Merry Christmas!

A Few Videos of Our Cute Kids

Eternal Family

We made it to the Mesa Temple on Saturday to have Lyla sealed to us for time and all eternity. It was a beautiful ceremony and I was happy to have several of my family members there to attend. Then Sunday Luke blessed Lyla in church…

so many family photos this month!

We feel so fortunate to know that we will be a family forever.

 

Reading at 3

Miles can read, or he’s fairly sure he can.

He likes to spell out the word for me before he says it.

“H” “U” “G” “G” “I” “E” “S”

and then he yells out, “WIPIES!”

or

“P” “H” “I” “L” “L” “I” “P” “S”

and yells, “LIGHTS!”

but my favorite is

 

“x” “h” “i” “l” “a” “r” “a” “t” “i” “o” “n”

and he calls out,

 “SHOES!”

Finalization

Officially Lyla is a member of our crew!

 

We finalized Lyla’s adoption in Judge Peuler’s cambers on Friday.

It went so smoothly. We are so very blessed.

We were lucky to get help with the kids from the judge, our attorney, and our agency’s representative. Lyla sat back in her stroller (a new side-by-side purchased just for this trip) and watched the proceedings. She was an angel. Miles was very much the little gentleman, and I only had to remind him 5 times to “shhh” while we answered all the questions. Masie was trouble… And nearly swallowed our representative’s beaded bracelet.

We gladly, gratefully, and teary-eyed agreed to take on all responsibility of Lyla’s future.

      

We spent the rest of our time in Park City relaxing and playing. (I know you’re all laughing at me. You really can relax with 3 kids… during naptime.) It was so cold. Friday morning was 7 degrees. It was too cold for the girls to be outside for longer than half an hour, but the boys went out and played for a couple hours each morning. Not enough snow to ski but just enough for a little sledding.

  

And my brother Taylor came to hang out with us. Love him!

 

Giving Thanks for My Family

Thanksgiving was great this year. I had all of my family to celebrate with… AND dinner was at my mom’s house just a few miles down the road from us.

I am so thankful for my husband, my kids, my mom, my brothers, and my sisters-in-law.

Here are our “best” poses:

          

Here are some candid shots: