Happy New Year

Bring on 2011!

We hope it brings a lot of SpArK!

bring on the snow

 First run of the day.

 The dreaded walk up the hill.

Thanks Larsen's for inviting us, and for lunch. It was a very fun afternoon. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

 Siri and I spent most of the time in the car where it was warm. We had a fun photo shoot. I love her Laura hat!

 I love this baby.

 Last run of the day.

 All smiles.

Yes... that is my giant snow ninja. 

Josh pulled Chamberlain to the car down a small hill. Smallest hill of the day...

 he face plants. Priceless!!! I know I should put my camera down and comfort I just couldn't resist.

No worries. As soon as we got in the car he was all smiles and off to Gunners for lunch we went. I love this brown eyed boy.

wii had some fun

One of Sage's gifts came a few days early and we are so glad it did.  Wii had a blast every night. Especially when the little ones went to bed and the adults got a Wii bit carried away.  I think my new favorite game is Just Dance. I seriously could play that until the Wii hours of the morning and I did!

Here are just a few pictures of the fun Wii had from the first night we opened the gift.

 Look at everyone's face's they are so happy. Funny that they all are doing different dance moves.

 Grandma keeping the little ones at bay while the mamas and the papas danced.

 Even Grandma and Grandpa got in on the dancing action.

 Wii played some golf.

Wii also rockbanded it up!

Superhero Style. 

These boys wore their superhero capes all week.  

I loved it. 

It really blows my mind how a simple gaming system can bring so much joy and laughter for hours, I mean HOURS.  Before we knew it, it would be like 1 in the am. And for those of you with kids that are earlier risers you know that is late.  And every night we still continued to play until the morning hours. 

Did I mention that I that I loved Christmas break at home with my siblings! Really I wish we could have been there for 2 weeks, maybe even more.

5months

This hat reminds me so much of Grandma Laura. She used to wear these all the time.  You look just like her. She had those luscious cheeks as well.  Thanks mom for the hat we love it.

Look who is 5 months today!

I know I say this every month but honestly where does the time go. 

I have noticed that we have lived on 700 for 3 months now and I still have boxes that need to be unpacked and lots of things need to be put away and I just haven't gotten around to doing it because; I would rather play with you, or hold you sleeping or awake, or smile at you, or just give you all the attention you need!

I don't want to miss out due to the feeling of having to clean my house etc... I only get this opportunity once with you and only till your 18 so I am going to soak it up.  I don't want to miss a thing!

SIRI

You have decieded to wake up. 

You still love your morning naps and sleep until the afternoons but have been awake and playing with us in the later part of the day.  You are such a good sleeper morning and night.  You recognize your name and turn your head in the direction of whomever is calling it. 

You still laugh the hardest with Chamberlain although Grandma Chamberlain got you laughing pretty hard over Christmas break. 

You reach for things, and sit up still for short spurts. 

You are becoming more aware of sounds especially the sounds your toys make. 

You loved staring at the Christmas lights and Grandma C could bounce you to sleep by the trees where you would just stare and eventually drift off to dreamland. You were such a good sport with baby Lex as he was constantly trying to play with you and touch your face and pull your hair and ears.

You remind me of a Koi fish. As soon as I give you extra room with your clothes you grow right out of them.

Over the break Aunt Shelbie had fun playing dress up with you and convinced me to put flowers clips in your hair.  Aunt Shelbie was right you do need clips in your hair.  I am now addicted I have put a flower clip in your hair for three days straight. I cant help myself you are just so darn cute.

You are so loved. 

 Here you are with baby Lex. You are 5 months and baby Lex is 10 months you are catching up fast.

 Baby Lex trying to share with Siri, he is so handsome.

 You never really touched the ground when at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Siri we love you so.

re-living last week; day One

 

 What a sweet week we had!

It started off with making a few treats for friends and family. 

Then off to Southern Utah for some sun fun.

Our goal (Shelbie and I) was to have a Christmas routine every night for the boys.  We watched a Christmas movie, read a Christmas story, sang some Christmas songs, drank frothy Hot Cocoa, and said our prayers every night.  I'm so glad we did this it helped the boys wind down and get ready for bed.

Shelbie and Grandpa Lex started it off by reading a few Christmas stories to get us in the holiday spirit.

a

 

Watched our Christmas movie with Uncle Tanner. 

Sipped us some Frothy Hot Cocoa with vanilla flavored snowman marshmallows. 

And then snuggled up by the Christmas tree to go to bed. Just in case Santa came early. 

This was just day one.

At least that's what I can remember

ornaments

Growing up my FAVORITE thing to do when putting up our Christmas tree was to put my very OWN ornament on the tree. My special ornament was a baby carriage, very vintage almost like a British pram, with the year I was born stitched in red on either the back of the carriage or on the blanket where it folds over with a baby inside.  I remember spinning the wheels over and over again.  All of my siblings had their very own ornament and we would put it in our own special spot the tree. We looked forward to that every year. 

So naturally, when Chamberlain was born his first Christmas I went and picked out an ornament from Hallmark just as my mother did and selected an ornament that was boyish, I wasn't too excited about it but hey its tradition.  Now that I know his personality it totally fits him.   This year I was so excited  to pick one out one for Siri, Hallmark, just did not have anything I liked at all or that I thought Siri might like in the future. So I found a shiny blue hippo with glittery purple skis instead and dated it myself with a sharpie.

I couldn't resist, I kept giggling at it the whole time I had it at the store.  I would have loved that growing up.  It goes perfectly with one of my favorite silly Christmas songs I want a hippopotamus for Christmas, and not to mention my tree with hot purple glittery poinsettias and turquoise snow flakes it goes quite well.

  How could you not laugh. 

Below 

is Chamberlains.

Its nicely painted and I know that the 1 is supposed to stand for 1 year old but I like to think of it as his 1st Christmas.  Chamberlain loves it.  He is constantly moving it from branch to branch all along the bottom of course, since our tree sits atop a desk. 

The back has the date so I'll remember when those gray hairs come in which belongs ornament to who.

I'm excited for the future. I hope Siri will like the hippo as much as I do. 

feels like a snowy man day

 is what Chamberlain said to me today while playing in the snow this morning.  This was our first snow angel and snowman of the season.  We played and played and played, until I literally couldn't feel my fingers anymore. I can't find my gloves, anywhere! I have looked high and low.  What parents do to see our kids experience joy. My hands were so numb, I wanted to give up and go inside before we even finished the first layer of Scooter (this is what Chamberlain decided to name him) the snowman.  I endured snow ball fights, shoveling the driveway along with the neighbors walkways all for this little boy to have a smile on his face.  I think my hands are still "unthawing" as I type this some 5+ hours later.

 Meet Scooter he has: clementines for eyes, a carrot nose, branches for arms, later we added branch eyebrows, and rocks for teeth and buttons.  Chamberlain decided he wanted to put him under our apple tree since Snowmen like the shade.  I think he looks more like a snow monster than a snowman, but hey, Chamberlain was proud of him.

Its also Uncle Tanners birthday today. 

We took him out to lunch to celebrate, in-between his finals, and then Siri, Chamberlain, and I finished up most of our Holiday shopping. By the time we got home Chamberlain fell asleep and slept till 5:30, I repeat 5:30! He hasn't napped since July!  On the other hand Siri wanted to play.  When Chamberlain woke up Josh was home and he wanted to show him Scooter our Snowman. 

Lets just say I feel a little like scooter tonight. I cant wait to get some sleep.