NeW yEaR's EvE FeStiViTiEs

The day before new years eve Amanda had a rockin' bday party and it was the best way to start off the new year's parties!
We arrived in style in a stretched Excursion limo to Buca di Bepo for dinner, and then went to Keys on Main for some piano & singing. By the end of the night my voice was raspy...but it was so fun! Thanks Amanda! And Happy Birthday!

And then for New Year's Eve, to start, Josh and I went to breakfast with Tanner (josh's brother).
Poor Emily was sick...(get better Em!) Later, we went to Chelsey & Dave's house (josh's sister) and had yummy food. Chelsey and Charissa (both josh's sisters) are the most amazing cooks. I love that we get to benefit from it!

Then, we raced home to get the kids in bed, and dressed for our Murder Mystery party. This was super fun and I laughed so hard at the costumes and acting. We have some funny friends!
does she look like a killer to you?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

cHrIStMaS DaY

Waiting to open presents...
Santa was good to us...maybe because the kids fuiiled the manger with strips of cloth for each kind deed they did. And the kids just loved tearing open gifts- Aaron would just throw the paper up in the air with each tear (just like what you'd imagine on a movie). He especially loved the helicopter, baseball batting machine, basketball shot, bakagon, and transformers he got.
and Annelise was so gracious with every present (saying how much she loved Santa or us). She got legos, a special necklace in a star box, a robe, track suit, many mermaids, and some crafting sets. Believe it or not but she actually took a nap from all the excitement and we have the picture to prove it!


Cole just was in awe of what was going on...
and Josh, I think he is relieved that Christmas is over- and I am of course sad. I just love Christmas and all the fun, madness and magic of it all. Until another year...
I did get the camera I have been wanting..and here are my first few pictures...




ps...thanks to our wonderful friends the Menloves for our yummy brunch!

ChRiStMaS eVe

Our Christmas Eve started with dinner at the Yeates' home and then the nativity, a visit from Santa, and then PRESENTS! The kids were so excited to give their gifts to their cousins and to see what they got from grandma and grandpa. It was so fun. We then did the tradition of giving new Christmas jammies and setting out cookies for Santa. Annelise & Aaron got to call Santa's sleigh phone 3 times during the day to hear his updates and were so into hearing from him. It was a perfect day.


Seeing Santa one last time for those last minutes wishes...

and another failed attempt to get Cole to warm up to "the big guy"

Children's Nativity...Aaron was a wiseman...that apparently is still seeking the group (since he wouldn't stand for the picture) Annelise was an angel and Cole was a shepherd that was still gathering his sheep (insisting on staying in my lap)
COOKIES FOR SANTA

PaRtY aNiMaLs We ArE...

Here's some pictures from a few of the many parites we went to this December...


And some pictures of the crafts Annelise and her cute friend Payton made...
And our fun excursion to the Ogden lights this year...(it was FREEZING!!!)

Oh ChRiStMaS tReE...

we love you...and were sad to take you down today...

We ventured to the mall today...and let me tell you it was nuts! We had VERY little shopping left to do- we mainly went so the kids could see Santa. I thought Cole would do better- he was really tired! But the other two kids love Santa! The whole ploy to say "santa is watching"...to get the kids to behave isn't working anymore. I wish I could say it was! Especially since we are off from school for the next two weeks! I hope we make it to Christmas without too much stress!

MeRrY ChRiStMaS

DeAr SaNtA

Since I keep the postings I post in a book- I just had to include the cute letters to Santa my kids did this year.


I also have to talk about the cute tradition we are doing this year...we have a life size manger by our tree. And if the kids do something nice for someone else, they get to put a strip of cloth in the manger. The goal is to make it soft for the baby Jesus before his arrival on Christmas. (There is a catch...if the manger isn't soft for Jesus, than we don't deserve for Santa to visit our house.)

The kids have been really into it so far! Even Aaron! He will go get a blanket and put it on me or Cole, or he tries to feed Cole, or will do something nice for Annelise (sharing or getting her a toy) Annelise is really capable of doing great things since she is older, and some days she amazes me with her kindness. I am glad they are learning about the true meaning of Christmas. It can get lost in the business and the excitement for gifts. It is a truly magical time of year though. I love it and am sad each day when it ends- meaning that we are a little closer to it being over.

jen whiting...you rock! What else can I say?

