Christmas Season 2012 - Part One

It's pretty sad Christmas is close to be 6 months away and I'm just barely getting around to posting.  Where did January, February, March, and April go???  I'm ready for the nice weather, but wow, those months went by way too fast.  My goal is to be caught up in the next few weeks, so we will see how that plays out. :)

The holidays (Thanksgiving to Christmas) were busy around our household as we had to be out of our house the middle of December.  Even though we moved into our house with the "bare necessities" it was still crappy having to pack it all up. 

We went to Festival of Trees and Ashlyn was more entertainment than the performers.  She enjoyed copying every dance move taking place on stage.  Ry and Kes enjoyed the treats and the playhouses.  They have begged their dad numerous times to make them one.  None of the girls were interested in seeing Santa Claus, they wanted to wave "Hi" as we passed by. 

Funny pic...but the only one with Jared in it to
show him for future years, that yes, he did come
with us to the Festival of Trees one year and he did
enjoy himself. :)

To say Keslee loves hugs would be an understatement.
This girls loooooves to be loved.  She could cuddle with me all
day on the couch and be perfectly content.  She asks a couple
times a day to sit on my lap and me just hold her.   

Next we enjoyed another year at Snowbird for the annual ES3 Christmas Party.  It's fun to get away kidless and enjoy some time with just each other.

The girls did a cute Christmas performance for school.  They did sit on Santa's lap, but I think it is out of pure fear of possibly getting in trouble from their teacher if they didn't when their name was called...not that their teacher would have gotten mad at them... 

It is now Christmas year around at our house because they have those songs drilled into their head.   Ashlyn loves Jingle Bells and sings that song constantly and the girls like to sing I want a hippopotamus for Christmas.  I love to listen to their version and mix-up of translation that takes place...it is priceless. :)  They did awesome and I'm so proud of both of them. 

At the beginning of the program the teacher told the
boys and girls to keep their hands by their sides.  Keslee
was almost as stiff as board because she was so afraid about
moving her hands away from her side.  Toward the end of
the program she would put her hands behind her back, but
you would never find them wandering to play with her shirt
or up by her first...they were always where they were supposed
to be.  That little one has some anxiety I'm afraid and her poor
fingers are proof of that.  She picks them like crazy.

Some more 2012 year end randomness...

There are still a couple things I wanted to catch up on before getting to Christmas (ugh, I can't believe I got so far behind).  It amazes me how I thought life was so crazy with a 12 month old and newborn, yet it seems my life is more busy now than it was before.  Maybe it's because I'm on other's time schedule with school and stuff, whereas, before I was on my own and could do whatever, whenever.  I definitely look forward to holiday breaks and summer now.  I think I might dread my kids going back to school.  As crazy as some days are, I really do love having them home with me.

Here's a bunch of randomness from the Fall...

I surprised Jared with a date on his birthday. It's
always fun being together kidless. :)

Ashlyn's first pigtails

We were at the store and Ryah insisted on getting a
picture with the manequin.

How Shaun packs around his 3 boys

This girl likes getting her picture taken.  She went thru
a phase where she always wanted to pose or would do
something silly. 

Loves food and loves feeding herself.  Some of her
favorites are "choc" (chocolate), cinnamon toast, cocoa puffs,
steak, ice cream, and anything dipped in ketchup

Ashlyn went thru a phase after we moved into our house
that she thought wake up time was 5:30-6a.m.  Thank goodness
for cartoons because this is where she spent most of her
mornings...

Ashlyn loves to take showers.  She would stay in there
for hours if I let her...

Ashlyn colored her hands with marker and then got
upset.  While crying she would wipe her eyes and the
marker would smear off her hand to her face.  She
had quite the pink stain for a few days.

Last, but not least, we sold our home and moved out the
week right before Christmas.  It is weird, but this home, never
really did feel like "home."  I'm not sure what it was, but it didn't.
We did have a lot that we were to start building on in
a few weeks, however, the seller called us last week and backed out of the
deal...it has been a complete bummer and major upset because we really
don't have anything else we were considering.  We have been waiting since January for
the curb and gutter to go in so we could close.  I wish the seller would have
told us three months ago this is what they were going to do.  Oh well,
things happen for a reason right?  I'm trying to have an eternal perspective on it,
maybe we weren't supposed to be there, who knows.  So, now onto something
different...wish us luck...because right now, we really need it!!!  I didn't
want to spend all summer working on a house again. :(  This one we will
not be putting up for sale.  We will stay there for a long while. :)

New Family Pics

My mom had family pictures taken in November.  I feel bad for our photographer.  We aren't the easiest family to photograph with all the little ones.  My mom has gone from 0 to 8 grandkids in 4 1/2 years.  It will be fun as they all get older.  CHAOS best describes our current get togethers. :)

Ryah - 4
Jett - 4
Jax - 3
Keslee - 3
Cam - 2
Ashlyn - 1
Brig - 10 mos
Ava - 1 month