Busy, busy Christmas! Nativity & Christmas Eve with Grandma & Grandpa Shill. Then to Sevey's to call Chase on his mission in New Zealand. Then Christmas with Sevey's. Bed. Christmas morning with Vance. Christmas morning with Shill's and breakfast. THEN, trip to Payson and Christmas dinner with Davenports! 

A Very Merry Christmas to ALL!

Willie's Grandpa passed away yesterday. In my short time of knowing him he was a sweet grandpa with a great sense of humor!  Driving he and Grandma to dinner from the temple one evening I reached the intersection exactly as it started to turn yellow and proceeded to go safely through the light. 

Grandpa said to me, "Don't you know yellow means stop... not speed up." 

Extra cautious? Maybe. Extra caring? Definitely! We will love and miss you Grandpa!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Although Vance knows who Santa, is his interest in him is still subtle.  What he IS interested in this year are trains, trains, trains. My mom let him take home a small wooden train she got in New Zealand and he is obsessed! He eats with it, sleeps with it, wants to bathe with it. It goes to church, the car... you get the idea. We nearly missed our turn with Santa because we couldn't pull him away from the giant train set and village that bass pro shop lets the kids play with. Soooo. When Willie walked him up to Santa he said tell him what you want, and he  quietly had his finger pointed at the train the entire time! Thankfully we got him to look at the camera for a split second, then off of Santa's lap and back to driving the train. Sure hope Santa brings him a train set this year!

A big THANK YOU to Marianne & Bill Cotter (see their wedding video business website HERE)! Thanks for getting a handful of shots of our family with me in it since that is one shot I can't get! 

You guys were so fun and sweet! 

With being preg, sick, tired, willie's work schedule & a 2 year old that wont look at mommies camera I came to grips with being lucky to get any photo with  us all together this year! Between bribing Vance with Tic Tacs and him getting soaked in the fountains it wasn't easy. We did get ONE kinda. I also managed to grab a couple of my really handsome boys, can't wait to add one more! 

The  photo featured below is proof that ....

A.) photo sessions don't always produce lovely family photos. 

B.) I have about a thousand faces and I am still trying to figure out

 what this one means and why I do it????!! 

HOWEVER it does remind me of the following quote...

"And I doubt she gave you the stinkeye that's just how her face looks, you know? That's just her face."

Mom & I made Christmas Candies today. A LOT of sugar, cream, nuts & caramel later we had some DELICIOUS fudge, divinity, caramel drops & pecan rolls. It officially feels like Christmas! 

It's been almost 10 years since i've been in YW's!

 Now being called to the Mia Maids feels like I never left. I love all the fun lessons, projects and handouts. These girls are so beautiful, so talented, and genuinely good girls. Im amazed how some go to different schools are in different groups but come together and are such good friends.

 To be 15 again... ummm, I like where I am at! At least I get to pretend every Wednesday and Sunday! 

 Well there was a small chance for this family to be a 2 girl, 2 boy family.

 But it is officially 3 to 1 BOYS win! 

When Vance saw the ultrasound he thought we were going to be watching "Mickey". Dr. Beck gave us a chance to have a reaction to both sex's... by first saying "It's a girl" (I saw the 3 lines also) and then retracting that comment and saying, "Actually the umbilical cord was in the way its a boy." When we told Vance he was having a baby sister his reaction was not good we then told him it was a brother and he seemed a little happier about that, a little. We are soooo excited. No new clothes and I don't have to commit to all the girl things I know I would be dying to get. Well not yet anyway. 

Since Vance is named after my Grandpa who has passed away Willie got the chance to name this one...

We can't wait for Hoyt William Shill to get here in May.

After a 3 day Thanksgiving there is lots to give thanks for.  

Loving family. A bountiful life. 

A beautiful country and all the freedoms that come with it. 

Health & Happiness. 

We had a relaxing and busy week filled with lots of turkey dinners, a 30 degree photo shoot,

 a basketball game, trip to Payson, getting locked out of the house

 AND Willie shot Bambi on his riffle deer hunt. 

I didn't get much of thanksgiving but I did manage to get a couple of these really handsome guys! Vance refuses to allow me to photograph him anymore so until he does these will have to do. 

Finally posting the first ultrasound. This was a few weeks ago (10.28.10). 

Just a little peanut in there but the ultrasound always makes it feel "REAL". 

My little lion.  

Uncle Oscar (8yrs.) wore this when for Halloween when he was Vances age. 

I can't believe how time flies.

We had a very relaxed Halloween... (we didn't go trick or treating!) Don't tell Vance!

Don't worry he got his fill of candy and fun. 

A trunk or treat. A family picnic and 2 Weeks of wearing costumes.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 

This seems to be my motto these days!

