Vacation fun part 1...oh well if im updating you on last year's trip ;)

Christmas this year was HARD! Josh stayed in Alabama while the girls and I headed to Utah. Our trip started as most do in the airport. Since last time we flew Kira ended up with pink eye and had to stay away from all the fun...and Makenzie (who had a heart transplant and has to be extra careful) her favorite person in Utah, (No offense Grandpa!) the girls wore masks while in the airport and on the plane. Both girls did great with keeping them on. We had a few funny looks, but nothing else - there was one girl who asked Kira why she was wearing a mask...Kira said that it so she could keep Kenzie healthy - anyways, even the baby did great at keeping it on. I just tied her mask in back she had her plug underneath it. We pulled it down to eat and nurse, but other than that she wore it all 12 hours!

Both girls were great on our flights. I am so blessed to have such great children who are willing to go with the flow.
We arrived in Utah (after a delayed flight) at 2:00am! Here I was, Rora in the Mei Tei on my back, carrying Kira with one arm and wheeling our suitcase(stacked with Kira's backpack and my purse) off the plane. I still can't believe I did it! As we were just about out of the airport, Kira woke up and was awake/excited enough to run the rest of the way to Grandpa. She squealed when she saw him and jumped in his arms giving him a HUGE hug! I think this picture is my favorite out of all the one I took on our trip. Pure joy is all I can use to describe it :)

Our first day in Utah was spent playing in the snow, visiting Mom's grave and getting some 'real' food in Dad's house. :) So no pictures :(
After a great nights sleep, we headed out to Vernal to visit my Grandparents. It was a great drive and a great visit! Grandma is still the best cook I know and make a scrumptious lunch! Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Sonny also came for lunch which was great. Rora took to Sonny like she belonged in his arms and he in turn got down to her level to play. It was adorable! I also got to visit with Jessi and Aunt Barb, who gave me the sweetest gift ever! A treasure box that matches my Mom's. She gave me so much more then just a box...she gave me a lifetime of memories that I can pass on! Thanks Aunt Barb!!
Anyways, here's a couple pictures of our trip to Vernal. For spending just a few hours there we sure had a lot of fun!


Our third day started off with a trip to the photo studio with all the Babb/Wickert clan for a cousin photo session. All the kids (7 girls and 1 boy) looked great and we ended up with some cute shots! From there we headed over to a birthday party for Alex (a cousin on Daddy's side) Happy 1st Birthday Alex! (Picture is of Kira, Willow and Ellory while waiting for everyone else to arrive at the party.)

From there we headed over to Kenzie's (cousin on Mommy's side) 5th Birthday party! It was great to spend so much time with the families! As if our day wasn't full enough, that evening we made gingerbread houses!

Needless to say, we went to bed exhausted!!
Up next...Christmas Eve!!

Our life in 2010

I saw this on a friends blog and had to do my own.

January 2010 brought to us a new normal and a visit from Grandma Wickert. Kira adapted to the roll of big sister as if she always was one. I just love this picture, Josh is 100% in love with his new baby and Kira, as ever, is posing for the camera.





February 2010 brought a trip to Utah so Grandma Madsen could see Aurora Laurel(yep, she was named after my Mommy.) Even Daddy got to go with us on this trip! He also was able to bless Rora while we were there.




March ushered in Spring! We were able to get out and enjoy the beauty that Heavenly Father created. We enjoyed trips to the Botanical Gardens, the park and even a day trip to Chicamauga, Ga.(Civil War battlefield)




With April came Easter and the reminder of our Saviors love for me. It also brought out my girly side. Kira had me try her hair a million ways and always, both she and Rora had to have their nails painted! I realise that I haven't put a picture of me up yet, so here is one of the girls and I just enjoying life. :)




May brought strawberry picking and lot of fun with friends! Rora started eating solids! We were strawberry picking and she was strapped to me. Next thing I knew she had half a strawberry gone! The pictures are of Kira and some friends at the gardens and Rora enjoying her 2nd, or maybe 3rd strawberry :)(Yes, I have strawberry in my teeth...they were delicious!)




