The Cromwell Clan

My Nephew Miles

2012-02-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it is about my little nephews but they are awesome, funny, sensitive, unique and so smart! Today I have to give a shout out to my nephew Miles. First of all this kid is a crack up! He does and says the funniest things. He's very subtle and quiet about it but he can certainly be a big ham! I love to just sit and listen to him talk. I'm also amazed at how 'techy' this kid is. He can run the Wii and the Iphone like nobody's business!

Miles kept on hamming it up for me every time I had the camera out!

Over Christmas we got to see Miles and spend some time with him. I was so totally impressed with his new ability. And that is to name pretty much all of the temples just by looking at a picture of them. And he has also made up hand signs for each one too. His mom made a little book of some of the temples from Utah, foreign temples and temples from different states. All he has to do is look at the picture of it and he can tell you which temple it is. What a great idea! I told Miles some of the temples I had been to and he could point out which temple it was from his book. You could just seem him light up when he recognized which one you were talking about. He told me he wants to get married in the Logan temple someday!

Showing Uncle Layne his temple book

Such a funny, sweet, little boy! A great cousin too! Love ya buddy!

Swimming Lessons

2012-02-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

Well, we signed Julia up for swimming lessons and boy is she excited. She gets to go Monday and Wednesday afternoon from 4:30-5pm. Not very long but just long enough to wear her out! Yesterday was her 1st lesson and that's all she could talk about ALL day long.

I love to see Julia doing and trying new things. She wasn't scared at all to go and was non stop movement when she hit the water. She has a swim teacher and about 3 other kids in her class. They practiced blowing bubbles, holding on to the side of the pool and kicking, floating, and going under the water. She listened to her teacher and did what she asked. She loved it and when we were done asked if we could do it again tomorrow. I said we had to wait again until Monday. I'm glad she liked it. When I was in first grade I remember doing swim lessons and was scared to death about it. I was just to worried about swimming in the 'big' pool. Anyway, she loves its and that's all that matters. Hopefully she will improve and pass off what she needs to to get into the other levels!

1st swim lesson

Listening to her teacher!

Floating

Kicking her feet!

Preserve Your Memories.......

2012-01-24T20:49:00.000-08:00

So I'm renaming my Personal History posts to Preserve Your Memories. I thought of it the other day and started singing the Simon and Garfunkel song, Bookends. Here are the lyrics:

Time it was, and what a time it was,
it was A time of innocence, a time of confidences
Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph
Preserve your memories; They're all that's left you.

Who pulled your teeth when they were loose? How was it done? How much did the tooth fairy leave you?

Well, let's just say that I hated having loose teeth. I was afraid to even try and pull them out. The thought just grosses me out and when I see little kids with loose teeth I have a hard time, weird, I know.

I just remember a few teeth pulling experiences. Once I had a lose tooth and I was riding the bus home from school and my mouth was up against the seat in front of me and we went over a bump and it just knocked it right out. That was one of the easiest I remember. Another time I was eating some cereal and one of my molars came out. Doesn't feel to good when you chomp down on one of those!

Once I remember I had a loose tooth on the bottom and my mom kept telling me it wasn't even attached. It had actually fallen over in my mouth. So one night when I was asleep she came into my room and just tried to pull it out of my mouth but I woke up and that was the end of that. I actually went into the dentist terrified because he was going to have to pull it out. I hate pain and have so much anxiety about it. But he just grabbed a hold of it and pulled it right out....like I said earlier, it wasn't even attached anymore just kinda stuck. One of the worst tooth pulling experiences I remember and all because I was afraid of a little pain.

I always remember putting my tooth in an envelop and then putting it under my pillow. I use to get $.25 for a tooth. I thought it was a lot back then. What is the going rate now a days?? Probably at least a dollar, right? I won't be to happy when my kids start loosing their baby teeth.

Combing my hair

2012-01-20T12:48:00.000-08:00

I've said this before but Christian LOVES playing in the bathroom. I will let him come in when I am getting ready or doing Julia's hair. Today was no exception. He loves to open up the drawer with all the hair ties and bows and play with everything. Well, his new obsession is the comb! He has been doing it for awhile now, but he loves to 'try' and comb his own hair. And if he can't do it he will hand you the comb so you can comb his hair for him. Who doesn't love to have their hair played with or brushed for them. I know I do! So he must get that from me. It's so cute.

He happened to find 2 combs today!

Playing in his favorite drawer

Water bottle or sippy cup?

Picture of the Day

2012-01-13T09:00:00.000-08:00

ARRRRG........We call this Christian's pirate smile. He usually does it when he eats for some reason but will do it other times too. I think its so stinkin cute!

Personal History

2012-01-12T21:55:00.000-08:00

Describe your 1st driving experience.

Oh boy seems so long ago but I remember going to Sears Driving School because I don't think my high school even offered driver's ed. So I had to have my mom drive me into downtown Flint and I had to attend driver's education. SO BORING. So when were finally allowed to actually get in a car a drive this is what I remember most.

My instructor was an old guy and just kinda grumpy in general. He used his own car for us to drive and he had an extra brake over on his side in case he had to use it. His car was probably an old 1980's Ford Taurus with no power steering. And the car didn't have the nice little stickers all over the car to warn people you were a student but it had this on top of the car..........

I could have sworn it was bigger than this picture but that was a long time ago so it was bigger in my mind.

I also remember having to sit on a phone book because I was so short to even see over the hood. So here I am in an old car with no power steering. Going into downtown Flint. First off I remember seeing a yellow light and then almost getting whiplash because my instructor had to use 'his' emergency brake. Embarrassing! Mind you yellow lights outside of CA and UT are extremely short and don't last as long as they do here. So with that said, I thought I could make the light before it turned red but I guess I misjudged it a bit. So anyway, we are now down by the city buildings, its super busy with traffic because I had evening classes and I was now getting into rush hour traffic. The instructor tells me to pull up along side of a car and then proceeds to tell me to do this maneuver........

THE WORST THING EVER! So I did my best but my best was trying about 4 times to get just close enough to the curb. And all the while I am getting heckled by passing traffic telling me to "keep it up", "you'll get it", "Come on you can do it." Of course these are all encouraging words but at the time I just wanted them to be quiet, it was so embarrassing. Besides the fact that I had to do this maneuver 4 times, I also had to have my instructor help me crank the wheel to even position myself correctly......remember, no power steering and I was a weak, scrawny, 15 year old. So I do finally get it and am relieved the whole experience is over.

Preserve your Life

2012-01-08T09:30:00.000-08:00

Preserve your memories, seal them up well. What you forget you can never retell. But a journal that's kept fresh on the shelf will help someone through rough times--maybe even yourself!

My sister got a little jar with slips of paper that ask about your personal history. Things about childhood, family, memories, religion etc. So I copied down those questions and decided to blog them instead of just writing them in a journal. Hopefully I can answer each question and have that memory, thought or fact preserved for my future generations to read. It probably won't be everyday but maybe once a week or once a month and they won't be in any particular order. This should be interesting! I hope you all enjoy this as much as I think I'm going too!

Question: What did you do at recess? What games did you play?

Wow, this takes me back. You lived and died for recess! We even had teachers that would reward us with an extra recess during the day if we met some kind of goal in class. I remember a few different things about recess in elementary school. Probably different grades and schools, who knows? But I remember I had a group of friends and each recess we would run to the swings and have swing races, I guess you could call them. Who could go the highest, or jump off the swing the farthest. I do remember the boys chasing the girls around at recess and I hated it. I just wanted to play on the jungle gym but we always had to worry about the boys bothering us.

In 5th grade I had another group of friends and we would jump rope for the entire time. We never did double dutch, I don't even think we attempted it, we just did the normal one rope. We had all the different games we would chant/sing as we jumped, Cinderella, teddy bear, chase etc. We even had a few boys in our group that would jump with us each day. If we weren't jump roping we did penny drops off the high bars. You hang upside down by your knees and get yourself swinging and then you flip off the bar and hopefully land on your feet, I always did! Ahhhh, to have that much energy again!

Fun in the Bath

2012-01-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

Christian and Julia got some really fun bath foam for Christmas and we used it the other night and the kids had a blast. Julia went a little over board with her bubble foam and I don't think Christian really knew what to think. Thank you Andy and Whitney for the great gift!! The kids always love bath time but this was even more fun with the foam bubbles!

We added a colored fizzy to the water
to make it pink for Julia! Loving the foam!

Christian not sure if he should eat it or not?
Having fun!

"Okay, really guys?"
Not sure what to think??

Maybe a future in wrestling or football?

2012-01-04T13:00:00.000-08:00

During Christmas I'm not sure if Christian was making many friends. Once he got use to everyone he let them know he was around, especially the little kids. He would go up to anyone that would let him, (Eli, Olivia, Miles, Parker and Logan), and just either pull their hair or try and tackle them. On a few occasions he would even give the bigger boys kisses and tried to give them 'loves'. It was cute to watch but frustrating too, because he would just make everybody cry. So Uncle Jeff started calling him 'The Little Linebacker.' Appropriately named! He is tough and sturdy and a chunk. So maybe he will grow up and use his 'beef' for some type of sport where people won't mind so much if they are being tackled or mauled.

Pinning Olivia to the ground.

Crawling on/tackling Uncle Jeff

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T00:30:00.000-08:00

We hope this year will bring health and happiness!

We hope to achieve new goals and dreams!

We are excited to see what 2012 has in store for our family!

New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T19:05:00.000-08:00

We had a great time tonight. We all went out to Kasey's new house and had a big celebration. Everybody had room to move and play. We had a great spread for dinner and snacks for the rest of the night! Then the party began. We broke out the Wii Dance 3 game and everyone got involved. The kids played bingo for prizes. It wasn't as easy as the Disney bingo we play with the Cromwell's so we had to help the kids find the numbers. They loved it!

The kids at the 'kids tables' playing bingo

Jane, Julia and Kate striking a pose

All the big girls dancing

Royce, Kasey and Mom dancing the night away

We let the kids do some sparklers outside to celebrate before they went to bed. Once the kiddos settled down for a movie/bed time the adults got to play bingo for prizes as well. It was intense! Amy and dad were so serious about it. The concentration was thick! Well everybody was a winner to say the least. We ate a ton more food and then played the new game "Head-bands." Now the Cromwell's have this game too, but the Disney version. (Do I see a pattern here?) Anyway, we just had the normal game and it was hard! It could have been anything! At least with Disney Headbands you have it narrowed down a bit with the subject matter. But even though it was a little tough, we all had a blast playing it, we had a lot of good laughs over it. And a laugh that Kasey will not live down. She a card that had pizza on it, so she knew it was a food. But she kept asking one question over and over again at the start of each round. Might have been the pregnancy brain kicking in or the late hour but we all had a good laugh! Is it Candy???

New Year's Eve Celebration. The kids loved the sparklers!

All the kiddos snuggled in for the night

The intense concentration! Don't forget to say BINGO!

The tough, but funny 'Head-bands' game

The night flew by and the New Year came! We broke out some bubbly and said our 'Happy New Year's"! It was a great night. Bring on 2012 we are ready to see what you have in store for us this year!

A few goals for the year:

Susie: Attend the temple 2x per month
Amy: Write in a daily journal
Kasey: Become a mom
Royce: Work on his new house
Layne: Get into a house and get out debt
Karrie: Daily scripture study and of course lose weight! Hopefully cut down our debt too!
Kristy: Scriptures and also lose weight
Dad: Well, I think he was asleep when we all talked about this

So we shall see how we do when the next year rolls around.....

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Celebrating Christmas

2011-12-25T21:24:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone! It was a great Christmas up at the Cromwell's this year. It was great being able to gather for Christmas Eve with the family. It's always fun to get together and catch up on all the going's on. It's also so fun to see all the little babies that were all born within the last year. A year goes by fast and the little grow up to quickly. They are all so darn cute and each have such a different personality.

All the babies.........
Eli 18mo, Christian 12mo, Olivia 10mo, Austin 23mo

We had a little Christmas eve dinner, a program, and the kids got some new pj's. Layne and I were in charge of the program this year but I let Layne take the lead and basically do it :) It was fun, entertaining and a night full of gratitude! After the program, the kids got the traditional gift of pj's, they all looked so cute in the matching pj's. Grandma did a good job at picking them all out :)

Gpa & Gma doing a tongue twister and eating marshmallows

Rich on guitar and Layne on harmonica
playing Jingle Bells

Everyone enjoying the program

Christmas morning was wonderful. The kids get so excited and grandpa always shouts down the stairs, "I don't think HE came!?" The kids never believe him and come running up the stairs. Julia was so happy that Santa had brought her the one gift she really wanted, a singing Rapunzel doll. Christian got a new ball popper and loves to dance when he hears the music. Christian was a little tired that morning but loved crawling around to see what everybody got for Christmas.