AnNeLiSe'S 6tH bIrThDaY

Annelise turned 6 yrs. old on the fifth. We celebrated all week because she was the super star student in school. She had to make a ME poster (we did thumbnail pics of her to fill in the letters M & E...and then she had to make a kid poster. She also got interviewed at school, had a show and tell, and on Friday had to show the class how to do something. So we had her show the class how to make a snowman with marshmallows and fixings. She was such a sweet super star all week.



Then on Saturday, (her actual bday) she had her breakfast of choice (donuts) on a red plate while she got some phone calls from her friends and from her uncles & aunts (corbin, amy, brandon, & mayra) to wish her happy bday. It made her feel so special to hear from them. And then she had her party in the afternoon. Being that it is an "even" year (she turned 6) meant she got to have a party. She chose a glamour girl party complete with getting their hair done, nails painted, makeup, jewelry making, and a red carpet walk! She loved it all! She was on cloud nine. But, just like any bday kid, she did have her moments of "it's my party and I will pout if I want to!" We did make it through the cake, presents and a game of pass the purse (much like hot potato). I can tell that the guest had so much fun and so did Annelise. And I did too! It wasn't too crazy. I did have some good help from family and two great neighbors (thanks Ash and Michelle)! It turned out great. The only anxiety we had was that we HAD to limit how many guest we could invite! Annelise was so sad to not be able to invite a bunch of her friends (the boys & others). I wish there was some way to invite everyone.
I am so thankful for my sweet little glamour girl, Annelise. She is such a sweet heart and I do love her. I am not sad to see her get older, but excited. Because it is so neat to see how she matures and learns. Happy birthday Annelise! love you

CoLeRs...

I just love gibing my kids nicknames. Cole's nicknames are: bowlers, colers, cole-ster, and calling by his full name (cole yeates). He really is such a sweet heart. I love him. And, since I posted about his therapy I thought I better keep it updated. So, here is the update, 4 weeks of therapy and now he is crawling. No walking yet, but at least he is in the normal category now. I am told many many kids cannot walk yet by 14 months- but I don't know of any so it makes it hard not to compare! He'll get there. He still is ridiculously underweight, so they are monitoring that every month as well. He eats like a mad man though! AND loves loves loves balloons! (come to find out!) He would not eat without holding both at the same time!

dAyLiGhT SaViNgS...

I wish that daylight savings was everyday. Meaning, that I gained an hour of time everyday! I could get so much more done! I must say that the monotony of life has gotten to me lately. The house just never can stay clean, work always needs to be done, not having enough time in the day to get all of it done, and there is always someone in need I must attend to! I am so busy...but it feels monotonous! What is wrong with me? So for this Thanksgiving, I am going to try super hard to be thankful for the monotony of life. I know we are so blessed- and it takes so little effort to really think about it and be thankful. I need to remind myself more to do it though.

I will say that I am so thankful for my cute family and all the fun things we get to do- and I only get to highlight a few things (whatever I snap pictures of). So here are some pictures and "highlights" of last weekend.




We all went fishing up along the Weber river. Josh has gotten into fly fishing and now I would classify him as addicted. He dreams in fish now...I can see how fun it could be though. Each time he goes he catches (and releases) at least 5 fish in like an hour. It was even fun to watch- despite freezing and getting snowed on! It made it so pretty though. I wish I had a better camera to capture it.

Then on Sat. the kids got to ride on Jaxon Whiting's atv. I must say they love him, and now love his toys! Annelise has loved having him in her class and Aaron looks up to him. It is cute. We do have the best neighbors.



Cole has been doing physical therapy lately too. He still cannot crawl or walk (he is 13 months old). He likes it and has improved a little. The therapist cannot keep commenting on how skinny his arms are and that he has such little muscular strength because he is so little. I am really starting to think there is a connection between him not growing in-utero has really affected how much he grows now. My doctor agrees now and is concerned that if he doesn't grow there may be a serious underlying problem. Cole is such a cute little boy- but let me just emphasize little for ya! He eats really good, but doesn't drink very much (not for lack of major effort to get him to). He must just have the metabolism that I wish I had!



Ok...so here's to being extra thankful for monotony of life until Thanksgiving...(and beyond) and also being so very thankful for my life.