Dear Layla (another belated birthday letter)

Ok, last belated birthday letter (for now)!

Our Little Miss Layla, or Laylani Kahlulu, as her Daddy calls her, turned FOUR on thanksgiving.  It was a crazy time and I'm still recovering, so this is pretty good that I'm getting to it only 2 1/2 months late :)

Layla, you're a little firecracker.  For REALZ.  Or, as one of your favorite songs puts it, you're a firework.  You are a ball of energy and you keep us hopping!  You are always drawing comments from others about how fun and enthusiastic and excited you are-- you're just a party on wheels, girl.

A couple of weeks ago a sister in church said to me, "I have to tell you something I've been laughing about all week-- I taught Layla's primary class last week-- during our game of "follow the leader" each child took turns stomping or twirling and then having the class follow them.  Then it was Layla's turn: full-on back bend!  We stopped the game there because nobody could keep up with Layla!"

You LOVE the color pink and have a strict "I get the pink one!" policy whether it's dinner plates, car seats, socks, or treats, etc.  You want "dark pink sparkly hair".  Your letter to Santa asked for "everything pink". 

You LOVE "lips", which is what you call lipgloss, lipstick, or chapstick.  Especially pink lips.  For your birthday your Dad got you a six pack of Disney Princess chapstick, and you haven't stopped talking about them since!  If I can't find you, you are usually in my bathroom trying on my "lips".  You often confuse adult women because you'll get really close to their faces and then say as you study them, "Do you have pink lips?" or "...red lips?" or whatever color you think their lipstick may be.  Before they can fully understand your question you are already telling them about the six "pairs" of lips you got for your birthday (you call everything "pairs", such as pairs of snacks, pairs of skirts, etc.) in great detail.

You are everybody's friend!  You are that kid at the grocery store or park or post office that is wearing a princess dress, a ninja mask, and rain boots and approaching everybody and saying, "Hi, what's your name!?! I'm Layla-- L-A-Y-L-A and I have six lips. Do you have any lips? Do you want to be my friend?" You brighten every public place you are in.

You love jokes.  One of my favorite things is when you randomly insert the phrase: "get it?".  For example, you will be talking about pretending to be a princess and wearing a crown. "Get it? CROWN? Get it?!?"   It makes no sense but makes me laugh just the same as if it does. 

You are a performer.  Last year when your sisters had their dance recitals, you always found a way to get to the stage and steal the show.  Now you are in dance so you don't have to be so sneaky about it-- you just dance your heart out and you love it so much!  You are also serious about singing.  You especially love to sing "This Girl is on Fire", "Roar", and all the Frozen songs.  You recently lifted your ban on me singing any of the girl parts in songs we listen to in the car, which was really generous of you.  I hope you never lose your uninhibited love for singing and dancing!

You are dangerous.  At least to your sisters.  And sometimes me.  They often have scratch marks from you, even gouges sometimes.  You don't usually do it to friends but when somebody crosses you, you've not yet found the right response.  We are working on it and you are now trying to take deep breaths and ask me for help if you don't know how to handle it :)  .  You are also a super great snuggle buddy and will always find your way onto my lap.  When I was pregnant last year, so were several of our other mom-friends.  You started asking everybody, "Do you have a baby in your tummy?" If they answered "No", you would immediately ask to sit on their laps--you'd been baby-bellied out of all your favorite seats!

You are picking up early reading skills really quickly right now and you love to practice writing.  Last week while making a birthday banner for Erica Larson, you accidentally misspelled your name.  "Mom, what does L-A-L-Y spell?"  You decided it would be easier for you to just officially change your name to Laly than to correct your mistake.  So Laly it is, for now.  Which makes grocery store conversations a little more confusing: "My name is Laly, and my nickname is pink-elsa, cause it used to be Elsa and my other nickname is Layla but my new name is Laly."


