Gingerbread Houses

This is a very fond tradition in our household. Five years ago we were making gingerbread houses in Logandale with my side of the family when Tim proposed to me! Ever since then, we have made it a tradition to make gingerbread houses. I guess it was our first tradition we ever started together. This year was no exception. It gets all the more fun with more additions to the family (this year being Kaven). And as you can see he was not left out. This is his first candy cane. We gave it to him, and awhile later we looked over and this is what we saw. We couldn't help but laugh for the next few minutes. Kids make things so fun! Emery made a snowman out of marshmallows (but I didn't get a picture fast enough because she ate it too quickly after. Then Tim and I made our own houses. I thought I would try a pretzel cabin this year with a train! Always fun to try something new. Merry Christmas!

Random December Happenings

This month of December has been a very simple but very memorable one. We are tighter that we have ever been (being in Pharmacy School and all) but the happiest we have ever been. We have not always been great at doing Family Home Evening but made a goal to start doing it EVERY week. We have done really well and it seems to be making an even greater difference in our home. Emery never seizes to amaze me with the things she knows or says. Last Monday we talked about how things like Christmas tree's, candy canes, stars ect. could remind us of the real meaning of Christmas. Tim had mentioned, earlier in the day, what Christmas lights could help us think of. I didn't even think Emery heard him or noticed because she was just running around. In our Family Home Evening I said, "Can you tell us what Christmas lights can remind us of Tim?" He said, "What do you think Emery?" To our delight she said, "The light of Jesus Christ." Both of our jaws dropped!!! It is amazing how well kids really do listen. It also reminded me how close these little ones are to heaven, and how precious they are. Kaven has been changing by leaps and bounds this month as well. We have found that he absolutely LOVES eating finger foods or whatever we are eating. This leads to a lot of time enjoying himself in the high chair and a HUGE mess. Well worth it though. He has also been figuring out how to move himself around. He is just starting to crawl (but can't get very far yet). He also is pulling himself up onto anything he can reach or get to. He also just learned a cute new trick.
It is kind of hard to tell what he is doing but you ask him to show you his muscles and he tightens up his body and grunts a little. It is pretty cute. He is such a happy personable baby that I can hardly believe it. Tim just finished his last final yesterday, boy has he been busy. Our first semester of Pharmacy school is completed, HOORAY!!! It was by far the fastest semester we have ever experienced. Must be going well them. :) He did great and we are looking forward to his next classes. He has learned SO MUCH all ready. We hope you are all having a great Holiday season! Merry Christmas!

Family Christmas Party (Mom's Side)

I love family get togethers! I especially love getting cute pictures like this. It is of my mom and her sister Paula. Aren't they so cute? It has been so nice living in Salt Lake, seeing as my Mom grew up in Provo Utah and my Dad in Orem Utah. So that means a lot of my extended family is pretty close near by us now! I feel that my parents did a great job getting us to family functions when we were kids but it was a little difficult because of the LONG drive. I grew up in Southern California and mostly Southern Nevada. Because of this we did not get to see my cousins as much as I would have liked. Now that we are closer I feel like I am getting to know some of my extended family a little bit better. We have been able to attend some Family Home Evenings, missionary "homecomings" and parties! It has been great!
So this is just one of the few things we have done with my mom's side of the family.
We had a great time at the family party: great food, great company, fun relay races, and it was the best having my mom and sister come up for the party and spend the night at our house.

Ice Skating

We had a VERY special treat last weekend. We were able to go ice skating for our ward party and to top it off my Mom and little sister came for a visit! Makes for the perfect weekend! I didn't think Emery was going to be able to skate because she is so small but when we went up to the desk they handed us these adorable skates just Emery's size! Did she ever LOVE them. When Tim took her out onto the ice the first time she bent over and hardly touched the ice as Tim held most of her weight. She didn't know otherwise though and said delighted, "Dad, I'M SKATING!!" Since my mom and sister were here, they went with us and boy was that ever nice. Tim and I were able to skate alone while they watched our wee ones! THANKS SO MUCH MOM!!! That is probably the closest we have come to a date in a long time. We sure had a blast! Emery and Kaven were able to sit on Santa's lap again and once again it was a delight for both of them. I don't know where they got their bravery because I was always very scared to sit on his lap when I was a kid! I just love this Holiday season! Merry Christmas! I

New Tradition??

Right after the light parade we went to the park to see the lights. They were all so pretty and Emery was in awe of them! We walked through the whole park then stopped at the nativity as we were leaving. It was another great chance to talk to Emery about baby Jesus and the true meaning of Christmas. Sometimes I think that gets put on the back burner a little too much this time of year. So I loved that it was the last thing we saw at the end of a day full of Santa and Christmas trees. I think I might want to add that as a new tradition when we are in Delta.
Merry Christmas!!!!

