Abel party!

Fun times at the Abel Family Christmas Party again! We love getting together with our family at this time of year! The ugly sweater contest was awesome, as always, and Danny was the winner this year.. He had snowflakes, a snowman and lights! We played games, ate yummy mexican food and open gifts from Grandma and Grandpa---they are always too generous!!

baby boy's debut pictures!

........We're having a............

Well, as you know we were planning on keeping the gender of our baby a mystery. We went to our ultrasound on Thursday, Dec. 8th, and the first thing we told the doctor (Jay Thomas) was that we do not want to know what we are having, so to keep it a secret. He did a great job! He put our DVD in to record the ultrasound and started on everything. He would pause the DVD recording and tell us to "look away" if he needed to go near the gender area and was doing a great job at saying "baby" instead of He or She. But at one point he said "Uh oh, I forgot to pause your DVD on that part. Guess you can't watch it until after the baby is here, I'm so sorry!" He felt pretty bad, but we were still okay with it. We thought we'd be able to stay strong!

Baby would not cooperate!! We tried to get a good picture of the face and profile. Nope. Baby crossed the arms and hands over the face the whole time we were trying. Baby kept burrowing into my spine, so we could not get any good pictures. All the flips, kicks, and moves made it difficult for the doctor to get all the measurements he needed, but he finally did succeed with that. Baby is as healthy as can be! Every measurement was perfect and there are no concerns at all. Our due date remains sometime between April 21-April 24...we'll take anytime baby wants to come to our world healthy! Towards the end he kept having to tell us "look away" or "close your eyes" and it was even surprising the doctor how much baby was trying to show off what were are having! Baby was spread eagle most of the time---it seems THAT is the ONLY thing the baby wanted us to look at during the ultrasound! He said that at one point the baby seemed to be pointing at the crotch! He said we had one last chance to look---since it was already on our DVD anyway. Ryan looked at me during one point and mouthed: "Do you wanna find out?" with this sweet little excited look on his face that seemed to hope I was going to say Yes. He looked like he couldn't stand it anymore. So at the end when the doc said it was our last chance, we caved!! We really feel like the baby wanted us to know....because we thought we were having a girl the whole time..and he wanted to announce "I AM A BOY!!"
We decided to make it a little fun to announce our little surprise to the families! The next day I baked a cake that was blue, and covered in white frosting with yellow and green sprinkles with the words "It's A...." on the top in green. We went over to my parents' house to let Preslee cut into the cake (we didn't tell Pres or Cash either) to show everyone what we are having. Meg came over, too! (Brit couldn't *sad face* but we sent her a pic) Preslee cut the cake open and to EVERYONE'S SHOCK, the cake was BLUE!!

"IT'S A BOY! What? IT'S A BOY??!!!???"
YEP! We were shocked too! Preslee and Cash didn't really react for a while. Preslee set the knife down and looked a little upset when she said "I wanted a girl! I already have 2 brothers." but she soon warmed up to the idea of a boy and said she is happy too! Cash told us "I'm just happy for him to be healthy"....the perfect little answer. We sent pictures to Jack, too!

Next we headed over for Family Night at the Burrastons. It was at Nate and Audrey's house because we were doing Brendon's birthday. So we decided not to do cake for them--since we were at a bday party anyway! We got a little onsie that says "I'm the little brother" and wrapped it in Christmas! We told his Mom at the end of the evening that we wanted her to open the gift because it's something she would need BEFORE Christmas and we didn't want her to not be able to use it. She opened the onsie and shocked everyone that we found out!

All in all, we are excited to know that this little baby is a boy. We are happy to be able to plan, and buy, and buy some more! [Mom is too! (And not just yellow!)] So even though baby spoiled our plans at having this be a surprise, we are as happy as can be that we know. Baby Boy Burraston is on his way, and we couldn't be more excited!!

Sending love to you all!!

ULTRASOUND TOMORROW!

SO EXCITED!!!!!

20 weeks! HALF WAY!

WEEK 20: About the size of a CANTALOUPE, Baby weighs about 10.2 ounces and measures about 6.5 inches. She's still got a lot of growing to do though. Can you believe you're halfway done?