Layla, you fun-loving, pink-obsessed, sweet and sassy thing you, we love you.  We have had so much fun watching you develop your little (big!) personality and we are excited to continue to do so--you bring an element of excitement and joy to our family that only you could--thank you!

Dear Campbell (Also belated...)

Campbell's birthday also came and went without documentation, obviously, so here goes--time to write down a few things about everybody's favorite Curly Sue!

On your 5th birthday!

Campbell, you are something else.  How can I describe you?  You are sweet and sensitive and yet sassy and independent.  You are an absolute joy to have around and just looking at you melts our hearts.

some things about you at age five:  You hate to make decisions.  When asked to decide which song you want sung at bedtime, you say, "whatever Cadence is going to say". When asked which movie you want to watch, you say, "I want you to choose for me."  You avoid decisions a LOT.  So your dad and I try to make you practice decision making as often as we can.  I hope that doesn't backfire :)

You can't stand to see other's sufferings.  Once I was going to give all three of you girls ice cream cones but as I was about to dish them up, Layla scratched somebody or something like that (happens a LOT) so I told her no ice cream for her.  It was probably you she scratched.  She was heart broken and angry and you begged me to give her yours because you couldn't stand to see her like that.  I basically forced you to eat your own, which made you miserable, and so I let you share in the end.  If anybody gets into trouble you sit with them in time out or try to negotiate a lighter sentence for them.  If Ezra is crying you nag and nag and nag until I help him, because you can't bear to see him sad.  You are full of empathy.

BUT, if YOU are the one in trouble, you don't quite respond the same.  Instead of negotiating for a lighter sentence, you yell: "YOU MADE ME CRY!!!" In anger that I've scolded you.  Or, "NOW MY HEAD HURTS BECAUSE YOU WERE TALKING MEAN TO ME!!"  Or you like to threaten me: "FINE, THEN IF YOU SEND ME TO MY BED, I'M GOING TO NEVER EVER READ WITH YOU AGAIN BECAUSE YOU DID THIS TO ME! THIS IS YOUR FAULT, NOT MINE!"  You really don't like being at fault, I guess.  Who can blame you?  It's cute and frustrating at once.


seriously, how cute can things get around here!

You learned to read this year at school, you know. You picked it up in a snap.  You love school and although your dad and I were secretly gearing up for some talks from the school officials about whether some attention assessments needed to be made (we were planning on fighting back, hahaha), you teacher informed us that you are a model student and that she can always point out to the other students how well you are sitting and listening at rug time or how quickly you follow directions, etc.  We were happy to hear this news, plus a little shocked and a little relieved.  We were not shocked to hear that you are everybody's friend and that you look for ways to make those around you happy.

One Sunday morning we decided to straighten your hair.  It didn't stay straight for very long, but you thought it was so fun!

Let me explain the thing about attention assessments.  You tend to pay attention to a lot of things---all at once.  For example, you have often crashed your bike (thank HEAVEN for helmets, you have proven yours more than once...), and the reason you crash is that rather than look ahead, your neck is craning all around.  Even if I'm shouting as loud as I can, "CAMPBELL! LOOK WHERE YOU ARE GOING!"  You tend to be independent during play time, too, so that when the rest of the group heads off in one direction, you find yourself in the other...Someday, this will be a strength, probably.  You are creative and original and don't need to follow.  And apparently it's not hampering your school success (yay!).

The thing about you, Cam, is that you are oblivious to how stinkin cute you are.  Your hair is just the beginning, and your glasses are just icing on the cake.  Your shining, smiling eyes, your dimples... you are like a whirling dervish of cuteness. And when you dress yourself (usually rainboots and skirts are involved)...And your absent "r's".... We get told often that you belong on commercials.  Once you told me, "Mom, I don't want to be cute.  I want to be FUN."  I loved that! And lucky for you, you're both.

Doc McStuffins is no match for your caring heart.

Oh, another thing about you is that your laugh is fantastic.  Your laugh puts a smile on people's faces.  It is medicine for this Mama's soul.

