CHRISTMAS!!

For Christmas Eve we were going to have an early ham dinner but our power was out instead... But then we went to our friend's, the Binghams, to eat and hang out. Then we went home and opened Christmas Eve pajamas, read Luke 2, and read some books. Then the kids went to bed and Daniel and I watched a movie.

We had a white Christmas this year.
Kids opening their Christmas Eve pajamas.

Wearing their new pajamas.

We woke up at the normal time on Christmas morning. We ate breakfast and took our time getting ready for the morning, then we ripped into our presents. There were toys EVERYWHERE!! The kids had a blast. Parker was good with just one present and Staucie just kept asking for more to open. Then Daniel's grandparents, Grandpa and Grandma Dougherty, stopped by to say hi. Then we hung out and played during the day. We had our ham dinner and then we played Daniel's new Wii until after midnight with our friends Brad and Carrie after the kids went to bed.

Parker liked the box a lot, of course.

Staucie got a snake that she asked for everyday. She LOVES it. We don't know why she wanted it but we are glad we got it for her.

The kids are enjoying some candy. Staucie is wearing her Little Mermaid dress that she was so excited to get.

Staucie also got a guitar.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas! Have a Happy New Year!

Staucie Quote

Aunt Lindsay: "Staucie, did you have a good Christmas?"
Staucie: "Our tree died."

Parker Quote

Mommy: "Parker, what does a cow say?"
Parker: "Moooo."

Mommy: "Parker, where is your nose?"
Parker: "Moooo."

A Ride For Parker

The Things Staucie Does...

Staucie's new idea was to pull her stoller behind her bike with her blanket in the stroller. We cleaned off the wheels of the kids' bikes so they could still ride them while it is bitter cold and icy outside.

My parents sent us a box of presents, so naturally we had to play in the box.

Christmas Pictures...

We tried to take pictures of the kids in front of the Christmas tree with their Christmas pajamas on but they were being silly and wouldn't cooperate. They are sitting on the presents, Staucie was being silly, and Parker wouldn't let me take his pacifier out.

Temple Lights

We went to the Salt Lake Temple the other night to look at the Christmas lights for a ward activity. I forgot my camera of course. This is a picture of the kids all bundled up in the stroller that I took with Daniel's phone. I think Staucie is holding a snowball. She was really excited to play in the snow. She threw lots of snowballs into the water. Parker just had fun running through the snow while holding one of our hands.

Staucie Quote

Staucie: I a monkey. Mommy, you a monkey?
Mommy: No, I am more like a rhino.

The next day...
Staucie: Mommy, you a rhino.
Daddy: Did she just call you a rhino?

Pictures for Grandparents

The kids eating Cherrios in the morning.

Parker likes to try on shoes.

And say "cheese" for the camera.

Staucie likes to try on shoes too. And yes, she is always in just a onesie unless we leave the house then I have to force clothes on her. As soon as we get home she strips down. Then frequently I am putting on her Cinder-bella dress and taking it off.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

We are so sad to see another of our beloved apostles and prophets pass away. It just seems to be happening all at once. It had been a long time since any of the apostles had passed away and now they are all going at once. We are so grateful for our membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. We are so blessed to have a prophet and apostles on the earth today, especially with the world getting scarier all the time. We know that Elder Wirthlin was an apostle of God and we are grateful for his service.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had Thanksgiving at home this year with just the 4 of us. I did not want to travel to California being so pregnant. We were going to have my brother and his wife over but they decided at the last minute to go to California to visit her sister. I cooked a turkey dinner for the very first time. I didn't really know what I was doing and Daniel asked what I did all those years that my mom cooked turkey dinners... I don't know. I guess I played with my brothers while my little sister helped my mom...

Anyways, our dinner turned out delicious and I spent TWO days cooking for TWO minutes of eating. Parker is in a "no eating dinner" phase and all he ate was half a roll and corn. Staucie ate a little better. She really liked the turkey and kept asking for more bites when Daniel was cutting it up.

This morning Daniel cut up my homemade bread that I made yesterday for the stuffing.

The kiddos.
We colored place mats after nap time. Parker mostly ate animal crackers. Staucie liked the glitter glue and soaked her place mat in it. We didn't even use them because I figured they would be too much of a distraction. It is hard enough to get them to eat. But we had fun making them.

This is me giving Daniel a glare, I guess. He probably said something to deserve it. I was getting ready to put marshmallows on my sweet potatoes. On the fridge you can see the turkeys we made earlier this week. I traced the kids cute little hands for the feathers.

The kids snacking on animal crackers while we were finishing the food.

Daniel carving his (our) very first turkey!