Light Parade

(Waiting in line for Santa)
Sense we were in Delta for Thanksgiving this year we were able to see Santa (pictures in header), visit a tree festival, and go to the Light Parade on Friday. This is a pretty simple and short parade but one of my favorites! We get all bundled up (because it is cold outside) and watch the lights float by. Emery was SO EXCITED about Santa this year! After she got off his lab she bounced out the door with a big smile on her face and a bag of treats. Later that night we headed to the light parade which Santa is on the last float. As it floated by he looked right at Emery, waved to her and said, "Hello sweetheart!" She turned to me with eyes as bright as headlights and said, "HE SAID HI TO ME!!!!". Those are a few of the things that make the holidays so Magical and great! It is so fun experiencing that again through my children!

Thanksgiving

Once again our holiday plans changed due to sickness. I had been so excited for Thanksgiving this year because it was the first time we were going to my side of the family sense we have moved to Salt Lake. We decided to break the trip up a little bit and stop in Delta for the night on our way there, (seeing as there is only about 7 mile difference going through Delta rather than on I-15 the whole way). Well Emery got sick with a bad Croup cough so we were stranded in Delta. With Tim's family in Manti we were on our own. Luckily Tim's grandma lives in Delta so we were able to spend Thanksgiving with her and I was able to make my first Thanksgiving Meal with out the pressure of having a lot of people there. It turned out great and we had and excellent time with Grandma Dora (as Emery calls her). Though I was a little disappointed being away from my family, I think it was a Thanksgiving we will always remember. We loved spending it with Grandma Dora and it helped me think more about what I am so grateful for!

SO BLESSED.....

to have him in my life!!!!

I know Thanksgiving is over and I wanted to do this before Thanksgiving but I just got way to busy and couldn't fit it in. I figure it won't hurt to do it now!

I don't think you could find two people more compatible than Tim and I!!!! We are like pea's and carrots. :) It was actually 5 years ago over Thanksgiving weekend that we talked about and knew we were going to get married. After I celebrated Thanksgiving with my family in Mesquite I could not stand to be away from him for that long, so I caught a ride with my Aunt and Uncle from Delta to surprise him (He was in Delta with his family). On the drive home to Cedar City from Delta we had "The Talk". It was a very stormy night and it actually took us like 4 hours to get home (usually 2 hours). That is one storm I didn't seem to mind. It could have taken us longer and we wouldn't of cared. Great memories!!!

Anyway, here we are five years later and more in love than that stormy night we were all starry eyed. :) I couldn't be more proud of him and all he has done and does for me and our family. Right now he is going to school full time and doing great at it. I didn't know if we were going to make it to where we are right now. That application process was a doosey!!! With lots of faith, hard work, prayers, money and support we made it through! We knew that would probably be the hardest part of his schooling. So far that is still the case. He is doing well in school. I am so grateful for his brain he has been sent earth with, because he doesn't have to study too long and he does really well in his classes. I find what he is studying interesting as well. In his undergrad he would come home and tell me what he was learning and I have to admit I would go a little blank, maybe because I did not really understand what he was talking about. But now I love talking about pharmacy with him. I feel like I have learned so much too.

He still loves knives, guns and right now his big thing is swords. He has learned all about the Japanese kinds of swords. That fase seems to be fading out now though. I am just waiting for the next thing he will get passionate about. Maybe his I-Touch he got in one of his classes, he does seem a little passionate about that. :) I don't mind so much though because it has really helped organize his life and classes for school.

He is such a great help at home! Anything I mention he is always so eager to hop up and help me out. SO THANKFUL for that. He has NEVER been one to get mad and impatient. He is so calm relaxed and level headed almost ALL THE TIME! When we were first married I think I tried to test that quality a little bit and get a response (you know bring him down to my level) but he never budged and now we never fight and I know I can always rely on that constant stability. I LOVE IT!!!!

It has been a great 5 years of knowing each other! I couldn't be more pleased with our lives and the paths we have taken together! I sure love him to pieces and feel I am blessed beyond measure! Thanks so much for all you are sweetie! I can't wait for the many years to come! I wouldn't want to spend them with anyone else!!!

Grateful for My Emery Girl!!!

Sweet Emery Girl!!! She has been one to teach me so much in life. She came out screaming but is turning out to be quite a good little girl. I have always said that she just gets easier the older she gets.

She is such a great big sister to Kaven and loves him to pieces! The other day I went in her room to check on them and she had a little table top set up with her dolls and was checking them with a thermometer (we had just gotten over our weeks of swine flu) and she said, "We are doctors." "Kaven's a doctor, and my (she always say's "my" instead of "I") a doctor." It always surprises me how much patience she has with him.

She also just started joy school. I can not believe I have a kid old enough to go to a pre-school!!! I know she is still a little young for it but it is a great thing for her to do during the winter so she is not so cooped up in the house all day! So far she is REALLY loving it and doing great!

