Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Together Forever

Today Tate was sealed to his parents in the Timpanogos Temple! I wish I could have been there, with the rest of my siblings, but I am so happy for Steve and Stephanie. Every time I thought about what was happening today I got goose-bumpbs.  Thanks Aimee for sending me this picture.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Number FOUR

I am pregnant!

I have never been so sick! (It hit really early this time, 5 weeks) I lost 15lbs. before I started to gain it back.  Dan and I decided we needed to tell the kids when I was about 8 weeks so they would understand why I couldn't do much and was missing church.  We told them we needed to keep this our secret for awhile. Dan and I fully expected that Tess wouldn't be able to keep this secret for long. It is just to exciting. I am proud to say, she kept our secret! Well in her own way...

The next day Tess came out of of preschool so proud of herself for keeping our secret. She explained, "Don't worry Mom, I told them you had something in your belly but I didn't tell them what it was!!!"

Tess's primary teacher came to me several weeks ago and told me this funny story... The lesson that week was on fasting. Candis, the teacher, explained that mommy's who are pregnant can't fast because they need to eat for the baby. At that Tess's arm shot up in the air, she was grinning from ear to ear. When Candis called on her Tess immediately turned bright red, her happy face changed to an AH-OH face, and she quickly responded "I Love my Mommy!" Candis put two and two together and congratulated me.

Tess prays every night that the baby will be a boy so Jake can have a brother- but she doesn't feel that way herself. Tonight in her prayers she asked that Heavenly Father send us a boy, "even though she doesn't want one". What a good girl!

I am 13 weeks. Just this week my belly has popped out, I look pregnant!
 Despite all the sickness, I am, WE are very excited!

Christmas

This year December wasn't as busy or fun filled for me as years past because I have felt so yucky. However, with the help of Dan, I did manage to decorate the house, do some holiday crafts with the kids and make gingerbread houses. Here's the proof:




Tess and I studied Christmas around the world for her Social Studies/Map unit.  We learned about Germany, Holland, Norway, Israel, and Spain. Thanks Aunt Aimee! 
(Swedish tradition: the oldest daughter serves the family cookies and cocoa wearing a festive crown.)

CHRISTMAS EVE
We missed my sisters, Aimee and Liz this year! They have been with us the last THREE years! (With Tate being sealed to Steve and Steph on the 27th it just didn't make sense, schedule wise, for them to come.) Christmas Eve was pretty easy this year, we enjoyed Panini sandwiches and chocolate fondu with the Warner family. We acted out the nativity and ended the night by about 730.




C.C. and Benny as Mary and Joseph
Angel Tess
Jake and Abby as the Wise Men! Jake enjoyed strutting his stuff in his asian robe!


After saying good bye to the cousins I put Abby to bed first and then helped Jake and Tess prepare for Santa.



As they were laying in bed I told them about when I was young I laid sooo still and quiet so that I could listen for the bells on Santa's sleigh. Wow did that do the trick. Never in their lives have they immediately been quiet! Tess went right to sleep and Jake listened until he and his Dad DID in fact hear Santa's bells! Then right to sleep he went.

Dan worked hard the entire week before Christmas to get things done so that we wouldn't have to stay up so late/early on Christmas Eve. Even after all his hard work I went to bed at about 1A.M. and he followed at 230A.M.!  The kids woke up at 7am and we had our OJ and headed down stairs to see if in fact Santa did come.

He came! Jake got a hot wheels race track, Tess got an art easel, and Abby got a crib for her baby dolls (and CANDY).  We enjoyed playing with Santa's gifts for awhile and then we sat around the tree opening the other gifts. This year we had the kids buy each other gifts. It was fun to watch their reactions to each others gifts. Here is Abby's:
 Jake got her a new baby doll.

I didn't get many pictures on Christmas day. I did manage to take a picture of the kids favorite gift from Grandma and Grandpa Breinholt:
Abby was so funny carrying around her "guitar" while doing her treasure hunt and finding presents. Jacob learned his first song that morning. Thanks Mom and Dad!

We had a fun morning although I don't remember ever being so tired on Christmas morning!!
After our traditional breakfast we quickly got ready for church. Having Dan drive with us, sit with us, and come home with us from church was such a treat! The kids snuggled up to him during Sacrament meeting. When Dan came back from the stand after singing in a Christmas number Abby excitedly, and loudly, exclaimed "YEAH! Daddy you're back, I get to sit with you!" It was AWESOME!

Her are some pictures us playing with Christmas gifts later in the week:

 Dan helped the kids build a really long fun race track. It was fun to hear the squeals of delight when it worked!

We got a wheat grinder for Christmas as well. We have made lots of whole wheat bread this week. YUM! Here is a picture of Jake and Tess working together to test out the new hand crank.

We had a fun dinner and movie night this week. We got to eat dinner in the living room and watch a new family movie Santa brought. The Absent Minded Professor, I just call it Flubber.

We got the kids a new Wii game: Just Dance for kids. It is AWESOME! Jake played with it the first day for 4 hour straight! He was nice and sweaty by the end. It is a great way to get some energy out and exercise on a cold/rainy indoor day!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Guess who made this...

Complete with red yarn hair, heart buttons, and earrings! So HER!!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Christmas Tree

In the past we have bought our real Christmas trees at Lowes. This weekend we headed to Gravers Tree farm to chop one down ourselves. The weather couldn't have been better and Jake found the perfect one...

 Playing 
and
 Smelling 
the pine needles!


Abby waited patiently while Tess and Jake took turns helping to cut down the tree.



 Our Douglas Fir

Tree topped and letters to Santa ready for our house elf ("Little Fly Guy" from the Elf On the Shelf book) to take back to the North Pole. 

Saturday, December 3, 2011