Uh Oh!

That's right- Kolton has mastered the art of 'uh oh'. When we purchased the aforementioned ear flap hat he decided he didn't like it on his head whilst in the car so he took it off and held it out to the side of his car seat and dropped it. I looked back at him and he stared right at me and said 'uh oh'! Wes and I were DYING in the car and, of course, made him say it again and again. Unfortunately, Kolton has simultaneously developed a love for dropping things now, whether it is a toy, my camera, or his bowl of cereal...*sigh* but it doesn't stop it from being adorable! Here is some rare footage of this phenomena:

More Christmas, Please!

Three days before Christmas we had the joy of attending Wes's family Christmas party. His mom put in so much work and we had a great time. The grandchildren put on a Nativity which was FABULOUS! My personal favorite part (besides Kolton and Wes as wise men) was when the angel (my niece, Ali) tried to steal the manger and baby Jesus from Mary (my niece, Cora) and Joseph (my nephew, Kaden) which resulted in many tears from poor Ali when she was dragged bodily from the stable scene. Wes was a real trooper and put on my hot pink bath robe, which is the only one we own. Kolton looked so cute in his white little hoodie, although I must admit it was a bit on the Obi Wan Kenobi side of things!

Here he is chewing on the shepherd's crook

Cute Mary and Joseph!

My favorite wise men with their gift of gold~

That night, after much partying, we decided to 'Christen' our new basement by having a slumber party on the floor! We had not seen the Polar Express yet (and, I have to admit, I could have waited longer to watch it- I thought it was a little like the dreams I have after eating way to much chocolate) so we borrowed it from Larry and Jae and set up some blankets and pillows on the floor. Kolton was OUT after about 15 minutes (his bedtime is seriously 7pm until 7am- I hope it lasts!) and when the movie was over Wes and I watched an episode of Man vs. Wild (our new favorite Discovery Channel show) and then crashed. It was fun to have Kolton in between us since he usually won't sleep anywhere but his crib and even though we were kicked and clawed throughout the night, it was all worth it to wake up and see Kolton's AMAZING bed head!

WOWZA!

The Twelve Blogs of Christmas...

**Sigh** Have you ever been so behind in your blogging that you keep putting it off, thinking you will get to it when you have time, and in the meantime you keep taking pictures and making memories that you can't wait to share?...Well, though I know it has only been two weeks, I feel like I have SO MUCH to blog about, so rather than putting it off even more, I have decided that I will TRY to post a little each day until I am caught up. So, here goes...

Kolton got to have his first experience in the snow! We got completely DUMPED on shortly after my last entry. Wes brought Kole in his very own snowball to try- and Kolton found it rather satisfying...

Wes's grandma Jan sent us some money to get Kolton a gift from her so we decided it would be fun to get him one of those adorable hats with the ear flaps to go with his brand new coat that my mom had bought for him. You can tell from the pictures that he was none too thrilled with being outside up to his little armpitties in the white stuff, but it was still too cute to not get a few pictures (by the way, these pictures are sans ear flap hat- this is the hat that came with the coat)...

It was a great way to kick off our family Christmas- especially since hot chocolate was involved afterward! :)

Christmas Happenings

We had such a great weekend in Lehi with my family. We left on Friday night and went to Temple Square to see the lights and, of course, Kolton went nuts! He has always loved lights whether they are on the ceiling or on a tree. The weather was so nice. It was chilly, but there was no wind and it wasn't biting cold like it usually is when we go. It was especially wonderful to be able to share it with Kolton. Wes and I try to go every year no matter what, and every year so far we have talked about how great it would be to share it with our children. This year we got our wish along with many others! After spending some time at temple square we went to Lehi to visit my Brother, Russell's family for our family Christmas party. We had a white elephant gift exchange and Kolton got a jump rope and Wes got motor oil. :P We stayed up until 3am playing Rock Band and then got up on Saturday and headed for IKEA. We got my favorite lunch there: Swedish Meatballs! Also, to top it off, they were doing free pictures with Santa. Kolton is still too young to be scared of him, so he just kind of looked confused. He was a great santa and thought Kolton was pretty cute and he sat and talked to him for a while trying to make him smile. I will post my picture once I figure out how to operate my scanner. We drove home in a snow storm and made it home in time to make hot cocoa and watch a movie. It was bliss! I am going to post a scrapbook from smilebox, but I will also just post some pictures for those of you without high speed internet (trust me- I have been there!) All in all, my face hurts from smiling so much and my throat hurts from laughing so hard. I have such a great family and we love being together. I hope you all are enjoying the Christmas season so far!

