Christmas--whaaat?!

In no particular order--here is our Christmas. We had such a fun time--I am so happy that my kids are getting to the ages where it is A LOT of fun Christmas morning--and everything leading up to it.

* After we finished wrapping. *

I purchased stuff over time, and did not realize how much dang stuff I had bought! We ended up making a last minute run to Albertson's right before it closed Christmas Eve to buy more paper and tape. Mike and I some how have an insane tradition of wrapping everything Christmas Eve--which makes for a late night after spending time at his families, and then getting the kids to bed. But we have a fun time together, which is what counts. We had big plans to play Nintendo after we got done--but we were SOO tired by then, we went to BED!

Bailey rocking out with her Hanna Montana guitar. That's right, I gave in to the hype--mock me if you will. We have never even seen the show, but she loves Hanna Montana stuff, so I may as well feed it while she's young! (Those are Hanna Montana jammies & slippers from the Elves too)

Tyler fixing Lightnings flat so he can get back in the race.

WHO'S CLEANING THIS UP??!!

Hooray for Leapster. Bailey got one (day after Thanxgiving special) which works out great because I just sent Tyler's back to Leap Frog for them to replace it, as it quit working. The new one should be here in a few weeks, and Bailey is graciously (or not so much at times) sharing hers with Tyler for now.

I gave Mike the Joseph Smith Papers--which was VERY hard to come by if you didn't already know. I lucked out and was listening to KSL when Sheri Dew called in to say they were getting a shipment into Desert Books warehouse right then. I had been to buy it, and they said they wouldn't have any in until late January, so I decided not to get it. Changed my mind when I heard he could actually open it on Christmas. It is a very neat compilation of Joseph Smiths journals--apparently the first of THIRTY VOLUMES!!! What did I start? Mike will need a lot of things to read, as he will be traveling a lot in the next few months with his NEW JOB!!! He starts January 5th, with a company called Ashland Chemical. He'll be doing something similar to what he's been doing with Waste Management, but with hazardous waste--and for more $$$$, which doesn't hurt anything. He also got an MP3 player--to help with our New Year's Resolution to get our BUTT"S IN GEAR--literally!!

Kyle was a lot of fun opening gifts this year. I didn't realize how much he'd LOVE it! He tore his stuff open, didn't even look at what it was, and moved on to the next thing. Guess he's not used to being encouraged to RIP paper.

Bailey holding up her jammies Grandma Washington (Idaho now, but why change? I wonder if they think that's her last name like Mike's parents are Grandpa & Grandma Livingston)

Tyler and his Cars Hideout. I called around for 2 days looking for him a Cars Bed/tent, which attatches to their bed to make it into a little tent. I found one for Bailey, but the Cars ones were all gone EVERYWHERE!!! I finally found one on the last KMart south of Ogden, and Mike went to pick it up in West Jordan. It turned out to be a different thing than the other one, but he loves it just the same. And this one he can move all around the house and play in--even better!

Thanx Hanna!

Hooray for Jammies from the Elves. This is a tradition that we had in my family growing up, and am proud to pass on to my kids. It's so fun to have a new pair of Jams to wake up in on Christmas morning! And the fact they coem from the Elves only adds to it--if you ask me.

Tyler got a NAKED and ready to get into his new PJ's!

OK---I know--should have turned off the flash--or paid waay to much for the "Pro's" there to take it, but we tried! Bailey needed to see Santa before Christmas, and Tyler got to see him again (this time he was shy--which was funny since the first time he did so well)

This is Joseph, in case you don't recognize him. We attempted the Nativity--a few pictures was about as long as we lasted on Christmas Eve with Mike's family.

Mary and Joseph. Don't worry--remember it was IMACULATE CONCEPTION!!!



If your'e wondering where all the pictures of ME are--I was conviently the camera woman--although I think there is video footage. Mike gave me a nice George Foreman Grill, and new scriptures, and a new double boiler pot, and a few other items like shampoo & such. It was a great Chirstmas for all of us--can't wait for next year!!

Merry Christmas!!!

