Highs and Lows

Our two week break has been full of highs and lows. Our year has been full of highs and lows, and I suppose that's life - highs and lows. I just enjoy the highs much more :) We have endured almost two weeks of kick our trash sickness. It has made me appreciate my health much more. We still had a great Christmas, but it sure put a damper on how much we could do and being able to play/spend time with family.

Whitney has found a new wagon for Hailey. I have watched this daily for the last week. It's great to hear Hailey laughing.

We've done a lot of painting and coloring.

Got a couple games in. Here's our Christmas croquet game.

Tuesday we ventured to Grandma's. After a couple hours Travis was not doing good. And so, back home we went. By Salt Lake everyone was out. I laughed when I saw Whitney in this position. I wish I could sleep anywhere like that.

This was by far my best present this year. I love this stage. After all the ups and downs of pregnancy/newborn. How nice to enjoy the Holidays and admire my work in action ;)

Everything is down except the Christmas Tree. For some odd reason I still want a piece of Christmas up. Especially when I think how big my midgets will be next year when it goes back up.

So.... Hailey has enjoyed it.

Happy New Year. My goals. Oh! If I could just slow down and relax. Breath in the Roses. Not feel like I need to be perfect and yet do all the things a perfect person should. Is that possible? Probably not.

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday

Christmas' are great. We've been so incredibly blessed. Christmas Eve morning Aaron told me about someone who needed help who's been sick all year. He couldn't get him out of his mind. So I quickly told him to go help and he quickly did. While he was gone and I cleaned and disinfected our house I couldn't help but cry (I blame it on the Christmas music). I cried in gratitude for all I have and a little in pain for those in need of our help. It was a great start to my day - reminding me that the true spirit of Christmas is giving of ourselves and selflessness. Just like Christ lived his life.

Despite us battling sickness all week, our family was kind enough to come party at our house for a Christmas Eve/ Aaron's B-day party. We had good food, games, and plenty of presents. Thanks fam.

Highlight for me: Getting Rollerblades :) and a Christmas book with a note - short and sweet and once again making me tear up - sheesh - I was a little sentimental that day! Thanks mom and dad for believing in my dream to publish my writing. You've always believed in me. I know your always rooting for me. Whether it was 2nd grade soccer or now, being a mom. You guys are honestly amazing. How lucky I am to have amazing parents and incredible in-laws as well!

Here is pretty much Christmas the night before. The cousins gave each other gifts, then they opened some from G-ma and G-pa.

Christmas morning came at about 3 am for me. No one else. No because I was too giddy to sleep. But rather, so stuffed up I couldn't breath. so I feed Hailey, and worked on my own Christmas story. Travis woke up about 5 with an ear ache and fever, and about 6:30 we went to bed for an hour. Then the fun began. If presents were involved Travis was a trooper :) Poor guy held up ok.

Aaron had the presence of mind to take a picture of the kids before we unwrapped presents. Here they are in their Christmas pajamas. Whitney's Belle, Travis is spiderman. And Hailey our little mini mouse.

Whitney and Travis were fun to watch. I knew they would be. What I didn't expect was how entertaining Hailey would be! I laughed watching her all day. She was in heaven from the get go. Presents, candy, and wrapping paper everywhere. So much to explore. She had a constant smile!

Here she is smiling after figuring out the pop rocks made noise when she shook the package.

planned simultaneous opening

so much fun!

Whitney with her Strawberry shortcake everything.

Travis' batcave. Love the action shot - he was stoked!

Informing me that now he had two batmans.

Whitney's favorite - strawberry shortcake remote control car

Hailey loved the ball popper

Travis admiring the batmobile.

We I told Aaron how hungry I was so "make it a 4-egger" - I didn't realize what I was getting into. It was amazing, and sadly I about downed the whole thing.

Trying to eat wrapped candy

After breakfast it was the next stage - presents under the tree.

Hailey looking at her new doll from Grandma Hoopes

I laughed pretty good when Travis disappeared for a while and came back as spiderman.

