I have so much to catch up on that I won't even try to do it one blog. I do want to write about something awesome that Gavin said a couple of days ago.

I was putting him to bed, and like every night, he asked me to check on him. As I was peeking in on him, he saw me, wrapped his arms around me and told me, "Mom you're the best mom ever."
It is times like that when you are glad to be a parent.

My little candy cane!

Slightly different weather than what we experienced

a week ago

I couldn't help but think of the talk "Come What May and Love it" by Elder Wirthlin, as I am snowed into a strangers home in California. Well, I shouldn't say totally snowed in. Wayne made it home the other night with the help of chains and an hours worth of shoveling snow to get him into the garage.

It is gorgeous up here. There is about 2 feet of snow and it is still coming down steadily. Gavin thinks that it is Christmas day... I am having a hard time convincing him otherwise. He also thinks that the deer head hanging in the livng room is Rudolph's dad! We are so lucky to have so many kind people helping us during Wayne's rotations. Thank you to the Autens!!

We watch Christmas cartoons, play with He-man action figures and read Christmas stories all day. If Wayne were with us, it would feel like a Winter Wonderland castle.

(PS. there is now double the amount of snow in the pictures... and it is still falling).

I didn't think I would be able to have a white Christmas this year!! Suprise.

So, Gavin had a fun birthday... it extended out for 3 days! A party before we left (15th), his actual birthday (16th), and a party with the Neibaurs (17th). Thanks to everyone who made it special for him... Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and friends!

Fun and Freezing

He-Man, "By the power of Grey Skull"
He-Man with his friends Hannah and Ella


Little Ike

So much love

So excited about jumping!

I don't know if you can see, but Gav and Ike are in matching outfits

This is battle cat

Carving the Jack-O-Lantern in Hillsdale, Mi

Two buddies!

My two boys were He-Man and Battle Cat (his faithful friend) for Halloween. Gavin had a blast! He loved carving his jack-o-lantern, swishing his sword around, collecting and eating candy, and everything else about Halloween.

Wayne was in Hillsdale, Michigan for a couple of weeks this month, which he enjoyed very much. The kids and I joined him for week. It was a lot of fun; we carved pumpkins, went to storytime at the local library, watched Finding Nemo, went to the pumpkin patch, visited good friends, and took long walks. And the boys were great (well, Gavin was) on the 11 hour car ride up and back.

Hope everyone enjoyed Halloween as much as us!

Dreams and Pretending

So, I don't know if waking up all through the night is affecting my dream cycle, but I have had some wierd dreams lately. Last night I dreamed that Isaac already had 8 teeth (that was a nightmare!).
The night before I dreamed that Wayne was Michael Phelps; He even had his picture on the Wheaties box.
Gavin has given up naps (not totally but on most days). It is sort of nice because he goes to bed with out a struggle at 8 830. Isaac has reversed his sleeping cycle... waking up 4 times at night!
Yesterday Gavin and Ike were playing dogs... Gavin was "Sparky" and Isaac was "Fido." Well, we went to VCOM to fax some stuff. The receptionist kindly asked Gavin, "Oh, what is your name?"
"Sparky."
I quicky had to explain that he was pretending to be a dog.
All day long Gavin is either a dog, He-man, a missionary, Prince Charming (or Ariel... sometimes Ursula). He is always someone new!! I didn't know kids pretended so much!
Happy Birthday, Savannah!

By the way, Wayne has few interviews lined up... we are really excited about them. Call me and I will tell you where.