Christmas Eve!!!

We had such a wonderful Christmas this year. We started it out with a fun service project the morning of Christmas Eve. I got a couple of other families together and our kids helped us plan and practice for a Christmas program and we went and performed it at a retirement home. The elderly people there were so thrilled to see the kids. The kids sang some Christmas songs then handed out treats and went and visited with the people. They were so excited to see the kids, their eyes just lit up when we came into the room, and they all wanted a turn to talk to the kids. It was really fun, and I think the kids really enjoyed it as well.

Here we all are at the retirement home (minus me, I'm taking the picture). Chuck was so sick on Christmas Eve so he didn't get to come with us. He didn't want to risk getting anyone there sick.


After our service project the Roger's came to my house and we had lunch together. It was so yummy, and we were grateful to get to be with people we love on Christmas. After they left we played games with Cayden and Emma while Gracie napped and then that evening we went to our friends the Leavitt's for dinner with a couple other families.



This is the only picture I took while we were there.


When we came outside to go home it was snowing. The kids were so excited. they ran and played in the snow and tried to catch snowflakes with their tounges.



When we got home that night we Read the Christmas story from Luke and all shared our testimony of the Savior. I love that as my kids get older they can participate in things like this with us. It is so special to me to hear their sweet little testimony's of our Savior and how much they love him. After our devotional we opened our Christmas jammies and then hurried to bed so santa could come.



Cayden really wanted feety jammies this year. Don't ask me why, but he saw the big boy ones they have at Target and begged me for them. He thinks they are so funny and loves to wear them. He is such a goof.



We had a great time this year. We got to spend the day with friends we love and with our kids. We missed our family, but had a great time with our little family!

Grumpy Gracie!!!

This picture pretty much sums up Gracie for the past 4 weeks. She is grumpy and frowning most of the time, and she wants to be held every second. Poor baby has felt sick since our trip to California over Thanksgiving. She got croup while we were there and hes never fully recovered. I'm am hoping this is just because she doesn't feel good, and not because she's in a new grumpy phase.

Gracie's Feet

(This is Grace's camera face. She makes this funny face every time I pull the camera out, she is such a cheese!)

I was tickling and rubbing Grace's feet today as we cuddled on the couch. I looked down and I had the weirdest sadness wash over me. As I looked at her cute little toes I realized that she doesn't have baby feet anymore. The chubby babiness is gone, and not just in her feet. She has grown so much over the past couple of months. Her baby fat rolls are gone. Her hair has gotten so thick and long. Her double chin is even gone. I don't see any of her babieness left in her. She is such a little toddler now. She is talking and pouting and whining like the best of them. I Love and adore her so much. She is my angel. I don't know if we will have any more kids, so I feel a little bit sad that she is growing up so fast. I keep thinking, "What if she was my last, what if I never get to hold and rock my own baby again?" My baby is growing up, I guess she's not such a baby anymore. SAD!!!

Merry Christmas

Our christmas card this year!!

Merry Christmas!!!

To all...May the joy of Christ fill our hearts on these special days. How grateful I am for my Savior, and for all the wonerful things that he has blessed me with. I would be lost without His atonement and his love for me.

What we've been up to...New posts!!!

Loving Daddy

Chuck finished his last final on Friday, and we have had a wonderful week of jammie days, mommy sleeping in, games, books, movies and not leaving the house. It has been wonderful to get ton's of time together as a family. I will neither confirm nor deny the fact that I may have cried like a baby, out of sheer relief, the night he finished his last final and came home for a four week vacation. We love having him home and can't wait for all the fun were going to have over the next few weeks. It has been so nice to have someone help do the dishes, or change Gracie's diaper, and to help bathe the kids and put them to bed. I had forgotten how great it was to have his help all the time. He has been so helpful and wonderful and is constantly thinking of what he can do to help me. I am also trying to make sure he gets plenting of relaxing and fun time. I love Chuck, I'm so happy to have him home for a while!!! I'm actually glad were not going home to Utah, cause then I get him all to myself. I don't want to share him with anyone!!!

Gymnastics!!!

Emma decided to do Gymnastics this year instead of Dance, she told me "Mom, I already did dance, I already know it all, I want to learn gymnastics now." Anyway, she loved it and really did a great job. She had a performance where they did their routines for the parents last week. Her coach pulled me aside afterwards and told me she was doing so well that they want to put her in with the 5 and 6 year olds next semester. I am so proud of her. I was really happy with how well she did.

Emma doing her routine...





getting her medal.

Gracie ran up to her and gave her a big hug as she was up on the floor showing off their medals.

Basketball

Cayden played basketball this season and loved it. He didn't love his coach, but I think it was good for him to learn how to get along with and be respectful to a person's who he had a hard time with. His best bud Jonas was on his team and they had a blast. Cayden was not one of the best kids on his team, he is much better at soccer and baseball, but he had fun and learned a lot.


Cayden and Jonas.


Dribbling down the court.


The girls loved to go to his practices and games. Emma had a crush on the little brother of one of Cayden's team mates, who was also always there.

