New Year's Eve

Our New Year's Eve was low key and I loved it that way. We went to my favorite restaraunt as a family, Bonsai Grill. I know I've mentioned it before. It's a Japanese Steakhouse where they cook in front of you. It's the ONLY restaraunt the kids are good at because they are entertained and I LOVE the fresh food. Then we went back to our house played games... pool and Loaded questions to be exact and then toasted to the New Year and had a dance party! Okay, not much of dance party because I was the only one dancing. I totally made of fool of myself but I don't care. It was just my family and they've all seen me dance before. (I'm horrible)

heading out to dinner

yummy food

I've been thinking a lot lately about how boring our lives would be without Baylee and Griffin. Seriously. After dinner on New Year's Eve, we put the kids to bed and we still had people to stay up and play with. Jason and I would have seriously been bored. There is always something to do and someone to do something with around our house. I love it because I hate to be alone. (well I'm actually enjoying it more these days) But I truly enjoy having Baylee and Griffin. They are such great kids... I only hope that my own kids will be as enjoyable one day!

Bean Museum/Ice Skating

The Saturday after all the company left we actually had a day to spend as a family and I didn't feel like cleaning yet, so we went to the Monte L. Bean museum on BYU campus. They have a bunch of 'real' stuffed animals. It's free, cheap entertainment that the kids love. I'm sure a lot of you have been there. Afterwards we grabbed a bite to eat and then went ice skating. It was a low stress night. There are a lot of pictures because there were so many cute ones.

BEAN MUSEUM

Avaree loving every minute of being this close to the animals!

Jason and Griff with the big buffalo

Every time I pull out my camera, this is the face Weston makes. I love it! He also makes it every night at the dinner table. He really knows how to get our attention.

Avaree and I... aren't the animals great? It's totally FREE!

Baylee and Brady with the bear

ICE SKATING

Avaree trying to ice skate

Av with the big boys... this girl gets TOO much attention!

All bundled

I have to say the highlight of the night was when Jason dared my brother, Brady, to tag this pro skater (or so he thought). He was straight from Blades of Glory... long thin blonde hair that flowed in the wind as he skated, wearing all denim. I wish I had a picture. Brady tagged him and the guy said, "Are you sure you want to do this?" It was hilarious. They played a couple rounds of tag. Good job Brady for being brave and making us laugh!

We figured it out, it was much easier to just push Avaree on a cone... she loved it but it wasn't too good for Jason's back. Makes for a cute picture though.

This was Griffin the whole time. He was such a good sport because he really tried but he didn't leave the wall once. The picture and face says it all!

Wes was by far the best skater of us all... all his years playing hockey paid off.

Jason and I taking a stroll down memory lane. This was actually the first place we held hands and this was our first time back. We actually weren't even dating when we held hands. We just went skating with a group of friends... in fact, Jason had a girl on each hand, but I didn't want to fall and he really did like me!

Christmas Eve

We have a few Christmas Eve traditions. For dinner we make deli sandwiches on croissants (easy but good), and I attempt to make my Mom's potato salad (everyone's favorite). We read the nativity and act it out and then we get to open one gift, which is... of course, pajamas. We included Jason's family in on the traditions...

Weston, not quite sure what it means when we say... "Santa is coming!"

Avaree as Mary (this girl loves to role play, we've been acting this out all month!)

Griffin as Joseph, Weston as baby Jesus, Avaree as Mary, (nothing like silky blankets as props)

Baby Jesus (Avaree insisted we use the bin as a manger)

Josie (Jason's lil sis) as the angel

Look at my Christmas Eve present!

Cousins in matching PJs

Josie, Linda, and Paulette (Jason's Mom and sisters) in their PJs

This is SO classic because we LOVE Dr Pepper in this household, especially Jason. In fact a little too much. Jason picked out the PJs himself, but guess what his New Year's resolution is... NO MORE DP! And he has a lot riding on this resolution. He bet his friend $1000 bucks, so I'm not going to let him fail. The problem is I'm not ready to give it up, but he has to. It's not good for him and his high blood pressure. I'm going to be so proud if he can do it!

more Christmas jammies

Baylee and I got cute sweat suits that we could wear EVERYDAY in this cold!

Christmas Party with my Gals!

I'm back... The past couple of weeks have been crazy and I have a lot of blogging to do to catch up. We hosted ALL of Jason's family for the week of Christmas. It was so much fun but a little hectic! Baylee and Griffin start school tomorrow so I am slowly getting back in the swing of things. Before all the family got in, I had a Christmas party with my 4 best friends. I look forward to our party every year. I love these girls! We've been friends since Jr High and Highschool and we've had a Christmas party every year since we graduated. Every year our party grows... with husbands and kids that is!

Francine, Hillary, Janet, Azy, and me

Francine and Adam Wright

Hillary and John Horn

Janet with 2 of her boys, Luke and Ben

Happy Birthday to my Mom!

