Make way for baby #4!!!

Jason here... for those who aren't on Facebook or missed the news, we have officially announced that Kacy is expecting baby #4! She is due on Oct 2, but given her history, we'll have a new monkey or princess sometime in mid to late September.

I am so excited to have a job where I'm not traveling so I can be home more often for this pregnancy, and especially after the baby is here. It was always so hard being gone nearly every other week right around when Kennidee turned one, up until I left Digital Gateway. I'm not sure Kacy appreciates me being around as much though, LOL.

Life is busy right now. Dawson has piano on Monday, soccer on Tuesday and Thursday and scouts on Wednesday. He is excited to be entering the Bear den soon (he just took first place in Pinewood Derby a few weeks ago, all thanks to Kacy's wicked car building skills!) Kennidee has dance on Tuesday and soccer on Monday and Wednesday. It is her first attempt at a sport, she needs to learn some aggression! Kyson can't wait to start playing sports, he's going to be a great soccer player and football player, or so he thinks. He also thinks he will be a good basketball player... but given the height (or lack thereof) of his parents, the boy has no chance.

And now can I just say....

I wanted to publicly post my appreciation for Kacy. She has struggled a ton since leaving Utah. We know this is where we need to be, but it doesn't make the distance between friends and family any easier (I even felt the blues over the Holidays of being away from familiar faces and places!). But it is especially hard when big events happen, like my cousin getting married in a month or two, and my step grandpa Forrest getting baptized this coming Sunday! So excited for him and Nana!

She has also been more sick this pregnancy than any of the others. Yet she manages to (usually) keep a cheerful attitude and continues wearing many hats around the house, and fill in for my inadequacies (which are many). She fills the role of taxi driver, tutor, chauffeur, maid, laundry and cook. On the weekends we usually let her play the role of sleeping beauty! She deserves it for all she does for us!

Kacy is truly one in a million! She has given me 3 (mostly) perfect kids, she is always there to put a smile on my face and remind me that life is to be enjoyed and that I should laugh more often. We recently took a rather lame cruise (lame because our ports all got canceled), but Kacy coaxed me into getting up on stage and singing karaoke with her. Those who know me realize that is COMPLETELY out of my comfort zone... but you know what? I had a blast! And would I do it again? By myself maybe not, but with her... heck yeah!

Kacy I know it may be a few days or weeks until you read this (when someone comments on it probably LOL), but I hope you know how much I love you. I know I have not always showed it through my actions or words, but I truly do love you. I strive to improve, life is a quest for perfection, sometimes we stumble, but it sure is nice when you're there to pick me back up and pat me on the back (or kick me in the rear) and encourage me to do better.

Here's to another flawless delivery! I've been pretty dang spoiled when it comes to the delivery room. She had Dawson before she even met me, yet I was destined to be his dad, so it's a good thing we met! She labored at home for several hours with Kennidee while I was asleep, then she woke me up and I drove like a madman to the hospital where she delivered within 30 minutes or so (she knows the exact numbers of course). Kyson was not quite as fast, we checked into the hospital in the late evening, she labored masterfully with him for several hours before delivering him just in time for me to get home to take Dawson to his first T Ball game (we didn't want him missing a game because of his brother!) And oh yeah... she didn't have an epidural with Kyson... talk about a trooper! It was pointed out to me that I may have told "EVERYONE" (likely meaning 2 or 3 people LOL) that she was screaming bloody murder... but either way, I would like to put it on the record that she was not screaming bloody murder LOL. She was in pain, but who wouldn't be? Then the fact that she was up and walking around and such so soon after delivery... Kacy is amazing!

Honey I hope you know how much I love you! I'm so proud of the things you've accomplished here in Lubbock. You are doing such amazing things in the relief society, and with the ward down here. There is a reason you are here, we both know that. I too hope that we can return to Utah someday (even though as you said last time you visited they are rude up there and don't know how to drive). But we're here for a reason, and whatever that reason is we will continue to find out. But it sure has been a great (almost) year here with you!

