McBride Side of Life: 2010

Monday, December 27, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Christmas' with little kids cannot be beat and we had so much fun this year with our holiday celebrating. One of the highlights leading up to Christmas was an activity my mom put together called the Amazing Christmas Race. In teams we raced to several stations that included:

Dressing up (Chloe as a pregnant Mary) and traveling a path to Bethlehem

and counting out our taxes in the form of corn kernalsWe also followed a yarn path to find the star, sang Away In the Manger, and each wrote something that makes us grateful for our Savior.
The completion of each task was rewarded with puzzles that when put together followed the scriptural account of the birth of the Savior. I know this required a lot of work, but we had so much fun and enjoyed celebrating the real reason we celebrate. Christmas seemed to come fast this year, which is surprising because of the amount of times daily I was asked when it would finally get here. Despite their conviction that the day would never come, they did finally wake up to find it was finally here!

We enjoyed spending a portion of the day with family and are grateful for all the gifts we received

We, as well as our house, have yet to recover from Christmas fun and the kids already are asking when it will be Christmas again.

The present I am most grateful for? My beautiful family - I could never want for anything more!

Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Grandparents

Grandparents. The very word make me happy. I think of fun times with my own grandparents. Looking forward to the first flight on my own to visit the Hubbard grandparents in Texas. Riding in golf carts and watching lightning with the Johanson grandparents in Georgia. Christmas Eves with a visit from Santa and the nativity. Cereal for breakfast Sundays were a favorite with Grandpa Hubbard, the vacuum at Grandma Johanson's, not so much. My memories are endless and the love I felt has always stuck with me.

I consider it a blessing that my children get to know their Great-Grandparents, and GREAT they truly are. Both sets live out of state and yet my kids know them because of the time they have taken to visit us and be a part of the things that happen in our lives. On the most recent visit we got to see both the Johanson and Hubbard grandparents during Thanksgiving. I am kicking myself for not getting a picture of my kids with the Johanson side, but was glad that my sister Amy was able to snap a few pictures of my kids with the Hubbard side. This trip wasn't the most fun for them as Grandma had to have emergency surgery on Thanksgiving day, but we were grateful for the visits we got to have. I love all my grandparents so much.

Grandpa Johanson above

Grandpa & Grandma Hubbard belowWhen I think of my memories of being a kid and look at our parents with my kids, I know that they are having the same experience that I had - creating memories that are filled with love. My kids love the very mention of getting to do anything with either set of grandparents and I am grateful for the legacy of loving examples that are in my family that hopefully someday will continue through me.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Piglets and Polka Dots

Scene: My family room, 2:30 am. Nothing of value is on the TV and yet I'm awake, feeding my hungry child. As delirium begins to set in, my mind starts to ramble, and it is then, in a flash of genius, that I create my own joke. Feeling pretty proud of myself, and sure that Laffy Taffy will want to publish it on their next set of candy wrappers, the next morning I decide to tell Joe my brilliantly corny creation.

"What would happen if pigs could fly?" His response: "I don't know, what?"
Laughing, I respond "The bacon would be out of this world!"

Ahahahahaha. Wait - Joe is not laughing. Instead he shakes his head at me and tells me that I should never ever share the joke with anyone ever again, that's how bad it is. So what do I do? Tell it at a Christmas party, embarrassing him, and post it on my blog, so it will forever be remembered.

The other night, Chloe and I painted our nails. We had fun. Each finger got a different color and we added polka dots to finish off the look. Chloe was so proud of her pretty nails that she wants to invite all her friends over to have their's painted too. See, some of the stuff I come up with actually is cool!

I can't finish my post without a picture of my two favorite boys. One who likes to scowl and the other who has finally learned how to smile. I'll let you pick which is which. (Oh I crack myself up)

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Gifts & Blessings

I love this time of year where I get to think about all the things I'm grateful for and all the gifts I've been blessed with in my life.

I am grateful for the gift of being a mother, for having children that make me laugh (and sometimes cry), and for getting to be a part of their lives.

I am grateful for the gift of love. I love my children, they love each other, and we all love their dad

I am grateful for the gift of sleep, even if I'm not always the one getting it.

I am grateful for the gift of the gospel and the many blessings I experience as a result of having it in my life.
I am grateful for the gift of a worthy, righteous husband and for his opportunity to bless our sweet, healthy Adam this past Sunday.

