Growing Kids

Suddenly, I feel like my three kids are growing so fast! Brianne is half-way through her Kindergarten year. Maicee is almost as tall as Brianne and Josiah is 10 months old this weekend. He is a speed crawler and races us up the stairs. He pulls himself to standing and is beginning to test his skills at letting go or walking around holding onto furnature. All three of them keep us laughing and are such a joy.

Christmas morning

We enjoyed being in our new home Christmas morning with the kids. It was cozy and relaxing. We filled stockings for each other and Josiah got a rocking horse. Grandpa Jr. and Grammy Sana, Aunt Bekah and Uncles Cameron and Mark came over in the afternoon and suprised the girls with a CAR! ;) They LOVE it and have fun driving up and down our street. We spent the 27th - 29th with the Oates side but I misplaced my camera so I don't have photos of that event. (sibs - email me some please) We had a family flag football game that was hilarious and I think it should become a Christmas tradition.

The Great Tree Hunt

Friday we drove up to Apple Hill to choose and cut our Christmas tree. It was FREEZING! You can see by the pictures just how cold we were. We got a beutiful tree though.

Finally, something GREEN!

S L O W L Y but surely, our yard is coming together. We've had a crew here the past three weekends and they have been smoothing, clearing rocks, adding rocks, and laying sod in the front yard. Here is the progress so far...

Josiah's newest 'trick'

Josiah has discovered his voice and is in constant competition with the girls. He has also discovered that he can make us all laugh at him. His newest 'trick' is to yell, open his mouth really wide, raise his eyebrows and tighten all the muscles in his body. We think it's hilarious, which makes him do it even more. He is such a joy!

Family Fall Festival & Tribute to D.O.

'Jasmine'


'Ariel'


'Daddy's little hunter who wouldn't keep the hat on'




This year Brianne dressed up as Jasmine and Maicee dressed up as Ariel. I think we're keeping Disney in business with my girls love for princess things. Josiah balanced things out by wearing his first camo shirt (from Belleza's) and hat (from Wylie's), much appreciated by his daddy. Mike was busy running the youth booth and I, Holy Grounds coffee so we went as ourselves.





However, the 31st fell on a Wednesday so to youth group I dressed up as a 'teenager from 1993'. I wore my old jeans, pegged my pant legs, wore a Del Oro shirt tucked in and bloused out, hair in a ponytail and curled my bangs and sported my Letterman's jacket. There's no photo, too bad ;) The students were impressed with my jacket since I'm convinced their only view of me is a 30 year old mom. I'm not sure how to take their comments of "you played basketball AND ran track?" Gotta love spending a lifetime with teenagers!

Fall

Autumn Breakfast


Apple Hill with friends



Dressing up as 'mom and dad'

Josiah (7.5 mo.) & cousin Graeson (9.5 mo.)

We love living up in the mountains now and love the colors and feeling of fall (except for this really warm past week). We had an autumn breakfast the week we got home from the hospital to celebrate and have enjoyed any time we've had together as a family.