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 i...

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 child 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 m...