All the girls

Most of the boys

Singing Rapunzel

The elephant ball popper

Christian chillin with grandpa

She loves Aurora!

Yay....new toys!

It was an enjoyable day! We even got to have church on Christmas day. It was nice to feel the spirit of the day and really remember what Christmas was all about. The rest of the day was spent playing, napping, and eating until we were about to burst. It was great to be able to stay up at gma and gpa Cromwell's house with everyone. Andy and Whitney and kids came up a little later and it was so nice to see them. We miss all of our family so much and wish we could visit and get together more often. At the end of the day while I was getting Julia ready for bed I was asking her what her favorite gift was and a few other questions and she just said to me, "Mom, everything was just perfect." That was nice to hear and hopefully that was her way of saying or giving thanks for the day :)

Such pretty girls

A handsome boy!

Ella, Olivia and Julia all dolled up and ready for
church in their new Christmas outfits

Kids playing the Disney Headbands game!

Hailey is finally here. ALL the girls
LOVE her to death! She's a great cousin!

The 2 littlest cousins trying to conspire
on how to break the barrier and get to the tree

When we got back home to Alpine, it was time to have Christmas all over again! It was nice to be able to spend time with both families this year! We had a great time at gma and gpa Mott's house. The kids were so excited once again to open more presents. Julia got a few gifts that I am grateful she received because it keeps her busy and out of my hair. Thanks to Aunt Amy and Gma Mott for her new Leapster and Alphie computer games. Again we ate and played games and got to talk and just enjoy the day with each other.
It was such a rough year for our family this year and it was so nice to end it on a good note! We are all so very appreciative and happy for being able to receive so many wonderful gifts and more important love and family time. Its what makes the holiday's so wonderful for our family!

Christian taking a bite out of
his new BYU Cougar pillow pet

Anxious to see what it is?!

Happy about his new BYU jacket!

Another tear-filled moment. Mom opening her
new calendar of the grandkids! She's always worried
she won't get one each year!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T14:00:00.000-08:00

For unto you is born this day in the city

of David a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord.

GLORY to God in the highest,

and on earth peace, good will toward men.

~Luke 2:1, 3-14~

"Born in a manger, He cane to earth under the humblest of circumstances. The Son of the Almighty became the Savior of all mankind. He walked the roads of Palestine working miracles. He healed the sick, He brought sight to the blind, He raised the dead. He blessed the little children and condemned any who should offend them. He left His mark upon the world, which can never be erased nor diminished. Concluding that brief life was the agony of Gethsemane and the terrible suffering of Golgotha, to be followed by the glory of the Resurrection. No other had ever before done what He did. He rose from the grave, and through His great act of Atonement came salvation for all men. Our eternal lives are in His hands, and our eternal progress lies in obedience to His teachings."

~President Gordon B. Hinckley~

The TRUE meaning of Christmas is CHRIST!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve and Fun Trivia

2011-12-24T08:38:00.000-08:00

For many of us, Christmas Eve is the most wonderful night of the year. We sing and read traditional favorites. We ponder and pray. On this night of all nights, we gather together and rejoice.

Imagine being a shepherd on that night
of nights and hearing the angels sing.

Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, Hallelujah!

The kingdom of this world is become

the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,

And He shall reign for ever and ever,

King of Kings, and Lord of Lords!

Christmas Trivia: Fun Facts

• Q: How much does the average American family spend on Christmas gifts?
A: The average American family spends about $800 on Christmas gifts every year.

• Q: How many Christmas trees are sold each year?
A: Thirty-seven million fresh Christmas trees are sold each year.

• Q: What state first recognized Christmas as an official holiday?
A: Alabama was the first state to recognize Christmas as an official holiday, starting in 1836.

• Q: How many candy canes are made each year?
A: More than 1.76 billion candy canes are made annually for the Christmas season.

• Q: Why do Barnum's animal crackers have a string handle?
A: Barnum's animal crackers in the circus-themed box were designed with a string handle so they could hang on a Christmas tree.

• Q: What are sugarplums?
A: Sugarplums are actually chocolate candies with cream, fruit preserves, or other sweet fillings inside.

• Q: What is wassail?
A: Wassail is a beverage dating back to the Middle Ages. The word is derived from the Old Norse ves heill, meaning "in good health." This evolved into visiting neighbors on Christmas Eve and drinking to their health.Traditional wassail contained ale, wine, or hard cider topped with beaten eggs or stale bread. Modern recipes for wassail use hot apple cider simmered with spices and sweetened with honey.

• Q: Why are candy canes bent?
A: In 1670, a choirmaster in Cologne, Germany, bent the ends to resemble a shepherd's staff and handed them out to children during church services to keep them quiet. In the early 1900s, candy canes acquired their famous stripes. The first candy canes were straight, white sticks of sugar candy used as Christmas tree decorations.

• Q: Why do people eat mincemeat pie on Christmas?
A: Eating mincemeat pie on Christmas dates back to the 16th century. Traditionally, it was thought that eating a small pie on each of the 12 days of Christmas would bring good luck in the New Year.

He knows if you are sleeping!

"I want to emphasize that I have no quarrel with that well-fed gentleman with the red suit and the white whiskers. He was very generous to me when I was a boy, and we are looking

forward with great anticipation to his visit at our home.

All of those things with reference to Christmas are appropriate and

good and all of them are for children

-except, I suppose, the mistletoe."

~Elder Boyd K. Packer~

I think we all believe in Santa because he reminds

us of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ!

Christmas Goodies!

2011-12-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

Probably one of the best parts about Christmas are all the goodies we make and eat! We all have our favorites so can you name the top 14 Christmas treats? Are any of your favorites on the list?

• Candy canes

• Gingerbread
• Chestnuts
• Fruitcake (really? this still makes the list?)
• Bûche de Noël or Yule log cake
• Rum balls
• Chocolate truffles
• Meringue kisses
• Divinity
• Mince pie
• Pumpkin pie
• Homemade fudge
• Frosted sugar cookies
• Toffee

I think they need to update the list. Not alot of my favorites made the list. The tradition in my home was to make sugar cookies, frost and decorate them with my mom's homemade frosting. We still do this each year mostly for the kids. When we were little, I remember my mom making fugde and carmels so dad could take them to the people he home taught. And we ALWAYS had chex mix. Just the smell and taste of it reminds me of Christmas. So I have made a ton of it to snack on this year, probably a little to much. My dad's favorite thing to do was go to Hickory Farms and pick out something to send my grandpa Mott. The taste of smoked gouda brings back a lot of memories. And now I have traditions of making chocolate covered pretzels and buckeyes (as seen from an earlier post) and the marshmellow fudge. Julia was so excited to go and deliver the treats to the neighbors this year. So hopefully we can continue to do this each year.

I remember growing up my grandpa and grandma Spafford would have little candy dishes all around the house with the old fashion hard candies in them. Whenever I see them, which is rare, it always reminds me of Christmas and gma and gpa's house. Grandma Spafford would always make a bunch of really good treats. I really loved a particular peanut butter bar that she made that had oats in it and to this day no one has the recipe. Another one of my favorites she made were the Danish Wedding Cookies. I have never attempted to make them but man I LOVED those things! She would also make haystacks and peanut clusters, so more of my favorites.

"Traditions offer opportunities to create memories, share love, and bulid strong bonds etween family members. They will not only helpyour family life be more peaceful and rewarding, they will also give your children memories they can draw on no matter where they go or who they grow up to be."

~Linda and Richard Eyre~

Christmas Movies

2011-12-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

Can you guess the movie that matches the following movie clips? Some are pretty obvious but others may not be so easy? How many did you get right? Was your favorite on the list?

Did you guess them all? Here are the answers:

1. Holiday Inn
2. Prep&Landing
3. Rudolf the red-nosed Reindeer
4. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
5. It's A Wonderful Life
6. A Charlie Brown Christmas
7. Christmas Story
8. Home Alone
9. Frosty the Snowman
10. Nat'l Lampoons Christmas Vacation
11. Polar Express (My favorite animated Christmas movie)
12. Miracle on 34th Street
13. White Christmas (My all time favorite Christmas movie, I watch it every year)
14. The Holiday
15. The Santa Clause

Christmas Songs and Carols

2011-12-21T20:41:00.000-08:00

What are the Top 20 Christmas Songs?

How many can you name?

Are any of your favorites on the list?

According to ASCAP, these are the most-performed holiday songs from 2000 to 2005:

1. "The Christmas Song" (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
2. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"
3. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
(This is my favorite! The version I like best is Amy Grant's)4. "Winter Wonderland"
5. "White Christmas"
6. "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"
7. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
8. "Jingle Bell Rock"
9. "I'll Be Home for Christmas"
10. "Little Drummer Boy"
11. "Sleigh Ride"
12. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
(This is another favorite, the version by Andy Williams)
13. "Silver Bells"
14. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"
15. "Feliz Navidad"
16. "Blue Christmas"
17. "Frosty the Snowman"
18. "A Holly Jolly Christmas"
19. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"
20. "Here Comes Santa Claus"

I was surprised that more traditional carols weren't on the list. But I guess they said songs and not carols?!
So I decided to look up some of the most popular carols and found some interesting info.

Christmas carols are based on Christian lyrics and relate, in the main, to the Nativity. Christmas carols were introduced in to church services by St Francis of Assisi in the 12th century. As for the word carols, "carol" is a derivative of the French word caroller, the interpretation of which means dancing around in a circle. Carol and carols, eventually came to mean not only to dance but included music and lyrics - hence Christmas Caroling.

The joyous themes for many traditional Christmas carols were banned in England by the staunch Protestant Oliver Cromwell and many of the very old Christmas carols and songs were subsequently lost for all time. Christmas carols were only fully popularised again during the Victorian era when they again expressed joyful and merry themes in their carol lyrics as opposed to the normal, more sombre, Christian lyrics found in hymns. As religious observances in the United States and England were closely linked the popularity of Christmas carols grew in both countries in the 19th century. Today Christmas songs and carols are also fast becoming a tradition.

In this Top 10 we'll consider only those Christmas songs that fall solidly within the carol tradition of being religious in nature.
10. "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"
9. "What Child Is This?" 8. "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen"
7. "Away In A Manger"
6. "The First Noel"
5. "Angels We Have Heard On High" (This is my favorite!)
4. "O Holy Night"
3. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
2. "Joy To The World"
1. "Silent Night"

History behind the #1 carol:
Tradition holds that Joseph Mohr, the parish priest at St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria, wrote the words to "Silent Night" and had Franz Gruber, the church choir director, write the music for it and then performed it for the very first time all on Christmas Eve 1818. The song was written for and performed on the guitar because, as the story goes, the church organ was out of commission. Other accounts report that Mohr actually wrote the words in 1816. Some sources, including music historian Joel Whitburn in his Pop Memories 1890 - 1954, claim that "Silent Night" is the most recorded song in history.

Facts about Santa and his Reindeer

2011-12-20T19:52:00.000-08:00

For centuries, St. Nicholas has been remembered by Christians for his generosity toward children and the poor. The real St. Nicholas lived in Turkey, where he served as bishop in the town of Myra, during the fourth century. According to Dutch legend, Sinter Klaas (St. Nicholas) brought gifts at Christmastime, either through an open window or down a chimney. This legend is the basis of the Santa Claus we know and love today.

Prior to the 16th century, gifts were exchanged during the feast of St. Nicholas on December 6. After that time, German Protestants began celebrating Christkindl on December 25, a feast day for the Christ Child. Soon the two days merged into one, although, today many people in Europe continue to celebrate both days. As early as 1773, the name "St. A Claus" appeared in print.

But Americans did not have a detailed description of St. Nicholas until Washington Irving included a drawing of him in the 1809 publication A History of New York. Then, in 1823, Clement Clarke Moore wrote 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (or A Visit from St. Nicholas). It was Moore's account that characterized Santa as a jolly old man who rides in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer and slides down chimneys to deliver gifts.

What are Santa's Aliases?

