Sweetest Part

Christmas is all about the kids.... I don't care who you are, it really is.  This Christmas, Kairi set out the Traditional Milk and Cookies for Santa, but then she added her own special touch that only Kairi can add.  She added a gift to Santa for the reindeer, wrapped in a gift box was a little bell.  Then she added a note.... you'll see.  Santa, of course, responded.   Later that day, I asked what her favorite part of the day was (thinking of all the gifts she was given) and she responded "Leaving Santa a note and gift for the reindeer and having him write me back and tell me I was a good girl."  Even when she was little she was very enthusiastic about praise,  I would say that it is continuing on...... She is already trying to be her best for next year.....

Christmas Morning--- Executed

Glimpse at Christmas Morning in the Winn Household.....

Christmas Highlights

1. Making Snowflake Window Clings..... You can also see the T-shirts we made.... So Cute!!!
2. Easy as Making Cookies
3. The biggest Ward I have ever lived in!!! (And we live out in the Boonies of Vernal!!!!)

4. The Claus' Meet and Greet

5. Making Gingerbread/Graham Cracker Houses

6. Play Tee-Pee...... I love this, and so do they

7. Mrs Claus at the Library Story Hour

8. Kess got in and only came out to unwrap one gift, The only one that she couldn't open from the Car

9. Can you say Gaming is Hereditary?

10. Made an apron for both girls.... They love to cook...

The Month in a Nutshell....

"Pajama Pants Shirt"

No idea where she got this.... I sent her to get ready for bed and this is what I got..... As you can see it happened on more than one occasion....

Wee Willie Winkle.......

Maybe not that song, but Kesslynn has found her "singing voice" and she uses it.  It is so cute to hear her singing and she does it frequently.  Here is a snippet of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"

---Teamwork---

I have much to be Thankful for..... our Thanksgiving was fairly easy. Then, of course, the holidays hit-- or in this case the Holly Days. Every year for the past few years Vernal puts on "Holly Days." A day full of fun, free, family activities. I am all about it. I love the holidays and really enjoy this day-after-Thanksgiving treat.



I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER......

Yesterday (after we had eaten) should have given me a clue....

Kairi comes to me in tears (as usual---I swear nothing happens without the waterworks, like I won't believe her without them or something.....) telling me that she got dog poop on my jacket....

that she was wearing, because she couldn't find her own.......

OUTSIDE.......

she leaves, after relinquishing said "dirty jacket"


There wasn't that much there, but several of us could still {Smell}

**checking shoes**

"DANG IT!!!!" She also stepped in it--- the crap I mean....

Oh well, through the course of conversation, I realize it could have been worse.... She could have been her cousin, whose hand was the reason that my jacket had poop on it.... (hehehehe)



It's okay!!! It's the Holidays and everyone is happy--especially me. I love the Holidays and Holly Days is now upon us!!!!!!


Ya that thought lasted about an hour.......

So that brings us to today....

Item #1: Go see Santa Clause {after lunch--mind you}

We are standing in line, and Kairi and I are having an in depth conversation about the fact that she forgot her list to give to Santa and that now he won't know what she wants.....

[cue Cameron and Kesslynn for that matter]

Cameron: "Heidi we are done here....."

I look up just in time to see Kesslynn unload, I believe, Lunch and Breakfast into her Father's shoulder {dang it}

Off we go home to let Kesslynn sleep and Cameron clean up...

He was a good sport though..... He laughed....... Until the diarrhea started....

Good thing he can handle the front end [I can't]

Good thing I can handle the back end [He can't]

That's what it is all about---Teamwork........

SEV3N

MY SEVEN

7 Things I can do

1. I can still fit my high school jeans {when I'm not pregnant-of course}
2. I can craft till the cows come home-- I love crafting and creating.
3. I can READ all day long :::: there are things that get ignored though (kids, meals, chores)
4. I can cook
5. I can do the wiring from start to finish in a pretty basic house like mine!!!
6. I can start an IV and find a vein on just about anyone [except babies]
7. I can find almost anything on the internet-  I heart the internet!!