HOLY COW! Half way there! I am so happy to be at the midway point...we're that much closer to meeting this little babe. I'm happy to see that the fruit this week got significantly bigger (I think they're wrong on the Mango for week 19--unless they're talking about monster mangos!), it makes a lot more sense to me to have a belly like this with a fruit like that inside:)
Baby has been kicking like crazy the last couple of days, and I even feel like (s)he is doing flips. Sleeping is getting more and more uncomfortable [wishing I had a tempurpedic bed!] but Ryan is so good at rubbing my back for me when I'm achy. Other than usual aches and pains, though, this pregnancy has been a breeze. Our ultrasound is this week!! We get to see our little baby's sweet face and watch him/her move around! I am so excited about that. We are still holding strong that we will not be finding out the gender of Baby Burraston until [s]he is born. I feel a little more anxious about that this time around, and a little unprepared since we have nothing but a cradle and crib, but babies are fine as long as they have diapers, onsies, milk and love, right?! So this baby will be set:)

**SNOWFLAKE FUN**

Preslee's countdown chain that she made at school tells her something to do every time she rips one off. One of the days told us to make snowflakes! So...we went to town! We used up all the construction paper in the house and turned our back doors into a winter wonderland. I love that the kids get so creative with their ideas and its an instant result for the to be happy with. Our door has never looked prettier!

BLOGGER!! Grr.

I'm currently having a dislike/sorta like relationship with Blogger. I had to find a back way to be able to post anything (saving them as drafts and then publishing the draft later on) and it won't allow me to edit once I do! Grr...I wanted to add more to the Festival of Trees post! Insert the below to our Festival of Trees post as well::

SNOOPY--We loved the Snoopy Tree! It was covered from top to bottom with Snoopy dolls and had a huge display with all the Charlie Brown characters ice skating. So fun!!

The kids picked out a few of their favorite trees to get pictures by. Preslee loved the Barbie ones and the really brightly colored ones. Cash loved the cowboy ones, and the Super Hero Tree!

We had so much fun as a family that night. It is a new tradition for us, starting last year when Ryan took me there on our first date (okay, its our second date ever--but our first date was 2 years before!). He knew that I *love* Christmas trees and Christmas lights, so he took me there. It was a perfect date and we thought we should start sharing the experience with the kids.

FESTIVAL OF TREES! [2011]

In our advent countdown the kids opened up a message that said we were going to the Festival of Trees! It was the last night for the festival and it was busy as ever. The kids had fun picking out trees that they really liked, though! And the gingerbread houses were awesome! We went to Sizzler afterwards (we were all starving), which most of the festival must have done, because we had to wait for a table! :S It was so fun to go out and spend that time as a family, though! And there was only a little complaing about being tired, having to walk, being starving and begging Ryan to carry to the car.....he carried the kids instead. *wink*
I love our nights our together as a family!!

Week 19! 'Your baby's the size of a mango! At about 6.0 inches long and weighing in at about 8.5 ounces, she's getting there! Developing a protective coating over her skin, called vernix caseosa. It's greasy and white and you may see some of it at her birth. Working on her five senses. Nerve cells for her sense of taste, hearing, sight and smell are developing in her brain.

Baby is getting big.....her/his house is getting even bigger!! It seems like we went down in fruit size this week (Doesn't a sweet potato seem bigger?) But it's fun anyway. I love feeling this little mango kick and flip around in there, and I cannot wait to see that chubby little face! One week away from being half way there, and I'm getting impatient! I want this baby in our arms:)

Still no cravings in particular. Thank heavens the dirt craving that I had with my other 2 has not kicked in quite yet (hoping it never does this time, nothing worse that a craving that you can't satisfy!) Heartburn has started, but not too badly. I take a few tums and it tames it down enough. Ryan has been super sweet with me being extra emotional and moody, and has been my hero in buying me a whole bunch of clothes that fit on a day when I was feeling like a whale in anything I put on. Best husband ever. xoxo

...and here we are today....

