Christmas cards, and treats

I wish you were my neighbor and I could show up at your door with a 1/2 dozen "professional" carolers and a loaf of cinnamon bread. Last night we went out, few in number because Ari came down with a fever. We met with good friends and neighbors. At one house Jacob was talking to their 5 year old who either had a cold or just a real rough voice. Jake came over to me and said "I can't stand talking to him, he just needs to clear his voice."

Then about 5 minutes later my 8 year old then had the audacity to tell me "Isn't about time we wrapped this up, I am ready to go." He said he was trying to be subtle by tapping me on the shoulder for 5 minutes first.

I have sent most of my Christmas cards out this year. I have about 5 of 50 left with unknown addresses I am trying to track down. You better feel pretty special those of you who recieved cards because I agonize every year over sending Christmas cards because of how fast the stamps add up. It is not because I don't value each of you-it is more about how cheap I am.

Here is our Christmas card in case you haven't recieved on from us.

We feel very blessed this Christmas season. We have now been in our new home for 1 year. We love it. We have about 2 acres in the country. This year we got to experience having goats, puppies, a big garden, and Ciana went to Lowes and came back with 12 trees for our “orchard.” Dave even got a free riding lawn mower and purchased an old John Deere tractor from Heinz. Now all we need is a truck and we will be set. The kids for the most part are loving the country. We can have campouts in our backyard, animals, and even tried flying kites until we got a little close to the power lines. Our kids are all healthy and thriving. They drive us crazy, make us laugh, and somehow we are surviving.

Jacob, 8yrs old is the newest member of the church in our family was baptized in August. It was a great day. If Jacob is not talking then he is probably reading.

Thomas, 6yrs old is a first grader. He is trying harder this year to compete with his brother. He is always quick to do his work when a reward is involved but absolutely miserable when he doesn’t make it.

Ariana, 4yrs old is getting big and responsible. She is doing Joy school this year and preparing for Kindergarten in the fall. She also has very expensive teeth this year thanks to a couple of baby crowns. Mom and Dad have been a little more dedicated to brushing her teeth lately.

Lily, 2yrs old is finally out of diapers. This is the first break Mom and Dad have had since Jacob was born over 8 years ago. Of course potty training isn’t exactly easy. But Lily is such a joy in our home. She is always singing-at the dinner table, at church, and when she is in her bed.

Baby #5-Due in April. More than halfway there now!

If you are coming through California and need a stopover, we would love to welcome you to our home. We send our love and best wishes to all. May you all be warm and happy this holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

Love, Dave, Ciana, Jacob, Thomas, Ari, and Lily

Lily

Two year olds are so much fun. Lily can be the cutest little thing when she is singing, talking, coloring, or building with her "Jengas." I am hoping that she will be the first Esplin to master fine motor skills before she turns 10. My boys still cannot write very ligible and Ari seems to be headed in the same direction. Lily loves to spend a lot of time with the crayons and blocks. Her singing though is the absolute best. She is always singing. If I try to join in, she often tells me that it is her song and I can't sing it.

But man can two year olds get nasty fast. She loves to tell Dave and me "no" every chance she can get. She loves to wake up in the middle of the night complaining about monsters in her bed. We just try to take it as affirmation that she is two.

I am just glad that she will be a little older by the time the baby comes in April. Maybe she will sing him/her lullabies in the middle of the night and let me sleep.

Here's what we have been up to the last month.

Our new fireplace insert that we keep going all the time and goodbye $400 propane bill.

Dave's 35th! Couldn't fit all the candles on the cake. We didn't have to light the fire that night.

How Lily and I spent several hours on Turkey day. She was sick and only wanted to sleep in my arms.

Happy Turkey Eaters!

Look who cut down the Christmas Tree.

Lily loves to hide in the cupboards. Jacob wondered if we could leave some empty so they could all fit.

What the pictures don't show:

The kids singing for a Stake Christmas music fireside. Lily was up there too and singing her heart out. It was definitely entertaining.

I cried in my talk at stake conference-definitely prego hormones.

We had snow fall in our backyard but melted when it hit the ground.

The everyday general craziness of 4 kids and a mom who still throws up occasionally.

Taking the boys to the doctor with me to have ultrasound and "enjoying" every minute that we waited in the exam room (for 40 minutes) so I could explain the female anatomy charts on the wall.

