Christmas cont'd...

Christmas morning we heard Meg talking in her bed around 7am.  Around 7:10 Tate started talking also.   We thought for sure Avery would've been up by now, because she was so excited the night before.   Around 7:30 I got up and went into the girls room.  Avery of course was out cold.   I had to wake her up.  How many kids do you have to wake up on Christmas morning?   It was unbelievable.    So we got the camera's ready and told the kids to wait in the kitchen until we were ready.    When they came out and saw what Santa left they were ecstatic.   The twins got battery operated quads.  Avery got a razor scooter and a doll that poops and pees.   Like I don't have enough of that going on around here.   They got games, cars, dolls, and more toys.   We had a great morning.   Later that day we went outside to play and then  over to our friend's for a delicious Christmas dinner.   

It rained most of the day, so it felt a little more like Christmas this year for me.

Christmas Morning!!!!

Christmas Eve after Santa visited the Cramer household.   Everyone, but ma and pa were nestled in their beds.  Notice my half decorated tree.   The ornaments slowly started to move upward with two two year olds running around.

Christmas Eve

For Christmas Eve we let the kids open one present.   The twins were very into it this year and totally understood what was going on.

Christmas Eve 2008

For Christmas this year we stayed home and didn't have any family coming, so we did the next best thing spending it with friends.   We had soup at our friends across the street with some of our neighbors who didn't have family here either.   We ate soup and tracked Santa.  The kids played and we had a great time.  

When we were getting ready to go home, I asked Avery what she wanted to leave Santa.    She said cookies, but I then asked her if we should leave him something different since everyone gives him cookies.   She then said "what about chips and salsa?"   I was very excited with that idea, so we didn't have to go home and make cookies.    It was a great Christmas Eve.

Church Christmas Party

Avery got the chance to sit on Santa's lap at our ward Christmas party.     The twins were anxiously waiting for their turn, but Santa came too late and they were pooped.  Sean stayed with Avery and I took the twins home to bed.

Miracle baby # 4

Yes people you read it right.   We are prego with # 4.   I am still in shock too, so don't feel bad.   About 6 months ago we couldn't decide whether to have one more or be finished having kids for good.   I felt their may be one more for us, but with our infertility history I wasn't sure.    We decided that if the Lord had one more little Cramer for us he would send one our way and sure enough he did.   We call it our miracle drug free baby.   It took a year and fertility drugs to get Avery.   We did IUI 7 times, major fertility drugs and still didn't get the twins until 2 1/2 years later.   We feel that this baby is a major blessing and is meant to be in our family.    We are very excited and a little nervous to have 4 kids and 3 kids under 3.  Avery will be 6 1/2 and the twins 2 1/2.  I will be busy, but I just keep telling myself that the Lord doesn't give you anything that you can't handle.   If I can make it through twins this should be a cakewalk right?  

Oh Christmas Tree!

Last night we decorated our Christmas tree.   The twins were all over it and hanging stuff everywhere.   Tate would grab the balls off the tree and yell basketball!   Thank goodness  they were the shatterproof balls from Costco.    

I was trying to keep the tree very neat and organized and after about 5 minutes I told Avery to put them wherever.

I figure what is wrong with a crazy looking tree right?   It makes for a great memory.

My crazy little man!

So I had to post my favorite Tate shirt.   If you don't know Sean very well, you probably won't get it.   Tate looks exactly like Sean.   He walks like him and a lot of his mannerisms are Sean.   It is wild.   When I saw this shirt, I had to get it.   Notice the crazy hair again.   He got a much needed hair cut yesterday.

Too much like her mama

So, I know 0ur kids watch our every move, but I never realized that Meg would ever do what she sees me doing obviously too often.   She cracks me up.

Thanksgiving 2008

So we had Sean's family in town for Thanksgiving.   We had a great feast and it was fun to have family with us.   I wanted to jot some things down that I am extra thankful for:

* I am so thankful for three beautiful healthy kids.    My good friend from when I was young

   has a little girl who has brain cancer.    This situation has hit very close to home with me    and has made me realize how we can take good health for granted.

* I am grateful for a wonderful husband.

* I am grateful for my family who loves and supports me

* I am grateful for a living prophet who gives me comfort in all of crazy stuff that is going on 

in the world right now.

* I am grateful to live in this country and enjoy all the freedoms that we are so lucky to have.

