FALL AND CHRISTMAS 2012

Here I am again.  I just looked over this blog and although I really don't write that much anymore, I am pretty happy with how I have kept up on things.  I recently made this blog into a book and am all caught up in that regard through 2011.  Hopefully, I can keep it going so that my kids will have some memories to look back on.  We are horrible at filming anything.  I need to find a way to fix that because I know I will be sad when I don't have anything to look back on from when my kids are small.  I guess that is why I have so many pictures.  Our Fall and Christmas time was fabulous as usual.  I actually felt pretty organized about the whole thing and felt like we did everything we wanted to do.  I will post a bunch of pictures and talk about each one.  That might be the easiest thing to do...
HALLOWEEN

 Jack was a pirate and has loved the costume since then.  He still wears it a lot.  I'm glad because he couldn't decide forever what he wanted to be so I'm happy he found something he liked. 

 Savannah was supposed to be Tinkerbell, but she kinda morphed into some kind of fairy/princess/butterfly.  She loved wearing makeup and switching up the skirts she wore.  She loved trick or treat and all the parties.  Evelyn was a strawberry and the cutest one I've seen!

EVELYN BLESSING-- We blessed Evelyn in November and it was a great day.  She never ever cries and is the most pleasant baby, but all through her blessing she screamed.  She didn't like all those hands on her head! She was beautiful and one of my favorite things are the flowers that Cindy gets for them to wear.  So pretty and a fun tradition. 

 Here are some Christmas pictures.  We always take our kids to see the lights at Temple Square  and out to dinner.  We went on a warm night and ate at Wingers.  It was fun to walk around and go to the vistors center. 

 Watching the Nativity. 

 Baby bundled. 

 They are the cutest!!!

 Family of five!

Sweet baby girl at over four months old!! Time goes by too fast!
NUTCRACKER-- Jack was in the 1st grade production of the Nutcracker.  It was so fun for him and he loved doing it.  He was a Chinese dancer and did his very best in learning the dance and performing.  He was able to go downtown to see the real Nutcracker and then performed his show 3 different times!

 Random pictures and Christmas Day

 Going to see Santa and get a cookie at Mrs Fields

 Christmas Tree

 Christmas Sunday

 First gifts of Christmas

 Christmas morning!

 New bikes... new clothes for bears... no video games!!!

 AND a NEW KITTY!!!! FELIX! Straight from Santa himself!!

 There he is!!

Savannah taking care of Evelyn! The kids call her Eva!

So, thats been us over the last few months.  I do have more pictures from my phone that I will upload.  I am very blessed and so thankful for these kids and my family and work and friends and home and church and husband and moms and dads... the list could go on!! 2012 was a great year!! New baby, first grader, 2 year old and lots and lots of memories!! I hope 2013 is just as good!

EVELYN 2 MONTHS

 Twin cousins... Hallie and Evelyn

My sweet little baby.  I love her so much.  I, of course, love all of my kids, but there is something about your third kid.   I think I am so much more mature and so much more knowledgeable about how fast time goes and how precious this baby time is.  I am really enjoying everything about her.  It helps that she is the best baby around, but really it has been nothing but pleasant.  I think if she were my last one I would be sad! Our sweet girl is about two and a half months now.  She is sleeping basically through the night and nursing very well.  I wasn't planning on nursing at all, but she has done so well and I am surprised by how much I am loving it.  It really is bonding, as they say, and I soak up all the time I get with her because the rest of the day is so busy.  I really don't have her on the ground as much as  I should and now that she is awake more of the day, I need to get better at that.  She is a sweet soul, you can tell.  Very mild mannered and wonderful.  She started smiling at around 7 weeks and is now laughing a bit at me and her siblings.  I love her so much and am so thankful for the sweet spirit she brings into our home.  There is just such love around when you have a newborn in the home.  She is straight from heaven and such a blessing!! I can't wait to watch her grow and sit and eat and become whoever she will become.  I am blessed to be her mommy. (At two months she weighted 10 lbs 16 oz and was 23 inches long... that is 50% for both... she will be my most tiny baby). 

RANDOM PICTURES

 Savannah being herself.  CRAZY! :) and cute and so funny!!

 They love their new sister!

 Camping with Dad in backyard.

 Hiking Silver Lake with family on Labor Day

 First time at the circus!

 Church and cheesy smiles

 Jeromy and Elisha's wedding

 Savannah would not get in this picture.  I have to figure out how to bribe her. 

 Halloween crafts!

FIRST GRADE

Jack is in first grade.  I can't believe it.  He is in Ms. Reynolds class and I am so happy about that.  She was Jon's and Lauren's teacher in 1st grade and I requested her because I have heard she is good with boys, reading and I knew that both of them loved her.  She is teaching a 1st/2nd split this year and I wasn't sure if he would get in because they normally take the kids that are self sufficient and who they feel can keep up with the work.  I am happy that his kindergarten teacher thought he would do well in the combined class.  So far, he is LOVING school.  He definitely was ready to go and he is really thriving in the environment.  I remember asking my friends, who have older kids, when a toddler turns into a "real" kid... with thoughts and feelings and things of their own.  I think it is when they start school.  Jack is blossoming into a great little kid.  He is kind, a rule follower, a writer, a reader and getting better at math.  He is a pleaser and very friendly.  He is really taking off in reading and comes home and writes stories and leaves them around the house.  He has been getting great marks on all of his work and he seems to be retaining a lot of things he learns at school.  I am anxious to have a parent teacher conference in a few weeks to really get the scoop, but from what I can tell he is really doing well and really enjoying it.

I am so proud of him.  I love him so much and I love watching him grow.  He loves his sisters and Savannah really misses him while he is gone.  She is my little buddy and I am trying to spend more time with her, in between nursing Evelyn, but the minute Jack gets home... she follows him around for the rest of the night.  Oh, I love my kids!!