Christmas 2012

We had a great Christmas holiday this year!

We did really well at getting our shopping done pretty early, and we didn’t leave ALL the wrapping to Christmas Eve.  So I felt like we did pretty good in that area.

Aunt Kristin was in town when we put up our Christmas tree.  It’s always magical to get it all out and decorate!

Ella loved lying under the Christmas tree and looking at the lights and feeling the branches.  Luckily she isn’t mobile, so we didn’t have to worry about her doing too much damage this year!

Santa came to the ward Christmas party again this year.  Andrew was eager to take Josh and Luke’s picture with Santa…probably so he wouldn’t have to be in it—he picked up on that quick!

Our elf, Jingle Jolly Bell, watched over us for the 3rd year in a row.  He got a little more creative than in years past which was fun for the kids (lots of pressure on him though :)  The kids had no trouble getting out of bed in the mornings for school in the month of Dec.  They always wanted to come down and be the first one to spot him!

Josh had his Christmas piano recital on Dec. 15th.  He played “We Need a Little Christmas Now” and “Just a Second.”  He did great!

The kids had the traditional sing-along at the school.  Luke, Ella and I went to watch.  It’s always fun and puts me in the Christmas spirit!

We did our holiday baking and took goodie plates to our neighbors and friends.  All the kids were great helpers this year!

Picture taken after church on the Sunday before Christmas.

Around Christmas time the word peace is used quite a bit in songs and stories.  Whenever Luke heard that word he would always show peace with his body—like he was meditating.  Even if he thought no one was watching, he’d still do it.  It cracked me up so many times. 

For Christmas Eve we went to Chad and Julie’s again.  We had a nice dinner, played Minute to Win it games, played the candy bar game, read the nativity, listened to everyone share Christmas memories/traditions, had cake and sang happy birthday to baby Jesus.  It was a great night!

We hurried home and decorated a couple sugar cookies to leave for Santa.  Then the kiddos went off to bed with sugarplums dancing in their heads!

Christmas morning was fun as usual!  They kids woke up at 7:02am—not too bad!

Ella got her first purse complete with keys, cell phone and bracelet.  It sings this cute song which the boys hate.  I like to play it just to drive them crazy and help them get used to girly stuff :)  She liked it, but most of all she wanted to play with the wrapping paper.

So fun and so many memories!

How many days until next Christmas?

Merry Christmas!

Hope you all are enjoying a great day with family and friends! 

Here’s a copy of our Christmas letter and pics in case you didn’t get one.

XOXOXO

Merry Christmas! We hope you are all happy and healthy! We love this time of year when we can focus on the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and what His life means to us. Because of him, we can overcome all heartache, sin, and death. We are truly blessed to have the knowledge that He lives, and we will see Him again.

This year has been a great one for our family!! On June 24^th we welcomed Ella Joyce Hancock into our family. For the past 5 months she has been the princess of our family. The boys adore her, her daddy is smitten by her, and her smile melts my heart. We waited a long time for this little one, and we just love her to pieces!

In March, Josh chose to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Grandma and Grandpa Morris, Uncle Nathan, and Aunt Kristin came for the event. We made a mini vacation out of it and spent a couple nights in a condo up on Mt. Hood. Darrin took the older boys skiing for the first time. It was so much fun to be around so much snow!

In June, 5 days after Ella was born, we drove to Utah to attend my sister, Natalie’s, wedding. Yes, we were crazy. The kids and baby did great, and we were glad it worked out that we could be there.

Now here’s a little about each of us:

Ella (5 months) is an overall happy baby who loves to put everything in her mouth. I refuse to let her eat solids, because I don’t want her to grow up, but in the last couple days she has become very obsessed with what we’re eating and wanting some too. She’s a great sleeper as long as she’s in her bed and loves to watch her brothers!

Luke (4 ½) is in his last year of preschool this year and will start Kindergarten in the fall (crazy!). He loves chewing gum, playing games, and having friends over to entertain him while his brothers are at school. He’s a big helper with Ella and is always ready and willing to play with her or fetch a diaper for mom. He likes to play outside and ride his bike.

Andrew (7) is in the 1^st grade and learning so much! He enjoys P.E and recess at school and is good at math and reading. He LOVES to play soccer, football, and shoot baskets. He likes playing Skylanders on the Wii and Angry Birds on the computer. He’s in the chess club at school and likes to play with his friends. He’s looking forward to getting baptized next year!

Josh (8 ½) is in the 3^rd grade at school. He loves to write, especially comic books. He’s the author of a comic book series called Snack Time. I’m constantly amazed at his talent and the ease at which he thinks of ideas and puts them on paper. He also loves to play soccer and is signed up to play basketball after Christmas. He’s also in the chess club and still taking piano lessons as well.

I’m finding myself getting busier and busier by the minute, but loving every bit of it. I enjoy managing the house, volunteering at the school, being the Young Women secretary, secretary of the PTA, and baking (and eating :)) cookies in my spare time.

Darrin still works at Intel, is in the bishopric, couches soccer, plays indoor soccer himself, and finds time to spend time with the kids.

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season! We love and miss you all!!

Ella-6 months

We are bewildered and amazed that you are already 6 months old.  And in another 6 months you will be a year old.  CRAZY! 

• On Thursday you started babbling sounds like da-da-da and the like.  It’s very cute!  When we put you to bed you spit out your binky and talk to yourself for awhile.  When you start crying we run up and put your binky back in and then you go right to sleep.  You like to hear your own voice.
• You still a pretty good napper, but your sleeping patterns at night could use some work.  Lately you’ve been waking up around 11 and 4ish and sometimes more.  Not good and definitely something we need to work on :)  I’m getting tired.  The other bad thing-you usually won’t go back to sleep until you eat.  Not cool.  You’re still swaddled, but I plan to break you of it as soon as you can roll over and sleep on your tummy if you want.  I think you’ll sleep better that way.
• You’re completely weaned now.  It got to the point where I was giving you bottles after I nursed you and that was just a lot of work.  You don’t seem to mind and are happy with your bottles.  I’m a little sad and really tried to cherish the last time I nursed you which was a couple days ago.  You can almost hold your bottle the whole time you eat.
• You started out really liking solids, but you’re kinda hit and miss with them now.  You seem to like oatmeal better than rice cereal and carrots are your favorite veggie.  Tonight you tried your first fruit: pears.  You really liked it.  We started giving you Cherrios and puffs.
• You’re starting to be more interested in moving around because you’re trying to reach for things.  I’m hoping you start rolling soon!

We love you baby girl!  Happy half b-day!  One year to nursery!

Thanksgiving 2012

Guess I better document Thanksgiving before Christmas. lol.

The Sunday before Thanksgiving the kids were running around like crazy people with tons of unused energy.  So to channel that energy, we made a family list of 100 things we’re thankful for.  Each of us wrote down 20 things.  Then we posted it in the hallway.  The kids had a blast, and I think it will become a yearly tradition!

Luke’s list

Andrew’s list

Josh’s list

We went to Mike and Tanya’s house for Thanksgiving dinner—always such a fun time!

This is what we ate--

And this is what Ella ate--

And this is what we looked like with full bellies!

The boys were there I promise. 

So thankful for all we have.