Working Hard in the New Year

Since Tanner started a new job, he's been putting in some major huge hours and that's ok! We want him to be successful and we are doing our best to be supportive. The other night he didn't get home until nearly midnight! We are having a very low key Winter break around here. We hardly ever leave the house because I am a germ-a-phobe and don't want anyone getting the horrible flu that's going around. It's an epidemic! Not only that, but gastroenteritis is making waves too. Tanner's building had to go on lock down because it was so bad! Luckily, we've been safe. Jack slowed down for 2 days with a slight fever but that's all it turned out to be. Thank goodness! We've been cleaning and cooking and playing and swimming and watching movies and enjoying the time together without any distractions! It's been nice!

Jack being all snuggly since he wasn't feeling too good.

Before I got the creche's put away, Rayleigh played with them and set all the people up so that they were facing the baby Jesus. Not a day goes by that she doesn't talk about Jesus and how Jesus LOVES and he wants us to "love together". She also talks about getting baptized all the time too and wants so badly to get baptized like Jesus. Our sweet little niece Marley is being baptized on the 6th and she wanted to send us an invitation! What a thoughtful and precious little girl! We have her picture on the fridge and Rayleigh loves to look at it and say, "That's my best friend Marley. She's getting baptized!" So proud of these valiant youngins!

Baby snuggles for LIFE! Ohhhhh how I love this baby stage! Pretty soon she wont want to fall asleep on me all day long. She will want to walk and run and play and leave me!!! Nooooo!!!!

I cherish these quiet cozy moments

It's always so fun when Jana comes to town and we get to go to Cheesecake Factory and talk about all the highs and lows since the last time we were able to chat. Jana has been my friend longer than anyone on Earth. She has known me since infancy. There's not many people besides family that I can say that about. She has been by me every step of the way throughout my entire life. Preschool to high school, marriage to kids. We have a bond that is strong and runs deep and I'm so grateful for her friendship. She loves the Lord and is smart and compassionate. She is one in a million!

I guess Jack is feeling better... The kids could swim allll day.

Babies babies every where!

Thanks Jack. So gross....

Jack is caught somewhere between a big boy and a baby. Dressed for winter in SoCal

New Years Eve was on a Sunday and they kids all fell asleep on the way to church! Doh! So we just decided to keep the germs at bay and take the kids home. Ray was soooo sad when she realized we weren't at church. She LOVES church. But we spent the rest of the day working on projects and watching family home videos. No one made it to midnight but that's ok. There will be plenty of years for parties and late nights with friends and fireworks. This year, we snuggled with our babies, kept it quiet and peaceful, and rang in the new year tucked in bed. The very first thing I did in 2018 was snuggle my beautiful daughter, Ella.

We spent the weekend of New Years working on the pergola in the backyard, cleaning up the rest of Christmas, and switching the kids' rooms around! It was time that Ella got her own room (not that I have any intention of letting her leave my side) Ray and Jack now share Parker's old room and that has been going really well! We have a great bedtime routine that has totally been working (since I do it alone every night). I read them some books and we say prayers and they stay in bed and go to sleep! I can usually hear them talking a little bit before falling asleep but that's so adorable. They have been sleeping great! Parker took Jack's old room and we moved the crib into Rayleigh's old room for Ella. The toddler bed is also in there. We borrowed Jill's carpet cleaner and cleaned all the carpets too. And switched all their closets around which was a lot of organizing (which I loved). We sent stuff to Goodwill and threw a bunch of crap away. It was wonderful!

New Year. New Rooms. New Goals. We are gonna hit 2018 out of the park!!!