Year in Review

As we end another year (where does the time go?!), I always find it fun to reflect on our year through our pictures. I love seeing all the fun things we did and how much the kids have grown and learned. Here's to another great year!

Paul and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. We celebrated over spring break with a trip to NYC where we saw all the sights and took in a few shows.
Jaxon turned 3 and started preschool
Kade "graduated" preschool and started kindergarten. He learned to read and add.
Kylie & Bailey performed a lot. They did the Hunter High Silhouette dance clinic. They were in a class opera and had two dance recitals. They tried tumbling during the summer.
Kylie and Bailey are in the third grade now.
Kade learned to ride a two wheeler.
Kylie won first place in reflections art contest for her photo and Kade received honorable mention.
Paul got a promotion at work. He now manages a sales team.
We got a new SUV, we love our Honda Pilot.
Kade tried tumbling, basketball and soccer. So far Junior Jazz seems to be the favorite.
Paul did his first two sprint triathlons, and ran three half marathons: the Utah Valley, Moab and Tough Mudder (where he broke his toe).
Jaxon has mastered some key sounds in speech therapy and is really making progress.
Ran a 5k as a family
Bailey knitted a hat by herself for her doll.
Kade built a windmill with his dad.
We went camping in the Uintahs with sheep bahhing all night.
Jaxon got his first set of stitches.
Kade learned to shoot a gun.
Paul took me on two all expense paid vacations through work to Aruba and Bahamas.
We went to California for Christmas and surprised the kids with a day at Disneyland.
Saw two of our favorite families sealed to each other in the temple.
Survived another Chalmers family reunion and loved every minute of it.

American girl store

When Paul and I went to NYC last spring, we went to the American girl store and I've been dying to take Bailey and Kylie. Paul went back home today (flew back for work) so Nana and I took the girls and Jaxon to the LA store. The girls were in heaven and each spent the $50 they got from Great Grandma and Grandpa. They were in heaven!

Jaxon wasn't nearly as amused without all. He was bored the whole time. Dolls and their accessories are no fun to 3 year old boys apparently.

Kade spent the day with his Poppy and had a blast. They went to mcDonalds and to get a new remote control helicopter.

The girls think they are getting too old to let me do their hair and dress them matching anymore but luckily see two still love it.

Merry Christmas

Jaxon has been sick all week with a fever and cough. He hasn't eaten anything the past 24 hours and this morning he woke up puking. Luckily, it was the end of the sickies and we were able to open our Santa presents, eat a yummy breakfast then back to opening the rest of the gifts.

From Santa...

Santa Gifts: Bailey (Mini American Girl Doll & Clothes), Jaxon (Mickey Mouse Book Set), Kade (Lego Set) & Kylie (Mini American Girl Doll & Clothes) 

Books from Grandma & Grandpa Chalmers

From Great Grandmommy and John

From Aunt Amanda

We had a low key day with just us and Nana and Poppy. 

With the kids tucked in at the grandparents, Paul and I went to see Les Miserables for a late night movie... A great way to end a fantastic day.  

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, we did some shopping then headed over to uncle Jim and Aunt robins. Jaxon was running a fever and coughing horribly so Paul stayed home with him.

Aunt Robin gave the kids some fun crafts to do while the adults chatted. It was great getting all caught up. I had missed them all.

When we came home, we did all our Christmas Eve traditions. We opened Jammie's and sibling presents. This year:

• Kylie to Bailey: monster high doll
• Bailey to Kylie: princess Legos
• Kade to Jaxon: jake (and the neverland pirates) doll
• Jaxon to Kade: cars toy with app for the iPad

We put out milk and cookies & read Twas the night before Christmas. Then off to bed to wait for Santa.

Disneyland

Its been 5 years since we last went to Disneyland and this time was even more fun than last time. We rode rides, met Mickey, saw parades and fireworks and just had fun.

Some highlights...

Around the park, on Dumbo, Waiting for the Haunted Mansion, watching fireworks, toon town, Roger Rabbit ride, castles, etc.

The Christmas Parade. Kade wanted a picture of each character. Kylie loved waving to everyone. She was waving so big, the reindeer came up and kissed her hands. She was thrilled.

All Jaxon wanted was to go in Mickeys house and meet him. After an hour wait, the boys got to hug and meet Mickey. He was thrilled but a little scared. He didn't expect him to be so big hence why he's not standing by him. He was actually inching away when the close up was shot.

An early Christmas present

For Christmas, we planned to bring the kids to California to visit Nana and Poppy (Marcia's parents). Once we got here, we gave them some Disney apparel and told them to guess what it was that we were doing.

Afterwards, we went to dinner then headed to Anaheim to the hotel. They were completely surprised. It was the most fun! The girls slept in my parents hotel room, the boys in ours. They had a whole queen bed but still were cuddled up. Both were asleep before we got there. The hotel was just a couple blocks from Disneyland, it was perfect! We woke up early, had breakfast at Dennys then Poppy dropped us off at the tram for a day of Disney.

On the road to Cali

We've been looking forward to a warm Christmas, escaping the snow of Utah for some California sunshine. This is our view on our way out of town...

After paul got off work at 5:30, we drove until Mesquite, NV. After 6 hours in the car, and it's way past all of our bedtimes but these 4 don't seem to realize it. We turned them sideways on a queen bed so they could all fit!

The next morning we finished the last leg to California. We made it around 2 pm. It's supposed to rain most of the time. But Rainbows instead of snow on Christmas... we can live with that! It's going to be a great week!

3rd Grade Christmas Party

Winter Dance Recital

The girls performed in their winter dance concert to "Jingle Bell Rock." Aunt Jenni and her boys came to watch. Kylie and Bailey did great. They are still loving it!

Afterwards, the whole family came over for dinner. Larry was in town and the boys went snowboarding all day and it was a great excuse to get together.

Jaxon Walmart Nap

When jaxon is tired he can pretty much sleep anywhere anyplace. Today we had a million things to do. We had to shop for our ward party,setup for the party, go to the party, kades basketball practice plus fitting in homework. Jaxon desperately needed a nap so one minute I looked down to find him asleep sitting up 😳 funny kid.

Father/Son Jazz Game

When we signed kade up for basketball, they gave him 2 tickets to the Jazz vs. Clippers game. Paul thought it would be fun to make a night out of it. He and kade took tracks, got some dinner and went to the game. Kade loved it but wanted to leave after halftime.

Jr Jazz Begins

Kade started basketball today with jr. Jazz it's an instructional league where they teach fundamentals during practice then ref on those during the game Saturday.

For the 1st practice, Paul had to work late so I brought all four kids. They entertained themselves with practicing dribbling.

Reflections winners

This morning was the Parents and Pastries at the elementary school. Both Paul and I went to read stories and eat donuts with Kylie, Bailey & Kade (Jaxon was along for the ride).

Then we stayed for the reflections awards ceremony. Kylie won 1st place in Photography and Kade won honorable mention for 3d art. We are so proud of them and their hard work.

Big Wheels

Jaxons very most favorite thing is to be outside riding his big wheel. I came home to this adorable face on a warm sunny November afternoon. ❤

It's beginning to look like Christmas

This year we decorated for Christmas on Saturday in our jammies listening to Christmas music. There were 6 boxes, two trees and we spent hours putting it all up. But we loved every minute. It's really beginning to look like Christmas around our home!

Happy Thanksgiving

This year we hosted Thanksgiving for 24 people at our house. Pauls brothers(scott, Kent and Keith) and their families, his sister Kims family and Ken and Rick(his sister Jenni's boys) were all there. It was craziness but so much fun!

Silly Putty+Kade=Disaster

I love technology especially on days like today when Kade got silly putty in his hair and eyebrows. How does that even happen? I don't even think he knows. Obviously this has happened to other people (glad we're not the only ones) and we now know the answer to getting it out is nail polish remover. Poor Kade, he thought he was going to be in big trouble, hence the sad face.

So much snow

Our first real snow storm came this weekend. It came after more than a week of weather in the 70s. 

The kids were DYING to play in it but had outgrown their boots (except Jaxon) so this morning I went and searched for some. There wasn't much to choose from but luckily I was able to find them each some and Kylie some gloves (which were lost last winter at school). They had a blast! Then we made some hot chocolate. This is the best part of living where there's snow. 

Bahamas Getaway

We are very fortunate for Paul to have the job he does. He's a hard worker and recently earned a Super Start Vacation in the Bahamas for the two of us. He was in the top three sales people in his division for hte first quarter. We left on Wednesday night and came home Sunday night. With Hurricane Sandy, our original flight was cancelled (the layover was in NYC) but luckily his company travel agent was quick and found us another flight. Some others had much longer flights. Ours wasn't too bad. We left at 1am MST and got there at 1pm EST.

The resort, Atlantis, was amazing. We had access to the Atlantis water park with 11 swimming areas, 11 water slides, two Lazy River Rides, our protected Paradise Lagoon, The Dig, the Predator's Lagoon, all of our marine life habitats, and the ocean beach area. We also got to swim with the dolphins (hands down my favorite) and go on a catamaran and snorkel.

It was a great vacation that was much needed for the both of us.

Happy Halloween

Halloween was a bit unusual for us this year since Paul and I caught a flight to the Bahamas at midnight but we still had all our normal Halloween activities. We dressed up.

Kylie & Bailey: Fairies (made by Nana w/ matching doll costumes)

Kade: Swat team member (From Costco; Uncle Kent let him borrow his real handcuffs) 

Jaxon: Air Force Guy(From Costco; he loved the bee on it. Bees are his obsession lately)

We went to our ward trunk or treat then had stew for dinner. Then Cindy and I took them trick or treating around the neighborhood since it was so warm. 

Carving Pumpkins

Nana and Poppy came to spend Halloween with us and then to watch the kids while we went to the Bahamas for Paul's work. The first night they were there, we carved pumpkins. As a kid, I always remember my dad's artistic pumpkin skills. The best was when he painted Garfield and Odie. This year he helped hte kids created just what they wanted. I wish I had taken pictures of it.

 Afterwards Nana and Poppy gave the kids some halloween presents. The girls got their American Girl dolls matching costumes.