Monday, December 27, 2010

Christmas letter


Dear family and friends,

This year has flown by at times and at other times has been very long. However, it is already December and time again for our yearly comings and goings. We went back to read last years letter, but we found out that we did not get one written. Trying to think of why we did not write a letter, we realized it was around the time when we found out that Eliza’s brother was diagnosed with cancer. But we are back again this year!

As most of you know, we found out that we are expecting our third child sometime the end of March. We will be having another girl, and Kambria is VERY excited to have a sister!

Weston turned two this year and is very fond on trains and Woody and Buzz. He is not potty trained more due to his mother’s lack of interest than his own. We are hopeful we can begin this chapter soon. He has gone from not talking much, which was a worry, to talking in full sentences. We love being able to communicate with him more and seeing what he picks up on. When not being provoked by his older sister, he is a true angel. He always loves to give hugs and kisses and to say, “I love you, too Daddy/Mommy!” He still wakes up around 6 am and comes to snuggle in bed. We are so blessed to have him in our family.

Kambria LOVES to learn! She is four years old now and enjoys going to preschool. She has started to write her name and to make all sorts of new friends. She is excited to have a sister and can’t wait to help name her. (She has taken it upon herself this task…of course we will be directing her!) She continues to talk about how much she misses Colorado and her friends there, but is slowly liking living in Nashville, TN. More to come on this. She has convinced her father to give her piano lessons. If you ask her she will tell you she plays very well…her father says she is learning. Kambria still loves to dress up as a princess and loves to boss her little brother…even to playing “mother, son” with him.

Bryan has had a roller coaster year with his employment. It started out by being let go due to cut backs. He was in the middle of his prosthetic residency and only had 3 months left. Luckily he could convince his former employer to finish out his residency pro bono! At least he was able to finish!! Shortly before completion, he found a job in Nashville, TN. So a month later we moved! We were so grateful for this opportunity to present itself and do recognize how much of a blessing and answer to prayers this truly is. So we now live in Nashville and are enjoying this time together. We do miss not being as close to our families as before, but we are learning how to make do. We like the wonderful hospitality the South has to offer and experiencing a new part of the country; we miss the mountains but are loving the green hills! Bryan is learning a lot and has already passed 2 of the 3 exams he has to take to officially become a Prosthetist. The next and final exam is the first week in January. After this, he looks forward to opening a new clinic for his company. We do not know where this will be, but we have hopes of Colorado. He loves the people he works with and has even had a few patients cry as they expressed to him what a great job he is doing and how wonderful their prosthetic fits. He enjoys it immensely!

My year has been full of tears, both of joy and disappointment. I never would have thought I would be living in the South, but am very grateful to be here. I, like Kambria, miss Colorado, but I am grateful to see my husband so happy in his career and to see my children experiencing new places. It has been fun to explore as we go on new camping and hiking adventures and discover what a new city has to offer. However, one day I hope to have a permanent home in which I can decorate and sew to my hearts desire. My hopes are for Colorado. In anticipation of our third child I have been watching a little boy named Zach to earn some extra money. He is 5 months younger than Weston and it has been fun to watch them interact with each other. It is evident to me what a gospel centered home teaches children. I am so appreciative for the gospel and the impact it has on my family. Even the simple things of seeing my children learn how to pray and sit still (or attempt to) allows me to realize how much the gospel truly teaches us all. As was mentioned before, my brother was diagnosed with cancer a year ago. We are appreciative of the many prayers offered on his behalf. He has a long road ahead of him, but we are hopeful for a good outcome.

That is what we have experienced in 2010. We have enjoyed the many joys and trials this year. We are truly blessed by having you as friends and family. Thank you for being a part of our lives.

