Catch Up (Part 1) We had our family picture taken in March! I love having it done once a year so we can see the changes that have happened such as kids growing up and parents getting grey hair... at least we don't fall into the grey hair category YET!

The next addition to our family pictures next year will be our baby due in August! These ultrasound pictures were taken when i was 20 weeks along! That seems like ages ago! Like we said before we don't want to know what we are having so we didn't find out! I am now 25 weeks along and I am enjoying all the movement of this baby! I am sure whatever we have will be very active!

In March we had some beautiful weather and we took advantage of it! The sun was shining and it was warm BUT the mud was something else to deal with altogether as you can probably tell from Kaytlin's behind.

As promised from out December blog entries...my dad gave us wood for Christmas presents and we put them together in the living room and then took them outside! They were Adirondack chairs! I get to enjoy watching the kids play on the swing set while lounging away in our new chairs!

Part 2 will be following momentarily so be sure to check back!

Pregnancy

Well I am finally starting to feel and look pregnant! I am currently 19 weeks along which means... you guessed it my ultrasound is scheduled for later this month! Josh and I have decided we will not be finding out what we are having because we have things for both a girl and a boy! Take a minute and vote on the poll on the left hand side of our blog for whether you think we are going to have another boy or another girl! Either way I am super excited to add another little bundle of joy to our family! Brayden votes boy all the way and I don't think Kaytlin really has an idea about it yet!

I recently ordered some maternity pants because I was starting to feel the strain from my normal jeans! I absolutely love the maternity pants with the hidden belly! It sure makes things much more comfortable!

Within the next few weeks look for pictures posted to let you know how the ultrasound went and to see how big I have gotten for being half way through the pregnancy! Time sure flies!

So I was noticing it has been ages since I posted a blog entry and figured it was about time! So much to update everyone on!

Well the hustle from the Christmas season died down and then it was onto birthday Party Planning! Kaytlin turned 2!

The pans and cooking utensils were a huge hit! She plays with them continually and trys to help in the kitchen as often as she can!

Mmmm.... cake!

I love this picture of Brayden because of his big blue eyes!

Isn't she growing up! She isn't my baby girl any more!

Although some days she likes to think she is still a baby! I brought the carseat up from the basement to measure it for the Carseat Canopies I made!


Then at the end of January our new Nephew and Cousin Mason was born. We went down to Utah for Mandy's baby shower but instead of the shower got to hold new born baby Mason! It was certainly the high light of the trip! I took a few pictures while we were there to show Brayden and Kaytlin because they weren't allowed up at the hospital! Congrat's Anthony and Mandy!

Hope your January went well! Onto February updates!

December was Crazy!

At the beginning of December the kids set up our christmas tree! I must say they did a great job even if all the ornaments were on the bottom half of the tree.

On December 4th Kaytlin had ear surgery! Tubes were put in because she had a malfunctioning eustachian tube! I can't even imagine not being able to hear or hearing like you were wearing a hat and some ear muffs! We were at the hospital only about two hours and when all was said and done and we took her home she didn't even act like anything had happened! I have been amazed at the vocal changes that have been occuring just in this short amount of time! New words every day sure helps the frustration level around our home but she is still using a small amount of sign language which is just fine!

On December 14th we found out that we are expecting another Baby Dawson! I had expected so for a few weeks before the appointment was made but we officially found out on the 14th! I am due August 9th and I am hoping this baby doesn't get born on my birthday which is the 11th! I think it would be a great tribute to have it on the 18th but I am sure I will be miserable at that point and will wish it out at any time! The ultrasounds technician called it a blob which is very fitting from the pictures taken!

On December 16th Josh had sinus surgery! All of his sinus cavaties were cleaned out and any polyps that had formed from his last surgery were removed! This was a much more intense surgery than his previous two sinus surgeries. He seems to be doing fine and at his first follow up appointment the doctor took a whole bunch more crud out of his sinuses. I am glad I didn't go along to his appointment or i would have been grossed out!

