February...Already?!

Well our January month seemed to fly by yet it also has seemed to take FOR-EV-ER to pass along! I hate those times. I can't even remember much of what we did this past month. So bear with me while I try very hard to let you in on what might be new or anything special that has happened to us this past month.
I've already told you about Kinley's birthday! She is definitely a 2 yr old now!

They taught the kids to Stop! Drop! and Roll! And to crawl out of the building !

Sitting in the ambulance! He was a little nervous at this point!

Actually got him to sit in the Firetruck!! So Brave!

Porter had a really neat preschool field trip to the fire station! He was so excited to go! He kept telling me he was going to be brave and he was really excited to see the fireman come down the pole! Of course while we were there Kinley freaked out and was totally scared and when I went to take care of her so others could hear the tour...Porter got nervous and wanted to stay by me the whole time. Needless to say my kids were chickens and wimps and cried while I MADE them get close to the firetrucks and see the lights flashing and all that stuff that I thought was SOOO cool! I understood Kinley's point of view but Porter was old enough he should know everything was neat and awesome there! Oh well!

Kinley's coat isn't the one Grandma gave her, At this time it was just a little too big! Now she's out of this one and into her new one!

Grandma Christensen got the kids some snow outfits for this year! THANK YOU! We've gotten quite a bit of snow where we were out shoveling our drive way about 3 or 4 days in just one week. They have enjoyed having warm clothes to wear so they can be outside.
Patrick has been putting his woodworking skills to use and has built us a closet organizer shelves for the toy room! A much needed project that I'm happy is finally over with. All I have to do now is go and organize the toys and put them where I want them.

We've been adjusting to the life of having Dad gone a little more for bishopric things. And things have changed a little at his work with schedules and such. I'm anticipating  the time when work really hits him and he has to start staying later and working saturdays. I know it is just around the corner for us.
I taught an Etiquette night for combined Young Mens/Young Womens one mutual night this month. I was nervous about it, because there is so much you can teach and you don't know what might be too simple for one kid and yet way over the top for others. So I kept it simple had fun with it and I think the kids really enjoyed it! They were laughing and asking questions! For once in my life when I was up infront of the youth teaching I actually felt like I was the only leader in there and all that mattered were those kids. They felt like they were anxious to learn and have fun with me! So I felt good about it! And I have to say most of it was a success  because of 2 people. 1- my husband for brainstorming with me and helping me put it all together. and 2- my sister Jenae for letting me borrow her buzzer set! The kids loved being able to play the game and hit the buzzer.
I've also had 2 Doctors appointments. I'm 14 weeks along with this pregnancy and finally getting my energy back. The doctor asked if I wanted to try and find out what the gender was last week and he took a stab at it, but he wasn't sure enough to give me a good solid answer.  The kids are really getting into it and understanding more and more each day that there is a baby in moms tummy. Kinley is getting good at practicing being a big sister with her dolls.  She has a doll that makes sounds and it cried yesterday and she got the most sad worried look on her face and said.."Dad! She's crying! AWWW!" She gave the baby a hug and kiss and tried to take good care of it. She is for sure going to be involved and a great little helper to mom!

Christmas, New Years, Kinley's Birthday and More!

Christmas 2011---The week before Christmas Porter's preschool had a christmas program that they put on for their family and parents! He was so cute being himself on the stage and singing and dancing! I loved every minute of it!

We have pictures of the kids opening presents Christmas morning--Lacy took them for us..so we are waiting to get them

Then Actual Christmas--We enjoyed it by spending about a week with family. Most of the holiday we spent relaxing, especially since Porter and I came down with a 24 hour bug. Patrick had been sick earlier that week and I think we both caught it. Christmas night Porter would not go poop on the potty, because we didn't have the right potty seat for him. and I believe that is what set off the yucky sickness. I woke up the next morning and went through all that. Lucky for me I had a wonderful husband who stayed up all night with Porter so I could rest, and an amazing grandma who was willing to help with the kids and clean up after them and make us food! I enjoyed sleeping most of the day and both porter and I recovered quickly. ( cross my fingers--Kinley has not yet gotten it) We spent our Christmas eve and day with the Munsons this year and then on our last day we went to see Grandma Christensen. We really did just enjoy our time with the family and the relaxing time we had. The kids LOVED opening their presents. I was shocked because they didn't want to play with them after they opened them. They just went back for another present that needed to be opened until all were opened.