Happy Anniversary Sean!

So 9 years ago today I married my best friend.   We were married in The San Diego temple at 10:00 am.   We had a lunch in downtown San Diego that day and then a reception the next day.   For our honeymoon we went on  a cruise to the Mexican Riveria for a week.   Then on December 3rd we had another reception in UT at the Provo Courthouse.   Three kids and three houses later I love you more and more every year.   Happy Anniversary!

It's freezing!!!!!!!!!

So when we moved here I would always laugh when I saw people wearing sweatshirts when the temp dropped below 70.   Now I hate to admit it, but I am one of those people!   My blood is no longer Utah blood.  It has totally thinned out.   The other morning I was walking the dog and it was probably 50 degrees and I was dying.   The funny thing is in Utah I wouldn't even wear a sweatshirt it was that temp.  How on earth did I keep my house in Utah at 60 degrees during the night?   Very funny.

Halloween Cont'd

These pictures are Avery with her friends Jack and Madison.   Then the babies with their twin friends down the street Jackson and Joseph.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

So I love Halloween!  It is probably my second favorite holiday after Christmas.    We closed down our street and had a potluck dinner.   When it started getting dark we took the kids trick or treating.   At first the babies were riding happily in the stroller until they realized what was going on.   When we let them out of the stroller they ran up to the door to get the goods.   It was hilarious.  They were so excited and having so much fun.  I couldn't get over how cute they all looked. Meg would not keep her bone in her hair and Tate kept taking his sash off.   I barely got some pictures with their accessories on.  Only in AZ can you dress like Pebbles and Bam Bam and not be cold.  We had a great night.

Halloween Breakfast

So I decided to make the kids a Halloween breakfast.   I decided that the fastest and easiest was to make pumpkin shaped pancakes.  The kids thought it was pretty funny.

Pumpkin Carving

So Thursday night we decided that we needed to carve our pumpkins.   We had a lot of little helpers and the pumpkins turned out adorable.

Future Cyclist

So lately Meg has had an obsession with riding bikes.  She has been climbing on my spin bike and trying to get the wheel to move.  So the other day I walk in to find her on my bike with Avery's helmet on.   It was hilarious!   At least she is being safe right?   I guess she gets the love of cycling from her momma.  

Thank you Elmo!

So I think I have complained recently that I could not get the twins to sit and watch any TV.   Well last week Tate finally sat and watched Elmo in Grouchland.  They love Elmo!   Well they both sat for 10 minutes, which is a record. I actually got half of dinner made.  It was awesome.   I know soon enough they will beg me to watch TV, so I should enjoy it, but I need it sometimes.

Driveway Parties

So I honestly believe that I live on the best street ever.   We are so lucky to live where we do.   Every Friday night we have a driveway party where we all come out and bring food and all the kids play and ride bikes up and down our street.    There are so many kids on our street and  families that are awesome!   This night was Italian night and the babies are loving their spaghetti.   This picture reminds me of the movie Lady and the Tramp.  I love it when they hug and kiss each other, because I know someday they won't do it anymore.

Tub Time

The kids love to take baths together.  It also makes it so much easier for me to do it all at once.   Although, it does get a little crazy at times when they all decide to splash at the same time.   O'well.  It makes a good memory.

Halloween 2007

I had to post these pictures of last Halloween since I'm so behind on putting older pics on.    Time goes so fast.

Find Joy In The Journey

So we were "trying" to watch conference yesterday, but it was a little difficult to hear with all the kids jumping on the couch and running around the family room.   Sean was complaining that he had just steam cleaned the couch the day before and how they were climbing all over it and getting it dirty again.   President Monson started speaking and said some things that hit me like a freight train.    I don't remember it word for word, but you'll get the point.   He said something like when your children dirty clean surfaces, and bring toys out that you just put away and dirty the house,  that we need to find joy in the journey.   I just looked at Sean and said "See he is talking directly to us".   It was wild.   It was so ironic the things he was saying.   It was totally meant for me at this stage in my life.   Sometimes I feel like all I do is pick up, clean up and tell me kids no no all the time.   I have felt frustrated lately, because I feel like whatever I do they undo it and I can't get on top of it.   A lot of days I just feel like why bother cleaning they will just trash it all over again.  I really need to find joy in the journey.   This stage is so temporary and they will be grown before I know it.   So when the twins are running down the street in different directions laughing their darling heads off, I will find joy in chasing them.

