The End of Another Year...

Wow it is hard to believe that 2008 is almost over. One more day and we can say good bye to 2008. The Christmas decorations are put away, and Justin is going back to work and I will be next week...all signs that the end of the Holiday season is here! This time of year kind of makes me sad. I love Christmas and it always seems to go by so quickly. I don't know about you but it seems like the years just fly by anymore. I remember when I was little and in school it seemed like my senior year was never going to get here and now its been almost 10 years since I graduated. How is it possible?? None the less it is over and a new year will begin. If we are blessed with just half as much as we've been in the past year we will be lucky for sure.

We had an awesome Christmas. We were all very spoiled by everyone we know and love. Justin went overboard with me and got me way too much but I sure do love it :) The kids were spoiled once again by Santa and all our family and friends. Jyllian absolutely loved Christmas and opening all of her gifts. Cohl wasn't really sure what it was all about, but did enjoy getting to play with his toys once they were unwrapped. He wasn't really into the whole unwrapping thing but Jyllian was right there to help him out. Cohl even took a nap in the middle of unwrapping presents. Too funny. We were lucky to have my mom and brother spend the night with us on Christmas eve so that they could be here bright and early in the morning to open up the gifts. It took well over an hour for the kids to open theirs and then it was our turn. Fun times. We got my dad a webcam for Christmas this year and although it was a pain for him to get it set up (he has really bad internet connection where he lives) it was well worth it for him to be able to watch the kids open their presents. It was the next best thing to having him here with us. We look forward to the day when we can all be together for the holidays.

After Christmas we headed up to the ranch for Justin's familys Christmas. This is the 3rd year that we have all be able to get together for Christmas at the ranch. It was so nice to see everyone and spend some time together. Jyllian loved being with her cousin Kellan who she doesn't get to see that often. They had a ball running around and chasing each other. Cohl had major stranger anxiety and wouldn't go to anyone except Justin/I. He finally warmed up to some people by the time we left. It was pretty cute though he would wrap his little arms around our necks and burry his face into us. Too cute! Opening presents was a highlight of the trip. Jyllian got lots of clothes as did Cohl and various toys. Her favorite was a book from her Auntie Karyn. After presents Jyllian and Kellan wanted to go outside and play and go sledding so Grandpa Ed pulled them in the sled. After we ate we headed home. We were glad to be back home. We put stuff away, ate some dinner and then played with our new gifts. Justin got me a Wii for Christmas and so we had to play a couple of games of bowling/golf before we went to bed.

All in all we could not have asked for a better Christmas. We have no plans for New Years as Justin has to work both New Years Eve and Day so it will just be me and kids. We will probably go out to dinner and just hang out at the house. Nothing too exciting!

I have enjoyed my Christmas vacation. I am somewhat ready to go back to work...mainly because I miss my kids and partly because the sooner it gets started the sooner it will be over :) I'm already looking forward to my next break--Spring Break in March and then the end of the year. I truly LOVE my job but I also truly LOVE my time home with my kids. Jyllian is anxiously awaiting the start of her school again. We are also thinking of putting her into dance this spring. Cohl has enjoyed being home with his mommy and daddy, but I think he will enjoy being back at daycare and getting the attention he gets from Andie.

Looking back on this past year we have had so many blessing, we can only hope 2009 will be just as good. We hope you all have a very blessed and wonderful 2009!

We love you!!!

Kylea, Justin, Jyllian and Cohl

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas! May you have a wonderful Christmas and blessed New Year!

