Christmastime!

We have been busy getting ready for Christmas. Here are some of the things we've been doing:

Decorating our tree

Drinking hot chocolate and eating candy canes

Making cookies

Going to look at christmas light in our jamas

Reading stories with uncle Lane

Early Christmas Presents

It may be silly - but this is one of my very favorite christmas gifts. Every couple of years my parents give us year's supply for christmas. We make a HUGE trip to costco all together and make a day of it. Some may think it is a boring gift - but I love it. This isn't even everything we got - because it wouldn't all fit fit into our coat closet turned pantry. Anyway - we have been enjoying our early christmas present!

A Kaden Moment

Last night when I was putting Kaden to bed we had one of those moments that is just so precious and makes me glad that I'm a mom. The conversation started out somewhat like this:

Kaden: Mom, did you get married to me?
Me: No, I'm married to Dad.
Kaden: Then who am I married to?
Me: Well, you're not married.
Kaden: Why not? (very worried look on his face)
Me: You'll get married when you are older like Dad.
Kaden: But who will I marry?
Me: You will marry a girl that you really love.
Kaden (very sad): But I want to be in THIS family!

Talk about melting my heart! So the conversation turned into a discussion about getting married in the temple and being sealed together. Kaden kept asking what sealed means and how do you explain that to a 4-year-old? So after a few explanations that didn't make sense to him - we finally settled on "It means our family can't be broken". When I said that he got a huge grin on his face and said "You mean never? We will always be together? Bailey too?" It was so sweet. This simple sentence seemed to give him so much joy and sense of security.

And then . . . . Kaden seems to be thinking hard for a few seconds and I am anticipating another deep question and he says "What about the other kind of seal. You know the animal? What color are seals?" What a Kaden comment! And just like that we were onto another subject! This kid never ceases to amaze me.

I'm always grateful for these moments with my kids. All the hard work, worry, and everything else we go through as moms - it makes it all worth it!

What a nightmare!

So we took the kids to get their pictures taken a couple of weeks ago. I try to do one every year near their birthday. Since Kaden's and Bailey's are only a couple days apart - we have to do a double session. Honestly, it's something that I look forward to (because I love getting new pictures) and it's something I absolutely dread. You just never can predict how the kids are going to cooperate. So after rescheduling like 3 times - I finally had a day that we had plenty of time and Matt wasn't working so he could go with me. I would never attempt to take both kids by myself. Anyway - I was kinda expecting Bailey to be difficult (she is 2 after all). But of course, true to typical Kaden fashion, he gave us way more trouble. Bailey did pretty well - but Kaden was a nightmare! And that's an understatement. He was screaming, kicking, trying to rip his clothes off, etc. I have no idea what his problem was. But thank goodness we got a few good shots. We didn't get many shots of the two kids together - which is what I really wanted to send in the christmas cards. But we got one that is ok:

Honestly the only reason we got any shots is because our photographer was so workable. She didn't get impatient or flustered (even though matt and I were about to lose it!) She was trying everything to get Kaden to cooperate. Being a typical boy, the only thing he laughed or smiled at were the words "poop" or "boogers". By the end the photographer was repeating "Kaden - poop and boogers! Poop and boogers!" It was pretty dang funny. I really like the place I go - it's called Portrait Innovations. Just south of the Chandler mall - by the target. Every time I have been - the photographers are very patient and understanding! Anyway - here's some pictures that tell the true story of how our session went:

Thank goodness we don't have to do it again for a whole year!