We are 19 weeks today, but this post will finally have us all caught up from the last couple of months :) I won't let it get that behind again, I promise! I hate doing that, because then I don't journal as much as I should with the pictures. But...we're updated!

16wks: AVOCADO! Now, she's about 4.6 inches long and weighs about 3.5 ounces, and she's big enough that your doctor may be able to hear her heartbeat. She's listening to your voice, thanks to tiny bones forming in her ears. She's growing hair, lashes and eyebrows. And she's forming taste buds.

17wks: Baby continues to beef up. {S}He's the size of an ONION! Now she's about 5.1 inches long and weighs about 5.9 ounces. Her rubbery cartilage is now turning to bone. And she's growing some meat on those bones -- putting on some fat. She's growing a stronger, thicker umbilical cord, too.

18wks: Our baby is the size of a SWEET POTATO! She's about 5.6 inches and 6.7 ounces and keeps growing rapidly (which is why you probably feel so hungry) Can you believe she's yawning, hiccuping, sucking and swallowing? And she's twisting, rolling, punching and kicking, too -- and she's big enough that you might be able to feel her doing it!

[[ This has been a great couple of weeks. I only gained 1 pound this month (14-18wks) which made me super happy!! I feel baby more and more every week and Ryan was even able to feel the baby kicking at 18 weeks! I'm so happy he can finally join in the fun :) Cash was lucky enough to feel baby kick one time, but Preslee doesn't seem to be around when baby is kicking! She'll get to feel soon enough, I'm sure. They are both thrilled to be having a new baby sibling. They're both now hoping for a girl (Cash was definitely on the BOY wagon until about a week ago. He changed his mind and joined in on cheering for a girl. He's just excited to be a BIG brother, I think!) We're working on baby names a lot, which we struggle with. Ryan generally likes very different names than I do. We have a few on a list, that we can both agree are okay, but neither of us are in love with the other's list of top names. *sigh* We have plenty of time to find a name, though. Just can't wait to see that little chubby baby face to help us decide! (Plus, knowing the gender will help. LOL!) We will have our ultrasound in 2 weeks, and cannot wait to see baby in there! Praying for good health and a strong baby in there, and we will be patient on waiting to know the gender for 22 more weeks!!! ]]

AUTUMN

We went to Jaker's Jack-O-Lanterns with Meg, Brit and their kids. It was so fun for the kids! They played in the "corn pool" for a long time! After a hay ride, we picked out our pumpkins and then headed home for a big bowl of chili! What a fun autumn day!

{PS--Maddie isn't sad, she just loved sticking her lip out. I promise we aren't that mean to her!}

[CORN POOL!]

Thanksgiving was so nice! We went to Mom and Dad's this year. They both pulled off an amazing meal together, again! It was delicious. And it's always so nice to spend the day with our family; what we are the most thankful for! We spent our afternoon in a food coma watching football and then we went to the Burraston's house for pie and games afterwards!

We sure missed having Jack here for Thanksgiving this year, and the Sears Family too!! But the day was fantastic...who doesn't love the day of the year when we can stuff ourselves so much that we need to unbutton pants, sprawl out on the floor, and not budge for hours!

Just want to add how thankful I am for my family and friends. Life is amazing with all of you in it. We are so very blessed!! Love you all

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

HALLOWEEN PICTURES!

I know I'm slow at getting these pictures up, but it's better late than never, right?! Hope you all had a safe and happy halloween!!

Journaling our pregnancy!!

I haven't put anything on here yet, as far as pregnancy pictures, because honestly I've been a little embarrassed at how big I am! Starting off heavier than I wanted, and then getting big so fast! Shocking! But all in the name of a healthy baby, so its worth it!

(we do not know the gender--this will simply say "he" or "she" so that we don't have to say "IT"!)

