Christmas 2013

We stayed home for Christmas this year.  It was the first time we had Christmas morning at out house and I loved it!  We ate dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Kunz at their house on Christmas Eve and then we acted out the nativity.  It was fun watching the kids. 

I thought Atreyu was going to climb in my bed on Christmas morning like he usually does but I woke up a little after seven and he was still in bed.  Grandma and Grandpa came over and then the kids woke up.  We had to wait a few minutes for Dad to get up and then Atreyu rushed to see what Santa brought.  Cambria got some My Little Ponies with cute little houses and Atreyu got a whole bunch of Super Hero Squad action figures and a helicarrier.  He was so excited! 

 

After seeing what Santa had brought we ate a yummy breakfast and then opened presents.  Atreyu flew through his and had finished opening all of them by the time Cambria had one open.

Cambria had more fun playing with each toy after she opened it.  We had to keep showing her that she had more presents to open.

Jesse and I gave each other this really cool rug (or rugs) that he had been watching on eBay forever.  They cost way too much but at Christmas time they went on sale for about half off so we decided we should get them.  I need to get a better picture but this is the best I have right now.

We had a wonderful, low-key Christmas.  Christmas has always been my favorite holiday but now that I have kids, I love it even more.  I'm so thankful that we have the opportunity to remember our Savior's birth and I am trying to teach my children the importance of our Savior at Christmas time.  I am so thankful for my sweet little family.

Hangin' Out With my Babies

I really love being a Mom and having such cute kids.  My patience is definitely tested on a daily basis but they are helping me to become a better person.  Atreyu is going through a phase right now where he rarely listens to anything I say unless I get really mad.  It is incredibly frustrating and I'm hoping that it gets better soon.  We still have fun together and I love watching each of the kids learn and grow.  I came in my bathroom one day and I found Cambria sitting in the same bucket that Atreyu used to love to sit in.  It was so cute and it brought back memories of Atreyu when he was younger.

 

Atreyu loves to run and jump and just be a boy.  He wanted me to take some pictures of him jumping of the stool but I do not have a camera that takes quick enough pictures.  He thought they were fun anyway.

Last week Jesse went up to Pocatello for the evening so the kids and I went to Arctic Circle and had fun playing on the playset.  We would climb up and down and all go down the slide together.  We all had fun!

Both of my kids love bath time.  Atreyu usually stays in until the water is cold.  

A couple weeks ago Atreyu asked me if he could wear his Simba costume from a couple Halloweens ago.  I didn't know if it would actually fit him but we pulled it out and it fit no problem.  He has been wearing it around constantly.  I made him take it off to take a bath but as soon as the bath was over he had it back on.  We both thought that the costume made his hair funny.

Speaking of hair, I decided I would try to pull all of Cambria's hair up into piggies.  I probably won't do it again for a while because it kept coming out but it was so cute and made her look grown up.

I am so blessed to have the privilege of being the mother to these two sweet spirits.  They are truly a gift from my Heavenly Father and I know that even though I love them more than I can express, He loves them even more.  With that knowledge I know I need to be the best mother that I can be to them and show them all the love they each need and deserve.

Montana Trippin'

At the beginning of December I took the kids up to Montana to visit my family.  They were really good on the drive there and back home.  I was pleasantly surprised.  We had a nice time seeing my parents, my brother, Tim, and my sister, Stephanie, and her sweet baby boy, Thane.  The kids warmed up to everyone pretty quickly and Cambria even gave some snuggles away.  One day we drove over to Florence to visit my Grandma who made us delicious "big" pancakes.  I enjoyed visiting everyone and letting my kids get to know them all better.  I didn't really think about pulling my camera out but I did get a few pictures. Cambria fell into a box and it was pretty funny.

When we were driving back to Helena from my Grandma's the temperature outside got incredibly cold.

 The kids thought Grammie and Papa's shower was a wonderful place to play.  They got all eight of us in there at one point.

Pre-Christmas Fun

We've been having fun this holiday season.  Atreyu had a Christmas party at school where they decorated boxes to look like a train and they went for a ride on the "Polar Express".  I wish I had known beforehand that they were doing this so I could have gotten some pictures.  The kids have been able to sit on Santa's lap twice this season.  Atreyu loves him and Cambria...not so much.

Of course at Christmas time you have to have sugar cookies.  Jesse, Atreyu and I had fun decorating them one afternoon.  Atreyu and Jesse both like to eat them more than decorate them so they really enjoyed themselves as well as their tummies.

Before church I tried to get a picture of the kids in their Christmas outfits but Cambria wouldn't have it.  This is the best I got.