With June came swimming lessons! Kira had a blast and can't wait for lessons again next year! She also enjoyed an overnighter with Daddy. They slept over at Field Day for Daddy's ham radio club and she had a blast! Her friend Will went with his Dad and they played and played and played! Rora also had an eventful month. She started scooting and sitting up!




July was such a hard month! The girls and I were planning a roadtrip to Utah with my cousin Jessi. Two days before we were set to leave we got the phone call from my Dad. After 3+ years battling stage 4 ovarian cancer my Mom passed away. We loaded up the car that night and the next morning headed to Utah. My Mom gave me a wonderful life and an exceptional role model to emulate. She is in our thoughts and prayers daily. Even though we were so emotional, our drive out to Utah holds some of my best memories of 2010. It was exactly as Mom would want it to be. With us laughing, loving and singing into the baby puffs container! (I forgot my camera...so the pictures aren't mine.)




School started again in August. Kira back to preschool(she loves it!) and me back to babysitting. Life took on a new normal for us. It seems as if all I did was go here or there, do this or that. Very, very busy! Rora sure loves her food!




September brought more family time with a trip to Disney World. We all had a blast hanging out with Mickey and the gang. I love family time, so being able to reconnect in such a grand way is perfect for us!



In October Kira turned 4! She had her first real birthday party and chose a Princess and Knight theme. They all were knighted and slayed a dragon. She had a blast! Rora also had a big month, she started walking!! I can't believe how grown up she is!!




With November came the opening of the Angel Tree. Whenever we had a free moment we were busy helping the Salvation Army. The pictures are Kira putting the Angels on the tree and us enjoying seeing the Christmas lights at the Botanical Gardens.




December came and so did the joys of Christmas! We found lots of ways this year to give of ourselves as the Savior gave. We also trekked of to Utah for Christmas. (It was so hard leaving Josh since he had to work Christmas day!) Rora also turned 1! We has a small party in Utah for her and then just had cake with Daddy when we came home.



2010 was a great, yet hard year for us. And so, with Laughter and Love we look forward to what 2011 will bring! Happy New Year's everyone!!

Josh's family decided to try something different this year in gift giving. Instead of giving a gift to the person/family you had, we were all to do a service in their honor. It was a great idea and so fun for us to execute. I really hope we continue it next year. :)


Btw - if you want to read it, just click on the image, it will enlarge it and then click on it again to enlarge it a second time. :)

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Every year we have a birthday party for Jesus on Christmas eve. We start by writing down our Christmas gift for the Savior, sing happy birthday, enjoy birthday cake and read a sweet poem about Jesus' birthday.

This year as Kira and I were talking about what she wanted to give Jesus, Kira told me that she wanted to give him $2. (She works hard all year to earn her money.) I asked her how she wanted the money to get to him and she told me that she wanted to feed someone. As we continued to discuss it she decided that she would buy food and put it in a food box at the Salvation Army. (Throughout the year when we have time we head over to the S.A. office and fill food boxes so she is familiar with it.)
We headed over to Kroger where she bought one box of tuna helper and a 12 pack of top ramen. We then took them to the Salvation Army's food pantry.

Here are our girls sporting their new Christmas pj's and getting ready to dig into Jesus' birthday cake. As you can see, there are 4 candles on the cake. One for each member of the family. :)



We then read 'Happy Birthday Jesus'

A house so quiet, so humble, a child beside the bed,
Hands clasped tightly, it's time to pray,
So bows the little head....Happy Birthday, Jesus.
Mommy said that you were near and that
You had a birthday this time every year.
She told me how you listened to every word we say
And that you hear us calling in the night or in the day.
She explained how badly they hurt you and made you suffer so,
But said you let them do it for children like me,...I know.
She told me about the manger they put you in.
I'da let you have my blanket if I was there back then.
She said you are watching everything we do,
Her and Daddy and Grammy and.....our new baby, too!
I like what Mommy told me of how you healed the lame
And that they don't have to have any wealth or fame...
She told me you were so awful good, and then, she made me cry.
She said they nailed you to the cross...they wanted you to die.
She said that you forgave them though, 'cause you were dyin' for our sins,
And then it made me happy when she said...you came back again!
Mommy said, Christmas is what we celebrate, because on that day...you were born!
So I hope I'm not too late...to wish you a Happy Birthday, Jesus...I'll be true
'Cause Mommy said if I was good, you'd let me live with you.
~Author Unknown

