Case In Point!

After I finished my last blog, I turned around to find this!! I guess I forgot to give my husband the "No Baby Sleeping On You" memo!

The Days of Christmas

Okay, so I know that you don't see Livvy in ANY of these pictures.... I swear we are not neglecting her!! She just sleeps so darn much and I am trying to convince her right now that sleeping in her bed is better than sleeping on mommy, so every chance I get I put her in her bed. Sad? Terribly!! Necessary so that mom can start sleeping a little bit better without a sleeping baby on her? Definitely!! So, here's to hoping!!

Finding the time to blog everyday does not happen very often. It seems that some days I seem to have more time and so I get a lot of blogging done- and then I have a "dry spell" where there seems to be a lot to do. Today I seem to have a few more minutes than most days- and so I want to blog a few things from my memory.
For the 12 days of Christmas we have gotten the following items so far:
A Nativity pillow (made by Grandma) and a joke book.
Corn Warmers- my kids love to put them in the microwave and wrap them around their neck to stay nice and warm.
Candles and a Joke book.
Cookie mix and a movie.
Gingerbread houses.
Home made lollipops to share with friends
Some money to do a service project for someone in need.

Those are the most recent additions to our family themed 12 days of Christmas. We still have 2 days left. I'll keep you updated.

Also, I need to mention that before I had Livvy, I had made all of her birth announcements and my Christmas cards- the only thing lacking was our pictures. I figured that would be easily accomplished after baby was born... not so!! The best laid plans.... So, for any of you wondering why in the heck you were left off of the Christmas/ baby announcement list- you weren't!! You will probably receive it by next Summer, if everything goes according to plan!! :)

I hope everyone's Holidays are happy. I will leave you with this quote,
"Life is God's gift to man. What we do with our life is our gift to God" - Harold B. Lee

The Three Amigos

Here are my 3 cuties playing their guitars!! The older 2 are going to start lessons in January!!

Ginger bread oops!!

What went wrong?

Birthdays

Yesterday we had a joint birthday party for Gloria & Gray.

Okay.... before you all start questioning my sanity and call child protective services, let me start out by saying this "I know that Gloria's birthday was NOT yesterday!!! I know that it wasn't even last month.. or the one before!! I know I am the world's lamest mom, okay? No need to tell me, i KNOW!!! Gloria has been so patient waiting for her birthdy party to finally arrive,I kept promising her "Maybe next weekend"- So, here we are 3 months later and we finally decided that this was the weekend! And because Grayson's birthday is in a few days, we decided to do a double party.
The kids had a blast. We did the party at the children's museum. They have a castle themed party room and rooms and rooms of exploration and fun. The kids all played while the adults got to socialize. I know there are no pictures of the baby, she was there- as a matter of a fact, she was the main attraction for the moms- it was a nice little break for me! The cakes were super yummy, and clean up was a breeze!! There we go, 50% of our kids birthdays done and over with.... next year I promise to not be so lame!! :)

Fast!

So, I have noticed lately that Iame using the word "FAST" too often with my kids. I use it when we are in a hurry (which is a lot of the time), when we are trying to get the kids out of the car and across the busy parking lot, in the grocery store, at church.... EVERYWHERE!!
So, I have made it a personal goal to find ways to avoid using the word "fast". Whether it means waking up earlier in the morning so that I don't have to tell my daughter to get dressed "fast" so she won't be late for school, or getting all of the kids to the door of the car at the same time and having them hold hands so that the baby won't freeze while waiting for them to get out and ready, or just plain old thinking ahead so that we can avoid having to hurry. In this world or rushing and bustling I don't want my kids to associate Hurrying with every part of their lives. I am going to try to do my part to help them feel not rushed and anxious. I hope that they can learn to feel the inner calm and peace so they will be able to recognize when they feel promptings. So... anyone who sees me in the next few weeks, notice how I won't be using the word "Fast"!

