Tuesday, December 30, 2008

We got a lot of gifts, as you can see!


This was Katelee at the end of the day! The girl was tired!


And of course Ethan was still wide awake and ready to play with his Big Wheel that Santa brought him!

Christmas Morning

Grandpa Nelson with a bow Ethan put on his head. Doesn't he look excited?This was a little bit into opening presents. Ethan decided it was time to go read the paper and not open any more presents! This has a mind of his own.

Pretty Katelee with a new Sunday dress from Aunt RaNae, UJ and Tayler. It is so pretty!

Ethan putting a bow on Uncle Brian's head! He wanted everyone to have one!




Ethan opening presents at the beginning! He loved opening gifts for a while, and then it was like he decided he didn't want to do it any more! But he had a lot more fun this year than the last two years!






Christmas Eve




So Christmas Eve was really fun this year. Ethan was excited about presents, Katelee just hung out and Madilynn is walking and just plain CUTE! So we were a little late getting to the program so when we got there we had to rush to get Ethan in his "Shepard" costume. Which he looked absolutely wonderful in. He let me put the outfit on him and didn't mind it at all. Katelee was suppose to be Jesus but was asleep when we got there so one of the twins filled in for her! Madilynn was an angle and wasn't too happy about being 5 feet from her mom so she was crying and Ethan was trying to make her smile. He played with the donkey ears trying to make her smile. He even went over to her and hugged her, which he did all on his own. It was the cutest thing ever. We got it all on video, oh the memories.... Isn't there always a good story from the Nativity story every year??? Then Santa came. Grandma taught Ethan that Santa says "Ho Ho Ho" so when Santa came in Ethan was excited and had a look of amazement on his face. Last year Ethan cried and wanted down, but this year he did really well. He sat on his lap and said Cheese for all of the cameras out there. Katelee just laid there and was an angle as always! Madilynn was a good girl for a bit and then she had had enough!


Tuesday, December 23, 2008

"As Good as it Gets"

I wanted to get pictures of the kids in their Christmas Church clothes......


And this is as good as it gets! Aren't they cute?



Our Big Princess!




Katelee is just growing like a week. We gave her a bath the other night and her belly is getting large. She is such a good baby, I don't know how we lucked out with two good kids in a row! She loves attention and loves to smile and laugh. She is getting closer to sleeping through the night. She sleep till 4am the other night and 3am last night. She'll get there eventually! (I hope) Katelee is pretty funny because she has no interest in rolling over. When we put her on a blanket she just lays there perfectly content with being on her back! She'll hang out on her belly for a little while and then cry till she gets picked up! Chris and I love this little girl so much, we have been so blessed to have her in our home!


10 Years Ago

Isn't it amazing how time can go by so fast, yet when you really stop to think about it, it has dragged on? It has been 10 years since my Grandparents died. My mother and I went and put new flowers on their grave this weekend. It is sad to me that Chris never got to meet them, but I tell lots of stories so he kinda knows them. Hazel and Pete were the best grandparents any kid could ask for. Grandpa always had some kind of funny story to tell and I love how he use to eat our ears! And Grandma was so sweet and a great baker! I'm so glad my mother made us go visit them so often. We were up at their house EVERY Sunday and usually different days during the week too! I miss them but know we'll see each other again in a much better place!

Monday, December 15, 2008

Sunday Update

Chris had his work Christmas party on Saturday night. We had my mother-in-law and Tayler come over and watch the kids. We left around 6:30pm. All was well. Katelee was sleeping and Ethan was about to eat dinner. I wrote down Ethan and Katelee's schedules and off we went to enjoy ourselves. The party was fun, not as fun as last year (Chris and I won the dancing contest last year) We stayed a little longer than I had planned on, we stayed till 10pm(felt like Midnight) I called to let them know we were on our way home and Katelee was screaming in the back ground. So of course I started feeling bad for leaving her for so long. She had been crying pretty much the entire time, and was really gassy! So we got home and I held her and she calmed right down and cuddled with me. Of course that made me feel REALLY good, but I still felt bad for Grandma. I guess Ethan decided to get out of bed while Grandma watched him and put lotion all over his hair. Since I have been in young woman's the girls have been begging to babysit. I've been considering it, however this weekend just reaffirmed that I shouldn't let anyone but family watch the kids. I really think Katelee just wanted her mom or dad! :) Silly little girl....Katelee wore her new dress to church and I think she looked absolutely beautiful! :)

Friday, December 12, 2008

Just a few things I'm Thankful for....