Love,
Bryan, Eliza, Kambria & Weston

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

kambria dancing

This is a video of Kambria dancing to one of her favorite musicals...Wicked! She is so funny to watch. You would think she knew Bryan was recording her, but she did not. This is just how she is and how she to LOVES to dance. She even tries to get Weston involved. So funny!

playing the wii

this is a fun video of watching Kambria and Weston playing bowling on the wii. Kambria is pretty good at it!

after thanksgving...

usually Bryan and I like to go out EARLY on Black Friday, but this year we did not. This was partly due to the fact that we did not know what to do with the kids and also because there was not much we wanted. Bryan went out to home depot around 6...and got what he wanted...and then later in the day we went shopping as a family.

We tried to only get things that were on our lists and I think we succeeded at that. We found some nice sheet and a new bed comforter that we are getting fro Christmas! We are VERY excited about having a new look for our bed. After 6 1/2 years and a couple kids and cats later it is time!

We also had fun eating peanut butter sandwiches in the car and getting free ice cream at chick-fil-a to save money. We also decided to go and see the new movie "tangled." we were not sure how Weston would do, but since it was in the afternoon around his nap time he did GREAT!!! So his very first movie at the theater was "Tangled!" He slept through most of it, but since we did not have to pay for him it was ok! And Kambria was thrilled to watch all about Rapunzel! This is us at the movies!!!
Then on Saturday we put up the tree. But we decided not to decorate it until the kids could help, so we did that Sunday afternoon and they were VERY excited to help! They even wanted to wear the reindeer hats!

Here is Weston playing with all the "new" toys that we put out for Christmas! He LOVES to play with the nativity sets!


Thanksgiving all by ourselves!

this year we got to have thanksgiving all by ourselves! This is due to us living so far away from extended family and we thought we would just try our own celebration instead of inviting anyone over or being invited over.

We got to skype with my family and talk to Bryan's family on the phone. It was good to hear from them both and listen to all they were doing that day! We enjoyed making ALL the goodies from traditions on both sides of the family...we just made them in smaller quantities!

So here is our turkey..not bad for a first timer! Bryan helped a ton and I am so grateful for that! he even pulled all the innards out! My aunt Sherie would be so impressed!
And here is our humble table setting!




Bryan and the kids with all the fixins!



And here I am just for posterity's sake!!!
We made yams, green bean casserole, fresh orange/cranberry relish, homemade stuffing, rolls, jello, turkey, and even had fruit slush for drinkage! We even continued my families tradition of having candy corn and each one of us saying what we are thankful for. It was very humbling to hear your kids say that they are thankful for you!
I am a truly blessed mother, daughter, sister, wife and friend! I am grateful for all the trials and blessings in my life! They certainly help me be who I am today...and I think I am not doing too bad!

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Piano time




The kids LOVE to play the piano!

And Kambria has even convinced her father to start teaching her piano lessons! It is hit and miss right now...but once the crazy holiday season is done...hopefully mom will engage and begin doing "practice" time!!! I just LOVE the fact that she wants to learn how to play! I will have musical kids!!!! YEAH!

Cowboy boots!






We have been Nashville-ized! We all have cowboy boots now! ...although these pictures were taken in a really expensive store...kambria and Weston got their boots from other places...but I thought the pictures respresented Nashville perfectly!

Kambria's preschool

This week at Kambria's school was about make believe and mid evil times. So they were all dressed up as princesses and had on their jester hats! Of course Weston had to be in on the fun...he got the cheerleader outfit and put that one on! He loves to dress up with the girls!

Monday, November 29, 2010

Kambria's eye

kambria was trying to put her shoes in her closet and fell right on her dresser drawer! I am SO glad that she shut her eye...it is healed since, but she does have a scar...at least she will be able to cover it with eye shadow when she is older!





Sunday, October 31, 2010

Halloween!!!!

The kids really enjoyed going trick or treating this year. They started on Friday night with Zac (the little boy I watch during the week) and his mom at Vanderbilt university while Bryan and I went to the temple together. Since the TN temple is a small one, there are limited hours and so this was the first time we went together. It was a fun night for all.

So this is Friday night when the kids went out with Jen and Zac.

