Merry Christmas

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

May you have love in your hearts, family in your midst, and food on your table.

With much love,
Jeff, Andrea, Braxton & Adelle

"But Baby it's cold INSIDE"

FREEZING WEATHER + MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT + BROKEN FURNACE = REALLY COLD!

Yeah so in the middle of the night Friday our furnace stopped working! Burrrr! We are laying there in bed and it's about 4 in the morning. We hear Braxton wake up and he has to go potty. So Jeff gets up and takes him and meanwhile I get up and go to turn on the heat because I was just chilled. I turn the heat up to 70 and crawl back into bed. Braxton crawls into our bed because he was cold too. I'm laying there and the heat isn't coming on. Finally I whisper, over Braxton, to Jeff that the heat isn't coming on. We waited a few more minutes and then get up to investigate. It's true, no heat! So we put Adelle into our bed with Braxton with a warm rice bag in between them and Jeff goes out to the garage to see what's up. I am in charge of keeping rice bags warm for hands for everytime he comes in to defrost.

Can't figure out whats wrong, look on-line, call Barron heating (who wanted $135 an hour to come take a look. Jeff even climbed onto the roof to see if something was stuck in the airway thing. Mind you it's like 5 in the morning by now.

So Jeff makes a fire and I turn on the oven and start washing dishes in hot water to stay warm. Then the kids wake up and we start to panic because they are cold and not wanting to stay in bed where it's warm. So we bundle them up and set them on the chair directly in front of the fire. Then we call my dad who tells us to come on over and have breakfast and then he will come back with Jeff and look at the furnace.

Yippie! We go eat breakfast at a warm house and drink hot apple cider. Then Jeff and dad come back here and within about 3 minutes we have a restored furnace! Thanks Dad! His years of wisdom pointed out to Jeff that the fan wasn't moving which meant that the air wasn't flowing. With a little twist of the screwdriver the fan was spinning again and the house was warm! Brilliance!

The Big 27

Aren't they stinkin' cute!

I know you can't believe it but it's true, Jeff is 27 today! Happy Birthday Bay-bah! Still lookin' young as ever!

True Story:

The other night we took Braxton swimming at the aquatic center. Adelle stayed at my parents so we could have a night with just Brax. So the three of us walk into the center and up to the counter to pay. As Jeff is getting out his wallet the girl at the counter (probably about 22 or so herself) looks up at me and says, "ok one adult and two youth." Are you kidding? "Uh, only if I'm the youth," is what I said in a probably less than friendly tone. Jeff then turned around and the girl was like, "oh, sorry I didn't see your face." Totally funny. She thought Jeff was a youth. The funniest part was that I was totally annoyed because everyone always thinks he looks so young. And Jeff was annoyed because he is sick of everyone thinking he looks young. So it was basically a loose - loose situation but I guess it makes for a good story.

The Agenda for tonight includes lots of Jeff's favorite things:

Steak dinner with company potatoes enjoyed by Jeff, Andrea, Braxton and Adelle

Sparkling Apple-Marionberry Cider

Presents wrapped and decorated by Braxton

A night on the town with his young cute 26 year old wife (if we still venture out in the snow we will be going and finishing some Christmas shopping)

Tillamook Mountain Blackberry Ice Cream - Jeff's new favorite, thanks to my brother Bryce for introducing him to it!

A date night on the couch after the kids are in bed to watch WALL-E...he's been wanting to watch this movie for a while now.

I love my husband so much! He is so simple and he will be so happy with all we have planned. It will be a total blast and I am so lucky to get to spend many more birthdays with such a sweetheart.

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow....

Ok Christmas can come!! We are a very happy household now that it is snowing and sticking! Braxton is the most excited of all. He would be out in the snow all day if we let him! So fun! It really makes it feel like Christmas when there is snow.