This is our families 7th Christmas together, and I think I have managed to get Christmas cards out maybe twice. I know--it's a travesty--but this is who I am. I am a procrastinator. And Mike could care less about sending out cards, so I don't have anyone pushing me--so here we are. I wanted to wish anyone who may be reading this a Merry Christmas! I am especially warm and fuzzy inside this year, and loving it. I think a lot of it is that my kids are getting old enough to really soak up this fun time of year. It has been so fun to watch them try and be extra good--because Santa's watching (which I must admit I sometimes feel guilty about.) Tyler wakes up every morning and has been so excited to change the # of days left until Christmas on our different countdowns. Also, we have tried to show the kids that it is important not just to receive gifts, but to give. I am truly grateful to Jesus Christ for the wonderful example He is to me, and that He ultimately gave His life for us. I hope you all feel this magic of this special season--and LOVE!!!

This ones for MY girl!

So I posted a funny post about Tyler & his wanting to run away a while ago, now this one's for my sweet Bailey. Part of my excuse for Blogging is as a form of Journalling for my kids. For those of you who are reading this and don't know, Bailey was born with a Congenital Heart Defect. Her Pulmonary Valve (leading into her lungs) formed way to narrow, and was not allowing enough blood into her lungs. They found a heart murmur before we left the hospital, and sent us up to Primary Children's, as a precaution. They thought it was a common type of murmur that goes away on it's own, but wanted to be safe. We were just a few blocks away, and went over to Primary Children's thinking it'd be nothing serious and we'd just go home. When the doctor came in and listened to her heart he said it was a "pretty loud murmur" and he'd like her to have an Echocardiogram (ultrasound on the heart) That was 2 hours long, and then we met with the doctor again. He started drawing a picture, and said there was a problem with her heart. He said from just listening he had thought it would be much worse, and she was actually very lucky it was only as bad as it was. They sent us upstairs to be admitted for surgery the next day, and I cried the whole way up there. Everyone was looking at me, and I realized I was being silly, and that there were kids much worse off than mine--but I didn't care! She was less than 2 days old, and I just wanted her to be ok. Tyler had been perfectly healthy, and I just assumed I would have healthy kids. Anyway, long story short, they did the surgery, which was done just like they do an Angioplasty on someone who has plaque in their arteries, but they ballooned open her valve. Since then we have gone back for check ups, and things have been good. Not normal, because she has always had a leak in that valve (sounds kinda like plumbing!) But the doctor said things were looking good, and she could just lead a normal life until she was much older hopefully. On the 12th we went in for her yearly checkup, and I assumed we would just get the same news--things look about the same. The doctor decided to have an echo, which I wasn't thinking they'd do, and when we came back in to see us, he started drawing! I knew something was not right. He asked a lot of questions about her activity level, and I told him that she is a crazy girl! She had a cold a few weeks before, and it was actually nice to have her chill out for a couple of days. He said the leak in her valve has gotten "significantly worse" and it was now affecting another valve, and causing her heart to enlarge. He put her on some medication to decrease the volume of her blood, to take some strain off of her heart. Hopefully it works, if not he said they have a few more "tricks up their sleeve" And if they don't work, she will need open heart surgery to replace her valve. The though of my wild & crazy girl having open heart surgery is just not one I want to have!! I knew it was a possibility, but I was hoping to be the exception. So hard, but I am holding strong to my faith, and the faith of my family & friends. I am just praying this medicine works, and all will be well in Zion! Or at least with Bailey. Tyler has been asking a lot of questions about it since he has heard me talk to people about it, and I am amazed at how much he is understanding. Bailey could care less, but that's great. Tyler came running up the stairs the other day so worried because he had drank out of the same cup as Bailey, and was concerned he might catch her heart problem! I explained it was something she was born with, and not contagious. I guess the main thing all of this has helped me realize is life is short, and precious. You cannot ever get complacent, because you never know what's around the corner. I have been hugging her a little tighter, and smiling at her craziness instead of getting frustrated so easily. She is my little Sunshine girl, and here's to many more crazy times!!

We had to wait a while for the doctor, and Bailey was getting restless. I tried to entertain her by taking pictures. These ones were sweet of her looking out the window.



She took some of the doctor from under the chair where she was hiding. This is Dr. Mart--he is so great! He has something like 15 kids. It is nice to have an LDS doctor--he has the same perspective on things as we do.


This one was just funny--she dressed up in Tyler's clothes. I must have needed to do laundry.

Just thought I'd include this one of Kyle. He has been doing pretty well with the Tree, aside from these ornaments that he has in his hand, which he thinks are soccer balls. Luckily they were WAY cheap from when were first got married, and are just hard plastic, not glass.