 



One day you and your sister got off the school bus and there was a fire truck at the neighbors house on the way home.  The firemen let you and your sisters in to have a look!

 

 

 

 

Oh, Campbell, your five-year-old self is sooo great.  Never ever change.  We love you and can't wait to enjoy life along side you--it's going to be a good ride!

Dear Cadence (belated birthday)

Well, six months ago was Cadence's birthday, but I had just had a baby so I didn't get around to blogging.... ever.  So now we are home having our umpteenth snow day and the kids are watching a movie and the baby is sleeping and DARN IT, I'm going to write some things down for posterity :)

Since I've gone so long I'm going to try to summarize some of the wonderful wonderful things about Cadence as a 7 year old.  Ideally this would be a birthday letter.  But we don't live in the ideal world, do we?

7! Happy Birthday, Luv! (Six months ago...)

Cadence, now you are 7 1/2.  You are undeniably smart and determined.  You are socially intelligent.  You are a planner and a doer.  And you loooove to help and serve others.  Some things you love are: gymnastics, cooking, planning lessons or activities (you usually use your small pink clip board and make lists, etc), art, super smash bros., ice skating, and swimming.  You also love to ride your bike and to be creative outdoors (such as gathering small acorns and twigs and making a grand plan to make something out of them). 

Dad and I can always depend on you to do your chores 100%.  We love to see you get excited about a plan and execute it.  Your eyes light up when you have a grand design and you get moving fast.  At times this causes some friction because you REALLY don't like it when you've decided on a plan and I have to tell you that it's not going to happen or that things have to change.  For example, sometimes you like to plan parties for the weekend or playdates that I can't follow through because of previous plans or sick siblings, etc.  You are working on handling this disappointment better, but it doesn't come very easily :)

snowed in at the Clivinos, you build an impressively organized structure.

 

meeting baby brother

You are my big helper with the little girls and especially with Ezra.  At this moment you are playing with him while I type.  At this moment you also have a bruise that is exactly the size of his little mouth on your chin, where you let him suck/chew on it the other day.  You help feed him, too!  You are very proud of how much you get to do to help with him and you are always thinking of how to be more helpful.

Cadence, you love service!  You love to make me breakfast in bed.  You love to make cookies for neighbors or snacks for your sisters.  You get that same fire in your eyes when you think of a way to help somebody.  Or surprise somebody.  Oh, you love to execute surprises!

 Last spring when I was still expecting Ezra, Dad was on cruise/family reunion on Mother's day.  Each morning for the first three mornings you brought me breakfast in bed.  You always paid special attention to the presentation: cupcake flags in the toast, flowers in a cup, chocolate chip smiley faces!  The breakfasts were things like toast, gingersnaps, sugar snap peas, and starlight mints.  On the morning of Mother's Day, you proudly brought in my meal, but you accidentally tripped and spilled VERY pink strawberry milk of your own making all over my carpet and bed!  I was so sick and tired from the pregnancy I burst into tears!  I made you promise to not bring me any more breakfast in bed until Dad got back :) . You did your very best that week to make it easier for me, and I sure did appreciate that.  You are a treasure.

There are so many wonderful things about you, my sweet, strong girl.  You and I have a lot of heated discussions, but in the end you always hug me and tell me you are sorry, often in a sweet note.  You are strong-willed (which will lend itself to your success, I'm sure of it), but you are also humble enough to remember after the tempest has quelled just a bit, that you still have a lot to learn and that you will benefit from listening to what Dad and I are trying to teach you.

making an afterschool snack-- ants on a log--your plan, your execution

oh my, you are just too cute.

You don't always trust me to know what is best, that is the truth.  Like the night we fed Ezra baby cereal for the first time (he having only had mother's milk until then).  You begged and pleaded with us not to do it.  You demanded that I not do it.  And then when I went against your wishes, you hid under the table and sobbed, fearing for your baby brother's life.  Refusing to believe that your Dad and I knew what we were doing!

