Christmas-Brie's Performance-Mitchell's New Look

My posts continue to get LONGER and LONGER. The truth is...my sweet baby is a cat napper. His naps are anywhere from 20-40 min (sometimes and hour if we're lucky), so I don't have a lot of time to sit and blog. Needless to say, this is another "catch up" post.

We braved the Temple Square experience this year. I usually avoid this because of the cold and the crowds but this year we went and had the best time. We got there right when the lights turned on, there were no crowds, and the kids were AMAZED at all the lights. It was worth it just to see their facial expressions.
Don't you love Max's signature photo face? Classic!
Joel's parents did a family party the week before Christmas and asked us all to come dressed as part of the Nativity. Caren was standing on the porch when we got there and told us there was no room at her Inn and that we should try the barn. When we got to the barn we found Brent there and he explained the events that happened the night Christ was born.
We then went to the house and each had to pay our "taxes" which was a can of soup to give to a needy family. Brent and Caren then gathered us all into the living room to share scriptures, stories, and powerful testimonies of Christ. It was such a fun party and the costumes added to the spirit that was there.
Merry Christmas! This is a shot of the living room just before it got destroyed by the kids...
I made each of them a BYU blanket and they loved them. I had a dream a few nights before that they opened them and had a look of disgust on their faces...I was thrilled to see big smiles! Cambrie got a BYU blanket and a Utah snuggie...we continue to confuse them :)
Santa brought Mitchell a BYU ball for Christmas, a baby book, and some socks. Good man.
P.S. Why does my mom look so beautiful at 7:00 in the morning?
The much awaited family gift...a WII. We played, and played, and played, and played some more over the Christmas break. The favorite game is Mario that Tyran and Paul gave to the kids, it's addicting! I've already put in my birthday wish for Rock Band...June won't get here fast enough, I LOVE that game!
The little elves just before opening their stockings.

Note: Max and his signature photo face again.
The boys got BYU football uniforms/balls/helmets...let the games begin :)

We had a fantastic Christmas. It was fun to have Mitchell here this year, new babies just kind of make everything a bit sweeter. His first Christmas was very memorable...for us at least.
Oh my dear, sweet, Cambrie. LOOK how much taller she is than EVERYONE in the fourth grade! This picture was taken last week at the fourth grade music performance. There was some amazing dancing, singing, and some poetry as well. Watching her dance with boys that only go up to her shoulders brought back so many memories of being TOO tall! I'm telling you...long legs are a curse until boys hit puberty and you're big enough to fit into jeans at the Buckle. Poor girl.

Joel's mom came to see her perform as did my parents as well. I know it makes her feel good when she has so much support...sometimes she gets lost in the shuffle of the boys. Cambrie also won first place in a class spelling bee yesterday...she's a bright girl and is so tenderhearted. We love her and are so grateful for her calm, sweet, happy personality!
Now onto this little Munch. Mitchell's hair is usually the first thing that people notice about him because he has so much of it. When it lays down it's adorable, when it sticks up it's also adorable. However, all good things must come to an end.
He had rubbed the back of his hair so much that it was all shorter than the rest. It was time to let it go.

Four months old.

Third haircut.
End result.

Handsome little thing isn't he!
I'll be honest. It was hard to cut it off but it had to be done. He looks bigger huh!

Sad.

Mitchell will be FIVE months next week, I can't believe it. I would love to just freeze him in the stage he's in now...he is so much fun. Smiling, laughing, starting to sit up, rolling over...it's so great. I remember my friend Kenon posting a blog entitled "Baby Bliss" when she had her baby, and for the first couple months I wondered what in the world she was talking about (true, I had a bit of postpartum going on). But now...yes, it is BLISS! Complete and total BABY BLISS!