8th Day of Christmas

 On the 8th day of Christmas we went to the Rudolf Party that Gram had for the grand kids! It was so fun and full of treats! The kids each got their own Christmas apron and reindeer antlers to wear, they decorated gingerbread houses, cupcakes, got to watch the Rudolf Movie, play musical chairs, Make Rudolf ornaments, have Hot Cocoa, eat a yummy hot dog dinner, and even Santa stopped by for a visit! The kids had so much fun doing all the fun things but even more fun just being together and playing as cousins!

7th day of Christmas

For the 7th day of Christmas the kids got to go on dates. Cecily got to go on a Date with Gram, Sarah, and Reagan to the nutcracker ballet in Ogden at the Egyptian Theater. She had so much fun and loved the dancers and pretty costumes. She and Reagan loved dancing in the aisles during intermission!

Oliver got to go on a date with Mom and Dad to Chuck E Cheese! He loved the Pizza and root beer and all the sweet games! Especially the air hockey with Dad and driving the big Truck! He won lots of tickets and got a Nerf rocket ship, which was ruined by the end of the night.

3rd, 4th,5th, and 6th days of Christmas

On the 3rd day of Christmas we went Shopping for families in our ward that are in need. Our ward gives the families gift cards so that the parents still have the satisfaction of going out and shopping for their families, which I think is great for them but a little less fun for us. But my kids ironically are obsessed with the gift cards near the checkout at Walmart and Target and are always asking me to "buy them those cute credit cards" so they were as happy as can be to go and pick out the best looking Christmas gift cards to give to the kids that can't afford Christmas. Oli picked a card shaped like a snow man and CC picked a card shaped like a Christmas Tree. We had a little lesson/ Chat before hand about the spirit of giving and thinking of others and taking care of those around us that need our help. along these same lines CC impressed me earlier this week at the store, she had some change in her pocket and when she saw the man outside the store with the bell and the bucket she was so excited to put all her money in the bucket. She said it made her happy to give her money to someone who needed it. Melted my Heart!

 On the 4th Day of Christmas we went downtown to Temple Square and City Creek to look at the lights and the Candy windows. It was the perfect night, warm enough not to freeze and not many people were there so Oliver could enjoy his time out of the stroller running like a free bird! He tends to take off so we usually have to keep him strapped in the stroller when we go to busy places. He LOVED all the blue lights and kept saying "look Mom its my favorite color!" It was fun reminiscing about going to see the lights all growing up. I hadn't been in over 10 years, I loved sharing this tradition with my own family!

 

On the 5Th day of Christmas we Read a Christmas book. Since I have no pictures of that we will take a look back at last weekend when we went to the festival of trees with Mark and Mallory! Another fun thing I hadn't done since I was a kid! It was fun seeing all the neat trees and the kids loved playing games with the tickets Dad and Uncle Mark bought them! Uncle Mark spoiled them and bought them more tickets after their parents were to cheap.He always wins the Fun Uncle Award!

 CC in front of the Pinkalicious tree

 CC and Mal in front of the cute ice cream tree!

 Oli chose the get a prize from the Christmas Tree game

 Oli was a little disappointing that his prize wasn't a treat. He got over it after he wont a sucker from the fishing game and then found another sucker on the floor. This boy lives for food and treats!

CC and Mark waiting in line for the giant bubble. I didn't get any pictures of her in the bubble but I got a video.

 On the 6th Day of Christmas we did a Christmas Art project. For young women that night we had a family of eight kids come to the church so the YW could play with them (their mom just had her 9th child under the age of 11) since it was an activity based around kids and most of the YW leaders myself included have to bring our kids because of our husbands callings or jobs it worked out great to just have a kid party. The kids had a blast playing Twister, reading Christmas stories, painting nails, doing a craft (making Christmas Cards) and having a treat. It worked out perfectly for our advent since making a craft was our activity, I didn't have to do any of the prep work or clean up!

2nd Day of Christmas

Tonight we focused our attention on the True meaning of Christmas. We discussed ways we could do as Jesus would by serving others. We also watched the Christmas Devotional on LDS.org. I love hearing the kids' ideas on ways to serve and be uplifting to others.

Cecily's ideas were: Buying gifts for those who cannot afford it, making treats to take to people, smiling at strangers, and always being willing and aware to help others like opening the door if someone has full hands or getting things they need like refilling the pencil cups at school for the kids.

Oliver's ideas were: Make good choices and be a good listener, and give someone a toy car.

I am always so amazed at how much little kids know. I think being Christlike comes naturally to them, they just need opportunities to act on it.
 Here are some pictures from earlier in the day when we had a face painting party in CC's room. CC painted Oli and Kreg's face and she wanted me to do hers.

First day of Christmas

Our first activity on our Advent Garland we made was to make Santa Clause Beards in a bubble bath. It was a perfect end to a perfect Saturday full of a birthday party, lots of art projects, playing golf in the yard with Dad and a yummy night out for Ice Cream cones! The kids killed two birds with one stone with this activity, warmed up after said Ice Cream and got clean for Church in the morning.

More of November

 My kids are so silly! I love that they are such great friends and really love to play together all the time! Oliver is obsessed with his CC and loves to copy everything she does.

 I always wonder how this little man can eat so much all the time and then I remember that he doesn't stop moving. He will get running full speed through the house just laughing. Its so funny until he doesn't look where he is going and runs into a wall!

We had a huge snow storm a few weeks ago, we got about 2 and 1/2 feet up where we live. Lots of tree branches fell and there was plenty of snow to make a sweet snow forts. CC and Kreg had hours of fun working on their fort. Oliver lasted about as long as it took me to get him dressed in his snow clothes. The snow is gone now and it is back up in the high 50s. Its fun that the snow comes and goes here in UT instead of sticking from the first snow clear till may like MN!

