An Engineer--That's What I Want to Be

The Pigs Are Smelly

Jazz Game with Whitney and Casey

Dressed Up Ready to See the Nutcracker

Our Trip to St. George

Madisyn's South County Track Meet

Madisyn has been loving Track this year. She is running for Herriman and has finally come to the realization that she is a distance runner. She ran and qualified in the 3200 (2 mile) 400 (1 lap) and in the first Herriman Yellow 4x400 relay. These are the girls we got together to do the really, and they ALL had way more fun then they thought they would. 

Madisyn, Rachel, Kaylee, and Emee 

Aidan Michael Get's Baptized

Today started out perfect and then just became better. Mike baptized Aidan today, our only boy, and what a special boy he is. We had to be there at 10 am and for once we were onetime and early. Aidan got a new suit for the occasion, and in his words "I look sharp" So fun. I love seeing little boys in suits, it is just so cute. 

 At the chapel we were told multiple times we needed to be quiet, but with the McKenna family that's really not an option. We are just too passionate. We had to wait in the foyer for the other ward to finish in the chapel. Because we were having 4 boys be baptized, and two of the boys had over 60 people we made for a HUGE group. Both speakers commented on it being like Stake Conference. It was amazing that SO MANY people were there to support these boys.

Adian and Mike got dressed in their whites and they were ready to go. So beautiful all in white. What a special moment for our family, and for Mike. I love that in the LDS faith the father's get to do so much.

These are all the boys that already have been baptized and were so awesome and willing to come sing "We'll Bring the World His Truth." They were all so wonderful. Last minute I found out we didn't have a musical number and I asked Whitney if she could put something together, and the boys were more then willing and excited to help. I have such an amazing ward, and what great examples for Aidan to look up to.

We took many pictures waiting in the foyer for our turn to go into the chapel. We were suppose to start at 10 am and we actually started at 10:05 not bad for huge families and for the baptism prior to ours.

When we were talking to Aidan about who he wanted to give the Baptism or Holy Ghost Talk he said Bompa and for him to do a talk on Baptism…I kind of tried to lean he towards maybe Nana, or Grandma instead but he was SET on Bompa, and Bompa did not disappoint. He opted not to use Isaiah and Second Nephi, but went with Baseball, and how the kids have been practicing since they were little to be baptized and today was the BIG GAME, a chance to show Heavenly Father what they had learned. He also encouraged the kids to realize that every Sunday they take the sacrament to show Heavenly Father that they are still keeping the convents they made with him today, and to renew those convents. He really was inspired.

After the talks and musical number we separated by individual families to watch the Baptisms. While we waited because we were last we sang the boys favorite Primary Songs. Aidan chose Wise Man Foolish Man, My Life is a Gift, and I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus. Juli and I led the show :)

When it was finally our turn, it was really neat to only have our family friends there in the room for the ordnance. Aidan was all smiles and the feeling I got when he was standing there next to Mike was one of Love and Peace, one that reminded me that Aidan is a special spirit from my Heavenly Father. --Really cool.  After Aidan was confirmed with the Gift of the Holy Ghost. A constant companion to help Aidan feel of His Saviors Love everyday. --This is what he prays for every night during Family Prayers. What a special little man I have.  In the circle, Grandpa, Bompa, Max, Shane, Tristan W., Tristan M., Jeff, Steven, Jared, Dave, Bishop Jenkins and Mike performed the ordinance.

Look at that crew. After the meeting, I was bossy like normal, and made everyone take a picture. As everyone was walking out I saw my friend Melissa from the other ward and she was able to take a picture where NO ONE was left out. I will cherish this picture. I love being able to see everyone that came to the baptism, and be able to show Aidan how much he is loved and supported.

After we came to our house for ham croissants, salads, and cake and ice cream. The weather didn't cooperate so we had to squish inside. I was bummed we didn't get to enjoy the extra room outside gives us.

After that Aidan and a group of the McKenna family went to the Lego Movie.  Aidan's 3rd time, and he still loved it. Then we ate yummy chineese , Aidan played Infinity all day and then we talked him and the boys into Airborne, well they talked ME into Airborne.  Everyone loved jumping around on the tramps and the Ninja Wall Challenge was everyones favorite. Shane can with us and I was so grateful he was willing to play with Aidan who is too short to play in the BIG KID area.

Getting Home From Boston

The flights were delayed, but we were able to fly out. We landed in Vegas and I was told that neither of the kids had been told about what had happened. I sat both down and talked about choices and consequences of actions. Mike responded much better to their questions and helped explain to them what happened. 

