Month of Milestones!

So this month, like most, has been way busy, but also full of so many great things! Instead of doing the usual disertation, I have decided to make a list of everything that has happened. Enjoy!

1. McKinlee is using the big girl potty. Yippy!!!
2. Logan turned 1!
3. Logan quit using a bottle and went straight to the sippy cup.
4. Logan is off of formula and onto real cows milk. (so, no more size 4 diapers for McKinlee and no more formula for Logan = an extra $100 a month!)
5. McKinlee will now smile and say 'cheese' for the camera instead of cowering off and crying.
6. Logan gets to sit in a forward facing car seat just like his big sis!
7. Logan got 4 shots, and had an ear infection..not so great news, but news none the less.
8. The Easter Bunny visited our house!
9. I was able to go to DC for work...it was AWESOME!
10. Most of the snow has finally melted off of our yard. (however we are supposed to get another like 3 inches tonight...grrrr)
11. Logan took his first steps! (not so sure if I should be excited about this...)
12. Business has picked up for Jared, finally.
13. The kids were able to spend a whole week with Grandma and Grandpa (for part of it) in Stanley. They had a great time and we are glad they have such great grandparents who want to see them and spend time with them!
14. My work schedule has changed so I will be able to have every other Friday off! Yippy! That means I get a 4 day weekend every other week! Can't complain about that!
15. Logan received his first haircut.

Ok, now what everyone cares about, PICTURES! (most are self explanatory so I am not going to put captions on them)

The past 3 months in a nutshell

Ok, so I believe this is the longest I have gone without updating the blog. Life, let's just say, has been hectic! But here goes my shot at summarizing the past 3 months....

Christmas:
We had a GREAT time!! We were able to go to Stanley for a few days before Christmas and celebrate with Jared's family. It was so good to see Adam and Jenna and Caleb (we only get to see them like 1-2 times a year!). We had a blast being pulled on the sled and just relaxing! Because of my job, we had to be back so I could work Christmas day. We left Stanly on Christmas Eve and drove home. My parents and Aunt JuJu then met us at the house and we had a lovely Christmas Eve. This was the first year we did all of Christmas on Christmas Eve. I had the kids get their baths done and then Santa came to our house early. We let McKinlee know that we volunteered to have Santa come to our house on Christmas Eve so that he would have extra time on Christmas day to deliver to the rest of the world. Logan had a wonderful 1st Christmas and was his usual happy self. He knew exactly what to do with the little basketball hoop Santa brought him. McKinlee would have been happy to just get the Ariel necklace and princess crown and wand. I was sad to have to work on Christmas day, but our family lived through it! My brother Russ and his family were supposed to come up on Christmas day but because of the weather they weren't able to make it. We still had a great Christmas dinner and the holiday was just splendid!

January - February

Not a ton has gone on. I have been working Tuesday-Friday 3 pm - 1 am, so needless to say, I don't see Jared much, but I do get to spend time with the kids. Jared has decided to take yet another fire class. This time he is taking Driver Operator. He is gone on Monday and Thursday nights for that. He also got a new calling as the Priest advisor. He loves it and does a great job. So between me working, Jared taking classes and mutual, we really don't have much of a chance to see each other. I am grateful for phones and for the weekend. We actually did take a mini-vacation to Vegas with just myself and Jared. It was wonderful! The weather was perfect and it was nice just to be together for a couple days.

It seems like we have been sick for the past 2 months, also. Hopefully we are all on the mend. Little Logan had an ear infection and he is trying to cut another tooth...so needless to say he hasn't been as happy as usual. McKinlee has had the typical cold, but amazingly enough when it comes to playing with friends she isn't sick at all! (weird how she can be sick one minute and well the next....)

McKinlee turned 3!

This past weekend McKinlee turned 3! Holy crap, I can't believe 3 years have gone by! It is amazing to look back on the past 3 years, though, and see how much our lives have changed. McKinlee is a joy and we love her more than anything. She still has a little attitude, which I am sure will never change, but it is that personality that makes her McKinlee. We went to Twin this weekend for my nephew Jacob's baptism and decided that for part of McKinlee's birthday we would stay in a hotel and go swimming. We had our good friends Deven and Shelby and their 4 kids join us and had a blast! McKinlee is a little fish and it looks like Logan will be taking right after her! We then went back to Pocatello Sunday and celebrated with my parents. On Monday (McKinlee's actual birthday), we took her to Red Robin and had the waiter's sing to her....she wasn't too impressed! Then we came home, cooked some Papa Murphey pizzas and had Jerry, Stacey, Luke, and Wyatt (our neighbors) over for dinner and gifts. Jared's parents are coming up this weekend to celebrate...so basically McKinlee is getting a birthday week instead of just one day!

