Joey on Skis!

He loved it!

I would hike a little way up the bunny hill and then run down next to him. He would just giggle the entire way and when he got to the bottom he would yell, "Gen, mommy, Gen!"
I don't know if he was laughing more at me running next to him in my ski boots or just loving the skiing. Probably a little of both.

After a few runs on the bunny hill we took him on the chair lift. Todd tried to teach him the snowplow, but he absolutely refused. He just kept saying, "No snowplow, go fast, get Katie." All he wanted to do was keep up with Katie. We love that they both love to ski!

A rare picture of us.

YEP, I married him. Lucky me! Lucky him!

(Celebrating dad's birthday at Tepanyaki)

Christmas

Christmas Eve


This year we went back to our traditional way of celebrating Christmas Eve--German style. The last few years we have spent Christmas Eve with Todd's parents and Christmas Day with mine. This year we flip-flopped to accommodate extended family that was going to be in town. It was really fun to be back with my family on Christmas Eve. We had our usual German style feast with meats, cheeses, sauerkraut, brats and of course treats!!! I was in heaven because I adore Havarti cheese and Turingur (German salami). Plus, when you're pregnant no one dares to make any sort of comment about what helping you are on. I ate and ate and ate...you get the idea. Then, it was mass chaos for present opening. The kids were elated with their new toys. Katie and Joey got a new slightly bigger play kitchen. Joey a few cars and trains and Katie a new pair of Tinkerbell slippers and some various kitchen amenities! They were thrilled! We had a wonderful time and I kept wishing we could sleep over just like the old days. Sometimes I still just want to be a little girl reliving those wonderful Christmas memories. But, on the flip side I adore watching my children's same excitement as they make their memories!

Christmas Morning

Santa found our house this year and boy did he leave some fun stuff. And, because I am such a stellar mother this year we left our letters out Christmas Eve in hopes that Santa had a few extras from their wish list in his bag. They were absolutely thrilled! We had so much fun opening each thing. Joey wanted to play with each toy before he could open another present while Katie was opening before we even had a chance to breath and see what was under the wrapping paper. I do love Christmas!!!

After our own opening session it was off to Aunt Beth's for a Clevenger extravaganza. Grandma Pike and Aunt Dee and her boys were in town so it was quite the crew. By the end of the day we were so beat. The kids didn't even ask to play with their toys when they got home. They just wanted their beds. Nothing like a good holiday get together to wipe out your kids!

This year my goal was to try and enjoy Christmas first hand and not through a camera lens. I absolutely loved it. Of course, I missed a few of the exciting moments on film, but they are ingrained in my mind. I just wanted to seep up every possible moment of sparkly eyes, surprised looks and adorable little giggles. It was all worth it.

My goal for next year is for our family to start having more of our own traditions. So far we have just kept trying to balance one or the other's traditions, but I really want to have some of our own that we have decided are ours. Now we just need to decided what they'll be. Good thing we have a whole year to think about it!!!

Merry Christmas!

It's a.....

BOY!!!!!

Before I left for the doctor I told Katie to draw a picture of a boy baby and a girl baby on her easel and when mommy came home she would circle which one was coming to our family. She was so excited. I came home when she was asleep and got talking with my mom about the new baby and forgot to circle the right baby. When she woke up from her nap she came downstairs and reminded me that I had forgotten to circle one. I told her I would just tell her right now if she wanted or I would go circle on for her. She just wanted to know right then.

The news was devestating to her. She cried for a half an hour and wouldn't let me even hold her. I think she thought I had something to do with this gender selection. (Little does she know that that would be her dad's fault!) She kept saying she didn't want another boy. We already had Joey. We didn't need any more boys in our family!

After a couple hours of pure sadness she finally said, "Next we'll have twin girls, right mom? We have to have more girls than boys in our family!" I, of course, agreed that it was always a possibilty, but we would need to see if Heavenly Father agreed with that idea! She promptly replied that He would and that was that.

Later that night when I was going to bed I glanced at her easel and noticed there was a very large and aggressive X through the boy baby and a nice big circle around the girl baby. I couldn't help but laugh. I'm sure she'll warm up to the idea as the months go by. A baby is a baby--at least for a little while.

Temple Square lights

This was the first year we didn't freeze at Temple Square. Don't get me wrong--it was cold--but not as cold as it has been in years before. The kids loved the lights. It just seems like you can't have Christmas until you've been to the lights. Luckily, we made it just in time. Todd has been really busy with the spine service this month and so there hasn't been a lot of time to go do things. Plus, I'm just finally starting to feel a little better again. This baby is defineitly working me over this time around!