I wish you could all smell the fresh bread I made this morning! Yum! Nothing better than coming in from outside to warm fresh bread and butter! Now we just need Jeff to come home from work so he can play outside with Braxton. I was out there earlier and Adelle did not have a fun time watching us out the window! Next year she can play too but today she thought I was the meanest mom ever when I sat her in her highchair looking out the back sliding door to Brax and I rolling around in the snow. It's tough being 6 months old.

Bringing Back the 80's Baby!

Straight Up! Don't ask me what started the conversation Jeff and I were having the other night but it led us to KIDS INCORPORATED! So funny. It was like midnight when the conversation started and both of us were lying in bed, unable to sleep because we couldn't remember the theme song. Then it came to me and I sung it like it was nothing. I used to absolutely LOVE this show! So did Jeff....those of you who really know him are not surprised by this information. Lesha (my sister) and I would always argue over who was Stacey. I always really wanted to be her because she was the star but Lesha actually looked like her and had way more singing/dancing/acting talent than me so she usually was Stacey. I have such good memories of coming home from school and watching this show while singing and dancing along. I consider myself so lucky to have gotten to be born in the 80's! Maybe I wouldn't be so "anti-t.v." if shows like this were still aired! Seriously, whatever happened to good clean fun on t.v.?

So....as our quest continued into the next day we got online and found these videos of KIDS INCORPORATED on youtube. Talk about a total time-buster. I have a million and one things to do but instead I sat at the computer with Jeff and brought the 80's back right in our living room. It was really refreshing. Then Jeff's asks, "Stacey Ferguson, is that like, Fergie?" "No!" I told him absolutely not. Then we looked and sure enough it is Fergie! What? Are we the only people in the world who didn't know that? Then I got sad and I said to Jeff, "Hollywood really ruins people!" Take my sweet little superstar "stacey" and look what she turned into...I'm not so much a Fergie fan, nor do I listen to her or even really know what she sings. So, there you have it. This is what has been consuming our "alone" time together after the kids go to sleep in the evenings.

So if you were ever a fan of KIDS INCORPORATED I would highly recommend looking them up on youtube. It makes for great entertainment and could bring back some pretty fun memories! Did we really dress like that? I know I did! And the hair? Yep, even the hair!

Happy Reminising!

*Thanks Vashti for the step by step instructions for posting a video from youtube...easy!

Six Months Old!

Adelle is growing up right before our eyes. She is so stinkin' cute and she totally knows it, just like her brother. Her personality is so fun. She is so mellow and really truly the best baby ever although I have this feeling that she is going to give us a run for our money in due time. She has this really mischevious look she makes when she is about to do something and it's really funny. It reminds me of myself actually, when I used to look at my dad, and now my husband, with that innocent look that basically gets me whatever I want. How funny that now I'm the one who's falling for it!

She continues to completely adore her brother and is getting closer and closer to chasing him around. Today I laid her on her belly, on her blanket, while I made a couple phone calls and this is what I turned around too. She had completely scooted herself backwards off the blanket and literally across the room. Are you kidding me? You are barely six months old!

Tradition

One of my favorite things about Christmas has always been going to the tree farm and cutting down the Christmas tree. Growing up we would do this and it was always so fun to pick out the tree and then help cut it down and drink cider and eat candy canes and popcorn afterwards. We let Braxton pick out our tree this year and he did a dandy job! It was raining on Saturday when we went but that didn't stop us from having a good time and getting the perfect tree.

This year I realized something that has never even crossed my mind before. Going and cutting down a tree is lots of fun for everyone but it's lots of work too. Afterwards I told Jeff that I really loved him for putting up with my traditions. I realized that I really like going and looking at all the trees and picking one out and getting all bundled up, but when it comes to cutting it down I never help him because every year I have been holding a baby. So Jeff cut down the tree, with the help of Braxton. Jeff carried the tree to the car and then tied it onto the car. What a guy!Thanks Jeff! You're awesome. Maybe that's why I like this tradition so much. I get to share in the fun without having to get down and dirty. I promise one day when all the kids are grown we will still go cut down our own tree and I will be right there on the ground with you, sawing my little heart out (and cursing the saw that always seems so dull at tree-cutting time).
Until then however, I will enjoy being the mom and getting to come along for the fun, drink the cider take the pictures and pose by the tree. Somebody has to do it!

