Thursday, December 31, 2015

The Year in Review

Here is our family Christmas card... so glad we were able to get pics of the entire family together (even baby boy).
Lots of HUGE changes for us this year...
We moved from University Student apartments to our newly purchased duplex.  Renovated the bathroom and carpeted the whole house.  Built a shed for storage of all our tons of stuff (well, Mike did most of these things).  Got a baby in my tummy (also Mike's doing ;)).
Said goodbye to my Acura and hello to our new Honda Pilot... pulled off another Pancake Race in Logan, then took an awesome vacation to the Oregon coast... just to name a few of the changes.
Just a quick rundown for each of us:
Mike:  continues to work on house projects to fix up our duplex investment.  He is good at what he does, and seems to know everything when it comes to handy man things.  This is every woman's dream!  Still works as the Facilities Manager for IHOP, still keeps fit, and still looks nowhere near his age :)
Ali:  still works as a Billing Specialist (doing budgets, etc.) for the University of Utah Clinical Trials Office.  Still loves being a mom and constantly running kids around to various activities.  Enduring through a miserable pregnancy that feels like it will never end... sick and barely able to eat, but fighting through for that sweet baby boy.
Bret:  working for Discount Tire and enjoying getting his hands dirty working on cars.  Still loves trucks and even bought a new diesel truck that he is super in love with.  Loves hanging with his friends like the typical teenage boy, and going four wheeling.
Avril:  Excelling in her 1st grade class and enjoying learning.  Avril's best friend is Maeve and they are goof balls when they get together.  Avril wants to sign up for every activity possible.  This year she has taken soccer, gymnastics, ballet, piano, and Spanish.  She is smart and creative, and always writing sweet notes for people.
McKel:  cannot wait to start Kindergarten and be in school with her big sister.  McKel loves all things boy.  She is very athletic and loves pretty much any sport.  She loves to be happy and goofy and excitedly tells stories often with so much exuberance that you can't tell what she is saying.  She looks up to her sister and is so so so excited to have a baby coming soon.
Baby Boy:  continues to make mom sick but already so loved.  He is extremely active and constantly doing flips in mommy's tummy.  He likes to make the sucking face in the ultra sound pics.  Choosing a name for baby boy has been a struggle for mom and dad.  At this point, no names have jumped out as winners, after endless hours of searching through names.  Eventually we will find something...

Here's to a New Year!  Happy and blessed to have this family.  :)

Friday, December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas!

The girls get to experience multiple Christmases since it gets split between Jesse and me.  This year we were lucky enough to get the girls the morning of, which is the best part.  Then I get to see the excitement on their faces when they get out of bed.

These pictures are a little out of order since we first celebrated Christmas at our house, and then went up to Grandma Joyce's house... but I am too tired to rearrange the order.

It was fun to get to go to Logan to see family.  I love going to Grandma Joyce's house because I have so many happy memories there, especially around holiday time.
This may be one of my all-time favorite pictures.  Mike looks so happy, and Avril is pulling a Blue Steel look.  McKel is loving getting to sit with her Mike daddy.
Mike took this video unbeknownst to me.  I look hideous.


Nana helps the girls with their many, many Christmas presents!
so fun!
Nana with her sweet grandbaby girls
Even Bret came by to open his presents:
father and son

Here is the video we took of the girls.  Mom was so excited about Christmas I was up at the crack of dawn and couldn't go back to sleep.  I kept waiting and waiting for the girls to get up and I couldn't believe that they slept in!  Finally I couldn't wait any longer so I went to wake them up.  I tried to capture their reaction when they walked in to find their dinosaur (for McKel) and the dollhouse (for Avril).  It is kind of dark but I did get it on video :)


The hubs opening his stocking...
Big smiles as she sees her gifts!
More big smiles!
not enough room in our little home for all these big gifts!
checking out a new toy
My sneaky husband tried to trick me by wrapping my gift in a big box.  He got me the newest iPhone which was very sweet, especially since he is not a fan of Apple products.  I loved his sneaky surprise.  He got it on video:


...and so this was our first Christmas in our little duplex home.  I love that even though we don't have a lot of space, we are making it work, and learning to love each other as a family.  My favorite gift is the little guy growing in my belly.  It's a wonderful life!  :)

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Teeny Tiny Snowman!

The girls were so proud of this teeny tiny snowman that they made at Grandma Joyce's house.  Nana took pics and sent them to me.  She even saved it in the freezer for them.  Such cuties!
Love his carrot nose!
sweethearts
Happy Holidays!!

