Shopping With The Girls!

On Saturday Landen had a birthday party to go to, so Kyla got to hang out with Auntie and Grandma-Grandma! We met Kate at Micheal's and took Kyla for the day. She is one excellent little shopper! She loved sitting in the cart at Micheal's...I think she enjoyed going everywhere we went, having our attention 100% of the time, and telling everyone she meets "Hi!"

 Look at this sweet little smile! Patiently waiting in line to buy our animal print card stock for Auntie's classroom! (stay tuned for a post containing my latest project!)

 

Then we were off to Target to pick out new towels and rugs for Auntie's new bathroom. I finally remembered to bring a pillow sham from our new bedding so I could get a good match for the new master bath! (Ky liked the blue too!)

We did a little "fun" shopping...we found this supper soft pink fleecy blanket with little white hearts on it...we thought it would be perfect for Valentine's Day! (I especially like Kyla's little crossed feet in this picture, she is ready to cuddle up with that blanky)

And then there was the pink heart pillow! Kyla REALLY liked this! Auntie is going to have to go back and get it for her "love present" for Valentines Day!

Shopping can make a girl hungry...Kyla snack of choice is fruit snacks...now since she was with Auntie and Grandma, she pretty much got to have whatever she wanted, and she wanted 3 packs of fruit snacks...so she ate three small packs of fruit snacks. And she was happy about it! After Target we headed to Sears to check out their big sales since they are going out of business...while we were there Kate called and said her and Landen were on their way to the mall for the hand off...and so ended out girls shopping trip. It was sure a lot of fun though...I'm so excited to have a future shopping partner...she definitely DIDN'T get that from her mother! :)

Family Fun

When my Aunt Gig was here visiting from Virginia we all got out for a little girls time! We went straight for mani/pedies followed by dinner with the guys. It was a nice relaxing day with family...something we don't get often enough, especially with my aunt!

 

Christmas Day

This year we had a full Christmas. We started celebrating Christmas morning at my Grandpa and Grandma Holt's house. We had a yummy Christmas breakfast, and enjoyed a very low key morning visiting and enjoying family, all of which I have no pictures!

After breakfast, we went home to lay low and relax. Next we went over to my Grandpa and Grandma Lane's house. We had a delicious dinner! This year's Christmas was extra special because my aunt and uncle were visiting from Virginia! We had a packed few days while they were here, a lot of memories packed into a very short week.

 Landen was totally into his new DS game...Monster Trucks! (not nearly as fun as his other new game "Super Mario Bros.")

 



Katie and my Aunt Gig hanging out by the dinner table...by the wine :)

Kyla playing with all her new kitchen stuff...we sat and played for at least 30 minutes! She is getting so big!

She also loves her new pony! If you look close you can see she has a clip or "hair pretty" in his mouth while she combs the pony's hair...I think this is a strategy she learned from her mommy!

This picture was too funny not to post...this is Landen's face right when he opened his Jake and the Neverland Pirates ship...he was super excited!

Complete with the "action figures"....he definitely has the "present pose" down!

Kyla getting ready to open her giant present...the kitchen center!

Again...present pose....

I was trying to take a picture of Kyla with her crown on...but you can see big brother thought he needed to jump in the picture too!

Everyone vegging out on the couch...

Kyla and Daddy with their crowns on!

Landen with his crown...

Kyla chowing down on a yummy dinner roll...with the assist from Mommy.

Dad and Ben...

Christmas visiting...

Landen all ready for Christmas dinner!...holding his Christmas cracker!!!

We had a great Christmas and are still in shock that New Year's is right around the corner...where did this year go???

Merry Christmas!

As we reflect on the year 2012...we can't help but be full of gratitude to our loving Heavenly Father. We have had a year packed full of blessings!
Here is the run down:
January: Celebrated SIX wonderful years of marriage; Ben flew on an airplane for the first time!
February: We were blessed with an uneventful month...which is truly a BLESSING!
March: Abbie submitted National Board Portfolio (and we both survived the process)!
April: Ben began his third season coaching MS Track!
May: Abbie completed her Master's Defense (Ben, Mom & Dad watched)!
June: We wrapped up another wonderful year of working with the students/athletes in our community!
July: Abbie was asked to join the Teacher Leadership team at NVSD (more classes began!)
August:We celebrated Abbie's birthday (21 again...can you believe it?)!
September: We celebrated our grandpa's 80th birthday!
October: Ben enjoyed being a PAID football coach!
November: We celebrated Ben's birthday and Abbie became a National Board Certified Teacher!
December: We began our home addition!
We look forward to 2013...and can't wait to see what our Lord has in store for us...Many blessings to you and your families, we pray you enjoy the Savior's birth!

Winter Break!

It is finally Winter Break...that means two whole weeks of no work...which means plenty of time to spend with my favorite little girl! Today Kyla and Landen came to grandma-grandma's and we had a L-A-Z-Y Day! (Landen has decided he is too cool for the camera...so only pictures of KyKy today)

Last night I went on a quick shopping spree and got her these darling little pink slippers! I was trying to get her to smile while still capturing the cuteness of her slippers...this was the best it got!

