Happy Thanksgiving

Today is the day to be Thankful or as I always say a day to remind us that everyday we should be Thankful, not just this one day. I have decided to write down the things I am especially Thankful for this year.

• I am Thankful for...my health and the health of all my family members. I had a spot show up on my chest at the end of my pregnancy. I decided to get it looked at and the doctor thought it was nothing, but agreed she would remove it. It came back as precancerous lesion. I go back and get it check, but luckily had it removed and it hasn't come back.

• I am Thankful for...my husband. He is my rock. He keeps me grounded and I don't tell him often enough how much I appreciate him. He knows when I need him and when I need space. He often knows when I want him to help with dishes or laundry and I don't even have to ask. He allows me to think and act on crazy business ideas and even crazier ideas for our family. 

• I am Thankful for...my children. God blessed me with the sweetest and kindest son. He is wild and crazy and has my personality all of the way. I am thankful that God has a sense of humor. God also blessed me with a daughter this year. She is laid back just like her Daddy. I am Thankful for her, as I know she and I will eventually be as close as my own mother and myself.

•  I am Thankful for...family. I am Thankful for my Mom and Dad. They are always here for me when I need it. They jump in the car and drive an hour and a half when I need them or when Mason needs them. If it were up to Mason, they would be at his house everyday. That's what he says every.single.time he talks to my Mom on the phone. I am also Thankful that they enjoy spoiling Mason to pieces. That child...all he has to do is ask and he gets from them. Oh the life of a grandparent.

• I am Thankful for...the ability to have a house over our heads, food on the table, and so many other items we take for granted everyday.

• I am Thankful for...friends. I am truly thankful for our friends. You know your friends are the family you choose.  

Favorite Family Photos

Here are some of my favorites. It was fun taking these pictures and seeing my kids so happy. I love it. I cannot wait to get them blown up and hung up in the house.

Look how rare. All of us...and everyone is looking at the camera!

Mason and I were playing chase. I was trying to help get him smiling and laughing. It worked.

This one is really easy going and happy.

Up to no good. Love his face.

They both got tickled and I thought it was adorable.

I last time we got a good picture like this was probably our wedding.

Happy babies are the best!

My boys!!!

Addison - 7 Months

Weight: In the last month, I feel like Addison hasn't changed very much in her weight. She is getting active, so that might be why.

Height: I honestly think she is taller this month than last. Even though, I haven't measured. She is definitely filling out her PJs in the length.

Clothes: Addison is wearing 9 month PJs, and anything with pants is 9 months or 6-12 months. She even has a few 12 month pants that actually fit in length. Dresses, are 6 month and 6-12 months. Still in a Size 2 diaper.

Eats: This child is a crazy eater. She eats about 4-5 6oz bottles a day and usually 1 food pouch. When you show her a bottle or food pouch she goes CRAZY. Absolutely insane for food. I have decided that I need to get a video of her. It is the funniest face and excitement ever. The only thing she gets more excited over is Gabby.

Sleeps: AddieMo sleeps great. We lay her down for naps or bedtime and she will play for 20-30 minutes sometimes and then fall asleep. She is taking 2-3 naps a day lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Usually 2 2-hour naps and a cat nap. At night, she goes to bed no later than 7:00PM and does not get up until I wake her at 7:00AM or later.

Likes: We still love our brother. I believe her favorite activity is definitely spinning in circles trying to watch him run around playing. She also, gets so excited and kicks her legs for Gabby. We discovered she loves the water and swimming. Over the last month, Addison had swimming lessons. They were Mommy/Tot classes and she did great. Loves to splash.

Dislikes: Addie is afraid of anyone who is NOT her Mommy or Daddy or Nana. I love it. I love that she prefers me. Mason loved and still loves everyone, so to finally have a baby who wants me first is amazing. It always makes me smile when I give her to Michael and walk out of the room and she fusses for me. She is still not loving her carseat, but I think she might be getting car sick. We will see how long it take to see a change in this.

Teeth: 0 a big whopping 0!!! 7 months and no teeth. I decided to finally add the teeth section back, because honestly I think she is close to getting one. I can see her gums are swollen and she chews on everything and everything goes into her mouth.

What's New: Addison is sitting up all on her own. She really wants to be sitting up all of the time and gets mad if I try to lay her down for anything, even diaper changes. She wants to be on the move so bad. She lays on her tummy and kicks her feet and moves her arms constantly. We joke once she starts crawling she is going to be hard to keep up with. She has started to get up on all fours and rock. I know it won't be long before she crawls. My bet would be within the next month.

