November and December

Time is flying as I say every time I post. We had a good holiday season this year. Jack was totally into it and that made it the most fun year yet. I think everything he got was perfect and when he came in on Christmas morning, he was thrilled! But, I am getting ahead of myself. Thanksgiving was a lot of fun... We did dinner with my family and then pies that night with Jason's family. We are lucky to have both families close by so that we can see them both on holidays.

Jason was going to be transferred to First American, but Equity decided that they couldn't bear to lose him so they kept him and moved him to their Sugarhouse office. I am happy to have him closer to home. Jack continued on with school and took a few field trips... one to Little Caesars and then to the candy factory. He is learning so much this year. Savannah is continuing to grow and grow... she is now 11 months, but I will do a real update and her when she turns a year in a few weeks. I continue to feel like I am running around with my head cut off, but a few of my New Year resolutions include getting to bed earlier so that I can get up earlier and get things done while the kids are still asleep. Jack officially refuses to nap during the day anymore and even though the baby does for up to 3 hours... I am normally entertaining Jack during that time.

Christmas this year was so fun!! We spent the month in preparation and did a lot of fun things. My favorites were taking Jack to the symphony to see the Polar Express. It was perfect for this musical boy and he sat through the whole thing. We also went and saw Santa, made cookies, had an elf from the North Pole with us for the month, watched a bunch of Christmas movies, ate popcorn with apple cider, sat by the Christmas tree, Jason and I went to Kurt Bestor and Christmas morning was the best! It was our first Christmas at our own house... our parents came here, and I loooved it! Jack came in and was thrilled. Jason and I were really happy with how everything turned out. Savannah even loved it and really recognized her own toys in the bunch.

I am so thankful for this family of mine. We started feeling like our own family this year... and not like we were just playing house. We are in for changes this year with Jack starting Kindergarten... :(, Savannah starting nursery, Jason going back to school (maybe) and me continuing to work out a lot and work as well... I said to Jason last night that I really feel like we are in the midst of the best time in our lives and I am so blessed to have these kids and this husband. We are truly happy and enjoy each other. I think that is the most important thing. I am looking forward to 2011, but 2010 wasn't half bad for us!! I'm thankful!

Disneyland

So, here is my post about Disneyland... about 6 months late. I'm so bad at blogging anymore. Oh, well. I got around to it so I guess that is what matters. We went to Disneyland for the first time with the kids the end of September. It was also our first family vacation taken without mine or Jason's family with us. It was sooo fun! We drove down on Saturday after Jack's soccer game and stayed in St. George for the night with my grandma. We left St. George on Sunday morning and arrived in California early enough to hit Downtown Disney for dinner after we checked into our hotel room. We didn't drive our car all week and walked to and from Disneyland every night. Jason and I were quite impressed with ourselves and all the passing of people we did... especially hauling two kids. Savannah did great in the car.... Jack is always good as long as we have a DVD on hand. She slept during the perfect intervals and if she did get fussy, I just climbed in the back seat and played/fed her while Jason rubbed my feet and drove... not a bad combo if you ask me! :) We went to Disneyland on Monday morning, bright and early... only to find out that our camera was broken. I was bummed, but we bought disposable cameras and that night Jason ran to Target and got a new digital camera. Our first day was great. Savannah and Jack could go on most everything and the things that Savannah could not go on, Jason and I took turns taking Jack. He went on everything and loved it! He was able to fight Darth Vader on our first day dressed up like a Jedi. I think that was the highlight of his trip. It was so cute.

The other days consisted of a character breakfast on Tuesday morning.... the Colors show on Wednesday night... we got together with my cousins and their kids on Wednesday. On Thursday we were about parked out, but hit Disneyland one more time and caught the street parade once more. Jack loved the street parade. Savannah was a trooper through it all and loved all the characters. She wasn't scared a bit of them. I loved getting in a sea level run, early nights in with my family and seeing Jack's excitement with everything. I loved having these three all to myself for a week. We had such a good time we even extended our stay by a day and had to rush home, but it was totally worth it. I can't wait to go back and see Savannah's excitement!! So fun! I love family vacations!!

Family Pictures 2010

Lately....

Soccer boy


So beautiful for church.




Baby Crew and mama.



Halloween costumes 2010



Field trip for preschool.



Pumpkin patch.





Family hike.

Our camera broke in Disneyland and we bought a new one. I am still trying to figure out exactly how to get pictures from the new camera onto our computer. I got them on Facebook, so we will see how they transfer to the blog.

We have had a busy month!! We went to Disneyland about six weeks ago and it seems that ever since we got back it has been go, go, go!! We had a great time in Disneyland (more on that later) and we have really loved the month of October and Halloween. Jack started school and played soccer this fall. He loves his new class and he loves going three days a week. He is learning so much. His poems this year are twice as long as last year and it is so fun to see how much better he has them memorized, even though they are longer. He is singing way more songs and learning how to write his letters. He gets homework every week to practice his writing and coloring. His coloring is actually very improved and he can stay in the lines quite nicely. We had his 1st primary program last week and he was the kid who was singing the loudest and longest of the bunch. It was so cute. At one point in one of the songs they were singing it said something about Jesus walking through dust and Jack puffed his hands up like a dust cloud and then gave us a thumbs up. It was so fun to watch him. He loved playing soccer and actually scored a goal during one game. He is the happiest kid around and except for when he is tired... he is nothing but a joy to have around. He loves his games, his scooter and his friends. That boy makes me prouder by the day!

