Sam Our Reader

Sam can truly appreciate a good book!!

Snowy Fun

Madee has never been sledding down a hill with us. We have dragged her around our snowy parking lot on this tube but never actual sledding. So we took the kids this yearBicentenial Park had a pretty good hill. It was a blast. We didn't last too long just a couple times down. Sam gets cold fast ! We sure had fun though.

Madee went down with her Daddy a couple times.
Like I said Madee didn't last long and Sam too. She wanted to play at the snowy park after a couple times down the hill. So fun! Not super cold!
Madee and Sam having so much fun in a sledding tube!

This tree just started growing in our snow pile. I looked out the window and Lincoln had replanted our christmas tree in the back yard.

Christmas

Well the pictures aren't exactly in the right order but we had a great Christmas. We had my Parents here as you have already read in the previous blog. We had plenty of snow. Madee and I got out after the christmas excitement and made an awesome snow man.
I decided to do one of Lincoln's Family traditions this year of making his Mom's famous Cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast. Can I just say they were sooooo yummy! (I'm still drooling)
Ok back to before the snowman and before the cinnamon rolls. The kids woke at a decent time. We opened gift around 8am. Let me just say that when I was a kid I woke up much earlier then this so it is nice that they still sleep and don't get up ridiculously early!
My Favorite part about christmas though was spending it with Mom and Dad. I was so excited they could come out and end up at our place for christmas. I teased them that this was their christmas tour because they went to Rexburg to see my baby brother then to Logan to see my younger sister and they spent part of the holiday with my older sister in West Jordan and part with us. But they did end up at our place Christmas Day! Love you Mom and Dad thanks for being here!

Grandma & Grandpa are here!!

Yes in deed!!! My hair dresser came to town. Yeah for Mom's that cut hair. I was so sick of my long hair that I always had pulled back. I chopped it off. I have been talking to Madee for quite some time about chopping my hair off and she decided that she wanted her hair chopped off as well sooo.........
She also has chopped hair. It was so long a beautiful and now its still beautiful but shorter. Its easier for me to do. We are both happy and she sat very still for Grandma but decided half way though the hair cut she wanted to get down. I told her to wait just a little longer. She did so good.
Yes Grandma and Grandpa made it into town despite the snow and crazy weather. Madee got to do her favorite thing with Grandpa. Yes Shovel snow. They have become pretty good buddies in the short amount of time they have been here. Its been fun to watch.
Madee also was busy helping Grandma with a couple last minute baking things. In our family its a tradition..(I should say John and I started it.) to make Mutant Christmas Cookies. Madee was helping cut out the cookies and we had some yummy treats later. Even if the little Man had a cow's body or the elephant had a star head. It was very fun to do. We love spending time with Grandma and Grandpa and are very glad they could come out for christmas.

Christmas with a three year old!

Lincoln and I both had a chance to go shopping with Madelyne one on one. We were looking for gifts for each other and Madee needed to find a gift for Mommy and Daddy as well. Its funny the things she decided were just the best gifts for us. Like when we went into the cosmetic part of target Madee insisted that Daddy would love this glittery sparkling makeup box. Silly girl. She usually suggested things she would absolutely love. The other funny thing about Madee is she has a very hard time keeping secrets. We do our best to persuade her to keep the gift a secret and not tell Daddy or me what was bought. It does not take much though. Lincoln asked a few simple questions last year and the beans were spilled. At least He acted surprised. She still has a hard time keeping secrets. Oh the joys of Three year olds.

My Beautiful Hat and Scarf!

Well I have been working on the Scarf for longer then any other project I have knitted. I must Say that ever since Lincoln Picked up knitting and taught me how to do it, We have always had little projects we were working on in the winter. This truly is the perfect time to knit.
I love my Yellow Hat and Scarf!! It was really fun to make them.

Snow Snow Finally In Provo

It Finally snowed enough to play in. Provo has really been dodging the snow. Its mid December and we just barely got enough to play in. Madee is our Little winter Girl. She loves the Snow so Much. She would live in the snow if she could.
Sam Not so much. Ok so he was just tired of being in the stroller with his big furry coat.
Madee loves especially to shovel and I think I have a picture of her shoveling every year. I will have to show pictures of it later.

