Getting back on schedule from Christmas break

Getting back on some kind of schedule is always a challenge after being gone for a few weeks but I'm not much of a schedule stickler anyway!

We're just having fun eating, making lots of messes, which then require lots of baths, and hanging out!

Love my two stink bugs!

Colter was getting mad when Kell was eating strawberries and not sharing so I gave him his own bowl (he's mostly just been eating baby food) and he LOVED it! He was in heaven feeding himself at his own pace.

 And of course, Mckell is still just as messy as ever when it comes to eating! At least it's not a battle to get her to eat- just a lot of work to clean up afterwards from the chair to the floor to her clothes and her hair.... Oh well!

 These two have lots of fun in the bath together- they just laugh and giggle the whole time and I love it.

 And this little guy is shaping up to be quite the looker! Is that not a killer handsome picture below! I love it! Those big blue eyes and white blonde hair! Girls beware- I have a lady killer coming up!

Sick after traveling...

This little girl ALWAYS seems to be sick, especially before, during, and after trips. So we spent a week or so just watching movies and being lazy trying to get better after the holidays.

When she's sick, she insists on her cow pillow, blankets, binkie, sippy with chocolate milk, and a baggy with snacks- she's very particular! But whatever makes her happy, I'm glad to obligee!

 Even though we didn't get out much- of course this guy was still in good spirits, just happy to be him.

 And finally Kell started feeling better and had a burst of energy! She jumped and jumped FOREVER on her new tramp she got for Christmas. Glad she finally feels better!

 Blurry picture, but love these two kiddos. Colter is pulling himself up and starting to walk around the couch and he only started crawling a little over a week ago, he might just go straight to walking (hopefully not though!)

Colter is 8 Months Old!

This bug is a BIG boy! And I mean big! I think he already weighs like 20 lbs! And just look at those cheeks, bulging tummy and thighs and we love every single roll! Colter is such a sweetheart and such a chill little guy.  He is just happy and content observing and watching but..... He FINALLY started crawling! Literally the day we got back from Utah! And he is following in his sister's footsteps and is doing the army crawl! I don't know what it is with my kiddos but looks like I just grow army crawlers and not real crawlers! We'll see if he keeps it up like his sister and skips real crawling on all fours all together. 

We sure love you and are so blessed to have you in our family! You make everyone around you smile and melt there hearts! 

 And now that Colter is crawling- he tuckers himself out crawling around and getting into anything and everything he can get his little hands on! So precious!

Long drive home on New Year's Eve

Courtland was on call for work New Year's Eve and day so we had to make the 12 hour drive back to California sooner than I wanted.  The kids did great though considering and got caught up on a lot of missed sleep from the holidays as you can see below!

It definitely wasn't the ideal way to spend New Year's but at least we have jobs right! (even though with the hours Courtland has been putting in working on this IPO it doesn't seem to be worth it... it will in the end... or that's just what I keep telling myself "you can't be the pee wee/newbie forever"... hopefully)

Relaxing and hanging out!

Mckell had such a fun time playing with her cousins. Sophie was really nice and let Kell follow her around everywhere she went. Hopefully we'll all live close in a few years so our kids can grow up playing with their cousins and have them for best friends.

Watching a movie and eating treats- every kids dream!

Don't know what the faces are in this one!

 So funny, Mckell thought the stockings were really big socks and kept putting them on to wear around the house.

 Absolutely adore this picture (minus Colter sucking on Kell's purple binkie).

 Love her dark brown eyes- what a babe!

 Papa and Colter taking a snooze

 Countless hours spent in my mom's cute playroom

Christmas at the Astill's

After the Critchlow's we headed up to the Astill's for more Christmas fun. Carol made a fabulous dinner and of course more presents!

 We got their family 'ticket to ride' and Kell was happy to open it for them.

 I wish this picture wasn't fuzzy so you could see Colter's very excited grin!

 This was the PERFECT gift for him and I'm sure will be a favorite toy at our house. We don't have many boy specific toys so this is just what he needed! (only problem is getting Mckell to understand that it's not hers!)

 Colter playing xbox with uncle Andrew!

We had such a fun Christmas this year! The best part for me is just spending time with family- wish we lived in Utah so we could see them more often... one day!

Christmas morning at the Rabe's

We slept Christmas eve this year at my parents and woke up to find what santa had left for everyone.  This year was fun because Mckell understood a little better what was going on and had the time of her life!

 (Can't tell who's more excited... Kell or papa Rabe!?) haha

 Trying out her new bike- she probably won't get to use it much until summer but she thought it was pretty sweet!

 Every time you asked Mckell what santa was bringing her she would say, "my own trampoline and a new bike."  And since we definitely don't have room for a real tramp- this one will have to do until we can get a bigger one. (I highly recommend this present- it's the perfect energy sucker)

 And don't worry- Colter was having just as much fun as Kell!
This face says it all!

 Mckell had to help everyone else open their presents as well as her own!

 Doesn't this two year old just look like she's in heaven? Too much fun!

 And the ever curious Colter (almost 8 months old)

After opening presents, we quickly got ready and went to Bennett's blessing and then over to visit Grandma and Grandpa Critchlow.
I'm pretty in love with this little man- he's a mamma's boy for sure!

 Kell had fun pretending to be santa and in a marching band... It was the perfect morning!

Christmas Eve 2011

 Christmas Eve this year started out with the traditional brunch at my parent's house. It was as always delicious- my mother is the best cook (I should have been better at learning from her, I'm kicking myself now for not!) around!  Everyone was in town this year except for Jake and his cute family... hopefully next year! We missed you guys!

 

  After eating, we opened presents! Of course there was the traditional matching jammies and then we opened presents from each other.  We did a name exchange between the cousins this year that was especially fun!

 

Graham sporting his new push car 

 

Mckell of course had to open all of Colter's presents too! She was in heaven with all her new (and Colter's) presents! 

  

After presents we attempted a grandkid picture-

Mckell, Colter, Sophia, Bennett, Graham, and Malan

(missing: Nolan & Luke) 

 And then there was Settlers- pretty sure I was the winner. ha

Later in the day we went to the lights in Ogden, which I thought would be lots of fun but ended up being a bit of a disaster! We had the Astill's meet us there but 5 minutes after getting out of the car, Kell was screaming out of control because she was TOO cold. So the lights were VERY short lived... maybe next year!