Here is Kole with his jump rope..mostly he just ate it

Kole and his daddy

Our little family in front of the nativity

One of my all time favorite pictures of Kolton- what a grin!

Kolton's favorite thing now is saltines

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

From Kolton

Kolton was DYING to get his hands on the keyboard, so I let him type his own entry:

jthn . yr y,050ulg,bx. ggh cyu k -, jfv0gf8558hbrhil mrcz m94wj ju i ,


Translation: So, things are going pretty well here. I have diarrhea and a runny nose and new carpet in the basement to crawl around on. Things could be worse. Love, Kolton

Have a good laugh!

So, I thought I would give y'all a little Christmas cheer. Please listen all the way to the end because that is my favorite part! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you
O Holy Night...

Bath Video

On the Move...

Oh my! I never could have imagined how busy a 9 month old could make me! I basically devote about 10 hours a day to just following him around and saying 'hot, Kolton!' or 'pet Milo soft, Kolton' or 'uck! No no!' as he attempts to eat Milo's cat food (which looks like cereal, so who could blame him?!) Aside from that- I really just love the excuse to watch him as he discovers and learns. He will focus on one thing for about a minute and then he moves on to something else. When he is really proud of himself (like right now he is playing the piano) he will scream (yes, like a girl- but give him time!) because he wants me to see. At the end of the piano video he shows how he waves bye bye. And his bath time is such a hoot. I end up way more wet than he does and I actually was able to catch him on video this time because Wes was home (don't worry, folks- it's a pg video. Just a bit o' crack showin') So, here is my busy little guy: (By the way- the bath video is having some stress, so it will be posted shortly)

***Contented Sigh***

There are some pictures I could look at for hours...This is one of them!

On our way to Christmas...

Thanksgiving was such a fun day. We went to my parents' house where my whole family was (All 35 of us!) and though we filled the entire house, we had such a great time catching up with everyone and eating our guts out! It was Kolton's first ever experience of feeding himself (besides biter biscuits and cheerios) so we naturally stripped him down and let him have at it. He did really well and got quite messy but had the time of his life! He especially loved my sister, Cristi's sweet potatoes!



On Friday, after a crazy day of early-morning shopping (meaning 3am-2pm) and many great deals, which I can't disclose lest Wes reads this blog, we went looking for our Christmas tree. This is a tradition we have had since we were married. We always go to Idaho with Wes's family and chop down our own tree. The trees are generally pretty scrawny, but that is what we love! Kolton had a great time, even though it was pretty cold, and he thought the snow was pretty great. His daddy even let him 'drive' the suburban (parked and not running, of course!) We got home last night and set it up and then decorated it today. Here are some of the photographic highlights courtesy of www.scrapblog.com!

HAPPY T-DAY, EVERYONE!