Kid updates:

At McKinlee's 3 year well child visit she finally weighed in at 30 lbs and measured 36 inches! Wahoo!! She is just barely wearing 2T, but I would rather her be petit than big. Logan had a doctor appointment for his ear infection and he weighed 19.5 lbs. It is amazing he doesn't weigh more with as much as he eats! I swear, that kids eats more than the rest of us combined! He and McKinlee are a great pair because whatever she doesn't eat (which is most everything) he finishes for her. He is hilarious and HAPPY!! Even when he was sick, he tried so hard to just be happy. Well, I do believe that is 3 months in a nutshell...here are some pictures of everything that has gone on.

Logan unwrapping presents.....he loved the wrapping paper and ribbons!

So cute!! enjoying the Stanley snow

Mom and McKinlee making snow angels! McKinlee riding the 4-wheeler....or should I just say, sitting on the 4-wheeler!

Mom and the kids ready for church * Dad and Logan playing after Christmas * McKinlee and her princess gear

Logan practicing to be the next basketball star!

Sick baby Logan with his daddy...he was so snuggly!!

On the sled ride at the Elk Refuge in Jackson

BIRTHDAY FUN!

Family Photos

As far as updates for the past few weeks, there aren't any. We are busy busy busy, and it doesn't seem like we are home much. The kids are sick of being taken from one grandparent to the other, and to daycare. They are ready to be home!! Soon my work schedule will be very scheduled and I will be working set days each week. I am THRILLED! I am ready to start being in a schedule and knowing exactly what I am going to work. It will be nice because I think the kids will only have to be in daycare a couple hours a day 4 days a week. WAHOO!! I know that there are lots of people who aren't a fan of moms going back to work instead of being at home with their kids, but for our family, me going back to work has been a blessing. We see the the many positive outcomes that have happened because of it and there isn't a day that goes by that we don't let our Heavenly Father know how grateful we are.

so a couple months ago we had our good friends, Aaron and Noelle Merzlock, come and take some family pictures. McKinlee was, well let's just say, not too thrilled with the whole process. So, as you are taking a look at all of the pictures, just realize that it was way worse than it looks! We actually got some cute/funny pictures of us and the kids and I wanted to share them.

We finally got our first big snow of the season a couple days ago. We might have a white Christmas now! I am super excited!! ok, that's it..nothing more to report. Here are the cute pics of my family!

Week of Milestones!

So we have had a very exciting week! McKinlee has started using the big toilet at daycare. She actually goes and tells them when she has to use the bathroom! Of course, I can't get her to go for me here at the house, but at least she is doing it somewhere!! I am SUPER excited for the days when she will be diaper free, and I think it will be just around the corner! YIPPY!!

Logan got his first 2 teeth within 48 hours of each other! Last Monday he got the first one and on Wednesday the 2nd one popped through. There wasn't really any fussing..typical Logan! He is just the happiest, sweetest baby in the world! I mean, McKinlee was an exceptional baby, but Logan is even better!! How did we get so lucky?!

Not that this is a milestone, or anything, but I did celebrate yet another birthday. My sweet sweet husband gave me the BEST present ever! He said he was going fishing, and he really was, he had the car packed, the friends ready and everything, but at the last minute he didn't go. He didn't even tell me he wasn't going, and instead he came home and cleaned the house and the garage! That was the best surprise in the world! We then had cake, and he even taught McKinlee the words to Happy Birthday, and they sang and we had candles and the whole shabang! What a great day! A couple of my Primary kids even brought me some yummy yummy cookies! What more could I ask for!? THANK YOU!

Well, once again here are the pictures of the past week!

Logan's first 2 teeth...i had to hold his tongue back or else you couldn't see them!
I LOVE my babies!
Happy birthday!
McKinlee helping put the candles on the cake...I think she actually thought it was a cake just for her. I went ahead and let her believe that :)