Jared's Baby Song

This morning Jared felt like playing his guitar, and that is what he has been doing for the last 45mins while I look up how to do things online. Then he started singing playing the honikah song and it tunred into the Pregnancy Song. This song must have gone on for a good 10 mins before I decided I wanted to record it, so here is the last couple verses of his song. => hahaha

I Guess I Need To Put A Ring On It

I kid you not, this is the conversation I eaves-dropped on while waiting in line to get dinner at Cafe Rio (Saturday, while the boys were playing Star Craft)

Little Girl (about 4 years old): Daddy where is that ladies pretty ring?

Dad: She is probably not married yet honey

Little Girl: But she is going to have a baby, isnt she?

**by this time I have looked around the whole line and yep, I am the only pregnant person*

Dad: Well sweetie, people dont HAVE to be married to have a baby, they are just naughty. But you have to be married to have a baby right?

Little Girl: Right, no babies until after I get married, like you and Mommy.


Can I just say, What The Heck? First of all, what a dang observant and smart kid! Second, as a parent shouldn't you try to explain things in a more appropriate way? Like "she must have left her pretty ring at home" or "when your pregnant things fit differently" SOMETHING! For heavens sake! I AM married, and I am too fat for my ring! Goodness, now I am a little floosy to some 4 yr old girl out there......

Jared's Addiction

For over a year of marriage Jared and I enjoyed a life free of video games. Then this surgery hit, and what is a poor boy to do all day when not allowed to do anything physical? Video games. When Jared was a youngin he liked to play the game "Star Craft", so thats what he resumed playing during his incapacitated months. Now that the house ridden months are over I figured we would resume our video game free life, not quite so. It seems this game is very addicting. Anytime we don't have a play plan or are just lounging around out pops the computer and on comes the Star Craft. I don't mind really, because its always at appropriate lazy times. I just find it amusing.

This Saturday was no different. Jared and his friend Jermiah were out getting things set up for their buisness resuming in April. I get this call asking if I was ok with Jermiah coming over and playing Star Craft with Jared when they were finished. Again, no big deal. So they finish their buisness stuff and come home.

They, almost immediately, get so sucked into their game. Thinking of it now I should have video taped it. I was more entertained listening to their comments and collaborations than what was on TV. But then, tragedy struck.....

Jermiahs computer overheated and shut down, thus ending their reign of terror on the Star craft world. but Jared, being the determined little conqueror he is would not have any of that and devised a plan. They took newly purchased bags of frozen fruit and set his computer on top of it (with extra plastic bags to make sure moisture stayed out). It actually worked, and they were so proud of themselves.

So then the games could continue. I have to say, the games lasted the rest of Saturday. They did pause for about 20 mins to eat the dinner I had gotten them, but then it was back to the games. Oh boys and their toys. haha THey played more than 6 hours of Star Craft that day. And after they had had their 'fill' they vowed never to do that again => The whole time I was just laughing to myself that I had married such a nerd and never knew it until now. Jared swears he can "stop playing any time I (he) wants" but I have doubts. Both of these boys will probably need to go to 'Star Craft Annonomous' to fix this little desire to take over alien bases. As for now, I will just laugh and make fun of them. =>

Purchase of First Baby Thing!

When we first found out we were pregnant Jared made me promise I wouldn't buy anything until I was six months pregnant. That seemed logical to me. It would be after we found out the babys gender, only three moths left, and would give us plenty of time to prepare for that expense. Around the fourth and fifth month it was SUPER hard not to buy anything. I wanted to buy baby things so badly, I resisted, but counted down the days until I was six months. Well, I am over seven months and I have just purchased our first baby item!! A four piece crib bedding set! (called bananafish, even the name is cute and fun!)I don't really know what happened, the baby stuff desire just faded away I guess. This is not our first baby item though. Over Christmas my Mom bought us a couple baby outfits and baby odds and ends (she wanted to be the first to get us baby things, and she was =>) and some of my aunts gave us their old baby stuff that they were done with (thanks again!) So we have accumulated baby things, which tripped out Jared at first (walking into a room and seeing baby things is definately something that takes getting used to), but this is our first purchase! I love it! I am so excited to set it up and admire it in real life! (its still in its package). And it is kindof a daunting thought, that a baby could be here in as little as 8 weeks and be considered full term. Ahhh!! I am definately not ready! I guess I will just have to continue getting cute baby things to get me excited and hopefully push out the scareds. haha

32 lbs!!