Four Weeks Old

Yesterday my baby turned 4 weeks old! It feels like just yesterday that she arrived. There is still so much to learn about her, but so much that I have already learned. Her personality is already showing and she is so sweet and peaceful. She loves her brother and sisters so much. She smiles when they hold her, she loves to be near them. She loves to be sang to, especially by her sister Cami. Whenever Livvy fusses at all, Cami will immediately start singing to her and Livvy always calms right down. She has 3 main cries. There is the most loud and most urgent cry of "FEED ME". She knows when she is hungry and lets everyone else know, also. Then she has her sad little whimper that means, "Please Cuddle Me"- which we all love to do! And lastly she has her small cry that means she wants her diaper changed. Livvy is already smiling- she will gaze into her family's eye's and just smile at us. She holds her head up for long periods of time- when she is awake. She is a great little sleeper and loves to sleep. I am thankful for the newest little Kendall. She is so fun to have here and we love her so much! Happy 4 weeks, Livvy!

Sorry about the picture, I only remembered last night to take it and we were on our way out the door to dinner and FHE with some other families, but this is what she looked like on her 4 week mark.

3rd day of Christmas

On the 3rd day of Christmas Grandma and Grandpa gave to us, coloring books and a family memory game. The memory game is really fun... it is pictures of our family (aunts, uncles and counsins included) that Grandma made!! Thanks Grandma. We love it and we love playing it.

The Second Day of Christmas

On the Second Day of Christmas Grandma and Grandpa gave to us- a story book and a candy cane!
We are excited to read the story "The Miracle of the Wooden Shoes" and have some hot cocoa with candy canes.

Sugar cookies

We have some fun Christmas Traditions at our house... One of my favorite is making sugar cookies with the kids. We like eating them as much as we like taking them to our friends. For many years I searched for the perfect sugar cookie recipe- however, last year I found it! It is the boxed sugar cookie mix from betty crocker. I buy it in bulk at sams club. I have the yummiest butter cream frosting that I got from a friend in Ohio who was the queen of sugar cookes, but I could never get her sugar cookie recipe to work for me. So, in desperation I picked up a box mix at Sams and now I will never use anything else!! The only thing that I do differently from what the box says is that I use 1/2 cup melted butter instead of 1/3, and then I add a TB more flour. Then I feel free to flour up my counter as much as I need to! They seriously are super duper yummy.
Happy Eating everyone!!

The First Day Of Christmas

Livia was busy eating while we were unwrapping gifts, so I put her next to the gifts under the tree so she could be included in this blog! She makes a beautiful gift and she is definitely the best gift we could have asked for!!

Grandma and Grandpa gave us a really fun package this year. It is the 12 days of Christmas! They gave us a present for each day leading up to Christmas day. The theme of their gift is family unity. On the first day of Christmas (today) our Grandma and Grandpa gave to us, Christmas pillowcases to sleep on that are so cute and comfy!!
We will open a gift each day until Christmas as a family. We are so excited. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!!!

Cinnamon Stars

The kids are pointing to the cinnamon stars that we made and hung on the wall. We made these yummy-smelling cinnamon stars that are supposed to look like gingerbread cookies. They are not gingerbread, they are made out of cinnamon (A LOT of cinnamon), a little applesauce and a whole bottle of glue!! So, even though the kids helped to make these, they all kept wanting to eat the dough while we were rolling out the stars. I convinced the older two how awful it would taste, but Cami didn't believe me. Thus we ended up with a little girl trying to eat the dough! Needless to say, she spit it right out! However, even after we baked the dough, she again wanted to try the "cookies". I let her. Ha ha ha.... it was so funny to see her bite into it and then run to spit it out. What can I say- she loves to learn by doing and not by listening! She has not tried to eat any more of the stars and even helped to hang the rest.

On a side note- yesterday our offer was accepted on a home!! It is a home near where we live now, on two acres of beautiful land. We are so excited. This is the nicest house we looked at out here and it seems it was made just for us!! It is an early Christmas gift to us that they accepted our low offer. So, if the home inspector and other people all deem it sound and fit, in 6 weeks we will be new home owners!! Hurray!

