CHRISTMAS

Another Christmas come and gone.  I always find winter kind of depressing after Christmas.  Thankfully we’re on our way to warmer weather, even if it’s going to take a couple of months.  We had a great Christmas this year!  On Christmas Eve my family came over for our traditional dinner.  It was fun to be able to host it this year!  We’ve always lived to far away to be able to do it.   And thank heaven for Skype :).  We were able to talk to Mom and Dad in Hong Kong on the computer and it made it feel almost like they were here. 

Talking to mom and dad

Christmas Morning the kids were SO excited to wake up.  We couldn’t have them sleep alone in their bedrooms because that would mean they’d have to pass the living room on their way to our room.  Initally I thought I would sleep in Madi’s bed and Mike in Max’s, but I could not get to sleep in there.  So we just moved them with their sleeping bags into our room and locked our door so they couldn’t get out without us knowing :). 

The long awaited Pillow Pet! 

She was SO excited about the  remote control dog from Grandma and Grandpa Murray

Walking out on Christmas Morning

Later on Christmas day we visited some of my family and had fun playing games and seeing all the new toys.  All in all it was a great Christmas!!  The only thing missing was our parents.  We miss all of you!  Can’t wait till your back in the states again. 

Not much else has been going on.  Madi is loving her school and her new class at church.  Max did GREAT on his first Sunday of being a Sunbeam.  I was really worried he wouldn’t want to stay.  And it took a bit of coaxing to get him to sit with his class and stay in there.  His teachers are so sweet with him though (they’re Madi’s friend Olivia’s parents) and once he mentioned a SNACK Max was convinced he would like it there :).  Max is SUPER attached to Mike, and really has a hard time leaving him.  But I was proud of him, he did good. 

Mike is really loving his new job.  He’s learning a ton and gets a great sense of fulfillment there.  I’m happy to have him working much closer and the commute is only 20 minutes.  NICE!  I’m just busy with the kids at home and figuring out what to do to entertain them during the winter.  Gets kinda boring inside all day!  But I guess the cold winter days are what make us appreciate Spring even more when it arrives.  I’m having surgery in about 2 weeks that will hopefully help the pain I’ve been having from my Endometriosis.  It has gotten to the point where it’s unbearable, so I got in with Marci’s doctor and had my visit with him yesterday.  He recommended the surgery to laser away as much of the disease and he can.  And hopefully that will help.  Anyway, that’s all that’s going on with us!!  Happy New Year! 

Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving this year!!  Marci and Trent had it at their new home and it was so nice.  The kids of course LOVED playing with their cousins and the adults just talked and talked.  So much fun and tons of yummy food!  We sure did miss mom and dad though.  It’ll be nice when they are around for holidays again. 

All the cousins except Max and Colin who were both sleeping.  Even baby Lily is in the photo on Marcus’ lap :). 

Sorry Marci and Trent are kind of cut off in this one. 

Snuggling with Colin (one week old in this picture!).  Sweet newborn babies; they just make my heart melt. 

We’ve had a lot of snow storms!!  The kids have loved it.  Max is funny, it was so deep he could barely move. 

Madi’s cute letter to Santa.  She got so excited to find an envelope and stick it in the mailbox. 

At her preschool's Christmas performance for the Nursing home. 

After singing the kids went around and shook all the hands of the residents.  It was so sweet.  I’m glad my kids weren’t shy and were happy to go talk to them and give them hugs. 

Madi and her class doing the “Reindeer-Pokey”.  It was their favorite song.  Please ignore my annoying muffled laughs, thank you. 

I can’t believe Christmas Eve is a week from today!  We’re doing our family’s big dinner here.  It should be a fun night!  I feel like I’m just as excited for Christmas morning as the kids are.  It sure is tons of fun having kids around.  It’s all so magical to them.  We’ve also really been trying to teach them about the true meaning of Christmas.  I feel like every family home evening this month has been about why we really have Christmas.  So we’ll see if it sticks :)

‘Tis the Season!