We then said goodbye and thank you to Mike's parents and drove to my side of town to see Max and Jenni and my parents to say goodbye. On our way a cop pulled Mike over for speeding. I had my marathon jacket one and looked at the cop and explained I had been through a lot and normally Mike is an excellent driver and I apologized. The cop said I had been through enough and let Mike off the hook of a Vegas speeding ticket…which are quite expensive. 

It was great to see my family, and talk more about what happened, trying to figure out where I wondered and what was going to happen with the Boston Marathon for next year, and if I was going to get my medal. 

I feel extremely blessed that my family and I are safe, that I didn't want them at the finish line and that I was were I was when the bomb exploded. 

After the Bomb

The drop point to the left is where I was when the bombs went off and the two points to the right are the bombs. 

When I walked down the small road off Hereford I was then on Boston Mass, and asked where the runners meeting area was, and tried to go there thinking I could get shelter, food, and would get my medal. I knew in my head that if I did not get to the finish line area I would NEVER EVER get my medal because how would they know I had ran so far.  

I've always finished a race… it hurts every time I look at this and see the Boston Marathon route on my Nike+ but with only a 26.0 and not a 26.2. I truly feel like a failure. 

I was told to go to Huntington to find the runners and I walked and walked not realizing I was just walking BACK to the bomb, but I wanted to get food, a emergency blanket, water and most important my medal. So selfish of me, I had no idea the WAR ZONE I was entering. I walked in to a medical tent, the one just down on Boylston from the finish line to see things that were crazy and almost unreal to me. I had no idea HOW bad what happened was. I never saw the bomb I was just redirected and sent to fend for myself…again how selfish of me to want my medal when I was completely fine and my parents and husband were completely fine, and these people had blood all along their legs and people were yelling things about needing this and that.

After I realized I was not the one that needed anything I began to wonder. I wondered with no purpose. I thought I was headed the right way, but in my head there was no right way, I was just wondering. I remember seeing the theatre district and thinking oh that's neat, and I distinctly remember going down one road and thinking no that's not right and turning around. Then I found a map, and a lady with a baby showed me where the Marathon had ended and I was going the completely wrong direction. I then called Mike and asked what intersection he was at and he told me, I typed it in my phone and said that is where I will go--at this time my phone had 2% left on the battery. (AT&T had offered a charger for me but I was so set on getting to the race people to get my medal) 

I now had a goal that intersection. I got to a HUGE park and the intersection was through the park, but I had this huge feeling to walk around the park. I kept thinking this is stupid, but the impression was super sting that I need to walk around the park. So I did, and then I turned to go around the park and I saw a sign for the original Cheers building, and I had asked Mike if we could see that, and he said it was too far away. So I took a picture, with my phone with now 1% battery (I had kind of lost hope) 

Then I turned to keep walking a guy that looked like Mike was running to me, and it was Mike! He had left my parents and was running to come find me. Had I crossed the park I would have missed him and my phone would have died so we would have had NO communication. Wow is all I can say. I look at what happened that day as a blessing all the way around. I still want a medal and I still wan to cross the line, but the small blessing I feel I received on April 15, 2013 are because my Hevenly Father loves me, and I love Him. I thank Him for all of the tender mercies I received that day. 

My Exclusive Interview...

One of my friends from high school works at wet paint, and they did an interview on what happened, and what I said to my kids after the incident. We live in such a crazy world, where random acts of violence have become too much of a norm. 

A Mom’s First-Hand Account of the Boston Marathon Bombings, and What She’s Telling Her Kids

   

Credit: Facebook Photo: Timette Wankier at The Starting Line of the Boston Marathon

Las Vegas native Timette Wankier was approaching the home stretch of the Boston Marathon at mile 26 when she heard something through her headphones that sounded like a cannon shot. The second bomb had exploded at the finish line.

Suddenly, Timette says, “We [the runners] were told to turn around. And when we weren't turning around, a man yelled, ‘Please clear the area! Two bombs have gone off at the finish line! Please clear the area!’

“I was sweaty and cold, hungry and thirsty, and we were just being sent out into the streets of Boston,” Timette says. Her first instinct was to call and text her family to let them know she was okay, but since the cell phone service had been shut down for fear of a radio detonation of a third bomb, her only chance was to meet up with her loved ones at a designated reunion location.

Luckily, Timette’s four children were back in Vegas, and her husband Michael and her parents had chosen to cheer her on back at the 23-mile mark and not meet her at the finish line — a decision that may have saved their lives.

