Baby Blessing

     So, it feels like sitting down to blog is pretty much impossible these days.  I feel like I am always doing something that takes the place of blogging.  So, I get it in when I can.  I have been wanting to blog about our trip to Arizona for some time now.  We were able to go to the baby blessing of sweet baby Brynlee at the beginning of January…(oh my, that was two months ago now….aye-aye-aye!!)  
     Shonda and Jay were so nice to have us all out to their home for the weekend.  It's always a great time when we are all together as a family.  We were able to make it to icebergs…which seems to be becoming a Hancock tradition!  The milkshakes there are…well let me just say…HUGE!  Don't be deceived when you order a mini…it's still huge!  Shonda put on a really nice brunch for us on Sunday morning after the blessing, and it was delicious!  After that, we headed home.  It was a short weekend, but we wouldn't have missed it.  There's nothing like spending time with the ones you love!  (And I always love making the 5 hour drive…I have Kyle cornered…he has nowhere to escape to;)…. it's always a great time for a heart-to-heart!)

Grandma Jolene and Brynlee

Jay, Shonda, and Brynlee

Daddy and Brynlee

Papa Brad and Baby Brynlee

On our way home

a new addition

     Well, after months and months of talking about it, researching it, and dreaming about it...he finally did it.   Kyle bought a Jeep Wrangler.  I am really excited for him, and for our family.  He plans on taking us out on really neat Saturday adventures.  The kind where you just throw a cooler in the back and set off for the day and see where you end up.  This Saturday we are planning on taking the kids up to the snow in the mountains, which I think will be super fun.  Congratulations Kyle Jay!  Here's to the fun times we'll have in the jeep.  Let's make some memories!

P.s....he is so not a hard nose when buying a car(is he ever one really?)...lets just say, he needs to not worry about hurting the salesman's feelings when we try to find the best deal, bless his heart though. This is why I love him.  In the end, we were both pretty happy with what we got:)

His new ride

Emma Nemma Jo was really excited:)

 

sugar, spice and everything nice??

     I thought girls were supposed to be sugar, spice and everything nice.  Well, not my girl.  She seems to like the dirty stuff.  But, with a face that cute...I think she can get away with it.  She is my precious angel.  I am so grateful to be a mother, and to have been blessed with such a precious son and daughter.  Even though life can be messy....really messy....I wouldn't rather be anywhere else.  Motherhood is awesome!

Emma Jo

Lucy and Gray having a great time 

The most wonderful time of year

     What a wonderful Christmas we had this year!  Our christmas started on Monday night, the night before Christmas eve.  Kyle and I decided this year that we were going to do one full day with one family, and one full day with the other.  This year happened to be the Hancock's year for Christmas Eve, and so, for the first time in my life, I would not be going with my family to Knott's Berry Farm to get pictures with Santa.  I told Kyle that it was so important for me to get that picture, because I have these pictures dating back to my first Christmas as a baby, and I love to see the family change every year.  Now that I have my own family, the memories are more important than ever.  So we decided to go, just the four of us, the night before Christmas Eve.  It was a really fun night.  It was nice to do something just the four of us.  Oh, our picture turned out awful...but, I am still so grateful to have it for the memories.
     Christmas eve was really fun.  We woke up early to meet the Hancock family at breakfast at 8 am.  Who eats that early?  Just kidding.  We really wanted to be able to spend the whole day with them, so I am glad we got such an early start.  After breakfast we went back to their house to spend time together before heading up the hill to the Radmall Christmas Eve party.  Our kids, and lets be honest...the adults too, had a great time building gingerbread houses.  Grayson was so excited for the new power wheels jeep that he and Emma Jo got from Papa Brad and G.J..  We had a great time with the whole Radmall side that night, and were able to just enjoy time together as a family.
      We were all so excited to Christmas morning to come.  There is nothing quite like having kids and being so excited for them to wake up to what Santa brought them.  This year we were really excited because Santa Clause brought Grayson and Emma Jo a bounce house.  We could hardly wait for the kids to get up!  Grayson loved it...Emma Jo, not so much.  But I am sure she will when she gets a little bigger, and is able to contend with her brother.  
     Christmas morning is a big tradition in my family.  Every year, since I can remember, we have spent the night at my Oma's house and woke up early together to open presents.  I would say that this is my most favorite tradition.  I love waking up with everybody, and being able to share the excitement with my whole family.  This year was no different.  It was such a wonderful morning.  There were dozens of presents, and it was so fun to watch everyone open everything.  I personally love watching my family open the presents I got for them.  That is my favorite part.  I spend so much time thinking about what to get each of them, and it is so rewarding to see them open it up and be excited for it.  This year my big present to Kyle was a shotgun.  I was so sneaky, he had NO idea, and that made it all the more fun.  I was so, so excited to get a new camera, which prompted me to start blogging again, because I know I am going to take LOTS of pictures.  My sweet husband got the Ugg boots that I have been so excited for too.  
     That night Oma put on an amazing Christmas dinner (another tradition...we have lots of traditions).  Prime rib, twice baked potatoes, an amazing salad, cream corn, and homemade dinner rolls.  Mmmm...mmm!  It was delicious!  We all exchanged presents again that night for those who were not there Christmas morning.  After mingling together as a family all night, we retired our two CRABBY kids to bed.  They were absolutely worn out from all the fun, but it is so worth it.  I love Christmas time.  Until next year!

Gingerbread houses

Santa's Gift

Putting together presents

She's already a pro

So excited for my new camera

Kyle's surprise, keep us safe Ky

Dad and Ren

Boe and Guy

Eric and Lisa

Granny Goose and Guy

My mom and I

Papa 

Can hardly tear them open fast enough

Our Santa (Oma)....she hands out the presents every year

Teenager hanging out

The three little girls

delivery shoot

Has anyone else ever had a photographer in the delivery room with them?  

I was so blessed to be able to have my sweet aunt Laura in my labor and delivery room to document the whole experience.

At first, it seemed like it might be a little weird...being in pain and being photographed.  But, I must admit...I loved it.  

I was so grateful to just be able to enjoy the experience, and not have to worry about constantly asking someone to take pictures.  

Laura did a beautiful job.  I love being able to remember every detail.  I am the kind of person who has the whole thing video taped...just so I can watch in later, and actually enjoy it.  Sometimes in the moment, it's kind of hard to see the beauty of it all.

Laura definitely captured the beauty of this process.

I was so grateful to her for giving up her day to be there, so I can have these photo memories forever.

Thank you Laura.

Waiting for my epidural to be done

my beautiful mother

So relieved my epidural is working this time

My Mother in Law, Jolene

I think my body is pushing her out....maybe you want to check??

Practically running to the delivery room, the nurses didn't know if I was going to make it

I love this precious picture...it really is true love

So grateful to have both our mothers there to enjoy this special, sacred experience with us

Emma Jo, 12 pounds 7 ounces...born 10 minutes after I got into the room

cutting the cord

seeing her for the first time...my precious angel...is there a more beautiful sight than seeing your own sweet baby for the first time?

Congratulations

My mother is so special to me, I am so happy she was there to share this with us

My sweet Emma Jo really looking at her mommy for the first time