Christmas gifts are bestowed by different gift givers in various countries. These include Père Noël in France, St. Nicholas or Sinter Klaas in Holland, Father Christmas in England, the Three Kings in parts of Latin America and Spain, and Santa Claus in the United States. In Germany, children are visited by Christkind, an angelic messenger of Jesus.

Facts about Reindeer:

•Reindeer are one of several subspecies of caribou found around the world.

•Reindeer are herbivores, which means they eat vegetation. In the summer, they eat leaves and herbs. In the winter, they eat lichen and moss.

•Reindeer generally don't run very fast. In fact, a white-tailed deer could outrun a reindeer.

•Reindeer use their antlers like a shovel to break through the crust of snow to reach the vegetation underneath.

•Reindeer are various colors, including white, dark gray, and brown. Males can have light-colored manes, necks, and shoulders.

•The only female deer to grow antlers are reindeer. Each summer, both males and females grow their wonderful racks, but males usually shed theirs in late November to mid-December. Females keep their antlers until spring. Because all of Santa's reindeer are depicted with antlers, one might conclude that every one of them, including Rudolph, is female.

A Spiritual Twist on the 12 Days of Christmas

2011-12-19T13:54:00.000-08:00

Legend has it that "The 12 Days of Christmas" was a coded song written in England during the sixteenth century; the "code" was purportedly intended to reinforce principles of Christianity.

One the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
The partridge in a pear tree was a symbol for Jesus Christ

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....
Two Turtle Doves
Two turtle doves represented the Old and New Testament

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....
Three French Hens
Three French Hens stood for the 3 Christian virtues: faith, hope and charity

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....
Four Calling Birds
Four calling birds were symbols for the four Gospels

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....
Five Golden Rings
Five gold rings represented the first 5 books of the Old Testament

On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....
Six Geese A-laying
Six geese referred to the six days of creation

On the 7th day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....
Seven Swans A-swimming
Seven swans reminded them of the seven gifts of the Spirit that Paul outlined in Romans 12:6-8

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....
Eight Maids A-milking
Eight maids stood for the eight Beatitudes

On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....
Nine Ladies Dancing
Nine ladies recalled the nine fruits of the Spirit that Paul taught in Galatians 5: 22-23

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....
Ten Lords A-leaping
Ten Lords were symbolic of the Ten Commandments

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....
Eleven Pipers Piping
Eleven pipers represented the eleven faithful Apostles

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....
Twelve Drummers Drumming
Twelve drummers stood for the 12 Apostles

Picture of the Day

2011-12-17T16:49:00.000-08:00

Christian just woke up from a nap. He hair was sticking straight up and you can't see it but he had a huge red patch on his forehead and the mesh imprint to go with it. He sleeps hard and the pack-n-play tries to fight back.

Annual Holiday Cookie making Day

2011-12-16T17:26:00.000-08:00

Wow, we were ambitious this year. Usually we make a lot of batches of sugar cookie dough and just frost and decorate them and deliver them to friends and neighbors. But we wanted to make a few extra things this year. We tried the ever so popular 'cake pops' this year. First off we made way to many and second we had to try a few times to get them just right. It was fun decorating them and they turned out really cute. I love sweet with salty so I decided to make chocolate dipped pretzels. Super easy and cute too! So it took us all day to make and decorate the cake pops and pretzels. We made a couple batches of the sugar cookies and frosted them and then we let the kids go crazy and decorate them. They love it. It gets a little messy but its fun to have them be a part of it.

Yummy chocolate dipped pretzels

Making cake pops and a finished product :)

Getting ready to decorate!

So after a long day of treat making we head home to find Layne waiting for us. Mind you, it took ALL day to make this stuff. Layne looks over the treats I brought home all decorated and wrapped and said, "What no Buckeye's?" I had to chuckle because I was so tired and I know he LOVES his peanut butter with chocolate dipped balls but I didn't have the strenght to make them. So I decided the next day to get up and make a couple of batches.

He seriously RAVES about these things. He said I should either make or take some up to Preston when we go for Christmas :) And he gave some to the Elders quorum who came to visit and really talked them up. So he must really like them. I just smile when he mentions it.....I've never seen him so excited over peanut butter and chocolate but its cute. Anyway, it was a fun couple of days making treats for everyone! Its a lot of work but so fun making and sharing the memories.

Amy and Julia making pretty sugar cookies

Jane enjoying her cookies

Polar Express Pajama Day

2011-12-16T10:15:00.000-08:00

Today was Julia's last day of pre-school for the year. And boy was she excited because it was Polar Express day. She got to wear her pj's to school and read the Polar Express book and have chocolate milk and cookies. She was also soooo excited to give her teacher her gift we made/bought for her. We gave her some goodies we made and Julia couldn't wait to hand her the Santa bag she picked out.

Davis, Julia and Addison

Julia and Mrs. Moberly.
She had on very cute grinch pj's.

I love this book/movie because of the message it has. Christmas is a time for magic and miracles, and if you just BELIEVE you can always hear the bell ring for you each year!

Temple Square

2011-12-16T10:08:00.000-08:00

Last week we all took a trip up to Temple Square to see the lights. We met up with Layne's friend from HS, Mark Woolley. It was a fun trip and it was great to meet Mark and his family. It was especially nice because they have a little girl Julia's age and they bonded and became fast friends. They kept each other busy.

Last time we were in SLC was to visit gma and gpa Cromwell and Julia had see the "train" and was dying to ride it. So when we went up to see the lights we got to ride the "train." Julia was so excited and could hardly contain herself. It was a very cold night so everyone is pretty bundled up. Chrisitan did pretty good as long as we were moving. But he was a little bundled mummy for the night.

This was our family shot. Like I said Christian was not happy when we stood still. So he's just a tad upset. But it was a good shot. I love all the red and white decorated trees, so pretty.

Julia and her pose as usual. Great shot
of the lights and the temple

Its always nice to get up and see the lights each year. And it certainly wasn't as cold or as crowded as the last time we went. It was a great family night out.

A special message from Santa

2011-12-16T09:47:00.000-08:00

FYI: You can't watch the video here I just wanted to get the picture to show.

I had a special message in my inbox the other day and it was addressed to Julia. It was an actually message from Santa himself. He had a file of Julia, with pictures included, and it talked a little bit about her. How she had a big smile and that she was 4 years old. Julia was so surprised. I kept asking her how he knew all this about her and how did he get pictures of you and she just kept saying I don't know. It was so cute to watch her. She could hardly believe that Santa knew her and was talking to her. He knew about her birthday party and her special trip to Disneyland this year. And he knew what she wanted most for Christmas, A singing Rapunzel Doll.

At the very end of the message the elves put Julia's file into a machine to see if she is on the Naughty or Nice list. And it came out saying she was on the "Nice" list. She was so excited. But Santa told her she needed to make sure and listen to her mommy!! I liked that part!

The day after we watched the video was just a little crazy. Julia was acting up and just screaming and yelling alot over nothing as usual. I put her in the corner for timeout and when she got out she had this conversation with me.

J: "Mom, I'm really sorry for yelling. Now I won't be on the nice list."

K: "Well, we still have time to make it on the nice list today. You just have to listen and stop yelling."

J: "But Mom I won't be on the nice list and Santa will take my singing Rapunzel to someone else and I won't get one." (She just kept repeating this over and over. She was so concerned about it)

K: "Well, you just have to listen and be nice. I don't think Santa will give your doll to someone else."

J: "Yes HE will. And I won't get one and I really want it."

K: "Julia, it's OK. We just have to try better to be nice and listen, okay."

J: "Okay mom, but I really want my Rapunzel doll so no one else will get it."

K: "Okay, I think it will all work out."

And that was it. She was still cranky the rest of the day but I kept saying Santa is watching you. It's nice when this is actually motivation for her, it makes it a little easier for me. It was so hard not to smile over our little conversation because she was so very upset and crying and concerned about it.

If you want to watch the video I can email you a copy of it. Just text, email or call. Or you can leave a message on this post and I can send it to you!

Santa's Workshop

2011-12-09T19:02:00.000-08:00

Julia had her very 1st Christmas play today. She was an elf in Santa's workshop. She was so stinkin cute with her little elf hat on. She did so great singing all her songs and doing the little actions with them. And she did a great job at saying her line with her friend. She had been practicing all week and she was excited. She kept waving to me from her seat. They sang little snippets of songs about getting all the toys ready for Santa. The dolls, drums, trains, blocks, and shiny cars. At the end they sang We Wish You A Merry Christmas and blew us a kiss at the end.

"Are the reindeer ready?"
Julia and her friend Tabree

Its a little blurry but she's the elf with the stripped shirt!

A Visit with Santa

2011-12-09T18:52:00.000-08:00

Last Monday I took the kids to see Santa. It was at the local grocery store and it was free and that is the only reason we went. Otherwise we would have just written a letter instead. Julia was so excited about it and couldn't stop asking me about it all day long.

Then and now.......

Julia wasn't scared this time around and Christian did pretty good. He sat down on Santa's lap and just stared up at him, probably thinking, "who in the world is this?" I got a couple of pictures before he started to cry. It was a fun, quick visit and each kid got a gift from Santa and got to have a donut and chocolate milk after the visit.

Happy 1st Birthday Christian

2011-12-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

I can remember like it was yesterday. Waking up so early in the morning, freaking out because I couldn't feel this little guy moving. Drove down to the hospital to see if everything was okay and then being in labor for the rest of the morning. Driving up to the UofU and the docs telling me I was going to be having a baby shortly.

WOW! Time really does fly. I can't believe its been a year already. We are so blessed to have Christian in our family. He makes me smile and laugh every day. I still can't get over his chubby little face and those big blue eyes. There are days when all I want to do is just squeeze him and love on him!

It was Sunday so we headed off to church and then came home and let Christian take a much needed nap before his party. We started with presents. Daddy was a big help opening Christian's presents. He just had a look on his face like what is going on. He loved playing with the paper more than anything. But he was excited to see his new toys. He got a lot of new trucks and boy toys. He got his first Cougars jersey and a snugly pair of Jazz pj's. I think he was excited to because we held those up to him and his eyes popped out of his head.

What is going on around here?

Loving his new sports wear

Next we sang Happy Birthday and had cake. Again, Christian kinda just sat there wondering what was going on. We put the cake in front of him and he kinda just sat there staring at it. Then he tasted it and it was all over. He loved it!

What am I suppose to do with this?

It was such a good day and we are so thankful to all our family near and far for helping us celebrate this wonderful little boy's big day! Thanks everybody!

We headed off to the doctor on Monday for Christian's 1 year check up. He did great with his shots he had to get and only cried for a little while, which makes me happy. The doctor said he was doing great and right on target, another good thing to hear! Here are his 1st year stats:

Lenght: 28 inches 5% ( I think he was a little squirmy on the table because he only grew an inch in 3 months)
Weight: 20lbs 11oz 25% ( getting ready for the bigger car seat, Yay!)
Head Circumference: 48 cm 90% ( Is that a shocker to anyone? We can't even get his clothes over his head!)

This past year has been up and down but having Christian around is such a blessing. He adds so much to our little family. He is pretty mellow and only really gets upset about things when you won't let him do what he wants to do or you say no, or when he's tired. Definitely less drama that's for sure. He just soaks everything up like a sponge. He is actually beginning to understand and comprehend what you are saying to him. I will tell him to go get 'the ball' and he will crawl over to it and want to play catch with you. You ask him where mama or dada are and he will look over at you. He has learned how to clap and its fun to watch him. He will clap for himself when he does something good. Or if you say "yay" and clap he will join in. He has finally started to wave a little bit too. Sometimes he will just wave his whole hand back and forth but for the most part he just opens and closes his little hand.....so cute! Its such a great time for him and I can't wait to see him continue to grow, walk and start talking.

Christian loves to dance. Whenever he hears music he starts to bop up and down. The TV show The Sing Off is his favorite. He will stop everything and stand at the TV and start to dance. He also still loves to be outside. And still gets upset when he follows you and you shut the door before he gets there. He loves to look at everthing especially the trees when they blow in the wind. When we go places and he gets out of the car he always gets a big cheesy grin on his face because he is so happy to be outside. Even when we went to live Nativity the other night, on one of the coldest nights so far, he didn't fuss or even cry. He was happy to see all the animals and just be out side.