 

Cadence, you are strong, happy, and fun.  You always have been.  Keep it up and know that everyday we are grateful you are ours!

Little Fella

Ezra is coming up on 7 months now and I've written nothing about him since his birth story!  Well, son, that's what you get for depriving me of sleep and sanity--no time or brain for writing. 

Here are some things about this little hunk of burnin' love:

Ezra, you are HAP. PY.  You have a smile and a "wiggle of happiness" for your sisters and Mom and Dad all day long.  You want to put your hands on everybody's faces and put your forehead to theirs.  You know your sisters can be a bit rough and tumble with you but you forgive them every time and still shriek with joy at their sight.  They do the same to you, by the way.  After six months, they are still excited every single time they see you. 

You are HUN.GRY.   You have eaten every two hours or more since birth, night or day, with few exceptions.  In spite of this, you are still sort of  a shrimp (at six months you were at the 1st percentile, dropping from the 6th at 4 months).  We've been adding formula and coconut oil to your rice cereal to try to beef you up and especially to get you to sleep a little longer!

From the time you were born, if I laid you on your back you would start choking.  Even to change your diaper.  So I NEVER put you down.  I would hold you constantly.  Even to go potty (too much information?).  You slept on my chest and I gave you the fastest diaper changes ever so that I could scoop you right back up.  You grew out of this after about 3 weeks, but by then you had learned that mama's arms are where you belonged and you didn't want to be put down. Ever.  I could rock you to sleep for 45 whole minutes and the second I laid you in your bed, can you guess what would happen? Eyes open, out comes a wail...  at about 2 months we bought you a swing and basically you lived there for a while.  That freed up my arms a little during naptimes, but you were still constantly eating, even at night. We are still working on that and you are currently spending half of each night in the pack and play in our closet and half in your swing in the corner of our bedroom.

Don't worry, babies are always that color.

Grandma Clive was there to see you come into this world, this was probably an hour after you were born.

Man time. 10 days old

11 days old

One month old

six week check up with Midwife Lucy Ferguson, the woman who aptly unwrapped your neck from the cord and then calmly got you to take your first breath using mouth to mouth.  She's an angel and has sworn to someday tease you for being your first kiss :)

I can't find a date on this one but I'm guess about 1.5 months, just as the smiles are coming.

 

3 months old with Grandpa Marcel



4 months old with your fan club presidents

5 months old-- rockin that sweater vest!

 

six months old! wearing one of the many Yankees outfits Gramps (Clive) sent you.  You are such a little man!

first bite of solid foods, you loved it then you hated it then you loved it again.  You are a little hard to read regarding food right now! six months

six months with some of your baby buddies: Rachel and Dean S, Mason F, Tommy S, and you and Lucy True H are the ones flailing your arms around--6 months

 

You are LOV.ED.  You are a treasure to us.  We have so many hopes and dreams for you, but above all, we hope that you learn to love truth and righteousness and cling to them, so that no matter what else comes into your life, you can weather it.  You are a strong and smart man, with a deep capacity to love and bless others.  I can see it.  I know it.  Because I'm your mother. 

Dr Strangelip

Or: How I Learned to Quit Worrying and Love the Coldsore.

Last week I got a cold sore.  I'm not a coldsore person.  I think I've never gotten one before, but even if I had, this one would still be worth noting.  Because it wasn't just a coldsore, it was like a geological event.  It was HUGE.  It was right on my lip--not on the corner--on the top lip on the "peak".  It was so huge that my lip had to accommodate it by swelling about 40 times its size.  Now, you are thinking I'm being dramatic here but I looked like an Elephant stomped on my face. 

 

this picture wasn't at is worst, trust me.

