The day after Christmas

We had a great Christmas and even more fun the day after playing with all the toys

Bonus for Ethan he not only got his toys but Caleb's too.

Caleb loved his walker/car that uncle Nate got for him.

Ethan was a bit overwhelmed



Santa brought this toy for Ethan but daddy seemed to have more fun with it.

A Family Tradition

Every year we got to Santa's village to see Santa and his reindeer. This year Nanny and the Merrow's came with us. We usually go at night and we are freezing and the kids are sliding down the hill on the snow and we are taking turns running up to get hot cocoa to help warm up! Not this year we were a bit chilly but no snow.

Caleb was nice and toasty
Ethan was so excited!

Ethan was so excited that he forgot to ask Santa for a Buzz Lightyear night light so we sent him a letter just to be on the safe side.

Caleb didn't like seeing Santa

Fun with Food

Ethan's school invited the dad's to come and have fun with food. They built gingerbread houses out of grahm crackers, frosting and candy. They both had a great time building the house and eating the left over candy.

New Do's

Eric took Alex and Ethan down town to Tony's barber shop to get thier hair cut.
Alex never had a buzz cut before. I think he looks great.

Oh Christmas Tree

We bought this tree last year and never opened the box so we were so excited to see how pretty it was.

Happy 4th Birthday Ethan

Four years ago yesterday at 7:00am we went to the hospital so that I could be induced. I wanted to deliver the baby drug free, after about 12 hours of hard labor the midwife talked me into stadol (sp?) and eventually an epidural. After the epidural my blood pressure dropped which is normal but they had a hard time bringing it back up Eric quickly called his dad and after a blessing all was well with my blood pressure. After 2 hours of pushing (during which my epidural wears off) they decide to send me for a c-section, at 4:51am the doctor held Ethan up and said "it's a boy and a big one" as they sewed me up they were trying to guess just how much the baby weighed, I guessed 9 lbs because I thought that was a big baby but every one laughed when a nurse came back and annouced that he weighed 10lbs 15.9 ozs.

I am so grateful for the blessing of our baby bird he is so kind and loving he truly is an answer to our prayers.

Box houses are the best

All the boys love the box house we made yesterday

especially Caleb!

Do I have a baby Orangatang?

I watched a show about baby orangatangs and thaught wow thats exactly how I feel!

Caleb is always hanging off of me it doesn't really matter what I'm doing or trying to do. A lot of meals in my house are prepared with Caleb hanging onto the back of my legs as I shuffle around the kitchen so that he can keep up.

I love him so much but do I have a baby orangatang?

Ethan Came up to me this morning with the trumpets from his little people castle to his ears and said "look mom I'm Larryboy or Shrek."

I couldn't help but laugh.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I have not slept through the night in over a year, as most moms know the last few months of pregnancy are filled with bathroom runs and tossing and turning just trying to get comfortable and just when you start to doze off your up for the bathroom again. And then the blessed day comes and your beautiful baby needs to eat every two hours so you are still up all night. Caleb has been up at least two times during the night for the last nine and a half months. Sunday I decided I've had enough, I'm tired of being tired and crabby so Sunday night I let him cry it out, as hard as it was I felt a little better with a little rest. Last night Caleb slept through the night for the first time. I am so happy that I was able to pray and read my scriptures first thing in the morning.

Caleb has no idea how happy he has made his mom.

A conversation about Jesus

On our way home from church Ethan asked "why doesn't Jesus live in the earth with us?" I explained that he did live on earth but he died and now he lives in heaven with Heavenly Father then he says "Jesus is God right?" I explained that when we talk about God we are talking about Heavenly Father. He then says "heaven is called heaven because that's where Heavenly Father lives and Jesus is the son of God right?" beaming with joy I answered "that's right."

Thanksgiving

Today we cooked a 27lb turkey and all the sides.

We had a nice surprise after much back and forth Sarah decided to come home from college to spend Thanksgiving with us

thanks Sarah it was great to see you even though you never did do the dishes! After all the clean up I was able to play games with my family and enjoy the time we all had to spend together.

I just want to list a few things I am greatful for:

• My husband who really does listen to me.
• Waking up to the sound of Ethan singing.
• The smile Caleb gives me every time he sees me.
• My siblings and the way we laugh when we are together.
• Memories of past Thanksgivings at Uncle Al's and Auntie Sharon's house (oh how I miss uncle Al's turnips yummmmmmmm)
• Good friends.
• My big kitchen that can hold 13 adults and 5 children.
• My dishwasher that I ran 3 times.
• My parents and the love that I always feel from them.
• Mosiah 4:27 http://scriptures.lds.org/en/mosiah/4 and Matthew 6:28-34 http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/6 that help keep things in perspective.
• The gospel in my life.
• My savior Jesus Christ.
• The temple and the covenants I have made.
• My loving Heavenly Father who has given me all of these things.

Thankful Program

Ethan had his Thankful Program at preschool

he was an indian.

They sang a few songs then he took us to his classroom to do an activity

and show us the wigwam his class made!

Everyone had a good time even Karl and Caleb

danger boy

the rocker is going into storage for awhile

The Beast

We have fired up the beast!

Now all the wood gathered this summer(thank you termite) has to be moved, luckily Eric has some helpers (and Adam helped too)

It seems as though everywhere I look there is wood,

wood

and more wood!

It's nice to know we'll be nice and warm this winter.

Walker?

Eric bought Caleb one of those walker toys that Ethan and the other boys play with more than Caleb, true to form Caleb pushes everything but the walker around the house

• the step ladder
• the little rocking chair
• his old walker
• laundry baskets
• Ethan's football guy case
• Eric's cooler

just to name a few.

Recycling

This was Ethan's old toy that he was never interested in and quickly forgot about......until Caleb started to try to crawl through everything so I dug through a closet and under Ethan's bed, found all the parts assembled it the whole time thinking that it would turn out to be a total waste of time since Caleb hardly ever plays with toys. But........

HE LOVES IT!

BOYS

My house has gotten even busier now we have Karl coming to play during the week. Thats four boys. I don't know how you moms of four do it, I get to send two home at the end of the day and as much as I love my nephews I'm not sure who's happier to see thier parents me or them. How do you get anything done?

Halloween

We went trick or treating with friends and had a great time!

Halloween Fun

Last night we carved a pumpkin!

After a little coaxing from Eric Ethan got up enough courage to put his hand inside the pumpkin but had to run and wash his hand immediately.

He was happy with the finished product and sat in the kitchen with the lights off looking at it singing halloween songs he learned at school.