Merry Christmas!

We had such a wonderful Christmas this year. I was so excited for it to come, but now I am sad that it is over. This year was so much more fun now that the boys are old enough to start getting into it.

We had Christmas a few days early with the Cardalls. We all got together at the pool house to have dinner and for Al and Nancy to do gifts. The boys got a play kitchen, a train set, and new minky blankets!

My parents came down from Montana to spend Christmas with us. It was so much fun to have them here on Christmas morning. We slept in until the kids got up, had breakfast and started opening gifts around 10am. I figure this is the last year we will get away with sleeping in!

But the boys had so much fun opening gifts and playing with their new toys. They made Christmas so wonderful! This may be my favorite Christmas yet, with many more to come!

My Silly Boys

One of Tommy's favorite places to play is in the cupboards. I prefer my pots and pans scattered on the floor anyways. So here is where I found him hiding the other day. And this other picture is of them the other morning watching Mickey Mouse together. It didn't last long, but it was cute for a few minutes!

8 Weeks to Go...and Counting!

Our little boy finally gave us a face shot today.Usually he has his hands in front of him or turns his face completely away, but we caught him today. Hard to tell but I think he will be just as handsome as the other two!

I went to bed last night with the thought that he is going to be a happy baby. He'll be the one that always smiles and makes you laugh right along with him. I can't wait to meet the little man.

The pregnancy has continued to be rather easy with only a few complaints. I get leg cramps and horrible pains in my sides from where the ligaments are stretching. And I have officially hit the point where I want my body back. I hate that physical things have become so taxing. The stairs wind me, and that's even when I'm not carrying one or both of the kids. Picking up toys is a workout. I wish I could lay on my back and play on the floor with the kids. I miss seeing my toes. It is a feat to put on socks, wash my feet, pick something up off the floor, or get out of bed.

Even Eddie and Tommy have noticed that my lap has disappeared and that has caused some problems. Poor Eddie will try to sit close to me, but sit on my stomach. He realizes that is too high, so he slides down to my lap but then looks at me confused because I am so far away. Now he knows my pain of never being able to get comfortable. And oh how I wish I could sleep on my stomach.

But I probably miss running the most. I know it is crazy but I can't wait to start running. It will be so great to feel normal again. I really try not to complain because it has been such a great pregnancy, but I can't help but count down these remaining weeks. I know a newborn brings with it a whole new set of challenges and stresses, but I think they are easier to tackle when you feel a little more like yourself.

I can't wait to meet you little boy! You have 2 pretty great parents and 2 wonderful brothers who are ready to welcome you into our perfectly crazy little family!

Christmas Lights at Temple Square

Since I have lived in Utah, I have always felt that you can't have Christmas until you have been downtown to see the lights of Temple Square. There really isn't anything like it. And I love that there are no Santa's or reindeer, just lights, nativities, the Temple and Christ. It really helps to bring back in the focus of the reason for the season...the birth of Christ.

Sunday, the 15th was Dan's birthday so we decided to make it a weekend event even though its really only an hours drive from Cache Valley. So on Saturday, we met up with our dear friends The Waltons. Dan and Ryan went to see the latest Hobbit movie (thank goodness I didn't have to suffer through another one this year), and Jeni and I took the kids (all 5 of our boys) to my friends birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This was our first time going to Chuck E. Cheese and after going, I'm not sure if it was any better than the torture of a Hobbit movie for 2.5 hours.

Eddie had an absolute blast, but the place was utter chaos. It was all I could do to keep an eye on Eddie, and half the time I failed at that. Jeni and the kids were great at helping me hold Tommy or find Eddie in the jungle gym. At 32 weeks pregnant it was just a little much. I hadn't eaten all day, and then scarfed the pizza, so by an hour in I was feeling sick and lightheaded. But we played a bunch of games, had pizza and cake, and the kids had a blast which is all that matters.

Then we went and met the husbands at the trax station. Eddie has been obsessed with trains lately so we decided that instead of dealing with traffic and parking, we would take the train to downtown. The boys loved it!

It dropped us off right by the temple. So we wandered around with the mass of people for probably about an hour and a half, then took the train back. We picked up some chineese food on the way home, had dinner and put our exhausted kids to bed. Did I mention that Tommy only snoozed for 10 minutes the entire day! He was a trooper considering how tired he was.

And once the kids were down the party really started...we stayed up way too late playing games and eating snacks. It was wonderful! We finally got to bed, hung out for part of the day Sunday, then headed back home. I don't think Dan could have asked for a better birthday. I had to laugh because although it is not planned this way, this was the second year in a row we have spent Dan's birthday with the Walton family. I think it may be a new tradition!

Danny's Letter to Santa

Nancy came across a letter that Dan wrote to Santa the other day. It had never even been opened. Apparently it didn't make it to the North Pole. So we opened it to take a peek. We figure Dan wrote it in 3rd or 4th grade.

Here is the envelope...notice the 25 cent stamp on it!

Here is how the letter was folded up...

And here is the darling and oh so funny letter...

Talking Tommy

Mr Thomas has decided to start talking. He knows mom, dad, outside, juice, milk, lights, candy, and no (he knows this one really well). I'm sure there are more but I can't think of any right at the moment.

Over the past month I have been working with Eddie on animal sounds. Little did I realize that Tommy was soaking it up as well. He can now say moo, meow, woof woof, neigh, and snorts for a pig. Considering how long it took Eddie to really start talking I am shocked. He continues to amaze me everyday with what he picks up on. He makes sure he is only a step behind Eddie with most things!

Season's Greetings!