All the lights are coming on now...

In between work and school and finals Karli found a little time to be creative.
Here are a couple of her latest creations.

Santa is coming to town from Patrick Davies on Vimeo.

O Christmas Tree from Patrick Davies on Vimeo.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

12 - 12

"It's a boy!" I heard the nurse say as she held my baby up, before whisking him away to an incubator where they would check him over to make sure he was breathing ok. Even though he was five weeks early he was healthy and strong and soon brought back to me to hold for the very first time. Looking down at my newborn I noticed he was tightly swaddled in a warm white blanket, and I thought to myself... "he resembles the snowy scene outside my window." Overnight the valley had been covered in a heavy blanket of fresh white snow that was now glistening in the afternoon sunlight.

They say stormy weather can bring on labor but in my case it was a blizzard that really stirred things up. It all started the night before when the snowy storm blew into town. As I sat down to put Karli's snow boots on so she could run outside with Justin and Ashley to play in the Winter Wonderland that was beginning to swirl in our backyard, something unexpected happened.... my water broke!

I called Pat at work and he started his slow drive home on the snow covered roads. As soon as he walked in the door we walked right back out and drove straight to the hospital. The doctors wanted to send me downtown by ambulance to a bigger hospital which was better equipped to handle a premature baby, but at the last minute decided the roads were just too dangerous. The new plan was to keep me, but life flight my baby if it was born with complications. After a really long labor but very quick delivery my last baby was born. We were happy that he was healthy and strong enough to go home with me a few days later.

I never planned on having a December baby, but over the years have learned that we don't get to plan everything in life, sometimes life gets to plan things for us. Jake loves his December birthday, and I do too! I can't think of a happier time of year than Christmas time to have given birth to such a sweet baby boy.

Jake Davies born 12-12-92
5 lbs 7 oz 18 inches

This Santa doll was bigger than Jake and it wasn't very big : )
(Linda please tell me you still have it...I would love to hold it next to Jake!)

Jake's blessing day

2 months old

6 months old

1 year old

Jake was the ultimate snuggler....it was AWESOME!

The starting of his Jake the Cowboy stage : )

Jazz Fan

Still a Jazz Fan...even when they lose ; )

Happy 17th Birthday Jake
I LOVE YOU!
mom

Thankful

Ashley Brooke Davies
November 21, 1983
8lbs 20 inches

Thanksgiving Day 1983 I had so much to be thankful for. I had just given birth to my beautiful baby girl 3 days earlier and also had an adorable two year old boy at home. I couldn't have been happier! A boy and a girl, I thought... now my life is complete and whatever comes next is just gravy. Ironically three days later we were practically swimming in the stuff... Turkey Gravy that is.

I checked out of the hospital on Thanksgiving morning with my pink little bundle of joy and by that afternoon we were stuffing ourselves silly at the Atwood Family Thanksgiving Feast. From there we drove to Pat's Aunt Janet's house where we spent the evening eating a delicious Turkey Dinner with the Davies.

I was either too young or too stupid (probably both) but I didn't care. I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate the Season of Thanksgiving than to be gathered around a crackling fire with loved ones, passing around my precious baby girl, smelling her sweet neck and smothering her cute little face with kisses.

By the end of the night my body was exhausted but my spirit had never felt so alive, and like the flames that flickered in the fireplace on that cold Thanksgiving night, it is a scene that I fondly cherish, and will forever warm my heart.

Loving the swing at the farm : )

Taking over Justin's Care Bear desk!

Stealing Justin's Knight Rider Bike!

hogging Justin's Big Boy Bike!

Preschool Grad

Taking Treats to school for her 6th Birthday

I am so THANKFUL for you Ashley
Thanks for being the wonderful daughter that you are!
I LOVE YOU!
mom : )

Love & Promises

At the Center of your lives is your love

and around you is the family
held together by the promises
you made to one another

For keeping your promises
for living your love
for all that your marriage has meant
you are celebrated today

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad
I LOVE YOU!

photos by Courtney Brooke

Rising Star

Watch this cute video that Karli's friends made for a Post it note commercial contest.

I think the Supporting Actress is amazing... don't you? : )

Birthday Buddies

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday to me!

Thanks for being the best side kick

a girl could ever ask for!

Dear Summer,

I miss you already
xoxoxo
me

Acting half his age

A few reasons why I think my husband is a stud

He loves to run up mountains

He hikes over huge boulders

He wears shorts in freezing cold temperatures

110 degrees has nothing on this guy

He doesn't need any skis when he goes water skiing:)

He has run/hiked to the top of Lone Peak a bajillion times

He can still throw a football pretty far for an old guy;)

He drives down to Moab just to exercise

He's 52 and still going strong!

Happy Birthday Patrick
I love you!

Here's hoping by the time you reach 72 the rest of us will be able to keep up with you!

Jeepers creepers

Where'd you get those peepers?

I can remember this day like it was yesterday:)

Justin had been napping on my bed and instead of the usual routine of waking up crying for his next meal, I heard cute baby noises coming from my room. When I went in to check on him he stared at me with his big brown beautiful peeps and was grinning from ear to ear. I grabbed the camera and snapped this picture then plunked myself down on the floor at the edge of my bed where we spent the rest of the afternoon gooing and giggling at each other.... it was a good day:)

Even though Justin was a fussy colicky baby, he was also a smart, sweet, happy, smiley little guy who made me a Mother and brought a lot of joy into my life.

The colic eventually subsided but Justin's early traits have remained...he is still a smart, sweet, happy, smiley guy who brings a lot of happiness not only into my life, but our entire family's lives as well!

Happy Birthday Justin

I Love You!
Mom

Lake Pals

Since Jake & Karli are in Lake Powell this week and I'm not, I decided that the next best thing to being there was to look through old photographs from some of our past trips and reminisce. So this post is me reminiscing...out loud:) Oh and for a good laugh, click on the pictures to make them bigger...you have got to see some of these facial expressions close up....HILARIOUS! My personal favs are #7 (funny) #12 & 13 (cute:)

Ashley & Tanner vs the Lake
Summer 2006

"This is going to be easy"

big wave...

"no problem"

"lean to the left"

"we made it"

"ah O"

"hang on"

there she goes

there he goes!

Tanner & Ashley ready for round two
... acting all smug and stuff

"ha ha ha, we got em this time"

"bring it on"

"we are the champions"

see... what did I tell ya...acting all smug & stuff

"watch out"

"we can do this"

"don't let go"

"oh nooooooo"

"not again!"