Wishing your Stomach a Merry Christmas

Peppermint Meringues 

 Sugar Cookies

 Homemade Caramels

 Chocolate Truffles

 Candy Cane Cookies

May your stomach ache be as merry as mine (and your kitchen as messy!)

Merry Christmas!

My Little Dancer (and my little giggler)

Madeline had her first dance recital on Monday night!

I snapped a few quick shots of her before we left because she was just too darn cute!

 It was like a little dream come true for me to watch her up there dancing.  I remember the thrill perfectly (like it yesterday and not 25 years ago!).  What fun!

 She danced one ballet number and one tap number.  She did great too!  I only wish I had been more prepared and given here a bouquet of flowers after.

The videos are darling, but not ready to post yet.  Plus with all the other girls in the videos, I might not post them here.  BUT THEY SURE WERE CUTE!  My friends took a lot of pictures during the recital too (while I was doing videos) so hopefully someday I'll get those too.

I don't want to leave you wanting though, so here is a cute video of Cooper:  :)

Three Months Old

Cooper woke up happy to be THREE months old on Ethan's birthday!  

 And while Ethan was busy with his new legos, I did a little photo shoot for his 3 month birthday

 He's getting so much bigger now.  Likes toys and smiles at himself in the mirror now.

 And some WONDERFUL news:  yesterday he had a blood test again and we found out that his blood work is FINALLY normal!  He is no longer in need of the iron supplement.  Hooray!

 And it only seemed fitting to do a couple pictures of the boys together too

 and for fun, their feet.  Three months.  Seven years.

A Christmas Birthday

Ethan's birthday was a smashing success!  He was so excited the whole day.  Everything turned out as good as we had hoped and it was just all around fun.  

He was very happy with his Christmas birthday.  He even wore his Christmas pjs the night before to be ready for the occasion.  So cute.  Here he is with all the Christmasy Birthday festivities:

 a close-up of his poster:

 His birthday breakfast (it's moments like this when your kids actually think you're the coolest mom ever!)

 And birthday gifts in Christmas paper:

 with talking snowmen:

 He didn't have a friend party, but we still played "Pin the star on the birthday tree":

 His birthday cake:

 And here is my seven year old:

 I love you buddy.

I'm so glad his birthday was a happy day for him, and for all of us.  And after a day like today, I just want to scoop up all my children and hold them close and safe forever.

Merry Birthday kiddo!

Happy Birthday Ethan!!

Happy Birthday Ethan!!

Today you are seven.  SEVEN!

Not sure how that happened.  But as I think back about your birth, I think it's only fitting that you were born on your due date.  That my labor started promptly at midnight and that you came into the world at 5:45 am . . . the same time you have always woken up for the day!  You've always been Ethan.  So very Ethan.

I love your laugh.

I love your art.

I love your tender heart and awareness of the Spirit.

I love how you love your family.

I love all the things your are learning.

I love to watch you swim.

I love how you follow me around telling me jokes.

...

Happy Birthday to my son.  Oh how I love you!!

A Little Christmas Cheer

I've been feeling a little like Scrooge in the last few days.  Perhaps the severe lack of sleep and the massive head cold might have something to do with it.  And perhaps the bored kids who haven't been getting a long very well is also a part of it.  But today . . . today I was determined to have a better day for all of us!  It seems like if we start the day off right, we do pretty good.  I came out of my room smiling and the kids seemed all around better too!  

We've kept busy with projects and jobs and even went to the library.  When we got home, I found these pictures the kids has drawn a few days ago in a pile on the counter, and I smiled.  I'll admit they helped me feel a little more Christmas cheer.  So much so, that I even made a batch of Christmas cookies!  Not the big production ones (yet) but yummy ones nonetheless.  Now if only it would snow . . .

Ethan's picture

 and the back

 Madeline's picture

 Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Sometimes I forget that you often have to make your own happiness.  And in my case, make your own Christmas cheer!  I'm throwing my trying-to-lose-weight-after-having-a-baby goal out the window until the new year and enjoying the season.

Let the baking (with Christmas music playing in the background) begin!

Cooper's Blessing Day

Today was Cooper's Baby Blessing.  And it was a really wonderful day!  Todd blessed Cooper in church, surrounded by all the men that care about Cooper.  It was such a beautiful blessing.  I really felt overwhelmed with gratitude at how much the Lord has already blessed my sweet baby in the short time he's been here.  I'm so grateful he's healthy now and so grateful he's in our family.  Dearest Cooper, I LOVE you so much!

His blessing outfit:

 and shoes:

 and his sweet face:

 My friend came over after church and took a few family pictures for us too.  I couldn't be more thrilled with how these snapshots turned out.

 I heart my family!

 and a few more for fun: