La felicidad que se encuentra: Kyle, Jenny, Alexa, Tyler, Tad, Liam, Nathan, and Audrey

We had a wonderful, simple Christmas at home.  This was our first year that we had a non-believer (Alexa).   Nathan got Bingo and Bluey stuffies, star flex toys, and magnetic blocks. Liam got Buzz Lightyear Duplos, a Jeep toy car, and mini chipmunk stuffies.  Tad got an Optimus Prime transformer, megalodon remote control car, voice changing megaphone, and a hugging tiger toy. Tyler got Star Wards legos, Percy Jackson book set, Calvin and Hobbes stickers, and an MP3 player. Alexa got a lego nativity set (her request), Cirque du Freak book set, and a sunflower necklace. For all of the kids: a street hockey set, a new echo, and a new Minecraft disc.  Grandma Sweeny shared her testimony inside and gave each of the kids one of Grandpa Ludlow's books. Aunt Anne sent us really fun new sleds, including one that looks like a pizza! Sweet Alexa bought Audrey a Christmas dress back in July because she was so excited for a sister.  Audrey came to church for the first t...

Michelle and Garr invited us to a Boys & Girls Club Dinner & Silent Auction Fundraiser.  Garr is on the Board for our local UT Chapter.  I had no idea all of the work they do to provide housing, food, and jobs to local families in addition to after-school programs for kids.  It was great to learn more about all they do to help the community.   Baby Audrey joined our family right on her due date of Nov 20.  The first 4 kids were 2-10 days early or on time but Nathan was a week late so we weren't sure what to expect.  All of our other kids have come pretty fast but Audrey's labor and delivery was really slow.  I started having really mild contractions Friday night and they continued about every 45 minutes to an hour for the next day.  They started picking up Saturday night.  We called the midwife at 3am once they had been hard and close for a couple of hours, thinking it would be only a couple hours until she was born (like our oth...

We spent my birthday at basketball games, Dean's baptism, and Rowley's Red Barn Fall Festival.  We had delicious farm-fresh sourdough bread and cheese, apple cider donuts, and apple cider slushies.  Liam celebrated his 5th birthday at Carls Jr, which he has been planning for about 9 months.  He wanted a Monster Truck cake and invited Lily, Wesley, and all his friends from preschool.  He asked for "Liam" pancakes for breakfast on his birthday.  He got a Duplo fire truck, glow in the dark outer space puzzle, rocket ship coloring book, rocket ship sheets, Duplo playhouse, and some new Little Blue Truck and rocket ship books.  He loves to go to preschool, read books (he is an AMAZING reader), do puzzles, and wrestle.  I come home from work almost every day to a new picture of him, me, and "baby sissy" going in a rocket ship to the moon.  Kyle asked if he could come and Liam said no 😂. We had fun pumpkin carving / painting and watching Hocus Pocus 2 w...