7 Things I can't do

1. See my toes
2. Get out of bed in the morning  
3. Cry when it is appropriate { I cry when I shouldn't and don't when I should}
4. Find the "perfect" haircut  **the mantle has been passed, more on this later**
5. Make a BOY  I love my girls, though
6. Find it in me to clean the Bathroom-- consistently
7. Dig a STUPID hole to plant a STUPID tree....

7 Things that attracted me to my Husband

1. He rode a bike & could do tricks on it
2. His ears were pierced
3. His tongue was pierced
4. He wore baggy pants {is there a pattern here.....}
5. He was still a member of the Church
6. He made me feel special and beautiful
7. He was making something of himself-- going to school

7 Things I always say

1. Kessie lets change your diaper
2. Kairi STOP... Listen to me
3. Kairi no one knows what you are saying when you cry
4. Kairi stop crying
5. Kessie don't bite
6. Hello
7. Cooolll!!!

7 Things I love to EAT {this is unfair....}

1. Cake
2. Cookies
3. Candy
4. Chips and Cheese
5. Ice Cream
6. Carbohydrates
7. Sweet Pea Taffy
8. Frozen Yogurt and mini Gummi Bears

7 People I tag

1. Peggy
2. Kathy
3. Levi/Marissa
4. Alison
5. Shauna
6. Sarah
7. Chris

::::: Husband Tag :::::

1. His Name?  Cameron {Cameroni, Cam, Hunny, Dear, you get the idea....}

2. Who eats more? I think he does.... He can really put it away if he likes it (ie brownies)

3. Who said "I Love You" first?  I think I claim this one, but it was promptly reciprocated

4. Who is TALLER?  No question here---he is,  I'm short.

5. Who is smarter? I am not touching this one-- I vote TIE!!!!!

6. Who is more sensitive? I win this one too?  I cried while watching Design Star---I am pregnant though.

7. Who does the LAUNDRY?  Do we really need to ask this question..... Of course, I do.

8. Who sleeps one the right side of the bed (when looking at it)?  HE DOES (closer to the kids, hehe)

9. Who pays the bills? I do-- but he is the money genius... I think he is trying to teach

10.  Who cooks more?  I really like to cook-- otherwise we all get Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

11.  Who is more Stubborn? {ding ding ding} Winner here-- that is me.....

12. Who is the first to admit they are wrong? He is.... I can be very patient, and I have  a LLLLLLllllllloooooonnnnnnnggggggg memory!!!

13.  Who has more siblings? He does.... (4 sisters)  I have (1 sister & 2 brothers)

14. Who wears the pants in the relationship?  ME!!!! <at least all signs point to me>

15. What do you like to do TOGETHER? We are like toddlers... side by side play

16. Who eats more sweets?  That would be me..... ah-hem

17.  Guilty Pleasures? Good question.... Probably like Peggy-- Technology {and we wonder why we get along}

18. How did you meet?  He was my neighbor... I spied on him doing tricks on his bike in the complex parking lot.....

19. Who asked whom out first?  Didn't go down like that........

20. Who kissed whom first?  Is there any doubt?  My "playa" husband-- totally hit this first!!!

21. Who proposed? He did.... Rainbow Park ( i think--- hey it doesn't matter where!!!)

22. His best features and qualities? He has a great smile and beautiful eyes.  He is kind and patient and loving.  I know I make his list....

**** ThanksGiving****

This time of year always comes.   Then it goes as well.  However, through blogging I have met a woman, who I would say, had ThanksGiving in her heart every day of the year.  As many of you will notice now that I have posted this,  In my side bar is a link to "Nie Nie".  If you want a softer, kinder, more peaceful heart- visit this woman's blog and bask in the Spirit that eminates from her words.  StephaNIE NIElson is a blogging mom who up until August you would have sworn had everything- and enjoyed EVERYTHING.  Even when her neighborhood had a huge blow-up and the cops were involved, she took it in stride and posted the most comical post ever.  She loved being married, being a mom, and a homemaker.  In August, she and her husband were in a private airplane crash and both were burned severely.  She is still in rehab.  The pilot died in that crash.  Because of her blogging spirit, people are drawn to her blog in droves and even while she was laying in a coma, she was spreading the Gospel-- through example.