 Also...today we got to have our first little "pony tail"

 



Look at all the hair she is finally growing!!! Sweet little girl...I love you to the moon!

Addition Post #3

Things are starting to take shape around here! Believe it or not these pictures are already out dated...but I had to post them so you could see the process. Today the trusses came and were put on the house...but due to the wonderful Pacific Northwest rain...the guys had to call it a day a bit earlier than normal because it was just too slick. As soon as they are spread out beautifully I will be sure to post a picture.

The picture above is standing in our new room looking toward our new master bathroom. The opening/doorway to the right will be our beautiful door going out to our covered deck! Can't wait!

The walls are going up! There will be another dormer window up there...you will be able to see that better in my next post...once the trusses go up!

The chunk of house coming toward the camera is my WALK IN CLOSET!!! I do have a pretty good sized closet now...but I am excited to have my new one right off the bathroom! Hopefully this winter weather will hold off until the roof is on...!

Pinterest Idea #???

I have lost track of which pinterest project this is...or how many or which ones I have posted....BUT know that I am getting much better at implementing more of my pinterest pins (especially the ones I have pinned for my classroom!...I will try to take some pictures tomorrow at work!)

This one is super fun and easy...Every year I try to think of creative ways to display our Christmas cards...I hate the idea of taping them up. One year I hung each one along our garland all the way up our staircase...while that was cool, it was time consuming each time we got a card! This year I had it all ready to go! Pinterest had this great idea of using a metal ring and simply hole punching each card and adding it to the ring! Of course to make it super cute, you just add a few cute Christmas ribbons and jingle bells, and done! I have it sitting on our sofa table right when you walk in our front door...its a great way to display the pictures of the people we love!

Hope you are all enjoying this Holiday Season!!!

Christmas Program!

It's that time of year my friends...CHRISTMAS! This year my mom was in charge of the Christmas Program at church so we made sure we had a front row seat! (Plus our sweet nephew was in it so we had to watch!)

Ben and I have been trying to be better about taking pictures...especially of us...we are realizing more and more often, that we have very few pictures of us together since we have been married! Whoops! So here is  our attempt (and secretly trying to get a picture for Christmas cards this year).

All the girls...

Kyla in her Christmas dress from Grandma-Grandma! Such a pretty girl...especially with her Paparazzi headband...Thanks cousin Jessica!

 

Landen ready to sing his Christmas songs! He did awesome. I got a great video, but realized later that I was holding the camera the wrong way so the entire video is sideways! Grrr...not blog worthy, but still captured the memory right?!

Uncle Ben and Ky Ky...yep she's crying...it was significantly past bedtime! 

And Nannie came out to watch Landen in his program. Here they are eating their yummy cookies after the program! Too sweet! Such a great night listening to KIDS tell of the reason for the season!

Addition Post #2

Okay here is the update: Ben has been such a little builder this week! It has been so "fun" to have my hubby building our house along side our contractor. I keep reminding him that not many people get to do this kind of thing, and we consider it a HUGE blessing to be working with a contractor that is supportive and encouraging to this type of thing! 

Here are all the forms for the "pillars" for our foundation. Because we live in the flood zone, we have to build our house a little differently...the flood water has to be able to flow under our house. When it's all done, it will look completely normal...and our house is built well above flood level so there will be no concerns of water getting into our house! 

More pictures of the forms...

Ta-Da! Concrete poured, and forms taken off!!! The foundation is done!

Remember when I said it was muddy...? Well now it's REALLY muddy! My sister's boss came back and back filled for us! AMAZING!!! I am so excited to have it "level" back there...now we are all ready for the lumber package (due to arrive on Thursday)...

As promised, here are the before pictures, just for some comparison. This is the front of our house, which really wont change.

And the back, this is already looking different! Look at that beautiful lawn....uhhh now it's MUD! All this progress is exciting, can't wait to see how much changes in the next week!

Golfing with the Big Boys!

I found more pictures!!! I had forgotten about these pictures...a couple months ago, the boys went golfing while us girls went shopping. Landen was SO excited to be going golfing with the "guys". He got to go to Raspberry Ridge with his Daddy, Uncle Ben and Grandpa-Grandpa. Uncle Ben was under strict instructions to TAKE PICTURES!

Daddy and Landen in the golf cart!

 

Stepping up to the tee....

 

SWING...

AND A MISS!

WAIT! Not a miss...His golf club broke! This kiddo hit so hard his golf head broke off! The "guys" didn't notice that the golf heads weren't medal like the rest of the club...whoops!

Let's try this again, with a practice, plastic ball!

NOPE...still a miss!

Regardless of how many times he had to try...he was one determined little golfer! After 9 holes...he decided he wanted to go again! This little trooper golfed 18 holes with the "guys"!

Good Luck hittin' the golf course without taking this little golfer along!