Forever yours (even though many times that thought scares you! LOL),

Jason

Kennidee finally loses her first tooth

A few weeks ago Kennidee discovered she had her first loose tooth. She was so excited and has pretty much played with it non stop. Well she wakes up today and tells me she was going to have me pull it out the night before but forgot. So I told her when she got home I would pull it out (I love pulling out teeth). So tonight she is playing with her friends and comes up and asks me to pull out her tooth. I go to wiggle it and she panics. I told her to knock it off I hadn't even touched it. So I go to check it again in it is in my fingers. I said "Kennidee where is your tooth and she points to her mouth and then looks up and sees that it is in my fingers. She was so excited and ran to tell her Daddy. She has been so anxious to loose her first tooth. Well when it comes to bedtime she starts freaking out cause she is afraid the toothfairy will come in and hurt her. She didn't want to even put her tooth under her pillow. She is so funny. I just love that girl. Here is her with her first tooth and her first (of many) toothless smiles

Dawson's 1st Spelling Bee

Dawson decided he wanted to enter the spelling bee this year. Since 3rd grade is the first year you can enter then we were new to all of this. They sent him home a few months ago with a book with a ton of words of all sorts of different origins. Some which you would never use. Since there were so many words we were a little unsure of what ones to practice but we did our best.
Before going to the school spelling bee Dawson had to win his class one first. He and another girl from our ward were the two moving on from his class. Dawson was having a hard time cause he felt bad. There was another girl in his class that really wanted to do it but missed a word on her class one which disqualified her from the school spelling bee. She was crying and really upset so Dawson felt bad and wanted to give her his spot. We told him that he was sweet for thinking of her but that he earned this and should still go for it.
So the big day finally arrived and he was nervous as could be. Jason and I went to watch him and I was so proud of him for even wanting to participate. There were 24 contestants ranging from 3rd grade to 5th grade. He made it through the first two rounds before getting out on the third round on the word Ferret. He ended up being 7th place out of the 24. I was so proud of him. He was totally sad when he got out and you could tell. But he was trying to be so strong. After it was over and I went up to hug him he just lost it. He just started crying and just wanted to go home. Jason and I talked to him for a few minutes telling him how proud we were of him and telling him that the fact he even tried was more then most of the students did. We told him that he should be so proud that he was even 7th when he was up against 5th graders. We did get him calmed down and he did go back to class. He is still planning that next year he wants to enter again. I am so glad that he didn't let this get him down and make him never want to do it again.

Dawson posing for the picture at the mic.

Dawson and his proud Mommy

Dawson and his Dad

So I have kind of a funny story about him getting out on the word ferret. Just yesterday he came home from school and was asking me if he could get a ferret. It was so random cause we have never been around them. We don't know anyone that owns them or anything. But we convinced him that he did not want on because of the story of the ferret biting off a babies fingers. So Dawson, Jason and I sort of found it funny that of all the words he could have gotten out on it was that. But just for memory purposes his attempt to spell it was Pharrot! I was 2nd place for my 5th grade spelling bee and I always wish I could remember what word I got out on.

Christmas with Dawson

Unfortunately this year Dawson was in Utah with Glenn for Christmas. It was so hard having him gone. I kept telling him that when he got home I was going to make him go to sleep and celebrate Christmas in the morning so he had to have that restless night from anticipation. He did not think that was fair at all. I was only joking with him cause I think I was just as excited to watch him open his gifts as he was to open them. However I did make him put on his Christmas jammies as soon as we got home from the airport just for fun.

Dawson with all of his presents from Santa

His first Lego set. Yes I know he is 9 but he hadn't had interest in them til recently

His annual bathtub toys

His new wii Monopoly game

He had been asking for this for a while now.

Look how cute he is. I just love him

Kyson was just as excited as Dawson he had to help.