   

Credit: Facebook Photo: Timette and Michael

As Timette weaved through the throng of terrified people branching out from the finish line area, she stumbled into a first aid tent looking for a blanket and water. She recalls seeing several wounded with injuries particularly to their legs and thinking to herself that she didn’t belong there.

Timette’s search for the reunion site proved difficult, as the authorities continued to move the locations, but as she got farther and farther from the bomb site, cell phone service improved. “It wasn’t enough to call, but we could text, and Facebook was huge.”

“Didn’t get to cross made it to 26 and they turned me around. Two bombs went off near the finish line,” read her Facebook post from 3:04 p.m. EST yesterday, just under 20 minutes after the blast, when she was finally able to get enough signal to send the mobile post. She hoped her family would see her message and know she was alright.

As Timette wandered the streets of Boston, she says the response from strangers was incredible. At the first aid tent, a man from AT&T gave her an orange tee shirt to keep her warm, and a fraternity pitched in to help. “I want to give a huge shout out to Sigma Chi. The whole fraternity was out helping people, offering food and water, letting us use their bathroom and charge our phones. They were just wonderful.”

At 4:10 p.m., after wandering around Boston for almost an hour sending and receiving delayed text messages in order to find her family, Timette was relieved to see her husband running toward her. He had finally tracked her down using the Find My iPhone app on his phone. Timette later calculated that Michael and her parents — who are both in their 60s — had walked over 2 miles to find her.

“I had a sort of serendipitous moment when I finally saw my husband,” she said. “I had wanted to see the building that the set of Cheers was modeled after while we were in Boston, but we hadn’t found time to visit before the race. After Michael and I found each other, I took a quick look around and saw that we were standing right in front of it.”

Family Reunion

   

Credit: Facebook Photo: Timette at the Race

That evening, Timette and Michael flew to Las Vegas to pick up their kids, and for Timette, that reunion was a huge relief. “It was emotional when I saw them,” she says, choking back tears. “I’m just so happy that they're safe, that my husband is safe, and that I’m safe.”

Of her four children, her 10-year-old — the eldest — knew about the bombing, but the others had no idea. Timette discussed what happened in Boston with her children, but tried to keep the conversation short and positive.

“I said two bombs went off that stopped the race, but I made sure to stress that there were also many good people helping and doing good things.”

Timette never mentioned anything about injuries, blood, terrorism, or any other strong words that might scare the kids. Her two eldest asked about what kind of bombs they were, to which she replied that it wasn’t important. They also began associating words like TNT, which their father understood was a term they learned from their computer game Minecraft.

Timette’s advice to other parents who are struggling with how to speak to their children about what happened yesterday is, “Try to stay as upbeat as possible. The world is getting worse and the best thing we can do is keep our kids positive.” She says to definitely make your kids as aware as necessary about the events, but always stress strength and family.

Will She Run Again?

“I am a runner, and I will always be a runner,” Timette says. She definitely plans on continuing to compete in races and does plan on running in the Boston Marathon again next year.

“Boston is a hard marathon, but I didn’t get to cross the finish line, so just for that, I will hands down do it again.”

2013 Boston Marathon

As many of you know Mike and I planned our family around the training for the Boston Marathon. McKenna was born in November so I had the full 20 weeks to train for April 15. I took training super serious, and ended up getting injured in January after running the Tinkerbell Half Marathon, I ruptured my plantaris tendon and wanted to hop to the finish line (I did finish the race though, no injury will keep me from finishing). I then did physical therapy faithfully and took two weeks off of running. Through lots of prayer and faith I feel I was healed and I was able to run without pain. --training for the Boston Marathon is a blog post in itself. I got to the 20 mile runs and was feeling great 26 should not have been a problem, but here's what happened during the race. 

Start Line--Mile 1-3 

Instead of taking the buses from Boston to Hopkington I had Mike drive me and drop me off south of the Hopkington High School, the staging area for the marathon, and then walked the .5 miles to the school. The walk wasn't bad and I met a really nice New Yorker that was running the race for the first time as well. I wondered the school area got a banana and bagel and drank my traditional run breakfast Slim Fast. I then headed up to the corals behind the red bib runners. It's a .7 mile walk from the high school to the corals and many Boston runners warned me to have enough time to make the walk. As you walked up the street to the corals the people of Hopkington were out in full force offering food, support with signs and just out having parties. I had said it before but this is the Patriot Day Parade for the cities on the Boston Marathon. I made it there in perfect time and began stretching as the physical therapist recommend. I felt really good, my foot, my leg, everything, my legs didn't feel heavy, I was ready for a great race. Before I left the hotel I had Mike tape my arch and it was feeling great too. 

