Just A Little Family Update

Well, well, well.... I'm not the fabulous blogger that I once was but I do want to keep up on the current events in our lives. So, here's what is new with us...

Ehlana is only a couple of days away from turning 9 months old! I know you're wondering the same thing I am... where has the time gone?! She is rolling all over and eating solids really well. Some of her favorites are bananas, graham crackers, and asparagus. We missed her 6 month appointment because of the move so I just barely got her in for a check up. She only weighs 12 pounds which means she is the size of a four month old! But, she's happy, healthy, loud, and really silly. She also is talking now! She says Hi, Mama, Bye Bye, and the other day she said Grandma. Or something like it... Which of course thrilled my mom!

Jaxson James is in Primary now at church and he's doing really great. (We bribe him with dessert if he's good in class.) He finally seems to be past the terrible two's and I already like my Three year old better than my Two year old. His new motto is "I Can Help!" He loves to feed the cat, undress himself, and help with the cooking and the laundry. He's a wonderful Big Brother! He loves to do silly things to make Elle laugh and he's really good at sharing with her. He now knows all the sounds that the letters make and he tells us all the time what letter different words start with. He has an amazing memory and he surprises us with how fast he learns new things.

I am finally finding a good balance in life. These last 9 months since Elle was born have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster for me and I was trying to find a good balance through all the changes. Now I feel great and I have a clean house and happy kids (most of the time.) I also have lost all of my baby weight (and the couple pounds that snuck on during the Holidays.) I'm so grateful for my health and my little family!

Steve is finished with his Pediatric rotation and is starting his Cardiac Surgery rotation tomorrow! We're a little nervous about the long commute and the crazy schedule he will have the next 6 weeks, but, we are also optimistic about it. He only has four months of school left and we are starting to plan for his graduation!! Yeah! He likes serving in the Young Men's, game nights with our friends, and playing Wii.

I'll post some pictures of the kids soon and maybe some video of Ehlana talking... I hope that 2009 has begun a great year for you also!

President Obama

Although President Obama did not get my vote, I am happy he is the new President of our wonderful country. I think it was a historical moment and I feel blessed to have been alive to witness it. It made me feel proud to be an American. I have a lot of hope for the future and I have faith that President Obama will make a positive impact. God bless the United States of America!

Sledding!

A couple days after Christmas my sister and her family came to visit! It was so great to see them and spend New Years with them. My parents planned a sleigh ride and sledding trip up in the mountains. They found this great facility that had tents with wood burning stoves in them so you can sled all day and have a place to make food or warm up. We had a great time. My parents have a way of making such wonderful memories for us!
The food. We had hot dogs, chili, smores, and hot cocoa.





Cute kids. Unfortunately my kids were really sick so they were pretty tired and miserable most of the time. But, I think Jaxson still had fun. My sister's little boy Sam was adorable and Paul was fearless when sledding!







The Manly Men.


My brother, Carl, melting snow on the fire...



Sledding!

Christmas 2008

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! It was so low-key that it came and went really fast. The celebration began on Christmas Eve with our traditional Jesus Supper. We eat food that Jesus would have eaten such as fish, grapes, nuts, cheese etc. and we talk about His life and the real meaning of Christmas. Then we gather around and read the story of his birth from the Bible and sing Christmas Carols. Jesus Supper is my favorite family tradition. I love teaching my children about Jesus Christ and my gratitude for our Savior's birth.

We started the Christmas Morning opening the kids stockings and then we took them into the living room to open their gifts. Jaxson is at a fun age and really got into opening his gifts. Ehlana liked unwrapping the gifts also but only because she wanted to eat the wrapping paper.
Here we are (morning hair and all) opening the stockings!




Here's the kids opening some of their gifts. Ehlana was pretty funny...



We then went to my parents house and had Christmas breakfast, naps, and the traditional Christmas dinner. It was a wonderful day!