Happy Birthday Madelyn!

Yesterday Madelyn turned 8 years old. I can't believe it! She got to have a friend birthday Hannah Montana party. Chad and I threw together a little stage downstairs so the girls could dance around and do some Hannah karaoke. We played a few games and I took their pictures in Hannah Montana dress up clothes. I think they had a fun time. Later we went to the Texas Roadhouse (we had a gift card and she didn't mind trying a new place on her b-day) They had her get on a saddle and everyone gave her a big Texas yee-haw! It was a little redneck but fun!

Info about Madelyn:

Favorite color: Pink
Favorite Movie: Flicka
Favorite TV Show: Hannah Montana
Favorite Song: Carrie Underwood's "American Girl"
Favorite Thing to Do: Play with friends
Favorite Subject at School: Art
Favorite Toy: Her new American Girl doll
Favorite Church Song: I Love to See the Temple
Latest memorable quote: Chad asked her yesterday if she feels older and she said, "yeah I feel like a 3rd grader" (she's in 2nd).
Activities she involved in right now: She dances two times a week, goes to tumbling once a week, and she's just old enough for Activity Days now.
Something exciting coming up: Her baptism is on Saturday!
Something she's really good at: She's a great reader and is doing well in school.
What she says about herself: I have a good life with good friends. I love my family especially Emma.

We love you my sassy, intelligent girl!

Rockin' Christmas *Updated with pictures

On Christmas Eve we had the annual family party with my dad's side of the family. This year we had the kids act out the nativity. There's something about seeing the kids dressed up in those costumes reading scripture and telling the story of the birth of Christ that really brings the true spirit of Christmas. Later that night the kids got to open thier Christmas jammies so they were all ready for Santa.


On Christmas morning the kids woke up around 7:30 (not too bad!) and my mom and dad came over to watch them open their gifts. Madelyn was so excited to get the American Girl doll that she wanted so badly. We got Guitar Hero and Ethan got a "rock star" drum set so we are ready for our family band including the Hannah Montana wig! Emma on the other hand didn't really care about any of it. She didn't even really want to play with the paper! She got a doll and a musical table that she really loves. Later on we spent time at Chad's mom and dad's and we went to mine as well. It was a good Christmas day!

Notice the mismatching clothes and the Hannah wig! Rock on Chad! Rock on!

Programs, Plays, and a Merry Christmas!

Ethan had his preschool Christmas program last week. He was so excited for it. They sang some songs and each had a little part of Twas the Night Before Christmas. They all did a great job.

Madelyn's class performed their teachers version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". They couldn't get the stage so they just performed it in their classroom. It was very cute and she was great. She was the narrator. She always wants to be the narrator. They had to try out for the parts they wanted and she got it.

Well tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I think I'm ready. I have a couple gifts to deliver and a few to wrap and I'm all done. Ready or not here it comes, right. The kids are so excited and can't wait for Christmas morning. I have to admit I'm a little excited too. :) I hope you all have a very MeRrY ChRiStMaS!

All Aboard!

Yesterday we went on the Polar Express in Heber City. We went with Chad's family and had a great time. The kids loved every minute of it. It was really cold waiting to board the train but wasn't too bad on the train. The snow everywhere added to the experience. Madelyn and Ethan wore their jammies and got to have hot chocolate and a cookie on the train. They met Mrs. Clause and there were elves on the train helping out. We sang songs, saw reindeer, and even Santa at the North Pole. Santa came onto the train and talked to every child and gave them a bell. They also read the story to the kids while they each got to hold one of their books so they could see the pictures. Afterwards Ethan said that it was "super fun". The ride home was also quite eventful but I'll spare you the details on that one! Little Emma stayed at my mom's since it was so cold.

She did it!!

Emma has been close to crawling for a few months now. I thought for sure she was going to crawl before the other two had but she started doing what we called the "seal crawl" and was content to get around like that. She'd been getting up on her knees for awhile now and had even crawled a few umm steps...(I don't know what you'd call that?!) but would always go back to her old ways. But this week she figured out that crawling on your hands and your knees is much faster. She loves crawling over to the gate at the top of the stairs and throwing her pacifier down the stairs. You know as a parent I want my little one to reach these great milestones and I urge them along....and then.... I find myself wondering "what was I thinking". Here's to busy hands and messes galore!

The real crawl

The "seal" crawl. Funny looking I know!

Family Pictures (This one's for you Crystal!)