*how cute are all of our boots! I made sure Adelle's were still on for the picture. She really likes to kick them off. Thank goodness we live in Washington and our 6 month old has her own rainboots!

Giving Thanks

I absolutely love thanksgiving. How can you not have a good day when you sit down and actually think about all that you have to be thankful for!
The kids and I have had a fun week making turkeys, not real turkeys, but the kind that you make by sticking your hand in paint and then pressing it to the paper. Braxton loved this activity this year and was very independent about doing it, "all by myself, mom." Adelle wasn't such a fan but she was a good sport, as usual. It was tricky with her because her fist is usually in her mouth so I had to make sure to have a wash rag with me at all times because as soon as I let go of her fist it goes straight for her mouth. Anyway, we made little thanksgiving notes and sent them/gave them to family members. During this process Braxton and I had some beautiful conversations about everything he was thankful for. It was really sweet.

So then last night, after a wonderful dinner and a busy day, Braxton, Jeff and I were cuddling on the couch while Adelle was asleep.
Braxton (completely out of the blue) says to me, "mom, where is your turkey card?"
Me: "we didn't make one for mommy, huh, that's ok mommy knows that you are thankful for her."
Braxton (now he's distraut and sad for me that I didn't get a card) says, "oh."
Me: "why don't you just tell me why you are so thankful for me."
Braxton: "it's because you really love me."

This of course was better than any card and completely melted my heart. All week when we had made cards he had said he was thankful for treats, and playing ball, and going fishing, and playing crazy (with Jeff) and for his sissy.

I am so thankful for moments like this that remind me of my blessings in such an innocent way. My children are so sweet and straight from heaven. Braxton could have easily said, I actually expected him to say, that he was thankful that I read him books or that I made him yummy dinners or that I sang songs with him....but he didn't. He is truly thankful that I "really love him" and I soooooo do!

Comfort

I had some friends from high school over the other night for dinner and we were "girl talking" and one of my good friends noticed some buckets in the corner labeled "wheat" and she was like, "what is this." "Wheat," I said. Then she started cracking up laughing, like really laughing. After I explained to her the method to my madness she decreased her laughing but never completely stopped. A few weeks later when the stock market was suddenly dropping and banks were in turmoil she called me and was like, "wow, maybe the whole food thing you have going on isn't such a crazy idea." "It gives me a lot of comfort," was what I told her.


It's true, I find comfort knowing that I have a house/garage full of food, should I ever need it and not be able to get out to get it. This past year Jeff and I made a resolution to increase our food storage supply. I really, really want to go to Hawaii with my husband and kids but I must be getting old and more mature because I have really enjoyed saving extra money and using it for food storage. Jeff has been building me shelves in any spare room we can find for storage, here is the garage.
Braxton is totally into helping. He got to wheel the sealed mylar bags from the kitchen to the back bedroom. He didn't get to help in the packaging process, that could have been really fun? The "food grade" buckets are filled with beans, wheat, and oatmeal. They fit really well in Adelle's closet and aparently they are also really fun to sit on (and really high to fall from).
I'm dorky, but here I am demonstating how easy this process is that we have been doing. You buy the bulk of whatever (I found split peas and lentils at cash and carry and brown rice at Costco) pour it into mylar bags, throw in an oxygen absorber and iron the bag at the open end to seal it. It's amazing and quick and easy and the bags are perfect for storing smaller portions....
This was actually our date night last week and what an efficient and productive date it was! Also the mylar bags are really nice because you can fit them in a small space, under the bed, in the closet....wherever.
More shelves in the garage! Here I have a variety of dried foods right outside the door into the house so I can stand on the ledge in my socks and reach whatever I need. So handy! So here's the formula folks: More food= more comfort =more sitting at home in your pajamas when it's snowing hard and you don't want to venture out for hot cocoa (or milk or sugar or rice....)

