Playdates!

Mommy and Jocelynn's matching boots

Carter with his favorite friend, Paytin

Carter and Tyler

Jocelynn and Celah Her friend from preschool! She loves having friends over to play

Last April James took a new job offered to him. With that new job came new responsibilities, a new commitment and a longer commute. He drives from Corona to Monrovia everyday. Just today it dawned on me how tough it has been and how much I miss him being home by 530pm. He leaves around 6am every morning and gets home at 7pm-730 every night. I have gotten used to it but there are some days . . . like today . .. . when moving right next to his job seems like something we should do. We aren't . . . we've talked about it and that's not happening but somedays I wish we were right next door. He's been working hard. The commute is about an hr and 15 minutes. We've both been working hard and I believe that it will pay off. He loves this work he has been doing which makes me happy. He works for an Energy Consulting firm. My days are filled with grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, playing with the kids and working on different things with them. My grandma moved down the street a couple months ago and we spend almost everyday visiting her. In the evenings, I work on school and trying to get this home to look like a home. I'm grateful for these trials though because I know that we are growing and becoming stronger!

Zealynn Marie Todd

Tired boy. I was putting Jocelynn to bed and he fell asleep on Grandma.

When we drove to Wyoming my sister said there wasn't much snow this year. I was expecting to see the grass and laughed when we got there. There was a cold breeze but we were able to go out for a little bit one day and the kids loved it! It was Carter's first time in the snow. He kept hitting it, of course!

Jocie and Micah, 8. He is so sweet to her!

Carter slept pretty good. He ended up sleeping on this bed with me. Naps I had a keep lying him down until he realized I wasn't going to give in and fell asleep.

Cousins Jaeger 4, Dylan, 6, Ryker, 2, Carter 1

Even Carter had a great time playing, as you can see from this smile

Doing all kinds of different moves

Jocelynn loves her cousins! I don't hear from her whenever we visit her cousins. It's pretty nice.

Jocelynn spoiled by her cousin Jordyn, getting her toenails painted!

Carter seemed old to me sitting next to Zealynn. He kept pointing to baby!

Sweetness!

Jocelynn holding her new cousin Zealynn

Three days after Christmas, the kids and I drove up with Melinda and her kids to Utah. I wasn't planning on coming to see my sister till Februrary but I knew once Zealynn came it would be hard for me not to come. Melinda said she would love to see her brother so we all went up. She has a big size car that fit everyone. Jocelynn was in heaven having a TV in the car and her new leapster to play with. I didn't here a word from her. We had a wonderful time, except for we all got the flu and I got my sister sick, that just had a baby :(

Christmas Day!

Jocelynn singing with Elmo

Carter happy about his Elmo present from Uncle Bill.

My parents were in Utah because Jessica had Zealynn so my Grandma and Uncle Bill spent Christmas evening with us for dinner. I wasn't happy with how the scalloped potatoes and ham came out but it was edible. We had a nice time visiting together and opening presents.

Cousins!

After church, James sister and family came over for brunch. We had eggs, with sausage, peppers and cheese and hash brown, bacon and cinnamon rolls. It was so nice to visit together.

All ready for church!

I love these smiles Carter gives below. He had a fun time with the toys especially this baseball toy.

Christmas Day Jocelynn woke up at 630am. She was so cute and excited. I've never seen her so excited, ever! She said Merry Christmas mom and dad. She walked quickly downstairs and handed me a present. She said open it mom, open it. She then started talking a ton about how she heard and saw santa and the reindeer and she heard them on the roof. She couldn't believe he came, she kept saying I knew it mom, I knew he would come! All month she was so worried that she wasn't good enough and maybe he wouldn't come. I kept telling her not to worry and that I believe she is a good girl and he would come. Carter woke up at 645 and we opened presents. Jocelynn was so excited opening her presents. Each one she yelled out what it was and said she always wanted it!

The Night Before Christmas

The beginning of December came and everyone was getting their trees up and lights up, not us. My parents were moving out the 9th or 10th and our Christmas decoration were still in storage. I could tell Jocelynn was having a hard time. She did not want me to forget that Christmas was coming. Finally on the 12th or 13th we got the decorations us. THe first of December I thought I needed to do something so she knew it was coming. I found something online called an advent book calendar. Every night you read a new Christmas story. I thought it would be expensive buying new books so we went to 3 different libraries and I found all the Christmas books I could find. This got her really excited. I wrapped each one in tissue paper, even Carter looked forward to opening a new story every night. The last book I saved was "The Night Before Christmas." On Christmas Day we read the story of Jesus.

We left cookies out and carrots and green beans for the reindeer.

The night we decorate the house the elves leave pajamas every year on the doorstep. They wear the pjs the month of december. I loved the reindeer feet!

The night before christmas they got to open their ornaments. Carter got a dog paw print ornament that says 2011 and we put his picture in it and Jocie got a Rapunzel ornament because she loves Tangled.

The love each other so much!

James sister and family came to visit from AZ. The kids had a blast playing with Keona! We loved having them here!

Christmas Baking and Jocelynn's Preschool

I love Christmas time, especially because it's a reason to bake all the yummy things you don't all year. We made, magic bars, peanut butter bars, molasses cookies, choc chip and m & m cookies. Next time I want to do toffee. I love these matching aprons we got last year. Jocie loves helping me and especially eating it. We packaged them up and took them to neighbors and some of her friends in Sunbeams. It's a tradition now to carol. It's a little embarrassing but Jocelynn loves it!

Here are a couple of her friends from preschool, Gwen and Zane. They sang some cute Christmas songs and used bells to play songs.