7wks: Now the size of a BLUEBERRY, baby's generating about one hundred new brain cells each minute! Not only is her brain becoming more complex, but her heart is too. Also important: She's developing a permanent set of kidneys. Her arm and leg joints are now forming

8wks: Baby is the size of a RASPBERRY and is forming taste buds! We were lucky enough to get an ultrasound during this week, just to make sure everything was okay with baby. It determined our due date to be APRIL 21, 2012 (though, the doc is keeping his "official" date April 24th). It was amazing to see our little baby in there, even if [s]he does look like a little bean at this stage :) Just the firm confirmation that the baby is doing well {we heard and saw the heart!} was what we needed.

9wks: Baby is now the size of a green OLIVE! This is a milestone. She's no longer an embryo -- now she's a fetus! She's developing more distinct facial features. And she might now have a strong enough heartbeat to be picked up by a fetal doppler.

10wks: Baby is the size of a PRUNE. Baby has working arm joints, and her cartilage and bones are forming. Her vital organs are fully developed and they're starting to function. Her fingernails and hair are starting to appear, too. Plus, she's swallowing and kicking in there. (Can you believe it?!)

11wks: The size of a LIME. You can't see it, but she's moving fluidly and gracefully in there. Her skin is see-through, but she's on her way to looking more like a baby. Her fingers and toes aren't webbed anymore. Tooth buds, hair follicles and nail beds are forming.

12 wks: The average fetus at 12 weeks is about 2.1 inches long and .49 ounces--about the size of a PLUM. Most of her critical systems are fully formed! She's about to enter the growth and maturation stage, in which her organs and tissues will grow and develop rapidly. She's now developing her reflexes -- if you poke her body, she'll likely move. She's opening and closing her fingers and curling her toes, too. Her brain is developing fast!

13wks: About the size of a PEACH! She's about 2.9 inches long and weighs about .81 ounces, and -- proportion-wise -- her head's now about 1/3 the size of her body. Can you believe she's forming vocal cords and teeth?! And even though she's still teeny, she already has fingerprints.

14wks: At week 14, your baby is the size of a LEMON; 3.4 inches and 1.5 ounces, he's almost doubled in weight since last week and keeps on growing. He's probably sucking his thumb and wiggling his toes in there! His kidneys are making urine, and his liver and spleen are doing their jobs, too. And he's growing lanugo, a thin, peach-fuzz-like hair, all over his body -- it will help him keep warm!

15wks: The average fetus at 15 weeks weighs 2.5 ounces and measures 4 inches; about the size of a naval ORANGE! You probably can't feel it yet, but she's squirming a ton! She might even be hiccuping in there. She's making lots of progress: her joints and limbs can all move now.

{{ I have felt really well during this pregnancy so far! Just mainly tired. I don't get morning sickness, YAY, and there hasn't been any real concerns! I caught a wicked cold for a few weeks, but anything pregnancy related has just been exhaustion. I actually *AM* able to feel the baby moving around already, lucky for me!! I'm showing very quickly, and am coming to accept the fact that it's just how its going to be. Baby wants to be shown off already....must be a girl!! We have decided not to find out the gender, though, so you all will have to wait with us in finding out at the birth! }}

...this is Halloween, Halloween, Halloween...

.....Well, at least it's the start of it!! I've gotten all the decor up, and it snowed in the mountains already. :) I love the look of the mountains when they are all beautiful bright reds, oranges, yellows and greens and then capped with snow. I LOVE this time of year... It puts a smile on my face just thinking about it. We bought pumpkins the other day and cannot wait to carve them.

Well--it also means hunting season is upon us. Ryan isn't much of a hunter just yet-but My Dad and Brother In Law Andy were going elk hunting, so the girls decided to craft a little :) Ryan played his video games for hours (which he LOVES to do) and the girls met up at Megan's place. We made these super cute wreaths!! Thanks Mom and Meg! It was fun to get together!!

we are so behind!!

Our wedding announcement. I feel horrible! We made them as soon as we got our wedding pictures back, (about 2 months ago!) and they have been sitting on our desk ever since. UGH! I am so terrible at getting things sent out. I am too slow to do Christmas cards, never send anything thru the mail on time, and now this! SO SORRY..but, at least you get this preview. :) Just had to post it before I forgot about that too. Love to all! xoxox

[on back]

"We tied the knot! In a small family ceremony at The Springville Museum of Art we exchanged our vows and became husband and wife. We are so excited to bring our little families together for our Happily Ever After! Love, Ryan & Emily"

SEVEN?! How can this be?

