Christmas 2008.. The celebration of Families, Love, Food and Our Savior

On the 21st we spend the evening with Mr K's Birth Family. Everytime we get together it is so much fun. We have great food ( thanks Tony) and AWESOME company! Thank you for letting us join you in this Christmas celebration of love, and good old-fashioned Holiday Cheer!

On Christmas Eve we spent the night at The M's. It was good food, loved ones, and a adorable nativity. Mr. K was a wise man and a cute one at that. Thanks all for the good times and memories. We sure did miss you Dad!

After the M's good eats and acting practice, we went over to my M's family's and began a new tradition. My Mom has this huge Advent calander that is in the shape of a large house. She had hiddent he nativity figurines in the different compartments and Mr. K got to find them. we then read the story Silent Night while lil' man put the figures out as we came to that part in the story. He had a blast and it was a great way to include the savior in the life of a 2 year old and have him enjoy it too! We finished off with the traditional orange sticks ( a tradition started by my great grandma Jones) and a round of the Christmas fav "Silent Night". It was a great time. However, we did miss the P's and our other lil' men!

On Christmas Morning, Dave woke up earlier than Mr. K. He couldn't sleep cuz he was too excited to see lil' mister's reaction. Well, as you can tell, Santa picked the perfect gift for a lil cowboy who LOVES horses and cows... a BIG RED BARN. We couldn't have done it better Mr. C! Dave just had to get K a baseball bat. Thanks ESPN! I hate your theme song now! And I went with the tractor. You have to have something to carry all those animals around right? It was so much fun to see K get sooo excited. We also sang Happy Birthday to Jesus ( K's request) Dave and I had tried to explain that the reason we celebrate Christmas and give gifts is because it is Jesus's birthday so he decided we had to sing the traditional bday song. This may become a new family tradition. Is it a bit sacreligious tho? Please weigh in... Dave and I are stumped.

Then it was off to my fam's for the traditional Christmas morning brunch. Again... more great food, treats and family... see a pattern here? My dad loves Santa Claus so all the boys sport there Santa hats and my Dad pulls the gifts out of this great santa bag. Thanks for the great memories Mom and Dad!

The M family gift exchange was next and watching the kids get more excited about what they got for eachother rather than what they got from eachother was the cherry on top. Man how I love Christmas and Family but most of all my Savior. This was a scaled down Christmas compared to many in my past but I seemed that the light of Christ was more evident this season than those previous. May we keep that light in our lives the coming year. Hope you have a great Season.

Snow boots and a new Camera....

Got a new Camera and just had to share.

Again... I just have to say... Thank you Mr. or Mrs. "UNKOWN",

This new camera Rocks!

4 pics per second... Love it!

Comings and goings at our house....

Well, if you haven't heard already, last week our house was broken into. There seems to have been more going than coming but hopefully the insurance company can help with the later. It has been a bit of an adventure. I didn't realize how addicted I was to my computer or our TV until now. Also on the stolen addiction list... my camera and 28, 000 pics on my hard drive. I would just like to thank mr or mrs "UNKNOWN" for helping me free up some time. What better Christmas Present than a little extra time to spend with the ones you love? So I say thank you "UNKNOWNS". If you could just leave all my pictures by the back door you would have provided me with the best Christmas ever. Also, if you steal excess weight, we have plenty to spare so come on back!

Feeding Fish is Easy....

Have you ever read the fish food container closely? If you haven't, I will point out a few important points.

1. Feeding Guide: Feed...only as much as your fish can consume in several minutes.

They need to give a more definite number instead of saying "several minutes." For instance, 1 day = 1440 minutes (several minutes); 1 week = 10,080 minutes (several minutes). I would recommend not feeding your fish as much as you think they will consume in a week's time.

From Fish

2. Cleaner and Clearer Water Guarantee.

Cleaner and clearer than what, pea soup? They need to specify what they are comparing against.

From Fish

3. If your son or daughter decides to feed the fish HALF of the container of fish food, I don't know how many "several minutes" it will take for them to consume all of it.

