Who doesn't love a baby giggling?

Seriously, doesn't this just make you happy?! It just makes me feel like a million bucks when I can make my kids giggle like this. Hope you enjoy!

Back to Life... Back to Reality

Isn't it always hard to go back to school after Christmas break? We had such a nice break with Carl home. It was hard to see him go, but I am grateful that we got another day already. Thanks MLK!

This past week Carl went to Vegas with a group from school to see the Consumer Electronics show. While he was gone, all 3 of my kids threw up in a 24 hr period. It all started at Wendys. We met Anna (Carl's sister) and her kids to get some Frosty's. Emma Jane ate like a spoonful, and then 10 minutes later showed it to all of us on the carpet at Wendy's and in the bathroom. Poor girl, so we left. Later that night June started, and while she was up, CJ started. And, CJ had been sleeping in my bed. Yep. Fun stuff. Then, I was woken up in the morning by EmmaJane yelling "June is throwing up!"

The kids always seem to get sick when Carl goes out of town. They didn't recover fully for a couple of days, so we watched a LOT of movies since we were mostly home bound. By the time Carl got home, I was ready to hand the kids over and run! :)

Things have died down...thankfully! Today was our dog Mabel's birthday! She turned 10 today! She is the oldest Bulldog my family has had. She got spoiled with tons of treats by the kids and had an extra yummy dinner. And, now, she can't stop tooting. :( I will guess we will let it slide today Mabel.

Junnie, Little Miss Stander.

If you can't tell, she is standing in this picture. Gone are the days of no mobility. Little miss thang started crawling this week, and she already knows how to take everything out of my purse.

And I just had to post this picture I took of CJ at Anna's house. Who doesn't love masks?

I will have to take pictures of CJ and Emma Jane's new haircuts later.

Merry Christmas from the Haynie's

It has been a pretty crazy December. I had sinus surgery on Dec 15th in hopes to have less migraines and less sinus infections...we are still crossing our fingers on that one. Then, on Dec.18th my Grandma Dalton passed away. Her funeral was yesterday. Although she was in poor health and is a better places reunited with her mom and dad and her 6 siblings, it is so sad to see my Gpa so lost without her. And, at the same time, it is so cute to see how much in love they were after 62 years of marriage. It was tender to hear him with their kids at the casket. He talked about how she would still tell him she loved him every night, and how she liked to hold hands with him as they were going to sleep. I am so grateful for the wonderful mother she was to my mom. She shaped my mom, who then shaped me, and I will be forever grateful for that.

It seems strange that it is already Christmas Eve, but here it is! So, here's our

Top 11 Exciting Things of 2011!

1. June joined our family 2 1/2 weeks early!

2. Carl went to India for 3 weeks!

3. Carl got a JOB!!! We are going to be moving to Dallas, TX in August to go work for PwC as a Consultant!

4. EmmaJane & CJ started preschool!

5. Emma Jane is learning how to read!

6. CJ became a great drawer!

7.Lived in Portland, OR for 3 months this summer

8. We all got to pick up star fish on the OR coast!

9. Moving back from OR made our 10th move in 6 1/2 years of marriage...and we'll be moving again in August! :) I am now a professional packer!

10. Carl played intramural coed soccer, soccer, and football this year!

11. I ran my first 1/2 marathon!

I hope you have a very merry Christmas. I hope you are able to be with family and to remember the reason for the season. I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful that He came to this earth to show us the way and allowed us to return to our Heavenly Father again!

Best Christmas FHE EVER!!!

So, we just finished the Book of Mormon together as a family! At the beginning of this year, our stake president challenged each family to read it. We had a schedule, and everything. And, we just finished it this past week!

When your audience is a 3 and 4 year old, it can be a little difficult at times, but I am so very grateful that we did it. I was SHOCKED how much the kids got out of it. Who know that a 4 year old could explain and understand the pride cycle? Who knew that when they were bouncing around and you thought they weren't listening, they actually were! Seriously, it is amazing how much they have learned.

It has created a tradition in our family. Who would have thought that our kids would be asking us to read the scriptures to them? It really has become a part of our nightly routine, and although, it is often very challenging, it is amazing to see little ones develop a love for the scriptures.