Yes thats right, seven months pregnant and I have gained 32lbs, THIRTY-TWO!! I like to think of myself as a little heifer. haha But I have had a hard time getting used to the number on the scale going way up and my movement continually becoming more limited. Now I have pretty much accepted that I will gain weight (seven months into it mind you) and am grateful that my body does not hurt more. That was one thing I was very worried about when I found out I was pregnant. Even just gaining five pounds would send my hips and knees into a world of hurt, so bad it would make just walking hard. So you can imagine how painful I thought being pregnant would be. Amazingly enough, my body (hips and knees) do not even hurt as bad as they do when I gain 5 pounds, and I have gained 32! I like to think of it as my little miracle!!

I had a thought of taking a "now and then" picture of pregnancy. I decided to mimic a picture from the 4th of July 5k I did in Denver. I think it best shows off my size, both then and now. The fourth of July was a month before I got pregnant, and its safe to say I did not gain or lose any weight in that month. I weighed 118lbs in the first picture, and 150lbs in the second.

As for news on Jared: He got the green light for chewing from his doctor on Thursday! Wahoo!! He was so excited about it, all night he was eating just so he could chew! There are limitations tho. He has to keep it "about the same consistency as a McDonald's hamburger". So no chips, steak, anything that really needs hearty chewing, but anything is better than nothing!

This weekend we went tot he Park City condo for a relaxing vacation! Friday night we went out to dinner for the first time since the surgery! Yippie! Jared ordered a hamburger (he has been dying to bite one of these forever!) He tried to bite it normally first but only got half the burger (he still can not open his mouth very wide) so he ended up cutting it up and eating it with a fork. But hey, chewing is chewing no matter how it gets in your mouth. =>

He is also getting his feeling back! He still can not feel soft things on the left side of his face, but he can feel hard things! And that is a HUGE improvement! And he can feel medium-soft things on his right side. As for talking/communicating, that has improved greatly too! He almost sounds normal (its the annunciation tripping him up, but who can blame him if he can not feel half his face?) And the swelling is still there, but not nearly as bad as when he first came out of surgery. And this is how swollen he should be for the next couple months, according to his doctor. The sad news is that he has to go under the knife again. Some scar tissue is not forming the way it should and the doctor needs to go and cut it out. The doc says it should be a simple procedure and he will have about as much swelling as pulling wisdom teeth. So, we get to go through this whole lovely putting under/surgery experience again, but it shouldn't be as intesnse, which we are grateful for!

Family Night

So, it has been a while since the last update and I have had many requests for belly pictures and updated photos of Jared. But sorry to disappont, this post will contain none of that. => Yes I am vain enough to not take a picture unless I feel at least a little cute, and I just haven't taken any updated pictures of Jared, so those will have to wait for next post.

As for this post...

Jared and I have a difficult time doing family night. Its not that we dont spend time together, its the planning and lesson and all the preparation (ish) that go into having a "family night". But last night we succeeded! We had family night! => Yay us! And our activity was picture exposure. I have decided that I really want to be a photographer. I love taking pictures, and I take them all the time. So I figure if I could get good at taking pictures, my memories and decorations can be better, and I can even make a little money on the side as a mom if I choose to. And being in my beginner/novice stage my husband is teaching me the basics (he took some classes) and then I can move on to studying with a professional photographer.

But back to family night. Jared taught me about photo exposure, and how to set different exposure times on our camera.

He would get various light sources and I would capture the movements he made with them. Then I had an idea to make our name out of it. I think it looks pretty cool, and I can say I am proud of it! => Yay for family nights and knowledgeable husbands!!

What My Life Consists Of...

