February 2017

We moved into a home we're renting in Washington Terrace. We were sad to move from family, but so eager to have Daddy in our lives everyday. Having him gone 7 days in a row really got old. 

So now we're happy to have a place to call home! It's perfect for us. We have rooms for everyone upstairs. Then we have a big bonus play area downstairs where the kids can roam free. We have a fenced in backyard that we can't wait to play in when it geta warmer. 

Addie riding my mom's rocking chair her maternal grandfather Joseph Francis Belnap made for her  children. We are borrowing it while our kids are young.

I think this is the first time we've taken a picture of Jojo one it. 

One day at the playground, Addie came to me and said she wanted "snowpies" while pointing to her toenails and fingernails. I don't know if a kid called them that or if she came up with it on her own. So when she got up before Jojo did, I helped paint her snowpies, and she was thrilled!!

She is helping her panda bear potty train. Too funny!

Jojo finally enjoying his Christmas gifts of dress up.  

Addie doesn't have a big enough places to place all of her dress up things. Too funny too!

Jojo's 2nd birthday

It sounds so cliche, but it's crazy to think that 2 years ago, I was in the OR room, waiting to see my baby boy for the first time. To be honest, it seems like forever ago. A lot has happened in those 2 years. 4 moves later...one of them was 2 months before he was born...well, I think that about sums it up why it seems like such a long time ago!!

Our Jojo Bean is such a sweet, cute, and friendly boy. He is so easy going meeting new people, usually smiles but can often give intense serious looks. Often he looks at me with a deep scowl, then breaks into a big grin with giggles. He loves balls of all kinds and enjoys "playing catch". To me, his vocabulary is advanced for his age and he has learned a lot from his big sister. He knows the colors blue and pink, the shapes of circles, triangles, and squares. His favorite song is "Silent Night". One day in the car he just started singing it out loud, so cute! He had a high singing voice, makes me laugh. What a character.  He also likes "I Am A Child Of God" and requested it in Portland every night when we put him down for bed, " want God, want God!" So sweet. He is a pretty good sleeper,  usually sleeping 10-11 hours at night with a 2-3 hour nap during the day. His favorite thing to wear is zip up foot pajamas. He's a big eater and especially loves fruits, vegetables, and even green salads. He enjoys playing on the playgrounds, and our cautious little boy is actually the more daring of the two when climbing around the McDonald's type of playgrounds. The only thing that holds him back is his height (these are built for older kids), but with Addie giving him boosts, he keeps up with the rest.

He got 2 big balls, sunglasses, a few shirts and pants, and balloons. The balloons were a bigger hit and received days of attention, more then anything else we could have gotten him. Oh, and he felt pretty cool with his glasses. We've decided to hold back on yhe toys because they don't play with them very well anyways. So we're going to keep an eye open for a basketball hoop to complete his gift.

He also got a card from the Bare's with money, a phone call from the Hebdon's, and a blue, red, and white plaid shirt and teddy bear from grandma and grandpa Hebdon. What a lucky boy!!

I decided to do a 3 layer cake with his favorite balls: football, basketball, and baseball. He was very excited about his cake! He wanted to touch it after he got up from his nap, but had to wait until daddy came home from work.

Earlier that day we went to McDonald's and ate, then played in their playground. With the cold winter, we do this often. And the kids love it!!

We love this kiddo! He adds a lot of fun to our home. Addie adores him and makes sure he is included in things. He is always willing to give hugs and kisses when someone is sad or hurt. He has a big heart, and loves his sister Addie. They truly are best friends. Although it's hard to have them so close together, I'm grateful in many ways. They're almost like twins, doing many things together, helping one another, and we always have to have 2 of everything. There's a lot of competition too. 

My blue/green eyes handsome boy! Happy birthday!! We love you so much!!

january 2017

These pictures were just too cute not to post. Here they are taking care of their babies and feeding them bottles.

Addie loved building towers and was able to build them pretty high before they fell over. Grandma was very pround of her accomplishment 

And they loved giving grandpa hugs and kisses. Sometimes they would tease him and get just close enough to run off again. They sure got attached to their grandparents. 

sledding Jan 20-21

It's been a hard winter this year. With days -26 below zero, being snowed in, and many many days being sick, we've been dying to get outside and play. So we did, and enjoyed a couple of days warm enough to go sledding with Adam, Benjamin, and Caleb.

This was Jojo's first sledding experience. He seemed happy, but then cried when they got out of the sled. It took us a day before we figured put it was because we think he felt we were leaving him behind. So whoever went before, they would pick him up whole the person who went down with him would get up. So, after that he was very happy.

Addie had went last year with the boys and loved it then, and couldn't get enough this round. She loves snow, alking in it, sledding, making snowmen, and of course eating it.

Having the boys there to help made all of the difference! I took Addie 3 times, and Jojo twice. But with their help I was able to take pictures and videos.

Like I said before, it's been a hard winter especially for me. I really loved Portland and didn't want to come to the cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers. I enjoyed walking quite a few of the days, playing in our backyard, play dates. I'm not going to lie, it's been a trial for me.

December 2016

This is our first night at Grandma and Grandpa Hebdon's. They were loving their new rooms, and enjoyed snuggling together for reading time.

Joe needes to fill out some paperwork a few days before he started, so we decided to go as a family and enjoy Temple Square at Christmas time. We even found Jojo some snowpants, Addie some snow boots, and both gloves so we could be warm, but also enjoy later to play in the snow.

They enjoyed walking around and being outside. The grounda were pretty. We wanted to get home before it was too late and cold, so the lights weren't as appreciated as some years.

Grandma Hebdon works at the library and brought us home a craft. They kids did pretty well gluing on the cotton balls for Santa's bears. It's auppo7to be an advent activity, but I decided they would have more fun doing it all at once.

One day while we were eatting, Addie said butterfly! We all looked around and didn't see one, then I looked down at the oranges I was peeling and cutting up for them.  And there waa the butterfly. She's often seeing art in objects around her. Maybe she has an artist's eye?

We helped Grandma put up the Nativity, and the kids put up the "white bear" I gave to Jesus as a gift when I was 18 months. My parents say that they were shopping,  they went to the car and noticed I had this tiny white bear glass figurine clutched tightly in my hand. I said "for Baby Jesus". So they took me back, paid for the figurine, and went home where I gave my gift to baby Jesus. It's a permanent part of the Nativity now.

And we loved going to Uncle Kevin and Rachel's home where they have hammocks everywhere. They love to to swing, especially Addie. She could do it all day long if someone would be with her and push her. She LOVES swinging.

Christmas 2017

Show how to work for the Christmas and Christmas Eve. So we were glad to have family to share the holidays with. We opened Grandma and Grandpa Hebdon Christmas Eve gifts for the kids with some warm pajamas. We also had the kids reenact the nativity.

Addie in her Christmas dress.

JoJo in his Christmas clothes for church.

It was fun to have both kids in the Nativity this year. Addie was Mary and JoJo was Joseph.

Santa gave Addie a kitchenette. And he gave Jojo a tricycle.

Addie in her new pajamas.

JoJo in his new pajamas.

All the kids in their pajamas from their grandparents.

JoJo really enjoyed dressing up to be Joseph.

Audi felt like a princess being dressed as Mary.

Adam and Ben were the Shepherds.

Caleb was the wise man.

We open Santa's gifts on Christmas and waited for Daddy to come home on Wednesday to open up family gifts. Not ideal but hey, it worked out just great.