Sneak Peek

Last weekend we had our family pictures taken. It has been a few years since we had professional pictures done. We had newborn pictures of Addison, but last year we were too busy and I was pregnant and not feeling great, so we walked outside of my parent's house and snapped a few pictures for our Christmas card. This was by far my favorite session we have ever done. Everyone was happy, smiling, and looking extra cute...if I do say so myself. 

We had so many good ones that I narrowed down 300 pictures to 50 to 20. I am grateful for having friends that are photographers. They let you scan through the pictures and pick favorites. I think it helps that I take pictures too (landscape) and so I am more looking more at faces and expressions then items that can be photoshopped. I couldn't get it down to less than 20. I am planning to blow up several. I have been wanting to get pictures for our stairs. I wanted an individual picture of Mason, Addison and Gabby for that and I got the best pictures for that vision this time. I am going to get them blown up and framed and placed going up our stairs and that can be my Christmas present. 

I love this picture and how everyone is smiling and the kids are laughing.

Look how grown up he looks. *TEAR*

She was the easiest one of all. Sat and smiled like the big girl she is becoming. 

Of course, our Fur Baby is included. She just wanted to play with the cows, so we only got her in a few family photos, but she enjoyed posing by herself. She is getting older and grayer.

Snowbird Utah

I have been MIA. It has been crazy, overwhelming the last two weeks. To sum up the last few weeks...swim lessons twice a week, work trip, birthday parties, school parties, family pictures, family time.

Last week, I headed on my first overnight trip from Addison. I was so nervous. Two kids alone for three days, worried me to no end.  I tried to do as much as I could to help Michael out before I left. I was glad to bite the bullet and go. I have been putting off several work trips, because I wasn't quite ready to leave her. I took her on the last work trip, because I wasn't ready. But...can't take her everywhere, so I went. It was a great trip and in a beautiful location.

The first day, I woke up to beautiful mountain views. Not a lot of snow on the mountains, but they were gorgeous. The sun was coming up just over the peaks and kissing the opposite ones.

The second morning I woke up to snow. Lots and lots of snow. 10+ inches of snow. I was a little worried about getting down the pass to fly home that afternoon. The snow just kept coming down and coming down. I had checked the weather the night and it said 1-3 inches. HAHA. Well guess they missed that one. We left the resort at 12:30 with 10" and it was not slowing down. I was a little sad to leave. I would have loved to stay and ski, but I had to get home to my babies. 

This is me and my colleague and a client. We found this perfect spot to capture the snow and stay warm. The tram is behind us but the snow is so thick you cannot see it. 

This photo is the SLOW drive down the mountain. It was the most beautiful thing. I could live in the mountains. I always wish I wasn't so in love with my extended family and could just up and live in Colorado. I just could never live that far away from my Mom and Dad. I mean I would if we had a job offer we couldn't refuse. We talk all the time of quitting and moving to the mountains or the ocean. I think it would be fabulous!  

I made it home to sleeping babies and an exhausted husband. He did great. I forgot one of the days was school picture day, but he did awesome picking out adorable clothes for both kids and even put Addison in a bow. Bravo Daddy Bravo!!

Halloween

We had a big weekend of Halloween festivities. Mason completely understood the get candy, ring doorbell, scream thank you and run to the next house.

Unfortunately, it was a blah, rainy kind of day. I was worried the rain, mist, wasn't going to let up in time for trick or treating. We were lucky and it wasn't too bad. It didn't bother Mason at all and Addison was in the stroller with her buddy Barron keeping warm.

It was so much fun watching the boys run around the neighborhood. Each house Mason was just a little more excited than the last. There was only one house, we may want to avoid next year. Our neighbor obviously enjoys Halloween as much as I do. I just wish his costume didn't look like a Killer Clown. Mason ran to the door and before I could turn the corner I noticed him slowly backing away with his arms up in defense mode. When I saw the guy I thought about grabbing him and running. Instead, I touch the neighbor and told Mason it was a mask.

Mason really had a lot of fun. We also had a Halloween party we went to. It was a sugar high weekend.

Doesn't this little girl look so adorable!! Messy, dirty, struck by lightning.

Gabby even got dressed up and put into jail.