He is certainly doing better at sleeping. He will go to bed between 6-7pm and then wake up once around 4am. We are trying not to give him a bottle every time he wakes up and if he can't cry it out and go back to sleep on his own we give him some water. Then around 7-7:30am he is up and ready for the day. He still takes 2 naps on most days and its nice because it gives me a little break from chasing him around all day. He still has a hard time just falling asleep like at church. It usually has to be dark, and quiet for him to even start to doze off while you rock him. He likes to just lay down in his own bed and stretch out. Sundays are hard for that reason. But if he is tired enough he will crash and just fall asleep on your shoulder....its rare but it has happened a few times. I miss rocking him to sleep, he won't let me do it without a fight. I guess he is growing up.

Christian has been fascinated by all the Christmas decorations and the tree especially. He hasn't pulled it over on top of him yet so we will see if that will still happen. He loves to pull on the garland and chew on it. I have to go over and slap his hand for him to stop. He loves to pull all the ornaments off he can reach as well. So at the end of the day I usually find myself putting ornaments back on the tree. Its hard to pull him away from it and especially when he crawls under neath it. He loves to just sit under it and play with the branches. Anytime you pull him away from something he likes to be doing he gets upset. He is beginning to voice his opinion.

Pulling and chewing on the garland

Loves playing with Ruldolf

He is doing better at eating but he still loves his bottle. We are trying to wean him off the bottle to a sippy cup and its going well but he likes to have his bottle. The transition from formula to milk was a good one. He's had no problems with it and LOVES his milk....yay! His favorite thing to munch and snack on are pretzels. He usually has 2 in each hand and will just crawl around and play with them in his hands. Its not that he is a picky eater because he will at least try the stuff you put in front of him, he just doesn't eat a whole lot. The doctor says that's normal...good to hear because I swear he doesn't eat anything. A funny thing he does when he eats is when he actually has food in his mouth and you present him with something else or a drink, he won't finish what's in his mouth he just spits it out. Or he will use his fingers and it looks like he is brushing it out of his mounth. It's funny to watch.

I love this little boy. I'm excited for the upcoming year to watch him grow. He is such a smiley, happy boy. He makes everyone around him happy. People still say to him, "Look at those big blue eyes." The cubbiness of his cheeks are still there and I don't want it to leave. We are so happy he is a part of our family. We love you Christian.

LIKES:
Pretzels
Milk
Being outside
Playing in the bathroom
Dancing

DISLIKES:
Being told "no"
Being rocked to sleep
Having the doors shut on him going outside or the bathroom door

Instead of paying a ton of money to have Christian's 1st year pictures done, I asked my sister, Kristy, if she would help. We did some outdoor and indoor shots and really captured Chrisitan and his many smiles. He did pull some cheesy grins and just some down right funny faces. He is such a cutie pie! It was hard not to pick all of them but here are some of my favorites.

He was shaking his head back and forth

Christian has so many great smiles and silly faces

Picture of the week

2011-12-01T12:53:00.000-08:00

Caleb being Caleb........He has ponytail holders wrapped
around his ears. This kid just cracks me up!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2011-11-24T10:55:00.000-08:00

"To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven."

~ Johannes A. Gaertner

Thanksgiving Day is a very important day in the United States. There are many things that are especially related to the celebrations of the Thanksgiving Day. These include Thanksgiving turkey trivia, pilgrims, thanksgiving proclamation, thanksgiving as a national holiday and other things. Some of such facts are mentioned here which will not only help you enhance your knowledge about Thanksgiving Day but also make you enjoy this day with even more zeal.

*Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.

*The Plymouth Pilgrims were the first to celebrate the Thanksgiving.

*The pilgrims arrived in North America in December 1620.

*The Pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to reach North America.

*The pilgrims sailed on the ship, which was known by the name of 'Mayflower'.

*They celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day in the fall of 1621.

*They celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day at Plymouth, Massachusetts.

*The Wampanoag Indians were the people who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate the land.

*The Pilgrim leader, Governor William Bradford, had organized the first Thanksgiving feast in the year 1621 and invited the neighboring Wampanoag Indians also to the feast.

*The first Thanksgiving feast was held in the presence of around ninety Wampanoag Indians and the Wampanoag chief, Massasoit, was also invited there.

*The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days.

*Abraham Lincoln issued a 'Thanksgiving Proclamation' on third October 1863 and officially set aside the last Thursday of November as the national day for Thanksgiving. Whereas earlier the presidents used to make an annual proclamation to specify the day when Thanksgiving was to be held.

*President Franklin D. Roosevelt restored Thursday before last of November as Thanksgiving Day in the year 1939. He did so to make the Christmas shopping season longer and thus stimulate the economy of the state.

*Congress passed an official proclamation in 1941 and declared that now onwards Thanksgiving will be observed as a legal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November every year.

*Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird of the United States. But it was Thomas Jefferson who opposed him. It is believed that Franklin then named the male turkey as 'tom' to spite Jefferson.

*The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade tradition began in the 1920's.

*When the Pilgrims arrived in North America, the clothing of the Native Americans was made of animal skins (mainly deer skin).

*On December 11, 1620 the first Pilgrims (or Puritans, as they were initially known) landed at Plymouth Rock.

*By the fall of 1621 only half of the pilgrims, who had sailed on the Mayflower, survived. The survivors, thankful to be alive, decided to give a thanksgiving feast.

I am blessed to be able to spend time this Thanksgiving with my family. I am so grateful we are all healthy and strong. What a blessing to live in this choice land and to have the restored gospel. We are so blessed and let us always give thanks! Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

A candy Thanksgiving Turkey all the kids made!

Pictures of the Week

2011-11-20T16:28:00.000-08:00

This is what Julia does when she finds the camera and plays with it without me knowing about it :)

Julia is so silly, smart, creative and funny. Today she got to give the scripture in primary. She was very confident and wasn't scared at all. She loved it :) I'm glad it was a good experience for her.

Conversation today with Julia after church:

Julia: Mom, thanks for helping me in primary with my scripture today.......but Sis. Noot (her primary teacher) didn't see it.

Me: Why not?

Julia: She was talking to the guys in black and then she came to my class and I got white gum. You know the guys who wear black.

Me: Guys in black, what is that?

Julia: You know the guys we see in the black....missionaries.

Me: Oh, she was talking to the missionaries

Julia: Yep.

Christian 11 months

2011-11-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

Such a little man!

Wow! Christian is on the move. He loves to pull himself up on everything he can. He loves to walk along the furniture as well. We got him a chair to walk around in but he doesn't know quite how to use it. He can push himself backwards and then gets frustrated. He mostly likes to climb on it and push it around. He is learning to wave and clap but doesn't quite have it but its coming. He LOVES to be outside and loves to go on walks in the stroller. He gets so upset and starts to cry when you bring him inside or shut the door on him.

Go Cougars

He loves to stand up where ever he is

He still isn't sleeping through the night and that is frustrating. But he sleeps in for me until about 8:30am so its really nice not to have to get up at 6am. He takes really good naps but has to be in his own bed or car seat to even fall asleep. Church is hard because we have to go right about his nap time. I try and rock him to sleep but it only lasts for about 30-45 mins depending on what is going on.

He is doing better at eating and will at least try the things I put in front of him and depending on how hungry he is. He LOVES applesauce so at least he is getting some fruit. He still loves Cheerios in the morning and yogurt. He really likes crackers and bread. When he does try things he puts it in his mouth and chews for awhile and then if its not something he likes he just spits it back out.

Such a little flirt

Christian is such a happy boy. I love to go into his room in the morning and see him either standing up or sitting up and he has such a big smile on his face. He is starting to say mama and I love that. I will say 'where is mama?', and he will look right at me......so cute! He loves to look at the family pictures I have around the house. He just looks at them and smiles. I point out each person and he gets so happy. His favorite place to play is in the bathroom. I don't know what it is about the bathroom, he won't go into my room but loves the bathroom. So when he is up or we venture in the bathroom we have to keep the door shut and he gets so mad when you shut the door. Weird?! Christian likes to hear music too. Every time a cartoon or even the singing show 'The Sing Off' is on he will turn his head and watch and listen and eventually will bounce up and down.

Listening to the music on the TV

LIKES:
The Bathroom
Splashing in the tub
Applesauce
Being outside
Looking at family pictures

DISLIKES:
Sleeping through the night
Being forced to sleep by rocking
Being shut out of the bathroom or outside
Putting on clothes
Having his face and hands wiped off

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2011-10-31T15:58:00.000-07:00

Last night we started out the festivities with some pumpkin carving. We had soooo many pumpkins to carve. I think I ended up doing at least 3. Julia helped clean hers out and wasn't afraid to grab the guts and pull them out. My nephew, Caleb, on the other hand......well he had a little bit of a hard time. We told him to grab in and just pull out a big handful. His eyes started watering and he was literally gagging as he pulled out his handful. It was so funny.....I don't think I laughed that hard in a long time. Poor Caleb......he just doesn't like the gooey pumpkin guts. Julia wanted Rapunzel cut out on her pumpkin and it was challenging but I think it turned out pretty good. Layne even got in on the action too. We all had a great time carving and the end result was great. Everyone did such a great job!

Julia's scary face

Layne carving a 'holey pumpkin'

Mom helping Caleb clean the pumpkin

Our 4 finished pumpkins. The big cat, Rapunzel, holey and scary pumpkin

What a spooky sight......

Julia had been counting down the days until Halloween all weekend long. She woke up this morning and said, "Mom, guess what? It's Halloween today. I can't wait to go trick-or treating." She was excited to say the least. She even got to dress up for school today. I had to start early because she wanted to do her hair like Rapunzel. So it took some work but I think it looked great. Christian is Julia's cute sidekick. The Princess and the Frog or it could be Rapunzel's pal, Pasquel. But the big googly eyes match with Christian's. I think they are too cute. I wanted to get a few pictures before the night began because the kids always looked so disheveled as the day wears on.

All the cute ribbon and flowers and ribbons

Rapunzel, let down your hair

My little froggie....I would kiss those cheeks to

turn him into a little prince

The Princess and the Frog

You Crack Me Up!

2011-10-30T23:20:00.000-07:00

Why did the vampire go to the orthodontist?
To improve his bite...

What do you get when you cross a vampire and a snowman?
Frostbite...

How do witches keep their hair in place while flying?
With scare spray...

What do you get when you cross a werewolf and a vampire?
A fur coat that fangs around your neck...

Why don't skeletons ever go out on the town?
Because they don't have any body to go out with...

What do ghosts add to their morning cereal?
Booberries...

What is a vampire's favorite sport?
Casketball...

What is a vampire's favorite holiday?
Fangsgiving...

What do you call someone who puts poison in a person's corn flakes?
A cereal killer...

Why do mummies have trouble keeping friends?
They're so wrapped up in themselves...

What does the papa ghost say to his family when driving?
Fasten your sheet belts...

What is a vampire's favorite mode of transportation?
A blood vessel...

What is a ghost's favorite mode of transportation?
A scareplane...

What type of dog do vampire's like the best?
Bloodhounds...

What do birds give out on Halloween night?
Tweets...

Why do vampires need mouthwash?
They have bat breath...

Halloween Fun Facts

2011-10-30T23:08:00.000-07:00

Because of the unknown, Halloween is the one of the most captivating holidays, often celebrated by both adults and children. The element of surprise makes it fun and unpredictable. Enlighten yourself with Halloween trivia and fun facts to enjoy the holiday even more.

Halloween Holiday Trivia

•Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the Fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death.

•Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.

•Pumpkins also come in white, blue and green. Great for unique monster carvings!

•Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, share ghost stories, sing, dance and tell fortunes.

•Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.

•The ancient Celts thought that spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside on Halloween night. They began wearing masks and costumes to avoid being recognized as human.

•Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States.

•Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters with Snickers #1.

•Halloween is the 2nd most commercially successful holiday, with Christmas being the first.

•Bobbing for apples is thought to have originated from the roman harvest festival that honors Pamona, the goddess of fruit trees.

•Black cats were once believed to be witch's familiars who protected their powers.

Monster Trivia & Folklore

•Signs of a werewolf are a unibrow, hair palms, tattoos, and a long middle finger.

•Vampires are mythical beings who defy death by sucking the blood of humans.

•In 1962, The Count Dracula Society was founded by Dr. Donald A. Reed.

•To this day, there are vampire clubs and societies with people claiming to be real vampires.

•There really are so-called vampire bats, but they're not from Transylvania. They live in Central and South America and feed on the blood of cattle, horses and birds.

•Many people still believe that gargoyles were created by medieval architects and stone carvers to ward off evil spirits.

Creepy Tidbits

•If you see a spider on Halloween, it is the spirit of a loved on watching over you.

•Worldwide, bats are vital natural enemies of night-flying insects.

