budding photogs

We got Kade and Ky cameras for Christmas, and they love them! I spotted them in a Black Friday ad and knew that was going to be the gift. In fact, as I was running through Target at four minutes after six that morning, I was worried that I wouldn't get them. When I got the last two, I nearly cried. Hurray for great Black Friday shopping finds! Unfortunately, there is quite a delay on the camera from the time they push the button and the image on the screen freezes, and the time when the camera actually takes the picture. So, there are a lot of very blurry pictures. But they are learning, and it is so much fun to see what they take pictures of.

Taking a picture of grandpa taking a picture

I have no idea what this was, but the effect is awesome, don't you think?

Daddy at work

Kade in bed

Uncle Jonathan

Grandpa and Buzz

Mommy and his brother (no, I can't tell from this part of his head who is in the picture and who is taking the picture)

Grandma checking out the other camera

talking about the weather

Right now outside it is very sunny. It's also 16 degrees below zero, with a wind chill of 38 degrees below zero.

And just for the record, no, I'm not complaining, just stating fact for those who may be interested.

the big one

Tonight the Gators play for the National Championship...again. We will be wearing our orange and blue, eating orange and blue snacks, cheering for Tebow and Percy, and watching the Gators win the National Championship...again!

Our family two years ago today, watching the gators win! Go Gators!

outer space party

Kade wanted an Eve (from the movie WALL-E) birthday, and Ky wanted a Buzz Lightyear birthday, so we combined the two and had an outer space party. It was a small party, just Bart's mom and sister, and our friends Adam and Greta and their kids, Lily (who is just a few months older than Ky and Kade) and their baby Joey. It's kind of sad to me that got presents on Christmas just four days earlier, so these presents just seemed like more things. The curses of having a December birthday. Oh well, they are still young and didn't seem to mind as much as I did. It was fun, the cake was yummy and the boys are still talking about the party. Happy Birthday again, Ky and Kade!

Possibly the easiest centerpiece ever! This is a bad picture, but I want to remember the Happy Birthday sign made out of hanging stars. It really was fun in person.
Buzz cupcakes for Ky

An Eve cake for Kade. It's a good thing she is such a simple character to turn into a cake!


They can't even sit still while they open their presents. Such excitement! I just love these boys!!

christmas with little ones

I just have to say that having little ones made Christmas morning so much fun! Their enthusiasm for everything is inspiring. They wanted to help everyone open their gifts, cheered at each gift that was opened, and didn't have a meltdown even once. With twins, each gift that they opened was a race. Either it was a gift to both of them and they raced to see who could tear off the most wrapping paper, or they each got a gift and raced to open it first, since their brother got the same thing every time, it lost some of the surprise when they saw their brother's gift before they could get their own open.

Ky's face illustrates what I mean by enthusiasm. This is just the beginning, and he's content with what he got in his stocking

Again, I need to have this attitude for all my blessings. I mean, it's not like he's never had an orange before, but he was so excited!

Kade's gifts from Santa

Christmas was a great day, and a fun way to wrap up our long trip. It was such a great trip. It was so fun to spend some time with my family, and for them to be with Kade and Ky. We got to see some great friends who we haven't seen for years, I got to see all of my grandparents, and we got to eat at Cafe Rio and Pudding on the Rice. We were sad that because of bad weather which kept postponing Christmas parties, and because we were there during the busiest month for everyone, I didn't get to see hardly any of my aunts, uncles, cousins (and I have a lot), or my best friends from high school. Hopefully we will be able to make a trip back to Utah soon and get to do some of the things we missed.

christmas eve 2008

During the day on Christmas eve, we (Bart, me, Ky, Kade and my mom) decided to go bowling. The boys had never been bowling (unless you count going to a friends' house to bowl on their wii), so we weren't sure what to expect. The boys were so excited and loved everything from the cool lights, to the neat TV screens that showed whose turn it was and how many pins they knocked down.

I couldn't resist taking a picture of their bowling shoes, how cute are those?Ky looking all grown up waiting for his turn
They were a little upset when we told them they needed to use this ramp to bowl, but they got over it quickly when they tried to hold their ball and realized how heavy it was.

Kade lining up his shot

Okay, I know this is hard to see, and my mom's score is blocked out (she beat us all), but I had to show that Kade broke 100 on his first time bowling--he scored 103--and even beat me. Is there any sport this kid isn't naturally gifted at?

Bart is the only one who looks good in this picture (admit it, you all think he looks good), but I wanted a family picture of our first bowling outing

That evening we dressed up to act out the nativity. It's so fun to have little kids at Christmas! And yes that is Mary shushing the shepherd.


The classic Christmas Eve gift--jammies. I think the Superman jammies are a hit--just look at those faces!

like a rock star

Bart and I experienced Guitar Hero for the first time while in Utah. I can see how it could be addicting. Kade and Ky are naturals. As soon as their fingers get big enough to reach all the buttons...watch out. For now, they just look like rock stars the way they hold the guitar and the faces they make.

See? Rock star potential. Check out Kade's face in the back.
Ky's rock star face

He's a natural. Rock on, Kade!

frozen

While in Utah, we took the boys to go feed the ducks at the river near Utah Lake. They had a great time even though it was cold outside. When we ran out of bread, we headed out to the lake to see the ice that piles up along the shore. The boys liked throwing rocks into the water--and were pretty excited to see that the rocks sat on top of the frozen water. All the ice and snow made for some neat photos.

gingerman cookie houses

About a month before we left for Utah, I showed the boys a picture of a gingerbread house and told them that we were going to make some with grandma when we went to visit. So, often when we would talk about the upcoming trip, they would remind us that they were going to make "gingerman cookie houses" with grandma. So, about a week before Christmas we did just that. Actually they are graham cracker houses, but that is what I remember making as a child, so it's more festive that way anyway. The boys had a great time, but got bored about half way through, (plus, we had to put a stop to their munching at that point anyway) so my mom and I finished their houses for them.

Kade smiling for a picture before he gave up and went to play

Grandma and Ky working together

Ky's almost done house

Kade's finished house
My house

deception, the zoo, and temple square

A few weeks before Christmas my mom had this great idea. You see, Kade will not eat noodles. What two-year old will not eat any noodles, you ask. My Kade. None. This means no mac & cheese, no spaghetti, no noodle soup, nothing that even resembles a noodle. So, my mom thought that if we could get him to help make some noodles from scratch, we colored them blue and called them something besides noodles, we could trick him into eating them, and loving them. Kade loved mixing them, and flouring them and watching them be cut. He kept saying, "I want to eat those." Well, as soon as we put them on his plate and put some alfredo sauce on them, he began to look a bit suspicious. After a few minutes of him just staring at them I asked him why he wasn't eating his "whips." He looked up and said very seriously, "I don't try noodles." So, in the end, we hadn't fooled him one bit. Oh well, nothing a little pb&j won't fix.

Ky flouring the noodle dough before it was cut. My mom made them each an apron. Aren't they awesome!

Kade suspected nothing at this point!

Later that day we went to the zoo. It was a bit colder than we had anticipated, so we quickly saw all the animals that were also out in the cold and went to temple square to see the lights. Nothing brings the true meaning of Christmas closer to my heart than seeing the temple surrounded by lights, seeing the Christus and all the different nativities. While we were there, I saw my friend Suzanne, who I knew when we lived in Florida. Funny thing that we were both visiting Utah the same time, and ran into each other at Temple Square. Small world.

Lilly, Suzanne, and me

I loved seeing my boys with the statue of Christ. It brought tears to my eyes.