Indy children's museum

The Indianapolis Children's museum is the biggest children's museum in the country, so we have been wanting to go since we moved here. Last month I had to go up to Indy to go to H&M to get the suit for Steve's wedding so I figured if I was going up already we might as well go to the museum. With our health insurance card we get in for $1 per person, so that made it possible for us to go.

Let me just say that it was AMAZING, and so FUN!!! I couldn't believe how huge it was. They had a dinosaur exhibit, a planetarium, a glass blowing exhibit, a huge dollhouse exhibit, nascar, a dragon exhibit, trains, polor bears and penguins, and much much more. But our very favorite exhibit was...

BARBIE!!!

They had barbies from the past 50 years and the exhibit focused on how barbie has influenced fashion.

This was my favorite barbie. I love her dress!


Gracie even enjoyed dressing up the dolls.


As we were enjoying the Barbie exhibit a girl came out and asked for volunteers to be in their barbie fashion show. Cayden and Emma were picked and we went to a back room to get their hair, makeup, and wardrobe done. Emma loved it, actually, so did Cayden. Then they got to walk down the runway to music and do a little fashion show for everyone there.

Cayden was picked to be the DJ,


but later decided he wanted to be one of the models.


Emma changed her clothes twice, she just couldn't decide what to wear. This is what she settled on


My little models


Cayden was trying to be sexy like Ken. He's so funny!



We also loved the dragon exhibit, they got to sit and sketch a dragon of their own. Cayden loves to draw and this was one of his favorite parts.




Emma decided she must have a doll house like this on someday!

We had a great day, the musuem was amazing and we can't wait to go back with daddy over our Christmas break!!!

Thanks and Love

This year Chuck's baby brother Steve got married in San Diego over Thanksgiving weekend, we were were able to go down to the land of sunshine and spend Thanksgiving with the Meeker family. It has been 2 years since we have seen everyone together so it was so nice to spend time with all of them. We flew all day Thursday and barely got there in time for the wedding dinner. They did a family Thanksgiving dinner for the wedding dinner and it turned out so nice. My mother in law broke her foot so me and my sister in laws all took over and put the dinner on. I was in charge of decorations, I did the cutest place settings and the flower arrangements, and I think they turned out really well. Amy was in charge of catering and organizing and Faith did all the prep work since she was the only one there before Thursday.

The boys, Chuck and all his brothers (minus Rick who is serving in Afghanistan). They are all so hansome.


Chuck and I. I look horrible, I had been on an airplane all day.


Me and all my sister in laws. I love them all, I have been really blessed to have such wonderful women to call my sister's.


The cousins.


The happy couple. They were beaming, they were so excited.


The next day we took all the kids bowling while the boys had a bachelor party. I love all my nieces and nephews so much, they are all so cute and fun. Cayden and Emma had a blast playing with them all weekend.

me and the kids.


Being silly


Jessica and Cayden


Emma and Katie


I think this is the only smiling picture I have of Gracie from the whole weekend. She got croup while we were there and she was sick and sad most of the time. But she had fun bowling.


Love these girls!!!


Saturday we all headed down to San Diego for the wedding. It was a beautiful day. I had never been to the San Diego temple before, and it was as beautiful as I have always heard. The sealing was beautiful and I was so grateful that we were able to be there. Vanessa looked gorgeous and Steve was so happy and so hansome. We were so proud of them.



Gracie would not smile, she was miserable at the temple. She did not feel good, it was a hard day for her.


Heater, Nora and Devon. Their daddy Rick is in Afghanistan. It was so good to see them.


Cayden's favorite uncle Ron. Cayden just follows him around, he loves him so much.


I'm going there someday. Emma decided she wanted to be married in this temple because it looks like a princess castle.


Love my boys!!! They are both so hansome.


Beautiful Emma


Grandpa and Cayden



Love this family. They are so fun!


My tired girl



The happy couple


Chuck was so proud of Steve


Vanessa looked amazing. She is so beautiful.


The boys!!! We missed Rick!



The reception that night was at Vanessa's parents house. It was beautiful. Our favorite was the hot cocoa bar. I think Cayden went back about 20 times for more. They had food, and dancing. It was so fun.

With uncle Steve before the reception


This picture summs Gracie up for the whole trip. Luckily Vanessa's mom let me put her to sleep inside their house during the reception. We are on east coast time so by 5:30 there she was ready for bed.





Dancing was our favorite part of the recetion. Cayden was busting out his break dancing. He was really going at it. It was so fun.


Mikey dancing with his girls


Steve had just told her that they were going to stay that night at her favorite hotel. I guess it is the one that one of the bachelors was married at or something.


Their were pearls dripping from everything. It was so beautiful.


Chuck has the best cousins. I love them all so much. Darla and Julie were able to come for the wedding.


Bill and Marilyn


Emma and Cayden both fell asleep by the end of the reception. They had such a great time.

We had such a great time. It was so nice to spend the holiday with family. We love Steve so much and got really close with him while he was at BYU. We are so glad to see him so happy. Vanessa is amazing, she is beautiful, loving, kind, considerate, fun and stylish. She is perfect for Steve. Thanks to all who made it possible for us to be there.