New Year - New Fun

This year I made a resolution, and it's........ To have more fun with the kids!!  I don't want to admit it, but I'm kind of a home body, and a little (okay a lot shut up!) lazy!  But, I don't want the kids to be like that.  So, we're having adventures during the day.  Also for those who read - I need ideas for when it's butt cold outside, so please bring them forth!

Anyway here are some of our adventures so far - there will be more because the kids are having a blast.  I also noticed that Gage is taking a longer naps (hooray!) in the afternoons, and Lyla is starting to slim down a little.

Stout Park

Now I have a small complaint - the parks in Hurricane SUCK, especially in comparison to St George parks.  So, when the weather warms up, believe me I will justify the gas to go to better parks, and of course the water park.  This park was okay, and we went and played at the community center one - overall I'm just not impressed.

Adventure Walk

We have right by our house a mountain, why have we never explored this?  We also have a large field with weeds, dirt, and sticks - why have we never explored this?  Well I took the kids for an adventure walk one morning and that's what we did.

Mountain 

Field

My cuties!

Cuties!

I thought this cool - someone had fun!

So, when it has been too cold to go outside we play on the WII.  This really was the best thing to get for the family.  I am loving dancing with the two games I have (Just Dance 3 and The Black Eyed Peas Experience).  Lyla will dance with me, and I'm enjoying us playing together.  She however believes that my score is her score since it's a little bit better then hers.  Gage in the beginning of dancing would just cry at my feet for some reason, but now he grabs a remote and pretends to dance with us.  In fact if there is music playing he will grab a WII remote and just start dancing.  Lyla will also do her WII Fit game for a least an hour a day.  I love it, she is running and jumping like a champ. I will have to get some video for sure.

Christmas Morning

This Christmas morning was easily the most memorable and the most fun.  Gage and Lyla were both into their gifts and so happy.  My mom and dad even came over for Christmas morning to watch the kids open their presents - I loved it!  We even made sugar cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve and left them out with a note for Santa - and Santa wrote back!

Santa gave Lyla a Barbie Camper, Gage got a Disney Cars play hut with tunnel, and as a family we got a WII with games (Just Dance 3, Mario Cart, Nikelodeon Kids Fit, and Sports) and accessories.

The tree with the presents.

Items of note:

Bill:  Bass Pro Shop hunting game, Buffalo Bills hat, coffee mug.

Jenn:  Nook Tablet with cover and gift card.

Lyla:  Barbie stuff, LaLa Loopsie doll with mini LaLa Loopsie accessories and dolls, Baby Alive, Art Stuff, and clothes/shoes.  Santa even left her new slippers under her very own Christmas tree in her room.

I love her half awake, excited for Christmas look.

Barbie Guitar - it sings that annoying Barbie Girl song.

She loves the Hello Kitty hoody!

Gage:  Disney Cars ball pit, Little Wheelies Rampway, Zig the Big Rig, Rock n'Roll Elmo, Disney cars chair, and clothes/shoes.

After he opened this present he sat on it to open the rest of his gifts.

This kid LOVES Elmo!

Mmmm frozen pancake, chill'n in the chair.

Having fun in the hut!

MJ:  Candy cane Dingo dog bone.

Later that morning after a great Christmas breakfast we went Grandma & Grandpa Mecham's to exchange gifts, and then in the afternoon to my parents home for presents.  Items of note from my parents house: flat screen TV, gift card to Lins, and more WII games.  Lyla got tons more presents but her favorite is a 16" doll with tons of clothes and shoes.  Gage got a ride on CAT loader, and tons of mini CAT play trucks & bull dozers.

Funny stories from Christmas:

First:  Lyla is like me and HATES secrets and surprises - we have to know what is going on and what's going to happen.  So, Lyla bugged me everyday asking what she was getting for Christmas, Santa gives one gift the unopened, and the rest are from mom and dad.  I finally just kept telling her she was getting hamburger (she again like me HATES hamburger!).  So, she started telling me she was going to buy me soup for Christmas.  Well she got no hamburgers, but I got soup.  Hee Hee oh well now I can make rice casserole.

