"Winter"

Well, it's always bitter sweet feeling when the holidays are over, but life is still good!

We're learning some valuable lessons as we figure out how to parent and love our very opinionated, stubborn three-year-old daughter. She is a sweet, talented, beautiful, kind little miss... but definitely knows how to throw a fit these days. 

Only 9 or 10 short months until our husbands are finished with PA school. I think we're all beyond excited to be done and move on, but it will be a sad day when we have to leave each other. These are the best besties a girl could ask for (at a little girls night for Dayna's birthday). Don't mind are scary faces here.

Garen has been working in the ER for his rotation this month and has had to be there a lot of nights. We miss him while he's gone for bedtime but the month is almost over! Plus, the kids got some really awesome story books for Christmas to make bedtime a bit more fun!

I got out some old notes of mine in preparation for tutoring a sweet little friend of ours, Zoey with some of her shook work. It's been really fun to practice some of the things I used to be so good at.

"Scrunchy nose!"

Garen and I have some AWESOME grandparents who send us money at Christmas time cause they love us so much, and I got to use some of mine on decor for the living room! Yay!

We are obsessed with the soundtrack to our new favorite cartoon movie, Frozen!

We dance and sing to it a lot in the evening while we clean up and get ready for bed.

It is sick season, and poor Lainee Girl had strep throat last week, so we went on lots of walks to get out for an hour here and there. This is the only thing I hate about winter. Yuck.

We've been creative with finding places to go while Garen tries to sleep during the day before his night shifts. Here are my happy kiddos actually sitting together long enough for me to get some pictures while they play. 

I love our little family and I can't wait until Garen is done with all this studying and weird schedules business so he can hang out with us more often. Less than a year. Yeah!

This Time in ML

The kids and I got to go home to Moses Lake after Christmas and spend a week with my family. This is how it went- (photos at the end).

Saturday: Our flight left a day late but it did leave, and Jace threw up on the plane. 

Sunday: church was pretty good. The kids went to nursery with Grandma and enjoyed themselves. I got to go to class with my siblings and my dad taught a great lesson... Lainee started throwing up that evening and threw up ALL night long.

Monday: Lainee still yucky but a little better, and we got to hang out at home with everybody and play on the ice for a bit.

Tuesday: New Year's Eve- made a trip to the store for some yummy drinks and food. Did some fun ice skating with the whole family, until Megan went inside not feeling well, and by that night, the whole house was sick sick sick. Lainee, Ariel, and I had some sparkling cider and popped some confetti at 9:00 with the east coast. The rest of the night was spent watching a Netflix show and taking care of the ill in their beds. 

Wednesday: New Year's Day- everyone had been throwing up and/or had diarrhea at some point ALL night and morning so we laid around. Dad was the only one who didn't get it at all so he brought us all some saltines, Coke, and Ginger Ale. When mom was feeling a little better she made some homemade chicken noodle soup, and we had a slow day.

Thursday: everyone felt a lot better with the exceptions of just a few runs to the toilet. Garen's brother and his wife were driving through to Port Orchard and stopped by so we got to see him and his wife and daughter for a minute! Then the kids and I met up for lunch with some of my old friends who grew up together and it was refreshing to catch up a bit! I also got to see one of my best buds, Jill that evening! I'm so glad she came by. We forgot to take a picture :(

Friday: we had to say goodbye to Jordan and his wife, Ariel as they left for Rexburg. Then helped with some housework, and got to visit with both sets of my grandparents before leaving the state again. 

The kids were okay on the way home until we landed, and Lainee threw the biggest, longest, craziest, naughtiest, screaming, kicking, bratty fit I have seen any kid throw ever... (Except maybe my brother, Parker at her age)... It lasted from the time she woke up on the plane until we got to passenger pickup, which, as you know can take a while and DID take a while. Who knows how a person her size could have had that much crazy bottled up at that time of night. BUT, I will say that it was a looong week of not feeling well and sleeping in a different bed, PLUS it was way past bedtime and she got woken up, PLUS she IS only three...... But still, UGH!

Anyway, we made it home and my house was sparkling clean because Garen loves me and knows what makes me happy. I missed him TONS and am glad to be home, even though I always miss my mom and daddy. 

