Christmas Instagrams

I am finally able to put our Instagrams on our blog from Christmas.

Someday I'll catch up!

Headed to the airport! So so excited!

Phoenix airport. This little germy play area was a lifesaver for us!

Beautiful snow covered trees at Trolley Square.

Squishy hated being all bundled up, and especially hated that 

she had to wear socks! But she sure looked adorable.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Morning!

Nerf guns have been a HUGE hit!

Christmas Day.

Feeling incredibly blessed.

My dad took Lance ice fishing for his first time. 

He really enjoyed it.

And looked good in the carharts!

Squishy had her first ER visit.

And our first ER visit ever with a child.

It was scary, but no worries, she's healthy as a horse now!

Taking the kids sledding!

Papa rigged up an old knee board for the kids and pulled them behind the razor.

Layla could have done this for hours.

Ice Skating!

Kids loved it!

Celebrated Ms Layla's 5th birthday!

Can you even believe she's 5!!

Visiting sweet Great-Grandma Vida.

Our kiddlets Great-Great Grandma.

Goodbyes at the airport.

Sister love :)

The greatest man I know.

I love my father so much.

Airplane ride home was a total success!

They looked like this until we landed, then slept till 10am the next morning!

We feel so blessed that we were able to go home for Christmas and give

our children the white Christmas they had been dreaming of.

It was such a wonderful holiday.

Christmas in Utah 2013

Our Christmas was fabulous.

It was white and very cold!

 Lots of family, sleepovers, cousins, eating, 

presents, movies, games, wrapping, lights, playing, ice fishing, sledding,

ice skating, and Cafe Rio happened!

The children did great on the plane rides, everyone stayed healthy, all except

for a little mishap with our squishy baby, and we just felt SOOO much

love being at home with our Utah family.

It was just perfect.

(I have so many Instagram pictures I want to share on here, but I can't remember

the easiest way to do it! Someone please help me!)

]

Annual Utah Trip 2013

Goodness, I love my home state.

I miss it so much, and every time we go back to visit, I want to move back.

I pretty much drive Lance crazy about it.

I do love Mississippi. It's beautiful here.

But Utah will always be my home.

 

We had THE time of our lives. As usual.

All except for the 2 weeks we all passed around pink eye.

Worst.Illness.Ever!

Like EVER!

 

But we won't dwell on that.

We had plenty of Café Rio. Went to the lake as often as possible, roasted marshmallows and ever starbursts (yummy!), played with cousins and had numerous sleepovers. Papa and Grandma even slept on the trampoline with all the grandkids.

Talk about some pretty awesome grandparents.

My children will always remember such precious memories.

We went to Lagoon for a weekend with the whole family, and when we went swimming in the hotel swimming pool, we filled up that whole pool and hot tub.

It was awesome, having us all together.

 

Now the 30 hour drive there and back... that was another story.

Actually the drive there was tougher than the drive back.

Lance drove the majority of the way to Utah while I sat in the back entertaining, feeding, holding, and playing with the kids. Then on the way back, my mom and sister-in-law helped me drive back and it was much more peaceful...ONLY because we had Baby Einstein. Talk about a miracle DVD! Layla flew home with her Uncle Greg, and that was a HUGE help. Her and Marx in the back seat together just to go to Wal-Mart is treacherous.

So, in 30 hours, I'd hate to imagine what they'd do to each other.

 

Anyways... here are our memories via iPhone.

Sadly, I sold my camera...

 I'm ready to step up in the DSLR world, so I'm researching new

camera's. So for now, it's going to be pictures from my phone.

Which, btw, I'm pretty happy with.

 

Little Lance to a T

Sleeping on the Trampoline

You know what's wonderful about Utah?

You can sleep on the trampoline and not get ate up by mosquitoes!

I remember doing this as a child and loved it.

Layla did as well.

The first night they decided to sleep outside I just knew Layla would be coming

back inside. But I underestimated her. She slept outside the whole night.

Brave little girl!

 

Uintah Cheer Camp

I signed Layla up for a cheer camp while we were home.

The first day was a little overwhelming and scary for her, but in the end

she loved it.

 

She now does her cheers non-stop!

Friends

I was able to get together with some of my greatest friends while I was home.

Some I haven't seen in a few years, and it was so nice to catch up with all

of them. The funnest thing about it was seeing all of our kids play together.

 

I can't believe we're that old!

Old enough to have kids playing together!!

Seems like yesterday we were all cheering together.

 

 {michelle. whitney. lacey. me.}

 

 {myla. marx. millie. layla. bently}

 

{sara. me. jillie. barsie}

Swimming Lessons

I signed Layla up for swimming lessons while we were in Utah, because we were missing

the lessons here while we were gone. She was so excited about it. When we arrived

at the Rec. center I could tell she was a little nervous and she held

tight to my hand. She got in the pool great and waited till the lessons were to start.

Then,

a little boy showed up crying hysterically.

So what did Layla do, she starting crying hystericially.

And WOULD NOT STOP.

I had to leave so she'd stop looking back at me and holding her arms out to me.

 

The next day I bribed her with a kitty cone from McDonald's.

It worked, and she did great the next 2 weeks.

She was even jumping off the diving board all by herself.

She passed her pre-level one, now we just gotta get her in lessons

this fall so she'll continue to love the water!

Let's get caught up!

We had a GREAT time in Utah.

5 weeks goes by in a flash when you're having fun with the people you love.

Let's start with my Utah Instagrams...

 

 1. & 2. Leaving Hattiesburg

3. Stopped in Oklahoma City to get some rest

(it was a rough night, not much rest)

4. Marx being a pretty great baby on the drive

5. Cheesecake Factory with my Grams and Mother

6. 17 week bump

7. Marx's first official haircut

8. His "say cheese" face

9. Climbing up and down EVERYTHING.

 1. One of many days on the lake.

2. Marx wanted some cake and pulled it onto the floor.

Grams just fed him right there.

3. Loved papa's glasses.

4. I joined the ombre bandwagon. Love it!

5. Romeo and Layla used sidewalk chalk as tribal make-up.

6. Headed to the lake.

7. Playing at the lake.

8. Marx LOVED the boat.

9. At her first Demolition Derby.

 1. Aunt Kenny and Layla at the Derby

2. Beautiful double rainbow

3. Entertainment @ the derby

4. Swimming lessons

5. Learning to feed himself

6. 20 week bump! Half way mark.

7. One of many Cafe Rio visits.

8. My dad being a lifesaver @ church.

9. A new addiction.

 1. Facetime with Lance. I love technology.

2. Layla helping with dinner.

3. Going for the diving board.

4. Finished her first week of cheer camp.

5. Visiting Vernal's new library.

6. One of those nights. Had to break out a lot of the doTERRA.

7. Enjoying some snuggles, by watching baby einstein.

8. & 9. Zonked from a day @ the lake.

10. Headed to her first cheer performance.

11. Zadie being a great teacher.

12. Could not keep my kids inside!

13. Was able to witness baby Elsie be born. (the day before I left!)

14. Layla getting some baby Elsie lovin.

15. Kennedy passed out on the way to the airport.

16. My children being angels on our second and final flight.

(so glad it's all over!)

1. Reunited with my best man. I love him!

2. Layla started dance! Such a proud mommy!

3. Marx and is persistant buckling!

4. We're having a GIRL!!

 

(need name suggestions! we totally thought we were having a boy.)

 

More pics to come.

It's great to be back!