Santa!!

Every year the Hiatts have a huge Christmas Party. I always wonder how Sharilyn will fit that many people in her house each year. And every year she pulls it off. We eat yummo food, enjoy each other and Santa comes and visits. The kids really look forward to this each year. My kids were so excited to sit on Santa's lap until it came right down to it. All three kids sat on my lap terrified. Kaitlyn was the bravest this year and went and sat on his lap all by herself with absolutely no crying this year. That is pretty big for her! Melanie cried until I came and stood by her and then she sat on his lap, but wouldn't say a word to him. Matt just flat out screamed and kicked as I tried to force him to sit on Santa's lap, sometimes I wonder why I torture my kids like this and then each year I do it all over again. We didin't get the greatest pictures this year, maybe I will be on camera duty next year.

The kids waiting for their turn!

Matt and Santa!

Kaitlyn and Santa!

Melanie and Santa!

Kaitlyn watching all the other kids take their turn.

Brad, Mike, Christy and Julie

December Birthdays!

Last week we celebrated all the December birthdays with the Blakes. Kaitlyn was thrilled that she got to get a cake so early! We had a lot of fun being all together!

Kaitlyn and Matt

Kaitlyn, Matt and Karissa

Kaitlyn's Kindergarten Christmas Program!

We went to Kaitlyn's Kindergarten Christmas program. She was so excited for it. She has been singing the songs for a long time and was really excited to sing them for everyone. She and her classmates did a great job!

The Lights Are Up!

Since Matt's birthday was so warm we decided we better take the opportunity and get our lights up. We are lucky the snow hasn't really hit yet. Brad did a great job on getting them up. I was in charge of the kids. Brad was finishing up and then coming down. I let my guard down and turned my back for a little bit and before I knew it Matt was almost to the top of the ladder. Wow that was scary!! I yelled at Brad to come and help me get him down and what does he do? He pulls him up on the roof with him. Matthew loved it and did not want to come down. Once the girls saw it they each had to take a turn too. Oh how I love Christmas lights! I can't wait to drive around and see all the one around town!

Look how happy he is! This is the best day of his life!

Kaitlyn's turn was next!

Melanie was finally brave enough!

Happy 2nd Birthday Matthew

My baby turned 2 on the 6th. Where has the time gone. He is growing up way too fast and he is all boy. He had a fun day and was a great sport to let his sisters in on all the fun. You know 2 year olds aren't the greatest at sharing. We had a fun relaxing day. We had a party, played outside (in our short sleeve shirts and no jackets, what is up with this weather) and ate dinner at TGIF. All in all I think he had a really fun day.

He was so excited!

Whats inside?

He loves his tool bench, he now has his own tools to help dad fix things, which he loves to do.

Melanie was a great helper in unwrapping presents!

Singing Happy Birthday!!

Cake Time!

Blowing the candles out!

Its not a party without party blowers! Matt will blow his until it is all chewed up and then come to either Brad or I and say "Cut it" We cut the end off and then he is good for a few more mins.

Eating dinner at TGIF, yummo!

Random Dance Recital Videos!

We got these random videos on our camera before and after the dance recital. They are very candid of the girls goofing around on the stage! Kind of dark too because the stage lights are not on, but they are fun!

Dance Recital!

We had a busy week last week getting ready for the dance recital. We had dance Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The girls were so excited to finally perform. Kaitlyn kept asking Melanie if she was scared to go on stage? And kept telling her that is was OK to be scared your first time on stage and that she was scared, but this time she is not. Melanie replied to Kaitlyn saying I am not scared! (in an attitude voice) Kaitlyn had a lot of fun taking dance with her friend Lexi and cousin Makayla. Melanie was just thrilled that I finally let her start lessons. They all did so good!

I think I have the cutest ballerina's ever!!

Aren't sisters the greatest, they really are best friends!

Posing before the recital starts

Look at Melanie leaping in the background as her cousin Makayla poses for a picture!

Kaitlyn and Makayla

The girls had quite the crowd watching them, Grandma and Grandpa even made the trek up for the recital

Kaitlyn's dance was first, she is in the middle

Kaitlyn is the third one from the front.


Kaitlyn is on the back row second one in from the left.

Melanie didn't really like the sponge curlers, but she loved the bouncy curls they produced.

Melanie is the first one after the big gap

This was Melanie's favorite part of her dance when they get to shake their booty's and boy does Melanie know how to shake it!

Melanie is the third one from the left

Look how proud Kaitlyn looks during the finale, she is the third one in

Makayla, Kaitlyn, Lexi and Melanie

O Chirstmas Tree!

Our tree is up and the girls and I had a lot of fun putting it up. I just love to turn on the lights and sit in the dark room at night and let the lights just shine. There is nothing like a Christmas Tree.

Jess Comes to Visit for Black Friday!!!!

We were so excited to have Jess come up and visit us. We drove her back up here with us on Thanksgiving night! Sad enough Kaitlyn was sick the whole time she was here along with Matt. So we didn't get to have the Oreo, fingernail painting PJ party that the girls had planned. This broke sweet Kaitlyn's and Melanie's little hearts. We can't wait to have her up here again when we are all healthy.

Some pictures with Jess before I took her over to Johnsons

Black Friday is by far my favorite shopping day of the year. I just get so excited and love the rush of getting a great deal. Julie and I broke Jess in. And Jess was a huge help to us. We scoped out the adds at Julies house until 12:30 got a few hours of sleep and were at Walmart by 4:15 am. We got almost everything on our list which is great. And we hit so many great stores! Not sure Jess loved it as much as us, but she did get some awesome deals!

This is the only picture I took. Julie and Jess standing in line and Walmart. Look how tired Julie looks. and if you think our cart looks full you should have seen it when we were at the end of the line, our cart shrunk in stuff as we waited in line.

I decided that is wasn't fair to Melanie to miss out on having Jess up here just because everyone else was sick. So I took her over to Johnsons to play with her. Kaitlyn was pretty sad about this. I got her to be not so sad by pulling out a High School Musical Gabriella Barbie for her to play with while we were gone. The poor girl was so sick! But she did make out pretty good, you see we have a rule that if you get your throw up into the throw up bowl you get $1. You see it is worth any amount of money to me not to have to clean up throw up. She came away with $3 this time. And I only had to clean up a big mess once. Maybe I should start taking $1 away when they miss?

Thanksgiving 2008

We spent Thanksgiving this year with the Hiatts. We were a small group with just us and Greg's Family, but we still had all the great food that Thanksgiving brings. Sharilyn once again outdid herself. We all stuffed ourselves to the fullest. All except Kaitlyn, who ended up getting the flu and I don't think really enjoyed the great food. It was the pits getting sick for the Holiday. We are thankful for so many things. Especially for all of our many blessings! For our home, a job, our kids, our families and friends, our testimonies, our health, the list could go on and on. We have so much to be thankful for.

Brad, Melanie and Matt

Kaitlyn helping Grandma finish up the pies

Grandma's Amazing Pies

Scoping out the adds for Black Friday!

Grandpa carving the Turkey

The Feast!

Melanie, Matt and Julia playing games after dinner!

One of the last smiles we saw from Kailtyn for a few days, she spent most the afternoon on Grandpa's recliner.