I am in my coral and I am planning on a 8:30 mile, my last marathon I ran a 8:01 average mile so I thought 8:30 was a great pace to shoot for, this would bring me in at 3 hours 45 minutes. I feel great and mentally I feel strong. Ready to go. In the coral I meet a wonderful women from Denmark who comically stated when I asked if she was married said "I prefer to live in sin." I won't ever forget that. She also had a cute running Dress, not skirt, a dress. 

They announced our wave and then sent us on our race. It was amazing tears flowed as I crossed the starting line, why I don't know I think it was the WALL to WALL runners all doing what we love, and knowing that we had all worked so hard to get there. My running friend Carl said the Boston Marathon is your commencement of marathons this is when you get to enjoy your run with crowds on both sides cheering you on and you get the diploma or Boston Marathon medal at the end. Because this is the commencement of all Marathons there are no pacers this is the only BIG marathon I know of that does not have pacers. I guess they figure if you can get here then you can handle a marathon without a pacer. Little do they know this is only my second marathon EVER and a pacer was defiantly needed in my case.  As I pushed my Nike+ to begin the race CHEERS and CHEERS came through from all of my friends all across the country. This made me tear up even more and meant so much to me that you cared. 

The first 3 miles are downhill out of Hopkington and the roads are narrow, you are stuck running whatever the others around you are running. For most of the race I found that staying to one side was better then staying in the middle. I was bumped, I bumped people, people stepped on my feet, I caught heels in front of me and every time it was just smiles and sorries and no worries, the feel was "We are here, now lets enjoy this." It really was not a RACE at all but more of a huge group of individuals with the same love and passion.  As you look ahead it is just a sea of people. The entire width of the road is full of people, you can't comprehend how many people until you see it. I ran a solid 8:05 mile into Ashland home of the first digital clock. I knew this was a little fast but not that fast so I thought I would be ok. 

Again I can't thank my friends enough for the cheers at the 5K it meant tons, and I was killing it.  

Mile 4-6 

Mike and I had driven the course on Sunday and read that in Ashland there is a big clock tower in honor of the town history and a landmark for the Boston Marathon. We missed the clock on the drive and yep I missed it again on the race. I guess I'll have to go back and figure out what it is so I don't miss it again.  Here the people were out in full force. Tons of little kids and as you know me I LOVE little kids and I love making every kid feel special, probably NOT a good idea when you are trying to run 26.2 miles. I tried to high five every little kid on the side of the street I could, because it just made there day, although this takes a toll on pace and on my energy spent trying to share my passion with these kids. Maybe running in the middle of the road and zoning out would have been better for me, but defiantly not as fun. Before Mile 5 I had my earphones in each ear, and once into the heart of Ashland I took one earphone out probably not a good idea for me either because now I could hear the cheers and acknowledge the crowd. Again a waste of energy, but was I there to win, no my Dad already told me "Timette you know a Kenyan is going to win the race right, just be happy you are running."  I did want to PR though and now my average pace had dropped to a significant 8 min 16 sec. Not good when you started out rock'n the first 3 miles. It was really fun though to interact with the crowd. 


Mile 7-9 

Next on the map is Framingham, the town we were staying in and the town my Mom, Dad and Mike were suppose to be at, the whole reason I had us stay so far out of Boston. Mike and I had decided that the train station in Framingham would be the perfect cheering spot and so did MANY MANY other people. I started to slowdown to make sure I didn't miss them. They traveled all of the way here to see me run, I wanted to make sure they saw me. I was stressed too because on our drive Mike and I kept pointing to the left side of the road as we decided where to view the race, but we never communicated that they would be on the left side. I was stressed as I ran since I had been running on the right and was comfortable running on the right side of the road.  I started moving to the center and then to the left and then back to center and then stressing that I had missed them. Somewhere in mile 9 my phone started beeping as if it was sending out a sonar signal so I got super excited and thought that Mike was trying to signal me that he was there, but still no sign and by this point average mile has dropped to 8 min 45 sec REALLY REALLY BAD. Mentally I was dying well I think I might have died. I had to stop and reset my phone, because the pinging noise had taken away my music and I had to get everything back the way it needs to be to run, and No Mike, Dad or Mom to be seen. I still was getting lots of cheers from back home in my ear, but to miss my parents and Mike was super deflating. Again too mental. 

