Checklist

It's getting closer.

Presents bought?

Check. (actually credit... :))

Christmas outfits for church?

Check.

Pictures with Santa?

Check.

We're ready, Santa! See you soon!

The Excessively Long Post

I've been putting this off. It's only been a week, but I have a lot to share. So here it is: The excessively long post. Some of my friends, when covering a large amount of time, just do multiple posts on one day to get caught up. Not me. This is it. Get comfy.

It snowed! In El Paso! It was rainy, and cold enough and the raindrops turned into snow. Aaron saw like an inch at the hospital. I was thrilled! Two days later it had melted, but it was very exciting for one afternoon.Alex trying to catch snowflakes on her tongue. Silly Al - she couldn't even see them!

Last week, December 12th was Audrey's First birthday. One year ago, my beautiful third child was born - our Christmas baby. She was tinier than my other children - by a full pound - and a red-head from the start.

Now, she is one! She can walk several steps before gingerly sitting down. She loves to eat noodles (no surprise!), ice cream, and almost anything she can find on the floor. She can say, "up," "good," "bath," "Mama," "Dada," and "baba" (for her bottle). She can wrestle with her brother and sister, and hold her own. She has enough attitude for three children. We love our Auger-dodgers so much!

With her birthday cake.

Covered in said cake.

Daddy got her balloons for her birthday. He got the blue ones because of her brother and sister (who recently has a strong affinity for blue). She loved them!

The swing set is a GREAT present - not only for our kids, but the preschool kids as well. They love it, even if Alex hogs the swings.

Gave Audrey spaghetti noodles for dinner on Tuesday night. She ate a bunch, and then decided they needed to be on her head. Classic.
Wednesday night, Ben had a performance at school. They sang "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" and "Frosty the Snowman." My dear son was right in his element with a top hat and cane. That's him in the back row, dancing with the girl in the white dress. Totally cute.

On Wednesday, at preschool, we did a performance for the mommies and daddies. We sang 4 songs and did a performance of the Nativity. It went well. Then, on Thursday, I took them (Heidi - you will be proud of me!) to a local assisted living center, where they sang for the grandmas and grandpas. Although the residents were mostly asleep when the kids performed, they did wake up to receive the foamy snowman pictures the kids made. It was nice, and I think that they might have actually learned something!

All my silly kiddos at the Assisted Living Center.

It's been a busy time here, but it's finally slowing down. Christmas is almost set, and we're ready to go. Thanks for making it all the way to the end. :)

Two more days...

In two more days...

• Preschool will be over for a whole 19 days.
• Ben will be done with school for 18 days. No more getting up early to take him to school.
• Aaron will be done with Step 3 of his board exams.
• My dear friends will all be home in Michigan and New York with their families.
• I should be done with all my Christmas shopping and many of our Amazon gifts will appear at my doorstep.

In two more days, I will be able to sit, and blog our Christmas letter, and breathe.

Taking 9 preschool kids to the Senior Center tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Not blogging...

HaHA! I can do it. I wasn't on blogger all weekend.

Even though it was Audrey's FIRST BIRTHDAY.
Even though my mom was here and we played and shopped alot.
Even though there were lots of blog-able moments.

I restrained myself.

I paid attention to my kids.

I got all my Christmas shopping done.

I shaved my legs (finally).

I hosted a dinner party.

I made cookies.

I mopped the floor - oh, how I hate to mop!

But I didn't blog.

But the weekend isn't over, and Aaron is already in bed for the night, and the house is shut down, and miraculously, Audrey is actually in her own bed, and I really need to get some sleep...

and here i am on the computer.

I'll update tomorrow - I promise!

Early Christmas Present

Before...

After about 9 hours of work, a bajillion screws and bolts, the lovely smell of cedar, a few scratches, a good shin bruise, a splinter under the thumbnail, and 3 little helpers,

Merry Christmas Ben, Allie, and Audrey!

Mom and Dad love you so much!

(So do Nana and Pawpaw, and everyone else who contributed!)

'Tis the Season...

For Christmas lights....

and Family Pictures.
One day at a time, and we'll get through

all the parties, playgroups, birthdays, and shopping.

Only 19 days until Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

So ...
The week was supposed to be easy. Monday, normal schedule. Tuesday, after preschool, we would pack up the car, Aaron would be on a half day, we'd pull Ben early from school and head to Phoenix. Then, we'd have a fun-filled 7 hour car ride with the stop for fireworks and ice cream; visit with my sis in Tucson, and get to see grandma and grandpa. I guess that is kinda what happened - only with a good deal of vomit and poop.