HAPPY SEVENTH BIRTHDAY!!
Preslee turned 7 on Sept. 16th..but we celebrated the entire weekend! She is so much fun! I cannot believe it's been 7 years since the day I held her in my arms. She has grown into the most amazing little girl; I am so proud of her!

For her birthday, Preslee wanted her room redone--a little more grown-up, now that she's seven, of course! So the night before her birthday I made her sleep in Cash's room and I started on painting. Ryan helped with taping and garbage duty (she had TONS of it under her bed!!) and I took care of the design. SHE LOVED IT! We revealed it to her the next day (her actual bday) after she got home from school. So happy she loves it so much! Of course, Ryan didn't want to just leave it at a room, redo, so he went out and bought her a bike!! Can you say SPOILED?!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS!

For her family birthday parties we chose an Asian theme this year (everyone who knows me knows I *must* have a theme... and then I tend to go overboard no matter how much I say I won't! lol...) Anyway--we had candy sushi, fortune cookies dipped in chocolate, a dragon cake, chinese lanterns, the Chinese Zodiac on place mats and ordered chinese food! We had the Burraston's here Friday night and the Jones' Sunday night.
Preslee had a little party with the youngest girl cousins. We decided on a "baking party" for this one. I put up some cupcake liner garland and called it good. LOL! We decorated aprons with puff paint and sequins, then each girl got her own bowl and whisk. I found a recipe that makes just 2 cupcakes--so Meg and I put all the ingredients in each bowl and the girls got to choose which food color and flavor they wanted---and of course SPRINKLES!! Some of them put so many sprinkles in their batter that it changed the colors! :) It was a lot of fun for the girls... exhausting for me and Meggie (Thanks Meg for all your help!!)

Now back to the Asian theme.... Here was our little surprise!
Expected Due Date: April 21, 2012. We were able to have an ultrasound at 8 weeks to check and make sure there's a healthy baby in there...and sure enough, there is! :) We could see the little heart beating so fast, and got to hear it too. 174 beats per minute!! It's so amazing to be able to see that, even when baby is only an inch long! We are beyond excited about this..and it was just one more special birthday surprise for Preslee!! :D

..back to school..

Where did the time go? My baby girl is in first grade...all day school?? CRAZY! She loves it though. She has Mrs. Hales (which is fun because she was my best friend in Elementary school!). Pres loves that she gets THREE recesses and that she gets to eat school lunch. She gets to walk home with the older neighbor kids and she loves that independance! She was the STAR of the WEEK their second week in school!! She is such a good little student. She got 100% on her very first spelling test. YAY PRESLEE! So proud of you!

*cry* My baby started Preschool! I cannot stand it! And he was not hesitant in the least to go right into his classroom and leave Mom behind. He is going to Active Learning Preschool. He loved it! When I asked him what he liked about school, he said "we got to eat donuts and have drinks at recess time!" :) We all know thats more important than reading, writing and arithmatic any day of the week!

Jack starts middle school this year! EEK! How exciting for him! He does very well in school, and I have no doubt this year will be the same for him. He was pretty excited and a little anxious I think, but we know he's going to do so great! Jack is a pro at this school thing:) We're hoping he makes lots of friends in middle school and keeps up with his homework ;) hehe... GO JACK!!

...missed a couple highlights....

Preslee had swimming lessons at the same place Cashy did this year. They loved it. They both did such an amazing job with their lessons. Preslee gets to move on to Beginner 3 level next year! YAY! She had no fear at all about slippery slides or the diving board. By the end of the week, she was swimming on her own--after jumping off the diving board clear to the side of the pool! What a brave little swimmer she is!! GOOD JOB PRESLEE!

We welcomed a new addition to the family in August :D Blue Palaski; just BLUE for short. She's a sweet little pup who we have yet to hear bark...but she's been a little magician at getting under the gate and into the front yard!! She's German Short Hair and Lab mix. We love her!