Willie and I have been maintaining this wonderful little "bubble" life for so long. However the last month life has handed our little family some bumps.  Some of these bumps were outside of our control some within our control and some we were only bystanders. It seems as though when one new bump would crop up the next one would pale in comparison to the one prior.
Putting the lesser bumps into perspective.

At first I was overwhelmed.... 

"What!?  I love my "bubble" life! Lets go back!" 

Although, as life usually goes we used these times to gain strength, to grow, to build our testimonies,  

gain perspective and evaluate what matters most in life and then focused on those things. 

So "I think I can..." appreciate these bumps because the reality is we can't always live in our

 "happy bubble" we can try, but then there would be no room for growth. 

Truth is I am a lucky lucky girl! Here are a few reasons why.

An AMAZING husband who has stepped up more then I even knew he could...
Who has taken care of Me and Vance and our home
and literally does everything while I alternate throwing up, taking a bath and laying in bed. 

My loving, caring, wise parents... an angel Mother.

A sweet  boy that keeps me company all day and is always good for a little hug.

The blessing to have a new baby join our family, sickness and all it is a HUGE gift!

Genuine friendships.

Yes it's true! 

I've been pregnant for several weeks now. 

I can't eat, sleep, or think with out wanting to vomit so it must be real. 

Willie came home from a hunting trip late at night and Vance and I 

were in the bedroom but we left this little sign for him.  

He ran up the stairs a lot quicker then normal! 

5 years!

 We hit our first big anniversary. 

The traditional gift for year 5 is WOOD. 

"Wood represents strength and a solidified relationship, a strong and lasting bond."

Sooo... a trip to the forest at a cabin in Greer definitely represented that!

We had a REALLY relaxing 3 days.

 Cool weather, beautiful scenery, delicious food.

So glad to have someone so special to share this life with! 

I decided to document my day with my camera phone. 

I thought I would show my day to day through pictures. 

ALTHOUGH... this is my typical day a bit more went on then the norm. 

Does this look familiar at all?

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Wake up to these handsome boys. 

Yes Vance should be sleeping in his bed at this age (which he does)

 but I cant help it those lips and soft cheeks...

Shower, dress, makeup, medication. 

It has to get done in that early morning golden hour or it will never happen. 

Load some laundry which will continue the rest of the day.

 Clean up the read crystal light Vance spilled on the carpet.

 Find a rotten sippy cup under the seat in the car. So that's why the car smelled? hmmm

Load Vance and my Nephew Jaxson ( whom I watch 4 days a week) in the car and drive to gilbert to meet up with my sister Chelsie and niece Alyx at their house.

We then walk to Freestone Park together, play on the playground and then come 

back to her place for a swim. By then the kids are nice and worn out for naps!

 Then lunch, nap time, load the dishwasher (yes all our dishes are now plastic and neon), 

clean the house, load/fold the laundry again,

 work in the office on photos, bills, online banking, blogging, FB.

Put together a small gift and thought for my visiting teaching. 

 Wake up from naps. 

Wait for Jaxson to be picked up.

Straighten the front room AGAIN.

Head to the big "W". 

Hand Vance a treat to keep him quiet while shopping.

Find that the swim gear is clearance and make a big mistake by putting a pool noodle in the cart.

Vance proceeds to hit me in the head and face with it while pushing the cart. 

By the time I have what's on my list it feels like i've circled the store 10 times. 

The treats are out. Time to go! 

Load  Vance in the car as well as groceries. 

He cries because of course he NEEDS the noodle on his  lap in the car.

By now I'm sweeting beads and just want to get home and take a cold shower. 

 Vance settles in to his favorite spot in the ottoman. 

Prepare dinner so it's ready to start when Will gets home. 

M.I.L. (Chris) comes to get her hair done

While doing M.I.L. hair I hear Vance in the bathroom splashing water.

 I find him dipping his pullup in the toilet and poop smeared all over the floor. 

Stop doing hair.   

Said M.I.L is still sitting in the hair chair while I clean up child and bathroom. 

Finish doing hair then clean up hair. 

While sweeping, the metal shelf that my husband half A** hung on the wall 

with plastic push pins falls...the corner hits my bare foot that I was preparing to pedicure

 and rips the skin on the side of my toe OFF! 

I quickly flap it back over. 

 Husband walks through the door from work and is wondering what is going on...

 all he gets is a look. 

Proceed to make dinner. Enjoy a movie with my boys. 

Try to milk some sympathy about the toe and the bad hang job out of Willie. 

It doesn't work. 

Which later he will say because he felt soooo guilty. Hmmmm.

AND THEN...

a shower, alone time, say prayers, lay in bed and go to sleep:) 

Before it starts again. 

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I may have left out a few details but you get the idea.

And YES I do still love my life!