Family Christmas party

Every year Rodney's family has an extended family Christmas party.  Each sibling, Rod's Aunts and Uncles take turns hosting the party.  This year it was in Peoa, UT near Park City.  It ended up snowing that Saturday, so not everyone made the trip but some of us were able to forge through the snow.

  Rodney's Grandparents are from Germany so we usually have Goolash, which consists of roast and spetzle noodles.  The roast is chopped into bite size pieces and cooked in gravy, and the spetzle is a homemade noodle.  (Rodney and I try and make them but his Grandmother is the BEST, she's an amazing cook, at it.)  I unfortunately didn't get a picture of it.  But all you need to know is that it was delicious.

The other tradition is to have a nativity.  Landon was one of the three kings and Lincoln was a sheep. 

We had such a fun time, just like we do every year. 

fyi...Lincoln's costume was provided by Shanna, Rod's Aunt.  If you think for one minute I can sew you are crazy.

Finally the PERFECT Chocolate Chip cookie

Rodney loves Chocolate Chip cookies.  And ever since we moved into our home I have been making cookies that look like this....

Let's be honest, nothing to write home about.  I was trying every recipe that I could find, and time after time they turned out like this.

One night we were having dinner at a friends house and she made these amazing Chocolate Chip cookies for dessert.  I told her my sad cookie story and she told me that this recipe is fool proof.   Well it's been a few months and I must tell you she's right.  I love this recipe and the cookies turn out amazing every time. 

Here's the recipe for those who want to try them:

1 Cup packed brown sugar
1 Cup sugar
2/3 Cup butter
2/3 Cup shortening
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 Cups flour
2 Cups chocolate chips (I think this is too many, I just add in what looks like it's enough)

Mix sugars, butter and shortening until smooth.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix dry ingredients together and then add to the wet mixture.  Add the chocolate chips and you are ready to bake them.

375 degrees for 9-10 min. (I think the time varies depending on your oven)

If you try them I hope that you enjoy them as much as we do.

Night Out

A week ago today Lincoln was diagnosed with RSV.  Rodney and I were both worried about what the next week had in store for us.  So we prepared to spend a lazy weekend at home, again.  And that's exactly what we did, I left the house once to get pizza.  But by Monday we were ready for a little break, and luckily for us my work offers Jazz tickets once a year.  Just by chance our game was Monday.

At first I was worried about leaving Lincoln, but my good friend Tawny and my Mom both offered to help.  Tawny watched the boys for about an hour before Grandma could arrive.  We are so blessed to have such good friends and family so close to be able to help us out.  Rodney and I had a great time, the Jazz lost, but we always have fun. 

A week later Lincoln has made great improvements.  We are only at the beginning of the RSV season, so here's hoping and praying that we are done with being sick this year.  (A girl can dream can't she?)

First snow

Last Friday we got our first snow storm of the year.  After I picked the boys up from daycare Landon was asking to go play in the snow.  Lets just say it was a little bit of a blizzard out.  So I told him that he could go out Saturday morning and play if he wanted.  Of course he did so we got in the gear, which took a good 20-25 minutes, and out he went. 

Landon's first snow angel

I have a lot of fond memories of playing the snow, so I am so excited to now be able to make new ones with my own children.

Halloween

It started out like any normal morning.  I got up and got ready, I got the boys up and ready to go to daycare.

 When I went to pick them up that afternoon Landon had a little bit of a fever and was coughing.  So we made an appointment to see the nurse practitioner.  She came to the conclusion that he had croup and a double ear infection.  They gave him a steroid shot, which was supposed to help his cough, and it did but man it hurt him.  When we left he was still crying a little and was limping.  I felt so bad for him.  When we got home we asked him if he wanted to get dressed up in Pirate costume, we knew he couldn't go trick or treating but thought maybe he would want to get dressed up.  Poor little guy just want to get in his jammies and watch Mickey Mouse. 

Of course when the door bell rang he was intrigued and started handing out the candy to the trick or treaters.  My Mom came down to see him and give him some candy.  She and Landon sat outside with the candy and handed it out to all the kids.  I am going to venture a guess and say that he had a pretty good time.

 

Not once did he complain about not being able to go out and get candy.  I was actually really surprised, because he had asked me for days if he could go trick or treating and get candy.  What a trooper he is.

Of course it was Lincoln's first Halloween, and we dressed him up.  He was the cutest Giraffe I think I've ever seen!

It ended up being a pretty good night.

