Christmas 2010!

Why is Christmas so darn fun?

I honestly could not receive one single gift and just enjoy watching the kids.

The anticipation is my favorite.

I bought these darling stockings at Pottery Barn Kids a few years ago.  

This year I finally got around to getting their names monogrammed on them.  

I LOVE how they turned out.

Boy, did Santa enjoy those yummy sugar cookies!

We left carrots out for the reindeer too.

For Christmas our kids receive 3 things.  Like the 3 Wise Men gave to the Savior.

I love all the cute ideas out there of Want, Need, Wear, Read.  

We've done the 3 thing for a while now so we just stick with that.  The kids totally understand it.

1 gift and a stocking from Santa and 2 gifts from Mom and Dad.

Every year, they receive plenty.

It worked out perfectly this year.  This was the year that somehow, every gift I gave was a hit.  

How did I get so lucky?

Cole received a big Lego ship from Santa and an "Ipod" in his stocking.

Not a real Ipod.  It is called a Disney Mix Stick MP3 player.

Santa scored BIG at EBay this year buying 3 High School Musical MP3 players for $35.  

New in Box, Shipped.

The perfect thing for my music lovin' HSM obsessed kids.

Cole also received a really fun Nerf Lazer Tag game from us.  

Which I highly recommend!  It is such a BLAST!  No Nerf bullets to keep track of.

I got this for Cole's 3rd gift...

with a DS game inside. 

The 3 gifts can stretch a little. :)

If you didn't catch Sadie's wish list, check it out.

Sadie scored with a Barbie Laptop, A new baby doll and a shared gift with MaryJane 

called Sweet Streets made by Fisher Price.  

Which was another GREAT EBay find.  I got a HUGE lot of these adorable retired toys for $80 shipped.  

We ALL have spent countless hours playing Sweet Streets.

The girls LOVED their "Ipods" as well.

 MaryJane just has to be like her big sister at everything.  So she got a Mini Barbie laptop, A baby doll, and Sweet Streets.   I love this picture of her playing Sweet Streets in her new slippers from Santa.

 I couldn't get my scanner to work of the kids with Santa but MaryJane was so funny.

She was scared of him and cried and cried.  I told her to tell him what she wanted and she wailed, 

"A Microphone!"  It was adorable.  

 Sweet Streets.
A Hotel, School, School bus, Mansion, Cottage House, Beach House, Post office, Salon, Pet shop, Club house, Horse and Carriage, Ice Cream truck, Carousel and lots and lots of people and furniture.
Score!

 Santa always leaves us a nice big tin of popcorn.  We love to munch on it all morning while we play.

Before and after a yummy breakfast.

This year I received my 4th I pod shuffle.  My 1st one I wore into the ground, 2nd and 3rd got stolen.  

I don't think it would be Christmas if I didn't get an Ipod. :)  

But my ultimate favorite gift was my new barbie.

While shopping at Toys R Us over the holidays with the kids, I noticed this family set of barbies. 

I could not get over this pregnant barbie!  I shook and tipped the box with fascination.  

I told the kids right then and there that this is what I wanted for Christmas.  

They thought it was silly that Mommy wanted a barbie but they took the idea and ran.

Making arrangements with daddy to go out a get me one.  The last one of all things.  

They were sooooo excited to give it to me.  

Can you believe your eyes?  I sure couldn't.  Maternity bra and underwear also included.  HA.

I didn't get a pic of her flat tummy.  Once the baby is out, just flip her tummy around and she's flat.

If only...

Christmas afternoon my parents and Jill stopped by for a quick visit before we spent the rest of the day with Kevin's family.  Sorry, no pics.  

The kids had a great time playing with their cousins.  

I can't believe how fast Christmas came and went for me this year.  

I think I need to start earlier on my decor next year so I can enjoy the anticipation longer.

Christmas Eve 2010

After a last minute trip to the grocery store Christmas Eve morning, I came home to find Frankie having a little snoozy by the tree.

I love him.

We always have Christmas Eve at my parents home.  

It wouldn't feel like Christmas if we didn't stop by my parents' Neighbors home to visit there amazing snow village.  They even have a fabulous light display in their yard too (no pic).

Every year it takes them 4 days to assemble the village and train which travels around the village and through tunnels.  There is a ski resort with moving skiers and chair lifts, ice skating, a drive inn dinner, and even a Krispy Kreme shop.  A magical village we all just dreamed about living in.

My kids loved it!  We all were in awe this year.  They also have a ton of Christmas stuffed animals.  Dancing Santa's, singing snowmen.  Hours of entertainment.

Sadie LOVES to hold her little brother.

(frankie 6 1/2 months old)

Back at Nana's house, an Elf named Aunt Jill arrived.  

My kids loved it and had 101 questions for Elf Jill.  She told the kids that her bells and fur had magic on them.  Later, Jill found the picture of Sadie in her camera touching the "magic" during the photo ( top group picture).

It wouldn't be Christmas without the Nativity story.   

Frankie made THE PERFECT baby Jesus

And Zach and Sadie made the perfect Mary and Joseph.

One of my favorite traditions.   Making cookies for Santa.

They taste so yummy!  Especailly at midnight or later.  

 Brothers snuggling and modeling fun gifts from Aunt Jill and Nana.

I love this time of year!  So many traditions,  great memories made and many reminders of all the blessings we have.

Temple Square

I forgot I had these pictures on my point and shoot camera.

One of our Advent activities is to take the train downtown to see the light at Temple Square

 Sometimes it feels like a lot of work to get everyone bundled up and down there.

But it is worth it every time!

It is a lot of fun!

 Thank goodness Frankie was nice and toasty in the stroller and slept the whole time!

