Merry Christmas 2008

Christmas Gifts

Well, this year Santa definitely left us more then our share... Kaedynce got a new doll set, that comes with everything you can think of to be the "best" little Mommy in town! She loves the stroller, and pushes it around everywhere! She got some musical instruments that drive her parents NUTS! Her favorite of those is the xylophone.
Kaedynce loves to be wherever Mom is... So, when in the kitchen, Kaedynce now has something to play with instead of bugging Mom... She got a Leap Frog Learning Letters game. It has magnetic letters and when placed in its base tells you the name of the letter as well as what sound(s) it makes. It also sings the alphabet. This toy is a "different" type of bugging for Mom now...
This is Gunnar's first Christmas, and a quiet one too. Gunnar, got a 2008 Christmas bear, as well as a 1st Christmas ornament to help remember the occassion.
We have been very blessed, but our greatest gifts of all is each other, and the opportunity we have to be a family. We are thankful for our children and the great blessings they are in our lives.

Twas the Night Before Christmas.....

We have chosen to make the tradition of opening one present the Night before Christmas. These presents are Christmas pyjamas... Gunnar got pj's with a little penguin on them, and little penguin feet.... Soft and warm...

Kaedynce got Tinkerbell pj's. She loves Tinkerbell!!

Kaedynce had the priviledge of grabbing the presents for herself and Gunnar this Christmas Eve... She can't waite for Santa to come...

CHRISTMAS SUNDAY

The Sunday before Christmas was the first Sunday we ventured out to church with Gunnar. It was the first Sunday that Grant had off and was able to go with us to church.

The kids got to wear their new Christmas clothes.

(Aren't they cute???)

Look, Gunnar is even smiling in this picture... (well, sort of...)

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas 2008

Dear Family and Friends,


Can you believe another year is coming to and end?

goodbye ~ 2008

We figured this year, it would be easier to share our past year with everyone, on our site. Last year we typed up our family letter and printed them out, but never mailed them to anyone. Oops....

We have had a GREAT year!!

Grant is still working as an Assistant Manager at Sam's Club. Tiffany is still the Garden Center/Seasonal Manager at Wal-Mart. Tiffany also sells Pampered Chef, and does cooking shows in her spare time (what little there is).

Grant upgraded his toy (riding mower) this Summer to something bigger and badder... It actually has cruise control! Because of the upgrade, that meant new toys and attatchements. Grant sold his old mower to a close friend and part of the Fastabend family, along with the attatchements that were of no use to us. By doing this, Grant also got another new toy... A snowblower. (We were thinking we may not need to take it out of the box, til last week.)

Another toy that Grant purchased this year, which has paid for itself already, is a street Scooter. He used that to commute to and from work, and ran quick errands around town, when the weather would cooperate. He averaged 90mpg... If that isn't money in our pocket, especially with gas prices the way they were this Summer.

Tiffany has been fortunate enough to take a break (mini vacation) from work, and during the Holiday season too! If you ask her though, it really has not been much of a vacation... Adjusting to a family of four is hard work! Oh, and let's not forget TIRING! She gave birth to a beautiful baby boy November 13, 2008. She does not have to return to work till the middle of January, but is truly hoping for some type of miracle so she does not have to go back to work... She enjoys her job, but would much rather be at home enjoying her kids.

Kaedynce-Faith learned to walk this Summer at the Pitcher Family Reunion in McCall, Idaho. It was amazing! She was so close to walking, she just needed to have her cousins around to motivate her. Kaedynce also cut through her first set of molars. That was fun... We are true believers of Tylenol, and teething tablets! She now has 12 teeth.

Kaedynce has been a lot of fun this year. She says many different things, and knows more then you may think. She catches us off guard on many occassions. She loves to be outside, and if Daddy has a tool in his hand, she needs one too. What a sweetheart she really is!

Gunnar Ethan Earl joined our family at 1:20am on November 13, 2008 (after 11 long hours of active labor). He was 8lbs. 9oz., and 20 1/2 inches long. He was one big boy, and has been growing bigger ever since! He is a healthy, happy baby. He seldom ever cries, and sleeps really well. What a good baby!

Kaedynce loves her little brother so much! She is always wanting to help. She takes his diapers to the garbage, tells Mom and Dad when he is crying, and will even go into his room to try and make it better. She loves to lay next to him and give him kisses. She tries to share everything with him, from her toys to her snacks... She really keeps us on our toes.

We couldn't ask for better kids. We have been so fortunate to have such happy, healthy and content children.