Madee making a snow ball. We tired for a Snowman but lugging 18 pounds of Sam around and trying to help a little girl make a snowman is a lot of work. Oh well we got Two snowballs for our effort. Snow is so Fun to play in.

Walking in a winter Wonderland

Every Year traditionally now we go and walk down Historic Provo Center street and check out all there beautiful lights. They are very pretty and Madee loves them. Sam liked looking at them too.
We loaded them up in the stroller and looked at all the lights and went to the Provo Tabernacle where they usually have an outdoor live Nativity. Well it was inside this year but they still had animals outside. We saw a Camel, Donkey, Sheep and Goat. Madee thought they were scary and was definately not going to get a picture with them.
Pretty Pretty Lights though.

Madee and Sam

So I was looking through baby pictures of Sam and I am sure I have posted this one. Its one of my favorites of him really little. Then I decided to see how different he looked from Madee when she was about the same age. I think Sam is a little older then Madee was.
You forget how little they used to be. Even Sam and he is almost eight month. It has not been that long but he looks so different. Madee definitely does not look like this anymore.
There faces look similar. They are definitely brother and sister. But are they close enough to look like twiners

Anyway enough observing. You be the judge!

Our Tradition

Every year Lincoln and I get each other Christmas Ornaments. This year he got me a pickle. But the pickle has a story to go along with it and I will share it.

THE CHRISTMAS PICKLE LEGEND
In Old World Germany,The Last
decoration placed on the Christmas
tree was a pickle -carefully
hidden in the branches.
Legend says that the one who
found the pickle on Dec 25
would be blessed with a year of
good fortune and a special gift!
This tradition encourages children
to appreciate all the beautiful
ornaments on the tree, rather then
rushing to see what Santa has left
for them.

The Ornament that I got for Lincoln (He picked it out himself). A bird that looks so real it could be mistaken for a real bird. Lincoln said that his parents always had a bird in there christmas tree and so we carry on the tradition.
The last thing I wanted to share which is not really a tradition but Madee might make it one is after putting all the ornaments on the tree Madee went around and kissed them all. She also redecorated after we decorated together and you can see what a beautiful job she did in the picture. I love Christmas traditions and would love to hear others Traditions they have.

Getting into the Christmas Season a little early!

I LOVE CHRISTMAS TIME!!
Yes we did get a Tree and its only November 28th. I really wanted to get one. I want it to be christmas already. Madee is holding up her little christmas tree stick. She got it from the tree lot.
Sam is already eating wrapping paper. His favorite thing to do.

Madee is wearing Stockings on her head. I think she might need a Santa Hat.

This is why I love my Family

I really love Sam because he has the longest tongue I have ever seen. He is also very very happy right when he wakes up in the morning. You might say he is a morning baby. He also has a great laugh if you ever get the privilege of hearing it.
I love Madee because she is truly my little helper. She does most things I ask her to do. She is a very imaginative girl and remembers everything I say. She has some Great facial expressions and Loves to be busy.

Lastly but not least. In fact most of all I love Lincoln. Yes Silly Face I think Madee was taking this picture but I love Lincoln because he knows first Aid and can help me when I am choking on left over thanksgiving rolls. Yes that actually Happened. Scary Scary. I love Lincoln also because he always makes me smile and does nice things for me, like comforting our children who sometimes cry at the same time or making noodles when I don't feel like making anything for dinner. I love him cause he takes care of us. Love you Lincoln Thanks for being a Great hubby and Daddy!

Getting the Mail

Today we went and got the mail at the mail box on the street, like we do every day. I have to explain our mail box a little bit. We live in a town house connected to two other ones and because of that we have a community mail box. They are boxes a in a chunk and there is a seperate spot for big packages. Its another two bigger boxes right beside the mail boxes. Ever Since Madee's birthday about two months ago She has been looking for another package from Grandma. So we walk to the mail box and every time she mentions that she need to check for her package from Grandma. Every Day!! Silly Girl.