Savannah is nine months old now. She has 6 teeth and has been crawling for over a month. She is pulling herself up and walking along things and today she actually stood on her own for a good 30 seconds! She loves her mama and I have to say that I love that because Jack is totally a daddys boy, which is fine because he is a boy. I love that my girl wants to be with me and no one else! She is still the best baby around... starting to say "Ba Ba" and the "M" sound. We still rock her to sleep every night and fall more in love with her daily. She is right at my most favorite age and I am so excited to continue to watch her grow.

In other news, we did the typical Halloween stuff this year... witches at Gardner Village, Haunted Trail (in the pouring rain and hail), carving pumpkins, pumpkin patch and plenty of Halloween shows. We have had FAB weather and it has been an awesome fall. We were able to get out on a family hike up Ensign Peak... we bought new appliances for our kitchen (stainless steel) and my sister had a little boy named Crew. I think that about catches us up except for Disneyland and I am really going to try to be better about keeping this thing updated!

LAME-O

That's me. Since having two kids, I am findings that I have less and less time to do ANYTHING!! I am still trying to get all my ducks in a row and time just keeps going too fast! I can't believe that it is already September. Jack starts his second year of preschool tomorrow. We went to his open house a few days ago and it will be so much fun for him. He is losing his BF Coleman this year, but there are a lot of fun boys in the class. I hope that he will make lots more friends. It is a weird time for me. He is growing up so fast and I am entering into a phase where he will be around me less and less and with his friends more and more. There have been weeks where he has been at a friends house (or vice versa) everyday of the week. I am so excited to watch him grow and develop, but it is a little sad to lose some of that control. I just always hope I can be there for him and let him go gracefully.

Summer has come and gone and I'm sad that I haven't taken more pictures. We enjoyed swimming lessons for a full month (Jack is great at it and was really catching on the last week of his class. I hope he remembers everything for next year). We had birthdays and boating... fires and friends. We didn't make it camping this year or anything because... We are going to DISNEYLAND next weekend!! WOO HOO! Jack has been counting down for weeks and weeks. He is so excited and I am so excited because this will be our first trip as a family, just the four of us. We are in desperate need. We went to the zoo and the library, had swimming parties at our house and lots of friend time. I am sad to see the summer go, but more excited for the fall.

Savannah is almost seven months now and she cut two teeth last week and also started crawling. She is the perfect crawler and very methodical about it. Still a little slow, but she can get around. She continues to be the perfect baby and hasn't even woke up during the night with her teeth. The only reason I knew they came in was because I happened to feel them in her mouth. She looooves bath time and kicks and laughs the entire time. She loves Jack and he loves her. He is anxiously waiting for the day when she starts following him around. I love her to death and can't believe how lucky I am to have these kids of mine.

As for me and Jason, we have been working a lot to try to pay for Disneyland and car problems and new running shoes etc... Jason has started doing some property management stuff on the side and that will hopefully give us a bit more money during a month. money seems so scarce and there are so many things I want/need! (but, mostly want). I went to Target today and literally had to pull myself away from Halloween decorations (a sparkly skeleton that was so cute... I will probably go back and get it). I am feeling very scattered lately and have been a big fan of writing down my daily tasks to get done. I am inspired by a friends blog to create a list of goals for the rest of the year. She is doing 30 before she turns 30... so maybe I will have to do 29 before 29... I am going to put it together and then post it so that I am held accountable. I think that will help me feel more in control of my life. :) I am loving this weather (cooler), loving my family... can't wait for fall TV shows and the final season of Oprah. I am excited for the new school year and the holidays coming up. My sister Kris to have her baby and for me to continue to watch my babies grow. What a great time of life this is. Hopefully, I can get better about posting and taking pictures... but first, DISNEYLAND!!!

The Boy is 4!!!

Coming down to his "birthday house."


Presents


He loves Spiderman.


We played musical pillows at his first friend party.


He loved having a party this year! It was really fun.



I can't believe that Jack is four. I am pretty sad about it. I know I have said this over and over, but time really goes by so fast. I remember the past four years so well and it seems like it was just yesterday that I was pregnant with him. Then, I was waiting for him to be 3 months, then he was a year, then two... it has just gone by so fast! This year he has really grown up. I can't believe some of the things that he is figuring out. He is learning words that rhyme all by himself. He is really interested in reading and letters and knows most of the sounds of all the letters. He can write his name and knows his birthday. He is the best big brother around and loves Savannah to pieces. We have given him a chore chart and he remembers to do his jobs every day. He loves his friends and is really kind. We were at our friends house the other day and he was really concerned about the 2 yr old twins there and was always making sure they were okay and that they could see the fireworks and everything. He is so smart, funny as can be and very loving. We are so blessed and lucky to have him as our child! There are so many more things I could say. My neighbor said to me the other day that he is very accepting and I think that describes him very well. He will play with anyone and try to make everyone feel comfortable. He has a bit of attitude every now and then, but for the most part he is pure joy and happiness every day. He loves his swimming lessons and is doing really well. Oh, I love everything about him. I am sad to watch him grow up, but so excited for what the future holds. I am going to try to make his childhood the best because he deserves it. I love my baby boy!!