Christmas 2010

Warning: LOTS OF PICTURES!!!!

So these first two are not from Christmas but they are just so sweet that I had to post them:) We sure love this little guy.

We tried to act out the Nativity story on Christmas Eve, the kids were not really into it:) Oh well, they enjoyed listening to Grandma read a story:) We had a wonderful Christmas with Grandma and Papa this year as well as our new sweet Carter. I love Christmas and the opportunity that we have to celebrate the birth of our Savior. What a wonderful time to teach our children about service and how we can show Jesus our love to Him through serving others.

Gavin was not so thrilled with his pj's this year:)

Waiting on the stairs:)

Grandma got Ry this Snow White wig, her cheeks and lips look really red!!! Hehe:)

I love this. I found Gavin just mesmerized by Rylee's musical jewelry box:)

Rylee wanted dance clothes, now I just need to get her in a dance class.

This is what Santa brought me:)

A Princess game from Grandma and Papa.

Gavin got his garbage truck!!!

The dance clothes--got to love her hair:)

Gavin also got Buz Lightyear!!! He was one happy boy:)

Rylee's Art easel:) She has told us that she wants to be an artist!!

I have such cute kids!!!

Gavin just cracks me up!!! In this first picture he is flexing his muscles:) I love the goofy face. The next two I told him not to smile and so he gave me some great ones:) My little boy is not looking so little lately:(

This little guy is such a blessing and a joy. He is such a content little guy (so far:)

He is a little rolly polly--every time I lay him down to change his diaper he rolls on his side like this---so cute!!!

Rylee can't get enough of him either:) Oh and she did her own hair!!!

We love living close to Grandma and Grandpa.

He actually asked to hold Carter, but it didn't last for long. By the time I called for Jonathan to get the camera, Gavin was already trying to push him away. They will learn to love each other:)

Carter Michael

Monday night at around 8 pm I started having contractions but nothing regular until around 11pm when they were about 2-3 minutes apart. So I tried to sleep, then I tried to walk walk around and at about 1:30 am when I realized they were getting stronger I called the doctor. The funny thing is I went into labor with Gavin in the middle of the night, my boys just want to do things the same:) So we got there I was only dilated to a 1 1/2, I was pretty discouraged and really worried that they were going to send me home since I was 11 days early, but an hour later I was almost a 3 and so they admitted me. When my wonderful doctor got there a little bit later in the morning, she broke my water and I got an epidural--I love those:) Jonathan left around 11 to go check on the kids and when he got back around 12:30 I felt ready to push, and so three pushes later our newest little family member was born at 12:43 pm weighing 5 lb 12 oz and was 18 in. long (our smallest one so far). So all of my kids have come out with hair, but Rylee and Gavin both had black hair--Carter came out blond:) There is something so sweet and spiritual about the first cry that just brings tears to my eyes. What a miracle it is to bring children into the world. Rylee is just as in love with Carter as I am, Gavin--well not so much:) But I'm hoping that with time they can become best buddies.

Ginger Bread Houses and Brigitte's Birthday!!!

We love making ginger bread houses, well I should say the kids like shoving as much of the candy in their mouths before we finally make them stop eating and start decorating:) I guess I should be calling them "graham cracker houses" since that it really what they are.

We were able to celebrate Brigitte's birthday at our house. It was a lot of fun. We LOVE living so close to them. Jared make yummy chicken enchiladas and I made the ugliest German chocolate cake you have ever seen (that is a hard cake to make:) But it still tasted really good. Jonathan was a life savor on the cake. After 30 to 40 minutes of stirring my frosting over low heat like the directions said, my frosting was still not getting thick so I decided to be done and try and frost the cake with what I had. Ha ha, it was a mess and the cake soaked in everything except the coconut and nuts, so of course the pregnant girl starts crying and pulling out the brownie mix. Jonathan looked up another frosting recipe and we quickly made one that worked and our cake had double the frosting--well the cake was soaked through with one:) So below you will see pictures of the ugliest cake, because it was falling apart with all the frosting:) But hey, we had fun!!!

Gavin just LOVES Brigitte:)

Trying to get the candles in before the land slide:)

I said it was ugly:)

Thanksgiving!!!

This Thanksgiving we were blessed to be able to spend time with a lot of Jonathan's family. Three of his sisters traveled here to Richmond with their families, and Jared and Brigitte, and Jonathan's parents are already here so we had a fun big party!!! Usually I forget my camera these days, this time I just forgot to use it:) Here are a couple of the pictures that I did take:)

Jared, Tami and Dan:)

The cousins: Joshua, Rylee, Mikayla, Tyler, Abby, and Gavin

The kids LOVED playing with their cousins and were so sad when they had to leave.

Lisa and Clint and their two beautiful children, Tyler and Abby, stayed at our home and we all just had so much fun with them here.
This picture was right after church:)
We missed Sarah, Mike and their kids, and Emily and Trevor--we love you guys!!!

The pregnant mama!!!

I honestly HATE getting my picture taken, even when I'm not pregnant!!! But for my wonderful family members who insist on this here it is:) Enjoy b/c I won't do it again:)

I am thankful for...

I love this Holiday season and I love that it starts with Thanksgiving. Tonight for family home evening we made turkeys. In order to get feathers, a face, feet and a bow or bow tie we had to say something that we were thankful for for each item. It was wonderful to hear the kids thinking of so many things that they are thankful for and that they recognize them as blessings. I love how each turkey turned out, Gavin did his own and it is so perfect:) I'm sure you can pick his out!!! I love my kids!!!

I'm a little late posting Rylee and Papa's joint birthday party. We are so blessed to live close to family and it was so wonderful to have Jonathan's parents, and his brother Jared and his beautiful wife Brigitte come over for Rylee's birthday and Papa's as well. This is the dress that Grandma and Papa got Rylee for her birthday!!! So loves it, however, it was so funny to see her fave when she opened it. She is still young enough not to truly appreciate clothing for a birthday present:)
I love this little nut:) Check out those beautiful big brown eyes!!!!!

We had already had so much cake and since the gathering was at my house I got to choose the dessert (and I had totally been craving cinnamon rolls:)