While the family is away the Dave will....remodel.

We have been working hard on updating our kitchen. When we first moved in Dave painted all the cabinets and replaced all the light fixtures. Then we had new counter top installed. After that Dave started his first tiling project. It turned out so good and we were almost done except for one large project.



While I was in Washington Dave decided that he was going to tear out the drop down ceiling and huge, horrible florescent light fixture. This turned out to be a larger task than he had anticipated. When he was almost done he told me "this is the kind of project you get half way through and wish you never started." (We have blow-in insulation) Well he did start and finish too! It looks awesome and our kitchen looks so much bigger.


I thought that this was all he had done but of course he couldn't stop there. He painted all of our upstairs doors white.

He also started the remodel on the downstairs bathroom.


Everything looks so good and I am so lucky to have such a wonderful husband that enjoys making our first little house such a beautiful home.

Washington Trip 2nd Edition.

We have always been in Washington for McKenna's birthday because it is three days after Christmas. She was upset that we wouldn't be there this year. We had so much fun at Chuck E. Cheese last year we decided to celebrate her birthday early when we were there. First we went to Chuck E. Cheese. Her Nana, Grandma, Uncle Troy and a friend Makayla and her mother came with us. They had so much fun and so did we.






We came back to my moms for a spaghetti lunch. Then headed for the pool. McKenna is doing so well with her swimming. After that we came back for gifts and cake. I'm so happy we were able to spend that time with our family. The toughest thing about living in Idaho is being so far away from them but we try to make the most of our time when we are there.



McKenna was especially happy when her cousin Brooklyn came. Now that Brooklyn walks McKenna just chases her all over the house. They have tone of fun together and are so much alike. They were even able to spend some time with their Great Grandpa George.

So many firsts.

We had so much fun in Washington. Reeve has started sitting up by himself. Sometimes he forgets that he is not being held and does a nose dive right into the carpet. I usually try to put pillows around him but of course the one place I don't put one he inevitably falls that way. He also went into the pool for the first time. I think he was a little cold because in every picture his face looked like this.



He just cracks me up because he just goes along with whatever we do, no complaint.

Another first, on a not so good note was his first ear infection. We were up to 5:30 in the morning and needless to say we were in the doctors office the next day. Then yesterday (Christmas Eve, Eve). His first tooth popped through. Poor little guy had an ear infection and was teething I can't imagine it was any fun. Yet like everything else he was a happy little guy.


He is even happy when I'm digging in his mouth trying to get a picture of his little tooth. (The tooth is the little white spot on the right.) We are having so much fun with him and McKenna just adores him.

Christmas Parade

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving Pocatello always has a Christmas parade down Main St. That's how we know Santa has come to town. McKenna loves parades but I think it is mostly for the candy. When I was getting out of the car she kept trying to run over to the parade. She was yelling "it's starting, it's starting!" We finally got settled and she was happy....

until I wanted to take a picture of her. She is screaming at me to get out of the way. I calmly explained that the parade still hadn't started and to calm down and take some nice pictures for me.

Just two days before on Thanksgiving it was warm enough to eat outside. On the day of the parade it was frigidly cold. The reason my pictures look blurry is because the camera was starting to freeze. I thought Reeve wouldn't enjoy the parade but I think he had just as much as McKenna. He loved looking at all the lights. The only time he got upset was when they would honk their horns or turn on sirens.

So Santa Claus has officially come to the town of Pocatello... or at least to the mall, where McKenna thinks he lives. Kind of prophetic when you think about it. Non the less he is here and McKenna is terrified of him this year. I asked if she wanted to sit on his lap and tell him what she wanted for Christmas and she said, "No, I'll just send him a letter this year." To each their own.

Thanksgiving Feast

We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving. Dave and I have been cooking our own Thanksgiving meals for the past four years. We have our duties down pretty well now and everything turns our absolutely delicious. While everything was cooking we played some board games (which is one of my family's traditions).




Dave has gotten very good at carving the turkey and McKenna and I have gotten really good at eating it! I'm sure next year Reeve will enjoy some yummy turkey as well.




We live in Idaho, right? It was so warm outside that we decided to go Pilgrim style and eat outside. McKenna loved it and she kept saying, "This is the best Thanksgiving feast I've ever had!"





Reeve had his Thanksgiving dinner later that day.



Being in the holiday mood we even decided to decorate for Christmas. When Dave told McKenna we were going to get out the Christmas tree she ran to her room and got out her Christmas CD's. We had to listen to Jingle Bells about 20 times before she would change it. It was so fun and my little Miss Mae is more into the Christmas spirit than ever.

Growing Faster Everyday

Last night was a sleepless night! Reeve is starting to get a cold and would not go to sleep no matter what I did. Finally at 1 a.m. he fell asleep. At 2 a.m. McKenna woke up with growing pains in her knees. Her crying woke Reeve up and he started crying. At first I was so frustrated. I had only been asleep for 30 minutes. As I was sitting there rubbing her knee, explaining what exactly growing pains are it made me think. The reason she is hurting is because she is growing. I thought how fast the almost five years have passed since she was born and thought one day I am actually going to miss when she would wake me up to rub her legs. I stopped being crabby and rubbed her knees until she fell asleep and was able to get Reeve back to sleep without very much trouble. I laid back down and thought a little bit more about family and life and fell asleep much more content than when I woke up.

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow..... For babies grow up we've learned to our sorrow...... So quiet down cobwebs..... Dust go to sleep.... I'm rocking my babies, cause babies don't keep!

I got this off of one of my friends blogs and thought is was sweet. Thanks, Stacey!