Critchlow side Christmas party!

One of my favorite get togethers is with my Mom's side of the family. I grew up spending a lot of time with those cousins and so I look forward to seeing them all again and catching up!  This year the party was at my uncle Cliff's gorgeous cabin/house and we had a blast.

Love Courtland's face! ha

 gift exchange for the kiddos

 Mckell actually loved her present, which I think was supposed to be in the adult white elephants. The things that make our kids happy- love it!

Can't wait until the next get together with the Critchlow side!

night out with my girlfriends

Every year we draw names and do a gift exchange. I've been friends with these girls since around 3rd grade? Love them to pieces and know we'll be friends for life!

We first went to 'color me mine' and painted a mug, then went to Texas Roadhouse (YUM!), then to Cassi's to exchange gifts and stay out way too late.. as usual! Whenever we have girls nights we always end up staying until the wee hours of the morning- so fun! Love, Love, LOVE these girls!

Showing off our mugs- Chodi, Ali, Rachael, Me, & Cassi.

Astill side Christmas party

Our first party in Utah was with the Astill side. Kell had a blast running around the gym with some of the other kids and of course playing with G&G Astill!

For one of the games the kids tied up grandpa.

Then they did a gift exchange.

We had a great time at the party- LOVE this time of year and spending so much time with family!

Taylor & Sunda are hitched!!

We are so SO excited and happy for Taylor and Sunda who got hitched and gave us a reason to come back early for Christmas to Utah.  Taylor is Courtland's best friend from high school and my favorite of his friends. And now I like him even more that I can talk and hang out with Sunda instead of always being with the boys! haha Congrats you two! Can't wait for the many good times we have ahead of us!

Courtland giving his best man speech.

Their high school gang back together.

I got to go home to Utah extra early for Christmas (we drove to Utah so I'd have a car but Courtland could only stay a few days before heading back to Cali for work while the kids and I stayed and hung out with family). I love December and the holidays!

ward x-mas party

Right before we left for Utah our ward had a Christmas party.

As you can tell, Colter didn't know what to make of this bearded man and Mckell was fine just a little apprehensive.  We're really starting to get into our ward here in Belmont, CA and feeling more comfortable. Who knew! I might just like it here.... well rephrase, be OK here!

 While trying to pack and get everything in order to leave for Utah- these two munchkins got into all sorts of trouble. Can't you just see the mischief in their eyes?! They got into the paper shredder garbage and spread it out all over our apartment! Stinkers!

But we are all packed up and ready to go! UTAH here we come!!!

Lately...

It has been pretty exhausting around our house this past month or so and I cannot wait until I can finally go back to Utah for Christmas! I'm definitely feeling homesick and ready for some familiar faces.  Courtland has been working around the clock on an IPO and studying in any spare time he has, which means he's exhausted and so am I with no breaks from the kiddos. Most weeks he only sees them and sometimes even me on Sundays- this accounting is madness and I'm SO glad I decided not to work. So me and the kids have been trying to find ways to entertain ourselves, and I've been desperately trying to make new friends in our ward (such a new concept for me- I never thought at 26 I'd be desperate to make friends! ha). 

We live right next to a trail that leads up to this little lake- Kell's favorite is the ducks of course and riding through the 'jungle'.

I had to do training one afternoon so Courtland made his work let him take a couple hours off and took the kids to chucky cheese. This was some much needed daddy time!

Mckell  is very into making sure she has all her accessories before going out!

Mommy love! (definitely not my best pictures, ha! I've found I have absolutely NO desire to get ready on a daily basis when I see no one, not even my husband...) Do my kids look like me at ALL? I'm thinking I only see their daddy... maybe #3 will? And NO that's not an announcement of any kind- we're on hold in the kid department! haha

Sibling love! They really are so cute together, I can tell they are going to be best friends!

And of course we've been going to the park A LOT. They both love the swings. This park is at the Library so we read lots of books as well. Every time we get to the park Mckell announces to everyone there, "Hi guys, I'm here!" and goes up to the other kids and says "you're a nice friend, want to play?" It's pretty hilarious and she gets lots of laughs.

