Family Christmas Picture...hopefully my mom got one better than the ones we did, lol. I think I was trying to get the kids to look at the camera with a "WOW!!! What was that over there?!?!?!" statement.
We didn't manage to get cards out this year, hopefully next...So, condsider this our Merry Christmas to all our loved ones! I'll try to write a nice New Year's letter in the next cople of days--if I can manage to organize all my thoughts.

Little cuties in their mommy-made foot jammies. Jason LOVES feet jammies, but zippers are a pain with kids who use the bathroom, so I made normal pj's with feet for them :)

Lorelai with her favorite Christmas gift. She goes CRAZY playing with this ball.

This is the first bath we've crammed all three together for--they had so much fun.

Among the many gifts from Jason's mom, was a bread machine. WOOOHOOOO!!! I've wanted one for years. It was a thrill to enjoy delcious Portuguese Sweet Bread last night--our very first bread machine loaf!

A Lady Bug's Demise

So, we are a no pet family. This easily works for us NOW, because the kids are not yet begging for a puppy to snuggle and play with. Jason talks about it every now and then, but I can easily distract his thoughts :) Well on Saturday a little lady bug decided to escape from the winter wonderland outside, by joining our family inside. Jason wanted to be a helper by putting him out, but I figured he may live longer in the warmth, than in the snow. So I said it could be a our pet, haha.

Things were going great--yes, WERE. A few times a day we would spot and hold our little pet. Then it would hide and we would go on with our lives knowing we would see him again soon. Last night Jason was holding him and "taking care" of him on the couch. Then once again, he disappeared to get some quiet time. Best pet ever!!!!

Well, little lady bug made his appearance once again this morning. Lorelai drank A LOT of water with dinner last night; so, around 6 this morning she was in desperate need of a change. I quickly did so, set the diaper near her crib, re-swaddled her, nursed her, and put her back to bed. When she woke this morning I went in to snuggle her. And grab her diaper to rinse out...

Yep, our little lady bug pet had been eaten by the youngest member of it's adoring family. Maybe I should have let Jason put it out to begin with. Death by cold or starvation probably would have been much more pleasant. Ha. I doubt this has happened to any other "pet" in all of history.

Well our beloved pet, R.I.P.

Lunchtime Conversation

Jason: I'm a T-Rex so I can eat sticks.

Addie: I wanna be a PINK T-Rex, so I can eat PINK sticks.

Feeding Frenzy

THey kept coming and coming. Crazy!

We were able to get a LITTLE family time in during the Thanksgiving weekend. The kids and I drove to my parents Wednesday morning, Jason met us up there THursday morning, then he headed home Friday around noon--have I mentioned we are all hating this semester? We were able to stick around until Sunday morning. We ate lots of yummy food. Played with fun toys. Went shopping. Played video games. And relaxed. It was nice to be able to have a vacation as a family, even if we were only together for a day.

Like the pic of the nativity at the bottom? Uncle J and Aunt T got this for our family this year. We opened it last night as part of our FHE. The kids are having lots of fun playig with it. I love that Mary is holding Baby Jesus in her lap--they know that that's where he belongs :)

Can you tell I havn't been in a blogging mood?

Well, here's a quick update :) We (the kids and I) have been heading on trips every other weekend to give Daddy some much needed peace for getting homework done to survive this hideous semester. I've been drowning/failing to keep the house in a pleasant state of order. I havn't been in a sewing/crafting mood for a while, though tons of fabric I ordered through co-ops has been arriving in a steady flow. Then, the creativity bug finally did bite--but I can't seem to work up the courage to conquer the messy state of my craft area...sigh.

We enjoyed a New Moon date night. The actual reality of the date was much better than the movie (books are always so much better than movies)--however, I have hopes it will grow on me with future viewings. We are all looking forward to some laid back family time for Thanksgiving, and perhaps getting a new DVD player on Black Friday to replace the one that quit a month or so ago.

Jason and Addie have been the best of friends the past couple of weeks. They went from countless fights a day, to just a couple--sometimes none. It is such a joy to see them playing together--imaginative play, working as a team on a craft project, Jason reading books to Addie. Finally I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm realizing that our good intention of spacing kids close together may become what I expected afterall. Siblings who are best buddies!

Lorelai is the cutest little doll. We ALL adore her. And she lights up whenever any member of her family walks in the room. She loves to talk to us, snuggle us, and play. She is hopping in her jumper and singing to me right now.

Weekend at Gammie and BaPa's

This past weekend we headed on a fun trip to visit our grandparents. We left Daddy behind so he could crank out some neglected homework--he got tons done :)

We watched TV while snuggling BaPa.

We went to the pumkin patch.

We went on individual dates with Mommy. Jason saw Toy Story 3-D and Addie went out to breakfast--if you consider donuts and juice/hot chocolate breakfast.

We all slept on the floor like we were camping. Lorelai has never slept so well--we've since tired this at home with her, but no luck.

We played outside, inside, upside down.