Most of our feast, minus the pies I made and the one serving of mashed potatoes and gravy. Only Daniel eats mashed potatoes because I don't like them and I can't get the kids to eat them. I did make the gravy from the turkey juice for him though.

Meal time!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Daniel Went to Texas

Daniel went to Houston, Texas and stayed with his sister and her husband for a couple days. He had never been there before and he enjoyed his visit with them. The day he was leaving, he came home from work to pack and he found Staucie taking on nap on our bed (her and Parker share a room and so she has to nap on our bed so she doesn't bother Parker). She was surrounded by some of her stuffed animals.

This is what we did before her nap. We even had the animals sit in a circle and she ran around them singing "Ring Around the Rosies." Then she wanted them to take a nap with her.
Daniel's sister, Brittany, and him.

Daniel said he played HORSE in the house with his brother-in-law, Matt. He said he won, but I think Matt won twice.

Brittany and Matt, thanks for having Daniel visit. He had a fun time!

Visit With Roommates

At the beginning of the month I got together with my old roommates for dinner. Megan flew in from Washington and Jaime drove down from Idaho. We hadn't been together in almost 4 years. I got married and Natalie and Rosanne served missions all about 4 winters ago. Then we all went on our ways and so it was fun to be together again. We talked for hours of course and I got home at 12:30am which is really late for me!

We got together on another day for lunch at my place. Jaime brought her two girls.

This is Averee and Staucie, it was hard to get them to look at the camera at the same time.

Tagged By Stacie

10 years ago I was:

1. A Senior in high school
2. Teaching gymnastics
3. Really shy
4. Applying to Rick's College
5. Carefree!

5 things on today's to do list:

1. Laundry
2. Sweep & mop
3. Change diapers
4. Play outside
5. Have Family Night

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire:

1. Pay off Mortgage
2. Buy a Suburban
3. Buy a house with a backyard
4. Give some money to family
5. Invest, because that's what Daniel would want to do :)

5 places I have lived:

1. Plano, TX
2. Highland, UT
3. Livermore, CA
4. Rexburg, ID
5. Provo, UT

5 places I have worked:

1. Tri-Valley Gymnastics
2. Mimi's Cafe
3. Joe's Crab Shack
4. DeLeon Day Spa
5. At Home as a Mother - hardest one, and best one too :)

Sick

On Wednesday Daniel came home from work feeling sick and threw up for half the night. The next morning he slept half the day while I threw up and tried to find enough energy to take care of the kids. Then my wonderful Kim called and offered to bring us up dinner so I wouldn't have to cook that night because she knew we were feeling sick. I am so grateful for wonderful friends and neighbors we have here. Thanks so much Kim, it was delicious. (She made us homemade chicken pot pie and luckily we were keeping most food down by then.)

And I wish moms could get a sick day...

Quote

Staucie: "I want all the animals in the bath with me."
Mommy: "No, they get full of water."
Staucie: "I'm going to ask Daddy."

Happy Birthday Grandpa Lees!

We love you!

Halloween

We started off our Halloween celebration by going to Daniel's work at 3:30'ish to trick-or-treat through the cubicles. Staucie loved getting candy in her pumpkin and Parker just enjoyed running around. Then we ran home and had dinner and went to the church for the Trunk-or-Treat. Staucie again liked getting candy and eating the suckers as we went. She never finished a sucker, she just kept wanting the new one she got. Parker was not interested in filling his pumpkin (which became the discard pumpkin for the unfinished suckers). Parker just ran around holding either my hand or Daniel's. He had a lot of fun. After Staucie filled her pumpkin, her and Parker shared a corn dog. They took turns biting off of it and then running down the sidewalk between bites. They were funny.

After the Trunk-or-Treat we went to the Willits' Halloween party. Their home was decorated and it was very neat. They had great food and a great atmosphere. There was music playing and lots of people there. Unfortunately our kids were pooped and a little afraid of the spooky house, so we took them home and put them in bed. I was really sad to leave the party. I miss parties and it was a fun one. Oh well, I guess that is what happens when you have kids :)

Our family picture. I am dressed as a pregnant lady in black so as to hide it. Daniel is an army dude, Staucie is Cinderella (or Cindabella), and Parker is our little skeleton.

Cindabella, she was looking at Parker, he was chewing on his pumpkin.

He was being so funny and kept saying, "cheese" for the camera.
"Cheese""Cheese"

"Cheese:

And "Cheese."

The kids were really cute for us on Halloween and we had a good time. Parker was hilarious with all his "cheesing." Staucie loved being a princess. (She wears her Cinderella dress about every day.) Staucie: "I am so pretty." Mom: "Yes princess, you are."