And store runs... even though we really don't need to get anything, we just have to get out of the house and they like riding together in these kind of carts.

Colter is now 7 months! Such a sweet little guy. I don't know how I got so LUCKY to have such sweet, chill, easy-ish babies.  Guess someone just knows I need it to keep my sanity. (and that's a compliment to all you other mommies who have harder babies- guess that means you're able to handle more, don't know if I could do it!)

He LOVES tub time, especially with his sister which I don't know why because she usually just tortures him but he just laughs at anything she does.

And this is Courtland- so exhausted! ha yes, he's sleeping! He has been such a hard worker and I'm so grateful for all he does for our family!
Love you babe!

On Sunday I made Courtland take the kiddos on a walk so I could get some control back on our apartment- it had become a complete DISASTER with me just managing to get by day to day- (again I don't know how you mommies manage to stay home with your kids all day, cook, clean, and everything else- keeping your homes in order. Mine falls apart when I have no help for weeks). Even just the hour they were gone I felt like I got A TON done. And Courtland must have the touch because they were both passed out when he got back enabling me to have even more time to tidy up!

Mckell's first time to the barber shop!

I finally decided it was TIME to take Mckell in for her first official haircut. I've been trimming her hair and bangs for a while now but it was time to take her to a professional. She does NOT like her hair to be touched even when I bride her with absolutely everything I can think of so I was a bit nervous to see how she would respond.

These are the before pictures, straggly and uneven hair...

She was shockingly amazingly good the entire time! The lady grabbed her by the hand and took her away without any complaints. She sat in the chair without making a single peep and I was mystified! I thought for sure she would resist with everything in her but instead she just looked almost terrified the whole time. I didn't want to say anything to her because I thought she might burst out in tears at any moment, especially when the blow dryer was brought out. But to my surprise, she sat entirely still the whole time.  Yeah for Kell!

 And the after- so stinkin cute! Of course she had to have a sucker after for being such a good girl. We chopped off about two inches of baby hair and it makes me a little sad because now she looks like such a big girl and so much older!

This haircut is perfect for her because her hair is stick straight like mine and so it just air dries and looks gorgeous with no flat iron or upkeep needed. 

(crazy how her hair almost looks like it was colored because her roots are coming in darker)

Love my baby girl but hate that she's getting and looking so much older!

trouble on my hands

This little girl is what I call TROUBLE! ha! She is getting to be a little mischievous stinker! Leaving messes EVERYWHERE she goes... I guess she can't be the only one to blame though right? Isn't that what being a parent is about- teaching and disciplining or something like that... guess it's time to step up my parenting!

 She might look sweet and innocent but you turn your back for 2 minutes and find this...

 Permanent marker and ink pad all OVER- on the computer, walls, table, clothes, camera... But thank you google for suggesting toothpaste! It came right off with the pearly white goup! Guess I need to keep a better eye on my 2-year-old or what people refer to as the terrible twos! 

6 months and trying new things

My little nugget is 6 months old! Such a happy guy and full of love for his mommy. Can't believe he's getting so big. He's such a handsome little guy and I could sit and snuggle him all day long.. that is if he or Kell would let me! ha I sure love you Colter!

He's sitting up pretty well now- not completely sturdy, but getting there.

 He loves jumping in this activity center and his johny jumper- keeps him entertained for a good while.

 And I finally decided to start him on baby food, my nursing him just isn't enough anymore and he DEMANDS more! Every time anyone is eating anything he just stares and looks so sad like he wants a bite SO bad. We tried rice cereal first- not too much of a hit. Here's his first bite...

and right back out it came

of course Mckell had to help out

So a few days later we tried green beans and...

he ended up loving them!

Mckell didn't like rice cereal either and went right for actual baby food and Colter is the same. He's getting better at eating and swallowing and he LOVES having something different to eat. His favorite though are the flavored puff star things (which Kell never liked), he could eat those all day long and prefers them to baby food.

Happy 6 months Colter! So blessed you're a part of our growing family! We love you!

...now I just need to find you a new pediatrician and get your well check up done... hmmm