Bigger car...

MINIVAN Review

So, I think we're going to buy a minivan in the next 2 months. Can you believe it? So, I'm looking for ideas and suggestions about what to buy if you know of any.

Here's what we're thinking:

Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna or Nissan Quest

Year: 2007+

Price: low

Let me know if you have a favorite van (it doesn't have to be on my list) or one that you really don't like.

Our new home! (More pics to come... later)

Did I ever think I'd be able to write that? :) We moved into our new home on the Saturday before Christmas and it has been incredible to say the least. I wish I had a million pictures to post... but if you'll be patient with me and my slow pregnant brain... they will come. So far, we love the area, our ward and our new home. Dave has been out of the country for almost 3 weeks and I learned how to turn the power back on in our bonus room. :) Did you know that if you plug in two space heaters, it will blow a circuit (or a fuse... or whatever you call it). After 4 people helped me try to find the right switch (it's not on the normal power box) we finally found it. Hooray! We have power and now I only use one space heater.

Just to tide over the picture lovers... here is one picture of Ethan and his new big wheel. This isn't quite how we intended for him to ride it, but he and his red mustache are happy and giggling, so I don't complain. :) Katelyn is getting good practice riding all over our wood floor.

Um, here's a picture or our kitchen... in use. :) This is our New Year's party.

We danced to the Wii, Just Dance, all night long. We turned around to find Ethan boogie-ing on the stars. Woo hoo!

My morning laugh

I honestly laughed so hard I almost couldn't see anymore because of the tears in my eyes. I have to share the joy. Watch this little video.

If you don't think it's funny, maybe watch it really early or really late, but I'm still tearing up about it. :)

AND another story.

Me: Katelyn, what should we name our new baby girl?

Katelyn: I don't know. Maybe mommy or Santa Claus.

:)

It's the most wonderful time...

Happy Birthday Dave!! My sweet, wonderful Dave has finally caught up to me in age. (And no, I won't be posting that number.) Dave is the most amazing person that I have ever met and I just love him more every day. Here he is with out sweet kiddies.

Now, I'll admit it. I've been listening to Christmas music for a few weeks already and I've loved it! The tragedy is that I'm starting to get worn out already! Oh boy. I'll get my second wind any day now, I hope.

While we were AZ, we found this little Christmas tree at Walgreen's for about $10. Since we're moving in 2 weeks, we don't want to get our big tree up (that we've only used once), so we pulled out the little guy. The kids were THRILLED and had so much fun decorating it.

And the best part... when it gets bumped and falls over... it's not a big deal. :) Timber!

Katelyn was so excited to get out in the snow. Especially since she got to wear her new "sparkle hat and gloves." Note to self... if you want Katelyn to wear something, put glitter on it.

"I can't put my arms down!" He wasn't so sure about the snow so he hung out in the garage for a bit. We had fun though and I got to show Katelyn how to make a snow angel. Love it.

Dave LOVES gingerbread cookies and we had an AWESOME recipe. Let me know if you want it. Tonight was the night to make some cookies and we had so much fun!

Ethan was almost covered from head to toe in flour.

Now this was clever. All the sudden, both kids toted in their own chairs and sat in front of the oven to watch the cookies bake. Who needs a TV??

Jungle Jim's

I heard about a half-off coupon the other day for Jungle Jim's and it sounded like fun. I'd never heard of it before, but when I told that to the man at the door, he smiled and said, "Really? We've been around for 20 years." Oh. Well, it was a lot of fun, especially since the kids have been such troopers as we've been looking at homes, and I've been on the phone and on my computer sending e-mails, signing papers and whatever else for this soon-to-be home of ours.

We had such a great time and the poor kids got so tired. After a while, they would just sit on the rides in a daze because they were ready to go to sleep. We ended in the soft play area and we were proud of our little Ethan because we thought he was too short to climb into a tube that took him to a slide. Well, he showed us and finally muscled his way in. I wish I had a picture of that because it was so cute watching him work so hard.

Where are the pictures??

I've posted way too many times without pictures and I'm getting behind! We've been busy with house stuff, but have tried to take time to have some fun.

Or sleep. The kids put daddy down for a nap.

It wouldn't be complete without their favorite Winnie the Pooh bear. And notice that he's laying down too. I tried to sit him up, but was quickly corrected that he was taking a nap like daddy.

Katelyn loves movies. I have a book though that's called Play Unplugged and I love it. It just gives simple, great ideas of activities for kids by their age. The other day I read about making a fort under the dining room table. I always LOVED doing that, so we tried it and the kids had a great time. And bless my mom for letting us making a mess with blankets, books, chairs and whatever else, all the time.

Katelyn's loves: her daddy, to dress up, music and to dance.

Oh, look at my little man! This is Ethan on his first "official" day of nursery. I'm a nursery leader so he's been going for a few months, but check him out. What a handsome kid.

They just got the new (old-school) Christmas DVDs! Do you think she's happy?

Check out their cute turkey hats. We got the papers and pattern from the library. Love that. (And raise your hand if your TV is as dirty as ours. Ewww.)

Ethan loves to redecorate with my pots. I was really shocked and proud of him though because after he had pulled out every pot, he put them all away and shut the door. I have to document this for future occasions when I can show him that he used to clean up his messes.

And look at this precision in helping me put away the silverware. He did so good. Check out the concentrated look on his face.

The first big snow. And no, this wasn't the so-called blizzard that we were supposed to have last week. This was the week before when we got about a foot of the beautiful white stuff. Will someone go skiing for me?? I'm 21 weeks now and I'll have to suffice with doing snow angels with the kids. So pretty.

Looking for a renter

Hi guys,

Here is the link to the ad for our townhome. Please share it with anyone that you know that's looking for a good deal in renting a cute townhome.

We are moving on December 18th and hope to have it rented before then so they can move in the next week. Wishful thinking?? Yep, but somehow this is going to work. :)