Then over New Years, Mom Dad and Kels came up our direction for the weekend! We had fun going out to eat and showing them the town. Then all day saturday Dad and Patrick were out getting Patrick's new Table saw and wood shop all set up and building things. While Mom and I did cricut stuff. They wanted to know what they could get Kinley for her birthday and I really had no clue and then we came upon the idea that Kinley's room hasn't been painted yet and she would love to have her room done! So we went and bought paint! And Mom ended up doing one painting project that night with the same paint! It was AWESOME! I didn't have to do any of the work! I sat back and watched and laughed when dad came in and said "That's not Kinleys room!" as was guess would have been said.  We enjoyed our time together, watched some movies, ate some food, and Kelsey joined in the fun with me this year with the french tradition of stuffing grapes in your mouth for the count down to a new year! It was fun!

Kinley's birthday was a wonderful day! I've taught the children well with what happens when we have a party! They know there is balloons, cake and presents involved! So on her birthday we went and got a cake, and some balloons and the kids played with the balloons all day! It was terrific! You ask Kinley how old she is and she will tell you 2! So proud of her! She was stoked to open presents! Her favorite was the purson (a.k.a Purse)  with the car keys that make honking noises and locking noises. We had yummy dinner and then cake! She did well with blowing out the candle and we all really enjoyed eating the cake and ice cream! She is getting so big and I'm so happy to watch her learn and grow. I will be sad when she leaves this age and stage. She has been such a JOY and happiness in our home! She is so sweet, silly, and adorable. She really knows how to show someone she loves them and isn't afraid to share it! We love her so very very much!


And on another note... since Kinley is getting older...I think it's time for this...

Just had our first Dr. Appointment this morning. Babys heartbeat is healthy and strong, seems to be growing right on schedule! Baby due AUGUST 8th 2012!

December update

 Well you know Christmas is around the corner and you find your kids hiding in the cupboards.(a.k.a  from Christmas Story) Yep! Porter and Kinley's favorite place to be is in their bathroom cupboards. They love pretending they are hiding from Monsters in there and they will play in there for a good half hour sometimes.

We started this month off with Patrick's work party at Ruby River and we were allowed to order ANYTHING we wanted! I was in heaven, when my jumbo coconut shrimp came to the table! We then played a version of white elephant trading with about 100 rules, BUT it was lots of fun! We were told by others to buy something you would want to go home with cuz you might end up with it. Sure enough we ended up coming home with the very 2 items we showed up with! One by choice and one by chance! It was lots of fun and I really enjoyed getting to know Patrick's work buddies better.

Then the next morning we helped my mom make most of the grandkids gifts(which I can't say what they are until after christmas) And later that night was our ward party. I knew Santa was going to be there so I had practiced with Porter before we went how the whole sitting on Santas lap routine goes. So it was our turn for Porter to sit on his lap and before Santa could even say a word of "have you been a good little boy? or What would you like for Christmas?" Porter sat on his lap and immediately exclaimed "TRAINS!"  He then wanted his candy cane and got off. He was done! haha As for Kinley we got 3 feet from Santa and she FREAKED OUT! Now I tell you... I have NEVER..EVER...seen Kinley this scared before. She was digging nails into my shoulders and screaming with terror. She wanted nothing to do with Santa. So I took her out in the hall thinking out of sight out of mind. Right?! well after about a minute she looks at me and says "Mom! Santa Fine! I see Dad now!" So we went in and once we got over to our table by Dad, Santa was waving goodbye to everyone and yelling MERRY CHRISTMAS!  So now whenever we see santa Kinley gets scared(but not as freaked as she was that night) and she looks at me when it's all done and says "Santa Fine"
The 3rd week of this month we were gearing up for all our family parties and we were super excited for them! They were on the weekend one on saturday night and one sunday down in the Salt Lake area. But then we got called into the Stake Presidents office and he called Patrick to be the 2nd counselor in our wards new bishopric! Well that changed plans a bit, because they were making the change the same sunday as our family party. Seeing that Dad and Grandparents needed to be here to ordain Patrick a High Priest that sunday anyways we decided well we'll offer our house for the sunday party. It all worked out and we were able to do EVERYTHING that weekend. It was a little stressful and hectic that weekend, but totally worth it! We went to the temple saturday afternoon, then the williams family party that night. Drove home with 2 coughing sick kids. Woke up and went to church Sunday...that day was busy and crazy and then that night all the munson family came our way and we had a riot sharing talents and playing games.
We love this time of year and would have been super bummed if we would have missed those parties! We are now super excited for Christmas to come and hope you'll come back to hear all about it!