I feel so pathetic. I have been wanting to update my blog for days now but I did not want to update it with anything surgery, work or baby related. But then the sad realization came:those things are what my life revolves around right now. I have no other life happenings. And so, my urge to post something new has taken over and it is yet another post about surgery and baby.

Jared is doing wonderfully. It is the 21st day after surgery and he is eating with a spoon! (granted sometimes he misses his mouth, but he is doing VERY well!) While he still had to puree everything, he got so sick of using a syringe he made himself learn how to use a spoon again. He only has to rubber band his jaw shut at night now, which makes things so much easier! He even felt like he could function normally enough to go to church today! He rolled up the bread into the tightest ball he could and swallowed it like a pill, and did the best he could with the water, and he even made a comment in Elders quorum! Oh he is growing up so fast! haha (ok healing so fast). This Thursday the doctor gave him the green light to begin some physical activity again. (non-impact exercises like lifting weights and stationary bicycle riding) I think that will help improve Jared's spirits and help him not feel so bored and helpless.

Here are some pictures to show Jared's progress with swelling and recovery. This was taken the 3rd day after surgery. You can see he is trying so hard to open his eyes because the swelling had traveled and his eyes were swelling shut.
This is the 5th day after surgery. The swelling had decreased around his eyes and a little around his jaw.
This was taken last night, so the 20th day after surgery. He is back to normal around his eye area and about the cheekbones, but below the cheekbones he still has very noticable swelling, especially on his right side. But it has improved a LOT!

We are very grateful for his healing well and quickly. I know it is not really quick, and that we still have months and months to go, but he is dramatically better than he was those first days out of surgery. And he even said that he doesnt hate the doctor andymore haha. (Jared was nto a fan of his doctor when he was in so much pain and so miserable. who would?)

As for our baby, she is a little mover. I say she is a born dancer, already dancing in my uterus. But Jared refuses the dancer baby and says she is a basketball/volleyball girl already practicing her moves. Either way, she is moving a lot already.

I am 25 weeks along, only 15 more to go! And I am a little nervous about those 15 weeks. I feel so huge and akward already, and I am dreading getting even bigger and more akward, but I guess thats what comes with pregnancy. haha

I am in the phase now where I should be buying maternity clothes, but I hate wearing clothes anyways, nothing is comfortable, so I am resisting buying new ones (probably the first time in my life). I do not normally wear this tight of a shirt, I just did that for the picture. Thank goodness for the baby doll tees because I have been able to get away with just wearing those so far. My wardrobe of choice (on weekends when I dont have to do anything or when I get home from work) is my robe (big, fluffy, comfortable, loose....what more could a preggo girl ask for?) or sweats and the baggiest shirt I can find.
But I have made it through six months (almost, I am in my sixth month) of this and only a few more to go! The end is in sight.....somedays => haha

I have been really lucky tho, I have had a good pregnancy. Besides getting the flu and the feeling nauseous all the time in the first trimester, there is nothing really big to complain about. (although I do have to go back and get one of those HUGE shots in my hip again next month, I'm not looking forward to that very much) I can say being pregnant is definately not my favorite thing, but I have been extremely blessed to have a relatively easy pregnancy. Since I found out I was pregnant people feel the need to tell me all their pregnancy horror stories and it made me very nervous and scared. I like to think of this good pregnancy as a blessing from the Lord, because he knows if this was a bad one He would have to have some huge convincing miracle for me to have another one. But this has been good, so I am not totally opposed to doing it again => haha And we are leaning towards the name Paige Arlene for our little baby girl!

My New Husband

It is not every life that a woman gets to be married to the same man but have two different husbands. haha Jared's surgery was major, and it majorly changed his apperance. This is a profile picture of Jared on our cruise in August, so about 4 months before his surgery.
And here is a profile picture we took of Jared yesterday. (we take pictures every day to document the swelling)

He still has a bunch of swelling, but this gives you a general idea of the major change. Both he and I are very interested to see what he will look like after all the swelling goes away (in 3-6 months or more according to his doctor) As for now, I love him and still find him incredibly handsome (even with a huge swollen face) and we are just trying to get through these recovery periods with as much comfort and ease as possible.