Aaron was on call on Saturday, so we went up to see him and Ben wanted a picture of his hand - just like his sisters got a while back. As we got done, Audrey threw up on the machine. ACK! I spent the rest of the night up with her, and we didn't go to church on Sunday. Not fun. By Sunday night, the vomiting was over, but there was much poop. MORE NOT FUN. Really, I attributed all of this to her top teeth that are fast approaching.

Then, Tuesday morning came. We were packed, ready for preschool, and Aaron was ready to leave. I had arranged for a friend to come over and monitor Audrey for explosions. Then, Alex threw up. Aaron decided to stay home, and kept both girls upstairs while I did preschool. After preschool, my independent, opinionated three year-old curled up in my lap and fell asleep. We said a prayer, got Ben, and got in the car.

The ride was okay - just a few incidences of reaching for the bucket. By the time we got to Auntie Heather's in Tucson, Audrey needed a bath. YUCK. We stayed only a little while, and Ben and Al seemed fine - no more puking! (Until it was time to get back on the freeway...) We made it to grandma's house and crashed. Al was all better, Ben was all better, Audrey was contained in her diaper - and Mom and Dad were exhausted.

By morning, there was energy abounding! We got to do two great things - go to Chick-fil-a and see our friends the Walshs and the Walkers! After a yummy meal, we went to the Walkers house and played in the rain in the backyard. Alex finally got to play with Hunter!

The kids had fun and I got to visit with some dear amigas. Pretty great!

Thursday brought the cooking of the 26 1/2 pound turkey. It was beautiful, delicious, and succulent. One of the best. Mom's stuffing was amazing. Larissa even made a pie. Whoa.

Audrey got some good grandpa time. She really liked his mustache.

On Friday night, we went to the car show! The Honda Accord has a really big trunk.

And here are the things I am most thankful for. We have our health (finally), we have enough for our needs - and some of our wants, and we are together. We have wonderful families, amazing friends, and the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. We are so very blessed!

Thankful

As I listen to the wind gust around my master bedroom,

I am thankful for many things.

First and foremost, I am thankful that I have a warm house and that I am protected from the blustery weather.

Second, I am thankful for a husband who is home tonight, and enjoying the Suns game instead of doing stuff at the hospital. Because when he is home, everything will be okay and the noises of our house disappear.

Third, I am thankful for the Sunbeam electric blanket company. A while back, a friend mentioned her love of blankets. I truly LOVE my blanket. Aaron bought it for me last year, and aside from letting me put my cold feet on him every night, it was one of the nicest things he's ever done for me.

I love being warm.

Taking up the slack

I've been slacking.

Sorry.

We've been busy - lots of playing to do around here!

On Friday, we went with our church playgroup to a petting zoo in Socorro (so close to the border you can see through the fence - There is a HUGE waterpark in Juarez!). The animals were fun to visit and the kids had a lot of fun. Luke and Alex are such great buddies. Blake and Audrey were quite comfy in their strollers.




Beyond the usual farm animals, they had some deer, a buffalo (or a bison - what's the diff?), llamas, and peacocks. Here's a darling bum shot.



Saturday, we had a garage sale. I am proud to say that we sold everything in only 2 hours! For my sibs, I sold the Big TV for $40 - and they knew that it didn't work! We got rid of the now threadbare blue couch, also. Overall, it was a big success.

Monday, we got up and met our friends at the gym. When Emily made it home, she found out that the Dentist had finally called with an open appointment to fix her broken tooth. So Luke and Blake came to play! Alex and Luke disappeared into her room, making delectable desserts in her princess kitchen for 45 minutes! Audrey and Blake (3 weeks apart) played - crawling up the stairs together, attempting to exchange pacifiers, and generally, keeping me on my toes.
We had a good time, but I am totally glad that I do not have 4 children 3 and under. Oy.

I'll try not to slack quite so much. I know you all are waiting on baited breath to see what we're up to next. :)

My little laundry helpers

Today, Audrey crawled into the laundry room to help with the laundry. She is almost 11 months old, and this lovely little dress reminded me of my other little laundry helpers from a while back.
Here is Alex and Ben in July of 2006. Note the same little dress. Al was 13 months old - with much more hair than Audrey - in two months will it grow that much?I think this is why moms hold on to their kids' old clothes. The memories of the children in those clothes are almost as precious as the children themselves. :)

How I get Alex to do my bidding

Alex loves Diego. More than she ever loved Dora. ("Impossible!," you think.) I can use Diego to get her to do almost anything. No, not by promising her that she can watch a show (although that is very useful in a non-creative moment), but by telling her that she can be just like Diego.