Second:  We have an on running battle of the Men N Black 2 DVD with my parents.  One year they gave us this movie for Christmas, and then next Christmas they forgot it had already been given, and gave it again.  So, the following year we wrapped it up and gave it back.  The next year my mom got crafty and gave it to us again, but hidden in a blanket that she had made for Bill.  The next year we threw it off and gave it for Mothers Day.  Well this year it got back to us, hidden inside a gift box of Old Spice stuff that was given to Bill.  We're going to have to think of something crafty for next year.  Should be fun.

Mecham Family Christmas Party

I'm finally getting around to posting about Christmas!

The annual Mecham Family Christmas took place on Friday December 17th.  It was a lot of fun, and the food was awesome.  The kids got to give presents to cousins, get a present from cousins, and a present from Grandma and Grandpa Mecham.  They also get to sit on Santa's lap - Gage wasn't thrilled about this, but Lyla talked to him like they've known each other for years.  Afterwards we went out to dinner with Jay & Kerri and Cameron & Katie - with kids at Sakura (my new fav!).

Ginger Bread House

This was our first year making a ginger bread house.  We didn't actually make the stuff the make it - just really put it together.  Bill did most of it, and said it wouldn't pass a city inspection, but hey we had fun as a family.

It's Christmas Time!

So, we need some new family photo's.  Thanks Kandace for hooking us up so fast.

Gage is 1!!

Can you believe my little guy is a 1 year old now!

Gage had a great birthday.  The day before we went to the Dr for the 12 month well baby visit.  Gage is short and skinny according the percentages.  The Dr though was very impressed at how well he is doing now (after all his illnesses).  We still have to do formula with Gage since he is allergic to milk, but it's a small price to pay by having him well now.  Gage started walking at 10 months old, and literally never holds still now unless he is asleep.

Family at Gage's party:

Presents:

Gage got lots of presents for his birthday.  The day before my mom and dad brought him a music table toy, a remote controlled airplane, a book, a Lighting McQueen ride on toy, and some clothes.  We gave him a rock, roll, and ride, a toy smart phone, a puzzle, and some clothes - Lyla gave him a play puppy.  He also got a Arizona Cardinals shirt from Grandpa & Grandma Mecham, and from Traiden and Kyah a monster truck and  a book.  His favorite present of all was an Elmo drum set from Aunt Summer.  It's really cute how much he plays with this and taps the drum sticks together - he's such a cute rocker boy.

The Cake:

Gage was hilarious after eating his cake.  I don't allow sugar like hardly ever - so this was sugar overload.  After he ate some of his cake and that sugar hit him - Gage was crazy.  He started running around and spinning himself in circles - it was awesome.  But then we got the belly ache at bedtime - good thing we still keep gripe water on hand.

Happy Birthday my little Gagers - You're growing up so fast!!

Halloween!

Ya, I totally sucked at documenting this!!  Lyla was a witch, me her cat, Gage was a football, and Bill a football player - and I didn't get a picture!  I have these small photos from the day.  We went early to the library for a costume parade, then later in the day to Grandma & Grandpa Excell's and trick or treated their neighborhood, and then to Grandma & Grandpa Mecham's.

My lil football!

The prettiest and sweetest witch!

Staheli Farm

So, last year when I was about 2 years pregnant. So, Bill, myself, and Lyla went to Staheli Farm for the first time.  We had a blast!  We played with the various stuff, petted animals, rode a horse, and of course got a pumpkin.  We took pictures to document our adventure - and then my hard drive on the computer crashed and I lost the pics - I was devastated!  So, this year I looked forward to going back, I was going to document it all and it was going to be more fun because Gage was now on the outside of my belly.  I did document it, and I have pics, but it wasn't as fun.  I blame Bill!  He made us rush through everything and it made me mad so we fought grrrrr!  Anyway here are pics of the fun times.

Lyla and Bill coming out of the kid maze!