Until Next Year...

We had a wonderful and blessed Christmas! We've done nothing but relax and enjoy time with family the past week! Here are some pictures of the fun:)


Connor and Logan...we did not plan the outfits:)


Priceless!!


He loves Uncle Danny and Aunt Marce


Poppi won this at the Chinese Gift Exchange...what a turkey head!


About to bake cookies for Santa


Playing with new toys


Connor got a racetrack


Christmas at Granna and Gramps


Life is good!!

Holy Crap...

Literally! Friday night I was assaulted in my own home by the worst episode of explosive diarrhea I've ever seen or smelled...courtesy of Connor. It started out a quiet, peaceful evening with just the three of us: Chad, Connor and myself. The girls were spending the night with Granna and Gramps. Connor had been there earlier while Chad and I went to the show. When we picked him up I noticed that his pants had been changed. Granna informed me that it had started...the diarrhea. Well, I didn't think much of it. He's on antibiotics and the dr. had warned us about the possibility of the "big D" as a side effect. So we arrived home, got Connor tucked into bed and settled in for the night. I did my usual double-check on Connor after he was good and asleep, and everything appeared to be A-OK! I would now be able to sleep peacefully.

I don't know what time in the night it was, but at some point this god-awful smell penetrated my R.E.M. sleep, entered my dreams and eventually woke me up. I couldn't tell if it was coming from Chad or if it was just a figment of my imaginatation. I wasn't 100% conscious at this point, so I ignored it and went back to sleep. There is no telling how many hours I laid there inhaling those toxic fumes. But never in a million years did I think that the terrible odor would be drifting from Connor's room all the way into ours.

Finally at 5a.m. I got up...I couldn't take it anymore. I came within three feet of Connor's room when the smell almost knocked me off my feet. I walked in and saw that the poor, helpless baby was sound asleep, covered in poo from head to toe. Needless to say, he had an early Saturday morning bath. By the time I got him cleaned-up and dressed, Chad was coming-to and the smell was starting to hit him. I was in the funky-smelling room, trying not to throw up as I took the sheets off, when Chad walked in to help. The first words (after gagging) out of his mouth were: "You need to Lysol the hell out of this room." No joke!

So Chad ran to United for some fresh air and Lysol; and Connor and I went back to bed where we enjoyed some good, clean-baby cuddle time.

Lots of Things...

We are done with the first half of school!!! I made it out of my classes with a 4.0:) So happy! And Taylor is now halfway through with 2nd grade. This week was packed with parties and fun. Now I can breathe a big sigh of relief.
Wednesday was Taylor's class party...I was in charge...and it went really well. The kids had fun. I was stressed, but they didn't know the difference!




Thursday it was Averi's turn. And thank goodness all I had to do was show up and enjoy it. They played games and ate cupcakes.




It was also my last day working at KDO. It's a little sad knowing I'm done. Connor had a good time playing with all the other babies, but now it will be just the two of us (at least on Thursdays).


Today is my dad's 60th birthday. That's a little hard to wrap my mind around. He is and always has been an amazing dad and Gramps. He would do anything and everything for me and my family. He has most definitely loved unconditionally and that means the world to me. A dad's job is to be an earthly example of our Heavenly Father...he has been that and much much more. I am so lucky. Happy Birthday, Dad!!


So Chad and I have been on a movie kick lately. In fact I went twice today. We saw Tale of Despereaux after school and Yes Man this evening. Tonight we were bombarded with Chad's students from school. Everytime we turned around we heard another "COACH HILL"!! He decided he likes going to the movies on Sunday afternoon better:)

Love This Song...

It describes so perfectly how we feel about our children...and how our Heavenly Father feels about us:)

In My Arms
Plumb

Your baby blues
So full of wonder
Your curly cues
Your contagious smile
And as I watch
You start to grow up
All I can do is hold you tight

Knowing clouds will raise up
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

Story books full of fairy tales
Kings and queens and the bluest skies
My heart is torn just in knowing
You'll someday see the truth from lies

Knowing clouds will raise up
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

Castles they might crumble
Dreams may not come true
But you are never all alone
Because I will always
Always love you

Clouds will raise up
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

She Let Herself Go...

O.K...so I went to the gym with Chad yesterday...he wanted me to go so I went. I have been needing to do this for a long time but that's neither here nor there. So on a whim there I went. I decided to take advantage of the situation and make this the beginning of my new healthier lifestyle. Don't laugh...I'm still doing good a day later:) This was the day I was going to get my big butt in gear. When we walked into Bodyworks, the smell of sweat and weights came over me. Oh how I've missed that smell. I walked (heaved my body) upstairs to the cardio equipment and found my machine. I started going and all of the memories of my past workout days came flooding back. But I have to say that it felt good in a "this sucks" sort of way! I couldn't tell you the last time I forced my body to actually burn calories (this, of course, does not count the never-ending job of chasing my kids around:). So after 45 on the elliptical machine I decided that I wanted to weigh myself. I haven't weighed, probably, since my 6 week check up after Connor was born. When I finally found the dang scale I stepped on it expecting one number. Well, unfortunately, I have to report that another number, quite bigger than one I was expecting appeared on the screen. I wasn't that upset...at least I know what I'm working with now. And that rather large number gives me a starting point. So...here's to all the fatty foods I am going to miss...my cokes, my frappuccinos, and my ice cream sundaes. I will miss you, but my butt won't!

The Polar Express...

Last night we went to the Polar Express. After our experience with the insane ticket buying process, my expectations of the train ride were not very high. But, the girls were so excited and I was just hoping it would not be a flop. I was pleasantly surprised! The train was a double decker and we had seats on the second floor. Everyone in our car was super excited! We ate cookies, drank hot chocolate and sang Christmas carols. As we were on our way to the North Pole the train swayed back and forth. Taylor and Averi kept saying "it feels like we're going to tip over!" They were right, it felt exactly like that! But it just added to the magic of the night. I am so glad we went. It really got me in the Christmas spirit!