7 & 1/2 Pounds of Sweetness

Can you say sweet? I can. I say it like this, "Olivia".
She is literally the sweetest most cuddly little girl. We just love her and her sweet, sweet, sweet personality!!
We love having her here and love to shower her with kisses and hugs. If you ever need a healthy dose of sweetness, just visit our little Olivia and you will get your fill!!
Have a Sweet Day!

I Wish They All Could Be California...

SANTA'S!!!
This is a picture of us with Father Christmas and Mother Christmas in the parking lot after breakfast. They were really sweet, especially considering they were trying to leave and had already begun taking their "costumes" off!!
Gray with St. Nick
Cami, Olivia, Mom St. Nick and Mrs. Clause (Cami would not sit on Santa's lap but she finally agreed to sit NEXT to Santa on Mommy's lap).
Gloria and Mr. and Mrs. Clause... she was in heaven!!

This weekend we discovered something else that we love about California.... SANTA!!! Wow! We had a terrific weekend with quite a few Santa Sightings. IT started on Friday night when Gloria's choir sang for the tree lighting ceremony in coarsegold (i forgot my camera, so no pictures- sorry!), Santa came in to the choir singing their last song of "Here comes Santa Clause". He rode in on a fire truck and then stayed to visit with all of the kids.
Saturday morning, after Gloria's super duper early soccer game, we stopped at the community center where Santa AND Father Christmas were visiting and had breakfast with them both. We got to sit on Santa's lap and after he gave us books, stuffed animals and candy. Then on Saturday night we stopped at the Oakhurst tree lighting ceremony where Santa came in to visit, and he gave us more books and candy. Following that, we went to our ward party where santa came to visit and get a little to eat. The kids got to sit on his lap and were rewarded with stuffed animals and candy! Cami was too scared to sit on his lap, but really wanted the toy and candy, so Santa bargained with her that if she would sit NEXT to him on mommy's lap, she could still get the prize. She was OK with that.
All of the santa's that we came across this weekend were the friendliest, nicest, sweetest Santa's that we have ever come across. They were all so friendly and smiley and just plain old JOLLY!! We love our California Santa's!!!

Christmas is coming

Christmas is getting so close. the kids are getting excited! We have decorated the house, and then we decorated our gingerbread house.
The kids were allowed to decorate however they wanted and taste whatever they pleased! Oh boy!! That was fun. The kids loved the tasting part!
We got the tree put up. This is our second year with a big tree. Before that, Travis and I had a little 3 foot tree that we have had since our first year of marriage. Last year, we went to the after christmas sale and bought this nice big tree for %75 off. The kids still love our big tree.... it is more than twice the size of the other one and they think it is so cool.
Daddy helped the kids get the ornaments to the highest parts of the tree. We listened to Christmas music while we were decorating. The kids loved singing and dancing as we were getting the tree ready.
There are so many wonderful parts of the holiday, we are especially excited to spend time with family this year.

Good Friends

I have a lot of good friends- but today I was missing my friend, Wendy. You see, the past 3 years Wendy and I would go shopping on the day after Thanksgiving together. We both had the same agenda, don't leave too early- don't wait in super long lines, and no big ticket items for us. We just took our time, got a few small things and enjoyed being out together. Today I did not go shopping, I did have friends who invited me (leaving at 4am,or at 5am- YIKES). I wanted to go, but my heart was not in it this year (not to mention that I have a 10 day old baby and didn't think I could leave her for so long). So, I did not go shopping today and I thought about my good friend, Wendy.
Wendy would be the one to get me out of the house, we would go to chick flicks, aerobic conventions, she was the one who helped me learn to teach and helped me get certified. Our kids got along so well, I loved having her kids over. We swapped babysitting, FHE kits, dinners, and cards. We got along and so did our hubbies. We did a lot together and I really miss her.