I am grateful for the gift of family who took time to be with us and share our day.
I am grateful for the gift of having a testimony and for the opportunity to share it - even if it isn't often enough
I am grateful for the gift of peace, that when Adam's blessing shirt went awol I was able to see the bigger picture and realize that only having a onsie under one's vest doesn't negate the words and spirit of a blessing.
I am grateful for the gift my Savior gave in coming to this Earth, living perfectly, atoning for my (and all of our) sins, and giving His life so that I could be the recipient of so many gifts.
In a time when the receiving of temporal gifts often overshadows the true reason we celebrate, I am grateful for my eternal gifts to know that all the gifts I receive are blessings from a loving Heavenly Father and that I can never repay all I have been given.
I am grateful that I know that doesn't mean I shouldn't try.

Our first (although blurry) family picture

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

For Crying Out Loud

Today Adam is 8.5 lbs and three months old. I can't believe we are already a quarter of the way through his first year. Just the other day I was thinking about how cute his little newborn cry was and wondering how much longer it would last. It seemed like the very next day when I noticed that it is changing and that it is getting louder and sometimes just a little bit angrier. I am looking forward to Adam coming out of his newborn phase. Most babies by now are smiling and responding to people around them. True to what we have been told, Adam is not quite there yet.

Friday night it was just Adam and I together. Chloe and Noah got to spend the night at Grandma and Grandpa Hubbard's house, and Joe had to work. I enjoyed getting to just focus on him and to play around a little. I took several pictures, most of them looked like this, with Adam looking up at lights, but I was glad when finally did get one of him looking at the camera. How Friday night entertainment changes when you are a mom!

Some of the time Adam and I spend together takes place in the middle of the night. I am hoping this changes soon, allowing us both to get more consecutive hours of sleep, but it is what it is. This same Friday night I was glad to be up feeding the little man at 2:00am. Why would anyone be glad for that? I believe it's better to be awake than to be awoken when a fire alarm goes off in your house. Freaked. me. out. I still don't know why it went off. What I do know is that this is another reason I am grateful to live in the city in which Joe works. After seeing that there was no obvious sign of fire, I was able to call Joe and have him come to check things out along with some very nice firemen. No fire, no carbon monoxide, and still no answers as to why it went off.

Chloe invited us to her first parent day of the school year. Last year she got shy on us and refused to sing when we were there. This year she was one of the loudest. I was so proud of her. She is doing so well in preschool and loving every minute

Here is Chloe introducing herself and telling the parents what she is grateful for.

Whistling to a song. So cute

For a recent family home evening, we decided to bake donuts for dessert. We had a great time making them together. My kids have asked to make them again every day since.

We are currently warming Noah to the idea of potty training. I really want him to want to do this, but I also just want him to do it whether he wants to or not. Last week, Joe got sick of changing Noah's third dirty diaper of the day and decided it was time to try the big boy Cars underwear we had been trying to get him excited about. He was excited to put them on, but was crying soon after about wanting the diaper. We were on the verge of crying too when a lack of diaper resulted in messes on a rug, on the carpet, and in the shower. There's not much else to say after that.

Life continues to be an adventure and I couldn't think of a cuter group to go along on it with!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Over the River and Through the Woods

I can't believe a year has past since we moved to our new home. In some ways it feels like it's been just a matter of days, and in some ways it feels as though we've always been here.

I would love to say that I have my house completely put together the way I want, but truth be told, I still have a few things on the floor waiting for me to decide where to hang them. One of these days, I will finish and post pictures, today is not that day.

In thinking of the past year, full of many ups mixed with a few downs, I wanted to record some of my favorite things about living here.

First is the view from my house. I love the beautiful view we have of the mountains (however, I'm not loving the snow topping the mountains quite as much). I love sitting out with the kids are they play and being able to see beauty all around me.

I also love our neighborhood. There are not words to describe how much I appreciate how warmly we have been welcomed to this ward and area. There is a great mix of people our age and personality along with kids similiar ages to ours. In this respect more than any other I feel like we have been here forever with these people, our friends.
I love that we have space to grow in our home. We are slowly but surely finishing the basement and I can't wait for the memories we will continue to create.

I love that we live on a quiet road. The design of the neighborhood is such that really, unless you are going to a house on the street, there is no need to drive down it.

I love that Joe lives in the city he works. That he can come home for lunch has been so so so nice.

I love that to get to our house, we get to go through "the woods" as my kids say. Everytime I drive this road I enjoy how beautiful it is

"Hello river!" is a phrase that wouldn't complete our journeys along this road as my kid's excitement to cross the bridge still hasn't faded. I love crossing the river daily and love that it lays at the end of our road to enjoy walks and bike rides along, or to justhave fun wading into it's flowing waters.