We had a lot of fun. Played hard. I loved everything. Aaron loved his toy helicopter. Whitney loved her remote control car. Travis loved his batcave and collection. Hailey loved the chaos. I love this holiday.

Here's to getting everyone healthy and enjoying a week off!

Snow . . . and more snow

Last Sunday it was supposed to snow a little, and then, rain. Um, no. Not quite. The "snowstorm of 2010" according to the weather man ended up being a big deal about a skiff of snow. But now, when they say little snow - I'll plan on being snowed in.
So, Sunday it snowed and just kept snowing. Monday I shipped Whitney off too school and shoveled during Hailey's morning nap - after me and Travis quickly made a snowman :) I swear I shoveled the heaviest snow for almost 2 hours! It was insane.

Then it just kept snowing. And Tuesday morning Whitney's school got cancelled. Which was sad since she was all excited about her elf party. But when I opened the garage to see this, I was happy I wasn't going anywhere! Aaron was nice enough to take the shoveling shift the next day - the front walk that is :) Our neighbors plowed our driveway with their tractor. We owe them.

It was heavy snow = horrible to shovel = great to play in! We built a sweet slide in about 10 minutes. The snowballs were so heavy I couldn't push them. We definitely had some fun.

Demolition

Today and yesterday are mile markers. Yesterday was my 8th anniversary. Anything I can say about how amazing and wonderful my husband is, and how happy I am to be married to him -is too mushy for this blog. Eight years has gone fast. Yet I look at all that has happened and all that we have accomplished, and yes, it then feels like it's been a great 8 years.

Today snowed! What a great excuse to consider shoveling lifting and then play all during Hailey's nap in the snow! Here's Mr. Frosty. I'm all for Christmas decor - but my gingerbread house and train has made my kitchen feel a tad bit cluttered. Today I decided it was demolition time - and this might be a tradition. The kids had way more fun destroying than decorating! And yes, my kitchen feels a thousand times cleaner now :)
Mile marker #2 - Hailey is 9 months old today. She's a cutie. I love that she now waves, claps, and is much more vocal. Her smile still melts my heart. Love ya Hailey!

December Ramblings

What an interesting start to the month I've had. We started off festive: decorating and doing Gingerbread Houses and trains. We had Aaron's Business Christmas Party, where I have completely put to use the present of a Blu-ray player. We had a great Saturday watching Tangled with Grandma and Grandpa and doing lunch. What a great movie!

But lately I've felt a little more like a Martha than a Mary. I get way to focused on cleaning and things that need to get done rather than getting on my knees and playing with my kids. It sometimes seems an impossible job to keep a husband and three kids happy and satisfied while keeping a clean and functional home. Good thing my family is patient with me.

This past Sunday our ward did a fast. Turns out that same day a neighbors 2 month old boy passed away. Things like this make everyone evaluate life. It reemphasized to me that God is in charge, he has a plan, and we need to humble ourselves and submit to that. It has made me think of how we view this time on earth. How different time seems here - how long it feels to wait a "lifetime" to be with a loved one again.

While running Saturday (running is when the endorphins give me a clear mind :)) I concluded that the best way to live life is with gratitude and a positive attitude. As a kid that seemed obvious. Life was a big adventure. It still is to me. But something about age has made those simple things more of a choice than second nature.

I'm so grateful for this season where everything around me reminds me of Christ. I've written a kids book and have an idea for an adult Christmas book swimming/screaming in my head. Problem= I have no time to write it = when will people ever have time during Christmas to read it? Maybe that's more reason to write it and focus on the reason for the season.

Here's some of our Gingerbread making pics. Aaron was patient with me - I got a little too ambitious doing a house and a train. I'll stick to one next time . . . or maybe a gingerbread castle :)

Whitney is still mom #2 - here's her homemade playpen. Her genius ideas inspire me!

Thanks for listening to my ramblings again - that is if anybody reads this. If not, it was nice talking to myself :)