I just want to say that I am so thankful for everyone who has touched my life this year- which includes all of you and so many more. I could not be more thankful for our beautiful son, Kolton. He lights up my life with his smile and giggle and each day he reminds me why I have wanted to be a mother for so long. I have no doubt in my mind that amazing things are destined for him. I am equally so incredibly blessed to have Kolton's birth mom, Cori, in our lives. Can you think of anything more selfless, more loving, or more giving, than to say to yourself "I know this child needs more than what I can give right now- and I trust you to take him and raise him" I cannot think about Cori without feeling my heart ready to burst with gratitude and I know that so many great blessings are in store for her. (Cori- we love you so much!!) I am also so very thankful for my fantastic hubby, Wes. He is above and beyond the best dad in the world to Kolton. He lights up the house when he comes home from work, and he works so hard to keep us above water and to make our lives as great as they are. He is an amazing priesthood holder and member of the church and I am so proud to have him as my eternal companion. Above all, I am thankful for my Savior and for the fact that he loves me enough to give me all I ask for (even if it's not on my schedule) and that he wants what is best for each of us and is there when we need him. I hope you all have as much to be thankful for as I do this year. We get to go to my Mom's house this year for Thanksgiving dinner- so I am planning on rolling my way clear into the new year! Blessed be the name of left-overs! Love you all!

Feelin' Crafty!

Ahh- I LOVE the holidays!! It totally brings out the crafter in me. This year, I am sort of all about the paper crafts since Stampin' Up! has some really cute Christmas paper. Last year was more of a sewing year, and the year before that it was cross stitch. I still plan on sewing some Christmas jammies and blankets for Kolton, though. I guess eight years of being childless has really taught me a lot about how to pass the time (like I even HAVE any now!)- but I confess I am addicted and plan to hold on to the crafty side of me (whom I like to call "Craftitha") for as long as I can. Here are some of my latest projects:

(This one is actually a wall hanging, the ones above it are just cards)
I want to see what everyone else is doing! Happy crafting, all!

Our little boy is growin'!

So, yesterday we were able to take Kole to his 9 month appointment. We were excited to hear that we didn't need immunizations this time, and then they dropped the flu shot bomb..*sigh*. They also had to test him for iron by slicing his foot. It was pretty funny because when the medical assistant poked him he just looked at her for a few seconds and then did his little giggle. Anyone who has been around him knows the giggle. It's kind of a little 'huh huh huh' (a bit like Beavis and Butthead, actually--uh--not that I would know....) So, here are his stats:
Weight: 20.3 lbs (46th percentile)
Height: 29" (74th percentile)
Head: I can't remember the inches but it is in the 65th percentile)
Dr. Carlson was really impressed with him and thinks he will probably be walking before he is a year old because he holds himself up so well! We shall see.
When Kolton was born he received this cute little teddy bear from the hospital. He has one and so does his birthmommy. Here are a couple of pictures to show how much he has grown. Isn't he just amazing? You are looking at one proud mommy, here!

Here he is- one day old with both bears

Here he is in March

July

This one was yesterday (please excuse the orange mouth- he loves his carrots)
I am still so in awe with what a miracle and blessing he is. He makes me smile so much every day and he totally brings out the goof in both of us (as if we needed more of that!)
Happy 9 months, kiddo!

We Be Jammin'

So, I came across this awesome deal at the grocery store the other day- a whole CASE of strawberries for only 5.99! I couldn't resist so I picked up the case so Wes and I could make some jam. When we lived in Oregon, we used to go outside and pick blackberries all the time so we could make jam (they grow wild everywhere up there). We miss doing that- so it was a fun way to spend our weekend! We made three batches of jam to give out for Christmas this year and I must say, it is quite fabulous! So, I have decided to show y'all how I make it, just in case you want to jump on our jam-wagon. :)

First, you need 5 cups of strawberries with the stems and any gross pieces cut out. Quarter them and mash them with a potato masher, like so:



To prepare your jars (one batch fills about 9 8oz jars) I just wash them in the dishwasher with the rings and leave the dishwasher closed until just before I need them, so they stay warm and don't crack when you add the hot jam. I take the tops with the seal (don't re-use old ones, the seal isn't as good) and pour boiling water on them in a separate dish to get the seal all gooied up so it holds to the jar better when I tighten the lid.
Now, dump your berries in a large pot (we bought a large stainless steel pot just for doing jam years ago and it is one of the best things we have ever purchased, FYI). Add one package of 'Sure Jell' (in picture above) and stir over high heat until it comes to a rolling boil (meaning it is still boiling even when you are stirring) . Once at a rolling boil, add 7 (yes, 7) cups of sugar slowly to the pot while stirring. I usually pre-measure the sugar and have it nearby. You can also add a 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine which helps it to foam less. Continue stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a rolling boil again and then let it boil for exactly one minute. Then, turn the heat off and begin ladling your jam into your still-warm jars. Usually we do it assemby-line style where Wes ladles the jam into a jar that I am holding while I take the 'seal' lid and place it inside a ring. When the jar is full (around 1/8 inch from the top- our first batch of jars weren't as full as they needed to be) place the ring and the lid on the jar and tighten it. Make sure you are holding the jar with a dish towel because it is quite hot!
Now, here is what other jam recipes won't tell you- you don't need a canning machine to do this! After I have tightened the lid on the jar, I place it on a dish towel upside-down like so:


After 10 minutes, if you turn the jars right-side-up the heat from inside the jar will pull the seal down and seal the jar completely for you! You know it is sealed when the little bubble on top is flat and doesn't pop back up. Once it is sealed, it can last for up to one year and when it is opened, up to three weeks!


I hope you guys get a chance to try this out! It is really pretty quick to do and it is so cheap and yummy. In the sure-jell package there are directions for all types of jams- so go wild! Kolton wheeled around the kitchen and got into the drawers while we were making it and we lit a Christmas candle and the house smelled like heaven. I love the holidays!

Happy Birthday, Wes!

Okay, so his birthday was on Monday, but you can't expect me to post the pictures THAT fast, can you?! My husband is the only man in the world who says "I want to sheet rock the basement for my birthday". *sigh* So, I called in the cavalry (meaning my brother, two brothers-in-law, and my dad) and they all worked on getting our downstairs family room done. I can't believe how much they accomplished! Now it's up to me to mud and tape-- ahhh, the gift that keeps on giving- that's what I'm all about! :)

This is my dad and my brother Larry- both a bit high on sheet rock dust...and my bro-in-law, Scott- not putting up with their crap :)

Obviously it was a bit dusty to take a picture- but you get the idea...Wes and my bro-in-law Jim at the end of the night- lookin' good!
The birthday boy- 31 and counting- what a hottie!

So, to add to our great week, Wes's sister and my brother (who are married) celebrated the arrival of their newest baby, Madison! She is number four and has two brothers, Kaden and Zach, and a sister, Ali. I am so excited for their family! She is very adorable and so tiny! I can't believe Kolton was actually smaller than that when he was born. So, here are some pictures of the little cutie pie:

Here is her mommy, Jae Lynne (she'll kill me for posting it- but I think it's adorable!)

Here I am- the proud aunt! Isn't she completely precious?!

All in all- we have had a super duper five days and we look forward to Anniversary #9 tomorrow! Yes, November is a crazy month for us- but what better time to be thankful, right?! :)

Our silly little guy

Well, Kolton is getting into more and more trouble. He is starting to tip over the garbage can and open cabinet doors- time to pull out all the safety gear! Milo also makes a rare appearance in this video as do my pumpkin jammies!



And he is also starting to stick out his tongue!

My Husband is a Genius!

So, in the past I have discussed this gate that Wes made for Kolton (Well, he made it so that Kolton cannot plummet to his death down the stairs, anyway) I am so proud of him! I just kind of tell him what I want and he just pulls it out of nowhere and makes it even better than I had imagined! For my birthday and anniversary he is making me an entertainment center and I am so excited to get rid of our newly-wed cheap-o Walmart special TV cart! My parents think he should sell these gates- what do you all think?!