My Addiction Confession

I have an addiction, and according to Jared it is a pretty severe one. I am addicted to F*R*I*E*N*D*S. This is no laughing matter. That show is practically all I can think about. If I am not watching it, I am thinking about watching it. I even dream in FRIENDS episodes. I watch it so much even my husband dreams about the characters (although he has refused to sit and watch it with me for a couple days now, it has been inbedded him). The full series of FRIENDS is the one present Jared is truly regreting giving me for Christmas. I have owned it for a little over two weeks now and have already watched 121 of the 236 episodes. As you can imagine, it takes up much time, aditional time I have to spend away from my loving husband (because he refuses to watch more). It is not that I don't love you Jared, but I just NEED my FRIENDS......... yes, its a problem.

She Moves!

Last night was the first night Jared and I felt our little one move! Yippie!!
People have been asking me if I had felt her move yet, and it was starting to get me really concerned (also the fact that I am not as big as other people as pregnant as me). And me being the worry wart that I am, did not make for some calming thoughts. Then two nights ago I had a really weird sensation in my stomach when we were lying in bed getting ready to sleep. I didn't know what it was, and I couldn't really describe it so I mentioned it to Jared, but we both figured it was no big deal or that it might possibly be the baby. Well, last night I felt it again. There was enough light to see, so I looked at my stomach. It was the weirdest thing, I could see the part that felt weird poke in and out. It was our baby pushing out my stomach! So I told Jared where to put his hand and he felt it too!!
Let me tell you, it is a weird thought to think that something other than you is living in you and moving on their own accord. But it is amazing at the same time! And the reality that we are going to actually have a baby person and I am not just getting a round stomach is starting to sink in more (although not totally).
But I am happy to report that our baby is heathy, alive and kicking!! =>

New Year Festivities

I forgot I did not write about our new year festivities, and I suppose now is as good of time as any.

As any good celebration party should have, we got a cookie cake from the Cookie Co. That place is so good to us! We asked for extra icing (because thats the best part) and they gave us a good amount! And my Mom had to show it off like Vana White. =>
The giant cookie was not our ony food. Our whole breakfast table was covered with delicious snacks! I took this picture about halfway thru the getting out food process. We later took al the paper goods off the table and replaced it with more food, which is of course, the best part of parties. =>
While waiting for the big moment we played charades, watched a movie, chatted, then finally it came! The ball dropped and poppers were popping.
Happy New Year!! Welcome 2010! => I like that in the picture of my family I caught my Mom and Dad going for their New Years Kiss, and Jared and I have a picture of our New Years kiss! Oh so romantic! =>
January first the fam went to see Avatar in 3d. Jared has taken some of the boys to watch it earlier in the week and they loved it, so we figured it was worth it, and it would be cool to see in 3d. And for some reason in this picture I look totally fat pregnant. I find it kind of depressing, but I guess such is life. There are flattering pictures and not, this is the latter. But is was a good movie, and worth it =>
After the movie we dropped Kalyn off at home (she was feeling under the weather) and the rest of us went to eat at Tommys! JAred had never been there before, and of course my Dad could not pass up the opportunity to educate his son-in-law on the finer foods in life. => We were going to go to the original one, in downtown LA, but it was too far away and my Mom was nervous about taking all the boys down there, so we settled for the closer one.
Look at all that delicious, greasy, chilie filled food! Yumm!! The little boys were excited to be there, its like better than McDonalds for them, because they only get to go once in a blue moon.

My Dad was entirely too excited to be there and eating this food. Jared liked it, he said it was very good. And this picture catches Jared enjoying his food/chuckiling at my Dad raving about it, and my Dad bursting with satisfaction and joy. haha Priceless.
The next day was Kalyn's little incident. She fainted int he bathroom, hit her head on the floor, and then couldn't feel or use her arms/hands. Jared was down the hall and saw the whole thing pan out, got to her right as she was making contact with the ground. He and my Dad gave her a blessign and then the paramedics came. They were really nice and calm men. What a blessing they are! They put Kalyn in all this gear then on a stretcher and out to the ambulence.
It was a cool sight to see the fire engine, paramedic truck, and ambulence in front of our house. Mom rode in the front of the ambulence to the hospital and Dad drove his car and followed them. After all the hospital tests and stuff Kalyn was released, and now she is all better and partying in London!