Then Saturday afternoon we carved our pumpkins! Kambria has always loved helping!


This year Weston even got into it, making gross noises and faces and all!
He did not care for the "goo" but liked making sounds!
What a boy!
The kids got to "decorate" their pumpkins with some clearance finds from last years Halloween! They are "Mr. potato head" pieces you stick into a pumpkin! Weston got the vampire.
And Kambria got the witch!
We had to make one of our pumpkins the orange m&m to go along with our theme!
So Saturday night we had a Halloween party at our church. We got to go and play games and go "trunk or treating" even though it was inside this year. Safer, and warmer I guess. Although I like it more when it is outside.
This is the whole fam in our m&m costumes that I made! It was so much fun to make and paint on the faces. Bryan, who is a good sport, but never truly likes to dress up in the things I make him for Halloween, was ACTUALLY EXCITED to wear his Halloween costume this year! I think we make a good "candy" family! I was the peanut m&m since I have a "peanut" inside me...that is what the sign says on my costume. That is what made it funny!


And here are our carved pumpkins. Bryan's of course was the spooky Halloween tree! He is always so good at the carving thing. Mine are always simple and easy!
Bryan even won the best carved pumpkin! Him with his little trophy!
There was a dessert contest and these are some of the contestants that we liked:

We think these might have been purchased and then brought because they were SO well done. but not really sure. Cute and creative none the less.

That was our Halloween fun. Tonight being the actual Halloween and being on a Sunday, we stayed at home and handed out some candy. Well I should say Kambria and Weston handed it out. That was the most fun of the night!

Honeysuckle farms

Last Saturday we took some family pictures (which are still in the process of being developed) and after doing that we took the opportunity to go to the "farm." (So that is why we are all dressed up in orange matching clothes).

This picture is of Weston going down the HUGE slide.
And Kambria with her skirt (with shorts underneath) going down the slide!

Milking the cow...she enjoyed doing it!


Of course Weston had try too! He was a little more timid.



A cow and a horse!
Mom and son!
Cute family Hiding from Dad in the big tires! What a smile!
This was in the corn box. Just a box of corn to play in!

in the corn fields!

And we got to pick out a pumpkin for each of us. They were just Kambria's size!
they even had a camera crew out taking pictures of this: it was quite cute. too bad Weston was too big to put in...;o)

friday night family fun

We got little cesears pizza and by the time we tried to find a park close by to eat it at...it was already dark! So we found a grassy area and ate it in the parking lot! it reminded both Bryan and I of our college days at Rick's for some reason.

Eliza's birthday

I did not want a big deal for my birthday...I usually don't. But Bryan definitely had a couple of surprises up his sleeve. i woke up to a breakfast of cinnamon rolls...which after looking at old birthday pictures seems to be what I request...3 years in a row now...

I also received cards from my in laws, and parents and Kambria Weston. The card that was great was Bryan's in that my present was a day to myself...ALL BY MYSELF!!!! I went shopping the next day and had a blast by myself! It was wonderful...and Bryan stayed at home and cleaned the bathrooms! What mom could ask for anything more?

Bryan also surprised me with this beautiful frame! He even put some fun pictures in it. I did not have any expectations about dinner or "date" that night. i just told Bryan we were going out to dinner because I did not want to cook! Well little did I know that he had a babysitter and reservations already set up! I got to go to one of my favorite restaurants: Maggiano's! They even had a special "birthday" dinner desert for me. and the best part was that we had a coupon for $10 off our bill and a gift card that I had earned previously. Total birthday dinner was $9!!! that was for over $40 of food! It was wonderful and all thanks to my wonderful husband. Thanks for great birthday!


fall colors

We went on a drive one sunday afternoon and saw all of the wonderful fall colors. They really are different here in TN than they are in colorado. MANY more oranges and reds. Although I do miss my Aspens...;o(
This was (is) one of my favorite trees out here. It is some sort of maple tree. But the orange is so beautiful adn magnificent!




Just a typical TN night sky!