This is truly my favorite time of year.  I love the spirit that is in the air, the Christmas songs, the snow (which we finally got) but most of all I'm thankful that we are able to celebrate the birth of our Savior.  I know I sometimes get caught up in the season and don't take the time to remember His holy birth but I have really been trying harder this year to remember the reason for the season.  I am so thankful for my Savior and the opportunity I have to teach my children about Him and His love for us.

Thanksgiving 2013

For Thanksgiving this year we went down to Provo and spent the weekend with Jesse's family.  We were able to go Temple Square and see the lights.  Apparently we went on opening night because it was packed.  The lights were so beautiful and I loved seeing the different nativities.  It was a fun weekend.

Preschool

This summer Jesse told me that we should apply to get Atreyu into the Headstart preschool.  Headstart is for children of families with low income.  They accept children who's families make more if they have extra slots.  We applied and Atreyu didn't get in but he was put on the waiting list.  When we got home from our cruise we had a bunch of messages saying a spot had opened up and Atreyu could go to school.  He has terrible separation anxiety!  He wouldn't go to Camp Carnival on the ship and when I tried to leave him at school his first day, he cried and cried.  I ended up staying the whole day. 

Every morning he tells me he doesn't want to go to school but when we get there, he gets distracted enough for me to sneak out and then he has a great time!  He's making new friends and learning more social skills which I think he needs more than learning his numbers and letters, etc.  That's important too but he is such a smart kid.  He really just needs to learn how to behave with other children and that it's okay for Mommy to leave him in a safe environment for a few hours.  I am glad that we have this opportunity and that he seems to be doing better everyday.

2013 Hawaiian Cruise: Ensenada, Mexico

Our last day on the ship we stopped at Ensenada for a few hours.  The last time we were there we were told that if we wanted to get real vanilla we should find a grocery store and buy it from there because all the tourist shops mark it up so much.  So our first order of business was to find a grocery store.  We just walked and I was able to get three large and three small bottles of real vanilla for $11.  If I had more room in my luggage I probably would have gotten more.

We then walked around and looked in all the different shops.  Jesse got a Volcom hat that would normally be about $50 or $60 in the US for $10.  In one shop Atreyu found a black Spider-man mask that he loved.  We found a store that was not very typical for the area with a bunch of different, random items.  We found a few antiques to go in our room. 

Jesse found this dragon which he fell in love with.  I think it's cool looking but it's not really my taste but he loves it.

Walking around Ensenada really made me realize how blessed and fortunate I am.  There are different families on the street with even the children trying to sell things to you.  They would be happy if you would buy one of their items for even a dollar.  We are so fortunate and I know I really take that for granted.  A lot of the time I think of the things that I would like to have instead of the things I am already blessed with.  Mexico was really an eye-opener and I hope that I can be more grateful for the many things that I am blessed with.

2013 Hawaiian Cruise: Halloween

We were able to celebrate Halloween on the cruise ship.  They had inflatable decorations all over the ship which the kids just loved.

Atreyu pretty much refused to go to Camp Carnival (the kid hang out) the entire cruise but we were able to persuade him to go there for trick-r-treating.  We had to drill it into his little mind that Mommy and Daddy weren't going to leave him there.  We started trick-r-treating at Camp Carnival and then they gave us a map to different locations all over the ship to stop at.  It was pretty fun but we all got sick of going back and forth.  It all ended at Dr. Frankenstein's Lab where they had a Halloween/costume party for the kids.  Atreyu and Cambria both won prizes for scariest costume and silliest costume for kids under four.  Atreyu had been telling us the whole trip that he wanted to get Legos in Hawaii and he got Legos for a prize.  He was thrilled!

 Everyone loved our costumes.  There was a costume party for the adults later that night but we were so hot and tired from traipsing all over the ship that we didn't participate.  It was a lot of fun checking out everyone else's costumes.

2013 Hawaiian Cruise: Hilo, The Big Island

Our last stop was on the Big Island in Hilo.  Our guide took us to Rainbow Falls (I think that's what it was called). 

We then headed to a private waterfall where we were able to swim and have Hawaiian BBQ.  The waterfall was beautiful but it was so cold.  Bernie absolutely loved it and didn't seem to mind the cold at all. 

After lunch we piled back into the van and headed to Akaka Falls.  We stopped along the way at a great spot for photos.  We had some tired kids: sleeping Cambria, silly Atreyu.

We then arrived at the falls where we were able to go on a little hike through the rainforest and enjoy more of the beauties on Hawaii. 

We were truly blessed to be able to visit such an amazing place.  Hawaii is firsthand proof of our Heavenly Father's love for us.  There is beauty everywhere you look.