Normal... We'll be returning to you soon.

Snuggles.

This fireplace shelf is Jace's dream play spot.

Sickies.

The lake in Mom and Dad's back yard during the summer.

The lake in the back yard this winter.

Our sad New Years Eve.

Little cousin Kennadie visiting.

Warm blankets out of the dryer.

Reading a few last books with Grandma.

Parker is always making beautiful noise with Mom's last year's Christmas gift. 

Goodbye Moses Lake. Until we meet again.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Day 2013

I think I was more excited for chhristmas this year than the kids were! It was our first year to spend Christmas morning with just our little family and not visiting our parents and siblings. It was a blast but kind of a strange feeling at the same time. Anyway here are some pics of our day...

Jace woke up around 6:50, so I brought the kids their milk, and we waited for Dad. We sang "Picture a Christmas." To remind us it was Jesus' birthday.

Then we headed out to see if Santa had stopped by. 

Lainee dove onto the couch when she saw her pink unicorn! Santa remembered! The bunk beds we- I mean Santa's helpers- made were a huge hit too! Santa also brought a GK gymnastics leotard. 

Jace walked over to take a look at their new train before hitting up his own stocking and gifts. Pretty cool!

Stocking surprises included candy canes filled with Mike and Ikes, Lintdor truffles, snowman chocolate balls. Anna migiclip doll, Frozen water bottle, and hair accessories for Lainee, and dinosaurs for Jace!

Jace got a big fuzzy dog just like the one he was in love with at the toy store!

Of course we got the dolls in bed right away.

Jace needed some boy toys so bad. Between his birthday and Christmas, I think he got his fair share. Santa brought him his big dog, a wooden car track, and some sports balls!

Choo choo!

Jace was excited but a little confused, I think. Haha cutie.

Then we opened gifts from Grandmas and Grandpas, who spoiled us again of course. Garen and I did get a few things for each other but they weren't as exciting to photograph so all you get to see are the kids :)

Jace noticed that Santa left a perfectly good cookie on the plate, and decided to finish it for him.

We had a great big breakfast/brunch, and enjoyed the rest of the day in our PJs, watching new Disney movies and our favorite Christmas shows while enjoying our new toys.

I thought my kids would be spoiled rotten with all their gifts from Santa, but when I saw on Facebook and Instagram all the tons huge gifts so many kids were getting, I realized that I think Santa chose just right for us! 

We are all very grateful for what we have and what we've been given, and most importantly for our loved ones, and for the greatest gift of all which comes from our brother, lord and savior, Jesus Christ. 

Christmas Eve 2013

There's only one more sleep 'til Christmas!

We had a fantastic day together even though it was sad to not be around other Hill or Blanchard crazies.

We drove up to Mt Charleston and found some snow.

We were invited to a couple different dinner parties but we had already bought a whole bunch of food for our own dinner, and it was actually really, really nice to to be with just our little family even though we did kind of miss the feel of a big gathering.

Garen fixed us up delicious steak and shrimp. Mmm.

This is his plate.

Then Lainee helped me make dessert. Apple jack. Yum! Plus we had some Oreo cream pie stuff.

That evening, after dessert and baths, we put on a little nativity at Lainee's request.

Lainee was Mary. Garen was Joseph. Jace was the shepherd. I was the angel. (And "Big Dog" was the donkey, and then the sheep.)

Then we sang some songs, opened our PJs, and got some cookies ready for Santa to come. It was a pretty good day.

(I have no idea why the kids look so grumpy in every picture... They really weren't.)

Now we're just chillin with this awesome fake fire on Netflix... Until Santa comes.

Santa's Helpers

We have this daughter who's three years old and wants doll bunk beds for Christmas, but we noticed that a lot of the ones you can buy are priced way too high for the cheap plastic and cardboard they're made of. 

So we built some ourselves! We got all the wood for less than $4. The rest was mostly stuff I already had in my crafting supplies so the whole thing cost us less than $8 or $10. Soo much better! Including all the sanding, painting, etc. it only took us three nights after kids were in bed, plus an hour or so for me to sew the bedding.

Voila! I think she'll love it!