And here is a cute little video of Kinley. Lately she has been amazingly cute when she tells you she loves you! She says it ALL the time and she can't pronounce her "Ls" very well. And we had been wanting to catch her counting 1-2-3-Sick! And I can honestly say that this video of her doing it is the last time we have heard her count like that. It was so adorable and we miss it... but now she is a smart girl who can count 1-2-3-4-5-6-8-9-tenleven. Super cute!  Enjoy and MERRY CHRISTMAS!! P.S. she just woke up from her nap so she looks pretty rough!

November 2011

This month Patrick and I started it off perfectly! The first weekend we were blessed enough to be able to go to a stake toy exchange/swap.  We were able to get almost everything we wanted to get for our kids and more than we ever dreamed of. So we were finished with our christmas shopping! how awesome is that? Ok not completely finished. I still had to get a few more and yes exactly 3 more things for the kids for chirstmas and we were done. then all we had to worry about was our neighbor/friend  and family gifts. Not bad right?  Then on sunday we made sugar cookies and the kids LOVED frosting them and of course eating them!

The second weekend of the month it snowed. So Patrick worked on our neighbor gifts and Porter and I went outside and played in the snow, while kinley took her nap. It was Lots and lots of fun! The snow was perfect for snowman making and Porter was really involved in building the snowman.
The third weekend, my mom came up to stay with us. There was a friend of the family getting married that weekend and we enjoyed a fun night that friday driving to the reception in the snow and visiting with friends. Then saturday we enlisted help from mom to set up Christmas. We were itching for the christmas season to come. For many reasons of course but 1 being we are in a new home for chirstmas this year and I was anxious to decorate it with our christmas things. 2nd of many reasons being last year we moved 2 days before christmas so I didn't set up christmas at all last year. I was missing decorating for the holidays and that fun spirit that is brought into the home with the warm christmas tree lights and the magic of santa and the thoughts of our Savior and others in our hearts.

Then the next week followed with a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. We spent Thanksgiving with the Christensen side this year. There were only 5 of us kids and our families there though. The 2 others were very missed, but it was also nice to be able to visit with the others and play games, which seems to happen less and less everytime we get together as a family because our family is getting sooo big! We enjoyed the memory name game that we played most of all.

Also over Thanksgiving weekend we helped mom with here beautiful cross stich works of art that she donated to the festival of trees. She asked us to help with making the frames. Didn't Patrick do a great job? And that is porter next to the kids tree in our basement.

Ever since coming home from that nice break and being with family we got to work on finishing our Christmas tree. It consisted of a few nights staying up til 12 to finish projects, but we finished it within a week and WE LOVE OUR TREE. We chose to make a theme for our tree this year. The theme we chose was a "music tree" We made ornaments that look like notes and a treble cleff, music books, bells, sheet music rolled up as scrolls, piano keys and christmas music words such as noel, rejoice, hallelujah, sing, etc.. It's beautiful and we really love it. So things like that have consumed our time this month other than the normal work, kids and callings. :\
All in all we really enjoyed the month of November! Hope y'all did too.

The Month of October in a glance

 (Warning! This post is so long! I didn't proof read after I finished...and I don't want to ..so here is my apology for all of my many errors!)

Oh this month was GLORIOUS! We had many things to do, lots of fun doing them and we also have really enjoyed the B-E-A-U-tiful weather!

Of course this month was started off with a WONDERFUL General Conference. Patrick and I felt the general authorities really stepped up their game this year and spoke very clearly. Either that or we are just more in tune with what was being said. Either way we really really enjoyed conference!
Also this month we took the time as a family to go see the leaves changing in the canyon and take a few family pictures. Y'all can see in the previous post the pictures.
One of the highlights of our month was when my sister and her family of 8 came to visit us over their UEA Fall break. That saturday afternoon 2 of their daughters, Lauren and Elle, were in the Beehive Beauties Pagent. It's an all natural no make up type contest where the judges score the girls on their confidence. I'm very proud to say that both Lauren and Elle came home Queens of their age group! They both did beautifully and I think they really had a fun time. We enjoyed spending time with them especially after the young kids went to bed and we played the celestial companions game. (teams: Aaron and Jenae, Patrick and Skye, & yes... Cardon and Mirae!) It was fun to play the game with Cardon and Mirae. We made it work in relationships with siblings as well and guess who won! That's RIGHT! Cardon and Mirae!  too funny!
Porter LOVED having Josh here to play with him and Kinley really took to Aunt Nae Nae. She talks about her all the time now.

These two kids have been such and amazing JOY in our home! They interact super well together. Kinley has really taken a liking to playing trains with her brother  and Porter is doing well with sharing and letting her play with him. They love running around the house and causing mischief together these days.I hear them many times just giggling and squealing through the halls. LOVE LOVE IT!