I consider myself to be not too vain. (as evidenced by the fact that I'm posting the above photo).  I don't mind going out with minimal make up, or admitting when I just didn't feel like showering (you know you do it!).  But I went to pretty great lengths on it's worse day to avoid leaving the house.  I started to feel tingling all over my face and called Spencer and told him to meet me at the pharmacy and bring some Abreva to me in the car (so I didn't have to be seen).  I spent the rest of the day applying it all over my face like a crazy person.  (by the way, can we talk about how it's like a tube of Barbie toothpaste, and yet it costs $16?)

So, it erupted and has been in various stages of scabbing for several days.  It's gross and scratchy and 3-dimensional.  So how did I learn to quit worrying and love the Coldsore?

I've had to resist from kissing anyone or anything for an entire week.  Now, back in my single days, 11 years ago, going a week without kissing anybody would go un-noticed.  The coldsore wouldn't, but a week without kissing back then? Easy peasy.  Call off my weekend date and tell the boys I don't need dinner that week (haha, just kidding, mostly...) 

But this week (and counting, by the way...not healed yet) has been sooo long and I miss using my lips so much.  When my sweet baby's neck needs nuzzling, when my 4-year-old needs some snuggle-time, when the kids get home from school and I want to squeeze them and kiss them and tell them it's ok that the boy on the bus called them "lame".  When my husband is anywhere near me.  And a million other things.

(my lips are so lucky:)

 Just imagine having endless access to baby toes, baby fingers, baby cheeks and noses and ears... And having 3 little girls that aren't too old to love kisses from their mom when they are sad or hurt or have good news or bad.  There was so much kissing to do, but I had to restrain. 

So, I said to this coldsore, Wow, you big, ugly thing--maybe I would have never thought about how blessed my sweet lips are to have so much to kiss.  Maybe without you I would have never had to sadly turn away when my baby is trying to touch my mouth or try to welcome my husband home with no kisses or tuck my kids in at night and have to just press my cheek to theirs.  Thank you, you big dumb open sore, for showing me how very very blessed my lips are.

And then I said, Okay, you stupid hunk of grossness, I got it, life lesson learned. You can go away now.  But it didn't listen.  Probably coldsores rarely do.

2013 In Review

Here's a little recap of 2013 and how it all went down:

 

January: Mardee is sick and pregnant, showers twice/week, rarely accomplishing anything. Spencer makes up for Mardee's slack and works hard at Walmart HQ.  He holds it all together with a smile.  The kids are excited for a new baby and do their best to take care of mommy.  Spend New Years with Caitlin, Jordan, and Fan--go on a cave adventure and ice skating! Campbell gets her first pair of glasses and a sonic boom is heard all over as she exceeds the Adorableness Barrier.

Daddy-Daughter date to the animal shelter to play with the dogs.



About to embark on a cave exploration adventure with Uncle Jordan and Aunt Caitlin!

A couple of natural beauties prove that more is... more.  They may have been getting into mischief but, my, it was a nice quiet rest for mom!

The girls made many efforts to boost morale and help me feel better.  A little tea party was a good way to spend some mommy/daughter time.

February:   Mardee starts to have some "good" days, Cadence loses her first tooth! Valentine's probably happened, I don't really remember :).  After a visit to an ultrasound tech, Spencer walks around the office high-fiving everyone in sight.   Girls gear up for a week with Gramps as Mom and Dad go away on a cruise from New Orleans to Cozumel, and spend the time sleeping and eating (every pregnant woman's dream)!  Girls have a GREAT time with Gramps, who buys them a (bb) gun.

The cake that revealed the baby surprise--IT'S A BOY!

March: Mardee increases her showers to 3x/wk.  Spencer still covering for her on most fronts.  A last minute visit from McKay and Karalyn brings sunshine and excitement, although the weather doesn't take notice.  Visits to museums, zoos, and pools, and crafts and Easter Celebrations as well as General Conference are shared with our guests and the kids and adults alike have enough fun to last all year!  Kids don't stop asking for a playdate with Zavian for the rest of the year.

 

April: This is actually when General Conference takes place. Our guests are still in town for a small part of the month and so we play all day!  We have a family baby shower party with Spencer's team at work for the 6 (!) babies on their way in the coming months.

