She is here!

Our baby girl joined the family yesterday, February 15th.  She was 6 lbs 15oz and 19".  It was a wild ride getting her here--literally--she was born in the car.  While we catch our breath and kiss her chubby cheeks, enjoy some pictures.  

December 2013

Let's post Christmas and then we can move on with life!

As always, we love this month.  Everything is so magical and exciting waiting for Christmas.  I loved all of the many, many conversations Chad and I had about what we really wanted to get the boys for Christmas.  On the day I drove all the way to Salt Lake just to get the last “Star Wars Guess Who” game for Caden, I kept saying to Chad, “The things we do for our kids...”

On my birthday we went to the PIE pizza and temple square.  The day we went had snowed a ton, so temple square was relatively empty.  We haven’t been the last few years and I look forward to once again having it be a tradition.  

We took around neighbor gifts for the first time in our married life.  And by that, I mean Chad and I waited in the car while Caden (and sometimes Bryce) ran a jar of buttermilk syrup to each door.  If the family answered he’d cheerfully tell them, “MERRY CHRISTMAS, ho ho ho!” before running back to the car.

Caden had Polar Express day at school and loved wearing his pjs. (with his friend Canyon)

One morning, a real true Christmas miracle occurred.  As Caden tells it, he left his toy elf eraser on the floor and by the morning, it was picked up and set on the table.  The elf had magic!  Just like everyone else’s 30.00 Elf on the Shelf!  We finally had an elf on the shelf!

The elf continued being magical the last few days until Christmas, moving every night.  It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Caden that excited about something. (Here he found it above the window)

On Christmas Eve, Bryce wasn't feeling well so we stopped briefly by my family's party, staying just long enough to get plates full of homemade turkey dinner.  We spend the rest of the night at home playing games and reading our new Christmas books.

The boys on Christmas morning:

Christmas was so nice as we were in our very own house for the first time since Caden was a baby.  We finally made it to Christmas breakfast at my in-laws around 4:30 that afternoon after spending the day playing, lounging, napping and celebrating the birth of our Savior.

Home Depot

Does anyone else attend the Home Depot kid’s clinic?  We went a few times in California.  It was always held outside in the sun and the employees would go around taking pictures of the 10 kids who showed up to make the project.

Quite the difference than what you find in Utah County when a free kid’s activity is put on, come to find out. 

On Saturday we made a quick stop to Home Depot which turned into an hour stay (isn’t that how it always goes?!)  This time I could not blame it on Chad’s browsing, planning and calculating, though, the stop was longer because we stumbled onto the race car project.  When we walked in and saw a mom leaving with her boys each holding a wooden car, I asked her where the project was located.  “Just walk in the store and follow the sound of hammering,” was her suggestion.

Despite the 70+ other participants, we found a spot to sit together and make the cars.  I LOVE watching other parents at the clinic.  Some take time to meticulously read and follow the instructions...others don’t.  Some patiently explain each step to their child—holding the wood as the child swings the hammer in several directions, while others never let go of the hammer and keep repeating to the watching child, “Isn’t this fun?”

I always have more fun when Chad is able to come with us.  In fact, I learn a lot when he comes, like the proper way to hold a hammer or how to reinforce the bumper that kept coming off Bryce’s car.  It’s nice of him to teach all three of us how to properly glue corners together.

If you’re at Home Depot next clinic day, come find us.  I’ll bring extra ear plugs and Tylenol for you.

It was so, SO loud.  Bryce was cracking us up by covering his ears.