Wow, I can't believe we are already in February. Where does the time go?
So, even though I'm a few months behind, we want to wish you a belated Merry Christmas and happy New Year and share with you what we have been up to the last two months-
Charlize can't get enough of her sweet baby sister:
Charlize has loved having a little baby sister here in our house. She loves giving her kisses and holding her hands. Multiple times a day she asks me if she can just lay by her and touch her. Charlize loves when Brooklynn looks at her and she gets even more excited when Brooklynn smiles at her. We just love that our girls love each other so much!
Pre-Christmas Fun:
Grandma Wright invited Charlize over to make a gingerbread house and they had lots of fun.
I'm not sure who is concentrating harder.
Grandma did a great job of getting the icing on so Charlize could put on all the candy.
A happy girl showing off her finished project.
A couple weeks later, Charlize got to decorate sugar cookies with her cousins.
Everyone getting their decoration on!
Look what Hayden made.
Cute apron, sprinkles and a cookie makes a happy little girl.
I think Jocelyn is soooo cute!
Sam boy, Megan and Jocelyn
Charlize loved decorating cookies; she has asked to do this several times since then.
With all the talk of Christmas and all the decorations, Charlize approached me with a question:
Charlize: "Mom, why are there socks on the wall?"
Mom: "They're called stockings."
Charlize: "Snockings?"
Mom: (trying not to laugh) "No, stockings. Santa fills them with goodies and treats on Christmas eve."
Charlize: "What are you talking about!?"
So, this year, we called our stockings, snockings.
Brooklynn's early Christmas present:
Brooklynn got a new stroller for her early Christmas present. . .
okay, it might have been an early Christmas present for the mommy of two little girls.
Charlize was content just coloring in the big box the stroller came in.
Look at our cute little girl, and she still enjoys dress-up.
Helping daddy set up the stroller. . .
. . .and taking it for a quick spin around the kitchen.
The traditional Santa visit:
Just waiting for Santa and taking pictures in his workshop.
She looks happy now, but wait until Santa arrives.
Yep, just what we expected.
Charlize loves the idea of Santa but she really doesn't like him as a person.
Mathews Family Dinner:
Charlize enjoying the activities at the kid table with her cousins, Abby and Audrey.
"Look what we made!"
Nick, Sam and Brooklynn, Becca and Quentin
After dinner we went back to the Wright's to open cousin presents:
Cute baby Broolynn just enjoying all the people and noise.
We just love Aunt Sam!!
Grandpa Wright and Haley
Look what Daddy got!
Opening presents
Jayden gave Charlize Tinkerbell and friends barbie dolls. She was so happy! I think she would have been content to only have that one toy for Christmas.
Grandpa and Brooklynn--I just love how she is looking at him.
Cute little girls with Grandpa
Christmas Day!
We had about 15 minutes at our house Christmas morning to do Santa gifts and then we had to load up the car with the rest of our gifts and head out to our first stop of the day.
Here's what Santa brought:
Although Charlize was very grateful for the Mr. Potato Head Santa brought, she was a little disappointed he didn't bring her "skating shoes." After playing with her new toy and going through her stockings she came up with this conclusion, "I know! Santa left my skating shoes at Grandma Wright's, let's go there and get them!" It's a good thing she has aunts that love her and bought her the skates her daddy/Santa wouldn't.
Helping Brooklynn take apart her stocking.
Brooklynn got a dolly and Charlize got a little mermaid doll and candy.
At Grandma & Grandpa Wright's:
Good morning, Grandpa!
Getting ready to open presents
Charlize got lots of fun gifts and cute clothes but Aunt Sam scored when she got Charlize the "skating shoes" and pads. Look at how happy she is!!
She was hoping if she got skates that they would be pink. Turns out she was right!
So cute!!!!
Charlize basically wore her skates and pads all day.
Nick, Grandpa and Brooklynn playing with Grandpa's new toy--the chromecast.
At Grandma & Grandpa Warrens:
Before opening presents at Grandma Warren's, she wanted to put on a little nativity with kids.
Hayden was Joseph and Charlize was Mary.
Grandpa Warren was a sheperd and Jocelyn was an angel.
Of course Charlize LOVED this because she loves dress-up!
"And Joseph went up from Galilee. . .to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child."
-Luke 2:4-5
"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."
-Luke 2:7
"And there were in the same country sheperds abiding in the field. . . And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them. . . and said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy. . . For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
-Luke 2: 8-11
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
-Luke 2:14
This was such a sweet, beautiful way to involve the kids and remember the true meaning of Christmas before the chaos of opening presents began . . . and it was a little chaotic.
