paul and the baby

Paul was playing with the baby last night tapping his fingers all over where the baby should be and then put his hand on there. He felt Jesse, twice! I even asked him are you sure its the baby? All that I could feel was his tapping, but he felt the baby. So exciting that Paul was able to feel the baby for the first time! Jesse all ready is getting to know his daddy and know who he is. And I know that I will have many more opportunities to feel the baby:)

Is Anyone Missing Baby Jesus?

I found the story that the bishop shared in Sacrament meeting and it wasn't that hard to find!! This story made me cry, but maybe that's an easy thing to do to a pregnant person.

Here it is...
About a week before Christmas the family bought a new nativity scene. When they unpacked it they found 2 figures of the Baby Jesus. "Someone must have packed this wrong," the mother said, counting out the figures. "We have one Joseph, one Mary, three wise men, three shepherds, two lambs, a donkey, a cow, an angel and two babies. Oh, dear! I suppose some set down at the store is missing a Baby Jesus because we have 2." "You two run back down to the store and tell the manager that we have an extra Jesus. Tell him to put a sign on the remaining boxes saying that if a set is missing a Baby Jesus, call 7126. "Put on your warm coats, it's freezing cold out there." The manager of the store copied down mother's message and the next time they were in the store they saw the cardboard sign that read, "If you're missing Baby Jesus, call 7126." All week long they waited for someone to call. Surely, they thought someone was missing that important figurine. Each time the phone rang mother would say, "I'll bet that's about Jesus, "but it never was." Father tried to explain there are thousands of these scattered over the country and the figurine could be missing from a set in Florida or Texas or California. Those packing mistakes happen all the time. He suggested just put the extra Jesus back in the box and forget about it.

"Put Baby Jesus back in the box! What a terrible thing to do!" said the children. "Surely someone will call," mother said. "We'll just keep the two of them together in the manger until someone calls." When no call had come by 5:00 on Christmas Eve, mother insisted that father "just run down to the store" to see if there were any sets left. "You can see them right through the window, over on the counter," she said. "If they are all gone, I'll know someone is bound to call tonight." "Run down to the store?" father thundered. "It's 15 below zero out there!" "Oh, Daddy, we'll go with you," Tommy and Mary began to put on their coats. Father gave a long sigh and headed for the front closet. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered. Tommy and Mary ran ahead as father reluctantly walked out in the cold. Mary got to the store first and pressed her nose up to the store window. "They're all gone, Daddy," she shouted. "Every set must be sold." "Hooray, Tommy said "The mystery will now be solved tonight!" Father heard the news still a half block away and immediately turned on his heel and headed back home. When they got back into the house they noticed that mother was gone and so was the extra Baby Jesus figurine. "Someone must have called and she went out to deliver the figurine," my father reasoned, pulling off his boots. "You kids get ready for bed while I wrap mother's present." Then the phone rang. Father yelled "answer the phone and tell'em we found a home for Jesus." But it was mother calling with instructions for us to come to 205 Chestnut Street immediately, and bring three blankets, a box of cookies and some milk.

