a mother of a toddler

It's nothing new to know that Jack's a naughty little boy

However, as he IS now 2 we have implemented

TIME OUT

It's working well

{Knock on wood!}

He's been very good about staying where we put him, with his nose in the corner until we tell him he can come out. Which isn't very long. Maybe 15 seconds. It's just to hard to be mean

I think it's so sweet, the picture of his little chubby cheeks pressed to the wall, straining his eye's to see what I'm doing

Grandma made me take the pictures, I promise

She thinks it too hard to be mean too and it's too funny

So far he's being a much better little man mostly only having to use time out as a threat

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He's started to not want to take NAPS this week!

He needs one, but doesn't want one

It's a problem

Although he is in bed, HIS bed

and it's only 8:30

I think that's a record for him

Maybe it isn't a bad idea

No, it is, I need his to nap too

that's when I do my work that can't be done while he's around

Like ironing and mopping

Some "lost" pictures over the holidays

The kids love watching movies in Grandma and Grandpa's movie room!

Coyotes Game

The day after Christmas the Bailey clan all headed out to watch a Coyotes game

Ella didn't even know what hockey was

I think that she enjoyed playing around with Zach and Tori as much as anything

Ryan and I don't care much for sports, but enjoyed being together and trying something new

Andre, Melissa and Jolie made it up on the big screen TWICE

How cool is that?

Thanks guys for a fun night, we'll have to go again sometime

Thanks Melissa for the pictures!

Time for me to get a new point and shoot

Mine has totally pooped out

Christmas Day

We had stayed up so late on Christmas eve that both kids were totally wiped out

Jack finally woke up around 9:30am and I went to start breakfast and get things ready

At 10:15 we decided we better just wake Ella up. What kids has to be woken up on Christmas!?

How I made HUGE mistake #1

While Ella was going to the bathroom and getting ready to go downstairs I let Jack peak down the stairs at the waiting toys

He immediately saw the big yellow dump truck and started yelling "car, car!" He started trying to claw away from me and try to fling himself down the stairs

I had to yell for everyone to hurry while holding Jack who by this point was screaming and crying!

Ella held him until Ryan and I could run down stairs and get the cameras going before they came down. Good thing I had everything charged and ready

I wont do that again.

{This why Jack's eye's are all red in the first picture}

I LOVE Jack's face in these pictures!
Complete shock and Joy

Dad manned the video camera while I manned the still camera

Do you think that she was excited to get that littlest pet shop or what?!

Ok. I knew that Ella had always wanted a Fur Real pet

When I was looking at them at the store I could not remember which one she wanted

I carried a parrot around for a while before deciding to switch to the monkey
Big mistake #2

Ella opened it and was just like, "thanks mom".

Not the reaction I was anticipating because I knew that she had wanted one so badly for so long

So I asked her "was that not the one that you wanted?"

"no, I really wanted the parrot, but that's ok Mom. You didn't ruin Christmas."

Oh my gosh. First- that she would think such a thing and second- that I had had the parrot first!

{DRAMA QUEEN yet again!}

I guess I should be pretty happy that I didn't ruin Christmas!

This week we'll go and exchange the monkey for the parrot

Thank you Grandma and Papa on the farm! Thank you so much for all of the lovely gifts!

Both children LOVE snow white!

That's all they have been watching on their new DVD players in the car

Whoo... and like that, all of the presents were open!

Now time to get ready and head out to Grandma and Grandpa's house!

More presents

Thank you Andre and Melissa

Grandpa and Grandma Bailey got Ella the scooter she'd been dying for and Jack and little ATV that was a HUGE hit!

This was by far the best gift this kid has ever received!

He didn't get off of it until the battery died

Good thing we can charge it and that it charges fast!

After having a wonderful turkey and ham dinner it was time to go outside and play with all of the new stuff!

{Tori had her bunnies at Grandma's on Christmas day. Jack loved holding them. He was so nice and gentle with them! No, we are NOT going to EVER get bunnies!}

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Thank you to all of our Family and Friends

Thank you for all of the wonderful cards, gifts and well wishes. It was a wonderful Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Eve

Finally Christmas eve was here

We were all getting so excited!

That morning Ella found a package and note under the tree from Santa!

Christmas Jammies for everyone

We also opened the box from my Grandma- Formor!

Every year she sends us a box filled with fun goodies

Ella knows her as our Swedish Grandma

who always sends us the most fun Swedish decorations and treats!

I can't remember a Christmas without sees candies!

Thank you Grandma, we love you!

That evening we drove up and met with Ryan's family for some Christmas eve fun!

Ella and Tori have really become best buddies!

Each mini family made their own gingerbread houses!
I knew that Ella would love it, but didn't expect for Jack to be as into it as he was
They did a great job


Ryan had fun too!

At one point Ella felt that Jack was ruining HER gingerbread house

We had to explain that it wasn't only hers, but for the whole family

This was her response

She got over it soon enough and was back to having a good time

{DRAMA QUEEN! I hope it's something she will outgrow. Yeah right, I can hope anyways}

Tad ah!

Offen Family, Rick and Sandy, US and Andre and Melissa family

We all stuffed ourselves with lasagna and many desserts

before settling down to read

The night before Christmas

But of course ending the evening reading from the scriptures of the birth of our savior

My favorite thing to do on Christmas eve

Because it IS what Christmas is really about

The night was still young for us

Many little parts to put together and then taken apart and put together again

I swear I hadn't seen that part in the box before!

About a half an hour after Ella was in bed {however not yet asleep}

She rushed into our bedroom

"We forgot to put out the cookies!"

In the craziness of the day, it was a detail that was overlooked

After everything was ready for Santa and his reindeer she was finally able to get to sleep

Merry Christmas

Christmas is almost here......

Ella's last day of school was on Friday. The start of Christmas Vacation!!

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We had a great sacrament meeting this past Sunday. My favorite Sunday of all the year!

{Although Easter is a close second!}

I love hearing the music and feeling the true spirit of Christmas.

Ella got up to sing with all of the other primary children.

I asked her "sing really loud so I can hear you!".
She did NOT disappoint and even gave me a big thumbs up when they finished!

Jack watched her without ever taking his eye's off of her. Blowing her kisses and waving!

What special little babies I have!

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Today the boys were taking a nap together, seems like they do that a lot together.

Ella and I ran to the grocery store to get some much needed pumpkin pie supplies.

The next couple of days will be spent baking and spending time together as a family.

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I am looking forward to Christmas morning this year maybe more then any other in a long time. In fact I feel giddy just thinking about it!

I can't wait to see the look on these kids faces when they come down the stairs.

I have such wonderful, wonderful memories of my childhood at Christmas and I hope that I'm able to bring that same joy to my kids!

Merry Christmas everyone!

P.S.

My mom has put together a Christmas blog!

Instead of a letter with her Christmas card that would have only a couple pictures a blog can share so much more information and pictures of everyone!

If you interested in checking it out, go HERE!