Thanksgiving

  For thanksgiving weekend we headed up to Ogden. The kids and I went up wed and slept at my parents. That day we went over to the Treehouse museum with the Jackmans, the kids had so much fun crafting and participating in a little musical. As you can see Reagan was a Pig, Ashton the Grandpa and CC the Bear. Oli and Colten were in the audience and did their part as the choir. Colten was happy as a clam to not be up on stage. Oli was a little sad to be left out of the action. Its funny to see their different personalities. for the most part there is a lot of competing for attention and to be the start of the show!

 Oli was bummed to not be part of the show so he decided rather than sit by me he would go back a row and hang dog about it ha ha. He really did love watching though.

 Thanksgiving day was nice and low key. Kreg came up to Ogden around noon after he played in the turkey bowl in our ward. We spent the morning cooking and baking and doing little crafts with the kids.  After we ate the delicious dinner the Jackmans came over for pie. the kids played games and sports in the hall and then to have some quieter time we out on toy story and they all laid in Gram's big bed. we love living so close to family and miss the ones we arent as close to everyday! We are hoping to head to CA after Christmas (if I am feeling up to the trip and the DR oks it). It will be so fun to get together with the Wagners and finally meet baby Owen!

At the end of the night Papa and Kreg went to a movie and the kids, gram and I were tuckered out so the kids made a bed on the coffee table and watched a movie!

We love Crafting

Pregnancy update

Sadly there are no pictures to this post because blogger is pulling some scheme and telling everyone they have run out of space so they can charge them. LAME.

Anyway I felt like I should update on the pregnancy so far (29 weeks) even though not a whole lot has changed other than my getting bigger and bigger! I feel like I am bigger with this pregnancy than any other. We all know how depressing that is so I won't go into details about how I feel about getting so large. Over all this pregnancy has just been HARD. I really hate to complain when I am doing something that can be so selfless, you know loaning my body out for another human being and spirit of our Heavenly Fathers but even if it is miraculous work it can be no fun! I have felt really unhealthy this pregnancy, in the sense that I have been sick for pretty much all of it. first it was the morning sickness that lasted 25 weeks, then the nasty cough and cold I have had for the last 3 months. The cough just wont go away and I know its because of the extra congestion due to pregnancy but still so annoying. In the mean time I keep getting flu bugs here and there. I think my immunity is just down and doesnt have a chance to catch back up. I am already so uncomfortable. This little girl is a mover, I never had problems sleeping with the others like I am with her, It takes me forever to get comfy enough to fall asleep and then when I do I get woken up by little hands and feet. I never got woken up from baby movement with the others. She really moves all day long. But she can enjoy it now because in the next 2 months she is going to run out of room and be stuck.

 Don't get me wrong I love the idea of what I am doing for this baby and I love her so much already, I am just more anxious to love her from outside of my body than I ever have before. I am worried that my pregnancies will just be harder with each one since that seems to be the way its going so we may only end up with 4 kids, if I can be convinced to try this one more time ;)

We haven't figured out her name yet which is so hard for me but I have just decided we better just wait till we see her and then feel what is right. 

Oli is 2 and 1/2

This little man never ceases to melt my heart! He is so cute and funny and the best cuddle buddy!
Things he is LOVING:
~Cars and play doh. He will play for hours with both of these things. He also really loves his trains when they are set up.
~He loves to lay in bed with me in the afternoons and read, read, read
~He is learning his letters and numbers by osmosis through CC. Since she is always practicing her reading and math he is picking up on things all the time. He counted to 26 the other day in the car, just when he was chatting with himself.
~Singing, just like his sister he knows most of the songs on the radio and lots of Primary songs.
~Dancing, running, and just being active. He's a boy so that explains that! He is super coordinated and loves sports just like his Dad. He usually always has a ball with him
~ He likes to help with chores around the house but his attention span for it is only a few min.
~ He is a social little guy, he is always talking to people in the store, yelling hi to anyone he sees in our neighborhood, and begs to go to friends houses all the time! He is not shy!
~EAT, this tiny boy can eat! He will chose eating or food over most any activity. at parties he is always the last child down from the table because he has to finish his food and everyone Else's!
~Still is a water baby, loves his baths and swimming.
~Doing everything himself. and if you don't let him do it he will cry about it for a good 10-15 min. Even if you take him out of the situation he will be upset about not getting to...climb out of the car himself, put his clothes on himself, close the dishwasher himself etc. Its never the same thing its just whatever he does or doesn't want to do at the moment. 
~His best friend Cecily! These two still get along so well, they fight once in a blue moon but for the most part they are so loving and sweet to each other!
Dislikes:
~Holding still for any amount of time. Yes sacrament meeting is a blast.
I can't think of anything else. he has always been such a happy, easygoing child. There isn't a whole lot that makes him upset. 


He is so sweet about the baby in my belly. He always talks to her and kisses my belly. I am so excited to see how he interacts with her!

Pumpkin Carving

We kept forgetting to carve our pumpkins before Halloween, so it happened a few days after. We were all sick and at home, the weather was great and the neighbors were blasting some Reggae music so we decided what better time to go out and pretend we were basking in the sun in Jamaica and carve our pumpkins. I didn't get pictures of the finished products. I forgot to take pics of that but I did get pics of our cute kids loving their pumpkin life! CC's pumpkin was the Barbie profile like this

So cute and so CC! Oli did his a simple face and then "OLI" carved on the other side. They both worked on theirs be themselves.