Sick, sick, sick, SICK!

That is one "sick" for every person in our family. Yep, we are all sick. It started last wednesday when Isabel started coughing and not sleeping good and just had a body flu. Then on Sat. David and I started feeling pretty crummy and congested. Then on Sunday, poor Brigham started coughing too. Yesterday, my ears started killing me and I was getting more sick. So I went to the Dr.'s today and apparently I have an ear infection (who knew you could get them when you are all grown up). So I got put on antibiotics. Then I thought I better take the kids in and make sure they are okay (since we are flying in 2 days). So Isabel has an ear infection, and Brigham has....yep, RSV. My worst nightmare. It is not in its worst stage, so it can get worse, which scares me. I thought david had a sinus infection so I sent him to urgent care when he got home from school so he could get on antibiotics and not give as many germs to Brigham. But, no he just has a cold, so the dr. told him to get a bunch of over the counter meds. You should see our kitchen counter, it is littered with antibiotics, creams to help with diaper rash (for Isabel, not for us), cold medicines, salines, honey and nyquil. We are a pretty sore looking bunch. David gave Brigham a beautiful blessing. I just hope it doesn't get down into his lungs. We hope we can still go to Utah for Spring Break and see both sets of parents. I guess tomorrow will tell. And then I have to take him back to the doctor on Friday so they can check up on him. Oh what a crazy week!

My wonderful Valentine!

Today is a double holiday for our family. Not only is it Valentine's day, which is a great holiday, but it is also David's Birthday. An even better bonus was that it was Saturday, so we got to spend a lot more time with him. We started the day off with a yummy breakfast, and then played around with Isabel and just vegged in our jammies. Then we got up and went and got some grocery shopping done (not too exciting, but I LOVED having David's help, so that is just fine by me!). Then David headed off to the school to get some studying done (he has 4 tests this next week and 4 more the week after. They are all cramming them in before Spring break), and I headed home to get stuff done for his birthday. He came home and helped me get the rest of dinner ready. Then we opened his presents. His mom had sent some great clothes for him to use hunting and some warm base layer clothes. I got him a box turkey call (he may drive us crazy practicing with it) and a coupon for him to pick out some sunglasses that he is DESPERATELY needs.
Then we had dinner. We had an amazing prime rib, spinach salad, grape salad, and mashed potatoes. Oh I almost forgot to mention we had bubbly! (sparkling cider, or as Isabel calls it "spicy"). We ate ourselves into a coma (we didn't get the meat sweats Amy, thank goodness!). Then we topped it off with some strawberry shortcake. A day can't help but be amazing when you eat so much food. I will admit that I am a little too obsessed with food, but hey, you only live once, right?
It was so fun to spend the day as a family and show our valentine how thankful we are for him. He truly is such a special person. He is such a wonderful example to me of a selfless person. When we first started dating, he made a joke that he would swim across the ocean without arms for me. So silly, but it is true. I know he would do anything for me and our children, and I am so lucky that he found me in this crazy world. He makes me laugh every day and it does something to my heart to see him with our children. I love him more and more everyday and it only seems fitting that this sweetheart of a person was born on Valentine's Day. I love you honey, thank you for agreeing to spend forever with me!

Isabel came and put this bow on me and then put one on herself. She was so excited and started laughing hysterically. I guess she thinks we are the best presents:)

Not much to say

Well, we haven't been up to much lately. In fact, my brain is total mush right now and I can't think of anything. I am excited because I just finished making a video of our pictures from 2008 and we are going to watch it for family night tonight. I went to the cannery on Saturday and got lots of food storage (which make David wince because then he has to find a place to store it all). Our children continue to make us smile and fill our hearts with love and gratitude. We feel so blessed. I will go play with my kids now and bring more news if we do anything exciting!
Here are a few scrapbook pages I have done. It is pretty addicting, but I don't have much time to work on them right now. I hope I can stay up on it somewhat to get a decent scrapbook going.

We checked out the ice fishing derby at a nearby lake. You've never seen so many ice tents! It was a really nice day too, so it wasn't too bad being outside

Here's our little guy flashing us a few smiles. He is such a happy easy going guy. It is so cute to see him smile at Isabel when she is mauling him. He is very liberal with the grins when he gets a clean diaper put on.