•The common little brown bat of North America has the longest life span for a mammal it's size, with a life span averaging 32 years.

•In about 1 in 4 autopsies, a major disease is discovered that was previously undetected.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Fall in Utah

2011-10-25T19:38:00.000-07:00

It's that beautiful time of year again. The view from my window is amazing. A great view of the mountains with all the color with just a little snow on top and then the neighborhood has some great colors with all the trees that surround us. And it's finally cooling off, the best part of fall. If I don't have to use the air conditioning in my car it's cool enough!

Well, we took the kids to get some fall photos and let's just say its ALWAYS crazy when we do this. It's so hard to get all the kids to look at the camera let alone just smile. So it's always an adventure. We have to try and take so many the kids are usually all smiled out by the end of it. But the kids love to run and explore and climb so it wears them out for bed time.

Gramma Mott and the grandkids. We got all of them to look at the
camera for this shot. At least some are smiling :)

Gramma Mott and the Boys

On Sunday, it was fun to go on a family service walk through our new neighborhood. We decided to make some cookies and make a few deliveries to people in the ward that had made us feel welcome and said hello. It was a perfect evening to go. We all had a blast visiting new people and Julia was a great helper in giving the families their cookies. It was fun to watch as Julia walked through all the leaves on the ground. They made a crunching noise and she said it sounded like we were walking on crackers. Christian loves to be outside. He is so happy and content when we go for walks. He loves to watch the birds and just see the trees sway in the wind. Pure amazement. It was a great Sunday stroll and it was great to be with family and meet new people.

2 great smiles from 2 great kids

HAPPY FALL!

Pictures of the Week

2011-10-19T09:08:00.000-07:00

The two 49'er Boys!

And much to everyone's surprise the 49'ers are off
to a great start this year. Go 49er's!

A surprise Magical trip!

2011-10-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

Well, last week we surprised Julia with a trip to Disneyland. We knew we were going to go about 3 months ago and so we just told Julia that the next time we go visit Grandma and Grandpa Cromwell we will be going on a plane. She was excited about that and wasn't the wiser.

Well, the only set back we had was my little hospital stay a couple of days we were suppose to go. I was so disappointed and frustrated. I had to stay in the hospital for a few days. So when it was time to go Julia and Layne got on the plane and headed out. But gma and gpa Cromwell were headed out as well but just on a later flight that same night. So I was able to be cleared with my health and then join them at the airport to go on our surprise trip. I was so excited and even though I was very sleep deprived and a little run down, we all were able to have some fun and enjoy ourselves.

Layne and Julia got to the hotel and just left the bags because they weren't able to check in yet. So they walked right across the street and Layne kept asking Julia where they were going. She had not clue. Layne started to point out what/who were on the buses passing by, but still no clue. Music was playing, people rushing by, character buses passing by, and she finally says, "Dad, are we at Disneyland?" Layne caught in on tape for me since I was unable to see the surprise part of it. She was surprised and couldn't wait to get going. Layne was on the phone with me and Julia was raring to go so it was a short conversation. I'm glad they made it safe and were able to enjoy themselves and have some one on one time the first day.

A big smile and a fun time with Daddy!

It was a little wet the first day but cleared up in the afternoon. Layne had gone and bought us some poncho's and umbrellas to keep a little drier. They got to go on Small World, Winnie the Pooh, race cars and even Splash Mountain. I couldn't believe it when I heard that. She said that was her favorite ride! It was fun to go with her this time because she was able to ride on most all of the rides with the adults. I think she liked that. Needless to say Layne was tuckered out after the first day. Julia can run circles around us, especially at Disneyland.

Enjoying a wet day with Daddy in Disneyland

Well, we finally all met up in the evening, had a little dinner, and then went to bed. It was the BEST night's sleep I've had probably since my anniversary in April. After being in the hospital with about 6 hours of sleep in a 48 hour period and then just having a break from Christian, who still wakes up 2-3 times a night, it was a much needed night of rest. I certainly felt better in the morning and was excited to get up and get going.

Goofy's Kitchen was our first stop for a great big breakfast. Julia was so excited when we walked in to see Pluto waiting for us. We all got to get a great picture with him. We walked back to sit down and she was just pointing out all the characters and wanted to go see all of them. We told her that they would come to us all we have to do is sit down and wait. We had a great breakfast. The buffet was great and had everything you could ever want, even hot dogs, pizza, and mac'n'cheese for breakfast.

Everyone came to see us at breakfast.
It was a fun time and certainly hit the spot.

Well, the rain started after breakfast and pretty much lasted ALL day. It was great crowd control but a little inconveinient with backpacks and poncho's and getting on and off the rides. BUT we did get to go on a lot of rides that normally have huge lines. Dumbo, the new Little Mermaid ride, even the Matterhorn. We rode that twice in a row. Julia hung on for dear life and I just told her if you are scared just scream, and boy she did. We even went on Splash Mountain again. We rode the train over and Julia said to us, "Splash Mountain, here we come!" She rode in the very front with grandpa right behind her. He told us she had a death grip on him and when we went down the big hill the look on her face was priceless. We have the picture all nice and framed :) She does get a little scared on the rides but once they are over she loves them. We also went on the Tower of Terror with her. Everybody's favorite ride but not so much for Julia. She didn't want to go on that one again. She said she kept flying up out of her seat. Every time we saw the tower we would ask her if she wanted to go on it again but she said no.

The new Little Mermaid ride over in California Adventure. We rode twice in a row because the line was so short. Julia loved it!

Stuck inside the action figure box

Grandma and Grandpa were getting a little to wet so they went back to dry off while we pushed through the rain. The rain was finally letting up around 5pm and the line to see Rapunzel was abotu 20 mins. so we jumped in line. Julia even had on her Rapunzel shirt. We walked in and she was in awe. Rapunzel was super nice and took the time to talk to Julia. Julia told her her favorite ride was Splash Mountain and that she was going to be Rapunzel for halloween. Rapunzel took Julia and 'pinkie promised' they would be best friends forever. Julia really remembered that part and still talks about it. They were so cute together.

Waiting outside to see Rapunzel

A big hug

They each talked about their long hair and how
it makes them run really fast

A 'pinkie promise' to be BEST FRIENDS forever!

Well, we wanted to stay around for the parade in the evening so we ventured over to Small World and Toon Town. The roller coaster wasn't working so we decided to get a peek at Mickey's House before the parade. Julia was excited to see Mickey and so was I. We had to wait a while but it was worth it. Then we headed out to see the parade but because it was so wet out they had a 3 car procession with a few characters. It was so cute because the 1st car was Mickey and Minnie. Julia was pointing and waving and very excited. Minnie saw her and then tugged on Mickey to look her way and they both waved to her. When the car with the princesses went by she waved and screamed out who was in the car. She was disappointed that she didn't get to see more but we told her the next night we could see the whole parade with everybody in it. Then it was finally time to get back to the hotel and dry off. We were soaked to the bone and tired. We all hit the pillow and were out that night!

We LOVE Mickey!

Well, the next day came early and we were ready to go! It was finally blue skies and sunshine and so we were excited about that. We got into the park and some of the characters were out and about. Julia really wanted to see Minnie most of all. So we waited in the line and just as we got up to her it was time for her to go but being the mom I am I insisted we get a picture. She was just suppose to walk down the rest of the line and say goodbye but she stopped and took a picture with Julia. Julia was so excited to see her. We also got some fun pictures by the big Mickey pumpkin they had for Halloween.

After eating a delicious french toast breakfast, we were off and running. More crowds and more lines but the weather was great. It was great because Julia was able to ride alot of the big rides this time around. So we headed off to splash mountain again. She wanted to sit by me this time and told me she didn't want to go down the big hill. But I just told her if you are scared just scream really loud. So that's what she did on all the rest of the rides. Thunder Mountain was awesome, one of my favorites. Julia and I sat together and Layne tried to capture the ride on camera. We got a few good shots. Julia was hanging on for dear life and I was hanging onto her for extra measure. She screamed a lot.

Getting on the ride....not knowing what is about to come our way.

Rounding the bend

And down we go......screaming!

After it was all said and done.....whew!

We did find a ride that she preferred a little bit more over the roller coasters. Tea anyone? Gramma, Julia and I headed off to the tea cups, one of Julia's favorite rides. At least, for now, she doesn't want us to spin the cup while we ride. If we had gramma and I wouldn't be riding.

After going back and having a nap, I decided to wait in the line to see the Princesses while Julia and Layne headed over to Toon Town to hit a couple of rides they missed the day before. Julia was just as excited to see the Princesses this trip. She went right up to each one and gave them a hug and talked to them a little bit. We got to see Ariel, Cinderella, and Snow White. And afterwards we got Julia's face painted. She loved it the last time we came and really wanted to do it again. She sat very still while she got her 'heart crown' painted on. She was sooooo excited to see herself in the mirror, she couldn't stop looking at herself. She absolutely LOVED it. Thanks Grandma Cromwell!!

A very HAPPY princess!

After a few Mickey bars, fresh dipped corn dogs, a couple of pretzels with cheese, we settled in for the parade. Julia shouted out every character she saw and waved and waved at everyone as they went by. Just watching her is one of my favorite things to do at Disneyland. She has sooooo much fun and she is just enjoying herself every second. We all had such a wonderful time. We loved being able to go and make more memories with Grandma and Grandpa Cromwell. Thanks so very much for making our trip even more special.

Chistian 10 months

2011-10-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

Christian turned 10 months old today. Time is flying by and he just gets bigger and bigger. Last month was pretty rough with teeth coming in, a congestive cough, some conjunctivitis, and a fractured leg. BUT, despite it all, the boy is tough and happy. Christian finally has all 4 top teeth in and he is getting 2 more on the bottom. He is getting more and more blond hair. We might have to do a little trimming over the ears. Still has the big chubby cheeks, I hope those don't go away anytime soon!

He is eating more solid foods. Loves blueberry pancakes, yogurt, and any type of cracker. He is just a very messy eater. He loves to stick he had back in his mouth and get the food all over his face and pants. He loves to sit in his high chair and pound on the tray to make his food fly all over. I pick up more off the floor than he actually eats.

Christian is becoming more mobile and independent. He still army crawls but is getting better at the 'regular' crawl. He is able to crawl a ways and then come to a sitting position. Its fun to watch him find a toy or a ball, anything that rolls, because he will go to grab it and it moves away from him and then he crawls up to grab it and moves again. Its fun to watch him play. And he LOVES to pull himself up and stand on his own. Anything he can get his hands on to stand up and there he is. He still has balance problems when he tries to walk along the furniture but he is getting better at it. I can't believe he is almost walking. I wonder if he will walk before Julia did? He just might pull it off!

He is also talking a little more. More babble with his tongue moving back and forth. I don't know how he does it, but its fun to see him be more vocal and expressive. He still does his 'man' grunt. And if you get him grunting he won't stop. He is understanding some of the sign language I use but hasn't signed anything himself yet. He knows what eat, more, and all done look like. I'm not as consistent with him as I was with Julia but I hope to be better, because it really did work with Julia and help us out a lot, knowing what she wanted.

Still loves bath time. What kid doesn't. Whenever I go to turn on the water and have it running he gets so excited and starts moving. I can't get him into the water fast enough. Only problem is, that he likes to try and pull himself up in the tub so we have to make him sit down. He loves to lay on his tummy and just swim around like its his own pool.

Christian is a very happy, content, little boy. I can't wait to see what another month holds for us. He is such a delight to have in our family. We love you Bubbas!

LIKES:
Yogurt and Blueberry Pancakes
Bath Time
Standing Up
Grunting

Playing with cousin Jane

DISLIKES:
Rocking to sleep

Trying to get out of the standing position

Being put in the car seat when tired

Having to wait for a bottle or food

Hooray!

2011-09-28T09:38:00.003-07:00

Well, just a little update on my last post. Christian didn't need to have a cast. We went into the doctor and he showed me the x-ray and it was a tiny fracture by his ankle. Typically, in an adult that break, along the growth plate, would cause complications and take about 6-8 weeks to heal. But because Christian is strong and healthy it has almost already healed. So we took the splint off and he bore a little weight on it. You could tell he was happy to have that splint off his leg. He is still favoring it a bit but it doesn't seem to be bothering him to much. We still have a little splint we can put on him if he needs it. So some good news and a bit of relief!