Apparently Dawson left some paper on the last gift and Kyson wants it off

This was the most exciting gift of all

I definitely think he was most excited for this too. His reaction was priceless

His New (to him) laptop from Santa

Dawson with all of his Santa gifts

We did have Kennidee and Kyson wait to open the "family" gifts as well as their gift exchanges between the kids so that they had something to open with Dawson. Also since they were family gifts and the exchange gifts were from Dawson too we thought it would be fun for him to be able to see their excitement.

The boys got matching hats from Mom and Dad.

Dawson got Lego Harry Potter from Grandma Rinnie and Papa

His new minky/satin blanket from Grandma Lourenco

Kyson loved his Toy Story 3 toys from Dawson and Kennidee

Kennidee got a daybed from Dawson and Kyson for her American Girl doll that she got from Santa.

Sometimes they can get along. Those moments are definitely ones to cherish

Kyson can't just hug without tackling. I love that boy!

Kyson was excited to see what Dawson was getting

The kids opening the family gifts

Scene it and movies for the family.

All in all it was a good night. We were so glad to have Dawson home with us again. It is amazing how much you miss your kiddos when they are away. Nothing is harder then sending your little man on a plane by themselves. he had a good time though and was ready to be home. He was singing "It's the best day ever" all night til bedtime. We sure love him and glad he had such a great "late" Christmas.

New years Eve

For New Years Eve this year we decided to have a get together with a few good friends. We let the kids just run and do their thing while the adults enjoyed some fun time with Jason's new Christmas present......Xbox Kinect. It was so fun of course everything is much more fun with good friends and good food. We all made some good munchies to enjoy throughout the night! We really had a good time and I am glad we were able to get together. It just would not be New Years without having a get together.

Us cute and crazy girlies!!!

Breanna and Chad

Cori and Travis (Kinect is serious business)

Kellie and Dave boxing

Jason running some hurdles

This was me doing the long jump prior to breaking my toe. So sexy!!!

Breanna bowling for our team

Chad bowling for his team!

Cori being Cori!

Cute little Kennidee

Kyson wanted a picture of me and him.

Of course Dawson wanted one as well.

Cori taking sexy pictures of herself! Isn't she lovely???

Kyson of course wanted a picture of him with his woody doll

Kyson was taking pictures with the camera!

I am so grateful for the great friendships that we have made in the short time we have been here. It has definitely made the holidays more bearable.

Christmas Eve party

This year being that it was our first year away from family for Christmas we decided to have our own Christmas Eve party. Kellie, Cori and I got together for our official "planning" meeting. We planned dinner, invite lists and all of the festivities for the party. For dinner I made an awesome marinated shredded ham, then we had cheesy potatoes, rolls, lots of munchies, fruit salads and had lots of desserts too. It was seriously so fun. We started the night off with dinner



and then went into the the first festivity for the night. The famous Ugly Sweater Contest.


And of course the winner is....... Jason! Complete with lights and all



What is a Christmas party with out Santa Clause????
And don't forget his elf.
You can't have Santa without a screaming child. To bad this screaming child happens to be Santa and his helper elf that came along. Doesn't Santa know that Business and pleasure doesn't mix???
Kennidee telling Santa what she wants for Christmas

Kennidee's reaction to her broken candy cane. A broken candy cane tells Santa you have been bad that year. Kennidee was a bit concerned.

Kyson was not so sure about Santa. He just wanted to take his present and go.

While the kids played Bingo the adults enjoyed a traditional white elephant exchange. It was so fun. There were some great gifts going around. The pictures tell it all on this.











We seriously had such a fun time with all of our friends this year. We were so sad to miss our family Christmas Eve party. This was seriously the only thing that got me through Christmas Eve this year. It was such a blast and I am so grateful to all the great friends I have made so far.
After the party the kids said goodbye to Buddy the Elf for the year



and within 20 minutes there was not a creature stirring in our house not even a mouse.