Christmas 2011

This year for Christmas we headed up to the cabin with my family. The days before we went we spent making goodies and getting things ready to go. We made cookies, fudge, truffles, pretzel bark, caramels, a cheese ball, and spinach dip. The girls were a big help and Kami loved decorating the cookies.

When we got up to the cabin we had to make it festive. The girls helped grandpa cut down a tree, which we decorated.

They helped hang up decorations and lights upstairs.

Everything turned out really pretty!

Christmas eve was spent making our traditional decorations and playing games.

Then that night we opened up new jammies.

The girls loved them.

We read our Christmas stories and then headed off to bed....

...or so we thought. That night Kami got sick all over her new jammies, sleeping bag, and bed. Sometimes dealing with her allergies can be such a pain, but the next morning things were all better. The girls enjoyed their gifts from santa.
Ash got a telescope, life, and a bunch of girly stuff.

Kaite got a race car set, cars monopoly, and painting stuff.

Kami got a space mickey, a pillow pet, and barbie stuff.

Then we opened the rest of the presents. The girls got tons of stuff as usual, my family spoils them. Here are just some of the gifts.
Mar gave them nerf guns.

A play house from my parents.

I was so excited to give Ash this ballet bag, she loved it.

Lots of barbies.

The girls got everyone presents from the santa store at school.

Ky got me a new necklace, I totally love it!

We bought Ky Top Gear his fave show, but his best gift was the laptop my mom gave him for school.

Kami got a new V-reader and has played with it nonstop.Lots of wii games.

George and Ky spent an hour setting up Kaite's race track, she loves it.Then all the girls played just dance 3. Kami really got into it.

We spent the rest of the day playing games and hanging out. We were all so glad to have a white Christmas since there wasn't much snow at home. We had a really good Christmas and it was nice to be with everyone. Next year George will be in SC so it was nice to get together before he leaves. I told Ky that next year we have to stay home since I felt like I have been gone two years in a row now and since we will have a 6 month old. We really had a fun time and I think we could have stayed up there a couple of more days, it was nice to escape reality and see Ky.
I think my favorite part of Christmas this year was Kami. She really understood what was going on and really got into the excitement. She was so fun, they all were!

4 for 4

Ashley saw this thing on the news months ago. It was a story about the latest trend when finding out if your baby is a boy or a girl. The idea is that the doc puts the sex of the baby in a sealed envelope and then the couple takes it to a baker who makes a cake with either a pink or blue center. The couple then has a party with all their friends and family and cuts into the cake. Well Ash has said this is what we should do.... a couple of problems with that 1) I am the baker and 2) I can read the ultrasound, so no secrets for me. So I decided that I would surprise her with this. Last week we had the opportunity to have an ultrasound done. My mom works with a gal who is getting her ultrasound tech license and she needs over 1900 hours worth of ultrasounds, of course we jumped at this! The baby was a little small and very wiggly but it was pretty clear it is a ........

GIRL!!!

The best part was that Ash didn't figure it out Kaite did. We had decided to not tell anyone about the ultrasound in case we couldn't see anything, but we are 99% positive it is a girl. We will have a second one done at the end of January that should confirm this. She was so cute though and so wiggly! I also could see why she kicks me the way she does, she likes to cross her feet and then stretch her legs. She was also very proud of her head! She kept moving her head into position for us to see! Everything looks great though and it made me that much more excited. Now we are trying to pick a name, we have it narrowed down to 4 with 2 in the lead......for now!


*****Second ultrasound confirmed it was a girl today 12/28!

Happy Anniversary!

Happy 1 year Anniversary George and Harriet!

Christmas Prep

For the last couple of weeks we have been getting into the Christmas spirit around here. We have been to all our Christmas parties and the girls enjoyed a few visits with Santa.

This was the ward party. Kami liked Santa here.

This is from the S&R party. We have so much fun every year. However, Kami would not sit on Santa's lap. Later I asked her why and she said "he wasn't the real Santa, the one at the other party was the real one". How funny is she!
Sitting in Santa's chair before he arrived.

We finally got the tree and outside lights up, and all the presents wrapped. We always wait until after Kaite's birthday to put up the tree, but this year we had to wait even longer for Ky to finish up with finals.

We took Christmas pictures last week for our cards (which I am still doing, I hope to have them out Wednesday). This was such a nightmare! You would think it would get easier as they get older but nope! I did get 4 to turn out somewhat decent....silly girls.

Last Monday we got to go to Ash's human chess match. They have been learning everything about chess in her gifted and talented program. There weren't quite enough students to participate so the families were pieces too. They had two games going and the kids teamed up and played each other and told the pieces where to go. Ash started out as one of the chess masters then played the rest of the time. Kami really loved playing, she would only stay on her square for a few minutes before she tried to move though!