Diaper Stash

I made all these cute little boy fitted dipes, and inserts, for a friend of mine...so fun!

Yay for lots of snuggle during our cold and stormy LDS General Conference weekend!

Hmmmm....

I think I'm going to ask for one of these for my birthday...

http://www.kamsnaps.com/cart.php?m=popup&id=27

So I can make some of these:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15033154&ref=sr_gallery_7&&ga_search_query=aio+medium+cloth+diapers&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=4&order=date_desc&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

And, it doesn't get any cuter than this:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23680028&ref=sr_gallery_10&&ga_search_query=aio+medium+cloth+diapers&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=2&order=date_desc&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

17 No More

This morning we all woke up "dark" and early to head up to the Scera Pool for the Share a Smile Triathlon relay. You see, about 3 weeks ago Jason forwarded me an email begging for someone to participate with Aribex in the swimming portion of the relay. I volunteered. It didn't take long before I regretted it. LOL.

That day we headed to Big 5 to purchase some goggles and a swim cap. The next morning I headed to the city rec center to get back in the water for the first time in at least 9 years. My arms were beyond sore...the ache set in before I was even done swimming. Anyway, I trudged off to the pool a handful of times during these past weeks to "train."

I could bore you with tons of details and insights, but instead I'll just say...I'M SOOO NOT 17 ANYMORE! The picture below is of me post race, right before I "tossed my (pre-race banana and water) cookies" by a nearby tree.

Cute Bows: II

Addie woke from her nap and I couldn't wait to try something quick and easy :)

Cute Bows

So, I'm reading my cousin's blog and I happen to glance at the list of blogs in her side bar. A blog jumps out at me because the title of the most recent post is something along the lines of "Cute Bows."

I was intrigued...afterall I am now a momma of 2 cute girls who are blessed in the hair department. In fact, about a month after Lorelai was born I decided I better start learning how to do Addie's hair. You see, my mom always put my hair in cute/simple braids and ponytails--she even sponge rolled it or crimped it on special occasions. There were always matching ribbons to go with the homemade dresses I wore--crayons, bears, ballerina mice. Oh how I wish I had a scanner to show off some of my "adorable" school pictures, haha!

Anyway, cute girls with cute hair is fun, right? Well, I had no idea just how fun it could be...

(be sure to quickly, or not so quickly, scroll dwon on these blogs--the second one has these crazy heart creations)

Piggies and Ponies
She Does Hair
The Story of a Princess and Her Hair
Sherelle Christensen
Adopt a Do

Yellow Cuties

This yellow sleeper makes baby girls very adventurous!

Jason's Creations

Movie Theater

Family Portrait

String of Random Pictures

"Who's Bike is That?"

Happy Birthday Jason!!!!



Lorelai's "pitiful face" is the cutest expression ever! Next time I suppose we won't torture her with a party hat. There is one more picture of me consoling her--sometimes I hate Blogger, ughh.

I love it when he purses his lips like this!

"Who's bike is that?"

Jason: "Mom, mom, where are you?"

Me: "Out in the backyard moving the sprinklers."

Jason: "Oh. Mom, this was funny (hehehe). I was unwrapping Lorelai and she flipped out of her bed (swing). She's not hurt though."

Me: "Oh, NO." (as I kick off my shoes and run through the house to her room)

Sure enough, there's Addie snuggling up next to Lorelai on the floor...two feet away from the swing. And she was as happy as a clam!

4 Months

Lorelai is such a cutie! Her natural "fauxhawk" gets compliments everywhere we go. She loves her brother and sister. She constantly squeals in delight. Recently, she has mastered rolling from her back to her stomach, and even enjoys her self-inflicted tummy time. We all adore her sweet temperament.

4th of July

Balloon Festival

2009

This was our third annual trip to the balloon festival -- held by our city as a 4th of July festivity. We actually made it in time to see them blow up and take off this year--a first. And now we know that the filling and launching is, by far, the best part. Don't get me wrong, it's fun to watch all the balloons swoop here and there to throw bean bags and pop little helium balloons. But there was something magical in watching the enormous things fill with air and hearing the roar of the fire torches adding heat to them.

Addie was mesmerized by all the happenings. And for the first time, Jason was really into it too. We thought he would love it the first year, but I think he was too tired to appreciate it. And last year, he was overwhelmed with it all. Now, after seeing their reactions this year, I am so grateful that we have made it a 4th of July tradition.

The best part about our tradition is Gammie, BaPa, Uncle Jeff, and Aunt Tara come to stay with us. We have so much fun watching the balloons, eating yummy food throughout the day, going on girl only shopping adventures, and doing fireworks!

2007

2008

At the Beach

For Addie, life doesn't get any better than this!

SoCal Trip

Ahhh...our family has a love-hate relationship with our minivan.

San Diego Temple -- Brady and Justina's Wedding

San Diego Hotel -- Amazing View

The kids loved looking out the window at the trains on the tracks and boats on the bay.