Movie night! Paul Hatch and ALL the kids.  The couch to be on, I guess.

 

Making "Earth Day" craft for Cadence's FHE

May: Spencer has the great opportunity to cruise the Mediterranean with his great big Clive family, courtesy of his fantastic Grandparents.  Mardee has to sit it out because she is too pregnant to be allowed on a cruise ship (29 wks).  Fantastic Grandparents pay for Mardee's sister to fly out and spend the week with her and the kids, and Mardee and the kids get to spend a great week with Melanie and Maeva.  Incidentally, Melanie recently finds herself to be expecting little Brandtson, and so the two pregnant women do their best to keep eachother and the kids afloat.  Mardee uses the "remember when you went on my dream cruise without me and left me home in a vulnerable state with all your children" card often and unabashedly for the foreseeable future.  Tornado season makes its debut and makes a stump of our little tree in the front yard. School's out! Then an epic Memorial Day Campout where a fun hike turns long and treacherous and provides enough ticks to make a pie

Some of the happy campers

Mr. Manly Manlyson here, clearing the tree the tornado snapped.

at our Beaver Lake Campout

Beaver Lake Buddies

These girls spent May and June playing "Towmado!"  And are pictured here using a box as a "safe room".

with. 

June:  Dance lessons, gymnastics lessons, swim lessons, piano lessons, tennis lessons, and fitkidz lessons, the girls stay busy busy busy.  Daddy takes us fishing and swimming and biking often.  The kids do a lot of chores to help their mommy who is getting huge.


Showered with Fathers' Day affection

July:  Spend a lovely fourth of July with the Flemings at the creek in Bella Vista, then go home for some recovery from our sun exhaustion before watching the fireworks with all our friends at the Erickson's.  Expect that each huge boom from the fireworks will put me into labor.  Go home disappointed that nothing happened, but grateful no kids got lost.  A week later, the baby is born--happy and healthy!-- in our bedroom.  The kids wake up to new brother! July is the month of birthdays and we celebrate Cadence and Campbell's birthdays in numerous ways.  Enjoy having both grandmas in town and try to adjust to a family of six.

Seven Years Old!

Five Years Old!

combined birthday party at Jump Zone

August:  Spencer and I decide we can't spend a whole summer at home so we take the kids to Branson, MO.  Have the good fortune of being invited to stay at the lake house of the wonderful Williams family while they are in town and the kids throw a fit when we leave the good company of the Williams' to go to Silver Dollar City (amusement park).  Learn a lesson about gratitude and turn themselves around, and a magical day ensued.  School begins and the kids are off to a great start! Cadence starts second grade, with the same teacher she had in kindergarten-yay!, and Campbell starts kindergarten with Mrs. Meyers, who is both experienced and adorable.  Campbell learns to read almost immediately.  The kids spend every waking hour fighting over whose turn it is to hold the baby.  Who is r

first day of school

Ezra meets his best buddy Mason

Miss Jane (Williams) and Layla are a couple of crazy drivers!

eally, really, cute, by the way.

September: Spencer and Mardee celebrate 10 years since their first date and love at first sight! (or at least serious chemistry :)  ).  Layla starts "Bee School" (mother's coop preschool) and loves it.  We settle into a routine and the weather starts to mellow out.

Layla's first day of "Bee school"

Karyn Bennett takes Clara, Eden, Henry (he's behind Eden) and Layla on a Bear Hunt, first day of "Bee School"

 

