tradition of buying the girls & inlaw girls shoe ornaments. I started Grace off with pink ballet shoes. :)

The kids keeping growing on me!

Home... at last

We are finally a family (at last)!! We are in Virginia. It's beautiful here. The trees are bare and it's colder than cold. I'm beginning to believe that Virginia is God's country!! The drive went better than expected. My daddy drove most of the way. He was cute since he would get tired at 6:30 (which is 8:30pm his time). Since there was a storm hitting north Utah and Wyoming, we took the 70 to the 64 (rather than the 80 all the way). We drove over the Rockies with the van pulling a trailer (packed to it's limit), we got horrible mileage. There was a storm driving into Colorado & that wasn't even the worst part. There was ice on the roads. We would have died if I was driving. My dad had amazing control of the car. However, we were forced to buy chains for the front tires. We were going 10mph going up the mountains. It was nuts! We drove right by the St. Louis Arch. Again, my dad got tired and by the 3rd day driving, I was done. I took the driver's seat and let my dad sleep. We went through Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky... at 2am, my dad took over and I got some sleep. We drove all the way home that night. We finally made it home at 1:30pm. We surprised Nathaniel. I let him think we were still in Missouri. It is nice to be home all together. I'm thinking I never want to move. Isaac has a field trip on Friday to the Smithsonian Museum. We have to plan trips since there is much to see around here.We drove by one of the many battlefields that is marked. I feel blessed to be here and to allow my kids to learn more about history and how we became America.

My parents live in the basement. It's a full apartment with outside access. I love having them close. I don't get to spend a ton of time with them. They get home at 6pm every night. They have 2 dogs and you might wonder if my kids are more excited about having mema & papa closer or their dogs downstairs.

Needless to say, life couldn't be any better.

Grace's first girl's night

My neice, Makenna, had a girl's night at home. Grace had to get in on the fun too.

Her head is sprayed pink.

She had so much fun chewing on the Barbie clothes.

Trampoline

No, he's not skydiving. I'm lucky to have a camera that will take pictures fast.

Isaac doing his cool trick.

Leo reminds me of a mini Ethan. Leo loves to jump. It's actually quite cute to watch.

Halloween

Leo put the stickers on by himself.



Ethan in a gila suit (Reese made it), Isaac is an escaped prisoner, Leo the skeleton, Grace is a princess/ballerina (she couldn't decide)

Ethan carved his own pumpkin. Notice the way he is holding the knife? He's killing it!

She was done with pictures.

Isaac being goofy!

Look at the floor. The gila suits were shedding every where.

Moments

Sometimes I wish I could take sweet moments, wrap them up and put them in my pocket. (and with my luck, it would go through the washer, not work, need batteries and come to find out it has to be replaced).

I get choked up watching my little girl wide-eyed and smiling. Arms. Legs. Her entire body wiggling with so much joy. I try to hold on to that moment for as long as I can knowing that one day, she will grow up.

I have the worst memory. Simple moments like Grace so excited because I'm talking to her are amazing. In the morning I can hear her awake, fiddling in her crib. As I peak over, she notices me. Smiles this huge smile and then her entire body goes into excitement, waiting to be picked up.

Leo does this new thing that he rubs his cheek against mine. Kind of like someone would with a blanket. It's so cute. I love that little moment that he and I share.

I love that Ethan and Isaac still love me to do 'Snug as a bug' every night as I tuck them in. It's become our nightly ritual for the past 7 years. If my mom or Mary watches them, they still want that ritual. They still hug and kiss me good night. Even before they go off to school, I get a hug and kiss from both of them. Isaac does forget. But not Ethan! I always get a hug and kiss.

I absolutely love being a mother. A mother to my children. Even though they can be like normal children (bratty) I know without a doubt that they love me. They grow up all too fast. There have been nights that after I put them to bed that I go back into their rooms and just hold them. I tell them how much I love them and appreciate them.

I wish I could capture such amazing, indescribable moments with my children.

