I am playing catch up here. Here are some things we have been up to over the last month.

Not Gracie Girl, its Miss Rapunzel! She is really starting to love dress up and pretend play. Thank goodness because I was slightly worried I wasn't cultivatiing her imagination enough.


These were their Christmas dress outfits. I just fell in love with Gracie's dress and the boys outfits just matched so well. I have to say it is work getting my kids all dressed up but I secretly love doing it. They are too cute!


Do we look like twins?


Maybe someday I will get all three to look at me. Still pretty cute though.


Fort time with Daddy, a favorite Sunday activity.


Gracie and Ty's best friends Grace and Tad. We love them. Just having a little pajama party, eating popcorn and watching Cars 2.


Mommy and son headed out for a date with Dadddy!


I cannot keep this kid out of the chalk on the easel! Now when he goes over to it and stands up he peeks around to see if I am watching because he knows I am going to say, "Zac Christopher no, no!" and then he laughs. It is a fun little game we play.


This boy may be small but he loves food! Such a good eater. He wants everything we eat. Soon little man soon you will be able to eat it all!


Say Cheese! A favorite snack for these little ones, cheese and crackers the perfect after nap snack.

Snow Storm 2012

We got snow! It was so fun to wake up to snow and see the beautiful white everywhere. I love watching it fall and seeing the trees covered. If I were still teaching school, I would have shouted for joy for the "snow day!" When we get snow even if it is just barely a couple inches everything tends to shut down because we would rather not drive in it. However this snow day turned into a snow week.

So we got a few inches on Tuesday and then the weatherman predicted this big storm to come in for Wednesday. I am always a little skeptical when the weatherman predicts lots of snow, mostly because I just dont want to be disappointed. Disappointed I was not! The snow came and came! Some parts of Washington got up to a foot of snow. I would guess we got about 8 inches. Needless to say we werent going anywhere, literally because our van got stuck backing out of our driveway.

More fun for the kids, ok and us too. They had to warm up to playing in the snow but after a bit they really enjoyed themselves. Shoveling, raking, eating, making snow angels. Our snow was a bit too powdery, we never did make a snowman. The twins got their first good taste of snow.



"Are you kidding?" Oh what a sweetheart! He wasn't too excited I bundled him up to go on a snowy walk. I don't think he appreciated the mittens.


















The aftermath of the snowstorm wasn't as fun. Thursday it turned icy, with freezing rain, with lots of people losing their power. Luckily we did not lose our power but I feel for those who did. Friday was the meltdown, it all finally decided to turn slushy but with some icy areas as well. Saturday it just looked ugly. Big mounds of snow in parkinglots, it reminded me of the way Rexburg, ID gets. The temperatures were up and the rain was washing it all away.

I am so thankful that I stay at home with my kids and this wasn't a big uproar in our daily life. Kev had to work at home for a bit but was able to get to work when he needed. I love the snow but it does create problems as well as being pretty to look at.

Smiles

We are finally getting the hang of pictures. For awhile there I thought that my kids would never catch on to looking at the camera and smiling. But we have made vast improvements. Must mean my twinners are just getting older and bigger.

These two make me smile everyday with the funny things they say, their silly personalities and the craziness they bring to my day.

I tell people all the time that Gracie is my challenge. She can be so stubborn because she is so independant. She has no fear, but at the same time can be very shy. She loves Ty but knows exactly how to push his buttons and will do just that on a daily basis. She doesn't want to sleep ever! She would prefer to stay up and play all night long. She loves to be with Mommy and help me. She loves to put on my makeup and when she puts on chapstick she will say, "I pretty!" She is full of giggles and is so fun to play with. Love this girl!


My Ty is just the sweetest boy around. He is one hundred percent boy and would love to wrestle anyone who is willing. He can be on the stubborn side especially when he is tired but he is also super sensitive. He prefers if I never raise my voice at him. And his new favorite phrase is, "You go to timeout, I spank your bum bum!" He loves to play with Zac but is a tad on the rough side with him. Ty loves learning new things and will constantly ask, "Whats that mommy?" He is still my early riser and loves to watch "Phineas and Ferb" with Daddy. Love this boy!


We have yet to master both looking at the camera and smiling at the same time.

Maybe someday we will get it.

Love my twins, they are just growing too fast.

Rockin in 2012!

Our New Years was spent like most with three sick kids would have, on the couch watching a movie with the three sick kids in bed early. No fun having sick kiddos but we still had an enjoyable night.

Kevin grew up with the tradition of having fondue on New Years Eve, so we have since continued that tradition.

Kevin preparing all our fondue. We had shrimp, steak and cheese, fruit with chocolate to dip it in. All yummy!


Is it bad that I just let Zac eat what he wants? With the twins I was very cautious of new foods and introducing all the food we eat. Not with Zac, sure here you go try this buddy! And he loves it!


Gracie girl enjoyed just eating the cheese. Not unusual for this one. She was finally getting over the yucky virus that she had had all week long.


Ty enjoyed the fondue skewers the most, he liked to use them as swords. The most he ate were the strawberries.


Zac is just so sweet! Hoping for a healthier year for this guy.