What we do on COLD day.

Last Monday for FHE we made Gingerbread cookies. Maybe it wasn't even FHE, the dadys all seem to run together sometimes. Anywhoo, we made them, and it was actually a lot of fun. I sent Mike to the store since he was already out & about, and it was snowing really bad, and he found some Betty Crocker Gingerbread mix instead of buying the Molasses & all. It turned out yummy, and the kids had a fun time, which was the main goal.

Tyler decorating his cookies.

Bailey had some help with the frosting, but she loaded up the M & M's all by herself.

We built a fort in the living room and played in it all day. Things like this make me miss being a kid!

Can we go outside now?! I was feeling jipped when all of the snow storms kept getting Salt Lake & not us---what was I thinking?! It is snowing like crazy today, but it's SO pretty. I just refuse to leave the house for any reason. Mike has to drive up to Salt Lake, luckily he is a VERY safe driver. My fingers are still crossed.

Temple Square--attempted!

In an attempt to do FREE things, TOGETHER, AS A FAMILY, we went up to Temple Square to see the lights a few weeks ago. We left WAY later than we wanted to. (Trying to locate enough warm clothing items to survive.) Of course we hit traffic, and it was that not for any reason traffic that makes me SOO mad! No accident, great road conditions, just stupid drivers. Then it took us forever to find a place to park, and then walk the 50 miles from where we parked to Temple Square. And then there are about a BILLION people there, who stop and stand right infront of your stroller, cause you weren't planning on moving--it's ok. Needless to say--it was a FLOP!! But we tried. I don't think we try again for about 10 years, but we tried. And we have the pictures to prove it. Thanx to the random guy I asked to snap some photos of ut--he must be a professional! And our kids we SOOO into posing--just adds to the glory. HOHOHO!

Must See Santa!

Glad that anyone is looking at this considering how long it has been since I posted! I was the lucky recipiant (sp?) of yet another virus, and then in my stupidity of trying to fix it--I messed it up even more. But Ben came to our rescue again--THANK YOU!!! SO here we go on what you've been missing from our exciting lives. ( I know you've been dying to know)

I was able to go with Tyler's class on a fieldtrip to the Mall to see Santa. I cannot tell you enough how much his teacher amazes me. She had 10 little 4 & 5 year olds at the mall, and not one of them wandered off, or touched anything, or misbehaved AT ALL!!! I said to the other mom that I need her to come with us to the mall all the time, I might venture out more often. This picture was supposed to be on the bottom, but you just never know with Blogger do you?! The Mall has actually tried to improve they "play area" but I was disappointed in it. They just moved the same stuff to a different area, and added these Dinosaur bones. The dang tree is too hard to see around--you never know where your kids are unless you follow them around the whole thing like a hawk. Oh well, guess we should be happy with what we've got huh?

I loved this reindeer--just looks magical!

Tyler did so much better with Santa than I thought he would. I was nvervous he would be scared, but he loved it! And they all had letters ready with what they wanted to ask Santa for. He asked for Leapster games (which luckily I already have!) The only boy who was scared was the one that acts the thoughest all the time--funny.

I thought this Santa did a great job. Such a fun time to have kids. It is great that Tyler & Bailey are old enough to really "get it" this year. Mike & I are SOOO excited for Christmas morning. We are also trying to remind the kids of the true reason we celebrate Christmas. A little hard to grasp at this age, but we are trying , and that's what counts right?!

The boy's had ENOUGH!!!

Masterpiece!

Painting with mom!

This is Tyler with his hairnet after his fieldtrip to Harmons grocery store.

This is my first born child--Tyler. He has had enough! He is running away to find somewhere that he can sleep in peace. Our efforts to get Kyle to sleep better have been affecting him more than I thought--apparently! I was so amazed at how he was sleeping through Kyle's SCREAMS, but I guess it turns out he wasn't getting as much sleep as we thought he was. All last week he kept carrying around these 2 bags he packed (one with toys, and the other with all the essential clothing items he might need--& a tooth brush & tooth paste. At least that is sinking in!) He kept telling me he was running away, but would never tell me why. Then he told Mike it was because he is tired of not getting any sleep with Kyle crying so much. How sad is that?!! I honestly am at a loss. Running on little sleep wears on mom too--sure hope Kyle starts sleeping soon--for all of our sakes. If Tyler comes to your house--please feed him & send him back!! We'll miss him!