She is my snuggle or cuddle bug as we say! She loves to snuggle up and be held. She gives kisses and tells us she loves us all the time! What a sweet girl!! We always love it when she hasn't seen us for awhile she always opens her arms as big as she can and runs into our arms while saying, "MMMMomyyyy...." or of course, "Daddy!"

Oh my! What a little social butterfly she is. She LOVES playing with anyone who will play with her. That is why we go outside so much, because there is usually a friend out there. For the most part she is usually really sweet with her friends but will stands her ground if someone tries to take what she is playing with(I kind of like that).

She is not one to be told what to do. She knows what she wants when she has something in her head and will not be told otherwise or distracted! Luckily she is doing better with dealing with this personality but we are still working on it. It makes for some difficulty now but I think if she decides to be good in this life she is going to be POWER HOUSE!!! She has the capacity to do some really great things in this life! Plus if she decides to avoid the bad in her teenage years I am pretty sure she won't be swayed by her peers!

Right now she says she wants to be a doctor when she grows up, her favorite animal is a hippo, her favorite color is purple or orange (but she wants to paint her bedroom green). Her favorite story is The Three Little Pigs. Her favorite food is sour cream or anything with noodles. She LOVES 1.Music 2.Shows like Dora, Blues Clues, Little Einstien, Bear in the Big Blue House (Mostly shows with music or singing in them) 3. Reading books 4. Sippies 5. And of course playing with her mom. :)

It is amazing how much love you can have for one little person! So much that you can not put it into words or even describe it! She fills our little house up with so much joy and love! All I can say is that I am SO GRATEFUL for her! Love you Emery Girl!!!

Thankful for My Kaven Boy!

WOW! I can hardly believe that he is 6 months old! This little guys is just SO special to me. I figured I better write a few things about him since he is approaching 7 months now. *The thing that I love most about him is that he is a TOTAL Mamas boy!!!! I think the reason why he is so photogenic is because his eyes are almost ALWAYS on me, and he is so smiley. When ever his dad (or anyone else holds him), he keeps his eyes on me the whole time, even to the point to where his neck gets majorly kinked to do so! He then will lean as much as he can towards me. Once I grab him, he gives his dad that, I got what I want look, then snuggles in my neck. Sure melts my heart! *His sister is probably his second favorite person! They just adore each other! It is great that they are so happy to play with each other and by each other! They LOVE to wrestle (the best he can). Emery will open her arms to him and he will dive towards her and rub his head on her face or neck and wiggle around. Emery gets a kick out of it. Any time he starts crying Emery will run to his aid and sing him a song or give him a toy. Last night I heard him start to cry in the night. I go in to check on him and I hear Emery in her bed saying, "It's o.k. buddy, your alright Kaven boy." *From the time he was born he has been very special to me. He had taught me that having a baby CAN be fun and not so terribly hard (My poor Emery girl had a hard start in life). I no longer look at babies and cringe, but almost get baby hungry. Crazy seeing that I already have a baby! That is how sweet he is! *We just barely started to teach him to go to sleep on his own. It only took him two times of crying and now all you have to do is lay him down and he goes to sleep! What an easy child!!!! I put off teaching him because I just love rocking him and snuggling him so much! He quit letting me rock him to sleep so I figured it was time to let him do it on his own. *He is so happy all the time! Sometimes we call him flapper because he is always flapping his arms up and down because he is so excited about everything all the time! Emery then says, "flapper, flapper," and that gets him going all the more. * The other day we were sitting in the living room and he was babbling away. At the time he kept saying Da Da Da Da. So we started asking him questions like, "Who is your buddy?" and "Who do you love?" which he kept saying ,"Da, da, da.." I had just noticed that he needed a diaper change. So thinking I was clever and going to get out of diaper duty I asked him, "Who do you want to change your diaper?" He pauses for a little bit then says, "Ma, ma." Guess I dug my own hole for that one. :) These are just a few of the many wonderful things about him. He sure is loved in this household!

Little Haunts

I am finally coming around to posting about Halloween at This is This Place Heritage Park. I have been wanting to go there since we moved here, then Voila we won tickets! We had a great time with our friends the Whetmans. Emery (a.k.a Embrey by Cameron) loves playing with Cameron (a.k.a Cramrin by Emery). So she was pretty excited to spend a lot of the day with him. Here are some things we did:
Waiting for the tickets

Going on a Hay Ride

Trick-or-Treating at the Pioneer Houses

Playing in a miniature town while while Kaven and Dalin take a dinner break.

Horse Rides (I just love her cowboy boots given to her by Grandpa Alan! We thought they would be appropriate for the experience and they matched perfect with her costume too!)

Doing Projects (Emery especially loved the one where you scratch a black bat with a stick and the colors come through. She carried that thing around with her everywhere!)

Visiting the Animals (Hey Emery found a piggy friend!)

We also went for a train ride, had story time from a witch and did some other fun things! I am just glad we were able to do something fun before we all got sick!