Best year ever!

Christmas just keeps getting better every year. I hope it continues to go that way. We had the best time with these 4 little kids. On Christmas eve, we went to G & G Dawson's to get some cute jammies, then over to G & G Jenkins for some delicious dinner and games. I loved watching the kids open their gifts on Christmas morning! They got excited about the littlest things. G&G Dawson, Eli, and Grandma Ruth came over to our house for brunch. Later in the day we stopped by both Grandparent's houses for more party time. It's nice that we all live so close.

let the fun begin
New Christmas jams

her first dress ups!

hanging out, digesting our dinner

some delicious homemade apple pie

Christmas morning... Hailey's a little lost in all the craziness

bustin' out some Star War moves

I love the look on this girls face

Carly's taking care of their new babies in their new cradles (made by Ben (barely finished them in time... we're talking the wee hours of Christmas morning (still not painted(we like the excitement of flying by the seat of our pants))))

playing with Grandma Ruth

sleeping beauty and Grandma Sharla
Christmas morning bubble bath

showing off her new bottom teeth

Grandma Barb made the kids a little playhouse to fit over a card table. The kids love it! I love the steam on the window from Abigail's nose.Now they can go to Grandma and Grandpa's whenever they want

Lisa and Carly playing beauty shop.

December

Like all of you, we've been too busy enjoying life to post much. Here's what we've been up to this month.

making sugar cookie trees with Grandma Barb
They looked great, and tasted even better

cheesin' it

playing bingo at the Carruth party with cousin Jenna

happy girl, she had her first taste of jello.

having tea parties that apparently require suit jackets

playing with best buddies

we watched a Christmas special at the planetarium for the Smith party...so fun!

'shaving' her legs- you can't see it that well in the picture, but she's got her little leg up on the ledge. I asked her what she was doing, and she bashfully said, 'just like Mommy"

snuggling with my sweet baby

Now I'm ready for the real fun.... can't wait for tonight and tomorrow!

Christmas Village

We took the kids to the Christmas village, they of course had a great time. They were excited about the houses... they were really really excited about the playground. I kept telling them they can play on one any old day, they didn't care, it was their favorite part.

I love this picture of Abigail, taking a peek at baby Jesus.

It was a fun, cold night. I love my little family!

Abigail is 4

Sometimes I can't believe Abby is only 4. She seems so much older to me. Today in primary they thought she was turning 5, and that could be because she towers over everyone, but she just acts a lot older too. She's so motherly, that's all she talks about... being a mother one day with little babies. I always tell her I'm going to put rocks in her pockets so she can't grow up, and the other day she was thinking really hard and she told me in a sad voice, " please don't put rocks in my pockets, I want to be a mommy now". She has a tender heart, and she is a bit shy, but she's always so happy.

some funny stories about Ab-
"When I am a mommy, I will take Hailey away from you, and she will be mine" I am seriously waiting for the day when Abby kidnaps my baby for her own. She's always trying to take her from me when I'm trying to calm her down. I guess she thinks she can do a better job.

She's always making up nicknames for Carly and Hailey. She calls Carly any of the following: Carloch, Carlucky, Carlycakes (she made that up, and that's what we call her), and Carlo. She calls Hailey: Hailoche, Halo, Hailey muffin, Hayes, Hailutch. I really don't even know how to spells the things she says.

For Halloween, Sharla bought her a fairy costume. She was so excited, her face was beaming as she tried it on. Then she had it on, she wasn't smiling, and she was asking why she wasn't flying... are the wings broken?

About a year or two ago, Luke was saying his name... Luke Dawson. So Abby said, "Luke Dawson and Abigial Fisher" To understand this, you would have to know that they have two cousins, named Dawson and Fisher.

After Abby understood that her last name was Dawson, she asked what her middle name was. I told her she didn't have one. She said, "yes, my name is Abby Abigail Dawson."