After we found out Kalyn would be ok and my Dad came back to get the boys Jared and I headed back to Utah to start the other exciting phase of this year, his surgery. Yep, all this excitement within a week. What a week. haha But hey, we can say that 2010 definately started off with a unique bang =>

He is Amazing

It has been six days since Jared had his mouth cut up. And let me tell you, those six days have been one heck of a roller coaster. From Monday to Friday the most sleep I ever got in one night was 3 hours, and the least sleep I got was 45 minutes. I kid you not! Needless to say I was exhausted! Jared got that much sleep too, but he took naps during the day. I couldn't, I was at work. So its no suprise when my body tries to give up and catch a cold, but I will not let it! Health will prevail!

As for Jared, it really depends on the time of day whether he is feeling good or crappy. Sometimes he is up and moving around, getting food and medicine himself, and others he is just able to hang in there. The recovery time period for this surgery is 3 months until he is "almost normal", so in all reality more than three months. Adn the worst it is supposed to be is in the first 2 1/2 to 3 weeks. So, he is right in the thick of it, but doing temendously.

He never ceases to amaze me, and having this surgery is no different. Yes there are moments when he wishes he never did it, or when he is having a hard time, but those can be expected and they are few and far between. He is so strong about it all. He tries very hard to not be so dependant on everyone, and even to help. Even what he has to do becaue of the surgery is amazing. He has to learn how to function his mouth. And that is no small task. He needs to learn how to move his mouth to talk (although that is later in the recovery process), how to chew (also later), and he needs to teach himself how to swallow. Teaching yourself how to swallow is what amazes me the most! No one has to naturally do that! You naturally have to learn how to walk, talk, ride a bike, etc, but you come out of the womb knowing how to swallow. You even swallow in the womb from 20 weeks. I am just amazed that he is teaching himself something that should be natural and instinctive. Just thinking about al the times I swallow, and everything that goes into it makes me exhausted. Swallowing is hard work. And if swallowing with a whole new, and swollen mouth is not difficult enough, the only thing Jared can feel is his tounge. (because they stretched out the nerves in the surgery they will stay numb for at least 2 weeks, most likely months)His jaw, cheeks, and lips are all numb.

Ok, I will continue raving how amazing my husband is another time. Now its time for pictures! =>

This is Jared before the surgery, just waiting to be rolled up. He is trying to pretend that he is out of commission and all sick, but he had no idea what was coming to him. haha
This is the day of surgery, a couple hours after the surgery was finished.This is Tuesday, the day after surgery. He has swollen a lot in this picture, but he is even more swollen now. We do take a picture at least once a day to track the swelling and de swelling progress, I just have not uploaded the most recent ones to my computer yet. But I can describe him. I will quote from his surgeon "He will look like a Who from the Grinch, with sausage lips". Yep, I think that is pretty accurate. But also add that his eyes will swell to little slivers, not even close to the big eyes he has in the last picture.

That is our little update. To summaraize, we are still alive and fighting thru this recovery process. =>

Starting Off the New Year.... Right...?

This year has been an eventful one. Yes, I know it has only been four days long, but those four days have been full of interesting events.

It started off on January 2nd when Kalyn had her little "event". She started feeling sick on the first, with just the thing going around (sore throat and cough). Then on the morning of the second she threw up, and shortly after she fainted. A whole full on faint while standing up and brushing her teeth. She fell in the bathroom and hit her head on the floor and was unconscious (for about 45 seconds) Jared was walking down the hall (we were leaving that moment) and saw the whole thing and was able to catch her hands as she was falling. So 911 was called, while we waited Dad and Jared gave her a blessing, they came, started doing their little tests on Kalyn, and she could not move or feel her arms and hands. They took her to the hospital in an ambulance and did a CAT scan and all other sorts of tests. By the time the doctors were done with their tests Kalyn had regained the use and feeling in her arms and hands, and they sent her home. What a great manifestation of the power of the priesthood!!