This picture was taken on the last day that I saw my friend. We were both crying and so sad- . I miss her and all my Ohio friends!

Happy Thanksgiving

Isn't She Sweet?

For Thanksgiving the kids & I learned about the first Thanksgiving. We talked about why the pilgrims left England & Holland and what made them pilgrims. I had the kids paint a picture of the mayflower. They loved hearing about the baby, Oceanus, who was born on the journey to across the ocean. I hope that learning about this helped them to appreciate why we celebrate Thanksgiving each year.
Here is a list of some things that I am grateful for this year... (in no particular order)
Healthy and happy family.
Warm home (cool during the Summer, you can't beat it).
Food- it seems like all I think about while I am nursing.
My husband- anyone who knows me or reads my blog knows that I am the luckiest wife around.
Cars- we have to drive EVERYWHERE here, even to visit neighbors!
The gospel- including my testimony. I don't want to think about where I would be without it.
My Camera- My memory may not last a lifetime, but pictures will.
My Mom and Dad- I couldn't have asked for better. They do so much for me and have taught me everything I need to know about raising a family.
Modern appliances- with 4 kids, dishes and laundry and cooking and everything would be a lot more work without them!
Great Inlaws- I had always hoped, but never expected in-laws that I love so much and get along with.
Freedom- and the men and women who work hard and give their lives to defend it.
Good friends- who are a lot more like family than just friends.
Modern Technology- I am blogging my Thankful list, need I say more?
The Beauty of the Earth- Everywhere I look I see evidence how great God is.

There is so much more that I am thankful for, but I would be at this computer all day. I am blessed, and I am thankful for my blessings.

Happy Are We

This sweet little girl is a wonderful addition to our family. We are so blessed. I cannot imagine life without her. She loves to cuddle, which is fantastic, because we all love to cuddle her. She is so cuddly- all 6 pounds, 6 ounces of her (we went to the doctor yesterday).
This sweet little girl, Cami, now seems so big and old to me! How did that happen? Just last week she was still my tiny little girl- my baby. Now she is a super big sister and one big helper. Who knew so much could change in so little amount of time?

We love having Olivia in our family, she is so sweet and happy. she has the cutest smile. She makes the kids smile. We are a happy family!

Babies R us

Baby Olivia and Mommy getting ready for her first bath.
My 2 sweet nieces holding their newest cousin.
First bath with Grandma. Thanks, Grandma.

World's best big brother... she loves him so much.
New big sister Cami is so excited to have her baby home.
Gloria, holding her baby sister. She is such a big help and loves her sister so much.

Well, today my parents and nieces left. It is super quiet, and I think we need to adopt my nieces because we are going to miss them so much! I told my mom we would build a mother in law apartment if she would just move in (also free dental work for life), but it didn't work. They still left.
We really are going to miss them. It was wonderful to have them here. We look forward to seeing them in a few short weeks.
Olivia is so sweet. She is already showing her personality, and we can tell how much she loves her brother and sisters. She loves to be held by them, and they love to hold her. It is a win/win situation!
I am really feeling great after the pregnancy! I have never felt so good so soon after delivery. I came home about 24 hours after she was born (I wish it was sooner, but we had to wait for pediatricians, ob's, and hubby). . We love being here and I missed my kids so much. We are adjusting well, my mom left me with a clean house and full fridge so I should be able to just hide out at home for a few weeks and get little Olivia settled into a routine.
My mom gave Olivia her first bath. She has given every one of my kids their first baths. When I brought home my first baby, she came to stay with me. I was a little freaked about holding a slimy baby in water and washing her and everything that went along with the bath. She easily took the baby and skillfully showed me how it is done. Every time I have a new child, I still feel awkward about the first few baths, so she has, thankfully, taken the time to do the first bath with each of my kids. It is a nice tradition and it always makes me feel a little easier about the next tub time.
Thank you all for your kind and warm thoughts. I miss you all and cannot wait til you get to meet our newest addition!