Happy New Year!

All the fam is headed here today to re-do our family Christmas that was missing Bec and Joel last week because of weather. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and know that Eli will be thrilled. We worked on some projects this week (Brandon only had to work on Tuesday). The furloughs have come to an end and probably will not be back next year. Thus, he will save all of his vacation until Cora is born. We put together Eli's big boy bed (twin bed) and picked up a side rail to keep him from falling out onto the hard wood floor. As soon as Eli and I are over our colds (doctor said he really just does have a 3rd virus) we'll start him sleeping in it and move the crib to our room. It should be interesting! He loves the bed and we've been reading books on it etc. getting him used to it. My brother helped us set up our fish tank that he got us for Christmas. Tomorrow we can get some fish to go in it. I think we're going to get pink and green glowfish for Eli's sake. I think he'll love them! Yesterday, we got over an inch of snow that had pretty much melted by the afternoon, but we still saw kids going down the hill by our house so we took Eli out to try. Even though it was half grass everyone was still going really fast. Eli loved it! Brandon has been dying to take him sledding, so it was perfect. Eli kept yelling "MORE!" at the bottom of the hill. It's so wonderful to get to experience the joy of these new things through Eli's eyes!

Christmas Video!

Christmas festivities!

Although, Bec and Joel were unable to make it up here because of TERRIBLE weather both here and there we had a wonderful Christmas. We had a big winter storm with blizzard conditions, but we were still able to go to Christmas Eve service at our church and celebrate! We're all headed up to the farm next week for about 4 days to make up for it and open our presents to each other. Eli had the time of his life. He put a cookie out for Santa and ran out in the morning to see if Santa had come. Santa, in fact had brought him a kitchen, a full stocking of goodies, and left him a candy cane in place of the cookie :-) My parents got him the kitchen and we got him food to play with. He's been having a blast playing with it! I think he's fed us all tons of food and especially cups of "coffee". He also got: bathtub markers, paints, and a little goal and balls, big brother books, a puzzle, clothes, doctor's kit, and foam swords (which Brandon enjoyed just as much as Eli ;-)). My brother got him a "big boy" basketball and train set. Eli literally jumped up and down so excited for the "real" basketball! I'll post the video later! We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas feast yesterday and last night headed over to my cousin's house for a Christmas snack party! It was great to be with all the family. My cousin Megan was there with Luke, so we were able to take a picture with both of us pregos! She's about 2 weeks ahead of me, so it will be great fun having the cousins the same age. One of Eli's new hiding places is behind the couch pillows. He thinks it's great fun! What a cutie! We're so thankful for the birth of our Savior and for all the blessings he's bestowed upon us! We're very thankful for our wonderful family and life!

Merry Christmas!

I am thrilled to have survived the sick month of December and am happy to announce we all are well for Christmas! Poor Brandon has survived some serious hormonal/sick melt downs this past month. I am all the more grateful to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas! Eli said "Jesus!" two times yesterday. So sweet! The other night we were amazed because we were out and about and decided at the last second to run him over to the mall to see Santa and ride the train. Last year he was scared to death of Santa, so we figured it would be the same this year but wanted to give him the chance. We were sure to point out while waiting in line that Santa was giving the kids candy canes. When he saw this he started jumping up and down so excited to get his turn. He told us he was going to ask Santa for a "Ball!" He went right up and sat on his lap, took a picture, and listened contently while Santa talked to him for a while. He even kissed Santa as we left! What a shock! It was really fun. If you ask him what Santa is going to bring him he says "BALL!!" Here's some quick pictures of Eli and Brandon overlooking the runways at the airport (with some Cessnas in the background). When we go and eat lunch with Brandon Eli loves getting to watch the planes while we eat! Looking forward to my parents arrival today ahead of the big storm we're supposed to have! Merry Christmas to all!

Everyone is one the mend around here! I'm at least encouraged that by Christmas we should all be well, finally. We may have a white Christmas as there is a snow storm coming in this week. It missed us last time, though, so I'm not convinced. I hope it doesn't affect all my family coming! I got Eli out a bottle for him to pretend feed his stuffed animals. He went around making sure this morning that all of them were fed...then he moved on to my stomach sticking the bottle against it making sure Cora was fed ;-) It was so cute! The one picture of him spreading his arms and leg is him doing "yoga". If you ask him to do yoga he gets in that position. It's hilarious. We've also been working a lot on putting words together this weekend. If he wants something he'll say "Mama please!" or "Dada please!". He's so proud of himself he'll jump up and down smiling for remembering to use his manners. About five times yesterday I got him to say "Mama, ball please!" One step closer to using full sentences!

I take back my previous title...

I laughed when I came on here today to blog a little. Eli was healthy for a week...I was healthy for 3 days...and now...we're all SICK AGAIN! It's quite comical actually. This time even Brandon gets to join in on the fun. We went to church Sunday and Eli caught a different cold virus...thus spreading it to the rest of us. Luckily he's on the mend, and Brandon and I are just getting started in the worst of it. The one thing I'm grateful for is that we finished all our projects we wanted to get done before the second bout of sickness began. I even got Eli's twin bed ordered (it's white with drawers for storage on the bottom) and his airplane bedding set ordered (which happened to be on sale). Everything will match his future blue and white room upstairs but for now will be downstairs in his black and white themed nursery until he's able to go upstairs on his own. Brandon and I had a fun evening the other night after Eli went to bed. We watched 4 Christmas' and put together the adorable kitchen that my parents got Eli for Christmas. We definitely felt like Santa. I'm seriously ready to play with that thing...it's so cute! We've got it hidden in the basement for a Christmas surprise. Since we're hosting Christmas here this year I decided to do my big grocery shopping and have everything ready so it's stress free. For our Christmas dinner we're having steaks, hash brown casserole, green bean casserole, wheat rolls, cream corn, cheese dip for Joel ha ha, strawberry pretzel salad, pumpkin pie cake, and cherry cobbler. Should be yummy! Yesterday my best friend Courtney and her boyfriend Matt came over to hang out and make Christmas goodies. We made Reindeer poop (aka oreo bon bons), spiced pretzels, and peppermint bark. It was a lot of fun! So grateful we all have time to get better before Christmas! Praying for a healthy Christmas :-)

Recovered!

I am on cloud nine finally feeling well and enjoying furlough life :-) Saturday, I was able to sort through all of Eli's clothes and pull out gender neutral stuff for Cora. It was bittersweet going through those adorable clothes not knowing whether we'll have another boy someday to wear them. I then was able to officially put all of Eli's clothes in storage containers and put them away for good. I have his future room completely cleared out (except for Cora's stuff, which I won't bring down until the last minute). It's a great feeling to be getting so much done! Saturday night we went to a Christmas party at the Glennen's house. Eli had a lot of fun with the kids and snacking on goodies. Glennen's twin girls were dragging Eli around making him play with their kitchen/play food. It was hilarious. He loved it! They also put on the kid's favorite Christmas song and all of them danced around. Eli was jumping up and down and yelling "MORE!" Christina (who was my nurse and Eli's nurse at his birth) was holding Eli and he wouldn't come back to me! He loved her and kept wanting her to hold him and pay attention to him. Brandon and I were cracking up. We've never seen him act this way towards anyone. Maybe someone has a crush? I thoroughly enjoyed finally seeing my friends again and getting to go to church! Eli and I haven't been in over a month because of traveling and sickness. Today, I was showing Eli a nativity ornament off of the tree and he pointed at the baby and said, "Jesus! Jesus!" It was so cute! I hope he'll keep saying it. Perfect time of year!