Lance and Whitney

My kids have been changing right before my eyes and it is really fun to watch, better than any movie. Lance is really starting to show his personality. He like to do thing that make Whitney laugh. Lately Whitney has been carrying around a blanket that she calls her bebe. She has seen Adimae do that with one of her blankets, and she must have thought it was cool. Lance saw her with this blanket yesterday and so he found a cloth and started carrying it around. It really got funny when he started putting it on his head and pulling it off really fast, and screaming. It was like he was trying to scare Whitney. What it made her do was laugh really, really hard! So of course he kept doing it. What a little clown :)
Whitney also like to do things that will make Lance laugh. The other day I was down stair and I heard Lance laughing so hard I thought he was going to stop breathing. I went to see what was happening and I saw that Whitney was acting like she was falling into the door and Lance thought it was soooo funny. I couldn't help it, I laughed so hard. But I was not able to get it on video so I am waiting for them to do it again so I can tape it.
It is fun because Lance is finally getting big enough that they can play together. I love it, there is really nothing better that watching your kids have fun together. I really hope and pray that they will always be great friends.

Lance Boy

Today Lance got it. He did it today, he started walking!! He is walking all over the place. yahoo! The difference between Whitney and Lance is that Whitney was very cautious. She would hold on to thing until she knew she could walk without falling and so once she finally let go of the wall she was off and running. Lance was not afraid to fall, he has been trying to stand and walk even before he was one and he had a lot of bad falls. I called him my bruiser because for a week of so his face was covered on bruises because he was falling so much. But today it just sunk in and he has been walking. I am really happy because Berny was watching the kids all day today because I went to Island Park for Aunt Kari's funeral. So it was a special day for Lance that his dad was able to be the first witness to.
Kari's funeral was an amazing experience. I realized how much I really love my mom's family and my cousins, and I know that Heavenly Father is mindful of that family. I also realized that I want to be a much better person. I want to be the wife and mother that when I die they can know that I loved them, and sacrificed to them, and that I have a strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some personal goals that I made for myself was that I want to be better and making breakfast for my family, and I want to make sure that I am always praying for my husband and my children. I want to know their need and be able have the faith that when I pray for those needs that the Lord will answer my prayers.

Christmas Eve Party at Grandma and Grandpa Ellis's House

War Christmas Party

This was the Santa Clause and Mrs. Clause from our ward party. Lance was totally enthralled with them and Whitney wanted nothing to do with the whole thing. This was a place in the south hills that was completely covered with lights they even had a large camel. We went with Mom, Dad, Matthew, Johanna, Mollie, Derrick and Shannon and all the the kids. The lights were beautiful, I couldn't believe how many lights that they put up.

They even had a Santa. Mom and Dad Ellis's Christmas Eve Party

This is a picture of dad reading the Christmas story in the Bible as the Kids acted it out. It seems like just yesterday that it was me and my brothers and sisters acting the same scene.Mary (Lilli), Joseph (Joseph), and the baby Jesus (Doll). The same doll I remember using at one or two of the Nativity's that I have done in the past.

Wrapping the Babe in swaddling cloth, or a dish towel.

Joshua was a Shepard

Wesley was the Angel, and as you can see he was really excited about it.

Our little Angels!!

Robbie was one of the wise men because he is the ultimate wise guy.

The Three wise men

Grandma and Leiloni

This was so cute, they took turns blowing the horn.

Grandma and MaddieMy buddy and I

Hey good looking

Whitney had learned 2 Christmas songs that she sang to everyone,

Stars were gleaming and Santa Clause is coming to town. She had her special way of sing them of course, "Oh you better watch out, you better don't cry, you better don't pout, I'm telling you twice. Santa clause is coming to town." After Whitney sang, everyone sang Carols while we waited for Santa to get ready.

Whitney singing

I really love this picture. We were so happy that the Schmidt's came to the party. But we were all really missing Joe but I did feel like he was there. In this picture there is a glare right next to Laurel, right where Joe would have been. I makes me feel like he really was there. I am really missing Joe but I am grateful for the father figure that he was to me and for the way he loved everyone he met and the children that he and Laurel raised. They are an amazing family.

This is the Santa Clause costume that mom has been working on for years. Every year at Christmas she takes it out and adds something to it. This year she added the beard. When he came out all the kids got to sit on Santa's lap and they all go a gift.

Leiloni and Maddie

Lilli

Joseph and Joshua

We spent Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa Ellis' House this year. We ate chili and did a Nativity and sang Christmas Carols. Whitney had memorized Santa Clause is coming to town and Stars were Gleaming, so she sang them for everybody. While we were singing Santa Clause (Grandpa Ellis) came out. Whitney was so terrified that Santa was in the same room as her that I had to break the news about Santa at a very young age. I had to tell her that it was Grandpa and even after that he had to take of his beard before she would even come close to sitting on his lap. Lance was pretty cute too. He was not scared but he was just so distracted by the beard that Dad had to take it off so that Lance would focus on the present that they were trying to get him to open. It was so fun, Santa gave all of the kids a gift when they came and sat on his lap.

Johanna Lance and Makaila

It was getting late and we are all starting to feel it.

Santa had a gift for my buddy Michelle. Santa, Mrs. Clause and the Schmidt family Santa and the Brauburger Clan. Berny kept bugging me so I gave him what he deserved He got me back Truce Making up! Sometimes fighting is fun Whitney and Michelle Johanna Michell and Rob. Lilli