"Now what has she gotten us into?" my father groaned as we bundled up again. "205 Chestnut, why that's across town. Wrap that milk up good in the blankets or it will turn to ice before we get there. Why can't we all just get on with Christmas? It's probably 20 below out there now. And the wind is picking up. Of all the crazy things to do on a night like this." When they got to the house at 205 Chestnut Street it was the darkest one on the block. Only one tiny light burned in the living room and, the moment we set foot on the porch steps, my mother opened the door and shouted, "They're here, Oh thank God you got here, Ray! You kids take those blankets into the living room and wrap up the little ones on the couch. I'll take the milk and cookies."
"Would you mind telling me what is going on, Ethel?" my father asked. "We have just walked through below zero weather with the wind in our faces all the way." "Never mind all that now," my mother interrupted. "There is no heat in this house and this young mother is so upset she doesn't know what to do. Her husband walked out on her and those poor little children will have a very bleak Christmas, so don't you complain. I told her you could fix that oil furnace in a jiffy.
My mother strode off to the kitchen to warm the milk while my brother and I wrapped up the five little children who were huddled together on the couch. The children's mother explained to my father that her husband had run off, taking bedding, clothing, and almost every piece of furniture, but she had been doing all right until the furnace broke down. "I been doin' washin' and ironin' for people and cleanin' the five and dime," she said. "I saw your number every day there, on those boxes on the counter. When the furnace went out, that number kept going through my mind, '7162 7162'. "Said on the box that if a person was missin' Jesus, they should call you. That's how I knew you were good Christian people, willin' to help folks. I figured that maybe you would help me, too. So I stopped at the grocery store tonight and I called your missus. I'm not missin' Jesus, mister, because I sure love the Lord. But I am missin' heat. I have no money to fix that furnace." "Okay, Okay said father. You've come to the right place. Now lets see. You've got a little oil burner over there in the dining room. Shouldn't be too hard to fix. Probably just a clogged flue. I'll look it over, see what it needs." Mother came into the living room carrying a plate of cookies and warm milk. As she set the cups down on the coffee table, I noticed the figure of Baby Jesus lying in the center of the table. It was the only sign of Christmas in the house. The children stared wide-eyed with wonder at the plate of cookies my mother set before them. Father finally got the oil burner working but said, "You need more oil. I'll make a few calls tonight and get some oil. Yes sir, you came to the right place," father grinned.
On the way home father did not complain about the cold weather and had barely set foot inside the door when he was on the phone. "Ed, hey, how are ya, Ed?" "Yes, Merry Christmas to you, too. Say Ed, we have kind of an unusual situation here I know you've got that pickup truck. Do you still have some oil in that barrel on your truck? You do?" By this time the rest of the family were pulling clothes out of their closets and toys off of their shelves. It was long after their bedtime when they were wrapping gifts. The pickup came. On it were chairs, three lamps, blankets and gifts. Even though it was 30 below, father let them ride along in the back of the truck. No one ever did call about the missing figure in the nativity set, but as I grow older I realize that it wasn't a packing mistake at all. Jesus saves, that's what He does.

We had a really nice Christmas. My family met me at my Grandmother's house so that I could see them while down there. My Aunt Tiff got Kacen the handy manny talking tool box, thats fun, and got both of the girls a doll. My grandmother sends money and with that Kacen got a mack trailer set with three cars, Abbi pretend food and a baby doll play pen, Alona an ice cream set, she can make her own ice cream.
At Paul's dads there was pizza, of course, mmm! And a pile of gifts that we eached picked a random one, of course Grandma traded Kacen and let him have the tigger that she opened! He rode that Tigger, Tigger gave out after that ride! The girls received cabbage patch babies from uncle Jared & aunt Tami and Kacen a bob the builder tool belt. Alona got a my little pony with a carrying bag and Abbi tinkerbell things! They had lots of fun.
Christmas morning Paul woke up with me! And we all opened presents, Daddy got a dumb bell, a trimmer, a laptop cooler and a movie. Alona got a shopping cart like she asked for from Santa, the one thing that she asked for and a leapster, a movie and a Hannah Montana Barbie and a game, hullabaloo. The game is one that they can play all by themselves! Abbi got a baby doll swing, high chair and cradle oh and a medical kit from her brother! Kacen got some thomas trains(and a container for them), a bag full of cars, a thomas drum, some dinosaurs, a black and decker tool table, a spider man on a motorcycle and a racing ramps garage. Maybe it seems that Kacen got more, well I have kid to kid and ebay to thank for that, a big package of dinosaurs were $6 which included a triceratops that had batteries, walks and roars he calls this his "Dino". The Thomas carrying case was less than two dollars, couldn't pass that up, it retails for $20 in stores. The cars were cheap on ebay and the motorcycle was the gift from his sister (I let them exchange gifts). Even though Abbi got more than Alona because Alona's gifts cost more, you wouldn't know it, not once did we hear, "She got more than me!" I hear, we are sharing and mom she got two so this one is mine. And no disputes from Abbi they love to play together, even if that means that the toys are mutual property.
It was so nice to be home for Christmas morning. Breakfast was late, home made waffles and bacon. Paul assembled the toys while I made breakfast and then we cleaned up and they went outside and made an awesome snowman while I vacuumed and got ready. It was a relaxing morning and so nice to have most of it cleaned up and put away, we even put away our Christmas decorations and organized the container.
Marta's was great, so nice to have a Christmas meal and relax with the kids. Paul's sister got them some books, which we have read a few times! Dinner was great, loved Marta's potatoes and the Pie that Paul brought that we ended up eating at home, really was great! We ate it last night as our family home evening treat. Marta got me a juicer, Alona the Diamond Castle Barbie and Abbi a play pen, Kacen the Cars spiral speedway and Paul a thumb drive that he was really excited about.
Our bishop shared a great story on the Sunday before Christmas, I hope to find it and share it on here.
I wish that I would have taken pictures of what we gave other people, I put a lot of thought in to most of the gifts. Kelly a sign that says "dads fix it shop, little job:one hug, big job:two hugs" Val Mickey mouse pins, Marta a book, my mother a butterfly wind chime, Brandon ear buds, our niece a baby doll, a movie to three people and lotion to other ladies that I didn't know what to get them. I felt really bad for the people that I left out, not on purpose though I really couldn't think of what to get them. But seeing the faces of the people that we gave gifts to was the greatest gift!

