Quick Re-cap

I just realized how long it has been since I posted and really don't want to take the time to update this blog properly so, here is the quick version;

*Sometime in August: We find out that I'm pregnant with kid number 3, wahoo! We had been seeing a fertility specialist trying to figure out what was up so we could have at least one more baby. After taking some fertility drugs we saw success (and miraculously, only one baby)! Due date is April 29th but I'm hoping she (yes, another girl) comes at least a week early so we can be sure and have an April birthday instead of 3 May birthdays! Need to spread them out as much as possible.

Leah's Kindergarten Picture

*September: Leah had her Kindergarten picture taken. You can't see it, but she has on a big poofy purple tutu and purple leggings. She didn't realize you wouldn't see those in the picture.

The family + slight baby bump.

Leah drawing the pumpkin's face before painting.

Ryan painting away.

Ryan's finished masterpiece.

Leah's finished masterpiece

*October: Halloween of course. We went to the annual ward Trunk Or Treat and painted pumpkins. I wanted to carve the pumpkins this year but we ran out of time. I also really wanted to find a witch's costume to go with my awesome pink wig but was out of luck by the time I got to a store out of town that might have costumes.

Leah and Ryan on the hayride

*November: Leah had a Thanksgiving Day program at school. She got to make crafts, grind corn, make butter, eat and go on a hay ride. We had Thanksgiving dinner at our house. My sister, Kimm came down to celebrate with us.

*December: We went to Arizona to stay with my parents for Christmas. We went down a little early so Lance and I could do a Christmas show in Glendale. Big Bust! Oh well, the weather was warm and sunny and we found a wonderful used rocking cradle for the new baby too. Christmas was wonderful! The Grandparents spoiled the kids (as they are supposed to) and we got some good loot too. We forgot our camera but took pictures with my Mom's camera, I just haven't requested them yet so don't have any. I'll post some when I get them.

Ornaments and A Dead Tree

Salt dough ornaments

 We stared these ornaments at the begining of the month.  We painted some one day and then had to quit (Ryan was bored and getting into things, Leah was still working on the ONE princess).  Painted the rest on the second day (Leah finished the ONE princess and painted ONE star) and then they sat while we all got distracted with other things, like presents for each other. Finally we finished them up a few days ago but still needed to put hooks on the back and spray them with varnish.  They still need to be sprayed but the have hooks!  They didn't make it on the tree this year.

Still looks pretty good from here!

This tree looked awesome!  It was trimmed and shaped beautifully.  We got it from the grocery store lot in town. The kids and Lance went out and picked it up.  It was all tied up when they brought it home so we were very happy that it looked so good when it was let loose.  I hate this tree though...  I understand that real trees lose needles. I don't think they are supposed to DUMP needles though.  We set the tree up, got the lights and the decor on, put a couple of presents under it and cleaned up the needles.  Done cleaning up needles, put vacuum away only to see that there were just as many needles under the tree and on the presents.  We made sure the tree had plenty of water and kept watering it.  Flash forward to Christmas day, branches have dropped several inches, ornaments are falling off, needles dropping in hordes if someone even looks at it. I should have taken a picture of all the needles after we took it outside.  It was like a blanket from the corner of the house to the step outside. Dumb tree.

Decorating the Christmas tree

The kids went out with Lance the day after Thanksgiving and got a tree from the grocery store lot.  I believe this is the earliest we've ever gotten a tree.  We got it all set up a couple of days later.  The kids had fun putting all the ornaments on the tree, and then dressing up a bit themselves.

Ryan is still in Halloween mode with his mask

For some reason Ryan wanted to wear the tree skirt and the mask

Leah had to have a turn in the skirt too

Leah in the huge stocking

Ryan in the huge stocking

We've had this stocking for a couple of years and every year the kids get into it and jump around.

Picture Day

We all got together with the LeVar family and took family photos.

Afterward our family went outside and took some of just us. This one is the best we got.

Too bad this picture is a little out of focus. Leah was sure having fun with her cousin Aaron.

Look at those little stubby legs. Hopefully he grows into his body a little better as time goes by.

Family Fun

We went to the Bass Pro Shop while in Texas. They had a merry-go-round with reindeer and lots of other stuffed things to look at. We skipped sitting on Santa's lap because the line was horrendous.
Lance was trying to get Ryan to really stick his head into this huge shark's mouth, but this is as far as he got. Leah didn't want to do it at all.

Probably as close as they will come to riding ATVs for many years.

Christmas

We spent Christmas with family in Texas. It was fun to be with family again. The kids seemed to love spending time with all their many cousins. There weren't too many fights between them either, which is a good thing.

The kids were tired on Christmas morning. Leah is just starting to understand the whole Santa Clause thing. She was still pretty reserved. Maybe next year we'll see the kind of enthusiasm I remember having as a kid.

Ryan was most happy about the boxes of dried fruit. He loves boxes! I showed him the chocolate at the bottom of the sock and then he was in heaven.
As a side note, we forgot to take our cheapo Christmas stocking with us to Texas so I decided it was high time I made some like I had been planning on doing for the last few years. Luckily my niece, Beth had a sewing machine and I whipped up these stockings. Actually I kick myself somewhat for taking on a project instead of relaxing and spending time with all the family. Oh well, I am my Mother's daughter, and my Grandmother's granddaughter.

Still very little enthusiasm... She did like what she got, she just doesn't show it all that well yet.

She's a little tired.

Again, he does love boxes.

Leah's first attempt at playing Wii. The game is similar to Dance Dance Revolution. Leah didn't get it. She just waved the controller in the air and shuffled her feet a little. Her cousin tried to have patience with her and show her what to do but she just didn't understand.

Grandma LeVar got Leah this Leapster. She loved playing with her cousin's several months ago. We had a difficult time getting her to turn it off for a while. All she does is use the built in color game. We may not have to purchase any games for quite some time.

Smiles

I love Ryan's smile. He doesn't pose for the camera very often, usually he is so fascinated by the camera that he has a "duh" look on his face, still pretty cute, but the smile is better. He really enjoyed gumming this DVD from Rachel on Christmas Eve.

Leah loves to dress up. She sees her friends with their pretty princess dress on and wants to dress up to be like them. I made her a tutu but she really wanted a dress. Here she put her shoes (one is missing a bow), kitty cat ears and necklace on and is holding her wand. She thinks she is so cool!Guess what Leah got for Christmas? A princess dress, tiara and earrings (the clip-on variety that might be conveniently lost pretty soon). She wanted her dress and tiara on then disappeared in her room for a few minutes. When she came out she had her backpack, hot pink scarf and sunglasses she wanted us to put on. The scarf she wanted wrapped around her wrist. Where did she get that from? Pretty stylin'!

Temple Square

We ventured out to Temple Square this year and met Lance's brother and their family there. We bundled the kids up but it was so cold we didn't last very long. We spend most of the time inside the visitor's center. It was fun to get together and see what lights we saw though. Leah really loved all the pretty lights. Ryan was happy as long as the stroller was moving.Notice how the picture I took of Lance and the kids is in focus. Lance still has a hard time focusing on the main subject, me. The lights in the back of me look fabulous though!