It all began one Saturday, about a month ago, at Walmart...

Alex had to go potty, so I was elected to take her, and Aaron went on shopping throughout the store. As we got out of the bathroom, it was time to find Dad.

Me: Alex, you should call for Dad and see if he answers.

Alex: Dad! DAD!

Me: (less loud) Daddy! Where are you?

Alex: Mom! He's lost! I know, I'll call Falcon. He can find him! Falcon! Falcon!

Me: Alex, we're in a store, I don't know if Falcon will be able to come in.

Alex: It's okay, he's here in my pocket. Falcon can find Dad; Falcons have excellent eyes and can spot things from far away. Go Falcon! Go find Dad! (she releases her imaginary bird.)

Now, I use her love of Diego to get her to do things.

Me: Alex, use your spotting scope to find Audrey's pacifier. See if Baby Jaguar can help you. I know you can do it!

Alex: Okay mom! Come on, Baby Jaguar!

It's a lovely system. It does require a knowledge of Diego vocabulary and Diego amigos, and the 22 minutes per show are well worth the services she is able to provide.

Aaron's Birthday

Aaron's birthday is today, so we went out to play yesterday. We intended to go to the local Farmer's Market, and found out that it had closed for the winter season. Oops. We ended up at Bob-O's Playland. It was super fun! Audrey played for a while on the video games. Then, Alex and Audrey rode on the bus.

Aaron, the kids, and I played a little golf. Haha. Get it? A "little" golf? :)

Aaron took turns with the kids riding go-carts.

Today, we sent him off an errand, had some friends come over, and decorated.

He came home and SURPRISE! Happy Birthday, honey!

I love my husband dearly. He is the best thing in my life, and the best father for our children. He sits in church and puts star stickers on his little girl's fingernails. He wakes up in the middle of the night to give Audrey back her pacifier. He takes the boy out to ride his bike, even when he should be studying. And even though I know what I look like, he still drools over me.

We have spent the last 9 birthdays together, and they've been amazing. I look forward to many, many more. Happy Birthday to the most amazing husband EVER!

Halloween

Here are my fun kiddos dressed up for Halloween.

Ben was Captain Hook (he used his own money to pay for half of his costume), and Alex was a witch. Audrey got to re-use Ben's first costume - a giraffe.
We went to the Trunk-or-Treat at church and had a fun time. Then, we went to our friend Kate's house, and visited with Kate, Estephen, Kristine, Kristine's parents, and Alanna. On an emergency stop to the Walmart Neighborhood Market to get new pacifiers (all of ours have gone missing!), we saw Kevin, Emily, Luke and Blake. Then, we went home to hand out candy. It was a fantastic night. Happy Halloween!

Boo!

Visiting the hospital...

to see the most handsome doctor there! My mom was in town visiting, and wanted to see where Aaron was working; so we went to have lunch with him at the hospital. While on the tour of the Ortho dept, we visited the flouroscope (it's like an x ray machine - but I don't really know the difference). Here is Audrey's foot. Note that her bones are not meeting yet!

And here is Al's hand. Like Audrey's foot, there is still some room to grow!

Pretty cool, huh?

Calling All Arizonans...

One of the other doctors in the Ortho department (a 3rd year) is headed to Phoenix Children's for 6 months, to study pediatric orthopedic surgery. She asked me a while ago, "What is there to do in Phoenix?" I piped up quickly with, "A LOT more than in El Paso!" :)
This is what I have so far; please comment and let me know what else to tell her. I'll update this post with your comments, and hopefully, she'll stay busy in the Valley of the Sun!

Enjoying Phoenix

Little Restaurants we LOVE
Red Robin - wherever you can find one! Great burgers.
Garcia's Mexican food - yummy
Tradiciones - attached to the Phoenix Ranch Market on Roosevelt - really authentic food
Morton's Steakhouse - pricey and worth every penny!



Fun Stuff to Do in the Metro Area
AZ Science Center is fun for all ages
Tempe Town Lake
Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix International Raceway - a hop, skip, and a jump from my old house
Cabela's
AZ Mesa Temple Visitor's Center
Phoenix Suns Games - Go SUNS!!!
Hike Camelback Mountain or Piestawa Peak
Salt River Tubing
Arizona Mills Mall, with IMAX
IKEA of Tempe
Broadway shows at Gammage Auditorium
Scottsdale Fashion Plaza
Golfland/Sunsplash
The Outlets of Anthem
Indoor Skydiving in Eloy - they do real skydiving too!
Lake Pleasant, Canyon Lake
AZ Cardinals Games
Mystery Castle (Thanks, Stephanie!)