The kids made sugar cookies for Santa Clause! Brayden wasn't to thrilled about the sticky mess it made on his hands but he did enjoy it! The best part for him was the frosting after they were cooked! Kaytlin just ate the dough and played with it. The majority of the dough we gave her was either put all over her clothes or in her mouth.

My dad made some awesome lawn chairs for us! We were assembling the chairs Christmas night before he took off the next morning so we knew how the others were to be assembled! They look so wonderful sitting in the lawn on all the snow but come summer I would suspect I will be using them alot! Anyone else interested in trying them out please feel free because they are so comfortable! I was telling Josh that he needs to put his swim suit on and go sit on them so I could take his picture and he thought I was nuts! Imagine that! The kids are thrilled to have Uncle Carl all moved in! I think he is a huge distraction for them but they are probably going to be for him as well. Next week he starts school at BYU Idaho so we probably won't see to much of him around here! The kids just enjoy having him here!Merry Christmas and Have a Happy New Year!

Are you "Busy"?

So on Sunday when I went to my welfare meeting there was a wonderful spiritual thought shared that has stuck with me and has made me think about what I do with my time! Satan wants to distract us from gaining hold of our Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout our days! How could he do that?

1. Keeping us busy with nonessentials of life and by inventing innumerable schemes to occupy our minds.

2. Tempt us to spend, spend, spend and borrow, borrow, borrow!

3. Pursuade wives to work long hours and husbands to work even longer so we can afford our empty lifestyles!

4. Keep us from spending time with our children. As our families fragment, our homes will no longer be an escape!

5. Overstimulate our minds so we can't hear the still small voice.

6. Involve us in gossip and small talk at our church meetings so we leave with troubled consciences.

7. Keep us busy busy busy!

We will croud our lives with so many good causes that there will be no time left to seek power from our Heavenly Father! Without His guidance and counsel we will work off our own strength, sacrifice our health and families for the good of the cause of Satan!

I guess the question is, has Satan been successful at his scheme?

You be the judge! Does BUSY mean...

B= Being

U=Under

S=Satan's

Y=Yoke

This certainly made me take notice of the things I tend to occupy my mind and time! Can we honestly say that we are not "Busy"? Everyone of us is busy with life but are we putting effort in reaturning to our Heavenly Father by filling our lives with reading our scriptures, having Family Home Evening, praying sincerily, attending our church meetings faithfully, reading the lessons before our church meetings to go better prepared, giving service to those in need, etc. Are we "busy" doing the things we need to be to return to live with Him again or are we "busy" doing things that Satan is tempting us with?

I would encourage any of you that read this to be better! Don't be so "busy" with your lives that you are neglecting the one area that needs it the most... the Spiritual Side! I will work at this as well this week! Good Luck and Be sure to let me know how it is going!

Halloween 2009

He loved Halloween!

Brayden is spiderman! He was more than willing to put the mask on to try the costume on but when Halloween came around he didn't want to! He certainly acted the part of spiderman well!

For our ward trunk-or-treat Josh came up with this wonderful idea to go as Noah and build a boat! We built the boat and found the animals to keep with the theme. The costume went together quickly because we had about a half hour before it started!

Kaytlin enjoyed Halloween as well but tired easily and got distracted quickly! The boys were climbing trees and Kaytlin wanted to join in but I wouldn't allow her to. I just couldn't resist this picture though!

The first hour we took Brayden around trick or treating Kaytlin slept in the car! She was exhausted and slept like a baby in the warm car while Brayden and Brenda walked in the cold! After her nap though she was rearing to go!

Happy Halloween!

Our New Front DoorWe had a wonderful contractor from our ward come and help us put in our new front door! He willingly put it in for a soda and candy bar! It looks amazing and I absolutely love the built in blinds which are very easy to use!

I won't miss our old door at all! A few weeks ago we opened it and couldn't get it shut. The whole bottom part of the door had bent in so we had a nice draft coming in! With winter coming on we needed to get this taken care of!

It turned out great! We just have a little bit of work to do to get the trim put back up!