Braxton turned 3

Jeff's words, "How do WE have a three year old?"

His birthday was a huge hit. I honestly have never met anyone more excited for a birthday party then Brax was. It was so much fun. We are so blessed to have such great family who all love him so much and helped him have such a wonderful day, actually such a wonderful whole weekend!

A few of my favorite things...

Braxton can make Adelle laugh so easily. It's so sweet to watch, that and the random kisses.

Rolling Over! Sitting! Scooting?

Why is it that with your first, at least for our first, we were always anxious for him to do something new for the first time? I remember thinking, "when will he sit up, when will he roll over, when will he crawl?"
Now with the second it's like, "slow down, you are growing up too fast!
Adelle has been sitting for a while and rolling over and last night she was scooting off her blanket. It's going too fast!

This made me really nervous! Adelle has lost her swing privledges because she won't just sit back and relax. She wants so bad to be up and running around with Braxton.



I love, love, love that Adelle and Carson are so close in age and that we live so close to them. They are so fun together. Usually Carson is trying to get his hands on Adelle but she can definetly hold her own, thanks to Brax, and if not she has her big brother to stick up for her. Every little girls dream! She is quickly catching up in size to Carson.






Many of you who know Braxton well know that he is a huge "mimic"er! This is him mimicing dad at work, digging in the dirt. He reminds me of my brother Brent who's tongue is always out when he is really concentrating on something. This picture doesnt' capture the smile but Adelle is loving watching her brother work. It is so fun to watch them interact with each other.

Yesterday Braxton and Adelle were both on my bed and they were playing hide and seek. Braxton's idea. So Braxton would put the covers over Adelle, hop to the end of the bed, count to 7, then go pull the covers off of her and "find her." It was so funny to watch and they were both giggling.

Hairdresser goes on Strike!

Funny, Jeff is totally posing for this picture. There were some other poses too but you all don't get to see those...sorry!

So I am the hairdresser and no I didn't really go on strike. Jeff's hair is always the same, since I all I know how to do is use the buzzer thing.

We've been so busy lately that his haircut kept getting put off and put off and put off. Eventually we got passed the "stick straight up stage" and I started to really like his hair longer. I told him I just wasn't going to cut it.

This too is funny and worth noting. He would rather just grow it forever then spend the money to go have someone else cut it (I secretly love that I get to be his hair dresser). So I knew last weekend he wasn't going to be at church because he was driving home from a fishing trip so I decided one more week couldn't hurt. I really think the long hair is hot but he felt like it was rebelious or something so last night I gave in and cut it so that he could go to church today and not feel like a rebelious teenager. That and aparently some of his buddies at work were getting grossed out by his fuzzy neck.

But, needless to say it was fun while it lasted. Good thing we go to church because the rest of the week no one really sees his hair but me (he wears a hard hat at work) and I would have let it keep growing.

No after pictures but you all know what the standard Jeff haircut is, right. He's handsome no matter what!

Happy Halloween

Hope everyone had a great Halloween. Special thanks to Braxton who sang, "Rain, rain, go away..." all morning. The night ended up clearing up and being Beautiful. Kids are so optimistic!

We hit up the Trunk or Treat at my parents ward....quick easy candy!

Braxton evaluating his treats!

Adelle pouting that she didn't get any candy, just a big pumpkin.

Yes this is me, the one in the blue sweatshirt. I totally dominated the pie eating contest at the church carnival. That's right!

Our festive family. My Alice dress special thanks to Jeff's aunt Tina who made it. Jeff's costume special thanks to my mom and dad's closet, he made a great Mad Hatter.

