Here we go....

I thought I would try to let all my Michigan peeps know that our WHOLE little family will be in Ann Arbor from December 23 - January 2nd! We would love to see you! Drop me a line and we'll make time. I figured if you read the blog...you might care???

This has been such a funny time of the year. Both kids are SUPER excited about Santa and presents. I'm really trying to remind the kids what the REAL focus of Christmas is but it's sooo hard when Santa is coming! It was really cute today to overhear a conversation between Josh and Kylie...this is how it went.

Josh: Ky, did you know that on Christmas day we celebrate Jesus' birthday? Did you also know that Jesus is our big brother and we even have another dad...his name is Heavenly Father.

I'm not sure that Kylie cared much but I was touched that he wanted to teach her this. I love how well the kids have gotten along lately too. I think those elves may have helped but I also think that Ky really tries to be interested in the things Josh likes...and vice versa.

Can I also say how excited I am to meet my new nephew, Carter??? Also to play with Thomas? I am definitely excited....can you tell? I am not sure how much I will post until after Christmas...so until then...Have a great Christmas and happy New Year...

Love, Josh and Kylie's family!

My baby turned 3...

The title says it all...my baby turned 3 on Tuesday. We had a very fun day! The day started with Krispy Kreme donuts (a family favorite!) We then waited for Josh to get home and then went to play... The girls (Grandma, Mom, and Kylie) went for pedicures and lunch. Don't worry Grandpa and Josh did their own thing. Kylie LOVED the pedicure. Although..she did fall in the water...but that didn't stop her from smiling! Later we rode the carousel and the kids jumped on the bungee trampoline thingy...(I don't remember what you call it). The day finished with a great meal from Red Robin, presents, and a weird looking cake (don't ask!). All in all, it was the best day in LONG time! Happy birthday sweet girl...I am so grateful that you came to our family and can't wait to watch to grow up...although I'm in NO hurry!


This, SERIOUSLY, is the cheesy grin she had ALL day!

Snowflake toes!

What a great way to end the day!

Grandma and Grandpa came....

Just as the title states...Grandma and Grandpa came! Oh yea, and Abby too (their dog). The kids had no idea they were coming and on Saturday morning...they pulled up in our driveway and the kids...couldn't figure out what was going on. It was fun to watch their faces light up as they realized they had come to play! They helped us eat our Thanksgiving leftovers, gave baths, and read tons of stories. Most fun of all was that they helped us celebrate Kylie's birthday but that is the next post. Here are a few pictures of the other days...



Missy helped Grandma give baths...

Happy Birthday Kylie Anne...

I can't believe it but today my baby turns 3! We have a very fun day planned and I will be taking lots of pictures ...so more to come later this week. Here is Kylie every December until now... I am so glad she is a part of our family...she really keeps us laughing! Happy Birthday stinky!



Her first day home...we were soooo tired!


Can't wait to eat my 1st birthday cake!


Outdoor fun days before my second birthday!


About a month ago!

They say things happens in 3's...

I'm sure a few of you read my post on facebook this week that read "I just had the L-O-N-G-E-S-T night ever. Well here is why...1st...Kylie has another ear infection. I just don't understand why 2 ear infections within a month with tubes...why did we get tubes? Anyways, the ENT told me that if she gets another ear infection within a 6 week period then they would take out her adenoids...those darn adenoids!

Then 2nd...on Sunday night Missy broke her leg. We didn't know it was broken until I took her to get spayed on Monday and they did an x-ray. It is a spiral fracture on her left rear leg near the knee joint. I knew she was in a lot of pain that first night and I actually slept on the living room floor with her...I felt so sorry for her but I also figured if it was broken she would have been whining. She is a very brave and resilient dog. I am totally in love with her!

To top it off...today Josh cut himself pretty bad with my fabric cutter...ya know that circle thing you use to cut those fleece blankets. I ran over to my neighbors (who is a nurse) and she was able to help to get it to stop bleeding and cleaned up. Tonight Aaron superglued it together...so we'll see what happens. Aaron informed me that for men to have a scar, builds character...so Josh...here is to your first character mark????

Finally...Halloween...

I know it's taken me a while to get these pics up but I had a bad week...I was sick. I know you are crying now...but it is ok because I'm feeling much better. Now, if I could just figure out these stupid migraines!

We had so much fun with halloween. It's so fun now that both kids are at a place where they get what's going on and are having a ton of fun in the meantime. Josh was Darth Vader, obviously, and he has totally become obsessed with Star Wars within the last month. I think this will definitely be a Star Wars Christmas. Ky was a butterfly princess, like last year. She loved having the dots on her cheek and kept making me reapply them if she smeared them, even a little bit.

Now we are stuck with soooo much candy but I just heard of a place you sell your candy to...so we may go that route.

Also, this week Aaron came home...FINALLY! We are going through our readjustment period but it is so nice to have adult conversations at night again and help! Seriously though, I'm not sure I could have made alone for so long with my mom...who I called like 5 times a day and my friend Melissa. THANK YOU!

Spiders...

We have been getting ready for Halloween all week. This is the most excited, I think, both kids have been yet. Josh wants to do something Halloween related every day...so, I thought one day it would be fun to create cookie spiders. We invited our neighbors over and the kids had a blast putting them together. I think they liked eating them even more!







Mallory being goofy...

Josh's kissing spiders...

Mason's four...

October in Kansas...

So we have developed some family traditions in our very young family. Every October we love to go to the pumpkin patch, even if it is to pick out tiny pumpkins because the prices are soooo outrageous, and go to an apple orchard for apple cider and greasy donuts. Our problem in Kansas is that I don't know where an apple orchard is, so that you can pick apples...so we have to make due with our local cider mill (which is pretty good by the way).

Since Aaron isn't home I took it upon myself to make these two stops by myself with the two kids...what was I thinking???? Don't get me wrong...I had a lot of fun but I decided to kill myself by dragging them grocery shopping and then to Lowe's after all the days festivities. I am proud to say that I survived, barely and the kids had a ton of fun. Aren't the holidays for the kids anyways?

They loved thier cider slushies...

Josh was fascinated with how many apples were going to get crushed

Michigan!

We just got back from a very short trip to Michigan...but I loved every minute of it. Except for the part where the kids were sick most of it. Don't worry though...they are all better now!

I think I spent more time just relaxing at my mom's house than going out and doing planned activities because when I went to download the pictures from the trip...I really didn't have much. (I don't think to take the camera when taking care of fevers and coughs...) Anyways, we did have an awesome photo shoot with the famous Laurel...so as soon as I get those pictures...I will post!

So for now...I just wanted to share the beautiful Michigan fall...which happens to be my favorite time of the year...except when it snows before Halloween!


Kylie has started to sleep walk and sleeping in the hall is her favorite

Bishop Rd....Aaron's parents street

Bishop Rd again...

Aaron's parents house

I see this building every trip and I am just in love with it.

Another day...

Today was spa day here... We did some fingers and toes with lots of color and sparkles. We even did Melissa's hair...and since I've really only seen in it a ponytail...I think her straightened hair is sooo pretty...not that she isn't beautiful everyday.

Also Kylie and Max have become really good friends...they are very good at being sneaky and getting in trouble. Yesterday, I was watching them at my house and while I was vacuuming they managed to turn on the tub....fill it to about 4-5 inches high...take off their clothes...and jump in together. All this in about 5 minutes. I could only laugh and hurry and put clothes back on!