I decorated early this month.  I usually wait until after Thanksgiving to set up.  But a few days ago, Mike took Madi to a University of Utah Basketball game and so Max and I were just hanging out at home.  It was quiet here, and a big snow storm came in, so we turned on some Christmas music and I couldn’t resist decorating. Thankfully my parents are letting us use some of their decorations that are in storage downstairs.  Because I totally wasn’t thinking and packed ALL of our holiday decorations at the very back of Marci’s basement (where we’re keeping lots of the stuff we aren’t using).  The only thing we had here is our Christmas tree, but that’s it.  No ornaments or anything else.  They’re at the bottom and back of a HUGE pile of couches, beds, tables….everything.  Anyway, it’s been fun decorating with my mom’s stuff because all of her stuff is way pretty!

Finally a fireplace to hang stockings from!  Of course, our stockings are packed, but at least my parents had two here that we can use for the kids!!

Madi has been DYING to get out and play in the snow.  So we headed out for about all of 5 minutes to play in the snow that’s almost melted.  But apparently a blizzard is coming tomorrow, and the high on Thanksgiving is like 20 something, so maybe she’ll get to play out in some better snow later this week. 

I don’t know what happened to this picture, but I’m bummed because his face is so sweet in it!

Madi and Max were making snowballs and Madi turned around and just threw it without really looking.  Yeah, she totally pelted a car that was driving by.  I was so embarrassed!!  But they were nice and waved and gave us a thumbs up.  Phew! 

I think it’s safe to say Max is officially potty trained!!  He’s been SO easy this time around.  We tried for a couple days about a month ago, and it didn’t work.  But this time, he’s only had two accidents (both on the first day of potty training).  So he’s gone 4 days with no accidents and he basically does it all himself.  I don’t really have to remind him or anything.  Yay!  My boy’s getting big.  Kind of bittersweet that we may never have another child in diapers.  Hopefully that’s not the case.  But if it is, that’s ok, I have 2 of the greatest kids I could ever ask for!!  I’m very blessed.  We’re so excited for Thanksgiving this week!  We’ll be missing our parents and thinking of you.  Love you guys! 

Madi and Yellow. Two peas in a pod.

About a week before Madi was born my mom and I were shopping in a TJ Maxx.  We saw this cute yellow blanket that was on clearance and my mom bought it for the baby.  Little did we know that “yellow” would be such a prized possession for Madi!!  She LOVES this blankie.  It’s been through lots.  Sickness, ouchies, every bedtime, vacations, camping, and show and tell (twice). 

It even got left at a store once and we didn’t realize until we got home.  Madi was so upset, and surprisingly, I was too!!  Mike and Madi hurried back over as soon as he got home and Madi walked around yelling, “Yellow!!  Where are you?!”.  Thankfully they found it.  

Anyway, I love Madi has a security blanket, and that she still loves it.   It reminds me that she is still a little girl (because everyday I wonder why she has to grow up so fast!).  It’ll be a bittersweet day when she outgrows her love of “yellow”.  She loves all of her blankets (anyone’s who’s had to put her to bed knows that), but yellow holds a special place in her heart.  And, as a result, mine too. 

Minnie and the Dragon

We had a great Halloween this year!  The ward had a dinner and trunk or treat at the church on Friday night.  Because we’re new, it was fun to socialize and get to know more people.  The kids loved the trunk or treat, and I’m actually really glad we went because the next night was cold and wet!  We went up to my brother Andrew’s house for dinner and then to Marci’s to trick or treat.  Sadly, it was pouring rain and like 47 degrees.  I didn’t even get any pictures of them going.  We literally went to like 8 houses, and the kids costumes were totally covered from coats and umbrellas.  Madi was sad when we called it quits, but we were all frozen and we just had to.  It’s not like we didn’t already have enough candy at our house from the night before!!  So I didn’t mind not going to more houses.  Hopefully next year will be better. 

The twinner Minnie’s .  Madi was SO excited that Sadie was Minnie Mouse too.  Sadie was so cute, she got pretty overwhelmed at first seeing everyone in their costumes!! 

The kids with Billie, their adopted Grandma since both of our parents are far away.  She’s our next door neighbor and the sweetest lady ever.  The kids LOVE her!  I was sad this was the only picture I got of them, and Billie isn’t even looking at the camera.  Darn! 

Here a short video of the kids playing before going to the church.  Please ignore my annoying laugh.  Haha

And I just had to add this in because he’s so cute.  Max has figured out that if he sits right there the plant tickles his feet.  He’ll just sit and laugh and laugh.  My sweet boy!