playing in a winter wonderland

The kids really need outside time. They went out some time last week when it wasn't too cold and played in the snow. And then Alona went out this past Friday in the snow storm when the sun had almost gone down. She was allowed to go out in her snow suit, but I couldn't find Abbi's that I purchased this past March. She stayed inside gloomily with Mommy until Alona came in, which wasn't too long. I think its kinda cool, you can see the snow falling all around her.
I think it is great that all three of them are big enough to be let outside to play without Mommy being there every moment.

Holiday crafts

We have made at least one Holiday craft each week this month. Our first was an advent calendar, the kids put up a new number each day, the last number that is put up is the number of days left until Christmas.
The second was a Santa Claus that we made the day that Alona stayed home when she threw up. All of the children's Santa's look different, Abbi's Santa has only one boot, Kacen's is mostly white and Alona's looks so professional!
And last but not the end of what we will do, was a wreath. Well, okay its not very round, but its a wreath to me. Abbi and Kacen let me trace their hands, I let them watch a cartoon and cut their hands out and then they glued their hands together with a picture of them in the middle. Abbi and Kacen were really excited, they were yelling back and forth who was in their picture, "Santa", "Daddy!"
oh and some more, the children's nativity's they each made one on a family home evening night and their collective gingerbread house they all did their own trees and helped with the house, I told the girls that I would take a picture before brother ate any more of the house. They also caught Mommy sneaking a gumball, I knew I was in trouble!

Kacen's fun phrases:
"Thats not funny!"
"Oh man!"

Christmas tag

A Christmas tag

1. Egg nog or Hot Chocolate?hot chocolate with minnie marshallows or whipped cream, just enogh so that it melts before I eat it and brings in a nice taste.

2. Do you wrap presents or bag them?wrap presents in to the wee hours of many mornings.
3. Colored Lights or White? Usually white, but it depends on what the lights are on
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, I've been wanting to. It's a great tradition

5. When do you decorate? After Thanksgiving

6. Favorite holiday dish? don't really have one

7. When & how did you learn about Santa? I would have swore the sixth grade, I was 11. My grandmother had me wrap presents from Santa. Though my sister just told me that she showed me presents from Santa when I was five in my parents closet.

8. How do you decorate your tree? the kids decorate, putting up the ornaments Paul or I just put up the lights.

9. Snow...love it or dread it? Love it in the mountains but not on the roads

10. Can you ice skate? I try, we went ice skating at Paul's work party two Saturdays ago. It was really fun. Alona didn't need help from either of us. She skated with a cone.

11. Do you remember your favorite gift? my dad made me a baby doll cradle from his bare hands in the garage. I would hear lots of sanding, its was pretty, big, had two rockers, pink with stickers.