Poor Kid

2011-09-25T22:53:00.000-07:00

Well, just one more thing to add to the chaos in our life. I need a re-do on the month of September. Christian had a mishap with the bed the other night. He fell off the bed. He seemed ok until the next day when I noticed after his late afternoon nap that something was wrong with his leg. He winched and cried when I was changing his diaper and moving his legs around and noticed he wasn't putting any weight on his leg. He was tring to stand put wasn't able to. So I called the doctor and they told me to come in. They examined him and wrapped his leg in a splint. We then had to make a run to the hospital to get some x-rays. And the results are that it is a fracture of the lower tibia. UGH!!!! We have to keep him in the splint until we see the doctor on Tuesday. We had to be referred to an Orthopedic doctor because the fracture is along a growth plate. Hopefully we will just have to cast the leg and it will heal just fine and not hinder his progress any. But you never know? Fingers crossed we don't have to worry about future complications or surgery to fix it.

Despite having the splint on, Christian is in good spirits. He is still army crawling around the house. I can tell he gets frustrated when he tries to pull him self up and stand, which he is not able to do. He gets stuck somethings and can't roll or move to the right, which is the fractured leg, so he cries and gets upset. I feel bad for him. He was just learning to stand and walk along the furniture and now he can't. I hope his leg heals quickly so he can get back to being himself.

CHAOS

2011-09-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

Ok..... the last 2 weeks have flown by but not without interruption or chaos ensuing! 2 weeks ago I woke up at 5am to hear water running. I thought to myself, "Why is the bathtub water running?" So I go into Julia's room and from her window a stream of water is pouring out onto the floor. I ran to get Layne and we rushed into the room and started moving all of Julia's stuff out of the water path. Julia finally woke up and we got her out of the room just in time to have the whole window bust open and have the flooding occur. Broken glass and water up to your ankles at 5 am ........so much fun. A sprinkler pipe had broken and had filled up the huge window well and the pressure was to much so it broke. We had to call the neighbors upstairs to turn off the water because it was still coming through the window. The flood had reached all the way out to about 1/2 of the living room and both the bedrooms and bathroom. What a mess! So we made a few phone calls to insurance and the rental people and got things moving. I took a suitcase and the kids over to my sisters house for the day until we checked into our hotel room. Good thing we had renters insurance because we had a few things damaged and they will pay for any expenses due to living elsewhere while they fix the house.

So later that day we all checked into a hotel room. It was actually pretty nice. It had a little kitchen area, free breakfast every morning, a swimming pool and enough beds for everybody to rest easy!

We played a lot of 'go-fish' and 'match game'

It was bearable but by day 5-7 I had had enough. Everyone was just on top of each other and just stir crazy. But while we were staying at the hotel we actually found another place to live. Layne drove to my sisters in Alpine, the day we got flooded, and drove right by a little duplex. We both went to look at it and both really, really liked it. It's just like a having a little house. 2 bedroom, 1 bath, with a garage and a huge unfinished basement, and a huge fenced in back yard. Its really nice and so we made a call. So we made a decision and decided to just move into a new place instead of going back to the basement of the house we were living in. We had some help from family to move in. It took a few days but it's been so worth it. So we are officially moved and we love it already! We still have lots of organizing and putting things away but we are settling in just great. The kids love the space, Layne loves the garage and backyard, and I love the fact that I actually have daylight coming in my windows for a change! I love it!

Julia on the swings in the backyard

Along with the flood and the move we've had to deal with a broken toe, Layne getting a new job, conjunctivitis, an embarrassing lose to Utah, a few iron infusions and a trip to the emergency room for Layne's cold. The cold is passing through our house and hopefully we ALL we be over it soon. Hopefully we all have the right medications to get us feeling better. Its been a LONG couple of weeks BUT in spite of it all things are looking UP! Just when you think you can't handle any more the gray skies start to part and the sun starts shining through.........OR.........

Pictures are coming.....the camera cords are misplaced due to the move.

Christian 9 Months

2011-09-04T14:12:00.001-07:00

Christian turned 9 months old today. I took Christian in for his 9 month check and he is doing awesome. Growing up so dang fast I can't believe it. I don't know where I put the stat sheet for him but I know that his weight was 18.5 lbs. He is healthy and doing great and a little ahead of schedule with his progress. He can already pull himself up and stand and he is getting better at walking along the couch or between my legs. He can army crawl like no other, especially when he sees something he really wants, he just takes off. He is quick and is always on the move. He has a hard time when he is tired though, he just lays on his tummy and rocks back and forth as if to say, "Mom, I'm tired, come and get me." He refuses to crawl to you. Just his way of letting you know he is in charge.

Standing up

At about 8.5 months he had all 4 top teeth coming in at once. So those are almost all in and he has 2 more bottom teeth on their way. He handles it pretty well. Right before the teeth break through is the worst for him and me. We both don't get much sleep at night. But its fun to see all those teeth when he smiles :) Sleeping for Christian hasn't improved at night. He still wakes up a couple of times and then is up between 7-7:30am. He doesn't really like to rock to sleep anymore. I think he just likes to lay down and get comfortable, which is usually on his tummy with his head smashed up against the crib. He does well at nap time and I'm grateful he takes about 2 a day to give me a little break!

Such big blue eyes and chubby cheeks

The doctor said to let him eat regular food and stop the baby food. So it's the transition phase. Trying new things out and trying them often so Christian gets use to the same food. He loves cinnamon or regular graham crackers, ritz crackers, fruity puffs, and Cheerios. He also likes yogart. After staying in a hotel for a week he got to have it for breakfast each morning. So that is another favorite. I still give him some baby food and he still loves it. Usually some fruit in the mornings. He loves to sit in his high chair and slam on the tray. Most of the food ends up on the floor but at least he enjoys himself.

He loves to play with Julia and grab her hair. He just loves hair I think. He is always trying to grab mine as well and everyone else he sees. He loves to go after and grab anything Julia is playing with or doing at the time. Julia is pretty patient and is willing to share and take turns with him. They love bath time. Its fun to see Christian swim around the tub. He doesn't like to just sit in one spot and play with toys, he is always on his tummy, pushing himself around the tub, like its his own swimming pool. Julia has a hard time staying out of his way. Its fun to hear Christian talk too. He babbles and laughs all the time. I love to hear him try to make new sounds. First thing people say about Christian is, "Look at those cheeks or look at those big blue eyes." He is such a charmer just like daddy. He always has a smile for everyone.

He really wanted the pooh bear..........

and he got him!

Best Friends.....I ♥ those baby blues!

Favorite thing at bedtime a little bottle and his pillow

LIKES:

Standing and Pulling himself up

Bath time

Julia's hair

Bottles at bedtime

Eating "people" food

DISLIKES:

Crawling when tired

Having teeth come in

Not being able to pull himself up when he wants

Bananas

Picture of the Day

2011-09-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

Does this look comfortable to you? Christian is taking after his sister in the crazy sleeping positions category!

The Trophy

2011-09-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

Layne had his yearly PPA games and once again came home with the overall trophy. 3 out of the last 4 years and as Layne says that's called a DYNASTY! He also brought home the green jacket once again. So he came home pretty happy. So did Julia, she was so excited and all she could talk about was her dad's trophy for the next couple of days. Layne had said that she had asked to polish the trophy for him. He said no it was ok but she insisted. She took a wipe and proceeded to polish it all up for Layne. I got a good laugh out of that one. She sure was proud of daddy!

1st Day of Pre-school

2011-08-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

Such a big girl. Julia's 1st day of preschool. She wanted to wear her
birthday dress and her hair in braids :)

Ever since Kate went to school last year all Julia could do was talk about going to school too. She would get out her backpack and pretend to go to school. All summer she has been talking about it and we have been practicing her letters, numbers, shapes, and colors. Monday we went in to meet her teacher and to see where her class room was. She got to pick out her cubby with the purple bear. Since purple and pink are her favorite colors we had to just pick one. Then she had to go pick out a paper that had her name on it. It was a little hard to find hers because there is a girl in her class that spells her name almost like Julia but her name is Juliet. So I told Julia to just spell it out loud and look for the 'a' at the end. We both sat down and filled out somethings about Julia so the teacher could get to know her. What her favorite food and color was. How many people she had in her family and something unique or interesting about her. Then the teacher took a picture of us so she would be able to make sure the kids were safe and got picked up by the right person.
We made our way out and Julia kept asking me if she could stay. She was so excited that she didn't want to leave, but I told her that Wed.she would be able to stay in her class.

Learning Dynamics Preschool

Her class room

Welcome Back to School

Julia wanted a picture by the big tree swing
they had painted on the wall

School was all she talked about the rest of the day and yesterday. She wasn't worried at all and didn't seem nervous one bit. We picked out her outfit for the 1st day and she got ready for bed. She went to bed quickly because she had something fun and exciting to do the next day. When she woke up she came in and said to me in her excited voice, " Mom, I get to go to school today." I had to chuckle a little it was so cute. When I was her age I don't recall being so excited, I was a nervous wreck and I remembering crying alot.

So TODAY was the day! We had to leave a bit early just to get through all of the construction but we got there in plenty of time. Layne came too so Julia could show him where she was suppose to go. She found her name tag right away on the door, put it on, and we gave her a hug and she walked right into the room. No tears, no being shy. What a big girl....this was easier than getting her to go to primary at church.....go figure! I can't belive how confident and brave she was!

1st day standing outside her class

She found her name no problem :)

Her teacher, Mrs. Moberly

Finding a place to sit and begin her 1st day

The first day was a success. When the door opened all the kids were sitting quietly waiting for the parents to pick them up. Julia ran over and gave me a hug....she had to go back to get her bag that she gets to take to school everyday. We got in the car and I tried to ask her about her day. She shed a few tears because she was telling me that someone had taken a book away from her but then she said he was just cleaning up. A little boy had hit her and she was a little upset about that too but it sounded like she had a great time, coloring, singing, and learning new things. Julia did ask if we get to go again tomorrow but I told her in 2 days you get to go back.

After school with her new bag

Enjoying her cookies :)

We got home and we had a snack of cookies and milk. A little tradition I want to start....my sister had that great idea. Instead of a big back to school breakfast she decided to make an after school snack....cookies :) Everybody is to nervous on the first day to eat such a big breakfast. Julia pulled out the papers in her bag and showed daddy and Christian. I will need to start a folder for all her school stuff and see how she progresses during the year. So today was a milestone and a success. Here's to all the years of learning and growing!

Back to School BBQ

2011-08-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

On Monday we all got together and had a little back to school BBQ. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and a nice juicy watermelon.......Yummy! It was fun to sit and talk and see how excited the kids were about starting school. Kate will be going into 1st grade and will be at school for a full day and Julia will be starting pre-school. They are both so excited. I wish I was like that when I went to school.

Everyone enjoying the food

Hanging out

Kasey and Royce

Christian lovin being outside

Layne and all the kids played a little football too. Caleb loves to have Layne hike him the ball and then he says, "Hut-Hut" and then "Pat my butt." (this is the signal the quarterback gives when he wants to hike the ball but Caleb just does it after the fact.....pretty funny) Then he takes off running and the girls try and tackle him. Julia took him down a couple of times and drew blood on one attempt.

Hiking the ball

Layne showing the kids the 'stiff-arm'

Football buddies

Tackling pose

AHHHHH.....can you smell it?? Fall is in the air. Back to school time. College football. Cooler weather. I LOVE this time of year.

Picture of the Day

2011-08-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

Trying something new..............

Julia's 4th Birthday

2011-08-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

My baby girl has turned 4. Where has the time gone. I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday.It was certainly a exciting and fun-filled day! Julia wanted a 'Tangled' themed birthday so that's what it was. Everything was tangled, the cake, balloons, and then she got a tangled shirt, pj's, dress-up, and a doll. Did we miss anything??? She LOVED it!

A purple 'Tangled' cake!

I didn't want her to see the cake until we lit the candles but she did watch me frost the cake, purple, no less. While frosting it she kept telling me, "Mom, this is going to be the best cake ever!" No lie, I think she said that like 50 times. It was so cute. I love to see her so excited. I waited until she went to bed to decorate and set up for the day. I wanted it to be a surprise for when she woke up. I hung paper lanterns, like the movie had and got some balloons. The pay off was when she woke up and came out and told me it was beautiful!

Waking up to her 'Tangled" birthday

It was Alpine Days this week and so we decided to go to the parade. We all got up and ready to go and Julia was excited to go. Its not as big or as grand as the Preston Parade but the kids still had a great time and got some candy too. Next stop after the parade was the fire station. They actually had it open and the kids were able to get inside and see it. Layne even got in on the action. I think all the kids thought this was the best part of the day!