Look at this happy guy...
Jessica did all the leg-work but the kids pitched in to get dad this large painting of the pioneers burying the dead. You can see how happy he is; this made us very happy.
THE STORY BEHIND THE PAINTING--
The name of the artist who did this painting is Clark Kelly Price. My dad and his brother were friends with his brother growing up. When Mr. Price needed some people to pose for this painting, my dad and uncle were asked to do it. My dad is the one being buried. So, they just got together and posed for a picture so Mr. Price could take it home and paint. A few months later, my dad and his brother were invited over to Mr. Price's house and there was this painting on a canvas, with the photo of them clipped up in the corner.
Jessica was kind enough to track down ......... and told him that her dad was the model for the man being buried. She asked him for a signed copy of this painting-- he got the painting, signed it, matted and framed it and sent it to us so we could give it to dad for Christmas. We were so happy he liked it.
Colt made this beautiful frame out of metal and he and Jamie took the time to gather everyone together for family photos to fill up the frame. This was another great present. I know my mom loves it--it is always a win when you get a mother/grandma pictures of all of her kids and grandkids together.
Good job Colt and Jamie!
Charlize enjoying her new Bitty Baby (from Grandma and Grandpa Warren) and Lambie (from Luke and Jamie). A special thanks to Grandma Wright, as well, for getting clothes for her Bitty Baby.
Notice how she is still wearing her Mary costume here. After awhile we had to convince her to take it off because she was sweating so bad. Silly girl!
More Bitty Baby clothes and accessories. Her Grandmas really spoiled her.
Just a little glance at all the chaos and fun while everyone opens presents.
Setting up the new race track Hayden got for Christmas.
Here is our sweet little one after a LONG, LONG day opening presents and visiting family at three different houses. She is tired, sweaty, and perfectly happy resting on a little pillow, wearing her skating shoes, with a movie playing on mom's phone while it is plugged in being charged. Merry Christmas little girl!
We hope you and your family also had a wonderful Christmas!
Brooklynn's Blessing Day:
The whole Warren/Wright clan enjoying a Sunday morning baby blessing brunch.
Look at these happy kids--orange juice, cinnamon rolls and breakfast muffins--who wouldn't be happy!
And they're off to play.
While everyone else eats and plays, the star of the show is in her room sleeping.
PICTURE TIME:
As a mother, I couldn't be happier to see my sweet little baby being held in the arms of her father and surrounded by the great men in her life who live worthy to hold and use the priesthood of God. How blessed I am!!
Pictured above: Trevor Lott (Haley's boyfriend), Grandpa Wright (Roger), Uncle Colt, Uncle Quentin, Daddy (Nick) holding Brooklynn, Uncle Brian, Uncle Luke, Grandpa McNeese (Dick) and Grandpa Warren (James)
I just love this family picture. It is the most updated Warren/Wright family picture without anyone missing.
We were so blessed to have so many people support us on this special day! Thank you to everyone for being there. (And thank you Trevor for taking the picture.)
Daddy and Brooklynn
Look at that happy dad with two cute girls in their Sunday best.
This was a wonderful blessing day. I'm so grateful Nick is the father of my girls and he loves them enough to have married their mother in the temple and leads our family as the patriarch of our home.
Welcome 2014!!
After a short stay at the Nate and Staci Barber home, we jetted off to finish celebrating New Year's Eve with my family. Here are the grandkids watching a movie, snuggled into their sleeping bags, all ready for their no-sleeping-sleep-over party.
All three of these little ones made it to midnight without any trouble. I don't think they knew what they were celebrating, they were just happy there was a late bed time that night!
January Birthdays:
In January we celebrated Hayden's birthday (he turned 5), my birthday and my mom's birthday by going out to dinner as a family before all of my siblings left to go back home.
Here are some photos from some of the other celebrations:
Charlize helping me open my gifts at the Wright's. We had Sunday dinner there with my parents and the Wright's--it was a great way to celebrate.
Celebrating my mom's birthday with our most favorite dessert--DQ Cake.
The last few months Charlize has started using this constipated look when she smiles, not sure what that's about.
Grandma showed Charlize how to put frosting on her finger and eat it. After that, Charlize didn't care about the ice cream part, she just went around asking for everyone's frosting. I think her and Nick are the only ones that like that frosting.
