The boy.

Sweet Jackson has my heart.
I miss the little guy while he is at school and my favorite time of the day is waiting in the car line to pick him up. I get to see him walk out of school, some days he has his arms out flying like a plane, or I see him making helicopter noises. I get to observe from afar as he talks to his friends. One day he got in the car and told me that his friend Kirsten from another class told him to tell me that I need to be a little late picking him up because they need more time to talk! He is growing up and I am enjoying this stage. Everyday he surprises me with what his little mind comes up with.

Being Iron Man!

A cute reindeer!

He puts on the most hilarious puppet shows. Thanks again Nolan and Corie we have loved these fun puppets!

Watching his message from Santa! He got so excited shouting "Santa knows me, he knows me!"

One Sunday we were getting ready for church and there was not a clean white shirt so I put this monkey one under his sweater and we headed out. Half way through sacrament meeting Jack told me he was hot and wanted to take of his sweater. I reminded him that he had his monkey shirt on and couldn't. He gave this clever response. "But mom the monkey is wearing a tie and ties are allowed in church." What could I say to that? He wore that shirt for the rest of church. At least it got a few laughs out of the kids in primary.

Jack still likes to snuggle up to me while we read a book. I love it.

He is getting sick of us taking pictures! I guess it had to happen at some point. We have to take multiple takes each time.

Every night he does this. throws his clothes out of the bathroom. It drives me crazy but it is kind of cute to see his little trail of clothes.

Jason was so excited to get Jack some nerf guns for Christmas. Here he is loaded up with ammo. There are so many dart wars going on at our house. I find the darts everywhere!

Dressed up as Luke Skywalker

Taking down Dad.

He is getting better at helping do chores. Sometimes we have a little difficulty though. This is what I walked into one day after asking him to help with the laundry!

There are so many moments that I want him to just slow down and stop growing. I tell him this often and he keeps telling me that I should stop feeding him and making him sleep!

House progress

Our new house is coming along. We are anxious to get in it! Well that is an understatement. I literally have to take a "chill pill" as Jack says its, every time we go to the new house. My little heart starts pounding with excitement and I can't calm down. It is kind of a wonderful thing to have to take a calm down pill because I am so happy. 
We have been having fun shopping for furniture and and accessories for the new house. I have made out a plan of each room what furniture will go in it, what window coverings and what color to paint everything! That's right we can paint everything and leave it!!!!!

The nice thing about all this time we have had to get ready we got to take our time finding the things we really wanted to go in the house. We needed to get a bigger sofa to match our white love seat now. We had been watching the IKEA prices on one that was perfect. At the beginning of December it shot way down in price. Not wanting to miss out on this sofa we acted fast. A little too fast because the box wouldn't fit into the Subaru. Jake was there with us and he and Jason took the stuff out of the box and shoved all of it in the car. It was tight but it fit!

It turned out on that same day a year ago we made our big uhaul trip (dream trip) to IKEA.  I told Jason that it must be a tradition from now on. IKEA Christmas trip each December 17th!

We took a lot of late night trips to sneak into the house. There were workers there during the day so we couldn't go in. During the construction phase you needed an agent to go in with you and had to  wear hard hats. We found it easier to just go at night. Jason and I usually ventured alone but took Jack one night. He was so scared and worried we were going to get caught. He kept saying "I have never snuck into a house before." We told him that this was the only house he was allowed to sneak into!

It was fun each time to go and see new things happening. 

One of the things I am most excited for! The Jetted tub!

The house has all the appliances so it is now locked up at night. One night we did a drive by and all the lights in the house were on. We had fun peaking through the windows. That was the first time I had seen the kitchen complete and the carpet in! I sure squealed with delight!

                                                       We also now have landscaping!

We take little detours to the house often. Especially on our way home from church.

