Christmas Sunday Pictures

I hurried and took pictures of the kids today before church all cute for Christmas. Besides the Sunday of the primary program this is my other favorite Sunday. Everyone is so happy and excited and I love all of the Christmas songs about the Savior and to feel the Spirit. I'm so grateful for all that he has done for me. For his life and example and his love for each of us.
The pictures turned out pretty good I think.

Makenna and Chase are going crazy with excitement for Christmas! They are going to drive me bonkers the next few days:)

Chase and Clark

  

I wanted to post this cute picture of Chase with cousin Clark. Last night was the Jasper Christmas party and we had a great time. This was the only picture I have. Chase and Makenna loved running around with Clark all night! They also played hide-and-seek with Steph, Jeff and Jordan also humored Makenna as she hid stuffed animals around the house for them to find:)
Other highlights were Chase getting his head rubbed by Steph I think for a good 20 min, gift exchange, good food, good company and playing the chimes- which I think was Makenna's favorite.

Christmas Lights

Last night for Family Home Evening we went and saw the city lights at the park. It wasn't too cold, the kids love it and for walking through it twice it only takes a half an hour! It's perfect:)

Potty Trained!

Last week was potty training week for Chase! It was one of  my goals for this year so why not wait till the last month of the year to get it accomplished?:) I really was in no hurry to tackle this project after the struggle it was with Makenna but Steve had the week off  so we did it! Actually Steve did most of it. He would go in there with him most of the time and try and coax him into going to the bathroom. And a lot of the time Chase asked for Steve to help him, so I can't take much credit.  Chase was awesome. On Monday he had 3 accidents and one success. After Monday he didn't have any more accidents but would hold it for as long as possible. He would be doing the potty dance for an hour and we would have sat on the toilet 4-5 times and he would be yelling and crying- there is nothing! Finally he would go to the bathroom. He finally did #2 on Thursday (I love Miralax:) and since Friday he hasn't been holding it. He has just told us when he needs to go and has been great. He made it through church just fine, although our next task will be going in public. He told me he needed to go at church so we went in the stall and he looked up at me and asked if he had to go in that toilet? I said yes and he told me he would wait till we got home:)

He earned a stuffed minion for filling up his sticker chart (he loves Despicable Me). We are so proud of him!

7 Months

 Our little Caleb turned 7 months.He is a character and I know I say this all the time but I just want to keep him like this! I love his hair. I purposely comb it up after we get out of the tub and Steve keeps asking me when I'll comb it down- probably never!:) Although it is getting longer and so it's starting to not stay up as well. I love the next picture of Caleb looking at Chase. He puts up with Makenna and Chase in his face All. The. Time! He is such a good sport about it.

 I don't want to ever forget that he likes to chew on his binky sideways. Sometimes he almost has that whole thing in his mouth! He also blows raspberries a lot and snorts. He started making his lips in an O and Ohh's at us.

He is a master at rolling over and has started scooting around a little bit. He can sit up but he is still wobbly so I can't leave his side. He has become a much better eater and willingly opens his mouth now. His favorites are peaches and pears.

Love you little guy!

First Snow

We had our first real snow that we could play in about a week ago. The kids were so excited to go out. Steve went out with them and they were outside for 2 hours! They had a snowman but he toppled over so they ended up just making a wall instead.

Makenna turns 6!

Our Makenna turned 6 in November! Her celebration started a week early with Grandparents Day. She was so lucky to have both of her Grandma's come to school with her for a day, she loved it! After school we opened presents and went out for lunch to celebrate her birthday.

 The morning of her birthday began with more presents and cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

 We made a poster all about her for her to take to school.

 I threw her a Frozen party later in the afternoon with all of her little friends. We decorated crowns, played Pin the Nose of Olaf, Don't Eat Olaf, opened presents and decorated cupcakes. Makenna has so many good friends and she was thrilled to have them spend the day with her.

 All of our princesses: (L to R)Jaymee,Olivia, Tori, Makenna, Audrey, Morgan, Lily

 And thanks to Steff for coming and helping I couldn't have done it without her!

 All Makenna really wanted for her birthday was an Elsa dress-up. So here is our Elsa, I think she wore it for a week straight every time she was home!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl! We love you!

Halloween Festivities!

We started out Halloween week by carving our pumpkin. This picture of Makenna cracks me up. She wanted to help clean it out but there was no way she wanted to have to touch the gross stuff inside!:) I think she got one seed out and was done. Thank heavens for Dad!

There was no school on Halloween so the day before was the Halloween parade at the school. Makenna was so excited. The 6 graders help the kindergartners through the parade and do their party for them too. Makenna thought it was pretty cool being with the big kids all day. These were pictures of her as she passed by us through the parade.

Halloween night couldn't have come soon enough. It was the perfect evening and the kids had fun and got plenty of candy.
We have our black cat....

 Superman....

 and a pumpkin!

 On a side note. This little guy has also turned 6 months! He has been so much fun. He has started screaming when we are having fun and he thinks he is just the funniest guy around. It is just so cute and we laugh so he keeps doing it. Still not a good eater at the table. He watches every bite we take and then when I give him some of his food he spits it back out. It's just not as good as he imagines I guess. He has even learned to close his lips tight so that I can't get the spoon in his mouth! He does like carrots though.

I don't think I've mentioned this before but he sneezes every time we go outside. Is that weird? He is getting more and more difficult to change his diaper/clothes. He is so wiggly and just  wants to keep rolling around. I'm loving this stage and want to keep him little forever...We sure love this little boy!

It was a great Halloween!

Leaf Rubbing

I wanted to do a fall craft with the kids and we ended up doing leaf rubbings. I had forgotten how much I like doing those. Makenna loved it. She did it a couple of times during the week. Chase didn't quite get it but had fun coloring.