And here is Kolton helping daddy with the entertainment center:

A very happy Halloween

Well, here I am- finally getting to our Halloween post! It was a pretty busy weekend and to top it off, I got pretty sick on Sunday- some unknown achy creepy bug that knocked me on my butt for most of the day, but I am feeling better today, so, hooray! To sum up our Halloween, it was a dream come true for me! Every year since I have been married (and that would be almost nine years) I make Wes dress up with me and we always have a fun time passing out candy and going to every party we are invited to. Every year I have had fun but I have also had that sadness of, 'why can't I have a little family to share this with? This would be so much better with children of our own.' Well, this year my wish came true! Kolton is such an incredible little guy and I can just sit there and watch him play and learn for HOURS before I realize I should probably get something done around my house! It is my birthday today, and for the first time in a very long time I can't think of something to wish for when I blow out the candles because I have it all with me right now! Anyway- I am a bit sentimental today- maybe it is because I am on my last lap in my twenties! But, our Halloween (back on topic) started out with us heading up to Grandma and Grandpa's house (on Wes's side) and getting some treats and lots of cute pictures there. Then we came home and passed out candy to the cute kids from our neighborhood. At around 7:15 some of my nieces and nephews came over and I went with them and Kolton to do a bit of trick-or-treating. We had sloppy joes and hot cider at our house for everyone and then we went to my sister's house to watch Indiana Jones. It was a really fun day and, of course, I had to do a smilebox about it- so enjoy!!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

CALLING ALL (LITTLE) SIGNERS!

Well, here we go! I have decided to start sign-language classes in January. We will have our basement finished by then and I will actually have some space! I am going to do a class for Kindergarten-2nd grade and a class for 3rd-5th grade (if anyone has older children that are interested I can see if I can get enough to do another class). They will be on Wednesdays with the younger class from 6-6:45 and the older class from 7-7:45. (Do you think that is too late? I have been poking other moms for info and that seemed to be a good time for them- but there is no reason I can't move it up) The classes will start January 7th and will run for four months (until May-ish) and will be $30 a month and that will include a t-shirt will their names in asl lettering and a fun recital at the end. I am mostly responding to several people who have been requesting me to do this for years, but I finally have the space and ability to get it going! The class size will be limited to 6 per each age so if you are interested either respond to this post and I will drop off a form at your house or give me a call (most of you have my number, if not, let me know and I will call you!). I think it will be a lot of fun and I have been wanting to do it for a long time. So let me know if you are interested! Thanks!

A Super Duper Weekend

We had such a fun weekend and I got a lot of fun pictures and more to share with y'all! On Saturday we started the day by being in the USU Homecoming parade for 'Families Supporting Adoption' and it was so much fun to see how much adoption is supported by the community and to get to show off little Kolton in his "boo" hat. He had so much fun and he was screaming (happily) and jumping up and down. I got a short video of it (sorry, it is sideways- I thought I fixed it but I guess it didn't work)

And here is a picture of the three of us on the FSA float:

After the parade, we moved it along to the local pumpkin walk where people from the community all pitch in and carve whole scenes out of pumpkins. This years theme was 'Calling all Heroes' and there were a lot of fun scenes. My favorite was about doctors and it had a 'woman' with a pumpkin head and she was bent over and had the pumpkin guts coming out of her mouth like she was throwing up. I thought it was a hoot! Wes's favorite was a fountain made out of nothing but pumpkins. It was pretty amazing to see how much work went into it. After we were done with the walk we stopped at some 'put-your-face-in-the-hole' works of art and got a few silly pictures of all of us. It was pretty darn funny!

On Sunday after dinner at my parents' house and a game of Settlers of Zarahemla at my sister's house we came home and carved our pumpkins. Kolton actually painted his pumpkin (well, painting is a relative term- he mostly tried to eat it!) and did a very cute job. We made hot cocoa and had some good friends bring us over some AMAZING sugar cookies to go with it! (Thanks, Marissa and Alex!) It was a very superb weekend!

WE HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A FABULOUS AND SAFE HALLOWEEN! WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AT OUR HOUSE!! :)