That was hospital encounter number one.

Hospital encounter number two came somewhat voluntarily (I was not willing, Jared was). It is for Jared's jaw surgery. This is the surgery all doctors had been telling Jared he needed to have since he was like 5 years old. To shortly and briefly sum up the purpose of the surgery: one side of Jared's lower jaw grew longer than the other, so they had to cut both sides of his lower jaw and move it back, then cut both sides of his top jaw and move it forward. This procedure could not be done until now because the doctors had to be sure Jared had stopped growing and get his mouth properly set up for it.
This surgery took place today. That is where I currently am, in the hospital. Jared's mom came down on Sunday and is going to stay for the week to help look after Jared. All three of us got to the hospital at 6:00am and started all the pre-surgery stuff. They began Jared's surgery at 8:30am. I had to leave then and go to work but Karen was able to stay at the hospital and be here when Jared got out. His surgery finished around 1:00pm (yes a 4 1/2 hour surgery) I came back to the hospital after work (around 3:30pm) and he was just coming out of the anesthesia.

The surgery went well. Jared's jaw did not crack so they did not have to wire his mouth shut, which is a huge relief. And Jared did not die on the table (what I was so scared for) and that is an even bigger relief! Now it is just the long recovery process. He is not going to be able to chew anything for at least six weeks, which means all liquid meals. The doctor said that the surgery will significantly change his appearance (no joke, moving his whole bottom half of his face around), but in addition to that his face should be swollen to almost the point of nonrecognition for the first two weeks. After that the doctor said he will still be swollen and look like a Who from the Grinch. And to fully get to normal should take at least three months, most likely more.

I don't know how I feel about that. I love Jared so much, and I hate seeing him uncomfortable or in pain. And believe you me, he is in a lot of pain right now, and I can't do anything about it. It is driving me crazy!! I just want to make him all better! But I can't. All I can do is sit and watch, and aid in any minute way I can. But I also know that this surgery needed to be done, and we are greatly blessed to have the opportunity and ability to have it done now. This will be a good lesson of patience, hopefully I can learn to have some so I only have to go thru it once haha. And I know both Jared and I will learn to rely on our Father in Heaven even more, for He is the only one who can truly do anything to help.
I am grateful for the opportunity and ability Jared had to get this surgery done. And I am glad he will have a better and easier time because of it. I am especially thankful that the surgery went well and that Jared is alive. And I am so thankful and indebted to my Father in Heaven for all He has done for me and my family. And even though this year started out with two dramatic hospital trips I hope its not an indication that this is how the whole year will go. I am shooting for just one more visit to a hospital (in May to get my baby out of me) and then not to be back for a looooong time. => So here is to a Happy New year, and to its very interesting start! =>

Feeding the Homeless

On Monday (the 28th of December) Jared and I had the opportunity to chaperon the youth of the Las Flores ward and feed the homeless down in Los Angeles. The youth do this every year, and have done it since before I was in young womens. My Dad has a calling in Young Men's, so he was going, and allowed Jared and I to come too. It is such a neat experience.

Jared drove the food car. I like to think we were the most important car because without us, they would have had nothing to give the the homeless. haha Kalyn and Kimmy came with us too!

I am constantly amazed at the workings of our church, but that day I was amazed at the youth. They needed little instruction and just organized themselves in an assembly line and packed and made the lunches.

They were all so great, and they all helped so willingly and excitedly. The homeless were guided to make a line and when the youth finished packing a lunch they would personally deliver it to the people in the line. I am so grateful to be part of a church that encourages service and selflessness, it really is a thing of beauty.

Trey, Kalyn, and Kimberly after selflessly serving the homeless. Great job guys!

Me and my love in Skid Row in downtown LA.

Even though I have gone to downtown LA and fed the homeless many times it never ceases to amaze me. I am one, amazed at the quantity of people down there, and two amazed at the immense love my family and Father in Heaven has for me. I am eternally grateful for the gospel and for the love and support of family, and for all the blessings I receive.

