Christmas fun

For our friends Christmas party this year we decided that we would do a fun activity instead of exchanging gifts. So we ended up having a paintball fight. It was a ton of fun, but we missed Sarah who was sick at home. After our paintball fight we went out to chad and I's new favorite BBQ place: Allison's Texas Barbecue, and Sarah joined us there. It was a great time and I think the start of a great new tradition.

Belated Christmas

Grandma and grandpa O'Loughlin were our of town on Christmas so we celebrated it with them yesterday. Nathan got a game called "Pop the Pig" and you would have thought he had won the lottery. He has been inseparable from it since.

Garage sale

We had a garage sale and we had a couple of the cutest girls working the bake sale. They got so excited, especially Maya, when someone bought something.

So cute

Here are a couple of our Christmas photos. I like to get a picture of the kids in their Christmas church clothes, but it's always touch and go to get it right before church starts. I count these as successful!

It's actually a blessing

Chad was involved in an accident. It wasn't his fault and he's fine so this is actually great! We get to have the number that already had previous damage fixed. Were going to count it as a blessing.

Growing up

Caitlyn turned 10 last week and today she had her first teenage-style phone conversation. It was spontaneous and has been going on for 45 minutes with a friend from school. It's fun to see these little milestones. I'm sure this is the first of many conversations to happen

Christmas lights

Last night we took the kids to enjoy the temple Christmas lights. They had a great time -and then we followed it up at Lenny's for some root beer floats

Black Friday

This is such a fun night - always filled with interesting stories

Siblings

Alison likes to join Nathan in some of his preferred activities. She helped him organize his letters. I think that how slow Alison worked was a little painful to Nathan but he enjoyed the company!

Sayings

I love that it makes Alison's day to go inside and eat at Taco Bell. I love even more that she calls a cheese roll up "che che che-up". It's fantastic.

Dresses for sale

UPCYCLED T-SHIRT DRESSES

I in no way take credit for this idea but when I saw it I knew I had to try it. I have made a few extra and if your are interested in buying one let me know. All of the dresses come with a matching hairbow (pictured on the hanger). The top shirt is brand new and the bottom layers are from existing t-shirts.

Each dress is $10.00

24 mo

 24 mo

24 mo

 3T

 3T

4T 

Some halloween

Here's a glimpse into a little of our Halloween. Alison was happy as could be being a "dancer" and Caitlyn wond "best costume" in the kids catergory with her mad scientist costume. I don't have a picture of Nathan uploaded yet but he was Obi Wan and he loved saying his line "these are not the droids you are looking for". He spotted the skeleton hanging in the Corteaus's trunk at our ward trunk or treat and he was completely smitten by it. He kept going by it and checking it out so at the end of the night they were nice enough to let him have it. When the "Great Pumpkin" came the next night he was happy to find a skeleton book that he could learn the names of all the bones.

Political family

A couple of weeks ago Caitlyn came home and told us that she would like to run for student council historian.

I cant believe that our baby turned 3 today (at 5:25 am). Here are some fun facts about Alison right now:

She is a light in our family.

She loves to be silly and to play jokes on Caitlyn and Nathan. She steals their stuff and then runs around the house to have them chase her. She thinks is hillarious. They do not.

Just this week she has started doing a very selfless act. At meals she will bring Nathan or Caitlyn a drink before getting herself one. Its been really sweet to watch.

She loves playing in her kitchen. I know this because she steals my pot holders and I have to go retrieve them in the playroom.

If she could - she would wear a swimsuit everyday all day.

She adores her friends Maya and Millie.

If you ask her what she did in preschool - everyday will be the same answer: "Give Edith a hug"

A very popular phrase of hers is: "No, I try"

She loves her new bunkbeds, but when the lights go out she tries to sneak into Caitlyns bed with her.

She still loves her "Fa Fa" - we'll be working on this during this next week.

She favorite shows are Barney and Alvin and the Chipmunks.

She loves to talk to her Aunt Sissy and Grandma on the phone.

She still says "beefy" for "pretty". so "I beefy". (we might not be helping her let that go)

 

 Our traditional wake up picture

 

 We're practicing our threes!

 

 For preschool she took a poster of herself. She was very proud of it and kept pointing everything out in the pictures

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Alison! We love you!

 

On Sunday we had cake and ice cream for Alison over at Grandma and Grandpas house.

Yoga

Maya brought yoga ABC video over to share with everyone and it was a hit. Check out Nathan - great form!

Nathan is on a honeymoon

Nathan has a honeymoon phase with new lego sets. It lasts a couple of days and then he wants a new set. Currently he is enjoying his "Police Mobile Command Unit"

For Labor Day we went up to Flagstaff with Grandma and Grandpa Harmon and the Aaron Harmon family.

 

Eventhough it wasnt cold- Alison insisted on wearing a jacket.

Sisters

Nathan found a flower

All the kiddos that came up

We saw a science show at the Lowell Observatory. The kids loved it and Caitlyn got to help with one of the experiements.

The clouds were rolling in and we got some rain while we were there. It was really nice to get out of town for the day.

 

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Its the book of choice right now for Nathan. He learned a song on YouTube that sings the whole book. Its 9:37 at night and he's in the family room singing it to us. Its sweet to listen to him.
Tonight Chad and I had a great moment of clarity with Nathan where it felt like we could see into him and he could see outside of himself. It might not make sense but its the best way I can describe it.
The past month has been the hardest in our battle with autism. It has been one battle after another, whether its been with school, the computer, the Wii - really the reason has changed from moment to moment.
We pray and fast that this will be over soon. That we can get him back into school and that he will start to be nice again.

Alison is cooking up a storm!

She loves to cook lately. She will provide you with a great wooden lunch if you'd like it

First Day of School 2012



I'm sure I was more excited then they were, but we always take time for a photo op before heading off to school. Caitlyn was a little nervous because it was her first year at the new "Franklin at Brimhall" campus. Its much bigger with a lot more kids, but I never worry about her. She can definitely take care of herself and she isnt shy one bit.

Nathan was also starting at a new campus. He is going to "Pieceful Solutions" which is a school for Autism. They worked on getting their own campus this year and made it happen. We're grateful for the people that work with him there.

Alison started Preschool the week after the other two started and she was so excited. Especially since she gets to go with her friend, Maya. They all have a bag that they are supposed to take to school and her teacher asked that we decorate them so they are recognizable to them. Well, making a little Alison (glasses and all!) on the bag should be pretty recognizable!

Preschool

Alison is so excited to start preschool. We were given a bag and asked to decorate it so it will be noticable to them. I dont know how much more recognizable this would be to Alison. :)

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Happy Birthday yesterday to me. It was a great day filled with love on my door from ward friends, a Last Chance trip (thanks for babysitting Preston!) and finished up at Cheesecake Factory. When we got to Cheesecake we were wondering why a Monday night was so busy. Turns out my birthday is National Cheesecake Day! Why did I not know this?!!
Chad gave me an extra special/generous birthday gift: a new sewing machine. I am so happy when I work on it. I dont get frustrated and I feel like I am actually as good as I thought I was. My old machine was holding me back! :)