Our dear sweet Kinley turned 21 months old this month. She is getting close to being 2! I can't believe it. We can't even begin to express in words the amount of happiness, peace and joy she gives to ALL of us in this home. She is so Sweet, Tender, Loving, Caring, very Silly, Giggly, Fiesty, and when she wants something or you make her mad... Look out she can become a fireball! Patrick and I just cannot get enough of her! Especially when it's time for bed and she gives us loves and kisses. We just want to squeeze and squish her and maul her! And she giggles through it and loves it. She says NYE-NEE, YOVE YOU DAHDDY! It's so adorable!
She loves to be outside, she loves to play with the Mickey Mouse memory game cards( she basically plays 50 card pick-up) She carries them with her wherever she goes. She still loves her binkie and blanket! She is working on cutting her very last tooth! Somethings she likes to say is "WHA-WE?" (Where are you?) "YOVE YOU" (love you)  and she is currently liking saying "Ssss-Sick" (Soo-Sick from Sarah Bareilis on the sing off) She really enjoys putting a piece of ice in her water. She always says "Peas some ICE!"  at lunch time. She is very good with saying Please and Thank Yous. She hates getting her diaper changed, yet loves to get dressed and ready to Go somewhere. Oh and how can I forget... she is our little book worm! She loves to read stories. She can walk up and down the stairs, but she wants you there to hold her hand. She likes to take you by the hand and "show you" things she wants that she can't reach. She loves emptying her dresser drawers throwing all her clothes everywhere. And she LOVES Cheetos, fruit snacks, grapes and pretzels.
She also really likes McCEAM( aka Cars Lightning McQueen) and she loves to read Scriptures and is always thrilled to remind us when it's time for prayer and the blessing on the food.  What a soft cuddly, squishy lovey little girl! 

Bottom right: he is flexing his muscles for Cardon!

As for Porter! He is growing up on us WAY TO FAST! He is in preschool and loves it! My favorite thing is when we pick him up he asks me"So Mom! What did you do today?" then he asks if he can do that with me when we get home. Preschool is really normalizing this kid. He is figuring out social skills and learning what real kids do and how they play and interact. His words are coming along and he's learning how to use them.. now we are starting to work on tone and that whining isn't the best way to get something you want. Most of the time he is super kind to his sister and plays nicely with her. Most of  his days he wants to watch a show. Polar Express, Mickey Mouse clubhouse, and cars are the most frequently asked for. He is so good at helping Kinley. She always asks for help when we are eating to get a bite of her food on her spoon or fork. Porter is always so willing to help and it's the sweetest thing. He has also learned very quickly what it means to be an older sibling and having to share your things that are yours from parties and preschool. HE is very good at this. At night he has just recently picked up the habit of wanting the door cracked and he is testing the waters of how much he can get out of bed and come see what is going on in the house.  He is also really enjoying ANY time he can get with his dad to play with him. He just loves it when his dad plays with him, building blocks, playing pass... you  name it he wants to be like his dad. I love to see that! And last but not least he absolutely loves to get the mail out of the mailbox for us! He is a true little helper.

HALLOWEEN TIME!

 For Halloween this year I figured this really would probably be the last year Porter let me pick his costume. Last year He and Kinley were an adorable pair of Elmo and Zoe. This year I decided to go with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.My favorite thing was when you would ask the kids who they were, they would both say Miska-Mousska-Mickey-Mouse! Patrick and I dressed up for our ward Party as G.I. Joe and G.I. Jane.Although many people thought I was Warrior Barbie. We had a wonderful ward party and Porter loved doing all the activities and seeing his friends. But most of all for all the halloween festivities that went on this month. His favorite was his preschool halloween party. Preschool fell on halloween day for him so it was great! He walked into school and saw that his teacher was dressed up as Minnie! He was THRILLED! Because that made him extra special of course! They taught them how to trick-or-treat and they decorated cookies and ate a spider cake for snack, they played halloween games, read halloween stories and sang halloween songs. He LOVED IT! Then that night we had family home evening about when you go out and knock on doors you say Trick or Treat, but really all you want is the treat and we likened that to how satan deceives us and likes to trick us and Jesus is our savior and holds the treats of life for us. It was a little over the kids head, but still worked. Then off we went to go trick or treating. Kinley got to one house and immediately wanted the candy. She didn't learn this year that you should wait to eat your candy when you get home. So we spent a lot of the time getting her candy while we walked. Porter enjoyed it and was so funny, because he would go and Knock on a door and while knocking shout TRICK OR TREAT! hilarious! All in all our halloween was fun, but as a mom I am very excited for it to be over with so we can get on to thanksgiving and then the really good holiday..CHRISTMAS!