Grace laughing

Adam & Christine's Wedding

There are two videos because my camera could only hold so much time for one recording. I was so excited for Adam. Him being in Love with Christine. Her with how amazing she is with Adam. Not that Adam's a bad guy, but Heavenly Father truly made Christine special just for Adam. I love Adam to death. He's lived with us twice for about 2 years each time. I just love the crap out of him. He has a great personality & sense of humor. He loves my kids. He's good to them & cares for them. He would teach them life long lessons which include defense & how to have a sense of humor. Adam is my best girlfriend. I loved having him around. Watching our television shows and his comments would crack me up. Seriously, I also think Christine was blessed too! Oh, and I miss you coming up the stairs Adam. I miss you cooking. I miss you peeking over the half wall. I just miss Adam!

Treehouse Museum

We took the kids to the Treehouse Museum in Ogden. If you ever get the chance, it is SO worth the money & time (if I remember, it was $5 for kids 3-12 & $8 for adults). They have different areas throughout the museum with specific topics. The people that put the museum together did an amazing job. And the IMAGINATION these people have?! Amazing! There wasn't one thing the kids couldn't play with, look at, try on, color. That says alot about a place because as a parent, you are usually repeating yourself telling the kids to fold their arms or not to touch. My kids ran around, played, colored, dressed up... had an absolutely good time. I have many pictures of Leo because I had to follow him around. Ethan & Isaac had a blast with their cousins doing other things.

Ethan at the Oval Office.

Leo in the hospital section. Nursery.

Ethan is going to be a heart doctor.

Isaac playing.

The kids ready to sail.

I had to take a random picture of what the place looks like.

I don't have kids in this picture, but just look at the chess board & pieces!

Ethan in the Make Believe section. He & Caden put on a show.

Leo & Olivia playing.

Leo at the desk coloring.

Doesn't Leo make the cutest cowboy? They have costumes in about every section so that you could feel apart of it.

Olivia & Leo having a fire & picnic.

You could grab the utters, but Leo thought it was just crazy.

He loved climbing on this fire truck. He was a bad driver (since he can't see).

Grace in the playhouse.

Grace at her first Tea PEPSI Party.

She just found out her daddy wasn't going to buy her that pony she had been eyeing.

Looking in at the kitchen.

more pictures

Mary dressed up Grace. I'm telling you, Grace is growing up confused who her mommy is.

I had to fight Leo to cut his hair. Who knew 2 year olds were so opinionated? And he belongs to me on top of that. It's also a good thing Leo didn't see his hair. He doesn't like it in a mohawk. One day he saw it, freaked out and smashed it flat.

Being Creative

My bathroom has only a shower. Leo will take baths with Olivia upstairs in the bath tub. I decided to try something different. I used a tupperware bin and filled it up. Leo loved having his personal tub.

Since I had made my other kids a blanket, I had to make one for Grace. And it had to scream 'Spoiled Girl'!! The top 1/4 is black and the rest is pink with black polka dots. I tied it with ribbon. I made my own ruffles to go around the blanket.

I found this cute tulle with roses to divide the two materials.

Pretending to be a photographer

Adam (my brother-in-law) & his wife let me take their engagement and wedding pictures. I've never taken "pretend professional" pictures before. I had so much fun taking them & editing them. One day Mary (my sister) & I went on-line to find poses. Mary came with me to the wedding pictures. She had fun posing Adam & Christine. I am very attached to these pictures. The excitment I got.... was like they were my own! I had told Adam & Christine that I loved these pictures that I wanted to post them everywhere. Anyhow, I wanted to share with you some of my favorites. I'm crazy too, because I got emotional editing some of them. AND no! I'm not pregnant.

I originally had Christine laying on Adam, but then Adam said it was his turn. He was really cute with her. It was sweet watching him. He loves her!

I tried thinking of something original.

Adam was suppose to just look at Christine.
It turned out cuter that he was flirty with her.

Adam with Christine's son, Mason.
I just got lucky with this shot of the sunset behind her.

I loved this shot with Mason as the main focus.
I also loved that both Christine & Adam had a hold on him.

I just LOVED this one.

Dinosaur Park

The boys had a family school night at the Dinosaur Park in Ogden. It was a lot of fun although Mary and I had to remember to act like adults.

Leo slept for a good portion of the park.

Olivia & Leo

Leo was done with it all.

Isaac & Makenna
(Ethan isn't pictured because he was off with his friends)

Isaac lost his sandel in the dinosaur slide. There wasn't any way to get it back.

I sacrificed and let Isaac wear my sandels.
Gracie. Big-eyed. She was ready for the fun!!