Love,

Justin Kylea Jyllian and Cohl

Some Much Needed Pictures/Update

Hello. Once again its been awhile since I've posted anything about us so thought it was time. We are doing good. All of us are healthy at the moment so that is good--well I still have a terrible cough but feel fine otherwise. The kids are FINALLY healthy after being sick with one thing or another since the beginning of October!!! No I am not kidding. It was a LONG couple of months where they just continued to get some sort of bug right after another. It was awful. So I think we are on the up and up from all that.
Justin is staying super busy with work and everything else that goes with work. He enjoys his days off but it seems that even on his days off he is still having to do something for work. Poor guy...it just never seems to go away :) We are excited that he has some days off while I am on vacation from school.
I too am staying busy with work. Gosh am I every looking forward to Christmas Break!!! It really could not get here any sooner. Its been a long few weeks since Thanksgiving and the kids and I both need the break. I have so enjoyed my class so far though. I have a great group of Kindergartners!!! I am constantly amazed at the growth they are showing. I do have to admit that these kids show growth much more often than first graders. It seems like every week someone is doing somthing they couldnt the week before. So that is super exciting. I am loving it, but its time for a break :)
Jyllian is loving school! She goes to preschool two days a week. We just got her "report card" on Tuesday and she is doing awesome. She is such a smart little girl and such a sweetie. We are glad she is doing so great at school. She is also being busy at home by doing "school-work", constantly drawing, dancing and singing. She is anxiously awaiting Santa's arrival and is convinced she is getting a Swimming Baby from him....guess Santa and Mrs. Claus better make sure she has one of those under the tree Christmas morning :) She is a great big sister to Cohl and loves to feed him. I am pretty sure that more food gets on his bib then in his mouth but still its cute.
Cohl is growing growing growing. Holy cow can you believe he will be 8 months soon!!! I am still in shock over it. It really doesn't seem that long ago. It makes me sad. He still is not crawling...but does attempt to do so. He just gets mad and realizes he can roll and get to where he wants to go much faster. Its pretty comical watching him roll all over the place. He does love to sit up and stand. He still doesn't have any teeth either although there has been many times we've thought it could be any time now. He has been so miserable with it, but they just won't come through. He loves to laugh, and smile at us. It is too cute! We have to admit that he is pretty darn cute--but we are a little biased :)
Sooo I think that is about it. We hope that you are all doing wonderful!!! Keep checking as we will put up some pictures in the upcoming days of Christmas and all its festivities :)

Pray For Baby Kayleigh

Ok I'm asking for prayers for this poor family. I came across her story from being a part of a Baby Board where moms can chat with each other. I have been following their blog since Kayleigh was born in June. You can read the blog by clicking below, but in short this little girl who was supposed to be born with all these health problems, the Dr's tried to talk the parents into having an abortion. They chose not to, and ended up going into preterm labor and delievering Kayleigh very early. She weighed only a pound when born. She had the typcial struggles of a preemie, but none of the health problems the Drs said she would have. Yay God for proving them wrong!! She was doing awesome and was even going to get to come home and then a few days prior to getting to things started to go down hill, she recovered and was on the up, and now things are not good. They pretty much have this one last chance (as the Dr's say) and that is this new medicine which is pretty much the combination of all the medicines she has been on that have not worked, and if it doesn't work then she will not be able to survive. She has made it through so many struggles, and if she could just make through this one. I know that if it is God's will that he wants her to come home then that is what will happen, but they are asking for prayers and so I too am asking for your prayers. This family could sure use them!!

Thank You!

Family Tradition

Every year since Jyllian was born we have gone up in the Mtns and cut down a Christmas Tree. We continued our tradition this year and I am sure we will for many years to come. This year we decided to get a smaller/thinner tree than we have in the past, mainly so that we could have more room for presents. We definatly have a bigger house than we have had in the past few years but we went for a smaller tree. It took awhile to find the "perfect" one but we did indeed find it and we love it. Just what we were looking for. We will see what we find next year.While up there we were able to get some pretty cute pictures of the kids and us, as well as had some lunch in the snow :) Fun times... Hope you enjoy the pics!