October: The plagues of Pharoah hit us.  Pantry moths, fleas, and lice simultaneously try to uproot our home and send us to the madhouse.  We finally fight back and hire somebody to come spray for the fleas.  Mardee has to pull all the bedding out and wash it to treat for lice, then get EVERYTHING off the floor to prepare for the flea treatment, and tries not to hyperventilate thinking about all those pesticides on her little babies.  Also has to throw out all the dry goods to try to wipe out moth populations.  Coincidentally we find a new home for our sweet Abby (the dog) the same week.  Happy she went to our good friends, the Kosters.  Then a quick visit from Grandma and Grandpa Orton, stopping by on their grand American Adventure!  Uncle Tyler flies into town on Halloween and is a smash hit dressed as The Hulk at the kids school parties, trick or treating at Wlmrt Home Office, and taking our little monster (cadence), Pillow Featherbottom--the Lalaloopsy girl (Campbell), and a saucy little pirate wench (Layla) trick or treating around the neighborhood.  The hotdog (Ezra) stayed home with mom to hand out the goods.

November:  Uncle Tyler's visit continues but is over too soon.  Then the preparation for our trip to Utah begins.  We make the great big drive to Utah (21 hours driving), it goes considerably well.  We get there with strep throat (Cam and Cadence).  Meet cousins Cameron (Mignon) and Lincoln (Jordan) for the first time.  Ezra gets blessed in Grandma and Grandpa Orton's home, surrounded by both families, and the week is filled with baby showers, birthday parties, cousin outings, and thanksgiving prep.  It all goes too fast.  Thanksgiving becomes a combined Orton/Clive celebration last minute and S and M don't have to figure out how to split the holiday (yay!).  Thanksgiving is also Layla's 4th birthday, and she gets celebrated the day before with the Ortons and the day after with the Clives/Clarks.  The night of her birthday she gets croup--bad.  We drive down to St George to be with Clive/Clark family and try to keep her healthy.  The weekend is sweet and filled with family fun but we spend our last night in the ER with Layla who's croup was out of control.  Drive home through NM and spend a quick night at Gramps' place in Albuquerque on our way.  Girls now compare all tvs to his mammoth one, nothing has quite been the same since.  Layla's voice gains a new depth and resin to it from the croup which has become somewhat permanent, and is totally adorable.

Grandma and Grandpa make sure they have a kitten around when grandkids come to town!

Grandma O and her collection of lovely, feisty, sweet and silly granddaughters. (Missing sweet Maeva and Jensie!)

Daddy went to great lengths to make a special birthday cake for his Little Miss!

Cousin buddies!  All the boy cousins on the Orton side--Cameron and Ezra and Zavian.

At Grandma Clark's the girls put on a talent show for the Grandmas, here is Layla showing off her back bend!



 

December: The whole month is filled with Holiday preparations and Christmas Joy.  The kids and adults alike make valiant efforts to maintain the spirit of the season and we all have a truly wonderful month!  The winter weather is unusually icy and snowy and the kids have about 5 days of school that aren't cancelled.  This slows Mardee's Christmas prep but is great fun!  Ezra is still waking every two hours to eat, which is wearing Mardee down, but everybody does their part to try to let her sleep in when she can.  Christmas is filled with traditions of watching "Scrooge", the shepherds' dinner with nativity reenactment, Christmas caroling and baking cookies for friends and neighbors, and being together around the fireplace.  Christmas day is exciting, with a wii, a new tv for dad, a kitchenaid for mom, and a new dollhouse, plus a lot more! We have Christmas dinner with the Flemings and Christensens and sleep soundly that night (except for mom and Ezra :) ).  During the break dad takes girls ice skating and Campbell gains a new passion.  A few days later Aunt Gina sends Mardee and txt inviting them to spend some of the rest of the holiday in Chicago.  Spencer and Mardee throw caution to the wind and within 3 hours are on the road.  Have a fantastic and memorable time with Clivinos, which gets extended beyond the 5 days planned because of more of that crazy winter weather.  Send 2013 into the history books by playing with cousins, and then begin the new year the same way-- yay! 



Chick Magnet



Ezra got a little chummy with the new dolls his sisters got this year.



showing the girls how their ribbon twirlers work...and having a little too much fun...



What a fantastic year of family, friends, and fun.  We are so grateful for all that the Lord has blessed us with and we can't wait to see what the coming year has in store!