Kaite was king the last match

Ky missed out since he was in the middle of finals, but he is done now! He got straight A's this semester. There was one class he was worried about since the professor told them "it is almost impossible to get an A in my class" but he did it! He spent over 100 hours on his BIM movie for that class, I will post a link as soon as we have it up, it is incredible. We are all so glad he is done with finals!
These past couple of weeks have been really rough for me. I have been so sick and getting sicker. I even had to meet with a dietician, but I also have been having so much cramping I can't do anything. Ky asked me the other day if I was in labor because it was so bad! He hasn't been home much and hasn't seen how bad it can get. Thank goodness for Ash she has been such a lifesaver when I am confined to the couch all night. I am really worried this baby is going to come early. I have never had a pregnancy like this I always get better the second trimester. At least things are slowing down now.

One year ago!!
Big Ben

Tower of London

Stonehenge

What fun we had, but I am glad to be home for all the Christmas stuff this year.

Happy Holidays! I hope you all get our card before Christmas!!

Happy Birthday Kaite!!

Happy Birthday Kaitlyn!!

My baby girl turned 7 last Wednesday. She was up bright and early to open her presents. She actually begged me for days to open "just one please".

Cars 2

Books

A barbie

Showing off her new slippers

She also got a matching dress set for her and her doll.
After school we headed to Gym, then had pizza and cupcakes at my fam's.

She got more presents and my mom gave her her favorite present of the day. She has wanted a train FOREVER!

I think she had a great day. She always feels overshadowed by the holidays and this year we added Ash's Nutcracker to all that.

Friday she had her friends over. I think she was more excited about this than anything.

They played games.

Just Dance 2

We had cake and ice cream.

Kami made a mess.

They opened presents.

She had such fun with her friends. I did feel bad for Eli since he was the only boy, but he didn't seem to mind. Her, Eli, and Shae are totally inseparable at school. I call them the three musketeers.

Kaite is such a sweetheart we love her so much. She has the cutest personality. She can make us laugh so hard. She is also so thoughtful and a great big sister. Kaite is very excited about the baby. Kaite is doing so well in school her reading has really excelled this year. She is also doing awesome in gymnastics and is almost ready to move up to the team. Our home definitely would not be the same without her. We love you Kaite!!!

Update

Since it has been two weeks since I have posted I guess I better get something up, especially since tomorrow is Kaite's birthday. Here is what we have been up to.

The kids have been playing outside as much as possible.

Snowball fight with dad.

And over the Thanksgiving weekend we sheet rocked the basement!

Before:
Living room

Ash's bedroom

Kaite's room

After:
Living room

Ash's room

Kaite's room

Ky's family came up and helped him sheet rock it, they did it all in one day. Thanks to all those who came up, I really don't know what we would have done without your help. There is no way Ky could do that by himself and I can't help... this was a huge stress reliever for him.

The kids played outside in the snow for hours.

After they were done downstairs we played Just Dance 2. This game is such a hit with everyone, even Anna was getting in on it!

We had a nice visit and enjoyed having Devin, Julie, Nicholas, and Anna stay with us for a couple of nights. Kami loves playing with someone her own age! Ky is planning on mudding, taping, and texturing after finals next week. Only one more week of this semester! I am so excited! He has been so busy though, but is still getting straight A's. This semester has been really rough on him and he just found out two of his classes he is taking are going to be split into two semester classes. He said he did two semesters worth of work in one for both classes, which explains why he was so busy. He did get some good news this week. He got his paid internship with one of the local cities working in their engineering department using Auto Cad. He starts in January.
Kami got her red, yellow, and white ribbons in gym. She is really learning fast!

Ash finished up with her Nutcracker performances on Monday. She was so cute and did such a good job, but most importantly she loved it!
This is her in her Russian peppermint costume.

I have a video of her that I will try and get posted- our computer is having issues.
I loved seeing her up on stage, she was having so much fun. This studio she is with is all about having fun. Kami was hilarious to watch too. She would stand up in front of her seat and lift her arms and legs with the dancers! Maybe she should be in ballet instead of gymnastics!

I finally remembered to post George blowing out his candle.

We also enjoyed a nice Thanksgiving with my family, I was sick all day though. And Ky was such a good sport to hit the stores that night to pick up a few items. We squeezed in an orthodontist appointment, Ash's teeth are looking great, a haircut for Kaite, she was looking pretty scraggly, and even a vet appointment for Domino. Poor Domino has a tumor in his left lung that has most likely spread, he is doing a little better after some shots but we will have to put him down pretty soon. He turns 13 this month and still acts like he did the day we got him. Ky is planning on writing about all the funny memories we have of him.
I went to the doctor last week and the baby is doing great, I am not though. I also got that you lost two pounds and you can't do that look. I can't eat!! I can't keep anything down! This pregnancy has been completely different than the other three. With the other three I was sick the first trimester (and lost all my weight then) but felt great by the second, not this one.....yuk and this baby doesn't like any food! Plus I can't do anything without cramping. They told me I have to take it easy more-yeah right and to remember I am pregnant- how could I forget! I am hoping it does get better soon. We do get to find out the sex of the baby at the end of January!
Ky got released from YM a couple of weeks ago, we were both so happy....until they made him ward mission leader. One busy calling to another. He will do great though.
Thursday is the only day I don't have something scheduled in the last two weeks and for the next week. I am so looking forward to resting!
The next post will be Kaite's birthday post, lots to do for her.