...So, in honor of finishing the Book of Mormon as a family, we went up to temple square in Salt Lake city with Carl's parents and sister and their family. And, the highlight of the trip was the church history museum.

This just reminds me of all those pictures with Christ and little children. I just love this picture.

Here with "Father Christmas"...he had to explain what he was to all the kids. It was pretty funny.

EmmaJane with the Liahona.

Carl and EmmaJane writing on the "plates."

EmmaJane and CJ getting taught by the missionaries.

CJ building buildings in the time of Nephi.

EmmaJane with the Brass Plates.

This is angel Moroni. He is on every one of our temples. The lady said that this one is actually a couple of feet shorter than the actual ones they have on the temple. Pretty crazy!

It was the best place ever to go with the kids. It really brought the Book of Mormon to life. It was a great way to celebrate!

Christmas Traditions

Courtney and I are still working on Christmas traditions with the family (I think we change things every year), but this video has become one that we really like. My church's Stake Choir in Florida was really good and the director found out that the church's Luke II video went perfectly with Celine Dion's "Oh Holy Night". The words fit the video almost flawlessly. So when we got married I put edited the video and music together and put it on a DVD. We watch this video every Christmas Eve before the kids go to bed.

Getting into the spirit

One of carls cousins family came over to make gingerbead houses. It was a sticky mess. I think in the end, the parents made the houses and the kids got to eat candy while the parents weren't looking. Good times though.

CJ practicing for the Preschool Christmas Program

Christmas is fast approaching. I can just feel it...especially when the kids come home from preschool singing Christmas songs and advent calendars! CJ came home singing this song the other day. I can't wait for their program.

Is Thanksgiving Over All Ready?

Seriously, I can't believe it is over. The Thanksgiving break was so wonderful. It was so nice to have Carl around. We had a great, relaxing time with family. We were able to go up to Bountiful to visit my grandma, grandpa, Aunt Pam, and Uncle Ben. It was such a great visit.

Then, we had Thanksgiving dinner with Carl's parents and sister and her family. It was great. And, me and Anna and Cara and Wesley braved the mob of shoppers to go to Walmart's Black Friday sale. Talk about crazy! Remind me never to do that again b/c they were out of what I wanted. Then, I waited until their site went live to access the sale online. That was about 1:30am. Then, for the next hour, I was being teased with getting my item, and then, at the last minute the site would lose my page. In the end, still didn't get my item, but o well!

Saturday night, we went to Murray to visit my Aunt Kathy, Cousin Andrea, her husband David, and Aunt Jan and Uncle Rick. It was a lot of fun.

Tonight I went to Walmart, and the crazy holiday season has officially begun. I need to do more shopping online...

Here are some pics from my phone.

My helpers who helped me put up Christmas.

Emma Jane set up this shot. She saw a pic of her when she was this age with Mabel on the couch, and she was determined that June needed one too.

And, I just thought this was so cute. June just loved Gpa Dalton.

In the spirit of Thankgiving--The thing I am most grateful for these days is the fact that June just started sleeping through the night! Woo hoo!

And, Carl got a job offer with PwC in Dallas...so it looks like we are going to be Texans!

EmmaJane's Class Picture

If you can't tell, she's the 2nd from the top right.

I totally had to gently coax her into not wearing sweats and a t-shirt.

Thank you class pictures. The only day I get to pick what she gets to wear!

Birthdays, Black Cat, and a Black Eye

Carl turned 29 on Halloween. Carl got a ski pass, and now, he can't wait for the slopes to open up!

I took CJ to a play on the book, "How I became a Pirate."

Then, on Saturday, EmmaJane was getting a drink at the kitchen sink and found this in our window.

This is Danger, our neighbor's cat. He must have got in when the door was open while the kids were out playing the night before. Emma Jane was very excited. Mabel was not.

This beauty I got from CJ. I was bending down to ironically tell him to calm down, and he turned around really fast and jumped up in my face.

This is another look of it. I have been doing my other eye makeup to match it. And, it was really funny when the nurse at the kid's dr appt complemented my eye makeup. :)

June is so fun right now. She is just at such a fun stage. She loves to play with toys, and while she is in the bath, I can't get her to stop splashing.

Who wouldn't love hanging out with this face? Seriously.