When they are both climbing on the table and I have to lift them off fifty times, I will find joy in that.   When we are out to dinner and Tate throws a chicken nugget and it hits some lady in the head I will find joy in that.  It was freakin hilarious, but totally embarrassing.  Don't get me wrong I love my kids more than anything and wouldn't trade them for the world, but can I have my house stay clean for more than 2 hours please?     So when you feel like you can't pick up one more toy, or break up one more fight, remember to find joy in this journey, because it is your season and will end someday.

Goodbye Summer

So I think our swimming days are finally coming to an end.   We started swimming the end of March and usually can swim until the end of September.  Our pool is not heated, so when the temp drops below 100 and starts cooling down at night our pool cools down too.   Today Meg didn't even want to get it, because it wasn't hot enough for her.   We will miss our pool for a few months, but looking forward to winter.   I was even shivering today, my blood has totally thinned.   I will freeze to death we go we go to Utah this winter.

Gratitude

So lately our little family has had a lot of trials thrown our way.    Things that have tried my faith and made me look at the bigger picture in life.   

So here are 10 things that I am grateful for:  Of course there is more, but ya know.

1.  For my three beautiful energetic kids that try my patience every day, but I love them so       much.

2.  My sweet, patient husband that still loves me even when I do stupid things.  Which is a lot.

3.  My beautiful home, even though it isn't nearly worth as much as we paid for it.  Blah.

4.  I am so grateful that my family is strong and healthy.

5.  Great friends that love and care about me and my well being.  You know who you are.

6.  A Heavenly Father who loves me and helps me get through the tough times.

7.  A temple marriage.   Knowing that my family will be together forever, no matter what 

happens in this life.   

8.  Surviving my third Arizona summer and so excited for winter.

9.  That my husband has a good job and takes such great care of us.

10. For the freedom to vote for whoever I want.  Love ya Sarah!!!

Happy Birthday Sean!!

So today is Sean's 31st birthday!    We decided it was too hard to go out to eat on a school night, so I made his favorite french onion soup.   We all had dinner and then cheesecake.    No, not homemade.   That would be way overdoing it for me.  Home made dinner then cheesecake?  Not.   It was from a box, but he loved it anyways.  We gave him Rock Band 2 and he felt bad telling me that he bought it yesterday.   At least I tried right?   I married Sean when he was 22 years old. Crazy!   I love you Sean and look forward to many more memorable birthdays with you!

Avery lost her first tooth!!!!

So a few days ago Avery came to me and said "Mom, my tooth is wiggly."  I didn't believe her, but checked it anyway and it was totally loose.   Then last night I went to dinner with some friends and came home and Sean told me that it fell out when she was brushing her teeth.   She was very excited this morning telling me all about the experience.   My little girl is growing up!  Crazy.   She put her tooth in the little locket and it is under her pillow.   The toothfairy will be visiting her later this evening.   Fun stuff!

The Buzz

So it was time once again for the dreaded haircut.    Tate screams the whole time and hates it.    This time I decided that I was going to get it buzzed, so I wouldn't have to cut it again for awhile.   Of course he screamed the whole time, but we obviously made it through it.   It makes him look a lot older, so I am not a fan.    He needs to stay my little baby boy as long as possible.   Plus it doesn't fit his personality at all.    O'well trial and error.    The nice thing is that it will probably be back to "normal" in about 2 months.

Our play set is finally done!!

So we have wanted a play set forever.   Even in Utah I really wanted one, but didn't have the room for it.   So we bought this back in May.   I kept telling Sean that he needed to get it put together before it got too hot.   Well it got hot really fast this year.   Poor Sean has worked every Saturday on this project for three months now.   He would work for a little bit then jump in the pool to cool off and then work some more.   Poor guy.   It was only 110 most of the time.   HA.  Anyway, thank you to my wonderful husband who would suffer in the heat every weekend, so his kids could play in the backyard.   We love you daddy!!!!

They are hugging and kissing when they are not trying to kill each other.   I can finally say that I love having twins.   It is so nice that they do play together and entertain each other.    With Avery I was her playmate, because she was an only child for four years.   I am so grateful that they have each other.   Yes, it is getting easier FINALLY!