The day after we celebrated my mom's birthday, Charlize woke up and asked if it was her birthday now. I told her no and that her birthday is a long time away. Her response--"That's okay, well can I have birthday cake for breakfast anyway?"
A trip to Chuck E. Cheese:
Charlize and I have only been to Chuck E. Cheese once and it was in Utah with my sister. We had heard that our Chuck E. Cheese was pretty nice (for a Chuck E. Cheese), so we decided to get some friends together and go find out.
Charlize enjoyed a few of the games. . .
. . .and winning a few tickets.
But she enjoyed the rides the most.
Her all-time favorite ride was the carousel. We got 50 tokens and I'm pretty sure she spent 35 of them on this ride. She even figured out how to climb up on the horse and put in the token all by herself.
She had so much fun!
Our little Brooklynn
She is growing up so fast; how time flies. She went from sleeping all day to so alert and curious. She is happy, easy-going, and loves to smile! She is now such a social little girl-- we love to hear her coo and watch her smile and interact with us.
Our sleeping baby in December
Back in January when I could still get her to take naps in my arms. Sadly, she doesn't sleep on me like this anymore, she likes her own space in her own bed.
I do occasionally get her to sleep with me after her early morning feeding, and that makes me happy.
Here is our pretty little girl on her 3 month birthday. I just love her smile!
Sister time
Trying to give her kisses:
Charlize and Brooklynn just love each other! Charlize loves having a baby around to kiss and cuddle. She is constantly asking if she can hold her hand or give her a kiss. She is good about helping her keep her pacifier in and will always run over to check on her if she is crying. Brooklynn loves having someone fun to watch and listen to. Whenever Charlize is around, Brooklynn just sits quietly and watches her. Charlize can really make Brooklynn smile.
One of Brooklynn's first big smiles--can you see who has caught her attention?
Charlize's fuzzy hair gives it away.
Story time in bed. I really don't know who is enjoying this more.
I love to see Nick spend time with the girls, and they really love their daddy.
Charlize update:
Charlize is such a smart, happy, beautiful girl. One of the big changes I have noticed in her ability to play independently. She still enjoys playing with mommy and with friends, but she is still able to play on her own while I work on a project next to her or clean up around the house. Here are a few pictures of her playing so good while she waits for mommy to be done with her chores.
She enjoys painting,
playing with play dough,
working in her play kitchen,
and playing with her "dolly."
Did you notice a common theme?
Charlize's favorite thing right now is dress-up. She dresses up everyday with multiple wardrobe changes. We never get tired of dressing up like princesses in this house.
A few more of Charlize's favorite things:
Besides dress-up, Charlize also loves her baby sister, Frozen (the new Disney movie--she knows all the words to every song), Family Home Evening and learning about Jesus, and (unfortunately) watching Disney princess movies.
She is also a pretty good helper around the house. She unloads the silverware from the dishwasher and loves to wet swiffer the kitchen floor. When she finishes she says, "There, now the floor is clean and daddy will be so happy!"
POTTY TRAINING:
Here is our little potty princess.
It has officially been two whole weeks (including quick trips to the store and church) that Charlize has been in big girl panties all day long. I am still nervous to go to the mall and do any long shopping trips in panties but she is doing great.
In the mornings, I always go straight in to get her and put her on the potty so she can go, then we change into panties. I always ask her if her diaper is dry and we get really excited when it is. One morning, Charlize said, "Mommy, let's go check my diaper. You're going to be so happy because when you check you're going to see that it's dry." She is so smart and cute.
A FEW MORE CHARLIZE QUOTES:
On the way home from church one afternoon, Charlize was witting quietly in the back seat and then she politely announced, "Mom, I tooted in nursery."
Charlize cuddles with Brooklynn and me on our big chair while I'm nursing and we just get to talk and hang out. It is one of my favorite things to do with the girls. One time, Charlize was playing with the burp rags and she put one on her arm and said, "I need to put this on my arm so Brooklynn doesn't spit on me."
Between our house and the Wright's we have been eating with the missionaries a lot the past few months. In church, we were looking through her church books and there was a picture of missionaries. Charlize said, "Mom, I know who this is. It's the missionaries. We like to eat with them!"
Charlize still needs afternoon naps but occasionally she'll just play quietly in in her room for a little while. One day, I could hear that she was reading her books instead of napping so I hollered down the hall, "Charlize, what are you doing?" She hollered back, "I'm taking a nap!"
Thanks for keeping up with our little family. We hope your new year is off to a great start!