From Fish

4. If your son or daughter decides to feed the fish HALF of the container of fish food, the fish tank still may be cleaner and clearer than pea soup. I'll let you be the judge of that.

From Fish

I recommend you keep the fish food container "out of the reach of children," and I wish they would have printed that on the container. This is what will happen if you don't.

-Dave

Good thing he is cute...

Before hitting the Christmas tree with the stick....

After hitting the Christmas tree with said stick....

Pals....

Just had to post this one. It say's it all! I love you Dad. Thanks for being such a great "PA"!

Can't believe your 6!!!!

For Katie my Lady, my first niece. Man am I getting old!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!!

For the Love...

From November 2008

...of the game.

This is Dave, making my first blog post in months and months.

Not that many of you care, but I thought I'd throw out a post to commemorate an amazing, undefeated season by the U of U Football Team. While working full-time, going to school full-time and being a part-time husband, father, renovator, contractor, etc. it's nice to get a break on the weekend and watch football. Thanks to an understanding wife, I have been able to enjoy almost the whole season.

After 3 tough years, it's great to have your team at the top of the conference and headed to another BCS bowl game. There's no greater time to be a Ute fan! I would have to say that the 3 best games I have ever been to were all this season. (Oregon State, TCU and BYU) They were all close heading into the 4th quarter and by one way or another the Utes came out on top.

Keanon only made it to a few games, but it was fun screaming my guts out with my boy. His favorite thing to yell is, "GO! GO! GO!"

There's just one more thing to say.

Go Utes!!!

Actions speak louder than words, or, in Mr. K's case, are easier to understand!

The saying goes "out of the mouths of babes" but since we are still working on the "out of the mouth" part around here, I guess Keanon figured this would have to do. Point taken young one. Tonight I will definatly make the extra effort to get down on my knees and thank the lord for the stomping feet, the big sloppy kisses, the tantrums, the screaming sleepless nights, and the messes that our lil man adds to our life. You know, even if we never get the chance to adopt another child, boy do I feel blessed. I really couldn't ask for more.

My Morning Cup of Coffee...

The best part of waking up....

too cute to not share...

Thanks Aunt Tiff and Uncle Jay. You made his night!

Changing URL's

I feel we can never be to safe when protecting our children so for the safety of Mr. K we are changing from M's House to M's House II. You can reach the new site by clicking here. If you want to stay informed, (since I know we are sooo interesting and all) just change our URL in your blog lists. Thanks! (Can we say the Blog special KSL ran has EVERYONE a little concerned about blog security? I am no exception so please forgive a paranoid mother and chalk all this inconvenience up to a safety precautious, and maybe a slightly over reactive me.) This blog will be deleted a week from today on the 21st.

Open Adoption... and the Woman Who Made Ours Possible

Disclaimer: We know and agree that Open Adoption is not right for every family, birthmother, child or situation and must be decided on an individual bases. However, for our family, in this situation, at this time, it is what we feel is best. This decision has not been hastily made. We have thought and prayed long and hard about what is the best scenario for our adoption and this is the direction in which we feel drawn.
For Some reason, lately I can not get adoption off the brain. Maybe it is because November is National Adoption Month or it could be that I found a couple of adoption blogs (Here and Here)that I just love or the fact that Dave and I feel it is time for us to add another little "miracle" to our family. Whatever the reason, starting the adoption process again has me thinking about an AMAZING women.

Katie
For More about this amazing woman and how I feel about her Click here.

Keanon's Birth Mother
and Guardian Angel
Our Fairy God-Mother
Dave's Kathryn Leenus
my Kate.

Mrs. R., an adoptive mother and advocate, recently did a post on her blog the r house concerning her sons birth mother and the openness of their adoption.

Many people over the last 2 1/2 years have asked us about our relationship with Katie. I think Mrs. R's words sum up much better than mine what our feelings our open adoption are.