Christian and Julia before the parade.

Everyone hanging out waiting for the parade

Layne said "every boy dreams of
becoming a fireman."

All the kids on the front of the truck

On our way home we got a snow cone to try and cool off a bit and then we had a bit of lunch and a much needed nap. When Julia woke up it was about time for the party so she wanted to get ready. We got her a new dress to wear and a bow to match. She loves to wear her 'party dress!' Before everyone came over we went outside to get a few pictures of Julia in her new dress.

The birthday girl in her new dress

After everyone showed up we had an early dinner. I had asked Julia what she wanted to have for her birthday dinner and she told me watermelon. I then had to say we need a little more to eat than watermelon, so she told me she wanted to have turkey sandwiches and chips. Simple and easy! So we all ate our fill of sandwiches and watermelon. And then it was time to have cake and presents. I love Julia's face in the picture because she hadn't seen the cake up until this point. She was excited. We sang Happy Birthday and she tried to blow out the candles, I had to help her out a little bit. Then we moved onto presents. This kid is certainly loved and spoiled by all her aunts and gramma. Like before mentioned she got a lot of Tangled stuff. But she loved her new umbrella and clothes. Even though Julia loves dress-up and princesses she is becoming a tomboy. Gramma got her an adjustable basketball hoop. Its been a big hit and Layne and I even get in on the fun. She also really liked her coloring binder and new pail of crayons she got from Aunt Kristy and the kids. It was a great idea! She had been asking for a bike forever, so that was our big gift to her this year. She cannot wait until Monday to go outside and try it out. I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of time in the park for the next few months until it snows.

Her reaction seeing her cake for the 1st time

Helping her blow out the candles

Waiting for a rainy day

New Tangled Dress up

Her new bike

Even last weekend we had gone up to Preston and then the Parker Party at the ranch and she was once again spoiled by the grandparents. She got a really cute outfit and a brand new princess suitcase, so when she comes to visit she can pack her own bag! She loves to put all her clothes in it and pretend to be going somewhere. We had to take it away from her so she wouldn't ruin it before we could even use it! She had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa Cromwell last weekend. Grandpa even got her a new shirt while we shopped in Jackson Hole. She wasn't there when we picked it out but when she saw it she hugged the shirt and said it was beautiful. I made sure she told grandpa thank-you! She had a fun filled 2 weekends in a row celebrating her birthday. Thanks to everyone for making Julia's day so special.

Extra stuff about Julia.................

Favorite colors: Pink and Purple

Favorite shows: Team UmiZoomi, Bubble Guppies, Phineas and Ferb

Favorite movie: Depends on the week so right now it seems to be Cars and Tangled

Foods: She finally started eating sandwiches so she LOVES PB&J, chicken nuggets, any and all kinds of fruit. She loves her apple juice in the morning. She has this thing with cereal too. She loves to mix Honey Bunches of Oats(the bee cereal, as she calls it) with Wheaties or another kind of cereal. Still likes oatmeal too but loves to eat cereal without the milk??

Favorite things to do: likes to paint and color, she is really good at puzzles (we have a 200 piece Disney puzzle she can put together herself only having done it with help a couple of times) she loves to go swimming, likes to watch her movies in her room, loves to play with her cousins and visit gma/gpa Cromwell's, going to primary, going to the park, and as of late likes to ride her bike.

Things Julia says on a regular basis:

"What in the world?"

"It was just an accident."

"Go Cougars!"

"Don't say that word, mom/dad."

"I have boogers." (when she has a running nose and wants someone to get her a tissue)

"Hey, Bubbas." (talking to Christian)

"Watch it" or "Back Off" (picked those up from her dad)

"Mom, Christian's crying." (even though I can clearly hear him)

When Julia gets upset or is mad she loves to cross her arms, squish up her face and stomp her foot. She loves to grunt at us too. We try to get her to use her words but she isn't so great at expressing herself when she's mad.

She gets embarrassed really easily. Julia is usually saying or doing something pretty funny and we laugh, but not at her, at what she has said or done. She kinda starts to cry and will try and hide behind me or something. Or when she does something that is by accident and we just say her name to get her attention she thinks she is in trouble and will do the same thing. She also has a hard time when other people are mad at her or try to discipline her.

She still tells me and Layne that she loves us everyday about 2-3 times a day. And when we do something really nice or special for her she says, "You are the best mom/dad ever!" Thanks so nice to hear!

She is really excited for pre-school to start next week. It's going to be a great year! She will be learning so much more and I'm anxious to see her grow and learn new things.

Julia is also a great big sister. She loves Christian and is really good at watching him and making him laugh. She loves to help him eat, take baths, pretty much anything. She is a great kid. So smart and funny. She has a beautiful smile and a great laugh. Wwe love her to death! We are so glad you are a part of our family. Happy Birthday Big Girl!

Picture of the Day

2011-08-09T11:57:00.000-07:00

My niece, Jane, was getting ready for bed and I pulled out my camera to take a picture of Christian, and she just started to say CHEESE, wanting me to take a picture of her. I took a few pictures of her and this was my favorite. A big CHEESY grin!

Christian 8 months

2011-08-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

Such a big boy. Everybody loves his chubby cheeks and his smile. My extended family can't get over how chubby his face is...they all LOVE those chubby checks and the double chin. I guess he gets that from his daddy since he was the same way when he was a baby......people were always pinching his cheeks!

He is having a rough couple of days because he has either a cold or more teeth coming in. He wants to be held constantly and doesn't sleep well at all. His 2 bottom have come within the last month. He is starting to eat food other than baby food, the easy stuff like bread, crackers, and puffs. He still loves to eat and gobbles down the oatmeal and fruit and veggies. He can hold his own bottle pretty well now too, but still has a hard time putting it back in if he drops it completely.

Christian loves to pull himself up on things and is
now getting up on all 4's and rocking back and forth.

Christian is on the verge of crawling. He goes from a sitting postition and puts his hands down on the ground. He will attempt to be up on all four's but just wobbles back and forth. While lying on his tummy he will spin around in circles on the floor and has a pretty good reach. If he could walk he would, he just doesn't have the balance or control of his legs yet. He LOVES to stand up with assistance. We went to 7 Peaks water park a few weeks ago and he just stood in the shallow part of the pool in his inner-tube and walked all over the place. I still wish they made those chairs they can sit in and just walk all over the house but oh well.

When he isn't frustrated with trying to move around or having teeth come in, Christian is a pretty happy baby. He loves to play with Julia. Julia is really great at making him laugh. He loves to just sit in her room and just play and watch Julia. He also has started to really like bath time. He loves to sit up now and just splash his hands and play with toys. He likes to talk and grunt. His new thing as of late is spitting. I know he is learning and exploring but its not fun to deal with when he is eating. The food flies everywhere.

I wish I could say that Christian is a great sleeper. I WISH he was like Julia in that aspect. Julia slept through the night at 3 months old, but thats just not the case with Christian. He loves to be rocked to sleep but the trick with him is this.....you have to kept rocking him until he has been asleep at least 15-20 mins or he wakes up immediately when you put him down in bed. I don't mind rocking him to sleep at night but when its nap time I just want him to go to sleep on his own. So after our little vacation weekend it starts next week..... he will have to put himself to sleep for naps and at bedtime. It will be hard because he hates it but hopefully the crying will lessen as the week goes on.

Its been a quick 8 months and I've loved having Christian in our home. He is a happy and healthy and that's all I could ask for. The next few months will be fun. Seeing him start to move and become more independant. I love, love, love his big boy!

Christian and Mesa. He loves to play with the dog and
Mesa loves the attention and gets along great with all the kids.

Exploring his world. He loves to be outside

LIKES:
Eating
Being Rocked to Sleep
Being able to stand up
Bath time
Playing with Julia

DISLIKES:
Having to cry himself to sleep
Having his clothes changed/getting dressed
Having teeth come in

STOP.............Police Check point ahead!

2011-07-23T19:48:00.000-07:00

I had even read about this in the paper so I shouldn't have been surprised but I was. Julia and I were out and about running errands and on the way home and we came up to a little police checkpoint. They were just trying to stop and check people to see if they were intoxicated etc. and if they were going to go up the canyon. In the past there have been alcohol related accidents over the holidays and the police just didn't want it to happen again; thus the police checkpoint on our way home.

I asked Julia to be quiet because the police officer was going to ask me some questions. So I pulled up and he asked where I was headed, where home was, and to be safe, blah, blah, blah. But what was interesting was the conversation that took place on our way home.

Julia asked why we had to stop for and why the police were asking us questions. I told her that the police wanted us to be safe and the concept of "being drunk" came up. I thought how do I explain that one? I just told her that some things you drink like beer and wine cause us to be silly and make bad decisions. I told her that beer and wine had what they call alcohol in them and thats what causes us to sometimes do bad things. And Julia kept asking do we drink alcohol and I kept saying no. Heavenly Father and Jesus said it was really bad for our bodies and to NEVER drink it. She accepted that explanation. Whew....a little easier than I thought. It was so sudden that I just didn't think it would come out the right way or it would be easy enough for Julia to understand, but she can process things better than I give her credit for.

We got home and Julia told Layne that the police made us stop and asked us questions. She said that we don't drink alcohol and then Layne told her that if we do drink it that we could go to jail or that we could get in accidents and hurt ourself or others. It was pretty intense for her because she kept saying all last night, "Mom, we don't drink alcohol." And even today she mentioned it a few times. I guess it sunk in for her. It was an intersting conversation, one of many to come. But it felt good to be able to talk with her and have her understand the concept.

Christian

2011-07-21T10:58:00.000-07:00

Just a little post on what Christian has been up to. He tries to pull himself up on his toys but gets in the crouch position and then falls flat on his face. I guess he hasn't quite learned that the object needs to be a little taller to pull up on. So last night he was trying it again and this time I caught him. He fell over and just sat there, bawling of course, the funny thing was he didn't even try to get out of his position, he just sat there.

He got a hold of some tissue paper the other day and enjoyed himself thoroughly. I was pulling paper out of his mouth all morning. Who knows how much he probably swallowed? But he was having a good time :)

Christian loves to play in Julia's room. I don't know if its because its just new and different things to look at but he is always laughing and so content when he's in her room. Julia loves to have her little brother in her room to play. The other day Julia pulled out her cowboy hats and they had a good time.

Cinderella

2011-07-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

On Monday Julia and her cousin Kate got to go see the local play of Cinderella. Last year they both went to see the Wizard of Oz and loved it so we decided to let them go again. Thankfully they both had Cinderella dresses so they could both go and be dressed up. They looked so cute and they had a great time. Thanks to Amy and Kristy for taking the girls to enjoy a magical night!

She LOVES to do her little pose

2 cute princesses

Some pictures before the show

A Very Potter Weekend

2011-07-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

Well this past weekend I saw the final movie of the Harry Potter series. Its been a good run and I've enjoyed it all the way. From the books to the movies its been a magical ride seeing Harry and his friends grow up and having the ultimate end with GOOD vs. EVIL and the good guys actually win! Thanks for the memories and great adventures Harry! As well as seeing the movie, my sister Amy, had a work party that was a all themed with Harry Potter. They did a great job having all these tents set up that resembled different parts of Harry Potter's world. Everyone even got their very own wand! They had treats from Honeydukes and magical creatures you could pet. Julia got to help me hold a snake and pet a kimona dragon. They even gave us wooden tokens to enjoy treats and have fun at the event. It was a great time and Julia had a blast.

This is all the stuff we got from the Harry Potter Party!

Sleeping Habits

2011-07-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

I guess this all started when Julia was still in her crib around 12-18 months. She would just get herself into the weirdest sleeping positions. Here are quite a few pictures we have captured of her.

Surrounded by her baby dolls

Protection under the pillow

In the corner under the pillow again

She must like it dark and quiet?

Now in her 'big girl' bed.....still wanting to be under the pillows

Can you find Julia? I went to check on her and
couldn't find her anywhere but with a closer
look she had found a nice dark place under the bed

Just blankets this time at the opposite side of her bed

Getting her beauty sleep but with a cautious eye peeking out

Most recent of her....she asked for an ice pack because
she was so hot and fell asleep with it on her face

Maybe she will outgrow the silliness someday but for now its fun to capture these moments!