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is a day to give thanks and boy are we thankful for so many things. Today as I sit and write this post I reflect on the all of the things that we are thankful for...
We are most importantly thankful for each other--Justin and I have been happily married for 4 almost 5 years and have been together for almost 8! Wow, it is hard to believe that it has gone by so quickly. We have had so many great times together and I think back about so many of them it brings a huge smile to my face. I can honestly say that Justin makes me a better person, a person who I have always wanted to be, and I can only hope that I do the same for him.
Two of the greatest times that we have had together is bringing out two little kiddos into this world! Wow to be parents is such an awesome thing. We are so thankful for Jyllian and Cohl. They really are two amazing kids. We are constantly amazed by what they are doing and learning and growing. We know that our life would not be complete without them.
We are thankful for our families. Although so many of them we do not get to see regularly we are thankful for all that they do for us and the times that we do get to spend with them. We would not be where we are today if it were not for them!
We are thankful for our health! Gosh there are so many people that we know that are sick right now, and not just with the every day sniffle. It really makes us realize how lucky we are to have a healthy family and we pray that those that we do know that are sick to get well!
We are thankful for our friends! You guys are amazing and so good to us.
And above all we are thankful for God, for he is the reason that we are here in the first place.
So we hope that you all have a wonderful thanksgiving and remember to look back and remember all of the things you are thankful for! Thank you for sharing our lives with us! We love you all!!!
Here are some pictures from today--Enjoy :)

Growing Baby....

Cohl is officially 6 months and as much as that makes me sad to say and think about...it is a very exciting and fun time in his life. There are just so many things that he is able to do right now! His new trick is continuous rolling to get to the place he wants to go. It is hillarious. He will also sit from time to time but mainly wants to be moving so rolling is his new thing.

We had his 6 month check-up actually on time this time and he is growing. He has grown 2 inches since his 4 month check putting him in the 30 %-tile for height and is just under 15 lbs so that puts him in the 10th %-tile for weight. Yay Cohl!!! We are just so happy with his growth and development.

Cohl just adores his sister and smiles and laughs every time he see's her. I know I know this will change one day but for now it is the cutest thing ever. Jyllian also adores her baby brother. She is always "helping" him by doing things for him. I have been trying to get Cohl to crawl as he is really attempting it and I will put a toy in front of him to get him to go for it and our little Jyllie-Bean being the big helper she is will just give it to him.

And so that completes this post! Our little boy is for sure growing and I am not too sure how that really makes me feel---glad that he is of course growing but sad because my baby boy is getting so big! *SIGH*

Halloween....

Another Halloween has come and gone. We had a wonderful day and night. Jyllian got to have TWO costumes. Yes she is spoiled! She was a princess (of course) and then she decided that she wanted a costume like Cohl's which was a puppy! So there you have it--two. We were lucky to find a puppy costume in her size-that was until I washed it and it shrunk but still it was cute. She wore her princess costume to her preschool party and later the night of Halloween trick or treating. Her party at school didn't turn out the best. Justin was gone to training in Idaho Falls so he was not able to attend her party. I took the morning off so that I could go but all she wanted to do was go home. She didn't want to take part in the games and I of course had to be right next to her side the entire time. Miss Kendra said it was very out of character for her... when the party was over I headed to work and Jyllian went to the babysitter. This was on Thursday the 30th; on Friday both her and Cohl went to the babysitter's. I picked her up as soon as I got off work and brought them home for naps before going trick-or-treating. We started off at the hospital and then hit a few houses around my mom's house before coming home to eat some dinner and wait for Justin to get home. Once he got home, Jyll changed into her princess costume and we went to the houses here on our street. We came home and handed out candy before going to bed. PHEW another Halloween come and gone! I can honestly say I am not that "into" Halloween, and I can tell that Jyllian enjoys dressing up but really isn't all that excited about the actual holiday. Maybe she will be more into it next year!?!?! And Mr. Cohl he was just happy that someone was holding him, he didn't care if he was dressed as a cute puppy or not! In someone's arms and he is happy :) So here's to Halloween~hope you had a great one.