Enjoying baby and everything else!

When we arrived in Utah a couple of my kids has sniffly noses so we held out for a long time letting kids hold or touch the baby.  I’m talking ALL kids, even Janines kids hardly got to hold or touch her!  Finally after about 2 weeks my kids got their first chance to hold little Adelaide.  Oh how they were in heaven!

  

She was chillin’ while Janine and I were decorating the nursery.



On the 11th we enjoyed a Family Home Evening at Austin and Emma’s apartment.  It was so fun to where they were living and the kids LOVED being there with them!  We had a great time, thanks for letting us take over your home!



Playing Pictionary for our Game



Tuesday the 12th we got to have a playdate with my friend Carrie and her kids.  Carrie and I have been friends for…well forever.  They just moved back here (into the same ward we grew up in!) from Chicago. Although I’ll miss my trips to Chicago, I LOVE that we will be able to see eachother more often and enjoy watching eachothers kids grow up. We sure had a great time spending the morning with them!

   

OH my goodness, this cute little thing was sleeping nearly the whole visit…but we LOVED enjoying her once she woke up!!



While we were there the kids and I had a pretty good morning routine going.  We had groceries down in the kitchenette and were able to just do our own thing down stairs.  Chores, getting ready for the day, school, breakfast and snacks.  We focused on getting everything we needed to do done early so that the rest of the day could be helping Janine and her family.  I don’t know how much of a help we were, but the kids sure enjoyed being able to see eachother every day! 

The hardest part of our schedule though was that the kids got kinda bored. We got done with everything so early and then Janine’s boys were in school till after 3.  Finally one afternoon the kids inquired about playing with the neighbor kids and we were able to make it work out. The boys had a blast playing outside in the snow, and the girls went downstairs to paint fingernails.

 

So cute!~                                                          Emma ready to head out on a walk with mommy

   

Blackberry picking, Birthdays and Babies! (hey those all start with B!)

Monday night some friends invited us to join them to go Blackberry picking for FHE. WE hadn't had a chance to do that yet this year so we were totally in! The kids were reminded of the prickly bushes and how hard it is to get a lot...but we had a great time with our friends and were able to come home and make Blackberry Pear Tarts and Blackberry Shakes! yummm!!! (I think those were responsible for my lack of weight loss this week)

   





 This week we got some fantastic news from my brother Austin...him and his girlfriend Emma are getting married! I knew my kids would be so excited and Austin wanted to tell Maliyah himself....it was fun to watch her face go from 'what might he be calling about' to total excitement!



Congratulations Austin and Emma!!



Wednesday was the birthday of a favorite friend. She is in her 80's and Maliyah visits her most Thursdays during quite time to keep her company, clean her house or whatever juanita wants her to do! We went and made her lunch and played games at her house. the kids played hide and seek forever and loved having a new house with new hiding places! (that's Emma and Nanna counting).





 That night was a baby shower for a gal in the ward who is new and had her baby about 6 weeks ago. Maliyah came with me and was in heaven being able to hold this baby! She's the best little mommy ever!

 

For anybody who doesn't know, duck hired a new employee! He met her at a training in boston and she's great! Her name is tracy and they moved her from a town near santa Barbara. hey wanted a chance and boy did they get it! She love it here though and I love that there is one more person to take the work load off duck! She has also been joining me for Tue night women's basketball and she's good! Anyway, Friday night as her Boss...Duck took her and her husband (and me of course) out to dinner. But we had to do a little golf first! What is a business dinner without golf? Well luckily with them none of it was business, but a lot of fun! Thanks Tracy and Zach...we had a great time!

I left my camera in the car, but it was a beautiful night (minus the bugs) and this was a shot I got from the car before we left.

PE, Game Night, Hail? Really?

With Duck out of town I had to take the big kids to PE. NOt a big deal except that it's during nap time! Grrr...

But we had fun, went early, went on a little walk and then got to watch the kids in PE action!

I showed the kids what lilacs were and how yummy they smelled!





Why didn't my elementary school have one of these!?





For Family Home Evening that night, we decided instead of the traditional FHE, we would have a game night once the little girls were in bed. We indulged in treats, popcorn and late night fun! (reason for the splurging?....it was the end of my wellness challenge that my team WON!!! SEE HERE for more info on what I've been doing the past 8 weeks)



I have never tried to teach Jayden how to write his numbers yet. In fact we are just barely starting to really focus on learning recognition. He insisted in keeping our score. I think he did a pretty good job!



Jayden got really upset over something.  In effort to cheer him up, I signed cry...and said it like Nanna does, in a pouty 'cry' kinda voice.  To sign cry, you use both fore fingers and run them down your cheeks like tears.  That's all it took and he was laughing! He was still inbetween sobs and laughs for a few minutes but then got over whatever it was that upset him!



Thursday I took the kids to a local Elementary's school play. It was at the theatre downtown and was a blessed 35, maybe 40 minutes long. Pefect! The kids loved it, the babies lasted for a good 30 minutes before they got too antsy and despite having to walk in the rain to our car that was a block away....at least the Hail didn't start until RIGHT as I was getting into the car! It made for a super fun time once we got home though!



    



The kids might be in shorts, but it was cold! 

2012...Here's to a great NEW year!

What better way to start off the New Year than with a Baby Blessing! My nephew Allen was blessed and it was beautiful. Love you Brent and Shalamar!



Olivia was LOVING the brownies and just plopped herself at the dessert table and helped herself!



The weather was so wonderful! We totally took advantage





My BFF's 2 yr old Eli





Carrie's 4 yr old Jace. Him and Jayden had fun playing together!

 

WE were blessed with an opportunity to go meet up with my Brother Jaron and his beautiful little family in Logan



Janine's little Micaela was laying on the floor for Jacob to walk over her. Soon there was a line up from other kiddo's at McDonalds!



Finally some New Year Snow! A Packer family Tradition



 





 



Grandpa plans the best Family HOme Evenings!



 

I'm just about the luckiest girl EVER (my hubby missed me!)



Maliyah's Creation she made from her scrapbook/craft kit.



Our return home was fun, and eventful (tickets {again!} traffic) But we were so happy to be home and with Duck.

Yay! Snow! The kids had a blast and our little town looked beautiful!







And what treat do you indulge in after your body has frozen in wet snow?



Well snow cones of course!