Weekend Celebration Part 2

2011-07-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

Well, we woke up in Preston on Monday morning (4th of July) and made our way home. We had just enough time to unpack and relax a bit before we headed off to the Bee's game with the Mott family. We wanted to get another family picture of everyone like we did last year. So we gathered early to get pictures. My sister set up her camera with the self timer so we could get everyone in. That picture will be posted shortly since its on her camera. We did manage to get pictures of everyone and they were all pretty cooperative. Then we headed off to the Bee's baseball game. We certainly stood out since we all had our tie dyed shirts on. Thankfully it was cool and overcast so it made the game even more enjoyable. We all had a great time and the kids had a lot of fun experiencing the ball game and having all kinds of treats. The Bee's actually won the game this year but made it close in the last inning. They were up by 7 runs and it came down to the Bee's pulling out with the one run lead to end the game. Then the fireworks began. Layne took Christian to the car early because he was just so tired and was super fussy. He just wouldn't stay asleep long enough. Layne said we will never bring kids under 12 months again. But other than that we all had a great time and it was fun to spend the 4th watching the All American past time and enjoying the fireworks.

Sisters

All the boys

Gma and Christian

♥ My 2 handsome boys ♥

Kate and Julia
Happy 4th!

Kids having fun at the ball game

Julia and the Bee's mascot....Bumble-bee

Enjoying the game

Some of the show

Amy and Julia watching the fireworks

It was a great weekend spent with both families. We are so blessed to have all of them so close to be able to see everyone. We LOVE spending time with everyone. We made some great memories! Happy 4th !

A Weekend Celebration Part 1

2011-07-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

The 4th of July weekend was wonderful. We ventured on up to Preston to spend time with Layne's family. It was fun and relaxing as always. Julia LOVES to visit Gma and Gpa Cromwell and has such a good time with them. Julia was looking forward to playing outside in the pool with the slide. She had more fun chasing grandpa with the water guns than anything else. It was a war! So we spent time playing outside, enjoyed making crafts, playing kissing tag with grandpa and watching movies with grandma. Christian and Julia both got their summer pj's from grandma. It was an aloha party theme this year with tropical fish shorts. The kids love them and Julia will probably wear them every nite. She still wears her Mickey pj's from last year. Jeff, Kelly and the kids came up to have Sunday dinner and we even got to roast smores on the bbq. The cousins always have so much fun together. Julia loves to play with Ella and is attached to her hip. They loved the bubbles and riding the golf cart together. They even had a sleep over and Julia thought that was so fun. It was a great weekend in Preston just wish it had been a little longer. But we do get to see them again at the end of July for the big rodeo weekend with the whole family.....can't wait!

Sporting her new suit and playing in the pool

Julia was saying goodnight to gpa and she didn't want to give hugs
or kisses. So gpa said he didn't want any kisses and then Julia attacked.
Grandpa kept hiding and trying to get away as Julia kept on kissing him.

New Tropical PJ's.........so cute.

Grandpa and Christian

Coloring before church

4th of July Dress to wear to church. She had a great time
being able to go with Grandma to Primary. She even got
to help the kids learn a new song about flags. She was
a big helper and a great singer.

Making crafts with Logan and Ella

Christian and Eli just hanging out

Ella and Julia in the golf cart trying to run down Miles

Roasting marshmellows with grandpa and the boys

Enjoying the yummy gooey-ness with Ella

Christian 7 months

2011-07-04T13:47:00.000-07:00

What an awesome day to be 7 months, on the 4th of July. This guy is such a lovey, dovey, smiley boy. He is a pretty happy baby and still loves to eat. We started on baby food and he's getting the hang of it. He loves sweet potatoes and green beans mixed in with oatmeal.

Christian is pretty messy eater. He loves to sit in his chair but loves to rock backand forth so its hard to get him to sit still long enough to get the spoon in his mouth. He always smiles when I do the sign for 'all done' he will grab my hands and just laugh.

Christian is getting his first bottom tooth in and has been cranky and I think it affects his sleep. Still not sleeping through the night and when the first tooth was coming in he would wake up every 2 hours.....not fun. But he seems to be handling it pretty well.

Christian LOVES to be outside. He loves to watch all the birds fly and just look at everything around him. He loves to sit and just play while Julia is running all over the place. He has a good time and looks so cute in his blue hat.

He LOVES to play in his saucer still. He has strong legs and just loves to stand and then rock it back and forth. He loves to play with the balls and throw them all over the place. This is a great shot of him chillin in the saucer trying to turn around and look at daddy for a picture.

Christian has been sitting like a pro for awhile. While sitting he loves to take a toy or even hishand and just slap his leg. He talks more and loves to grunt when he is trying to get your attention or after he has done something he is proud of. He loves the water too, just like Julia. While he is laying down he loves to raise both legs in the air and let them drop and just splash the water everywhere.

He loves it when he sees Julia. He will just watch her and follow her around the room. He loves to seeDaddy when he gets home from work. And he's a momma's boy for now. If I leave the room or am outof view he will cry and then once he settles down and sees me again he just starts to bawl. Or if he thinks you are coming over to pick him up and then just walk right on by he crys to. Its cute and nice to be needed. I stilllove to rock him to sleep. He fights it for about 5 mins and then settles right down and falls asleep everytime. I love his smile and his laugh. I just can't get enough of those chubby cheeks either!

LIKES:

Eating

Sitting Up

Slapping his leg

Grunting

Splashing in the bath

Being rocked to sleep

DISLIKES:

Being put into the car seat

Being left alone for to long

Having his teeth come in

Crying himself to sleep

4th of July Facts

2011-07-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of stories surrounding the Declaration of Independence. One of the most famous concerns John Hancock and his comically large signature. According to legend, the founding father signed his name bigger than everyone else's because he wanted to make sure "fat old King George" could read it without his spectacles.

It's a neat story about American brashness, but it isn't very accurate. The truth is a tad less dramatic. Snopes.com explains that Hancock, president of the Continental Congress, gave a super-sized signature not because he was itching for a fight with the king, but because, among other things, he happened to be the first person to sign the document.

Because Hancock was the first to sign, he did the sensible thing and put his name front and center. He was the leader of the Congress, after all. He didn't know his fellow patriots would sign their names on a smaller scale.

So, why are some of the other signatures high and to the left while others are down and to the right? The National Archives explains, "In accordance with prevailing custom, the other delegates began to sign at the right below the text, their signatures arranged according to the geographic location of the states they represented. New Hampshire, the northernmost state, began the list, and Georgia, the southernmost, ended it."

And it's worth remembering that signing one's name to the Declaration of Independence was no small thing. Those who signed the document were sure to be hanged for treason should they be caught.
Not only was Hancock the first to sign the Declaration, he did it weeks before anybody else. The National Archives explains, "One of the most widely held misconceptions about the Declaration is that it was signed on July 4, 1776, by all the delegates in attendance."

In reality, Hancock signed it in the presence of just one man, Charles Thomson, the secretary of Congress. National Geographic explains, "no one actually signed the Declaration of Independence at any time during July 1776. Signing began on August 2, with John Hancock's famously bold scribble, and wasn't completed until late November."

That famous painting of all the founding fathers gathered around, signing the document was a case of artistic license.

Fourth of July Trivia:

• More than 150 million hot dogs will be consumed on the Fourth of July. That's roughly 1 dog for every two people in the U.S.

• Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national animal but was outvoted when John Adams and Thomas Jefferson chose the bald eagle.

• The first 4th of July party held at the White House was in 1801.

• The Fourth of July was not declared a national holiday until 1941.

• John Hancock was the only person to actually sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The other 55 signers did not sign it until August 2nd or even later.

• When the United States became a country, there were approximately 2.5 million people living in the country. Today the population is around 304 million.

• Bristol, Rhode Island has the oldest, continuous Fourth of July celebration dating back to 1785.

• The majority of our nation’s flags and patriotic paraphernalia is actually produced in China. Close to $350 million is spent every year to import flags, banners and decorations.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! I LOVE THIS COUNTRY AND I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!

History of Fireworks

2011-07-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

The earliest settlers brought their love of fireworks to this country. Firings of black powder were used to celebrate holidays and to impress the natives. This fascination with the noise and color of fireworks did not weaken with the passage of time. Pranksters in the colony of Rhode Island caused enough problems that in 1731 a ban was established on the mischievous use of fireworks.

By the time of the American Revolution, fireworks had long played a part in celebrating important events. It was natural, then, that not only John Adams but also many of his countrymen should think of fireworks when independence was declared. The very first celebration of Independence Day was in 1777, six years before Americans knew whether the new nation would even survive the war, and fireworks were a part of the revels. In 1789, George Washington's inauguration was accompanied by a beautiful display.

Fireworks are one of my favorite parts of the 4th. I love the smell of them and I love to watch them. Its a great way to celebrate the 4th!

Flag Facts

2011-07-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

For more than 200 years, the American flag has been the symbol of our nation's strength and unity. It's been a source of pride and inspiration for millions of citizens. And the American Flag has been a prominent icon in our national history. Here are the highlights of its unique past.

On January 1, 1776, the Continental Army was reorganized in accordance with a Congressional resolution which placed American forces under George Washington's control. On that New Year's Day the Continental Army was laying siege to Boston which had been taken over by the British Army. Washington ordered the Grand Union flag hoisted above his base at Prospect Hill. It had 13 alternate red and white stripes and the British Union Jack in the upper left-hand corner (the canton).

In May of 1776, Betsy Ross reported that she sewed the first American flag.

On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."

Tie Dye Fun

2011-07-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

This year for the 4th tradition we wanted to do tie-dye shirts for the kids to wear to the baseball game. So we found a kit, bought some shirts and looked online for some patterns and tips. Well, the first batch we didn't like to well. We used to much color and Julia's shirt was not 100% cotton so the colors weren't very bright. Christian's first shirt/onsie turned out great. So to say the least I didn't like how they turned out and so we did some more and Layne wanted me to do one for him. He thought it would be cool to have everybody wear one for a family picture and to the baseball game! Here are the results :) The second batch turned out much better. I wanted more white in the shirts and I liked how they turned out. Family picture to come!

Julia's shirt 1st batch

Christian's shirt 1st round

The results Julia's and Christian's shirts

2nd round Julia's and Christian's

Layne and Karrie's shirts.....they all turned out so much better!

Then and Now

2011-06-30T15:14:00.000-07:00

I was just looking through some pictures of mine and can't believe how quickly time has passed. Christian has grown so much! What a cute couple of kiddos!

Julia and Christian (around 2 wks old)

Julia and Christian 6.5 months old

A Horse Back Ride and An Ice Cream Social

2011-06-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was a beautiful day and later in the evening it was perfect to have my mom saddle up Annie for the kids to have their own free horse ride. I told Julia what we were going to do and she got so excited and couldn't get to grandma's fast enough. She even put on her cowgirl boots to ride in! She loves horses and lately has been riding her stick-pony around the house alot. She also pretends to be a horse all the time. Christian even got in on the action. He only sat on top of the horse.

Getting ready to ride

A ride with grandma around the corral

Christian's 1st time on top a horse

Julia and her stick-pony

After horsey rides we got everybody ready to head over to the Ice Cream Social in Alpine. It was a kick off to summer and the upcoming play "Cinderella" at the local theater in July. The kids had a great time and LOVED the ice cream. I got them balloons and they kept running around trying to play tag and other crazy games. The day had worn them out because it was so easy to put them in bed that night!

Enjoying the fudge and strawberries on
her chocolate ice cream

Christian was so tired, he was chillin in his stroller

Kristy and Caleb

Running in a circle with the balloons

All worn out!

Finished Craft

2011-06-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

I promised I would show the other letter project I was working on, so here it is. I replaced the 'i' with a little 4th of July figurine. I love it and it was so fun to do! Can't wait till July to put out my new stuff!

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to a Dad who taught me and helped me how to work hard, to finish something you start, how to love the gospel, that practice makes perfect (or close to it), how to serve diligently, develop my talents, and that life is an adventure. Thanks Dad for all that you have taught me and continue to teach me. I love you!

To a wonderful father, who loves his kids dearly, who makes them laugh, who plays with them, who takes time out to talk to them and listen to them. Thanks for being such a wonderful dad! We love you tons!

Layne was hesitant to wear his 1st official Father's Day tie, but
wore it proudly as any dad would!

Flashback Friday

2011-06-17T08:51:00.000-07:00

Both kids are the same age ,6 months, and are doing the same thing just with opposite hands.....Weird!

Julia sleeping and holding on tight

Christian holding on and sleeping tight