The reason I post about this is to give ThanksGiving.... for all the things in my life that at times I have felt were mundane.  They are not.... Through Nie Nie's words I have a new appreciation for my girls, my struggles, my husband and my marriage.  She left words that were simple but conveyed EVERYTHING.  I may post more often or not, but I am trying to capture the spirit she holds and that gets her family through the trying times.  She is the glue that keeps her family together-- you can tell.  But it is before life got hard and now that it is hard, her words are there to keep perspective.  I have no idea, how she is handling things, but right now it would be hard to envision it being very hard not to have kept some of the spirit that she has been so blessed with and in turn has blessed others with.

Crazy Kessie Hair

Kesslynn has the craziest hair ever. There are cowlicks, double crowns, her hair is fine, there may be curl in her hair (Its up for debate right now) and she has "the Petersen Wave" in the front. If you know what "The Petersen Wave" is, then you will know why I posted this picture. Her hair is difficult to tame, and right out of the bath this is what it looks like. We laugh and laugh and laugh, because her crazy hair matches her crazy personality.

~~Penguins Are Fun~~

Now you can see why..... A few years ago Cameron bought this for the girls... We pulled it out the other day and this is what happened..

{Traditions}

November 11, 2008

Veteran's Day

My Momma died 2 years ago on this day.

In the past I just wanted to be sad about it, but this year I decided that instead of being sad.... (that will inevitably happen no matter what), I decided that I would find something that would make me remember Happier times.

I know the cookies are weird, but this is what my girls and I did in memory of my Mom. We made her very favorite cookies-- and then ate them. It was fun. Kairi loves to learn the little quirky things about my mom that she was too little to recognize when she died. But now she is learning my mom's likes and dislikes and she asks questions too. Sometimes she comes to some conclusions that aren't quite on the money (ie: "Grandma Jo loved to sew. Huh, Mom?! See this is her sewing machine that Grandpa Dave brought to us." Me: "Uhhhhh-- no. Grandma Jo sewed a few things, but It wasn't her thing. Grandma Jo loved to read." Kairi: "Hey!!! I remember she would read to me. And now I love to read.") Anyhow, these conversations happen around here and lots of times we are able to help her know her grandma better.

So I am going to post the recipe to her favorite cookie, then I say everyone should know what the Mother's favorite cookie is- So go find out if you don't know and make them. You never know when you might not be able to make it for them to eat.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 cup Shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped nuts (optional, I never use these)
3 cups Quick Oats


Preheat oven to 350F. Mix thoroughly shortening, sugars, egg, water, and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop dough 1 inch apart onto greased baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes.

Can you smell what the Kess is cooking?

Ya I'm cooking dinner and so is she...... Perhaps I am going about this all wrong. Maybe if I cooked "Kitties" for meals the girls would finally start eating what I cook.......

Crash and Burn

Here is "Sebastian" you know the crab from The Little Mermaid. She looks much better here, but a few Sundays ago, my girl here, was horsing around and found herself face down on the floor. I am pretty sure that she bit her lip with one of her two front teeth and boy did she sport the biggest fat lip for a few days. Poor thing was bruised on the inside all the way down to the gum line. It was so sad, and her lip was soooo fat I could swear she had the same bottom lip as "Sebastian." These days her lips are much healed, but I felt so bad for her...... Unfortunately I know that this is going to continue. Ever since she was little I have watched how clutzy she is. It reminds me of me. When she was learning to walk, I could have sworn that she was having a seizure while moving in a forward motion. My heart would stop just watching her. When she was learning to run, it was the same scenario just put on fast forward. Now she is a little older and little more coordinated, but just watching her sometimes still stops my heart dead in its tracks. I just hope that someday she will grow into her body and finally "get it." Despite that I still love her- bumps and bruises and all.

Woke up to this.........

November 5, 2008..... Wasn't quite ready for it, but oh well.... I knew it was coming. There is an upside to it though:

I have a garage to park my car in to keep it out of the snow. That makes me happy.

Weird

I don't know what this is, I think that Cameron had something to do with it, I'm not sure though.   I just thought that it was funny!!!!