Today my Mom would be turning 54. She was named Karol because the first night my Grandparents brought her home from the hospital, Christmas carolers came to their door. I love Christmas time! I love the spirit and feeling of Christmas. I love the excitement. I love how we have a WHOLE month to celebrate Christ's birth, to focus on him and his sacrifice and to try harder to become more Christlike. I also love Christmas because I feel so close to my Mom... as I think about her and her birthday and as I try to carry on the Christmas traditions she raised me with. I have so many good memories of her at this time of year. For the past five years, I have not made it through the song "Christmas Shoes" without crying. The song just hits too close to home. It's about a little boy who is buying his Mom a pair of shoes because he wants her to look beautiful in case she meets Jesus that night. There is a line in that song that says "Mom always made Christmas good at our home, most years she just did without." That was SO my Mom. She always made Christmas time so special. And when I say went "without" she really did. She would sacrifice anything for her children. She was the most Christlike person I knew. I feel so blessed to have her as my Mom and that I have her example to follow, as well as my Saviors.

These aren't the best pictures because I don't have a scanner, so I just took a picture of them with my camera but wasn't she a cute little girl?? I LOVE this picture! Can anyone see Avaree or Weston in her?

This picture was taken the day before she passed away. She was really beautiful, even with no make up, a bandana and an oxygen tank. Oh... how I miss her!

Addresses

Yes, I am still trying to get out my Christmas cards. Please email me your address at karlinkess@comcast.net Thanks, and I LOVE all the cards I have received so far!! It is one of my favorite things about the holidays. (by the way, my Christmas cards didn't turn out too HOT. Next year I am hiring a professional!)

Weekend Pics

Weston pulled on the adapter to our lap top and broke it. I've been going crazy without a computer the past few days. Jason just bought a new adapter (over 100 unexpected bucks later). Kids! It is good to be back in business though! I hope I don't bore you with all the pictures...

Friday night was date night with the hubby! It was so fun. I don't remember the last time we went out, just the two of us. It reminded me of the good ol' days. We did a little Christmas shopping and grabbed some dinner at a steak house (0f course).

Baylee's piano recital

Pizza at Gold Medal (John & Hillary Horn's restaraunt)

Weston showing off for the camera

Ice cream at Scoopology...yummy but cold

Jason had to knock all the icicles off our roof so they don't break the raingutters

Christmas dress

The view from our deck... breath taking!

family pics

Sunday Dinner

This is dinner at my house every Sunday, I have ALL my single brothers over and their girlfriends/fiances (I guess that makes them not single, just not married then) and I do ALL the cooking. Who is going to do it if I don't? It's so fun to get together with everyone and these boys need a home cooked meal at least once a week. I just wish my Mom was here to help me and she'd love spending time with all of us! (the only person missing is Ligia, Brady's fiance, she is off to Mexico for Christmas) I'm not trying to sound like super woman either. I'm just telling you how it is and I really don't have a choice.

Happy Birthday Suzanne!

Suzanne is Jason's sister. (yes, we have a lot of family) Suzanne currently lives in Texas and is such a sweetheart. She is so thoughtful. She is the one person who consistently wrote Jason while he was on his mission and she now writes her little brother who is in the Marine Corps. She has a 5 year old son named, Jason. He is so cute and she has done such a great job raising him so far. She is a hard worker, unselfish, sincere, and has a contagious laugh! We love you Suzanne!

Suzanne's son, Jason, with Griffin and Avaree when they came out to visit over the 4th of July.
Baylee, Griffin, and Lil Jason in the jacquzzi

Happy Birthday Susan!

Susan has been married to Jason's Dad for 21 years. She is Jason's second Mom. Susan is such a strong lady that has endured a lot in her life. I just want to share some of things she has endured... when she was 19 she fell while rock climbing and was told she would never walk again. She now walks with a limp. It is truly amazing everything she can do and has done with this disability. Right around the time my Mom passed away from cancer, Susan was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer in her colon. She went through chemo and radiation treatments. We are so grateful that she is now cancer free! Then in 2005, she lost her oldest son at the young age of 25. She loved Darrick so much and was a good Mother to him. Through all this, she has truly stayed positive and looked for ways to serve others through her experiences. She is an inspired writer and has always stayed true to her religious beliefs. We love you Susan, Grandma, and Mom. We are so thankful to have you in our lives!

Jason's Dad, Brandon, Susan, and Sarah
Grandma Susan with Avaree on her birthday

A Mormon in the White House??

What do you all think about Mitt Romney for President?? I am loving listening to all the debates about Mormonism. It is so interesting to hear what people actually think about Mormons and how uneducated they really are about the Mormon religion. So far, I am way impressed with Mitt! I think he will be great and what a great way for the whole nation to learn about Mormons. Did you really ever think we could have a Mormon President??

Weston... My Big Boy!

My little boy is growing up. Weston has been the calmest baby. He probably didn't start sitting up until 8 months and finally at a year he started to scoot around on his bum. It was so cute and hilarious to see him scoot and he was content because he could get where he needed to go. (His Uncle John nick named him Scooter) He just started crawling and pulling himself up on things a couple of weeks ago and he is 14 months! I have to admit I worried a little bit, hoping that he would be normal but now I don't know why I worried. He is everywhere and into everything and he is fast. As quick as I turn around he is gone! I know he will be walking soon. He is the cutest little guy. It's been so fun to see his personality come alive. I love having a boy!

Whenever I can't find Weston, he is in Avaree's room playing on this toy. He loves it and this boy has moves! He totally dances and bobs his head to anything. (it's actually a constant fight who gets to play with it)

Weston's big boy haircut

He looks so handsome and grown up

Always on the move

Pulling himself up on everything

How can you not love that squinty smile?