Gracie in her party "cupcake" outfit. I have to admit I love dressing this girl, she is just too cute. Not always willing to let me dress her, she would prefer to be naked most the time. But I sense I will have a shopper in her yet.


"This is my party shirt!" Thanks Grandma!


Happy 2012! Hope it is a wonderful year!

8 Years

Kev and I celebrated our eighth anniversary on December 27th. Eight years seems like a long time, I feel a tad old. It only feels old because we are close to 10 years and I always thought people who celebrate their 10th anniversary were old. We went out to dinner at this delicious restaurant called Stanley and Seaforts. And our waitress was shocked when we said we were celebrating 8 years. Glad I still come across as young. :)

It was a lovely evening without the children! Kevin's parents were still in town and were so sweet to watch all three kids while we went out to dinner. All three kids were sick too, so I really appreciate them doing that for us. We don't ever get date nights like we should so it was just fun to be out together. Amongst all the chaos of our life I sometimes forget how important it is to still date each other.

But I still love this guy to pieces.


It wasn't my favorite married year by any means, I know that sounds harsh but it is the truth. We just don't get to spend any time with one another. So I miss him. He is a busy man. He has a demanding job, he teaches early morning seminary and he comes home to three little kids who want to play with him non-stop. By the time they are in bed, seminary lesson is prepared all the other stuff is done, we are just exhausted.

However, he does this all very well and never complains. And I am so grateful for how hard he works and the job he has. And I know that he is suppose to be teaching seminary, he is great with the youth and they love him. And my favorite thing of all is watching him with our children, whether it be rocking Zac right after he had his surgery, wrestling with Ty or reading with Gracie. He is the best daddy to them.

So really I just feel blessed. As hard of year it was, I am so grateful to have such an amazing husband to share it all with.

Happy Anniversary Kev! I love you!

Christmas

Christmas morning came! It goes so fast! The first thing Ty said when he woke up was, "I heard Santa's bells!" and "Did the reindeer eat the carrots?"

We had a lovely day. We got up and opened stockings, the kids played with their big toys, opened a few gifts and we ate pancakes for breakfast. Then everyone went to church. I stayed home with the sick Gracie girl and let Zac nap. My sister got picked up and left.

We did Ty's presents after church and then Gracie opened hers later when she was feeling a little better. We had a delicious Christmas dinner and enjoyed playing games after the kids went to bed.

Kevin is the best! He is so sweet to help with the wrapping. We decided this year that Gracie would have princess wrapping, Ty had Toy story and cars wrapping. And Zac just had Chrismas red. They knew exactly which were their presents.


Stockings are my personal fave, I love finding stocking stuffers and enjoy stuffing them just right.


Santa came!


Such a cute picture, I love Zacs face.


The first gifts the kids opened were from Grandma and Grandpa Jenkins. Oh Ty was so excited for his John Deere Tractor.


Gracie got a doll with a little wagon to pull her in. Gracie enjoys pulling that wagon around.


Hehe, love this of Ty. He and Gracie had a blast playing in the playtent and playhouse from Auntie.


Gracie helping Zac learn his new toy.


He knew right away which train was Thomas.

Zac knew just which toy was his and crawled right to it. His musical mirror stand, he loved playing with it.


Ty was super excited to see his train set. He immediately went to it and started playing with it.


Auntie and her nephews. The boys getting in some time with her before she left.


Mr. Zac was just so happy to crawl around and get into everything and play with all the wrapping.


Ty all ready for church writing a get well note to Gracie on her chalkboard.

Ty had a blast this Christmas and he was just in heaven with all his backhoe loaders. Santa really came through as well as the Grandpas with his favorite trucks.
He was so full of excitement and energy. It was so fun to see him so happy and enjoying all the moments.

Ty thought this was the coolest thing from Uncle Nick and Amber. It is a nightlight fish tank. The twins sit and stare at all the fish going by.


Grandpa Jenkins was so good to put together all Ty's trucks right then and there.


"Bang!" "Got you!" Ty loves his gun from Grandma and Grandpa F. He has wanted this gun since we went to Montana for a visit back in the summer. Gracie however hates this gun and freaks out every time he points it at her.


Alright another loader truck! This boy loves his trucks! Thanks Grandpa Morgan.


The expressions Ty had when he opened his gifts were the best.


Poor Gracie girl was just so sick on Christmas. She had no energy and just wanted to sleep. She came down with this virus the day before and it just took over, such a bummer for her. I know she would have been so excited.

The most energy I saw her have Christmas morning was when she opened this and saw her Tangled dress up dress. She was so happy and had to have it on. Then like a minute later her fever spiked and I took her up to bed.


Gracie didn't finish opening her gifts until after her nap later in the day. She loved everything she got and has since enjoyed playing with it all.

Gracie loves this princess book from Uncle Nick and Amber.


This is her new favorite thing to do with Mommy.


Oh this just made her Christmas, to have her own TinkerBell doll that flaps her wings. She was so happy!


All the kids admiring their snowglobes with Grandpa Jenkins.


Such a fun day! Love all the family time and enjoying making these memories with my sweet kids.