I love this picture! I have so few with my children. I need to make a better effort in getting in the photo rather than just taking it!

Christmas Photo Shoot

We attempted a quick photoshoot with these two little hams. It was pretty tough to hold the camera still when you are laughing so hard, but in the end we managed! I must say I'm pretty happy with the final product!

Preschool Christmas Program

Katie had her preschool Christmas program this week! It was so much fun! She did such a great job. They taught them the cutest little dance with a candy cane. The knee bend from one side of the candy cane to the other was priceless! Plus, I had a front row seat for the whole program!!!

The big 30

I turned thirty yesterday and I don't have one picture to show for it!!! Sad, I know.

I did, however, have an incredible meal with my family at Cucina Tuscana in Salt Lake. It was amazing!!! I love good food. I love good food even more when I'm pregnant. My mom asked what I wanted for my birthday and it was one of those nasty store bought sheet cakes. It was like heaven on earth. She got a full sheet cake (with Tinkerbell on top--for Katie) so I am set for the next month with cravings. Knowing me though, it might only last through next week!

I also got a Nikon point an shoot camera. I really have been dying for one for the last 6 months or so. I do love my big SLR camera, but sometimes it's not the most convienent thing to pack on the ski hill, hiking or in my purse for those random little moments I would love to catch. It defintely isn't anything fancy and is going to take some getting to used to. The picture quality is a little insulting after using such a nice camera for last two years. But, I'm so excited to have something so small!

It is hard to believe that I am 30. I'm that lady with those kids I used to babysit for and think, wow, she is so old! But, I do have to admit I'm pretty proud of my accomplishments to this point.
Just for posterity sake I'm going to write down the big ones from the last 10 years--bullet style.

• Graduated from college
• Worked as an RN
• Married on awesome man
• Had two beautiful babies
• Raising those babies
• Moved across the country 4 times
• Owned a house
• Traveled to some sweet places
• Started a business

Those are the biggies and so far I'm pretty happy with them. I think the next thirty will go by far too fast and be filled with the best thing life has to offer.

A visit with Santa

(Katie, Joey & Kyle Dec 09)

We headed to South Towne Mall for some one on one with the jolly old man. I love this guys socks, his beard, glasses and that he doesn't dress in the traditional red suit.

We told Katie that that is how you tell the real Santa from the helper elves. Santa only wears his red suit on Christmas night because it is so special. She was so excited to meet the real Santa. She's had a lot of questions about him this year and we've had to be extra creative to keep up with her. She thinks way too much for a 5 year old!

I recruited my sister and her little boy in hopes that Joey wouldn't completely panic when on Santa's lap. It seemed to work ok. Joey did pout and tear up for the first couple pictures, but by the third one he seemed to relax a little bit. He still looks like he's one look away from all out tears, but I think it is absolutely adorable.

Over the river and through the woods....

...to grandmother's house we go!!!!

I think their faces say it all!



I yearn for a piano like this! A keyboard really is a bit of an insult when you love an instrument as much as I do this one! I think my children do to!

Thankful for.......

These two adorable souls entrusted to my care . . . .



























. . . and that He is sending another for us to love!

Halloween

Halloween Night

(Mulan and MooShoo)

These two are quite the little trick or treaters. Of course, Katie remembered the ropes from last year and she was very helpful in "teaching" Joey. They loved it. In between each house we would try to carry him so he wouldn't trip in the dark. This was certainly cramping his trick or treating and he let us know. All in all we made out with a haul (we're still eating candy now.)

The kids also loved to play a game that a ghost lived in our closet. Joey was absolutely terrified of the ghost and if Todd left the closet door open in morning when he left Joey would go nuts!! "Mama, ghost, daddy, no ghost." We would have to shut the door and say no ghost, ghost bye bye. Then he would be totally fine. Some morning he would even want to say hi to the ghost and wouldn't be scared at all. Such a nut!

Katie's Preschool Program

This girl loves to sing and she is mighty good at it! I love how excited she was to parade around the room in her costume. She's still so thrilled that mom is there to watch her. I'm trying to enjoy it as long as possible because I know it won't always be this way.

I also got to help out with her preschool Halloween party. It was so much fun! This parenting thing really is a lot of FUN!


































Gardner Village Witches

Katie and Joey loved the witches!!!

Joey was so excited when he would find a witch! Katie was "tour guiding" as usual.

We love the witches!!