New Year's Eve

We had a great time on New Year's Eve this year. It was just our little family playing games, watching movies and hanging out together. A little before midnight, we pulled out some horns for the girls and opened the blinds in the front room. Kali blew her horn so many times that it broke (thankfully, because I thought she was going to hyperventilate). At midnight we watched the fireworks we could see from our window. Sadie made that fun. She said "Wow!!" after every one in a very dramatic voice. Then we had a sleepover in the family room with the new sleeping bags the girls got for Christmas.

Sledding

Because of all the rain this winter, everything has been a slushy muddy mess and we had put off sledding... until today. It was the perfect day for it--lots of snow and Josh was off work and school. I had to go grocery shopping and we figured that Ashlyn wouldn't care much for the sport so we split up. Unfortunately the sledding trip didn't last long. One of the little busters had to go potty after only 30 minutes.

Reading

I wasn't ever much of a reader growing up but have developed a great love for it over the last few years. Thanks to Josh, the girls seem to be developing that same love. He regularly picks a book that's divided into chapters and reads a chapter or two to them most days. Here they are reading a Magic Treehouse book.

Socks

Can you guess what I don't budget money for........................Socks!!!

Sadie was sticking her toe out of the hole in her sock when she noticed I had a hole too. When she said something to me about it, Kali overheard and told me she had a hole in her sock too. After a few minutes of playing around, we decided to take a picture to show Josh.

Gardner Village

This year we were unable to get to Gardner Village to see the elves before Christmas. So we decided to go after Christmas. I think it was an excellent idea too. There was hardly anyone there. We practically had the place to ourselves. Grandpa and Grandma Smith, Brady, and Danielle and Cody and their kids came along. It ended up being a ton a fun for the girls and thanks to Grandpa they got to take home tiny porcelain dolls. Afterward we went to Village Inn. When I told Sadie where we were going, she asked, "We're going to another village?"

7 years

Josh and I have been married seven years today. For those of you that don't know, we had a pretty quick start to our marriage. We went on our first date and one month later were engaged and two-and-a-half months later were married. So we've really only known each other for a little over seven years. The crazy thing is that it's hard to remember life without him in it. It's amazing to think of how much has happened in those seven years and how happy we are.

Christmas Presents

This year Kali asked for a "pink robot that can do everything for me". I have no idea where she came up with the idea. Thankfully the Santa that we visited at the Oval told her he wouldn't be able to find one that could make her bed. The robot Santa brought wasn't pink, but the fact that it was a girl seemed to suffice. And when anyone asked if it could do everything for her like she wanted it to, she simply replied, "Well, it makes me smile."

Sadie was pretty easy going this year. She was happy with anything and everything. The only problem was that she not only wanted her toys, but she wanted Kali's too.

And Ashlyn is at the stage where the wrapping and containers are better than the toys.

Christmas Morning

Every year on Christmas morning we eat muffins for breakfast while reading scriptures. We used to read Luke 2 but decided to read something different since Grandpa Parry reads it on Christmas Eve. So we now read King Benjamin's prophecies about Christ out of the Book of Mormon. And this year we added a small Christmas present that contains four small pictures of presents that Heavenly Father and Christ have given us: His birth, His teachings, His atoning sacrifice, and His resurrection. It made a great start to the day, helping us keep the true meaning of Christmas in mind.

Pajamas

Another family tradition is to open one present on Christmas eve--Pajamas!!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is reserved for the Parry Family Christmas Party. As always, talents were shared as we listened to some beautiful singing, piano playing, bell ringing, and poem reading. We enjoyed yummy food and present exchanges. And my favorite are the stories. Grandma Smith always reads a story entitled Davey and the Donkey and Grandpa Parry always reads Luke 2. This year the Gallaghers brought some costumes so the kids could participate in acting it out. Kali was Mary and Sadie started out as an angel, but quickly changed her mind when she saw Kali holding a baby. She too ended up being Mary.

Birthday Fun

Kali began the day with the biggest smile opening presents and talking about how excited she was that it was her birthday.

  

Thanks to Todd and Gale, she got to spend some time out in the snow making a snow penguin named Jake.

Then Grandma Bohman took her birthday shopping and this is what she came home with. I'm not surprised at all.

Her birthday cake request was a Barbie with a pink bottom and white top. This is the best I could do. Just make sure you don't look to close.

Last of all, family came over to share in the celebration. Kali couldn't have planned the day any better herself.

Six Years Old

Six years ago our lives changed forever. Kali was born and since then we have experienced some of the happiest moments that we will ever experience in this life.

Her personality was very apparent from the beginning. She's full of energy, fearless, very friendly, and determined to do most things that kids her age can't do on their own. Here are some of her favorites.

Favorite Color..........light pink

Favorite Toy..........her princess blanket

Best Friend..........Jensen Brian

Favorite Food..........Cream O' Wheat, Meatballs & Gravy

Favorite Thing to Do..........anything outside

Favorite Holiday..........Christmas

Favorite Song..........Away in a Manger

Favorite Outfit..........any dress or skirt

Ice Skating

Kali got to go ice skating with her school about a month ago and has been begging to go ever since. Because it's so expensive we kept telling her we'd have to wait a while. Then we suggested that we go ice skating as a family for her birthday present. She thought that was an excellent idea. While there, she used the walker just long enough for a few photos and then spent the rest of the time without it. She is so independent. By the end, her pants were soaked and she had a few good bruises because of all the falls, but she had a blast. She kept saying over and over, "This is the best birthday present ever!!!"