Hanging out

Because this last week was so bitter cold, and we have a newborn, we couldn't go anywhere! I could barely stand to open the door to get the mail. So we had fun just hanging out, being silly, getting cabin fever, and decorating the house with all of Isabels toys scattered. My kids bring me so much joy, but I was a bit stir crazy. So David let me go out on Saturday for a few hours and get some fresh air! Here's some pics from this week.
Here is our little stud muffin getting some tummy time. He is growing and changing so fast, we try to just enjoy every minute with him. He is such an easy going baby and he doesn't mind all of Isabel's attention that she loves to shower on him.

Here is my little copycat. She has been mimmicking everything I do. Including trying to nurse her babies, attempting to use the breast pump, even doing the sound effects of what the machine sounds like, and putting on makeup with me. She is such a joy, but is definitely learning how to voice her opinion. She constantly teaches us new things and makes us laugh everyday with the energy and sillyness that she brings to our family. She is learning new words everyday and helps me out so much with Brigham. I am so glad she is so loving to him and doesn't get mad when I need to tend to him.

She saw me putting these glasses on Mr Potato Head and insisted I try them on her. Not quite the perfect fit, but she doesn't seem to mind.

After his bath, Daddy had fun styling his hair. Isn't he adorable. He is chunking up on us. I had him weighed at one month and he was 10 lbs, 2 oz, which puts him in the 75th percentile. Total opposite from Isabel, I think he is gonna be a big baby. He is starting to smile a little bit and is learning to coo. It is so much fun to watch as your kids learn new things and grow and develop. We are so thankful for these precios spirits.

Back to the real world

Well David had to go back to school this week, and it was a sad occasion. It has been so fun having David home over the break, and he was a lifesaver to me in getting adjusted to our new family. Here's a few pictures from the last week. Here's our little sleeper. He always finds a way to wiggle his arms out of his blanket. Although he won't go to sleep unless his arms are wrapped up, he likes to get them loose.

David helped Isabel build a snowman on Saturday. Yes those are deer antlers for arms, we had to improvise. They are both wearing camo coats. I had a baby shower for Brigham with my friends here in the Village and one of my sweet friends got this adorable camo coat for Brigham to wear next winter (they all know David so well!). David wanted Isabel to wear it so they could match. Since she is so tiny, it fit her great, and she thought it was cool that she got to wear something different.

She loves to give Brigham "ugs" (hugs) and does it every chance she can, even squishing him sometimes. She is so sweet to him, we couldn't wish for anything better.

Here is our handsome little guy. He is getting more alert everyday and loves to be able to look around. David swears he likes to stare at the deer we have, because we willay him down on the couch under the deer and he fixates his eyes on it and won't budge. I guess we are training him early to be daddy's hunting partner.

Here is mommy's little helper. Isabel wants to be doing everything I am doing. If Brigham is fussy and I pick him up to bounce him and pat his back. Isabel runs and finds one of her baby dolls and does the same thing. The other day I was nursing him and she went and picked up her baby, tried to lift her shirt up, and couldn't, so she just cradled her baby like I was holding Brigham and just sat there. What a little mommy! This picture was after I had brigham in the carrier for a while. She went and picked it up and wanted Daddy to help her put it on. She wants to be so involved and is such a sweetheart. I still can't believe that she is my little baby girl, and I have another baby already. It is amazing that I can love two little kids so much, they are true joy. Being a mother is such a special blessing!

Happy New Year!

We bid farewell to 2008 by eating a delicious king crab leg dinner, YUM!!! Of course with a 2 1/2 week old and David in the home, we didn't stay up till midnight, but we had fun just the same. We had a great chocolate cake that Isabel enjoyed as well. That is why everyone needs a daddy-they let you make messes.