The Cute ones in the Family

The Mystery of the Missing Princess

Madee has 8 princesses that she got from the Disney Store. She has done a pretty good job of keeping track of them but the other day we could not find Jasmine. Then we asked her where Jasmine was and she told us this story. Jasmine is in the garbage. We asked her why she was in the garbage and she said her legs were broken. How did her legs break and she said she needed to go to the hospital. Then asked her where the hospital was and she said in the garbage. We asked her how she broke her legs and Madee said she turned into a monster. That is the Mystery of the missing Princess.

The Simple things in Life

Here are some conversations I have with Madee

Madee: Mom I went poopy in the potty
Mom: Good Job Madee
Madee: Mom now I want a barbie

Be careful what you bribe your kids with to go in the potty. It will come back to bite you. Madee does this one quite often. She wants a barbie every time she uses the potty.

Madee:Mom I want a drink
Mom:Then go get one
Madee:ok

She knows how to get her own drink but she always feels the need to tell me about it.

So my favorite part of the day is watching Madee and Sam interact. In the morning Sam is laying in his crib wide awake and Madee comes in and starts talking too him. She will say hi Sammy. A smile always breaks out on his face. Madee is his favorite person. She can get Sam to laugh more then anyone else. Sometimes Madee will take a blanket and put it over Sam and pull it off really quick. Its a fun game and almost always results in laughter from Sam and Madee.
Oh the simple things in life are great!

Halloween

A friends of ours made this flower arrangement in a class and gave it to me. I thought it was really cool that it was arranged in a pumpkin. Its was really pretty.
Trick or Treat time is here. Its too bad Madee's eyes are shut in this picture. Madee was a pretty Pretty Princess. Sam was orginally a hotdog but that costume would not work in the stroller (No Legs) so we switched to the pumpkin costume.
Madee loved going door to door to get candy. We went to our old bishops house trick or treating and only went to about four of five houses and Madee still wanted to go to just one more house. So we went back to our neighbourhood and Lincoln dropped us off (He had to work late). At least he got to come with us for part of the trick or treating. So back in our Neighbourhood we continued our trick or treating and Madee kept saying exactly that just one more house. Over and over. She had more candy then one little girl really needs. We will have to find a good hiding place for it.
Can I just say that Halloween is a really dark holiday. Lincoln was looking up the origin of Halloween on Wicapidia and he also came across the story of the Jack 'o Lantern. Very dark. Interesting story if you get a chance to read about it.

27 on the 27th

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINCOLN!! Yes Lincoln turned 27 on the 27th of Oct. Madee was so much more excited then Lincoln. When he came home from work, She ran to the car and screamed at the top of her lungs "Its your birthday Daddy..Its your birthday!"
Its a Mountain Dew Cake. (No Mountain Dew included) Madee wanted to help make the cake and bake the cake and eat the icing and put the candles on too. It was a fun evening. We love Lincoln and are glad he is finally catching up age wise.

Fishing trip

We Decided to do a fishing trip to Strawberry Res. Madee got to learn how to fish. She is only three and her attention span is not very long so when they were waiting to rile in the line Lincoln told her she needed to call the fishes by saying Here Fishy fishy. Sadly no fish were caught.
So this is how Lincoln carried the kids to the perfect spot to fish. Yes Madee demanded to be carried because Lincoln was carring Sam in the Backpack. Day Trips with kids are A lot of work.

Pumpkin Carving

For Family Home Evening on Monday night we decided to carve some pumpkins. Madee didn't like the gooey innards of the pumpkin so much but I think she did like drawing on the pumpkins and having help cutting her Jack o'lantern's faces out.
This it the greatest picture. Madee actually took it and she is becoming quite our little photographer.
Madee helped her Daddy put the candles in the Jack o'lanterns and we turned out all the lights so we could look at them in the dark and see how scary they are.
Madee is doing her very scary face next to her pumpkin. Happy Halloween Everyone!!