Here's Braxton and his friend Ellie at the church carnival. Braxton was appauled at the event and spent most of his time watching Ellie in horror. She kicked his cowboy bootie at this one for sure.

I take it all back

Wow! talk about having a change of heart. This has been the greatest October ever and I was telling Jeff the other day how much I have really loved this fall! (he said it was because we had a not so good summer but either way.) So much for all the nasty things I said before. This year fall has been absolutely beautiful. The kids and I went and picked apples one crisp morning with my mom and my grandma. Braxton loved it and it was fun to get all bundled up and be outside. We have still been getting to go on our walks which makes me really happy. We got to go make homemade apple cider at some friends house and it was so yummy and fresh and delicious. The sunsets have been breathtaking and the evenings have been cool but clear and pretty. Braxton had his birthday and party which I still have to blog about but it was perfect and he was so excited. We've gotten to go up to Canada every weekend and watch my brother play basketball for Qwest University. Braxton has gotten to carve pumpkins on two different occassions. First with Jeff and I and then with Ampa and Bama. The trees and leaves are beautiful. Our house is warm since we installed new windows this spring so the heat actually stays in the house! Last but not least my friend taught me how to make a pumpkin pie using fresh pumpkin and it was amazing! Happy Fall! I've completely changed my mind about this beautiful season!

Why I love October....

I don't know how to put these in order....this is us today at the Pumpkin Patch.....now we will go back in time.. My handsome little cowboy....not be confused with my manly hunka hunka cowboy down below.

This is us when Braxton was one week old.....Notice the Orange color scheme:)
This is us when Braxton was almost one at the Pumpkin Patch
This was the very first Cowboy I ever loved....he didn't think he'd ever have any competition
This is us last Halloween, Braxton almost 2 and mom 10 weeks pregnant with Adelle
This is Braxton and Adelle today at the Pumpkin Patch. The second cowboy I ever loved....

I honestly used to think October was the worst month of the whole year. Why? Let's see.. it's usually cold and rainy. It's the first month of the year when I am forced to wear shoes and not flip flops which is pure torture for me. I was never a big fan of dressing up for Halloween. The days are really short and dark. Growing up my car would be really cold in the morning getting into it....that's all I can remember about why I didn't like it.

Now I love October and think it is a beautiful and extra special month. Why? Braxton was born in October which makes it one of my favorites. Every October I think back to when Braxton was born and how he has changed every year. Now I have another little pumpkin (Adelle) to dress up and fall means I can dress her in cute little leggings and sweaters. Let's see, I get to park in the garage now so I don't have to get into a cold car anymore, plus so far this October every Sunday after church all 4 of us crawl into bed for Family Nap which is amazing and definetly wouldn't happen in the summer. So I really love October. Plus, Halloween is so much fun when you have really cute kids to dress up.

Here's some October pictures I found of us through the years. Funny that I am wearing the same orange sweater in almost all the pictures.

Side note * I love that orange sweater it's Abercrombie and I bought it at Plato's Closet consignment store for $4.00 5 years ago. It's still a favorite, obviously since I wore it again today. I love a good bargain. I think I'm going to see how many years I can wear it for Halloween pictures...

Do you see any resemblance?

So we introduced Adelle to the Jump-a-roo this weekend and she loved it! As she was chewing on her fist in it I had a deja-vu moment and I could picture in my mind when Braxton would do the same thing. I decided to search for the picture of Braxton and to compare the two. Ironically in the jump-a-roo pictures they are almost the exact same age. (duh, I guess thats the age they do the jump-a-roo and chew on their fists)

So what do you think? Do they look alike? I'm curious to see what you think.

Most people tell us that they don't think Adelle looks anything like Brax. As she gets older I can see more and more of her brother coming out in her, especially some expressions she makes.

Anyway, just kinda fun.

We still can't tell what color Adelle's eyes are going to be. Braxton's were very brown from the beginning. Her's seemed to be going blue/green when she was younger but they seem to be getting darker too.