In a season of gratitude, I am beyond grateful to live where I do. There are moments that I think, and sometimes Chloe expresses, that we miss our "old home." Not seeing good friends as often is the hardest thing, but being here surrounded in beauty, comfort, and new friendships, is a blessing I wouldn't trade.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

What's In A Name

Today I should be large, uncomfortable, and ready to give birth. I should be wishing I could to go to the hospital to get induced like I was with Chloe and Noah. I should be packing hospital bags and readying my kids for the change that is about to occur. Instead I sit and stare at my beautiful 10 week and 1 day old baby and it's hard to believe I have finally arrived at the day he was due to arrive. After a crazy pregnancy and following an even crazier 24 hours, Adam entered the world and while those that read this may be tired of hearing all that is related to this experience, these posts are for record keeping and I want to record and remember all that I can from this time in our family's life.

Adam. I am aware that we have two children with obvious biblical names. Adam and Noah were wonderful leaders in the creation of the world and the time of the Bible. They are examples of faith and strength and my boys would do well to be named after them. Repeatedly I am asked if that is the case - did we intentionally name our sons after these prophets. My answer is a somewhat emphatic no. In fact, not personally being a fan of "theme" names, I was opposed to naming Adam as such because of the biblical connection having both names would imply. My preference for a name was Owen. Joe and I went back and forth and had yet to reach a decision between Adam, Owen, or otherwise when our baby decided to join the party.

About four hours elapsed before I was able to see Adam for the first time, having just caught a glimpse of a tiny purple body being handed off to a neonatologist at delivery. Doctors had come to tell me of his progress and to assure me that he was stable. Joe had watched him be resuscitated and had been able to pass some information on to me. I was kept very well informed, but that doesn't replace actually being able to see him for myself and at 4:00PM that desire was granted as I held this tiny, fragile, beautiful child in my arms.

At first I was surrounded by a nurse and respiratory therapist. Joe was with me and we asked lots of questions. I kept staring at this little child still wondering if this had all really just happened. As questions were exhausted and Joe realized he needed to go check on Chloe and Noah, I finally had my first moments alone with my baby. I stared for a while and then started to talk to him. About how he scared us. About how perfect he looked even tiny and filled with wires and IV's. About how excited Chloe and Noah were to meet him. About how he better be strong and get healthy fast so he could come home. About what his name should be.

As I talked, I had placed one of my fingers in his hand and was surprised when he grabbed it, having been told we wouldn't see a whole lot of interaction for the first little bit of his life. He held my finger as I asked him what he wanted his name to be. Rooting for Owen, I asked "Should your name be Owen?" No response. I asked a couple of others names I liked and received the same non-response. They didn't fit and we both knew it. Finally I asked "Should your name be Adam?" My question was followed with a squeeze of my finger. Pretty sure it was a reflex I asked again and asked other names again as well. Each time I said the name Adam I felt that pressure on my finger and I knew that this was the name that was to be his.

With that the name was decided. Adam and Wesley as a middle name after Joe's dad. Even though the intention was not to name our child purposefully after a prophet, I am grateful for the strong examples that have carried his names and hope that he will appreciate the name he chose and that he too will be an example of faith as he lives his life.

Although still not as big as either of my others at birth, Adam's due date finds him at 71/2 lbs, starting to smile and recognize us, and making us grateful for the time we have been able to share with him earlier then expected.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

BOO!

Living in Utah, a predominately LDS state, we were able to celebrate Halloween and trick or treating on Saturday this year. As my kids get older their excitement level for this day is getting higher and higher. They were SO excited I don't know if they could have made it to the actual day anyway.

Noah, being obsessed with the movie Shark Boy and Lava Girl, chose to be a shark this year.

Chloe, my oh so girly, princess daughter suprised me with her choice of Spider Girl

Adam, who was still supposed to be snuggly in my tummy for a few more days, wore a Halloween sleeper and then his "costume" was the only thing we could find small enough - a skeleton

My frighteningly cute kiddos

With their scary looking mom

Heading out the door

Joe promised he would take the kids out for as long as they wanted to as many houses as they wanted - Chloe thought she was going to last until "late night". Noah was done after about 30 minutes and Chloe lasted an hour. They came back with a pretty good stash

Chloe, after consuming way more candy then is usually allowed, then got silly and started walking around telling us she had a "bowl bum" She and we thought she was hilarious.

These are some of the moments that I love being a mom and having my own family the most. Whether you celebrated last night or today, we wish you the spookiest of Halloweens!