On the 31st, I took Isabel out on a mommy/daughter date to the zoo. She has been adjusting well to Brigham, but has been acting out a bit, so I took her out to have some alone time with her. I think she really enjoyed it, I know I did. It was fun to see her back to her normal self. We just wandered around and let her go wherever she wanted. We had lots of fun at the aquarium and the desert dome. She was so curious and intrigued by everything and loved having my undivided attention.

playing in the car and with the horn. She loves to honk at people and lets out a big yell whenever David honks the horn.

she loves to color!

We can't wait to see what 2009 brings us. Each year just keeps getting better.

Poinsettia Show at the Gardens

We decided to get all bundled up and head to our neighbor's, the Botanical Gardens, on Monday to check out the beautiful Poinsettia Show they had inside. It was so incredible. Thousands of poinsettias plants and trees of all colors (ok, not all colors, but lots of shades of red, pink, white and speckled.) There was even a giant Christmas tree built out of poinsettia plants. Isabel kept saying wow and running all over the place. They had these cute model trains that were running in and out of the plants. It was nice to get out and enjoy some beauty indoors while it is so bitter out here in Omaha.

Christmas 2008

Even though we were missing family terribly, we had a wonderful Christmas with our little family. It was so relaxing and enjoyable, we made great memories. It literally took us all day to open presents. We started about 7am and in between naps, a nice big aebleskiever breakfast and yummy lunch and feeding Brigham and playing with the toys, Isabel opened her last present around 5pm. After each present, she would play for the longest time with the toys or books. She LOVES Elmo so she really enjoyed this elmo doll and elmo books that she got. In fact, she really loved all of her toys and continues to play with all of them, trying to do it all at once, which makes a nice mess in our living room. She loved to open presents, but we would have to talk her into opening another one because she was so involved in her current toy. It was really fun to just have no schedule or worries. We spent all day in our pjs and just enjoyed the heck out of our kids. Brigham just slept the day away.

Further proof that you can just give kids some boxes for Christmas and they are just as happy!

I think she put about 5 miles on this stroller the first day. She loves doing laps in between the kitchen and living room.

Cuddle buddies.

Enjoying his great Christmas present. Thanks Grandma! It looks so comfy that Isabel keeps trying to crawl in and try it out.

Opening a present, I don't know if she looks so tired because she just woke up from a nap or if she is exhausted from all her presents:)

Santa's little helper. He got this outfit from Grandma G and it only lasted about an hour before his diaper leaked all over it. So he has worn it a few more times cause he looks so dang cute in it.

Baby got back!

Daddy helping Isabel get her Little Einsteins piano open. She loves little Einsteins and pounds on the keyboard. "tinestines" is what she calls 'em.

Here are some pretty flowers David bought for our Christmas Eve dinner.

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve Eve, we headed up to the trail center to check out the gingerbread display. It was so fun! There was hundreds of gingerbread creations from all over the area that people had submitted. Some of them were so awesome, I couldn't believe the detail and creativity that was put in to them. Here are some pictures of our favorites. our ward did one, but we couldn't find it.

We helped Isabel act out the Nativity story. (She was Mary and a wise man, I was Joseph, the innkeeper and some wise men. David was a donkey, shepard and camel carrying the wise man to see Jesus, and little Brigham was Jesus.) It was so cute, she was pretty reverent and curious about it all, I think she knew it was a special story.

Here is our cute little wise man bringing baby Jesus a gift.

On Christmas Eve, we cooked a delicious prime rib dinner (from the prime rib that we got from the 12 days of Christmas). We had so much food, we wanted to invite our neighbors over for dinner. We had a great time with them and ate till we couldn't move (we were all contemplating unbuttoning our pants to give us some more room, but didn't do it). Then we watched a beautiful video that we received from the 12 days as well. It was a picture slide show set to beautiful music that showed all sorts of paintings about Jesus' life. It was so moving and brought the tears flowing. It was a great way to feel the true spirit of Christmas.

We had so much fun receiving the 12 days of Christmas. We are pretty sure we know who it was, but since they wish to stay annonymous, we just want them to know how much we love and appreciate them. It was so overwhelming to see the time, effort and money that was put into it. We felt so loved and blessed to be the recipients. We just want to say thank you for all you have done, you'll never know how much we appreciate this and cherish the memories we have made because of it.