She has wanted a princess castle cake ever since Luke found one online and showed it to her. She wanted a picture of her princess barbie and the cake... NOT her.

Since it was the Dawson's turn for Sunday dinner, we all gathered there. We had her grandparents Jenkins and Dawson, Grandma Ruth, Uncles Eli and Brent, Aunt Courtney, cousins Fisher and Dawson there to help her celebrate.

She got a pink chair! Imagine how ecstatic she was.

Oh wait, it gets better, a pink chair and an easy bake oven!

And plenty of new clothes, which was great, because she's been growing. I've never seen a kid so happy opening presents.

She was acting so grown-up in her fancy clothes, fancy princess slippers, sitting in her chair, with her legs crossed.
I have a feeling tomorrow we will be doing lots of baking, sitting, changing outfits, walking in princess shoes, and playing with princess barbies.

my Hailey girl is 6 months

Never did I think time could go by so fast. With each child, it goes by quicker. Hailey should still be my newborn baby. Hailey is such a sweet, sweet, sweet girl! She is the most content and patient baby. She tolerates so much kissing, squishing, carrying, noise, and bone-crushing hugs from her siblings so well. Abby is her second Mom, and is always taking care of her. She has started to fake cough and squeal to get attention, and she babbles, saying mamamamama.
I took her to the Dr. on Tuesday and she is:

27 in. - 90%
17 lbs. 1 oz. - 75 %

So why do I have a random picture of an Indiana basketball player? Well if you look to the left of his leg on the second row, you'll see me and Ben. Some friends invited us to go to the Jazz game with them last night. For the first half we got to sit on the first row under the basket, and for the second half we switched with another couple to the second row. Ben, having been a Jazz fan since age 4 was extremely excited. We also got to eat dinner with the 100 club and have snacks in between. I've lost my camera, but luckily Ben found a picture of us on ESPN.com, or we wouldn't have had anything to document our fun night. I look bored in the picture for some reason, but I really had a great time.

Now about the lost camera... I was pretty sad about it, until Ben suggested we get a new one that I've had my eye on. The new camera just arrived, so I'm glad that I will be able to resume my blogging.

New Nephew

Logan James Dawson

Freddie and Heather had a sweet little boy last week. That gives them two girls and two boys. I think he looks just like their other kids. Now I just wish they didn't live so far away, because I want to see him before he's half grown.

Halloween

We had a vampire, two fairy princesses, and minnie mouse this year. We decided to forgo the trunk or treat this year. Ours is with our ward and the lutheren church down the street, and you have to bring enough candy for 300 kids. I just don't want my kids coming home with that much candy. So we got together with a few neighbors and Ben's parents, and walked around our neighborhood. It was just the right amount of candy. After trick-or-treating we went out to my parent's house to meet up with cousins and have some delicious dinner.

Fall

Although I am sad to say goodbye to summer, we have been enjoying the fall. I feel like we didn't get as many fun things done this summer as usual... we didn't even go swimming, not once! (Not that I mind, I don't like swimming) So we've been trying to get out a little more lately.

We went on a hike with Grandma and some cousins up North Ogden divide

We went to Beus pond to feed the ducks

These were some scary geese. They started running towards us as soon as we came around the bend. They freaked the kids out and one bit Ben on the ankle.

We had a good time, but the kids were a little wary of the crazy aggressive ducks and geese. Seriously, I think you all need to go feed the ducks, because they acted like they hadn't seen food in days.

playing with some caterpillars

My kids love being outside even more now that it's not too hot.
These two were so proud of themselves for making a swinging teeter totter. I let them play on it for a while before I decided that it was probably too dangerous.

We went to the park with Grandma, Grandma Great, and cousins for some pizza and to pick out pumpkins

My favorite event during the fall... our anniversary. We celebrated 7 years today. I love to look back on these last seven years, and I look forward to the years to come. I couldn't ask for anything more. Nothing means more to me than Ben, my kids, and the Gospel.