Yes, I know you are wondering... We still have our three dogs; Ginger, Missy and Sugar, as well as two chickens and 8 ducks. That's right EIGHT ducks... We began this year with only two, then Momma duck figured out this whole egg laying thing and what to do... so, we ended up with little ducklings.

This has definitely been an eventful year for us! It is hard to see it come to an end... mainly because, Kaedynce turns two this year. She is growing up too fast! All kids do, but it is scary when it's your own...

We have been very blessed, and are greatful for all that the Lord has blessed us with. We are thankful for the love and support all of you have been for us this year. We couldn't have done it without you!

We wish you all the best this Holiday season. May your Christmas be filled with those you love, and have a safe and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

too all of you!

Love,

Grant, Tiffany, Kaedynce & Gunnar Fastabend
mahona_1@hotmail.com

Snow Play...

Playing in the snow for the first time this season...

Making a snowball... Gonna get Daddy (shh...)

Can't see too well though... Hat in the face

Throwing the snowball...

Where's my hands? Where's my feet?
Stuck..... (not really)



"Cheeze!!"



When Kaedynce walks in the snow she drags her feet, that way leaving a trail and piling up the snow on top of her boots. She watches her feet when she walks...

Snow Angel

This is Kaedynce's first Snow Angel... Not bad!! Grant helped Kaedynce make this Angel. He moved her feet back and forth. He told her to do the same with her arms... But instead of back and forth (or up and down), she brought them together in a "clapping" motion. Really cute, and it turned out just the same... just with smaller arms then most.

An Update from Home...

Gunnar is now a month old. YIKES!! I can hardly believe it. He, like his sister, loves the bathtub! He enjoys to sit up in Mom's lap so he can see the world... It seems he gets tired of just seeing the ceiling all the time. He is really trying to take it all in. His neck muscles are getting stronger every day. He holds his head up and looks all over the place.

My Bugs... asleep at last!

(Gunnar - bumble bee & Kaedynce - ladybug)

Kaedynce is still playing the role of "helpful" big sister. She is so protective of Gunnar. She has to be right next to him, ALL the time... Yet, at the same time, she is still a typical, almost two year old. In fact, just the other day, she got into her sidewalk chalk and colored her bedroom walls and toys... Good thing it was chalk, and came off easily!

We finally got our Christmas decor up outside. That is a good thing, there was a little snow fall last night, and it is snowing now. The forecast is saying there will be more where that came from. I guess we will have a white Christmas after all! (Pictures to come soon...)

Trying to find the time to go and get a little last minute Christmas shopping done... Really can't get motivated to drag the kids out. We have some presents left to wrap, some waiting to arrive, and others still to get... Isn't that the way it is supposed to be this close to Christmas though?

Christmas in less then two weeks, a birthday in less then three (along with the New Year), and another birthday in less then four weeks.... THEN, everything can finally slow down!!

Love you...

Grant's brother Garrett took our family pictures when Gunnar was only a week and a half old. He took lots of fun, and great pictures of the kids. These are a couple of my favorites!!

Big Boy!!

Gunnar had his 2 week Well-Baby visit today... Yes, a week late. Anyhow, he is doing GREAT! He is a growing boy!! He weighed in at 9lbs. 14oz, and 22" long. Since birth he has gained 1lb. 5 oz., and grew a whole 1.5" in length. He is looking like such a "big" little boy...

Why do they have to grow up so fast???

It's Good to be Home

We spent a week in Boise. We celebrated Thanksgiving with the Fastabend family. It was nice not having a quick trip there and back, like normal. This was little Gunnar's first trip, and first holiday. I think all went well. I am glad to have it overwith though, and be home.
Both Kaedynce and Gunnar sleep better at home, therefore allowing Mommy (me) to sleep better!
Now, so much to do before Grant goes back to work later this week... We would like to get the lights up outside before the weather gets too terribly cold. We still have more winterizing to do outside as well.
It is hard to believe that December is already here! It doesn't matter how much, or how little is going on, this is always a fast month, and gone before you know it.

New Arrival!

Gunnar Ethan Earl came into this world in the early hours of November 13, 2008. He is a happy and healthy baby boy. He was a whopping 8lbs. 9oz, and a full 20.5 inches in length at birth, and growing every day since.
Mom and Dad were exhausted from a long and "laboring" day at the hospital, and up through the night, but are glad to have him here!
Kaedynce loves her baby brother very much. She is glad he is here too, but not so sure about it when it comes to sharing Mom and Dad...