So yesterday we thought we'd take advantage of the warmer weather here and go try to get some family pictures. Since I'm a wannabe photographer (previous post) I thought I would take my camera, tripod, remote control for my camera, and a helpful niece (thanks Katie). I thought I could set up the tripod for the pictures with me in it and Katie would help get Emma's attention or take the pictures and I could just take pictures of the kids. Well after breaking the tripod, much indecision, mild threats, a few bumps and scrapes, rosy cheeks and snotty noses, and around 200 pictures I think we got a few semi nice pictures where we may or may not all be looking at the camera or have our eyes open at the same time. I was exhausted afterwards! Ethan couldn't look at the camera without making a silly face or wiggling and Emma did not want to look at the camera at all. In most of the pictures Madelyn was her usual model self. She's quite the poser. But at least we have a few decent pictures with Emma in them! It will be a while before you can convince me to do that again! (Kind of like childbirth-time needs to fade the memories!) Here are a few of the pictures. I am trying to fix a few with photoshop but I don't really know how to use it. Also one more shout out to Katie. She was a huge help!!! The last picture captures the whole experience perfectly!

First Thanksgiving

It was Emma's first Thanksgiving! I can't believe she's getting so big. I forgot to take pictures during the dinner so I took some afterwards while we were relaxing and playing the Wii. She's been getting teeth lately so she's had the runny nose and some crankiness. Plus we've finally moved her into Madelyn's room and that has been a little hard on her (and our sleep). Overall though she is a pretty happy baby!

We had a small Thanksgiving, just my parents and Dustin my nephew came over to our house. It was nice and easygoing. After dinner we got my parents on the Wii for the first time and though I'm sure my dad won't admit it, I think he liked it! It was nice to have Dustin there. I don't get to see him real often since he's older and going to college. He sure has grown up to be a handsome, intelligent, responsible, and overall great nephew! I'm so proud of you and love you Dustin! After we played the Wii we played a board game with the kids and then we played Phase 10 for a little while. Chad, who complained about hating card games, won! Later we went to Chad's mom and dad's house for some pie. It was a pretty relaxing day!

Thanksgiving Program

Here is Ethan in his preschool Thanksgiving program from a week ago. They had the parents come for a Thanksgiving feast and the preschool kids preformed some songs for us. He did a great job and the food was great!

School Picture

Here's Madelyn's school picture. She looks so cute. Katie came over and did her hair for me since I was gone to St. George. She's growing so fast and I can't believe she's going to be baptized in January. She's our headstrong, intelligent, sassy, independent, spirited, and talented girl. Love you Maddie!

Funny Elf Dance! Make sure you mute or pause the music on my blog for this.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Treadmill

Treadmill
Originally uploaded by xeith

This is how I feel!

I HATE TO EXERCISE!

I really do. I'd almost rather stick needles in my eye than exercise for exercise sake. I wish so bad that I loved it.....but I don't, not even a little bit. I don't even get that exercise high that most people talk about. And yes I have done it for extended periods of time and I still don't get the exercise high. I just feel dead tired always! Sure I might feel a tiny bit good about my accomplishment but it is totally trumped by my hatred of exercising. I'm ranting about this because I just finished exercising. I'm trying to lose the last little bit of baby fat and so I've made a goal to get on the treadmill 3 times a week for only thirty minutes (nothing I know for all the diehards) and I have to drag myself onto the beast and mentally say to myself, "one more step, one more step". Did I mention how much I hate doing it??! Okay enough ranting. I know I am blessed to have a healthy body!

I'm a Wannabe....

Photographer!

Since I bought a digital SLR camera a few years ago, we've decided that I can take the kids pictures...no more expensive studios. Too bad I don't know what I'm doing! I love taking pictures and I've gotten a few good ones but I am such a beginner it's sad. I need to take a class, read a book, or something but I can never find the time.

Ethan is way overdue for his pictures so we went today but we probably waited a little too long. They say dawn and dusk are best but it got a little too dark. Here are a few but I think we'll try again tomorrow. At least it didn't cost anything but a little time.

Land of the Dinosaurs!

Ethan had a fieldtrip to the Dinosaur Park today. He was so excited he couldn't even slow down to really look at anything. My mom keeps Emma for me during the monthly fieldtrips which is really nice. I love having that alone time with Ethan. He's such a good little boy who always has time for hugs and an I love you! On the way home I told him thanks for letting me go with him on his fieldtrip. He responded with "...its cause I love you mom". Yeah I needed that.


Ethan riding a dinosaur

Ethan and his friends about to be eaten

These dinosaurs move a little and make sounds. The kids were a litte nervous at first!

Halloween Fun!

Chad's family all got together to have a Halloween/b-day party on the 30th. They started the night out with some pizza and family pictures. I had to teach my class so I was late. The kids all had a fun time and most of the adults also dressed up. Here's a picture of the family.