Trip with Grandma

My mom was leaving to head to my Grandma and Grandpa's house in Coos Bay, OR. She called me up and asked me if I would like to go too. Since I am finished with school and it was still Christmas break I said "sure!" So, off we went. On our way home we went highway 101 along the coast and stayed in Seaside. It was so much fun. Mason and my sister got to ride on a Carousel and we walked through the shops.

Christmas 2008

Silly kids!

Here are some pictures from Christmas. We celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve, because we wanted Makyla to be with us when we celebrated and we only had her on Christmas Eve. We woke up in the morning and the kids enjoyed the fact that Santa had come. My brother came and celebrated with us. Mark slept for part of the day (since he worked the night before) and then we went out to his parents to finish it off. It was a nice, quiet day and the kids were so excited! On Christmas day we ended up going to my brothers to hang out. There was a ton of snow and so Mason and the other kids got to ride on my brother's three wheeler in the snow. Mason had a blast!

My first Christmas!

Brother and me at the parade

So much stuff!

Merayya's first Christmas was such a joyful one. Our home and hearts are full of love and joy. We had a late start with getting Christmas decorations out and really never got everything all together and out. Having an addition to our family took a tole on us, but we still enjoyed every minute of it and Merayya was such a gift this Christmas. God has given us more than we can imagine! Thank you Jesus for our family, health, and safety. We cherish your birth, you truly are the gift of Christmas!

Big Boy Mason

One last fix! All ready to go....or not!

He sucked on each one before taking them outside

Dad and Mason getting ready

Almost there!

Hmm....what just happened, am I okay?

After some encouragement from mom and dad he could muster up a smile!In the air!

It has gone without mention, but not without notice. Mason let all of his binkies fly into the sky on five balloons in late November. He was really set on getting a Nerf gun, and so when I told him that he had to be a big boy and give up his binkies to have one, he was sold. I told him that we would do it the next day, and he was ready. I kept asking him if maybe he would want to wait and he kept telling me "MO!" (Which is how he says no). He was sure he was going to go through with it that day, and so we did. He was unsure at first and for the first three nights he couldn't go to sleep and kept asking for his "E" which is what he called binky. But we got through it and he has been a happy big boy since! (NO MORE SEARCHING FOR BINKIES!!!! YAY!!!) I used to have to make sure when we left the house that we had an extra and watch him at stores to make sure he always had it, so it has been a nice break for me! Luckily Merayya hasn't ever been attached to one!

Thanksgiving Pictures 2008

Sorry, it has taken me forever to post, and even longer to offload the pictures off of my camera (there were 225!) Yikes! So, on Thanskgiving we went to my brother and sister in laws' for lunch and then out to Mark's parents for dinner. It was my sister in law's first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner and she did a remarkable job! I remembered my camera for my brother's house, but forgot it for Mark's parents (which is such a shame, because his mom always has her table decorated so beautifully).

Seriously!

I have really been slacking on the posting! I have a lot of pictures from Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I haven't taken the time to post them. I will though!

Merayya has her first tooth coming through and boy is she being a pill!

Family portraits!

We went and had our family portraits done last week. Here are some of them. I sent them out in cards this year, but due to the snow I haven't really gotten them out, so they are kinda late. I figured that it is better late then never! The kids did great!