6 long months to go

We are lucky enough to be able to meet some amazing friends and spend a week with them at Disney World, in September.  We were going to hold off telling the kids, but it was too hard to keep a fun secret, so we told them.  6 months is a long time, and Olivia in her amazing 5 year old mind was having a hard time grasping how long we would have to wait, so I made a countdown chain, that is VERY long.  I think it did the trick, because she has stopped asking if we are going tomorrow.

I also made a chore chart, and if they get them done everyday for the week, they earn $2.50 for the trip. If they save everything, they will all have about 60 bucks to spend on souvenirs.  It is a win-win for all of us!

Taylor Swift

I surprised Grace with a quick trip to Omaha for a Taylor Swift concert.  She has loved Taylor Swift since she was about 5, so I was excited to learn she would be having a few concerts in our area.  It ended up that the concert that worked best for us was in Omaha, about 5 hours away.

 Waiting for it to begin.

 The beginning!

Up close.

During one point of the concert, Taylor walked to another part of the arena that was super close to us.  I told Grace that we should go down there in the aisle, but she didn't want to until it was too crowed.  So we stayed in our seats, and still had an amazing view.  I think she had a good time.  She seemed a little overwhelmed and was pretty quiet, but maybe she was just taking it all in.  Either way, we had an amazing time and I am so glad I could share this experience with her.

Pinewood Derby 2013

  In early March was the annual Pinewood Derby.  Jed and Chris worked on a race car.  He wanted it red with yellow lightening bolts on the sides with a number 28 on the top.  I didn't get a picture of it, but it turned out great.

 Watching the races!

Jed won second place for his den (Wolves), for the second year in a row.  

He loves participating in the Derby, and always tells us it is okay if he doesn't win.  Maybe it is his great attitude that gets him a trophy every year.

Grace turns 9

Our beautiful baby Grace turned 9 in February.  How nine years have passed since she came into our lives is crazy.  She is such a sweet girl, very loving and kind hearted, but is also pretty stubborn.  She wanted a Kindle Fire for her birthday, so she asked all her grandparents to help her with the purchase, and ended up with the Kindle, along with some Amazon gift cards, and a case.  She is one lucky girl.

Right now she says her favorite color is orange, her favorite foods are burritos and any type of pasta, she loves almost any book, we are currently reading the Little House on the Prairie series together.  She still listens to her iPod on a daily basis, and is as smart as ever.

She dislikes bananas, going to bed, getting her hair done (a daily struggle between us), and pink and purple together.

We love this little lady and are excited to see what big things she is going to do with her life.

Claire is 2!!

I can not believe this little girl is 2.  She is so feisty and sweet and naughty and cute, so it all balances out.  She loved opening presents this years, but not so much blowing out candles.

Some of her favorite things are babies, her kitchen, shoes, her blankie, being sneaky, brushing teeth.

She does not like getting her hair washed, any form of potato, mom leaving the house.

We love this sweet little thing.

Christmas

We were lucky enough to be able to go to Utah to visit Chris's side of the family for Christmas.  The day we left there was a snow storm that hit the midwest.  We tried to get ahead of it, but we came face to face in Omaha and had to stop for the night.  The next morning we started again, but all of the interstate across Nebraska was closed, so we had to drive south to Kansas and go across on 70.  It was a crazy long drive, but the kids were amazing and we finally made it, after 26 hours of driving.  Yikes.  IT was all worth it though, we had lots of fun and loved see ing family at such a wonderful time of the year.  WE were also able to do things with the kids that they had never experience before, like Temple Square lights...

 Sledding on a real hill...

and lots of other fun I don't have pictures of.  Meeting new cousins, going to the Nutcracker with Grandma, Christmas Eve dinner at Crown Burger, baking tons of cookies, and going to birthday partys on Christmas Eve. 

When we got home, the kids still had a week before they went back to school, so we had fun playing games , like Just Dance on the Wii.  

Thanksgiving

We went to my parents for Thanksgiving.  It is still an adjustment being able to make weekend trips to go see family.  I was a beautiful weekend, and they boys were able to cut up some massive trees while the girls cooked.  My sister SueAnn and I did a lot of the cooking this year, I guess my mom thinks her turn is done.  She still did the turkey though.  Someday I will figure that out, maybe I will be more observant next year!

Jed helping.  Such a good kid