Christmas Tree

Growing up, we always got our Christmas Tree the day after Thanksgiving and we always cut it down.  This year we did just that even if it was raining a little bit.  Actually the rain made it so it wasn't crowded at all so their was no line to see Santa which was a plus for Max.
 

 

 

The girls took the kids on a little hay ride which the kids of course loved.

After we got our Christmas tree, we went inside their little shop to warm up by the fire, eat some cookies and of course see Santa.  Max went right up to Santa and told him that he wanted trucks for Christmas.  Chloe was the complete opposite of what Max didn.  She did not want anything to do with Santa.  All she wanted to do was eat her sprinkle christmas tree cookie.  After we warmed up, we went out to lunch and got hamburgers, french fires and milk shakes.  All in all, we had a great time .

Family Pictures

We are so bad about taking family pictures.  I don't know why we never take them, but we do.  So I decided this had to change once Lyla was born.  I decided to purchase a groupon for a photo shoot at Sears.  I knew that it wasn't going to be my dream for family pictures, but it was cheap and it's a start.  They took a lot of pictures of us, but we could only get one picture on a Cd and it was the picture of the kids.  But the groupon also included a couple 8X10 and 11X14 so now I have family pictures to family hang in my house.  I forget how much kids change over the years, so my goal for next year is to be better about capturing those changes.

 

Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving, we actually decided to stay home.  Last year we traveled over Thanksgiving and I hated it.  It is so crowded and stressful traveling over Thanksgiving.  I actually think traveling over Thanksgiving is worst than traveling over Christmas.We first started the day over at my dad's house where the kids played and did some art projects.  Then we went over to Heidi and Eirik's house for the big Thanksgiving dinner.  It was a lot of fun and we had very good food.  The kids of course had a lot of fun playing with Skye and all of his toys.
 

 

 

 

This Thanksgiving I had a lot to be thankful for.  I am so thankful for my wonderful family.  I have the best husband that anyone could ask for.  He does so much for me and our family.  I am so thankful for my kids.  I am so blessed to be their mother.  I am so thankful that everthing went well with Lyla's birth and she is healthy.  I am so thankful for the gospel.  I would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for the gospel.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving because I know I did.

Halloween

This year for Halloween we went to music makers to play with friends and eat of course.  Then we went to a shopping center where the kids did some trick or treating at the stores.  Then we headed to my dad's house to eat some delicous food and go trick or treating.  The kids had so much fun and got lots of candy.  They loved wearing their costumes and the weather was perfect bc it didn't rain while we were trick or treating.
 

My cute little kids! 

Mira and Chloe as the ladybugs 

 

 

 

 

 

Pumpkins and cookies

This was the first year that we didn't take the kids to a pumpkin patch.  Instead my mom, Kim and Heidi took them because Lyla was only 2 weeks old, which was very nice of them.  They had a lot of fun and came home with 3 pumpkins.  The kids each picked out one and then they brought home a little one for Lyla.  It was very cute.  Then one day I let the kids paint their pumpkins.  For some odd reason my kids do not like to carve pumpkins.  They don't the slimy feel of the inside of the pumpkin.  So the kids paint their pumpkins and they had so much fun.
 

 

 

Lyla was having fun in her swing while the kids painted. 

One night for FHE we decorated Halloween cookies and of course the kids had so much fun.  They would take a cookies and put about a inch or two of frosting on it and then covered it completly with sprinkles. 

 

 

Life

Life has been going pretty well with 3 kids.  Max has been a big help ever since Lyla was born.  He will get diapers, open the door for Chloe, get my phone when it rings and anything else I ask him to do.  He has been a great little helper.  Chloe has done a lot better than I thought she would with Lyla.  She loves to hold her and give her kisses on her head.  So far nothing bad has happened to Lyla beause of the kids.  They really understand that she is a baby and she is very fragile.

Chloe loves to read to Lyla 

 

The kids had so much fun playing outside while it was raining. 

Soccer

A couple of weeks ago, Max was invited to join Skye at his soccer practice.  He had so much fun.  He was able to run around and kick the ball which he has only done with daddy.  Now I have to sign him up for soccer because he had so much fun.
 

 

 

 

More pictures of Lyla

The first couple of weeks home with Lyla were a little difficult.  I thought Lyla was eating great, but it turns out that she was not eating at all.  The only thing she was doing was sucking.  So for about 4 weeks I had to nurse her then feed her a bottle and then pump for 15 minutes on both sides.  I felt like all I was doing was feeding and pumping.  There were lots of time that I was going to give up and just feed Lyla formula, but the only thing that was stopping me was the cost of formula.  But I sucked it up and did what I had to do and finally Lyla learned how to nurse.  Now she is doing great and is gaining weight like she should. 
 

Leaving the hospital 

First bath at home 

This was my first time giving my child their first bath at home.  Usually my mom does it, but this time she didn't come out until 2 weeks later. 

 

 

Lyla - Birth Story

I really thought Lyla was going to arrive about a week or 2 early, but she decided to come 2 days early instead.  The reason why I thought she was going to come early is because each week they kept checking me and each week I was dilated further and further.  On Tuesday the 25th, I had a doctor's appointment and I was dilated to a 4.  Then on Wednesday night I felt really funny.  I told Paul that probably in the next day or 2 this little baby girl would come.  Then at 2:00am on Thursday my water broke.  Let me just say that this was the weirdest feeling I have ever had.  With my other 2 kids, the doctor had to brake my water, so this was a new experience for me.  Once my water broke, Paul and I hurried to get everything together to go to the hospital.  Then we put the kids in the car and we were off to the hospital.  My dad met us at the hospital to take the kids to his house.  Then we checked in and waited.  Then about 5:00 I was getting the worst back labor ever.  Once again, this was something I have never experience before and it was the worst pain ever.  The nurse checked me and I was a 6 so it was epidural time.  Let me say as soon as I got the epidural I was pain free.  It was the best.  The nurse checked me again at 6:30am and I was dilated to a 8, so they called my doctor and she headed to the hospital.  Around 7:15 she walked in and told me to start pushing and finally at 7:25am Lyla was born.  Besides experiencing back pain for a little while, the labor and the delivering went great.  So the nurse told me that I was in labor for about 2 1/2 hours because my labor really didn't start until about 5:00am.  I would have to say that this was the best delivery that I have had so far.  I let Lyla come when she wanted and in return she came out very easy for me.

 At 32 weeks, Lyla was 3 pounds, so they thought she was going to be at least 6 pounds when she was born, but that was not the case.

She loved when the nurse washed her hair.  She did not make a sound.

 The kids meeting Lyla for the first time