A Weekend Away
Sedona, AZ (2 hours north)
Slide Rock, AZ (just outside of Sedona)
Tucson, AZ (2 hours south)
Flagstaff, AZ (2 1/2 hours north)
Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco), Mexico (3 hours away)
San Diego, CA (6 1/2 hours away)
Las Vegas, NV (5 1/2 hours away)



A Longer Weekend
The Grand Canyon (about an hour and a half past Flagstaff - but lots to see and do)


The more the better! Thanks, in advance!

5th picture

I was tagged by Heather, so here is my 5th folder picture.

I opened the 5th folder and took the 5th picture and here you go.

Ben and Al circa Feb. 2006. Alex had bad eczema and her face is roughed up. Still sweet, though.

Audrey wore these overalls to Ben's open house the other night. Alex and Audrey have the same eyes. I love my kiddos!

I tag Heidi, Stephanie, Elizabeth, and Larissa. Enjoy!

Ben is cool

Recently, we had a ward talent show/chili cookoff. Ben told some jokes, and was a big hit. Enjoy!

*There is lots of background noise at first. It does go away.

Rome?!!

Wow! A temple in Rome!

Musings...

Weird, unrelated things I have been thinking about recently.

1. Have you ever read Rainbow Fish and thought... "is this what communism is all about?"

2. Did anyone notice that President Monson was wearing a gray suit to the RS broadcast? Is that allowed? (Duh, of course it's allowed...he's the prophet...) But when was the last time a prophet decided to wear a lighter colored suit at a conference event?

3. Did you know that it has been like, um... at least 12 years since I have had bangs? And here they are again. I went to see Emily about my hair, really - she is awesome, and I wanted something new. What do you think?

4. I am glad that my brother is back from his year-long stint in Korea. However, I am irritated at myself for not asking him to get me a postcard from Korea or Tokyo. Welcome home, Jared!

5. Do you know how cool it is that I have a husband that is a doctor? He just wrote his first scrip for our little fam. Nice. Oh - don't ask - he doesn't have a prescription pad; the govt agency he works for does it all electronically, so if you don't reside here at Bliss in the Army, you're out of luck. :-P

6. I'm annoyed that not all of my musings have pictures; however, I don't want to pull out the camera. Good night!

Similar

Every now and then, I am struck by the similarities between my 1st born and my 3rd born. The shock of red hair, the bright blue eyes, those round kissable cheeks. They have very similar expressions, body movements, and reactions. If there wasn't almost 6 years between them, they could easily pass for twins.

Aaron's new title

My darling husband has been dubbed, "The White Cloud." It seems that whenever he is on call, traumas seem to disappear!

In church yesterday, he was talking to one of his attendings (a high counselor who is in the other ward) about how at 1 am, the attending had repaired a knee (I think), had gone in to do a hip replacement early that morning, and was hoping to get through sacrament meeting before being called in to do another!
Aaah, the busy life of an orthopedic surgeon.

Aaron was relaying this story to me with the news about his new title. I am pleased about this title because it means Aaron gets to sleep while on call - and come home happy and ready to do his "honey-do" list! heehee I know it won't last forever, but I know that I need to enjoy it while it sticks!

As quickly as they came...

they left. This morning, early.

It was fun having Nana, Jared and Lucky at our house for the week. But Pawpaw won out - he needed Nana to help keep all the insurance people straight and take care of business while he cleared out the house. Bobbie Jo and Peanut showed up late Friday afternoon with some pictures - the first we had seen.

This is the dirt left behind by the feet of water that was in the house.

This is the new kitchen that Dad just finished last winter.

I thought it was interesting that you could see the water line in the knocked over pot.

The fence on the side of the boat was knocked over. Jared was glad that the new playground set that was installed in the neighborhood only 3 days before the storm withstood the winds. Below, Pawpaw caught a fish in the front yard during the storm!

All the furniture in the front yard. And, despite the water, people kept driving up saying, "Ya'll having a garage sale?" Sheesh.A sign in the neighborhood tore up by the wind. So right now, the house does not have power, and is pretty much uninhabitable. As they were checking out the drywall in the walls, some of the outside bricks were falling through. Oy. It's going to be a long process. On one hand, that's no fun, and all of the accumulated "stuff" is gone - leaving only the memories attached. On the other hand, I just keep seeing in my head Pawpaw's smiling face as he got to throw out all of mom's accumulated "stuff!"

Anyway, Ike's TV coverage is over, but for the families whose houses were destroyed, it's an everyday thought. If you happen to think about it, remember those families in your prayers. Thanks. :)