A comment from Fellow ward member at Christmas party dinner, "Wow, next year you are going to need two tables for your family or they will have to set up the rectangular ones instead of rounds." Thanks a lot!

In other news...

Our family has been completely disrupted by a jelly bean sized being. I can no longer cook, open the fridge, change diapers, and be reasonable. Yes, I am enjoying my most favorite part of pregnancy- "day" sickness. I would love to call it morning sickness but the only time I get total relief is at night when I am asleep. I have tried sleeping during the day but that didn't make me feel any better and Lily went wild with a crayon on the walls, tv, windows, table, etc. Luckily my mother-in-law came out for 10 days and ran my house. She was an angel to my family and my husband told me he would give me another week before he expected me to run our home like her. Keep dreaming honey.

We are looking forward to April with fear and excitement. Now my goal after this icky stuff is over is to get Lily out of diapers. I have been changing diapers without relief since Jacob was born 8 years ago. I have always done double duty with a toddler and a newborn. So I am really looking forward to the possibility of a few months of vacation from stinky diapers.

No more triple digits in Cali...

So happy that fall is finally here. We just spent the last week sweating and avoiding the outdoors as it was very hot here. Suddenly the heat is gone and we are in the 70s and freezing. I am loving it.I realized that my children are now completely warped Cali kids. Jacob had an assignment that asked what would you wear in 85 degree weather. His answer: A sweater.

Life has been pretty crazy around here lately. Dragging the boys to soccer at least two times every week, Dave working ridiculous hours, school in full swing and 8 puppies running around.

Our dog had puppies last month and they are now equipped with claws, teeth, and can run. Hopefully they will be finding homes soon. Also if we find homes for them soon we can tell everyone that they are poodles instead of german shepherds.

I Hate Picture Day

The boys received the dreaded picture notice the other day. First of all who wants to pay 50 dollars for a picture that they can't control. I know that is some of the "beauty" of school picture day but come one. So I have decided that it isn't worth it and I will just go to Penneys for a picture. But then I remember that they use this picture for various school things like yearbook and student card(It seems crazy to me that they have both these things in Elementary but whatever the schools have lots of money to burn right?) So I decided to choose my battles and not tell the kids what they could wear only that I must comb their hair. Jacob and Thomas's hair is getting kind of long right now and to top it off last night was bath night so their hair dried in a mess while they slept. So I pull out the comb and mousse and get to work on Tom's hair. By the time that I finished I had made him "too handsome" and he was embarrassed to go to school. So he messed it back up and proceeded to run from me. IF I was a better mom I would have probably laughed and said that he would just take his pictures like that. But I am not so I redid his hair and Dad gave him a talking to and everyone went to school mad. I think that when he comes home we will go back to the shave the head method and my life will be easier. But then hair cuts are just another battle with Tom and to top it off so is washing his hair. He pretty much holds my hand until the bubbles are gone from his head. Maybe he has some suppressed psychological feelings that he will loose all his hair and be bald some day so he just doesn't want his hair to be messed with.

At least Jacob didn't put up a fight though he also detests getting his hair done. He wrote at school in a "Who Am I" essay that "my hair is untidy." I think he likes to believe he is Harry Potter.

A memorable Vacation

We spent part of July with my family in Utah and Dave's in Idaho.
Our most memorable moments
1. The 300 yard pioneer trek. Thomas screamed the whole way back about how he hated pioneers and the whole experience because there were stickers/poky weeds on the trail.
2. Saying goodbye to our dog Missy. We permanantly left her at Grandpas. I have sacraficed and given the indoor animal thing a try for 4 years and I was ready to move on. She just didn't work her at our new place. I will say though that I have figured out why she never ate any food. There is so much more crud on the floor these days.
3. Spending 25 plus hours in a car with my kiddos. They were actually pretty good.
4. Seeing all my family especially new baby Laura.
5. Hanging out with Alainna. We were the lucky ones who got Aunt Alainna with us on several occasions as we drove around Ut.
6. Lily learned a new song on the drive. "A bushel and a Peck" I wish that I had the techno how to post a video.
7. The kids biking on their dads old stomping grounds.
8. Seeing Sagebrush again. You start to miss that when you live in CA
9. Heritage Park near the "This is the Place" Monument
10. Coming home again