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Avril's Piano Recital

My little pianist girl had her first official recital.  I was so proud of her, she did amazing.  The whole family came to watch.  She played "Ode to Joy" by memory and it is her new favorite song to play over and over :)  I love to watch her learn and see how she progresses.  Avril is a natural at the piano.
the program
Avril with some of her fans :)
Avril performing
I only wish I'd taken a video!
Avril with her fellow students
the teacher with all her students.  They all got treble clef straws as a gift :)

So fun to watch!  Proud of my girl :)

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Luke's Bday Party - BowlingGo M

Luke is in Avril's class at school, and he invited her to his birthday party at the bowling alley.  The girls and I all attended and had a blast!  Great idea for a birthday party...
Logan, Carolyn? (not sure), Avril, and Mackey
Go McKel!
Strrrike!

Friday, December 11, 2015

McKel's 5th Birthday Party!

My baby turned 5... I can't believe my sweet baby girl is a 5 year old!  I never understood why parents always say, "where does the time go?" until now.  One minute they are a baby and the next they are all grown up!
This girl has such a tender heart.  You think she is tough because of her athleticism and preference for boys' activities and such, but she has such a sweet and sensitive side to her as well.  She looks up to and adores her big sister.  Avril has no idea how much McKel admires her.  McKel is BEYOND excited about having a new baby in the home.  She asks several times a day, "when is the baby coming?" with a huge grin on her face.  She wears her emotions on her sleeve.  If she is happy, she is super exuberant and bouncing with so much joy that it overflows to everyone in the room.  If she is sad, she will definitely let you know it as well.  She tells stories with the most enthusiastic pizazze I've ever seen.  Sometimes she gets going so fast and excitedly you can't even tell what she is saying!
McKel loves any sport, and any superhero.  She loves to wear boy clothes and especially super hero clothes.  Favorites are Batman, Spiderman, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
McKel is also BEYOND excited to start kindergarten.  Another common question is, "but WHEN will I start kindergarten?"  "But that will take forever!  It's not fair!"
McKel is gifted athletically and it shows in whatever sport she tries.  Her favorite sport is probably soccer.  She has tons of energy and is excited to get up every morning and start the day.  I love her to pieces, and I am proud of the girl that she is.  Love you, McKel Kel.
McKel opted for the Jump Around birthday party again this year.  We invited several of her friends from her daycare at the ECEC.  Mom also wanted to make it a photo session with the fancy camera because it is rare that the whole family is together.  So without further ado... here are the pics:
I first took some of the girls at the park by our house, but it was FREEZING outside!
playground sistas!
I was actually amazed that McKel let me curl her hair...
bright, sunshiney day!
Whee!!
Cute smile!
brrr!
Avril sitting on the freezing quail statue
...and of course one of McKel on the quail
so sweet
Love McKel's classic expression...
Who doesn't love playing in the leaves?
My favorite shot of the girls I got :)
Love these girls!
The beautiful birthday girl, McKel.  Love her bright blue eyes...
Also one of my favorite shots... ready to party it up at the Jump Around!  These two are excited!
The girls!  (oh, and a BOY in the tummy) Merry Christmas!
McKel's face says it all!  Goofy girl
I have another goofy gal!
Such a sweetie
Gorgeous Avril
Sweet McKel
Avril with her papa
A nice pic
And a silly pic (thanks to McKel)
with Uncle JJ
with Uncle Santa JJ
Avril and papa getting some air!
JJ gives it a shot
starting to get a belly!  Ho ho ho!
2 very handsome men
Me and my bro
Mwa!
Papa Dennis
Mike and his pops
Here come Sara and Matthew :)
Way too much fun!
McKel and her friends
more friend pics
could that be papa Dennis jumping??
Bret with his little sisters
...and the magic Christmas card shot!  :)
3 generations
Charly and Harlow
Hard to get a good shot of that boy!
A cute Matthew pic
Hi Avril!

Hi little one!
Presley
action shot of McKel
more action shots
:)
A very sweet pic of Trish and Edison.  Sweetest ever.
JJ with Trish and cute Edison.  So glad they could come
Love.
Ashes, ashes...
we all fall down!
Avril and Matthew :)
pizza time!
Brianne and her boys :)
Beautiful Liv
Sara and I
the 3 siblings
McKel with Angela's kids
McKel loved opening her gifts!
twins!
sweet
Avril and Logan
techies...
hugs for JJ
we needed a good shot of Bret for the Christmas card :)