Merry Christmas

We had a very MERRY Christmas!

We give thanks for our Savior Jesus Christ who came into this world to teach us how to love greater, live better and follow him in all things and for his sacrifice that makes it possible for us to return to live with him and our Father in Heaven someday.

We are grateful to be sealed together as a family for time and all eternity.

On Christmas Eve we made and decorated stocking, Christmas tree and snowflake

sugar cookies for Santa. Cody thought it would be easier for Avery to use a spoon to frost her cookies...Avery thought the spoon was the perfect tool to assist her in sneaking as much frosting into her mouth as possible.

She basically ended up frosting her body instead of the cookies.

Brinley on the other hand worked tirelessly to decorate the cookies perfectly for Santa.

Aspen is coming alive! She is sleeping better at night and screaming louder every time we get into the car. She is surviving her vivacious sisters and is close to getting her last cast off.

Thank you Lewis family for the darling bows!

How fun it was to experience the girls pure delight and excitement as they placed the cookies, carrots and cheese out for Santa and his reindeer (the cheese was Avery's idea).

In the morning they burst into our room with the report that Santa did indeed visit our home and that they actually "heard him land on the roof while they were sleeping,"

simply amazing!

Santa brought Avery a sleeping bag and strawberry toothpaste,

he brought Brinley a music box and kid camera!

A HUGE thanks to those of you who contributed to our Christmas celebration, we love you!

Finding Ways to Cope...

include placing Aspen among the knives and toaster oven; the only spot in the entire house where Avery can't torture

her with oodles of smothering kisses, playful pokes

and failed attempts at picking her up.

However, this new spot only works when I am in the kitchen because Avery is still quite

capable of pulling the bouncy seat along with the baby off the counter.

When I figured out my new little trick I almost felt like I won the lottery!

It's the small things that make this Mama happy these days.

Grandma Ginger's Visit

After undergoing MAJOR back surgery in May I was prepared for a Grandma who
was going to need lots of rest during her week long visit...boy was I wrong.

My Mom was amazing!

She cooked, cleaned, went grocery shopping, took Brinley to school, entertained Avery all day long, held Aspen while I took mid-day naps and participated in many arts and crafts sessions with the girls utilizing neat new items she packed from Utah.

We thought it an appropriate time for a Chocolate Bath while Grandma was here since she started this ever so fun tradition when I was just a little girl myself.

As a parting art gift Grandma presented the girls with these fun dress up glasses which originally are covered in a black film and when scratched reveal the bright colors.

On Monday night we made these graham cracker Gingerbread houses

for our Family Night activity.

This has become one of our Christmas traditions.

That very night Brinley took her turn in our room all night vomiting

and complaining of a very soar throat.

Yesterday Aspen had a procedure done called a "Heal Cord Release" where her Achilles tendon was cut, this will help release the tension in her foot and assist

in the continuation of foot correction.

We have been fortunate to have a sweet and experienced casting tech named Sheri. She is so kind each week and treats Aspen like her own. We also have a fabulous Orthopedic doctor, some patients travel hours each week for their kids to be treated by her.

Last night I piled the girls in the car and we headed off to take Grandma to the airport. Let me paint a quick picture of the scene as Grandma hugged the girls and the Mommy and started walking away from the car: Brinley bawling in the back seat, Avery screaming repeatedly "Grandma don't you leave me" with outreached arms and me trying to keep it together and be reassuring to my kids that Grandma would be back again soon...

right Mom?

(This picture was taken before we even got in the car when Avery had a little premature

freak out thinking that Grandma was leaving right then.)

Thank you Mom, we love you!

December Club Night

After Aspen's weekly cast change yesterday morning I enjoyed an

evening of stampin' with my

monthly clubies!

Club projects included THIS cute little penguin ornament gift card holder made with a variety of our fabulous punches, THIS holiday tea purse made using a standard envelope and this "Season's Greetings" ornament card using the Season of Joy set and the reverse masking technique.

Instead of freezing my tail off to take the pictures outside like I usually do, I took the project pictures inside hence the flashed out lighting...sorry.

Here is what one may find in my living room on the first Tuesday night of any givin month. Are you jelous? Join the fun! A new club series begins the first Tuesday of February!

And last but certainly not least, on Monday night we had said good-bye to my wonderful cousin Ross, his wife Kaite and their two girls Vanessa and Elisabeth.

They lived here for about 17 months and are now off to New York for a

new job opportunity. We will miss them!

Elisabeth and Aspen were born on the SAME DAY in the SAME HOSPITAL! On the way up to our recovery room we stopped by their room (right down the hall from ours) and let the girls meet for the first time.

Here is Vanessa enjoying one last play time (for now) at "Avery's house."