Mile 10 

I was deflated and it was a hill. I was walking. I hate to say I walked I don't even like to think it, but I had missed my family because I had gone out so fast and I didn't know if I was going to get to see them again. My Dad then yelled "Timette, Timette, Run Timette, You can do it!" So of course I had to RUN!! With a HUGE grin I ran over to them and pulled off my gloves and arm sleeves, as that was my plan back at mile 7, and handed them to Mike. It was great to see them but I had let my mile pace slip so much with the walking that it was hard to get motivated again to run. Trent my brother told me before my last marathon even if you are not MATHEMATICALLY going to make it in time you need to keep pushing it, but I just didn't have a ton of steam to pull from. After I was out of their view I pulled over to the right and sat down and took my tape off my foot as it was starting to bug me, and my plan was tape can be pulled off. So again this takes up valuable time I needed to make up. I'll never forget that a nice runner asked if I was ok. How nice of him I thought. 

Mile 11-12

Wellesley and the Shrieking Wall. The day before on the drive I stopped in Wellesley to see about a running shirt at the marathon store there but it was too early and it had not opened yet. I did need to go to the bathroom though, so I walked into a Prudential Real Estate Office and asked to use the restroom. They were super nice and I really felt at home because I grew up around real estate offices. Anyways I got to the restroom and ALL OVER THE wall were these amazing quotes about not quitting, about how you can do amazing things. It was awesome. As I left the office I told them that was the most inspiring bathroom break I had ever had. They all laughed. ---Back to the run--- 

So as I was running through the town I knew that once I passed the Prudential Office I was about to enter some HUGE hills. Latter my Dad told me that Mike had told him that this is where MANY runners just throw in the towel. There are probably 7 significant hills and this is the first. Up over the over pass and into Wellesley and the Shrieking Wall. Yep I walked again and my time is just getting worse and worse but I told myself no matter what walking running crawling I knew I would finish, cross the finish line and get my medal,  just not in the amount of time I was hoping for, or trained for. When you get UP to Wellesley campus (an all girl school) you encounter GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS, and more GIRLS with signs all saying "Kiss Me I'm from California" or "Kiss me and you'll run faster" or Two girls standing there with signs that say "Run Faster and I'll Drop the Sign" It was CRAZY, fun but CRAZY. Not what I had expected at all. 

Mile 13

When I reached the halfway point I got SO MANY cheers from friends back home it was unbelievable. My Nike+ at one point didn't know how to handle it and it went silent for a second multiple times, almost like an electronic hiccup. They were much needed cheers but I just couldn't get myself up to pace AT ALL.... I passed the halfway point and thought that was the easy part of the Boston Marathon I am now entering the difficult and I have to will power to do it. This whole time I have been running on the 135 highway and now the race switches to the 16, at the switch there was a HUGE HUGE sign up in the trees hung from house to house or lamppost but it read SHORTCUT THIS WAY, in my mind I was like I would really like a shortcut right now. HOW SAD, I was so mentally done, but still enjoying all of the wonderful crowds. Many families had rented bounce houses and others were playing catch in the front yard. It truly is a celebration of runners. 

Mile 14-20

NEWTON ....it needs to be called Newman so I can say "Hello Newman" but anyways this is the home of ALL OF THE HILLS you have even seen, what to see, wish to see this is why this Marathon has the saying "26.2 miles of Hell and Back" Just so everyone knows it's not just Heartbreak Hill it's ALL the hills and Heartbreak is just the LAST of all the hills. Mike and my parents met me in the middle of Heartbreak so I had already walked/jogged/tried to run up the other hills and was on the right side of the race when they called out my name (again I was walking and yes they caught me walking, my Dad is proud of that) I ran towards them and MIke came out on the course and ran with me at this moment I said "I HATE THIS MARATHON I AM NEVER DOING IT AGAIN!!! THIS SUCKS!" He encouraged me and told me the inflatable arch is just up over there, I then said "HOW DO YOU KNOW HAVE YOU SEEN IT!" He didn't answer and he just encouraged me up the hill. It was so nice having him run with me. I held on to him as I ran and it was nice having his support up just a small part of the hill. At the top a man held up a HUGE sign high over his head that said the HEARTBREAK IS OVER...in my head I thought do I believe him, and then I saw it Boston College and the huge inflatable. I was out of the horrible horrible hills and on my way to Boston.

