Do as the Mormons Do...

Well since we live in Utah we figure we better just do as the Mormons do! ;) Temple square...its a big thing around here. We live about 20 minutes North of Salt Lake but we always hear how beautiful temple square is this time of year. We decided this past weekend to go on a little family date night.

Honestly, I was not too impressed. The coolest aspect was how perfectly wrapped the trees were with lights but that was about it. I was expecting way more. I am not sure exactly what I was expecting just more. At one point the sister missionaries gathered around and started singing Christmas songs...well Lincoln was NOT happy about it! He covered his ears and ran by them saying "make it stop make it stop". AHAHA...they werent THAT bad!

We rode the Jingle Bus which in the pictures look more like a cable car but its not...it is literally a city bus! HA...we got to it before all the crowds (or maybe no one rides it?!?) so it was just us on it. Its free and takes you from one mall to the other pretty much. The christmas music the guy had playing was WEIRD! He was friendly and all it was just a little weird. Plus again. a let down because we are so used to San Francisco Christmas stuff.

We finished off the night with a trip to the mall..which Brynlee hated because if she is outside then goes inside she gets MAD! She LOVES to be outside. She also hates beanies...sooo there is that aspect to. Lincoln enjoyed finding these books that he could press a button and the action figures spun really fast and danced. They made me dizzy so I couldn;t look at it.

Finally we grabbed some Cold Stone (omg the dark chocolate peppermint is back! YES!!!) and grabbed some Chinese food to eat at home. It was a fun family date night just not what I was expecting.

Im just really not feeling Christmas at all this year. Part of me is excited to be here where it snows, but a HUGE part of me misses home. I miss shopping with my sister, being around friends, going to San Francisco, etc. Everytime the radio comes on it is a song about being home for Christmas...seriously I have to fight back tears EVERY TIME! I want to be home so badly. I miss it. Christmas day is going to be REALLY hard I already know it. One day we will be back...sooner than later! ;)

That darn turkey

This was the first year we have been away from family for the holidays and was rough. I miss spending time with my nephews and my sister. Shaun and I used to complain because we had to go to several different homes on holidays but this year we actually missed doing it.

We spent the morning going to the peanuts movie. It was super cute but it did GET LONG in the middle. Shaun and Brynlee both fell asleep but Lincoln and I cuddled together. We went to the theater that has the reclining seats which are super comfy but also tend to make you sleepy. We bring our own snacks in but forgot drinks this time (okay really the diaper bag was already full so there was no room) so Shaun grabbed a water, small soda, and a chocolate milk for $15! Ridiculous! This is exactly why we bring our own food!

Later we went down to Sandy to his Aunts house for dinner. She made chicken instead of turkey and I was sad :( I am picky about my meat not being on a bone and this was so it was a tough dinner. Shaun ended up getting really sick the entire weekend too.

After that I put the kiddos to bed and headed to Michaels. I always go here to get garland and ribbon. The garland is $1.99 so I dont feel bad when I toss it at the end of the season. I also had to grab some stuff for our Christmas party I am hosting next weekend. Say what you will about shopping on Thanksgiving...I worked the holiday and enjoyed it when I was in college and I know several people who do it now. I think society makes a bigger issue than is necessary.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

They grow so fast...

Why does the second kid seem to grow at a rate that is INSANELY faster than the first?!? I even worked when Lincoln was a baby and I feel like he grew slower...Brynlee is ZOOMING through life!!! She babbles all day long, and now she likes to think she is a big girl and tries to sit by herself! She isn't even 3 months folks! Don't lay her down on her back...she hates it...she wants to sit, and stare, and babble WITH you! If you don't talk back, she screams! Such a little lady I tell ya!

*Note the toes...HUGE obsession...smells them, licks them, eats them, touches them, lifts them up and down and laughs...she loves her toes!*

You know you are old WHEN...

You know you are old when the girls you used to babysit start to babysit your own! Or maybe when they start to send you wedding invitations...both things make me a tad depressed. I am still 16 at heart folks...and I am still the one holding Abby, not Abby holding Brynlee! I love this girl (well both girls actually) in fact, I love that whole Wandvik clan! What an amazing bunch of people all nestled under one roof...I bet I could even nestle my way in there...they wouldnt mind one bit! They are just that awesome!

Because it makes ME happy!!!

It's not even Thanksgiving and my house is fully decorated for Christmas! Like we bought our tree yesterday put it up today and finished decorating everything else. From the outside, you would think my house was still in its get up for Fall...but not when you walk in the door!!! You know why I did this?!? Because it makes ME happy! Yep, not you, not my neighbor, ME! And you know what?! I didn't feel the LEAST bit guilty doing it. Also, it makes my 4 year old EXTREMELY HAPPY so we did it!  Christmas carols and hot chocolate all around folks! It is the most wonderful time of the year!

