kicking off Christmas

Our house has been filled with Christmas spirit.  It all started with pulling out the few Christmas decorations we had here.  We never planned on spending Christmas in PA so most of our Christmas stuff is still in Utah. The kids got so excited over the few little things we had we quickly decided we needed a tree. We set off to find one and ended up at a huge Christmas tree farm.  The kids loved hiking around until we found just the right one, a beautiful concolor fir that makes our apartment smell like a Christmas explosion. That same day we went to a fund raiser at the high school, where the kids got to go shopping with one of “Santa’s elves”. We filled out a form to indicate who the kids were shopping for and how much money we wanted to spend and a student dressed like an elf took them on their to shop for gifts.  That night we got to finish up our festive day and a Nativity party at the church.  Hudson got to perform Christmas songs with the primary.  We also enjoyed walking through a nativity display and eating cookies and hot cocoa.



Beautiful Baby Autumn
At two months old  Autumn was 10 lbs 9 oz and 22 1/2 inches long.
(Hudson was 13.8 lbs and 23 1/2 in.; Ellie was 13.6 lbs and 24 1/2in.)
So Autumn is by far our runt.  She is still in the 50 percentile, but I guess we are just used to our Hudson and Ellie who  exploded at 5 weeks. They were both in the 95th percentile.
Autumn is always looking around and seems to be trying to figure out the world around her, and has consequently worn a little round bald spot on the back of her head.




Ellie loved all of the trees that were the same size she was. She kept hugging them and saying, " I yuv this one!"




This is Hudson's new signature move. He pouts like Charlie Brown when he gets scolded. This is a mild representation.  I'm not sure exactly what the cause of this particular pout was, but I believe it had something to do with jumping into mud puddles.



The highlight of the week was certainly Sunday when Jake blessed our little Autumn in church.  It was really strange to not have any family members here to share the special day with us, but we had good friends and home teachers who were able to join in the circle. Jake gave her a wonderful blessing, where in he blessed her with many tools to help her accomplish the things in her life that would be pleasing to her heavenly father and her family. The spirit was very strong.  I was told that during the blessing she happily stared into the faces of the men in the circle. Many of whom approached me later and commented on her beautiful spirit and the joy she seemed to have about receiving her blessing. It was a wonderful day and I wish we could have shared it with our loved ones back home in Utah.



Someone loves her Daddy!





I have aspirations of getting a good picture of the three kids together to use for some type of Christmas card.  I took at least 30 pics of them sitting on the couch together and this is about as good as it gets. I guess whatever I end up with will be a true snapshot into our life.



I really need to learn how to use photoshop!



Three Little Turkeys

Thanksgiving has come and gone. We sure had a good one spending the holiday with lots of our friends but, it certainly wasn’t the same as being with our families back home. We definitely didn’t get to doze on the couch stuffed with turkey while watching football. Those days are gone. My heart is very full of gratitude for all that we do have to be thankful for; especially the three little things that make dozing on the couch with Jake nearly impossible. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

Ellie tells me she is thankful for pumpkin pie…which we had to put a limit on because she loved it so much I worried she would be sick. Hudson says he is thankful for turkey sandwiches. He has been looking forward to thanksgiving all year. Last year we ate dinner at two o’clock and Jake and I ate so much we didn’t even think about feeding the kids again before putting them to bed. That night Hudson crawled out of bed and informed us he was hungry, so made turkey sandwiches and ate them on the couch in our PJ’s. Hudson thought this was the greatest thing ever and has been talking about it with a lot of excitement and anticipation ever since. This year we once again had our late night turkey sandwich snack with Hudson. He was so excited I think it will be our Thanksgiving tradition for years to come!

Just before bed we got to Skype with the Powell’s back in Utah, and got a wonderful surprise when Sam and Erin announced that they are having a boy in April. Since no one even knew they were pregnant I think everyone was a little shocked, but we couldn’t be happier for them! There is no greater blessing then children.

Our little Autumn continues to do well.  Sadly, she did end up getting a cold from the rest of us. The sound of her little cough was so sad. She had some pretty rough days, but seems to be feeling a lot better now.  Today she 9 weeks old! She has made it to ten lbs and is starting to get a sweet chubby face that I can’t stop kissing. She is starting to take real naps and only wakes up once at night to eat. Sometimes my sweet husband will even get up and feed her for me so I get a heavenly full nights rest. It’s an amazing feeling! She loves to smile and coo when you talk to her, and especially loves the kids. We were even able to catch some of her smiles on camera.

Four in the Bed

♫♫♫There were four in the bed, and the little one said, “Roll over, I’m crowded”.

So they all rolled over and one fell out.♫♫♫



♫♫♫There were three in the bed, and the little one said, “Roll over, I’m crowded”.

So they all rolled over and one fell out.♫♫♫



♫♫♫There were two in the bed, and the little one said, “Roll over, I’m crowded”.

So they all rolled over and one fell out.♫♫♫



♫♫♫There was one in the bed, and the little one said,
 "I’m LONELY”.♫♫♫



This week has been so LAME! Everyone but Autumn has been sick with our first colds of the season. Our house has been a snotty cough fest for the past week, so I will feel very lucky if she doesn't get sick. There is nothing worse then a sick baby. Since everyone has been so sick our week has been adventureless.  We have made a few quick trips outside to play, but  it has been cold and the kids have been ill enough that out outings don't last long. The kids have filled their days with movies, trains, hide and go seek, and mostly destroying the apartment while hanging out in their jamies. If there was a font to express sarcasm I would tell you that, "It has been a lot of fun!"

