Winter

Oh what do we do in the winter time, when all the world is white?

These 2 play superheroes:

and try to help shovel the driveway (super adorable but counter-productive!)

Katelyn took an ice skating class and LOVED it!

Every time she was smiling so big the whole time!  She wants to do it again but this next session didn't work with our schedule and it's all the way in Provo.  I feel bad!  But she will do it again for sure sometime.

I am getting huger. :)  This was my 30 week picture, and I am SO grateful for my neighbor Rebecca and my friend Kristen who both gave me cute maternity clothes!  It really helps me feel good about my looks to wear something that's not form 2006 haha.  And I didn't want to spend money on new maternity clothes just to wear for a couple of months!

The girls requested ribbon-y braids for Valentine's Day. :)

And Maris got this scripture bag in the mail form Grandma the other day and wanted to take it to church right away!  When I told her it was only Tuesday and we didn't have church for a few more days she was heartbroken and cried and cried until I suggested she could put on a dress and we could have pretend primary here at home.  So that's what we did!

My facebook post about this awesome blanket:

Finished this blanket for my baby. All of my kids have one--a friend made the first 2 and I have done the rest. I always have so much fun picking out the fabrics and putting it all together. I can't wait for her to use it for lots of stroller rides, picnics, and naps. 😊❤ #sixmoreweeks #itsgettingreal

I love the colors; aqua is my favorite right now!  So I had to use it even though it's for a girl!  Last child= I get to use my favorite color. We'll see if it's just a running blanket like owen and the older girls', or if she sleeps with it ever night like Maris does with hers now!

We got Maris moved in this weekend and these two cuties are super excited to be roommates!! #besties #babyprep #itsgettingreal

The transition has gone really smoothly, thank goodness.  They really are delighted to share with each other.  Now to get the baby's room cute and ready!

Owen turns 5 :)

As usual, I'd been feeling like my child was already the next age up for a while, so there was no big shock or sadness about Owen turning 5!  it does feel a little weird to say he's 5 though, because 5 for us has always meant kindergarten rapidly approaching, and we still have half the year before that happens thank goodness.  That one will be hard for me.  

Anyway our big grown up Owen officially turned 5.  I am trying to consciously enjoy his little-boy-ness while I still can! He is so cute and funny, sweet, helpful and smart. Yay for Owen!

 Opening presents on his birthday morning before Dad left for work.

 We spent the rest of the day hanging out, playing, and getting the last few things ready for the Lego Party!

 After school we had his party!  It was especially fun because Eric could be there since it was a Friday.

First the kids got to color a Lego minifigure of themself.

Then they played with MegaBlocks for a minute while the others finished.

 We had David, Bryan, Jenna, Jace, Jenna, Owen, Danny and Robbie.

 Then we went downstairs to do the ever-popular obstacle course!  The kids even remembered the one from last year and were super excited for this year's edition. :)

 There was the giant Lego "maze" of boxes, throwing Lego beanbags onto a board with circles, 

 crawling through the tunnel of course, 

 building a 10-Lego tower, climbing over the ottoman, and then digging several duplo minifigures out of a big rice bowl-- this was everyone's favorite part and I guess we didn't get a picture of it!

 We played the minifigure grab-bag game, 

 and the "make a Lego creation to keep" game.

 Then it was time for cake!

 The super cute birthday boy!!

 The big kid helpers!

Maris NOT choking Seth, trying to hug him I think??

 And this was my favorite part of the party.  Owen and his friends sitting around eating cake and making silly jokes and laughing hysterically at each other!  It was SO cute and funny.

 Then we went out to dinner with the MacKays to celebrate Owen and Kent's birthdays.

And lastly we went swimming at the Provo Rec Center and the kids had a BLAST.  They all love swimming! (BUT Eric decided and I agreed that it was way too much for one day.  So we have a new rule we can't have a party, go out to eat AND do a family activity all in one day!)

Owen is one special and awesome kid.  Even more so now that we know he is going to be the middle child and only boy in our family!  We all love him so much and we're so grateful for him. :)

CHRISTMAS!!!

This year we had a first: Owen "slept" down in the girls' room, and they woke up at 3am and managed to stay in there until 4:30am.  And then they came into our room.  We were like "no....go back to sleep...." but they were wide awake, jumping on the bed, and I told Eric we better just go with it or we'll ruin Christmas!  So we made them wait for us to get ready a little, and watch the Nativity video, and we woke up Maris. She was only dazed for a second and then she was ready to go!!

Here are the crazies ready to go out before 5am!  We probably won't let them sleep together again, because Owen was the meltdown king all day!  He was so tired, poor boy.

Whitney with her giant pig!

Katelyn with her new bedspread (which she later returned and got a much cooler one!)