A son that wants to walk in him mother's shoes....


Two cute kids that seem to like each other most of the time! (Ethan's new thing is laying next to Katelee when she is on the floor. It is way cute specially when Katelee just looks at him and smiles)
A kid that will actually cuddle with me. (I know she will probably grow out of that stage)





Wow...

So the other night I was cleaning up the kitchen and Chris says, "Hilary you have to see your son." I close the fridge and thsi is what I see my son doing.....
He had the machine plugged in and everything. I sware my son watches EVERYTHING we do! Gotta love him!


Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The Spirit of Christmas

"Giving, not Getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas Spirit. Enimies are forgiven, friends remembered and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world's busy life and become more interested in people than things. To catch the real meaning of the 'spirit of Christmas' we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the 'spirit of Christ.' "

President Thomas S. Monson

Monday, December 8, 2008

Random Weekend Shots

Here are some random shots from this weekend! Ethan and Mommy reading a bedtime book while Ethan had a breathing treatment. The poor boy has his parents bad health. First it was Eczema then it was allergies and after that it was asthma. He does really well with the treatments now. At first he would cry the whole time, now he holds the mask and taps on the bottom when the medicine runs out! Silly boy, monkey see, monkey do!
This is Katelee when it was time for her to eat and go to bed for the night. She didn't want to wake up to get her last bottle. I know some might say great just put her in bed, however it had been about 4 or 5 hours since she last ate so we wanted to feed her again so she would sleep longer. Finally she woke up, ate and went to bed until....4am! Yeah, she is getting closer to sleeping through the night!
Katelee all snug and comfy in UJ's arms. He loves holding her. Aren't they cute???

Daddy and Katelee after church watching the football game. She was really tired and would doze in and out of sleep until finally I made him wrap her up and put her down! She loves her Daddy!




Stocking Time!!


My Grandma has always made stockings for all of her Grandchildren, Great-Grandchildren and also the in-law grandchildren. She asked me to take a picture of Katelee in her stocking so I stripped her down and shoved her in. I put a headband on so you could tell she is a girl. She was just as happy as can be!

Anna's Big 3-0 Birthday




Yesterday was my Favorite Sister's Birthday. She turned the big three-zero! I love my sister and will use this special occasion to tell my sister how much I love her and appreciate her. Anna is always there to spoil my kids and me when I need spoiling. Anna and I have been best friends since we stopped sharing a room (for those of you who had to share a room with a sibling you will understand that statement). The years we shared a room where not our best, however when she moved out I realized how lucky I was to have someone I could talk to whenever I wanted. We use to lay in bed at night and tell each other stories! Although she lives CLEAR across town from us we still get to see her all the time! I couldn't ask for a better sister! WE LOVE YOU ANNA, happy birthday!

Friday, December 5, 2008

Ethan's in a Big Boy Bed!

Ethan has been sleeping in a Big Boy Bed for about two weeks now. I was really nervous, because the kid can't hold still for more than 1 minute at a time. The first night it took him over 3 hours to fall asleep, but he stayed on his bed the entire time. The second night it only took him 2 hours, but once again he stayed in bed the whole time. The third night he was asleep in 45 minutes. For naps he falls asleep within 5 minutes, I can't believe how easy it was. He sleep in Aunt Lisa's spare room for Thanksgiving and did a really good job there too! I can't believe how fast Ethan is growing up. I know he still has his Binky at night, but I'm not willing to fight that fight just yet!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

A Baby Changes Everything!