"when people learn about the ridiculously open adoptions we have, they often ask us how we do it.
"isn't it hard to be so close to the birth mothers?"
sometimes. but, mostly ...it's a huge blessing. huge.
our birth mothers make us more grateful,
remind us of the sacrifice that was made to give these little boys the best life possible.
they remind me to always try my hardest.
they make my heart swell 3 times the size of my body.
these young women and their courage are the reasons i am a mother."

and from another post

"there are adoptive parents out there that have very different relationships with their child's birthparents-some more open and some more closed. when i process my relationship with her, i often think of the car analogy. what can i do to help? is it really so hard to send a package of pictures every week compared to what she has given? is it really so intrusive on my life to have lunch with her and her family when we are in her area? in the end, you have to do what you are comfortable with and what is best for your baby.
"what's best for your baby..."
it turns out that the adoptive parents and most birthparents are on the same page with this
one.the page is called, "what's best for your baby."
mr. r and i often say that when you adopt, the birthparents and the adoptive couple make a
sacred covenant with each other, all for what is best for the baby. it is a bond."

So here is to a woman who deserves our respect.

She is
courageous,
selfless
and
a mother
that I hope I can emulate.

We love you Mama Katie!
We are glad you are part of our family and grateful for the way you became a member of it. Nobody can or will EVER take your place. You are my Kate, always and forever sis.

Who I Am...

I AM...

The Mother of Angels

A Laid Back Lover

Wife First

Unconditional

A "Chosen" Mother

A Dreamer

I Believe In...
The Sealing Power

Inspiration

Unconditional Love

Adoption

Passion

Miracles

Picking yourself up, dusting off, and trying again

I'm Grateful For...

Birth Mothers
Angels

My Lil' Man

Family

My Savior

Prayer

Adversity

I'm Inspired By...

Natural Beauty

Keanon's Nap Time

Rain

A Good Book

Green eyes

A Clean Home

Someday I Wish To...

Look in the lords eyes and know he is proud of me

Design our Dream Home

Look Killer in a red bikini

See my Angels again.

Be organized

Lil' Einsteins... Pure Entertainment!

This the face Keanon makes when he says "Einsteins". It makes me laugh every time. In case clarification is needed, Little Einsteins is Keanon's favorite cartoon. It and Tigger and Pooh are the only ones he has ever seen. Am I depriving him?

Good, Wholesome, Family Entertainment!

GO UTES!!!!!!

"Orange" you grateful for ADOPTION?

We sure are!!! Today was the 3rd Annual Adoption Walk. Everyone wears orange and walks around Liberty Park. It is so much fun to get exercise and be surround by all those who love adoption as much as we do. Go Adoption!

First Snow....

The last 2 winter's Keanon has hated the snow. So needless to say, I was quite hesitant to put all his "gear" on this year. In the past it has been a struggle just to get his snowsuit, hat, mittens, and boots on, not to mention the fit he would throw once we set him down in the snow. I decided better to know, right? Well, to my great surprise he LOVED it! To bad Daddy had to miss it!

PS: How do you feel about an all day snow storm with the fall leaves still on the trees? I am not sure myself but it sure does make for a "postcard" perfect picture!

I am SO glad God cares about aesthetics!

It has been a year already?

Halloween 2007 Halloween 2008

He was supposed to be a chicken this year nut I was cleaning out the closet and he saw the horse from last year and just wouldn't let it go. I tried to put the chicken on him and he FLIPPED so the horsey it was! ( sorry J)

A Mans Best Friend...

You would think that with two dogs, a man's (or in this case a Keanon's) best friend would refer to

but you would be wrong!

Keanon is all about the Horses...

on pumpkins, on sticks, on him, on springs or rockers... however he can get his hands on them, our little cowboy is obsessed! Too bad he will someday come to realize how impractical (not to mention expensive) his passion is in the middle of the freakin' city! Not many Horse pastures between 7th and State!

You Are a Chimera

You are very outgoing and well connected to many people. Incredibly devoted to your family and friends, you find purpose in nurturing others. You are rarely alone, and you do best in the company of others. You are incredibly expressive, and people are sometimes overwhelmed by your strong emotions. What Mythological Creature Are You?

http://www.blogthings.com/whatmythologicalcreatureareyouquiz