Happy Birthday

It's that time of year again. Josh had a wonderful birthday and we had a great time celebrating it. Josh is now an incredibly mature 3 year old. He continues to amaze me with his vocabulary. We started the day by opening gifts bright and early and then Josh got to be in charge of the rest of his day. Abbie continually sang to him and they played until they were both worn out. For dinner we had a BBQ where Josh got to eat outside - something he's been wanting to do for months now. We ended the day with white cupcakes and vanilla frosting - his favorite!















We are certainly glad Josh is a part of our family and especially glad that he is patient with his sisters and his parents! Love you Josh!

Utah

We (meaning me the kids and I) made a quick last minute trip to Utah in April. We did the drive in one day (my dad drove with me) and while it was insane being in the car with kids that long, I was glad we didn't have to get up the next day and do it again. It was fun to see everyone even if it was for just a short period of time. Jeff and Steph were kind enough to arrange going to the Hansen Planetarium one afternoon. The kids had a blast and loved being together.

On Easter we woke up to a surprise visit from the Easter Bunny. The kids were so excited that the Easter Bunny knew where to find them. We went to church with my parents and then had an easter egg hunt in the back yard. We actually hunted them several times since Abbie decided they needed to be hid and found over and over again. Thanks mom for being a good sport.

That afternoon we were able to go to a dinner with Pete's family. Bailey was so good to Abbie. It was great to see everyone and how all the kids have grown.

1 Year Old

I can't believe a whole year has passed already. Kelly turned one on April 14 and unfortunately celebrated the day in the car. We were on our way back from Utah so we waited to celebrate a few days later with Pete. Kelly loved all the attention she got from her brother and sister and while she loved all her presents, her favorite part of the day was eating the cake.

Kelly is such a sweet little girl. She has loved the independance she's gained from walking and being able to be one of the "big kids". I have enjoyed watching her grow and develop her own little personality. She has been more clingy than my other kids and while at time it is a challenge, I have to admit, I love that she just wants mommy sometimes. Happy birthday Kelly!

Friends

About a year ago we made the move from St. Louis to Rochester leaving behind one of our best friends. Fortunately, we did this knowing that our friends were planning on moving to Rochester a year later. Abbie and Maddi have been friends since they were born just a few months apart. Then along came Josh and Spencer, and then again Kelly and EmmaLee. We felt like our families just meshed! When they came out earlier this month to do some house hunting I was a little worried about how the kids would react to each other. Would it take some time to get to know each other again? Would Spencer and Josh even remember each other? Well, I shouldn't have worried. They acted like they had never been apart. Abbie and Maddi just picked up where they left off and Josh and Spencer joined right in. I had forgotten how fun (and yes crazy) it was to have all the kids together. I am glad my kids will get to continue making memories with their best friends!

Abbie and Maddi on a walk














Decorating sugar cookies

Vacation

Last week we went on our very first, our family only, vacation. We went to the Wisconsin Dells which is about 2 1/2 hours from Rochester. It's an indoor waterpark. We were only there for a few days, but it was so nice to spend time together without any interruptions. The kids LOVED every minute and can't wait to go again. They had play areas for kids, wavepools, slides etc. The kids favorite was the wavepool and hottub. We stayed in a suite with a kitchen, living room area, and 2 bedrooms. We decided it was worth the $25 extra to pay for the 2 bedrooms so we could stay up without interrupting the kids sleep. Hopefully this is something we can make into a tradition. My camera died on me, so I don't have many pictures, but here is what I got.

Pete immediately relaxed by watching the plasma!

The kids discovered the bunkbed

Christmas

Let me start out by saying there is something about kids that makes Christmas completely magical. I think this is by far the best Christmas I have ever had. We started out celebrating a day early since Pete was scheduled to be on short call on Christmas day. On our Christmas Eve we made homemade pizza, acted out the Nativity, sang carols, exchanged gifts and watched "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas". It was a wonderful night! Abbie, however, made our whole Christmas. Pete showed her a redlight that can be seen from our patio and Abbie started jumping up and down screaming "Rudolphs leading the way!" She ran all over the house saying this repeatedly. It was so fun to see how excited she was. Christmas day was just as amazing. The kids were so fun to watch and it was nice having a day with Pete home where we just layed low. My best gift came that night when around 9:00pm Pete got a call from a co-worker. Sahil doesn't have any family here and so he volunteered to come in and cover for Pete. I couldn't believe it! It was wonderful having Pete home 2 days in a row. I feel so blessed and am grateful Heavenly Father continues to be aware of me and my family's needs! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Eve Feast

The Nativity

Mary and Joseph

Christmas Pajamas

What, am I not supposed to eat this?

Daddy's Little Helpers

Abbie and Josh love using their shovels to help their dad shovel snow.

Kelly opted for a warmer climate!

FYI: Low tonight - 1 (that is not a typo)