I just heard this song on the radio and had to find the lyrics. I really think this puts the Christmas season into perspective. With all the shopping and gifts we sometimes forget that “a baby changed everything.” We have the Savior to thank for the opportunity we have to spend all time and eternity with our families. Please remember Christ this Christmas! Love,

Hilary

Faith Hill A Baby Changes Everything lyrics

Teenage girl, much too young
Unprepared for what's to come
A baby changes everything

Not a ring On her hand
All her dreams and all her plans
A baby changes everything
The man she loves she's never touched
How will she Keep his trust
A baby changes everything

And she cries, oh she cries
She has to leave, go far away
Heaven knows she can't stay
A baby changes everything

She can feel it's coming soon
There's no place, there's no room
A baby changes everything
And she cries and she cries O she cries

Shepherds own they got their... Star shines down...
Choir of Angels say Glory to the newborn king
A baby changes everything
everything, everything, every day

Hallelujah
My whole life is turned around
I was lost and now I'm found
A baby changes everything

Random Shots from Thanksgiving

Ethan and Uncle Enrique on Temple Square. He thought he was the center of attention. Any time someone would take a picture he would say Cheese! Aunt Anna and Katelee

Ethan and his best friend Grandpa Blackburn! They are inseparable!


A picture of the Salt Lake City Temple! My camera is just a basic one, but you get the jist!


Katelee asleep in front of Aunt Lisa's fire! She loved sitting there. It was so nice and toasty right there.







The Kids with their Great-Grandparents! Great-Grandpa Blackburn
Great-Grandma Blackburn


Aunt Anna put olives on Katelee's fingers. She is starting her at a very young age!




Our family at Temple Square. I had an idea of a great picture of our family with the temple in the background. Didn't quite turn out like I wanted but we are all smiling!






Thanksgiving Drive

Ethan just relaxing watching a movie! This is his new way to sleep, with his hands behind his head! Silly kid! I wanted to show how bad the weather was, however these pictures don't really show it! It was raining pretty hard and the clouds were getting lower and lower!










Wednesday, December 3, 2008

That's Why.....

So we went up to Utah for Thanksgiving and had a very nice trip, however I left the USB for our Camera somewhere up there. So that is why I haven't updated with photos yet. We took some really cute pictures and hopefully I can get them on the computer soon. Until then I guess you'll just have to deal with my stories without photos.

So we left Wednesday morning and it rain about 75% of the trip. We hydroplaned in a few spots which really made me nervous, however Ethan loved it. The kids did a good job most of the way. I had a very interesting experience on this trip. I had the privilege of pumping while we were driving. Can I just say that was a little awkward? The last hour of the trip was hard on Katelee so I took her out of her seat and held her in while I sat in between her car seat and Ethan's. Ethan was a good boy until I started holding Katelee then he started crying and even hitting me and Katelee. Finally we were able to bribe him with seeing his Grandpa Blackburn and he started behaving. (He really loves his Grandpa, he loves his Grandma too but Grandpa always takes him for walks and such) We finally got to my Grandparents house and got to see my parents and my Grandparents. Ethan of course was crazy and my Grandma said it was just because he had been in the car for so long. However she later was convinced that he is just a CRAZY kid.
We stayed with Chris' sister Lisa. Poor Lisa is use to living alone and keeps a very clean house. We pretty much demolished that by just unpacking our car! But she is a great Aunt and didn't mind at all. We put Ethan in the extra room and Katelee slept in the same room as us. This will NEVER happen again. Katelee is a very loud sleeper and we didn't get much sleep. But other than that she did really good. We had Thanksgiving at my Aunt's house like we always do which was nice. There was a little boy Ethan's age so they played in the same room. They didn't really play together but they kept an eye on each other, until Ethan decided to treat a train as a hammer and bang all over stuff! (gotta love my boy, he can turn anything into a hammer!)
When I get the pictures up I will comment more. But overall we had a very fun trip. My grandparents got to meet Katelee, and I got to see them. They are both old and my Grandpa isn't in the good of health so it is always nice to see them and spend time with them. Chris let us spend the majority of the time over there, which I know is boring for him (except my mom brought the wii so he did have some fun) but that is why I love him. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and remembers what they are thankful for throughout the year not just in November!