I blame it on Santa...since we went to see him Saturday. Lincoln wasn't feeling the whole picture thing, so we are going back...to a different one for a FREE picture because this momma is NOT spending another 24 bucks on a picture! Mall santa is a rip off! I just coudn't resist the sweet photo of Brynlee though! Oh and Mall Santa got everyone sick! I am talking puking all day folks! Worst money I ever spent...or the best because the kids were happy for a moment...its debatable!

*Note the train around the tree...yeah it wont be going on any trips around the tree this year...the present boxes are just too big!!! It looks cute though! :) *

World's BEST sleeper...

If there as award for Worlds Best Sleeper I without a doubt know it would go to Miss Brynlee!!! She has always loved sleeping...from the day we brought her home she only woke up once then at 2 months she was sleeping through the night. I am talking a good 9 hours everynight! However, now, she sleeps on average 12 hours at night!!! It is AMAZING!!! Then in the morning she just quietly babbles to herself until we go get her! Smiles all around from this angel! I am so blessed to have a good sleeper!!!

Check out the bottom picture...she has ALWAYS needed something over her eyes during the day to sleep. She does it, NOT me! It used to be headbands, and now its her beanies! Whatever it takes I am cool with it! She sleeps a solid 2 hours like this! Little nutcase!!!

Catch up!

I know I know I know...I say it EVERY TIME I get back into the blogging world...I am going to blog weekly! I am trying folks! A LOT has happened recently so this always gets pushed to the back burner! Not anymore folks! Be ready for some weekly blog updates! :)

We will start with the OBVIOUS...Brynlee is here!!! She made her DRAMATIC debut August 24th at 5:45pm...it was a very smooth labor until the last hour when things got SERIOUS and PAINFUL!!! I could literally feel my tail bone bending and was sooo afraid it was going to snap! Natural childbirth and that pain SHOULD NOT go together!!! Brynlee was too big (she was 9 lbs) to fit, she got stuck, the doctor was all up inside me trying to get her to rotate, while Shaun was pushed aside so a nurse could jump on the bed (LITERALLY) and help push her out while another one had me almost completely upside down. Apparently the babies are not breathing when they are stuck like this (her head was out but the rest was NOT budging) so it was a very serious problem. At one point I looked up and I had over 10 doctors/nurses in my room! Again, natural labor and that man oh man, do NOT mix!!! She came out, all purple, not breathing, bruised, and was rushed away so they could work on her. It was a VERY scary time, I am pretty sure I caught some tears streaming down Shauns face...but hey, in the end it all worked out!!! She is here, healthy as ever, dramatic as ever, and happy as could be and our family could not feel more complete...for now! ;)

Lincoln started preschool at BRAVO Arts...its such an AWESOME preschool that focuses on art and music! Right up Lincolns alley! He goes Tuesday and Thursdays and comes home everyday beaming ear to ear. It is the best $90 we could ever spend a month! He is learning so much already and it is so fun seeing him learn and grown. He had adjusted REMARKABLY well to being a big brother. We never had any issues, aside from the first time they met (he was really tired, I was hooked up to all sorts of monitors, and the hospital in general is a scary place). He loves on Brynlee daily, loves to feed her bottles, hold her, and we are working on diaper changes...okay maybe NOT the last part but hey, a momma can dream!

Shaun started work with Pilot Flying J...and then ended work with them! HA. They were waaayyy too demanding, and even though he was technically home everyday, it was literally sleeping for 5 hours then back at work. We never saw him, and he was exhausted from it. Luckily he found an incredible job with Albertsons! Best part is they are UNION which is almost unheard of in trucking! He is home way more, and we only took about a $3500-$5000 a year pay cut. Totally doable with how much he is home! Money does not buy happiness folks...it really really doesn't!!! He still loves the Giants and had some major withdrawals this year not being in California for the games. We were lucky to catch one when we did a random road trip home to surprise everyone in May! He has found some great hiking trails that he and Lincoln go on while the girls (ha I love being able to say that) stay home! (this is starting to feel like a year review Christmas card! HA)

As for me, I am here...chugging along as a stay at home momma. My life could not be more blessed. Utah was a HARD move, still is, but the amount of blessings we have had this year alone are outstanding. After I had Brynlee I almost hemorrhaged so I was watched very closely with the amount of blood I was losing. I got more ivs, shots, and medicine to help and finally was able to get it all under control. I recovered really well with her, in fact, the day I came home from the hospital, I was up cooking dinner for the family! Family duties call! I was able to go home for a week with the kids and it was EXACTLY what I needed. Although with each passing day, it made it REALLY REALLY hard to get back in the car and come to Utah. I needed my family and friend fix and I got it! Shaun and I have talked daily since then about moving back. We have always known we wanted to, and we still do! We need to build up more of a savings fund for a down payment (Shaun wants to keep our current home as a rental property) and the best part is his job will transfer! We wont live in Modesto...god no! But we will be about 20 miles away! Totally doable!

Anyway, nice little recap, my wee one is screaming for a snack and the elder one is pulling on my leg for a snack! Plus, I need to shower! Daily life of a stay at home momma! Nothing could be better!!! :) Much love to you all!!!