Christmas 2011

We had a pretty relaxing Christmas this year and some firsts.  It was the first time that we went to someone else's house on Christmas Day.  With the birth of Sydney, we were happy to travel to Brandon and Erika's house and enjoy a 3-day-old baby, our entire family, and an awesome meal prepared by Erika's parents.  

We had church early on Christmas morning, which was nice because it allowed us to stretch out the gift opening and enjoy the day.  Santa stuck with some pretty traditional gifts this year--a scooter, a doll, a bike, a remote control helicopter and some ice skates made for some pretty happy kids.  The girls have taken a real liking to ice skating, so having their own skates was exciting.  I've now taken them ice skating three times and decided that getting older has its privileges--I can sit on the side with a good book and let them skate!  I did try it once and didn't die, so I guess that's a good sign.  

I surprised Doug and got him a gift certificate for Lasik eye surgery and some non-prescription sunglasses.  He is ready to ditch his glasses once and for all!

It has been great having Bennett home for a month, so we got to enjoy a lot of time with him and will be sad to see him go back to Tulsa on Cooper's birthday (is is possible that he's really almost 14?).  

Wireless microphones from Papa

Kaiya and her gym buddy, Evelyn

No fear!

Two Christmas miracles!

I cannot remember a time in my life that I have been so overcome with emotion for other people than I have been for the last 2 weeks.  On December 16th, just as Doug and Cooper were getting in the car to head to Utah for a quick visit (and the USU bowl game), we got the call that my nephew was about to get a heart!  Doug and Cooper made it to the hospital before they took him to surgery and were able to see him.  What a blessing!  I am happy to report that Spencer is HOME as of the time of this post.  He came home on New Year's Day, exactly three months after he went in.  It's hard to wrap my mind around all that happened in that time frame.  

Just 86 hours after transplant!

Doug and Cooper were able to go to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl with Doug's dad and all of his brothers and they had a great time.  I love that my boys have been able to take two trips now to be with them and have fun.  It's memories for Cooper for a lifetime.

On the blue turf

Just 6 days after Spencer got a new heart, we welcomed a new baby into our family.  Sydney Nicole was born on Dec. 22nd at 6:12 pm weighing 8 lbs 3oz.  She is perfect in every way and we can't get enough of her.  I've made more trips to Greeley in the last 2 weeks that I have in a long time.  It's worth it just to hold her for even a moment.  It's also pretty fun seeing my little brother being a daddy!

Proud parents

Pretty excited it's a girl!

Just an hour old

Better than any Christmas present

So awesome that Uncle B was home!

I could stare at this photo ALL DAY!

When we're not in Greeley, we've been busy this holiday break doing fun stuff.  The girls have a new found love for ice skating and we've been twice to do that.  Kinley also got to get her ears pierced because she FINALLY quit sucking her thumb once and for all.  Socks, duct tape and the nastiest tasting stuff on her thumb did the trick.

A little nervous

Ta-da!

Telling Santa what's on their list (and Kaiya being a really good sport!)

Miss Martha May in her debut

After 3 months of practice and rehearsals, Kinley finally got her big moment on stage.  She decided she wanted to give acting and singing a try and so we enrolled her in a children's theater group that is put together by a member of our church (and fellow Utah State graduate!).  They performed the classic Dr. Seuss story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  Kinley got a pretty big part and she practiced hard every week.  I didn't know she had a singing solo part until about a month into it, but she was super excited.  She memorized all of her lines with ease and had absolutely no stage fright (not surprising if you know her).  The play was over an hour, so I'm just posting her solo.  We were pretty proud of her and I think she's really got the bug to keep going with this acting thing.  I'm just glad to see her trying all kinds of things and finding what she loves.  The quality of the video is not great, but the sound quality is good if you turn up the volume.  Cooper took a tech class in school and learned how to make this into a fun movie.