The Spaulding Way

After living with Linda and Ron for a little over a year we were finally about to find a little place of our own. We needed it desperately and the Lord blessed us just as I was about to break. (Actually I think I had already broke but supposedly that just makes you stronger, or at least that is what they say. I am still trying to see how it made me stronger.) Anyway, we were thrilled and filled with some hope as we found a little home a block away from Jeff's work and two blocks from my work. We signed the lease Jan 4th. We really didn't want to move until the end of the month, financially that is what we planned for, so we slowly moved our stuff in from storage and then completely moved in at the end of the month. It worked out well because then as CJ and I went over several times a week to empty all our boxes of storage he was able to get used to the "new house" (he still calls it that to this day) :) He was so happy to have all his toys back from storage. He would play for hours as I cleaned and emptied boxes. I was so happy as well to have "my stuff" back. A few things got ruined or broken from the move or from being in storage and heat for so long but for the most part I was surprised that our stuff was okay. CJ loved having a an actual room and not a laundry room. (although we are very grateful he had a room at all) I loved setting up all my office/craft area in the house, although also very tiny, but still love to have all my craft stuff back and a place to fill my creative needs. It is so nice to be so close to Jeff's work since we only have one car. Jeff walks to work and is able to come home during his lunch break. Life is good and we can get back to being the family we use to be. We are so grateful that we have such a loving family that help support us and be there for us when we needed it. Life brings hurricanes and a loving and supportive family is much appreciated to help us weather these storms.

Our home. Don't let the picture fool you. It doesn't go back to that fence. There is another house behind us. We don't have a backyard which is my biggest disappointment. CJ loves and needs the outdoors! We will only be in this house until the end of the year though. We will then find something a little bigger and in a little bit better neighborhood. :)

 Preschool is going very well for CJ. It is still a roller coaster but he has come soooo far! His teachers are the best! I love when Miss Heather sends me pictures of his smiling face as preschool.

Silly boy

Aunt Jennie gave us their old piano, from before the fire, and we are so happy so have it! Thank you! I haven't had a piano in my home since I lived with my parents. I haven't been able to play consistently since then as well. I have become VERY rusty, it is discouraging, but I am excited to work on that talent again and fill my emotional need for music once again. I also am excited to have CJ be able to play on it and hopefully have the desire to learn more and more.

My two favorite silly boys!

December was really fun with CJ this year. Something clicked in his mind and he suddenly understood who Santa was and all things that went along with Santa. He loved doing anything Christmas related. You say the word presents, party or Santa and he got soooo excited! After watching some a Mickey Mouse Christmas movie CJ tells me he wants Santa to bring him a blue truck. He stuck with that for the whole month of December.

Our traditional (minus last year) Bass Pro Shop picture with Santa. Last year he was terrified and we knew he would never get near Santa so we decided not to torture him. This year everything about Christmas clicked with CJ. He was gobbling up every ounce of the Christmas holiday. He was so excited to go see Santa and tell him he wanted a blue truck.

CJ loved turning on the Christmas tree lights. I love this picture as he gently holds the ornament in his hand and looks at it. This was the "fancy" tree in Mamaw's living room and he was very gentle this year with the ornaments.

At our ward Christmas party Pop Pops dressed up at Santa. CJ didn't know he was going to be Santa. CJ was so excited to see Santa as he stood in line for a couple of minutes. When it was his turn he ran up to Santa and hopped in his lap. CJ then looks at Santa and starts laughing. He says softly, "Pop Pops" and then couldn't stop smiling. He told Santa he wanted a blue truck for Christmas and the photographer got this great picture. I was so happy they had someone kindly taking pictures because I thought I was video taping this all but it turns out I had pushed the button twice and so it didn't record. :(  The whole time at the party he kept telling everyone who passed by him "Merry Christmas" It was adorable. It is really fun to see him get so excited about these things!

Jeff's work Christmas party was really fun. We ate delicious food from Olive Garden and I laughed so hard I cried during an exciting game of White Elephant. There was some intense fighting over some Star Wars stuff and a fight for Jeff to end up with the BYU fanny pack. Jeff works with some really great people and we are so grateful to his boss, Kyle, that Jeff has a job he loves!

No Christmas season is complete without a gingerbread house full of candy.

I debated whether or not to get CJ the traditional jammies for Christmas Eve. CJ was going through a phase of hating jammies. He would not wear anything resembling jammies to bed. He slept in "clothes" aka sweat pants and a t-shirt. I wasn't going to get some for him but then I found these McQueen jammies in a closet of mine that I had bought the previous year a size bigger. I realized that they now would fit him. I decided since I already had them it would be no loss if he didn't want to wear them. To my surprise when he opened them Christmas Eve he was beyond thrilled!! He put them on immediately and kept saying over and over, "Thank you" and "Merry Christmas."

We had so much fun Christmas morning. He was such fun to watch. We took a couple hours as we would play with a lot of the toys before opening another. His favorites were, of course, the blue truck from Santa and then he loved his paw patrol things. A close second was Toss the Pig from Mamaw and Pop Pops! You pass the big and it eventually burps. CJ thought this was the best game ever. He couldn't stop laughing, I mean fall over, couldn't hardly breath laughing.

Mamaw and Pop Pops also got CJ this track with cars that went around the track by themselves. CJ sat and played this for hours on Christmas Day.

Christmas dinner was over at Aunt Jenni's house. CJ got this Paw Patrol Saves Christmas book from the Silcox's and we read that book dozen's of times over the next few months. I love this picture of Jeff reading to CJ and his cousin Clara.

Standford has a beautiful stadium!

At the last minute I decided CJ and I would take a road trip for Thanksgiving. I needed to getaway and take a little adventure. I was nearing the end of my last semester taking online classes and it had been a year since we moved from VA beach and had been living with my in-laws. I was barely surviving and needed to get away for a few days and forget about all of that. My parents were taking some kiddos down to Steve and Jenna's house in Mesa for Thanksgiving and Jenna invited us to come as well. It was a great few days! We drove to Jennifer's in Henderson and spent a day there and then drove the rest of the way to Mesa in my mom's car with Karissa, Keyana and Kaden. My dad, Kenzi and TayLynn met us in Mesa the next day. It was a so much fun to see family and visit with Jenna. I had never been to their house and hadn't spent much time with Jenna ever. It was a great Thanksgiving.

Karissa took great care of CJ in the car. Here she is holding her jacket against the window to block the sun from CJ's face and she gave him her stuffed animals to hold and put his blanket over his legs. She is the best!

A beautiful Mesa sunset

Kenzi and TayLynn making the turkey name card holders for Thanksgiving dinner.

Keyana coloring her thanksgiving picture perfectly

Karissa waiting for a yummy feast

Jenna and Mom made the best Thankgiving dinner I have had in a long time. I need Jenna's recipes ASAP!

The pie line up. The first one is a pumpkin cheesecake that was to die for. I hate pumpkin pie but for some reason this cheesecake Jenna made was the best thing ever!

The day after Thanksgiving we went to fun children's museum. The theme for the month was trains. CJ was in heaven!

Grandpa and CJ snuggling while CJ "played" the Wii. AKA Kaden played while CJ thought he was playing. :)

Brushing the goat at the SF zoo

Here is CJ marching very enthusiastically in his preschool Halloween parade. He refused to wear his costume to preschool. I think it made him anxious/embarrassed to wear his costume to a place with so many people/friends. He had a great day doing Halloween activities at school and loved the parade though.