Nursing Woes Concluded :(

First off, THANK YOU, all of the kind words and advice you gave me from this post was amazing.

What a great support group you all are. 

Sadly, despite my many many efforts, 

I have stopped breastfeeding.  

I really tried ev.er.y.thing.  You name it, I tried it.  That darn yeast would not go away!

After visiting with a Breastfeeding specialist physician (thanks for the recommendation Alissa),  one of the last things she could have me try was Gentian Violet.
Ugh.  I didn't not want to try that. 

Do you see why?  It stains everything so terribly.  Gentian Violet had been sitting on my shelf for weeks, I kept putting it off.  But I had to try it.  I could not quit knowing I had not done all I could.  

For the first couple of days I felt better but on day four, the intense burning persisted and I knew my time of breast feeding had to come to an end.  I even tried quiting for a few days and then go back.  

But still, burning.

I could not get over how hard emotionally it was for me to quit.  I was in a state of depression for the first 3 days of weaning.  Feeling the engorgement of milk in my breast and not being able to nurse my child was torture. 

 I cried and cried and cried.  

I kept telling myself that there are worst things in life.  

But to no avail my rationalization didn't help.

I still cried and cried and cried.

I was giving up a good fight of a 4 1/2 month battle.

Some good tears needed to be shed. 

 Bottle feeding is going great!  

Frankie loves it and is happy and healthy.

Thats all that really matters.

I still feel attached to him and this is the longest I've let my one of my babies sleep in my room in a bassinet.  

I'm not ready to move him out yet.  He's just so sweet, good natured and has GREAT sleep habits.

I'm in no rush.

Frankie is so lovable.  He is such a cuddly thing and I am madly in love with him.  He snuggles up to just about anyone who holds him.  A calm little baby.

*Just as I was writing this post last night, Frankie awoke in his bassinet with labored breathing and a barking cough struggling to breathe.  Croup.  I hate croup.  It is so scary.  I've never had a baby so little with croup.  

I swaddled him up in a hat and thick blankets and sat on my front porch until the cool air cleared his airway and he calmed down.  He was still wheezing quite a bit so we decided he needed to be seen.  

1:00 a.m  means Primary Children's Hospital.  A nice 7-10 minute drive. 

I put Frankie in his car seat and he freaked out and could not breath in there.  He was gasping for air.  On my front side walk covered with snow, I grabbed him out of there and held him close til he calmed as the snow fell upon us.  Breathe....breathe.  

Kevin had to drive us there while I held little Frankie so he could breathe.

Thankfully the hospital was slow and we were seen right away.  Frankie was treated with saline to open his airways and then a steroid which helped him to breathe much better.

He fell asleep on my chest and stayed there through observation and our ride home.

My head hit the pillow at 4:00 a.m.

This is going to be a long day.

Two weeks of bottle feeding and my little one receives his first illness.  Croup of all things. 

This is why I hoped to nurse longer.  Maybe he could have skipped this one.  

He seems to be better today.  Calm again and breathing well.

Wanting to be held, I have no complaints there. 

I'm so grateful to live close to medical facilities and for medicine,

so this mama can feel at ease.   

MaryJane is 3!

Just before Christmas...

this little cutie turned 3.

 When she woke up to her room all decorated,  she came to get me and woke me by saying in her loudest whisper, "My birthday came!  My birthday CAME!!"

The streamer and balloons greeted her well.

We always open presents from the family the very first thing on birthdays.  Who can wait for the party to open presents?  I also like the fact of it not being too overwhelming.  

After we opened presents, I dolled up the birthday girl and went to watch MaryJane's first dance recital.    I can't think of a better day to have a dance performance than on an actual birthday.  She felt special. 

Later that evening, we had a party with the extended family and my poorly decorated Barbie cake.

She loved it anyway.  

 Oh how we LOVE this happy little girl!

And don't let this little actor fool you,

She is always bouncing off the walls with excitement.

She speaks in exclamation points!

 I have loved every minute of this little girls life!  She adds so much spark to our family.  

 It seems like she is growing up so fast.  I tear up just thinking about it.

Her reactions to everything are hysterical.  She is so observant too.  If she spots anything she hasn't seen before, such as my socks (which were missing during the flip flop season),  she just screams, 

"Aah, I like it!  Did you buy 'em at the store!?!"

Excitement over everything!  I love her!

She just loves her siblings and copies everything they do. 

 I found this is my camera.  

Potty training made easy with a fun big sister who obviously put getting dressed on hold so she could help out.  

She picked it up so quickly mastering #2 before #1.

I never really stressed over potty training, I kept throwing her on the potty here and there not making a big deal of it and boom, it just clicked one day.  I swear by the wait til they're ready method.

We love you MaryJane!!!  

Happy Birthday little one, I wish you could stay 2 forever! 

American Toast

 Sadie and I LOVE French Toast.  One day Kevin made up an express way to make it for the kids and Sadie just LOVED it.  It is perfect when you don't have the time for the real deal.

Sadie has requested for me to put it on my blog.  "I hope people look at your blog Mom."

She is so excited to share this recipe with you.

1st: Toast your bread to your liking.

 2nd:  Butter one side.

3rd: Lightly brush Olive Oil on the other side. (the one without butter on it)

This will help the syrup not soak into the bread.

My favorite Syrup.  I have a hard time finding it. 

It is yummy and low calorie!

100 calories every 1/4 cup

Compared to 210 calories every 1/4 cup

My husband likes it too.  Which is saying a lot.  

You know how men don't like low calorie, fat free anything.  

Not with this syrup.  Trust.  

 Cut and Serve.  

Sadie's favorite way for French Toast.

Which she has named American Toast.

"We" hope you like it!