Little Autumn is seven weeks old today. We are seeing a lot more of her pretty smiles. 

Ellie is still doing good with her potty training, although she uses needing to go potty to avoid doing things she doesn't want to, like going to bed, or sitting at the dinner table for meals.  Kids learn to manipulate way too fast!

Hudson has informed me that my belly is so big that I am having another baby.  He has even decided that it is a boy and named him Dusty. I guess that is a not so subtle hint to me that I need to either get pregnant or do something about my belly. In that case, I think I will be heading back to the gym soon.

November Blessings

Another busy week has come and gone.  Thanks to after Halloween sales Hudson picked out this costume to wear to the trunk or treat.  He was pretty pumped to get to dress up like Thomas the Tank Engine. I think he made a pretty cute train! Although I bought Ellie a few more costumes to play dress up with, she would not even consider wearing anything other then her kitty cat costume.  The kids are so sad Halloween is over.  They keep asking if we can go trick-or-treating again. Fortunately they have Thanksgiving and Christmas to get excited about.

Autumn is six weeks old now! She is sure a sweet girl! There are still times when life feels a little crazy as we are adjusting to our new addition.  One day this week I was feeling a little overwhelmed and blue. That evening as I stared at her, she looked up at me and gave me her first real smile.  Its amazing how my stress melted away and I felt nothing but joy and gratitude for all the love I have in my life. I know that my heavenly father knows me personaly and sends me little blessings when I need them. On another day we needed a few things from the store so I loaded up Hudson and Ellie into the stroller and put Autumn in the sling around my neck and headed on foot to make my purchases.  As much as Hudson and Ellie love eachother they love to tease one anothe even more and sometimes it makes my life difficult. By the time we made it to the store Ellie was crying, Hudson was yelling and every bit of my patience was spent. I got quite a few looks of sympathy, and coments like "wow you have your hands full", from passersby. Admitedly, I was feeling a little sorry for myself as well.  An old woman approached me and I prepared myself for yet another "helpful" coment.  She looked at me and asked if she could take them off my hands.  I gave her a courtesy laugh expecting that her coments was given with sarcasm. She came very close and wrapped her arms around Autumn and proceeded to tell me how beautiful my children were and express to me how children are such blessings from god.  Then she warpped her arms around me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.  As I walked away from her I couldn't keep the tears from rolling down my cheeks.  I was reminded not only that my children were precious gifts, but also that my heavenly father was always there with me to lead me, guide me, walk beside me, and once again I felt his love for me as stonge as I ever have.  I don't ever want to forget that day in the store. I want to look for opportunities to help someone else be reminded that they are loved children of our Heavenly Father.

I crossed off a huge task from my to do list this week; POTTY TRANING, or Potty Prison as Jake and I like to call it. I have been putting off potty training Ellie until things settled down a little. Honestly, I have been a little nervous of taking on this task because my little Ellie can be aaaaaaahhhhlittle willful and I was worried it might be quite the battle. She really surprised me however. With the help of some hello kitty stickers and Halloween candy she has done really awesome! I'm so proud of her. She is getting to be such a big girl.



Fall Fun

These past few weeks have been a lot of fun.  We have had tons of fun fall activities. Our lives have been saturated with pumpkins, candy, and excitement.  Everywhere we go the kids spot the spooky decorations around town.  As much as they love all the scary ghosts, witches and monsters that they are suddenly surrounded by, they have also been somewhat plagued with bad dreams and pretty regularly show up in our room at night for reassurance that the scary things are just pretend.

Autumn just keeps growing.  Today for the first time she had tears when she cried. Its heart breaking to see them.  She also made the big move from our bedroom into her own.  Although she still prefers to sleep on one of us.

4 weeks old

We went to a children's fall festival at Shavers Creek. While there, we went on a hike down some nearby trails. Ellie, of course found many fantastic sticks.  That same night we went to a pumpkin festival at the arboretum. It was at night and there were hundreds of carved pumpkins all lit up on display. The kids thought it was so great that they got to be out in the dark. 

The stadium had trick or treating one night.  The athletes handed out the candy and Ellie charmed extra helpings out of most of the them.

Saturday mornings the kids usually climb in bed with Jake and I for some snuggle time.  It is one of my favorite events each week. Although, I'm starting to think we need a bigger bed now that Autumn has joined in.

 The kids were so excited for the first snow of the year.  They loved playing in it and even did a little sledding.  They seem to think it is Christmas now though and can't stop talking about it.

                                                                             5 weeks old!

Spider Man and Kitty Cat

The kids have been talking non-stop about going trick-or-treating. I already loved Halloween, but they make it even better.  They sure loved going door to door for treats.  They certainly weren't shy- Ellie walked right into a stranger's home and Jake had to go in after her. After working the neighborhood, we went to a Halloween party at some friend's house and made haunted houses out of gram crackers and candy.  The kids had such a great Halloween and I'm sure they will be counting down until next year.  Fortunately we have our ward Trunk-or-Treat tomorrow so the fun can continue for one more night. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!