It's a great way for me to bring back into perspective the true meaning of Christmas. I know im a little late in posting this, but Happy birthday, Jesus! And Merry Christmas to everyone!

Christmastime!

So I am way behind on blogging...hopefully this weekend I can get caught up!...anyways... :)

This year we tried to focus our time during the Christmas season by serving. We picked a couple angels from the Salvation Army's angel tree and Kira and I had a blast picking the perfect gifts for them. Here is a cute picture the girls with the gifts for our angels. Josh's team at work was also able to adopt two angels.

We also spent (basically all) our freetime working with the angel tree. From manning the booth in the mall - Here is Kira with some volunteers at the booth in the mall -

Kira decorating the tree with Angels :)


Miss Bonnie (volunteer coordinator at S.A.) capturing all the hard work!


to eating, drinking and breathing the toy shop. Both girls did fantastic and Kira couldn't wait until we could go back and 'volunteer' every morning when she woke up.
This picture is Kira enjoying the toy shop. There were over 3700 angels this year and each angel needs to be checked in, organized (if the angel didn't get returned a bag filled) and double checked. In this one section you can see how massive the toy shop is :)


Since we spent so much time in the toy shop we got to know Carla a lot better. This picture has (from left to right) Mrs. Major Satterlee who is with the Salvation army, Carla, volunteer super warrior, Rora, Kira, Cassidy (Carla's granddaughter and Kiras new friend) and a sweet little girl who volunteered and told me that every year she saves money throughout the entire year so she can(all on her own) adopt an angel. How precious is that!?! She is eight years old and adorable!

There is such a sense of satisfaction that you get when you immerse yourself in volunteer work. Especially when you see how the entire community comes together on such a grand scale.

Christmas I remember best...

Ok, so tonight is going to become one of my greatest memories. Here's the story:
I received an email from a friend about a family in need. Their house burned down and the children are in desperate need of clothing. I told Kira what a knew, that there is a 6 year old and 3 year old that don't have house anymore. That everything they had burned down in a fire. I asked her if she could maybe find a toy or two that she could give them for Christmas since they don't have anything. Sweet Kira went straight in to her room and started getting things together that she thought they would like. She didn't choose the toys she never plays with, or things that are ratty or broken, she picked her favorite and the best of her toys. She even gave away a couple of her new Christmas toys! By the time she was done going through her room she had grabbed a set of dishes, a unopened doll, a like new doll, her favorite teddy bear(like new), a set of like new hand puppets, a stack of books(including her all time favorite Cinderella book) and a entire trunk of dress ups, the dress ups consisting of her favorite wedding dress, her belle dress, barbie dress, black tutu, tinkerbell, a bunch of jewelry, a couple purses, some shoes and her trunk that she got for her birthday(which she LOVES!) I have to admit that when she got all her stuff together I was shocked at the generosity that she displayed. She not only gave her toys, but she truly gave the best that she has.
I am so honored that I get to be her mother. What a precious child that the Lord has entrusted to me. Little does she know that her sweet act has done more than share some of her toys, but it has touched my heart to the core. My sweet 4 year old Kira knows that it truly is more blessed to give than to receive. I can't ask for anything more.

Yesterday I took the plunge and cut Kira's hair...I knew the way that I wanted it to look and im cheap, so I cut it myself. Did it turn out perfectly? No, however, it is cute :)

I did learn that its sort of exhilarating to cut hair...even though I was petrified the entire time I was cutting, it was so nice to see that I could do it. Very empowering!