12. What is the most important part of the holidays? Spending time with family.

13. Favorite holiday dessert? oh yes, I like fudge.

14. Favorite memory?

15. Do you have a special ornament? I bought an ornament this year, a cat. Since we got a cat, our first family pet this year. I think that would be fun to continue, a new family ornament each year. Individual ornaments might get expensive with six people

16. What do you do on Christmas Eve? This year we will be at his dad's, but I love watching Christmas movies with my kids, reading the christmas story. I saw a cute idea in the friend, presents to Jesus, singing happy birthday, having cake and reading the Christmas story.
17. If you could have anything for Christmas this year what would it be? There is a lot of little things I would like, a pan that doesn't have food stick to it would be great, a nice spice rack, inspirational books, the few baby things that we are missing.

18. What do you do for neighbors and friends for Christmas? we will make treats, write letters to people that are lonely. I would like to go caroling, would have to do that with just my kids, husbands not to keen on singing, we can help the homeless, our ward is doing a drive this Friday.

I tag, Staci, Mandi, Laura

Santa's Village

Santa's Village was awesome. I remember going there as a child, all the beautiful lights, and waiting in line for forever to see Santa. It was a little different from when I was a child. There was a fence inside they built a stage and had a lady singing carols, to the north was Santa and a hot chocolate stand, and right outside the gates were the lights and Christmas windows. It was a great night to go, it was incredibly warm for a night in December. The lights were so beautiful, I am so glad that Ogden city and the businesses there have continued to have this every year and that it is free to the public! The kids saw the grinch, and took a picture with the kids. "Hello there Cindy", he said. Saying that Abbi looked just like Cindy Lou Who.
We waited in line for Santa Claus for a little more than a half hour enjoying hot chocolate and one another's company. Even though the children had all ready seen Santa twice before, they had to stop and see him. Alona kept trying to drag us away from the lights to go back and see him. There were plenty of windows with great decorations. The one with the snowmen, the snowman on the right is gasping because the empty chair is where his friend once was, his friend ate some chili.
There were some lights that were surrounding medal bars that made up three gifts. Alona went out there and climbed in. She was a present! One of the gifts was even big enough to fit or whole family! We saw the nativity before we left, Abbi had to see, she went under the rope and had to pet the sheep and she sang happy birthday to the camel. Grandma and the kids sang away in a Manger as they stood next to baby Jesus. There were also some deer grazing, I told Alona to come look at the reindeer eating the grass. "Mom, these aren't real!"

Dr. Appt

Woohoo, I saw my little baby! Jesse is 3 inches long all ready! didn't hear the heartbeat, but saw Jesse wiggling arms and legs. Jesse was getting anxious waiting for the doctor too. Jesse was wiggling, could feel it, while we were waiting the half hour for the Dr. to come in. I love my Dr. and so glad that I was able to drive up there to see him. The only down side, our babysitter fell through and Paul's day off to see the baby on the ultrasound turned out to be his day off to watch the kids while I went to the Dr. I was so sad about that. I am measuring 12 weeks and 2 days today, which would mean a due date of June 21st, though he says he is sticking with the date of June 24th because he says a few days don't matter.

kick

I can feel the baby... little kick today, little kick yesterday, bigger kick on Wednesday. I know it wasn't gas, air, food, I could tell that it was something in there moving. Some people might say 11 weeks is too soon, I didn't feel it this soon with the others, but its there! Can't wait to see the baby on Tuesday!

Santa visit

We went and saw Santa Clause at the Provo Library. The girls did well telling Santa what they wanted. I could get a picture of Kacen with Santa only by sitting with him. Alona was real stoked, she kept saying she was dressed like Santa all except for the beard and the hat. They had a fshing pond and crafts on the third floor. Alona did a really good job making a Santa clause sucker, he had pants! They also made candy cane reindeer, the girls found bright pink noses and claimed that their reindeer was Rudolph. I like the picture when their faces in the holes! Alona is simple and only asked Santa for one thing, had to convince her to write a letter to him, because she says he is magic and all ready knows. I told her that he is old and maybe he needs a little reminder. She wants a shopping cart with a place for a baby. Abbi wants a baby, with a high chair and a baby swing. And Kacen is barely two, so I asked him things... Do you want a fire truck? "I do.", Do you want some trains? "I do." After we were done I asked Kacen if he was scared of Santa , "Yeah".