Sadie had a ton of fun too. She followed Kali's example and insisted on skating without the walker, but she did have to hold onto our hands. A young professional ice skater was there doing some pretty fancy moves, and after watching her Sadie thought she could do it on her own, but quickly changed her mind. She did, however, become pretty comfortable with trying some crazy moves as long as Josh was holding her hands.

Brown Family Christmas Party

After my family party, we proceeded on to Josh's grandparents. The girls love going to this party because their Christmas book always seems to be such a big hit. This year their story was entitled "A House for Santa" and was about a brother and sister that saw Santa while sledding and got to fly to his cave. Kali really does a good job coming up with the story line and Sadie helped by coloring Kali's drawings. Grandma Brown always insists that the story be read aloud and Kali's face just beams the entire time.

Since Brady was up for the party, the girls couldn't get enough of him. Between being tickled, kissed, and given wet willies, I think Brady was glad for the evening to end.

Bohman Family Christmas Party

Not only did Steven host this party, but he was the Master of Ceremonies with some typical Steven humor. Notice he was using a child's microphone that he claimed was wireless but not working well because the cord on the bottom had been chewed on. Along with his funny remarks, we were able to hear several piano performances, including Silent Night by Kali, and ate some yummy appetizers.

Then we proceeded with the gift exchange. Kali got an Astrid costume which was such a hit. Ashlyn got the adorable hat (since my girls have no hair until the age of two). And Sadie got the delicious smelling Strawberry Shortcake and friend.

Temple Square

For family home evening tonight we went to see the lights at Temple Square. We've learned from the past that when the weather is nice, Temple Square is packed and free parking is next to impossible to find. So we paid a few dollars and rode Trax downtown. Then we tried to make the experience a little more meaningful for the girls by telling them they could have hot chocolate when we got home if they could find as many manger scenes as they could and take pictures of them. Sadie didn't really care much for the task, but Kali seemed to enjoy it. Here is what they came up with (keep in mind Sadie's camera is a kid one so it doesn't take high quality pictures).

 Kali's Nativities

Sadie's Nativities

I think they did a darn good job!

Casey-Bohman Christmas Party

The Christmas parties have begun. Traditionally this party was held on Christmas eve in combination with Grandma Bohman's birthday celebration, but after she passed away it was moved to one of the first Sundays in December. This year it was fun because we got to have it at Grandma's church thanks to Jan and Brian. We had an amazing dinner, everyone got to socialize, and we all played some fun candy bar games.

Gingerbread Houses

My in-laws had the best idea this year--gingerbread houses out of graham crackers. Then you don't have to make the gingerbread or buy it. It was nice and easy for the girls to work with and they turned out really cute in the end.

Check out Sadie's concentration. She was in candy heaven and only put on candies that she wanted to eat later.

Chubby Cheeks

This girl has got some chubby cheeks and I love it. At first I wasn't sure where she got them from, but I'm told Josh had quite the cheeks when he was little. As a matter of fact, his nickname was "chopper cheeks".

Tangled

Thanks to Grandma & Grandpa Smith we were able to take the girls the see the new Rapunzel movie. The girls loved it. The only problem is that they can't ever remember the name "Tangled" so they distinguish the Disney Rapunzel from the Barbie Rapunzel movie by saying "the different Rapunzel" or "the new Rapunzel". It all gets a little too confusing for me.

And I relearned the reason why I don't go to the movies with a child under the age of one. Ashlyn wasn't about to let us sit down with her and wasn't content being held in our arms in the back. She was tired and fought off sleep until the last two minutes of the movie. So now I know how the movie ends and no longer have the desire to rewatch it. Thanks a lot Ashy.

Christmas Card

This year I'm being lazy and not sending out a Christmas card and I apologize. Hopefully, most of the people I would send it too look at my blog anyway, so I'm posting a Christmas picture of the girls in their Christmas plaids. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and wish you a Merry Christmas.

Santa & Mrs. Clause

Kali's school sponsored an event at the Kearns Oval where Santa came. She begged us all week long to take her and with it being a free event we gave in. It was packed, but luckily we got there early enough to do some fun things before it got too crazy. Kali and Sadie got to play on the inflatable slide, do a relay race, have a balloon tiara and star made for them, make a Santa craft, and most importantly, sit on Santa's lap. When we realized how long the line would take, we tried convincing them that we should just walk up close and wave at Santa and then we could spend our time doing other fun things, but waving at Santa was no comparison to talking with him in Kali's mind. So, we stood in the hour long line and thankfully walked away with a pretty decent picture. I had Ashlyn sit on Mrs. Clause's lap hoping that she wouldn't start crying and it worked. Other than the fact that we were starving when we left (because we waited too long to get into the concessions line), the evening turned out to be a fun one.