We have final walk through on the 8th of February and then closing on the 21st! We could have been in the house this week but couldn't get out of our lease at our house till the end of February. Jason is also taking a trip out to Utah for a conference and to visit with family the day after our walk through.  I just want to get in so bad but it worked out so we have time to pack up, move and put our current house back to it's original state, meaning repainting and removing our mark. Hopefully these next few weeks will fly by! I also just got a big refill of my calm down pills so I think I will be set! There is much to look forward to and such excitement! We just can't wait!

Christmas this year.

We had a wonderful Christmas. Not only just on Christmas day but the whole season. There is a special magic with a child in your home. There was so much excitement and it wasn't just Jack who was excited this year. This was my fifth Christmas out of the hospital and really my first one where I was truly looking forward to the holiday season. It only took five years to get there!

I love Jack's teacher. We have really enjoyed kindergarten. I loved and decorated with all of the projects he brought home. These are only a few, next year we might have to have two trees because we gained a lot of ornaments this year.

Jack even got to wear his pj's to school one day for a class polar express party. He was a little apprehensive about wearing his pj's all day and that he would be the only one. But he was reassured when we saw other kindergartners walking in with their pajamas on.

I had asked Jack what he wanted to give his teacher for a present along with her gift card and he replied "I want to give her some chocolates." We got the chocolates and Jack made the cutest personalized card.

The front.

"Mrs. McDermott, Thanks for teaching me." The last line was totally backwards!

The Back.

First minutes of Christmas break! I was more excited than Jack, I don't think he quite grasped how long he had out of school!

Jack had been begging me for weeks to decorate some Gingerbread men. We were so busy we just didn't have the time. Right after I picked him up from school we stopped at the store and I purchased some gingerbread men from the bakery. Luckily I didn't slave away making those cookies. He decorated one. Ate the arms and legs off and then he was done.

Christmas was again at Mom and Dad's this year.

Granddad and Uncle Jim were there again this year.

The beautiful table for Christmas eve dinner.

Reading the Christmas story. Jack insisted on being a Shepard. He was the only one who dressed up this year.

Christmas morning brought what Jack has been talking about non-stop the Lego mine set.

He built all day long. Building ten sets in all! His little back hurt at the end of the day.

My favorite moment on Christmas day. While everyone was upstairs watching a grown up movie Jack and I stayed downstairs. We played his new games and then I just sat and ate and watched him play. It was special just the two of us.

Jack's first train set.

I had so much fun finding and giving presents this year. I know that is why my heart was changed. I went to bed on Christmas night with such a full heart and gratitude. I spent it with my family, my little 6 year old and at home. What wonderful presents indeed.

As I was putting the Christmas decorations away I got so excited thinking we will be in our own home next Christmas. Then all those decorations will have a permanent place! We will spend more than one Christmas in the same place.

Kate and Griffin home for Christmas

Kate and Griffin were here for Christmas!

 

It was so fun to be with them again and we had so much fun!

 

We were able to meet up with them at Animal Kingdom and Sea world. It was like old times with Miss Kate. Kate and Griffin were so fun to be with they were so excited to be there. It is always great to experience the parks with people who are so excited.

The baby of the family is having a baby!

Kate seemed to grow before our eyes while she was here! It was so wonderful to see. Baby Allen will arrive in June. Perfect timing for me, I get to be there.

                
We played a lot of games. Christmas night we played some games on the Wii. I think it was more fun watching them play them actually playing.

There are several things I love about Kate and that I have missed. Watching chick flicks/shows with her, she always cries and it makes me laugh. Second is sharing in the joy of eating crab legs. We shared a crab lunch. She made me laugh so hard watching her crack those babies open.

Look how cute they all are in their hard hats!
One day we spent most of the afternoon touring Jake and Meredith's new house and our house.

Jack and Kate have that special bond and went back to being best buds right away. It was also fun to see Jack and Griffin playing together. There were some awesome conversations going on in the back seat of the car between those two!

It was a sad, sad day when they left. I hate that they live so far away. I am so excited to come out to Utah in the Summer and meet the new member of their family. Love you two so much!