Happy Halloween

Halloween is probably one of my favorite holidays.... It probably has something to do with all the candy available.  I have a slight problem with the candy coupled with diabetes, so we had to be careful where I took the girls to Trick-or-Treat, and how full their bags got.  THere is always Trunk-or-Treat, that the ward does and I purposely go late, so the girls still get candy, albeit not as much.  As you can see Kesslynn was Piglet and Kairi was a Witch.  Both girls had a great time and at some point I think they were done Trick-or Treating and I still had a few places they needed to go.  We compromised and they got enough candy to keep me and them happy- at least for a little while.....

Pumpkin Carving

For FHE last week, we had some friends over for dinner and carved pumpkins and made caramel apples.  It was a lot of fun.  Cameron thought it would also be nice to use his new workbench that he just finished, so there were a few power tools involved. I think he was proud of it, albeit the pumpkin he was carving didn't fare very well.  Oh well.  We had a lot of fun, except I ended up carving ALL the pumpkins, since Kairi wouldn't stick her arm in her pumpkin, because it would make her dirty.  Kesslynn would happily help, but her with sharp objects is not exactly the wise parenting I like to think that I have.  On top of that, Cameron was consumed with carving with power tools..... ya, so I carved three pumpkins myself..... Oh well, good thing I like it--- A LOT!!!!

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Leading up to Halloween, I thought that it would be fun to make some Pumpkin dish to keep the Holiday going all month long.  So I found in our family cookbook "Dinner in a Pumpkin."  So we made it.  I have to admit, I enjoy a lot more flavor to food, but it still was edible.  Cameron and the girls really enjoyed it and that makes it even more worth it.  This is Kairi decorating the outside of the pumpkin, so that we could cook the dinner in it.  I think that she liked that part the best.  Of note, I have to say that at least this WAS edible.  The week before I made "Pumpkin Soup" to go along with our trip to the Pumpkin Festival,  Yah, I won't make that again....... hahahahahaha.  I swear it looked like baby food and smelled like it too.

Apple Cider

For Preschool a few weeks ago, we went to an apple orchard and picked apples. (Okay I think they were picked already, but that was the idea anyhow....) With that being said we then proceeded to make apple cider, thanks to Mindy and her Mother-in-law's cider press.  We had to wash the apples, then put them in the grinder, then we pressed them some more to get even more juice out of them and then, of course we enjoy the wares.....  I came away with 3 gallons of apple cider which tastes so good and the girls and I are enjoying.  Since Cameron is funny he doesn't like apples, so that is why he doesn't get any!!!!!!!  Enjoy the pictures, I tried to put them in sequence:

HERE YOU GO!!!!!!!!

Well..... I am trying to get at least one picture to work, but I'm not sure how that is going to go. Anyhow, big breaking news time. Although most either know, or suspect. Yup, baby #3 is on it's way. We are expecting another baby GIRL on March 20. Hence the long wait between posting, and such. We all know that it takes time to get back to feeling yourself, and that coupled with Kairi's arm, moving, and then pregnancy really has slowed me down. Anyhow, glad to know that I am joining good company..... Congrats to everyone else that is expecting.....

So out of Order

Unfortunately.... I think that is the theme of my life right now, however-- I am trying. It has taken us awhile to get back on track after the move, but I'm trying so please forgive the sporaticism and such..... Don't give up on me yet, cause I'm not quite done.

Kairi's 5-year-old photo shoot

I took Kairi out to have her picture's taken for her birthday.  I hate taking the girls to Wal-Mart to get pictures, and can't afford to pay someone to take them for me, so I just did it myself.  We spent the morning doing this and got some fun shots, she even got to change clothes and locations!!!! She loved it and I loved the pictures.  We even got a few good ones of Kesslynn, despite how quickly she was moving!!!

Kairi the Cook

Kairi helped with dinner a few nights ago!!!! This was wonderful for me to not have to do all the work.  She made this pizza by herself.  I just mixed up the dough.  She proceeded to roll it to fit the pan, top it with sauce, cheese and bacon (we didn't have any pepperoni, but bacon is always a hit around here) and gave it to me to bake.  I couldn't have been prouder.  Since that day she has been helping a LOT more with dinner, cutting up vegetables and mixing things I need.  I am impressed with her culinary skills.... must be in the genes (hahahahahaha!)