Love the Doctors office

Since October 23rd we have been to the doctors office 5 times.  It goes as follows:

October 23rd: Landon's 3 year check up
October 26th: Lincoln has a cough and is sounding hoarse, we had to take him to the hospital for a chest x-ray.  Instructions were to watch him closely, if it gets worse call back.
October 27th: Lincoln's cough is worse in the mmorning, we take him to the on call doctor.  He says we have seen the worst of it.  He has Bronchiolitis, the infant form of croup.
October 31st: Landon has a fever and a cough. He has croup and a double ear infection.  They give him a steroid shot and medicine for the ear infection. 
November 14th: Landon has a low grade fever and tells me his head hurts.  They test him for strep, and sure enough he has it.

This is just the beginning!

Just a side note, we probably went to the bathroom at least once every time we went to the doctors.  We even had to go at the hospital, the x-ray techs were waiting for us when we came out.  I'm starting to think that when he goes the first time he holds a little in reserve so that he can go again.  I'm glad that he is so doing so well, it makes me laugh.  When we walk in the office I half expect him to tell me that he has to go as we pass the bathroom door.  I just love him!

Lincoln Ray

Something I thought I would never do was bless my baby in my home.  Not that it is a terrible thing, I just never thought I would do it.  But, I did.  I can honestly say it was a very special memory that I don't want to forget.  Which is why I am writing about it now, two months after the fact.  The reason why we decided to bless him at home was because My grandparents were going to be in town and we wanted them to be here.  Of course the only two Sundays they were going to be here our stake was having stake conference and the next weekend the Church dedicated the Brigham City Temple.  So we talked with the bishop and got permission to do it.

We blessed our handsome little boy on September 16, 2012.  Rodney made a program where we had and opening and closing song and prayer, with the blessing and testimonies in between.  I felt such a strong spirit in our home.  I will be forever grateful to have had the opportunity to hear the testimonies of our family.  

Top left to right: Great Grandpa Niemann, Great Grandpa Timmins. Bottom left to right Grandpa Niemann, Daddy, Grandpa MacDonald

I am so blessed to have a husband who holds the priesthood and can bless our children.  He is a wonderful father and husband, I am just so happy that I have him by my side.

It's been a long time

I'm horrible at this, I wanted to try and do this at least once a week, maybe every two.  Wow, have I failed miserably!  It's been two years almost exactly since my last posting.  Obviously lots of things have changed, so I will do a quick recap on the last two years. 

Rodney left Costco in January of this year to work for Varian Medical, as a Production Operator.  He is amazing, he works so hard to provide for us.  I couldn't ask for a more amazing husband.

Landon just had his 3rd birthday.  I can't believe that he is 3, I'm not sure where the time has gone.  People used to always say,  "enjoy them while they are young."  They aren't kidding!!!  We've had a big milestone this year.  I decided to tackle the task of potty training.  It worked best just to put him in BIG boy underwear, and ask him if he needed to go throughout the day.  I told him when we first put them on that they weren't like diapers, and that it wouldn't catch anything.  To my surprise he remembered quite well what I said, (about it not catching anything. Mostly, because after he had an accident he would look at me and say...It doesn't catch ANY-thing!  We had a few accidents but for the most part he is doing really well.  He especially enjoys going potty when we are out running errands.  He also learned how to ride his bike this summer, it's so much fun to watch him.  We took lots of walks around the block.  Like I said we celebrated his 3rd birthday this week.  We got him 8 puzzles with 24 pieces, these are like real legitimate puzzles too.  He loves them, he does one every morning before daycare and it's usually the first thing he plays with when he gets home.  He's really good too, he can do them all by himself.

He loves his bike

Daddy's little helper

So this summer we introduced a new member to our family.  Lincoln Ray was born July 11th at 7:07 and weighed 7lbs 11 oz.  He has been such a good baby, he's already changed so much.  It seems to be going by even faster than with Landon.  He has the cutest smile and the most contagious laugh.   He also loves to put his fists in his mouth, if he's not sucking on his fist then he has a blanket or something in his mouth.  He's so content, I thought Landon was laid back, but Lincoln is pretty mellow.  It so much fun to have him in our home, Landon loves him and is always good to help me when I need him too.   

As for me I am back at work at Prestige, I am now in my 9th year.  I have cut back my hours to 5 per day.  I also moved departments and am now working in the Bankruptcy department as a Bankruptcy Specialist.  You have to use the term loosely, I don't know anything about BK's.  Other than I don't want to ever file for one.  I am so blessed to have such an amazing family.