Maris immediately loved her dog, and didn't even notice the fort-building present!  Which later was much used and loved by all the kids.  She was super cute and excited and made so many fun sounds and exclamations while she was opening presents. 

Owen was SO HAPPY to get the Lego Fire Station he had been dreaming of!!  He asked Santa for it because it was so expensive that "even Grandma doesn't have that much money" lol.  He screamed with delight when he saw it, and also when he opened his Batcave from Grandma. Such hilarious, deep manly screams, "Yeeeesssss! Yeeessss!" So cute, pure childish happiness!

This was a fun box-wrapped-in-a-box, times about 7!  And in the smallest box was a certificate for a day at Disneyland!  They were hilarious opening it.

Kate opening her American Girl Doll from Grandma.

Maris opening rain boots from Grammy and Grandpa Jamie.

Whitney was delighted with the Spanish dictionary I gave her. It cracked me up.

I was super excited about this Tile my mom and dad gave me!

Owen excited about a Star Wars book from Grammy.

Whitney in her pioneer costume from Grammy.

Katelyn with her ice cream sandwich maker form Hazel-- yay for cousin gift exchange based on kitchen items!

the book katelyn wanted from Grammy!

Owen got cool tool cookie cutters from Ryder!

more books!

Legos!

me using my new selfie stick from Eric!

more Legos!

our presents from Melissa and Karl- awesome egg cookers!

new utensils and a cookbook holder!!

Another giant pig for Whitney from Grandma and Grandpa!

maris loved her elephant from Grandma and Grandpa!

We managed to stretch the presents out until almost 8am, and then Eric had to start shoveling!!  It was a Sunday, and we had Sacrament Meeting at 10:30.  We had SO MUCH SNOW just overnight and of course no plows were running Christmas morning, so we didn't know if we would make it to church!  We squished into Eric's car because it has 4-wheel drive and we were able to get out of our neighborhood to the main road and then it was fine.  So crazy though!!  

I LOVE Christmas being on Sunday!  The music and talks were so uplifting and it brought the Spirit into our Christmas.  It was wonderful. Also as a bonus, Eric sang in the ward choir with me for the first time since college!  It was so fun to go to the practices together since our kids are old enough to leave for 45 minutes.  And Maris ended up going up on the stand with Eric when we sang, but she was really good so it was cute.  I love to see Eric sing, so that was really special for me. :)

Also the Primary kids sang, and they did so great!  I will always remember Whitney singing her heart out to Angels We Have Heard on High.  She is such a sincere and expressive singer!

Eric relaxing in a snowbank after he shoveled. :)

We went up to the Murrays and spent the night on Christmas, it was fun as usual!!  More presents, family time, and good food.

The rest of Christmas Break was a blur.  We took the side off of Maris' crib so she could use her new sheets, so cute and grown up!  And we tried potty training a little....and decided to wait a while. :)

Owen spent almost 5 hours one day putting together his Lego Fire Station!!  And many hours other days on other sets!  It was so funny.  He has a talent for building, he can do all the sets that say age 7-12 by himself.

Maris in one of the many forts the girls built for her with her new fort toy!

And with 2 other accessories that she fell in love with and wore constantly for days: a backpack and pink boots from Grandma and Grandpa.  Another memory from Christmas Break that I want to preserve is when I went running one day with Maris in the stroller and she wanted to get out and run.  So I let her and she did great; we were just running along together on the safe back road, she kept looking up at me with her blond hair blowing in her face and she was so happy, it was adorable.  We have run together several times since and she LOVES it.  And obviously I love it!!

Our 13th Anniversary!!  We went shopping, out to eat, and to see Star Wars Rogue I.  It was so fun, and this baby went crazy kicking at the loud ending of the movie!  Funny.  Also we are already thinking about our great plans for our 15th anniversary trip-- to a beach, somewhere warm and beautiful. :)

For our Anniversary I "let" Eric buy a little drone.  He and the kids have had hours of fun with it!

For New Years we had great fun playing games all evening!  We all played games with Maris, then she went to bed, then we all played Ticket to Ride with Owen, then he went to bed and we played Wackee Six with just the girls!  It was a fun party.

Owen in the new suit he got for Christmas; adorable!

And it just kept snowing!  Huge mountains of snow.  Eric took the kids sledding TWICE and I didn't go!  It is kind of becoming something they do just with Dad, and i am totally fine with that!!  Maybe when this baby is like 3 years old I will start going again.  Until then it's just not fun for me, only cold!

Our family goals for the year!  The last one is our major one and it is actually going really well, hooray!

Last thing for the year-- I wanted to remember that Katelyn spent most of her Christmas Break playing with Owen and Maris.  So sweet.  They had so much fun, and they and Whitney set up all their Legos in a Lego Town in the unfinished basement.  They have had hours and DAYS of fun down there.

On to 2017!