Funny Kessie

Here is some video of Kesslynn doing what Kesslynn does----being silly. She never ceases to entertain and is always getting us to giggle, even if it is just with a face. Enjoy!!!!!!

Kairi is 5!!!!!!!!

Lucky girl that Kairi..... She got two birthday parties. We did one the night of her birthday, and then she had a friend one. The pictures from her friend party are on another card, and so I will have to get them on another time. Her birthday party with family was a lot of quiet fun and so things went well. She got a beautiful jewelry box that sang, a great book about Heavenly Father, and a bike. This lasted until her friend birthday party when she was innundated with gifts. The Barbie Mariposa Birthday cake is what I made for her for her friend birthday party, everything else is from the family birthday party.

Traditions.......

The little guy Hanging in the "J"


The annual Butterfly watch has come and gone in our household, but we do have a few pictures. This year's caterpillar was within days of changing when we got him, so we had to work fast. I didn't take as many pictures, and there are none of the finished product, but we did receive a finished product which was wonderful. Kesslynn was so excited for all the changes that took place. I know she didn't understand the whole "change" thing, but she did enjoy it.

Kokanee Salmon Run

Every year it is always fun to go up the mountain and go see the Kokanee Salmon as they prepare to spawn. This year was no exception and it was fun to see the fall colors. Top it all off with a family picnic in the mountains and my girls were in heaven......

Kairi Got Her Cast OFF!!!!!!

BEFORE






AFTER




Kairi finally got her cast off on September 4. She has been sooooo happy to have it off. I tried to get a video of her actually getting it off, but Kesslynn screamed through the whole thing, and so I skipped the video and dealt with the child who had NOTHING HAPPENING TO HER. Anyhow, she was very concerned about her sister and it was sweet. Kairi is now busy exercising her arm so that it will be back to as strong as it was before. I have noticed no residual effects and she is doing well.

First Day of Preschool

In the Uintah Basin, children have to be 5 by September 1 in order to attend Kindergarten. This is especially frustrating when your child's birthday is, oh say, SEPTEMBER 23. She was so ready too. Anyhow, I anticipated that this would be happening for her and for me, so my friend Peggy, (big thanks to you) told me about a Preschool group she was doing and asked if I wanted to join. Long story short-- I did, and Kairi started Preschool and has had a wonderful time doing so. She has made friends doing so and intricately knows everyone's relationship to each other and how they ended up in the group. I just love that she has something going that allows her to have fun, be social, and be creative without me feeling like I need to be there. How refreshing!!!!

Funny Kessie.....

Hope you all have fun tilting your heads as you look at these lovely pictures, but whatever.... Awhile back, Cameron bought a camelpack to take with him, when he went biking. Well when he gets home the girls love to play with it. As you can see, Kesslynn has figured out how to work it and will drink SO much water from it. It is cute to see her wear it all over the house and sucking water from it. Especially when the pack is as big as she is!!!!!






















Another favorite pastime she has is to wear her dad's socks on her arms!!!! Funny girl!!!! Funniest part about it is that I have a similar picture of Kairi doing the exact same thing, I wonder if it is genetic?

Cameron is 30!!!!!!

Okay people, I am going to post a picture at the end of this post of the birthday cake I got Cameron for his 30th birthday...... However, I will warn you..... some may not approve!!!! I am not worried about that so much as he enjoyed getting it and it made him happy. He has struggled a bit to turn thirty, but I think he wears it well. And since I am his wife I can brag him up as to the accomplishments he has in his thirty years...

1. He married ME (of course this is number 1 :-)
2. Two beautiful girls
3. A House he built with his own two hands
4. College education.... with no debt incurred
5. He is still wearing clothes he wore in high school (not financial necessity, so much as
bragging rights)
6. A great job that takes care of us
7. Temple Marriage
8. Eagle Scout


These aren't all, but I feel these are things to be proud of that not everyone can accomplish.
Anyhow, his day was very low key (especially with the number 30 attached) I planned a little surprise party, but only one person was here on time and Cameron got home early from work, so I knew it was ruined. It didn't matter though, I think he was still surprised and he enjoyed it. Happy Birthday, Cameron!!!!! (Aug 28)