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Christmas! Santa definately came to the Walker house!

The morning started out by the little boys waking up early then going around the bedrooms (with Mom) and caroling everyone awake. They were so happy to be up and it be Christmas!

Next there was the traditional eye closing train to the kitchen (Santa normally leaves candy in the stockings, and you have to eat breakfast before we can eat candy) But legend has it that if you peek to see if Santa came, before its time to open presents that all the presents will disappear. So we make a train of closing eyes (youngest to oldest)and Mom leads everyone to the kitchen. I caught this picture right as the train was dispersing.
After breakfast the youngest kid goes with Dad to see if Santa came. And he did! He ate all the fudge we left out for him and the reindeers gobbled up the carrots, and Santa even left us a note! The three little boys took turns reading parts of the note aloud to everyone!
Then it was time to open the presents! Dad is always in charge of passing the presents out, he does such a good job with it. Look at that beautiful tree and all those presents! =>
It just so happens that the boys all got blue robes for Christmas. Mom had planned it for Trey, Kaden, Cameron, and Cole and I had bought Jared one without knowing her plan. So it was a fun suprise to see them all with their robes. And now everyone has a robe! Mom, Kalyn and I have matching pink robes that we got a couple Christmases ago, Dad has a dark blue one, and now all the other boys have dark blue ones! We are just a robe full family! =>
Me and my love on our second Christmas together!
Actually its me, my love, and our little one! Thats a crazy thought! =>
I couldn't get the little boys to stop playing with their toys long enough to take a picture of them in their matching jammies, but I did get one of the big boys in their matching jammies! Aren't they so handsome!?!
Later that day/evening we went over to Gram and Pa's house to see the rest of the family. While we were there the fam presented Gram and Pa witht heir family present (Jenny collected pictures and favorite thoughts about Gram & Pa and put the into seprate books. One book all about Pa and one all about Gram) And the fun part is that Lindsey & Zach and Jenny and her kids got to watch them open their presents via the internet (Skype). That was a fun treat! (Jenny was on the computer on the chair and Lindsey was on the computer Kayln is holding)
They loved their books! That was such a great idea for a present, and I am so glad I was able to contribute to it!

I love Christmas time and I am so thankful that Jared and I could come down to California to spend it with my family this year! I love celebrations, I love Chrsitmas, and I love my family!!

Christmas Eve Traditions!

Christmas Eve is where most of my families traditions come into play. It is kind of like a big party. We start off Christmas Eve by having a big dinner. My Mom's friend Lee and her kids come over as well as a lady in our ward Lisa and her grandson. After dinner starts the festivities.
We first play Christmas Bingo. My mom had made all these cards and colored them a couple years ago. You don't win any prize, but its fun to go a couple rounds at this game.
After the bingo everyone gets in a circle and we play the pass the present game (i don't know what the technical name for it is). My Dad will read "The Night Before Christmas" and everytime he says the word "the" we pass the present we have to the left. And when the story finishes you unwrap and keep the present you end up with.
The next thing, and probably the biggest of the night, is the reenactment of the Nativity. We draw characters out of a bowl (Mary, Joseph, Donkey, 3 Wise Men, 2 Angles, 2-3 Shepherds, Inn Keeper, and Choir {basically choir is everyone else}), dress up as them, and act out the Nativity.
A lot of years back my Mom made many copies of the Nativity program so that everyone can follow along. The program has scriptures, songs, and quotes depicting the Nativity story. My Dad narrates the story, and people follow along and enjoy the presentation.
Then a new tradition that we started a couple years ago is to go out on our patio and sing Christmas songs. Lee brings over the candles and we sing as many songs as we can think of.


Throughout the whole night my Dad and the little boys are tracking Santa on the interent. They can see footage of Santa caught by the army, NASA, etc and when he is getting close they know its time to go to bed. We also unwrap one present on Christmas Eve after all the guests go home. The present is always pajamas, but it is still fun to get. And this year all the girls got matching ones, the "big" boys got matching ones, and the "little" boys got matching ones.

I love Christmas and I love being here with my family, and I love all our traditions we have!