Getting Ready to Sell the House

Just in case we leave this area, I've been doing some painting. I just completed our dinning room and main entry way. Next up the upstairs hallway and bathroom.

Dad Days - Manassass Battlefield

Mike is starting to improve health wise, so the kids have had a few days with Dad. Last week they headed west towards Manassass to take in the sites of one of the Civil War battlefields.

Goodbye Partnership - Hello Life

For the last three years Mike has been a partner with a non-profit law firm here in DC. I remember in law school, we would talk about how cool it would be if Mike "one day" become a partner of a law firm. By the age of 37, he attained that goal. Sometimes in life what one wishes for isn't always as great as one thinks. After three years of partnership, on January 4th we decided he/we wanted out. Without going into any details, we are so happy. Mike and I get to spend the next 3 months firguring out what we are going to do next. Luckily, everything shook out in a positive way. I have been functing as a single parent since he began working in the legal field. The legal profession is very demanding on families and on husbands. The last three weeks, he has been home has been WONDERFUL. He's helped with the kiddos homework, laundry and a whole bunch of other stuff. What's really great at this point, is that we are making decisions on life style and not income. Income/money is great, but it does come at a price and in some cases a heavy price. Who knows maybe we will move back to Utah! Maybe he will become a teacher, open a bookstore, work for the Church or whatever the *#!$ he wants to do. I have honestly not felt this HAPPY in years. So to my sisters that have been asking me for the last 15 years when I am coming home, I can say it may be sooner than you think!

Christmas

We were lucky to have Tim and Ashley for Christmas. It was the first time in 13 years that we had family in our home for Christmas. It was so nice, and the kids loved having family around.

10 Months Today

Mike and I were laying in bed and realized that Andrew is 10 months today. He is crawling all over the place and saying Mama. He's pretty funny too because he talks with his tongue sticking out. I took this picture at Christmas, but it makes me smile. He is such a big baby!

Tired of Sicknesses

This picture of Villette pretty much somes up the past couple of months. Here is our sickness summary. October: * Andrew has reactive airway disease and got a really bad URI. Stopped breathing one night, and we ended up having to call the ambulance. November: * We welcomed Thanksgiving with the Flu. Mike and David got hit with hit. Mike spent almost 3 days in bed. Thankgoodness Janice was in town, and we survived. December: * Villette, Me and Andrew got the flu. It was awful body aches and a terrible headache. * Day after Christmas Mike is so sick again, we make a trip to the ED. This time he is diagnosed with an infection in his intestines and yeah and by the way it is contagious! * Next up Villette projectile vomit. Following day, Andrew projectile vomit. That night, Me vomit and the worst tummy ache. A couple of days pass, and David not only projectile vomits, but has this awful brown fountain that would not stop. January: * Mike is now on a 2-3 week medical leave from work. He has been dealing with a prostate inflammation/infection for the last 6 months and with the recent bout of the flu and intestinal infection it was completely wiped him out. Through all this, we have amazingly grown together as a family. We have had to rely on each other through service to each other. Helping with laundry (we've had a ton of it) to holding each others hands and spending many hours on our knees in prayer. It's been a bit rough, but since Mike was sent home to rest yesterday, I feel so at peace. I've been so worried about him. I love him so much!!

Christmas Outfits

I loved Andrew's little hat with his suit. FAO swartz has some of the cutest baby clothes around Christmas time. He was a big hit at Church with that hat. I also found that Marshall's homegoods had such pretty dresses and such reasonable prices. I will be going back there again.

Getting Ready for Christmas

The kids got their "Elf" letters all ready for Santa. We let the kiddos write down 5 things each that they'd like Santa to bring. Villette could only think of 4 things this year. I asked her what see wanted as her 5th item and she said with a big smile, "just surprise me"! Our Elf Kringle is back in full swing, but has a few tricks up his sleeve. The other night Kringle snuck into the kiddos rooms and wrote on their faces. It was hillarious the next morning when they woke up. It was well worth the sneaking and writing on their faces. Villette laughed so hard when she found Kringle with the marker and David was a little annoyed. It was great! I love Christmas traditions.

Babies 1st Christmas

It's this the cutest PIC EVER!!

Instragram Dump

Mike bought me an Iphone 5, and I been having a bawl learning to use instagram and other apps. I should have had a Iphone a long time ago...funny thing is now I think Mike sort of regrets getting me one. No he complains I'm on my phone all the time. A trip to Home Depot for outdoor Christmas decor & lucky us we scored on a Camo Santa Claus singing "I'm proud to be an American" by Lee Greenwood.

The kids learning about Instagram!

Mike's favorite hairstyle on Villette!!! We had a good laugh, and she loved the attention :).