Utah Part 2

We always have so much fun in Utah!!  We stay super busy and spend as much time with our loved ones as possible! 

 Sadie, Peyton, Tyler and Lydia got snowsuits from Ga-ga for Christmas so we made good use of them while there. 

 Uncle Zach pulled the boys!!  They would always tip over, get back on and do it all over again!

 I love this genuine smile!!  Love to capture moments just like this!  He had just fallen off and was just laughing because he was so happy!

 Love her!!!  We stayed outside for less than 5 minutes though because she had had a cold when we got to Utah.  We ended up going to Instacare because she was kinda raspy when breathing and it turned out she had pneaumonia!  Peyton got pneaumonia last itme we were in Utah as well.  I must admit that Sadie sure was much easier to get the chest xrays done for.  Peyton had thrashed so violently that they had to redo the xrays three times.  The next day he had bruises all over his body from thrashing so hard in that thing.  Sadie was teh opposite.  She just sat there..... she didn't even cry that hard.  I was super surprised.

 Zachy is such a good uncle.  The boys had such a blast with him! Peyton's hands started to get realy cold after awhile since his gloves wouldn't stay on but he was super upset when I brought him inside.  So Uncle Zachy let him go back outside with him to make snow angels and hang out for a little longer.

Thanks Ga-ga for the awesome snow suits!!! 

Utah Part 1

We went to Utah on December 11th... to be there when my lil bro Zach got home from his mission the next day!  Eric was able to go with us and it was ridiculously awesome!  I had been freaking out and sooo anxious for weeks previous about the plane ride.  I don't know why I do that because they always turn out alright.  Eric sat with Peyton teh whole time and I was with Sadie.  Sadie NEVER sleeps in anyone's arms so she was awake the whole plane ride but she was super chill so that was ok.  We did almost miss our connecting flight in Chicago but we made it.  We prolly looked ridiculous running through the airport as fast as we could.... two kids in tow, all this luggage and panting like crazy. Ok, I don't know about Eric but I was panting like crazy!!  The next day........ back to the airport we went to wait for Zach.

 Jamie made this cute sign for Lydia and Sadie.... she cracks me up!! 

 Waiting for him to come down that elevator is pure torture!!!!  There is a reason I can NEVER sleep Christmas Eve... anticipation kills me.  Our hearts were beating.... we kept thinking he was coming down and alas, not him. 

Finallllyyyyyy...... we spotted him!  There were three or four different families waiting around us for their missionaries who were in Zach's mission so that was super cool.  But as soon as we saw Zach we all let out a squeel and yelled, "Zach."  Ok that whole moment is kinda fuzzy in my mind because I was over the moon excited so maybe I was alone when screaming Zach's name but I don't know. 

 Group hug!!!!!!!  So gosh dang excited to see him!

 The excitement was a little tooo much for Sadie. 

 Meeting little Lydia!!

 These moments are my absolute favorite!!!  They make me tear up just looking at them.  I can feel the love oozing out of these shots.  I'm always sooooo sure that words, pictures, or anything will not adequately tell my kids how ardently I love them but I can feel it here coming from my parents to their boy.  Moments like this make me think that this is how Heaven feels!

Poor Zachy..... we pretty much shadowed him for awhole week after he returned.  We just wanted to soak in everything about him.  He is such a good man!!!  I feel soooo ridiculously lucky to have such an awesome brother........ seriously!  As he came down the escalator, there was a moment where I didn't quite recognize him.  Of course I would always recognize him but there is a maturity about him now.... my sister said it well, "He left a boy and returned a man."  So I guess the transformation just threw me for a second.  I swear as he came down that escalator, he was just glowing!! 
Having him home and soaking up his missionary spirit made me want my kids to serve a mission even more.  What a noble thing.....

January 2013

We're behind the times on the whole gingerbread making thing but better late than never!  I love gingerbread houses!  I just think they're the funnest things ever.  Well, while shopping at B.B.'s the other day I found these easy to assemble kits for a buck fifty!!!  YES PlEASEE!!!  

 Peyton had fun trying to assemble everything but honestly I pretty much did it all!  I squirted a bunch of frosting on the outside of teh house so he could stick all his candies but he was adamant that the candy didn't belong on the outside but on the inside.  Ha..... So, he kept taking the wall or roof off to stick all of his precious candy inside. 

 Sadie just watched from the sideline..... look at that poor eye.  She ended up getting a "cold" in it.  That's what the doc said anyway.  What the heck, right?  Everytime she woke up it would be so goopy that it sealed her eye shut.  It's been about a week and it's just starting to look better the last couple of days.

 This is the finished product..... impressed?  Well, doesn't fully give you a full picture.  I forgot to take a picture of the floor..... lots of candy down there too.  Including gobs of frosting.  Aw well, I guess some of the best memories are made when things get messy!

 Peyton's new favorite thing is riding around on his horse, with rope and his cowboy hat.  Oh, and his boots.  I don't have a huge problem with this BUT, he likes to tye everything up.... including his little sister.  I sure seem to be playing referee a lot more the last couple months!  I had been going through Sadie's storage bins for the next size up in clothing and he'd seen me pull this tinkerbell p.j.'s out.  We like tinkerbell in this house.  So, belly shirt and all.... this is how he stayed the whoel day!!

We've gotten to play out in the snow lots this winter!  Peyton is definitely a big fan!!!  What an ordeal to get all of his snowclothes on...... wheeeewwww... but it's always worth it!!

 His gloves don't stay on worth a darn. 

 My favorite part of the snow process????  Snow icecream afterwards.  YUMMM!!  Eric was totally not a fan... he said it tasted freezer burned but Peyton and I had no problem putting it all away by ourselves!

Peyton sure keeps us on our toes but can I just say that I LOVE this age!  He is talking up a storm now and says the funniest things ever.  The other day we took the missionaries out to eat with us.  As I return to the table from getting something from the buffet I realize Peyton is missing. "Eric... where's Peyton?"  We all look hurriedly around and next thing you know Eric bolts like lightning from the table.  Peyton was already halfway up one of those claw arcade games.  They make teh shoots where the stuffed animal prizes come out, entirely too large!!! 
Yesterday we were playing in his room and he says, "Sowwy Mommy, I gotta go talk to my gooo."  Me: "Who's your girl?" Peyton: "Yexie is my goo friend.  Need to talk to her. Sowwy mommy."  Lexie apparently is his new favorite.... just as long as I'm always his true fav!!!! 
Sadie is cute as a button.  I seriously can't stop staring at her some days.  She's sooo beautiful!  I get absolutely NO sleep with her but I love her anyway.  One day I know I will reminisce on these days and miss my babies..... sleep deprived and all.  She is full blown crawling now and it's sooo cute.  She's only 11th percentile for weight so she just looks like this little peanut cruising along. 
Two days ago I was giving the kids their baths and as I was pulling Sadie out of her tub I said, "Come her punkin!"  Peyton yells out, "Sadie not a punkin.... she a princess!!"