Mile 21-22 

Rolling hills into Boston. The crowd was amazing-- my pace/time horrible. I got to here about the time I should be finishing the marathon. Meaning with 6 miles to go at my pace I was coming in WAY LATTER then I thought. I again began giving high fives to everyone. This crowd was way better then the all girl crowd ten miles back.  Boston College boys and girls were out in full force on their beautiful campus. I did try to dig deep and run a little faster since it was this school SUU played in the Big Dance so many years ago and lost in round one by just 3 points, not that I would remember things like that. This section of the race was beautiful and a lot less walking on my part. 

Mile 23 

OH MY GOODNESS it was my parents and Mike again!!! It was so good to see them again one last time. The plan was heartbreak hill and then after the finish in the family meeting area. So to see them here was awesome and as Mike said "We will know how she's doing by the swing of her ponytail." Well my ponytail was in full force and I was coasting through Brookline, the last city before Boston. This is where Mike was dying to play golf and the movie and book Greatest Game Ever Played was based on. It was just pure fun. I loved mile 23. 

Mile 24-26.01 (per my nike+)

Still some rolling hills and something in me just kept saying no big deal just walk and enjoy it, and then when I would run again the crowd would cheer it was fun to have them encourage me. Somewhere in mile 24 when you turn onto Beacon Street you can see a HUGE Citgo sign, and it's all of our encouragement to get to that FINISH line. The Citgo sign is the one mile left to go mark for the Marathon. 

From Beacon you go down down Commonwealth Ave and I made my right onto Hereford St. where I was supposed to make a left onto Boylston St. when I heard a cannon (I wouldn't mention even hearing it but I know what it was now) a crowd was forming at the turn blocking our way and runners were stopping. A tall man yelled "Clear the area two bombs have gone off at the finish line!" When we all kept running towards the turn he yelled again very firmly "Turn around and CLEAR the AREA." At this point other runners were running towards me so I turned around and Police in full force were headed up the marathon route towards the finish line.  I was encouraged by the cops to go down a street I now know as Newbury St. I quickly hit done on my Nike+ and posted on Facebook what happened. 

Marlin's Baseball

Aidan is playing Riverton Baseball this year. He is the youngest on his team and even though he's not the best he is trying really really hard. He had open ceremonies and the his first game where I said if he got a home run he would get $10 and if he got a run he would get $5. His first at bat and he hit the ball. I think everyone was surprised especially Aidan. He ran to first and was safe. He then ran on the errors and made it home and stepped on the plate. He was super happy. His next at bat he swung at EVERYTHING and got out but he was trying. All in all it was a great day and game. We lost 5 tot 11

Nicole's New Room

Nicole has wanted to redo her room ever since we moved Madisyn downstairs in October, and now this Saturday I finally stepped it up and made it happen. 

We already had the bug window coverings and bed spread, but the walls needed to be updated. Nicole had asked for purple, but only yellow, green, or pink would work with the new bedspread. 

We had to prime this REALLY pink wall and the pink flowers of the adjacent walls first. Nicole was very worried that WHITE was going to be the new color, and I kept assuring her that a lighter pink will go on all her walls, not to worry. 

The finished product turned out GREAT!! I love the bed in the middle of the room, and we will leave it this way until the baby gets moved in latter in February. I need to get vinyl for the walls with Nicole and McKenna's names to put by their flowers and I want a cute saying like "Butterfly Kisses and Lady Bug Hugs" to put on the other wall. 

I love the wall hanger for the dress-ups, it even says Princess. 

Nicole Giving McKenna a Bath

McKenna loves her baths. It is by far her favorite activity...well besides eating, but she really likes her baths. Nicole also loves to HELP me with bath-time, so here are my two girls loving the bath-time part of our day. 

Making a Snowman With Grandma

Nicole and Grandma got to enjoy the new snow by making a beautiful snowman. Grandma came and lived with me for a full week to help the family and I adjust to the baby. 

I love the Minnie beanie it's Nicole's favorite, and she won't wear any other one. 

Nana & Bompa

Nana and Bompa came from their Temple Mission in Nauvoo to celebrate the birth of McKenna. I feel so blessed that they could come down. My Dad even changed their flight so they could be there on November 5 when baby McKenna Kay was born. 

Here's Nana and Bompa saying goodbye to Madisyn. 

A final kiss to McKenna Kay before heading out the door.

A quick squeeze for Aidan...Look at that hair. 

Oh and we had to tickle Nicole because she laughs so loud. 

Sister Time

"I'm Big Sister"