Merry Santa Day 2013!

This year we baked a ton of goodies to deliver to our neighbors for Santa Day.  As always...while we were out serving our neighbors, Santa stopped by our house and left presents for everyone!

Brooklin got a William Shakespeare Star Wars Book, an Iron Man contacts case, two new pairs of jeans, some notepads, an infinity scarf, a Bubble Talk game, and a "class ring".  We decided to buy her a ring she would actually wear beyond graduation...class rings are kind of ugly...so we got her a ring with emeralds in it because they are her birthstone.

Caleb got TWO guns!  One Nerf gun and one 12-gauge shot gun!  He also got a BSU jersey, an Xbox controller, an Xbox game, a Wheel of Time book, some ammunition, and a Star Wars calendar.

London got a pair of homemade fingerless gloves, makeup, a Nook HD and case, two pairs of jeans, a scarf, and an Elite book.

Isaiah got two long sleeve t-shirts, a Nerf gun, an Xbox controller, Minecraft, a remote control car, a Would You Rather game, finger lights, and a ninja sword pen that makes swooshing noises.

Kalia had a Bubble Guppie Christmas!  She got a singing Bubble Guppies playset, three pairs of pajamas (one was Bubble Guppies), a dress, some Bubble Guppies maracas, stuffed animal Bubble Guppies, an animal book and a very cute "hootie-hootie" from her Gammy.

The Annual Christmas Wishlists

(As always, I do not correct spelling errors.  I just type what is written)

Brooklin

• Geek Shirt
• Sweaters
• Long sleeve under armor (for running)
• Pocket knife
• Earings
• Books
• Sweat pants for running
• Books A Million - pretty much anything in there
• That one Shakespearean Star Wars book we saw, that was awesome.
• Acceptance letter to college

Caleb

1. Books      1b. Star Wars Books 
2. PS3
3. Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix
4. Kingdom Hearts Manga
5. Pants
6. Halo (or Xbox game for 4 people)
7. 2 more Xbox controllers
8. Headphones
9. A movie
10. Legos (A BIG one)
11. Angry Birds Star Wars II (for iPad)
12. A bean chair or circle chair
13. A trip to the gun range
14. Foozball table for the basement
15. Horse Shoes (the game)
16. Star Wars posters
17. Personal Rope
18. Bow Ties and Regular Ties
19. An under armor shirt
20. Mormon Ads
21. Lifeproof case

London

1. contacts
2. new iPod case
3. makeup
4. gun
5. pocket knife
6. kindle fire
7. The Elite (book)
8. Books
9. colored contacts
10. clothes
11. Catching Fire movie (if it's out)
12. Kingdom Hearts
13. Beehive necklace
14. Facebook
15. Converse
16. Head Phones (not)
17. Harry Potter/Hunger Games/Star Wars T-Shirts
18. Springy Circle Chair!!!!!
19. Ping Pong Table
20. BACON
21. earings

Isaiah

1. Kingdom Hearts books
2. Laptop
3. Legos
4. 3-D puzzle
5. Boxing gloves
6. Boxing gloves pen
7. Chello
8. Arctect set
9. slatwater taffy
10. Nook
11. Real tool set with would and nales
12. New knife
13. Minney TV
14. enlarged candey
15. Head phones
16. PS3
17. Bow and arowe
18. Gun
19. Hunters cetifacasho class
20. pagamas
21. pantes
22. Halo
23. Kirbey game
24. Cross bow
25. ipad
26. Art kit
27. skech book
28. Yarn
29. New snokol geer
30. shoes
31. cook book
32. iphone
33. desk
34. Air hokey
35. phos ball
36. ping pong

Kalia

     Although she can't talk very well yet to tell us what she wants, I am pretty sure anything with Bubble Guppies, Minions (Despicable Me), or Dora the Explorer on it would do.  She also loves candy, cheese, grapes, seaweed, cookies, crackers, and fruit snacks.  She really likes playing with her baby-sized legos and wooden blocks too.  

Kalia - 18 months

Our baby is finally old enough to go to nursery!  She did really good for her first day.  She got scared when one of the other kids started crying, but other than that it was a success!

Senior Pictures!

Can't believe this girl is a Senior!  She only has a few months left in high school and then she is planning on attending BYU-I.  (Application is in...waiting on an acceptance letter!)  She is an amazing, beautiful, talented, artistic, smart, athletic girl and I'm so grateful I've been able to watch her grow from a tiny infant into a wonderful young woman.  Love you B!!  (I had to put off taking her xcountry/track pictures since it got too cold.  I'll take them in the spring when it's warmer).  =)

School Pictures

I have been waiting for weeks for the leaves to change colors so I could take the kids's school pictures!  We haven't experienced full blown autumn weather for probably 12 years and I was genuinely excited to see the trees burst into color!  Alaska has two seasons (winter and not winter) and Hawaii only has one (springish summer).

I remember last time we lived here, that Virginia has some amazing and beautiful fall colors this time of year.  What I didn't anticipate (or remember, I guess) is that when the trees turn all these beautiful shades of red, orange, yellow, and brown, the weather gets cold and it rains a lot!  I started to doubt if I was going to get any pictures where my kids weren't wearing coats and donning pink noses.  Luckily, the past three days have been overcast and 70 degrees, which are perfect photography conditions!

You will notice that Brooklin is missing from this post.  She is a senior this year, and we have only been to one of the three locations I want to go to take her senior pictures. The ones we did today are great...but no sneak peeks yet.  Caleb is a sophomore this year, London is in 8th grade, Isaiah is in 6th grade, and Kalia is sassy...and sixteen months old!  I took these pictures about 2 blocks from my house in an empty sloping lot between houses.  I'm so excited that I didn't miss out on capturing these amazing colors...and my awesome kids.

And here are some of the trees around the neighborhood!  It is so beautiful here!!

 

Happy Halloween

Crow and Scarecrow

Gandalf and Waldo

Smarty Pants and Nerd

Darwin did dress up this year, but I guess I didn't get a picture of him.  He wore black pants and a black t-shirt that said "Budget Ninja Costume" on it. =)

Herd Immunity and What To Do About It

I haven't written an update on Caleb in awhile.  He is really doing awesome overall.  We are still going to the doctor every month for blood work, but everything always checks out really good.

In August, the doctor ordered several blood tests to see if any of the antibodies from his childhood vaccinations were still present in his system.  All of the tests came back negative, so technically he is no longer immune to the childhood diseases that the vaccines prevent.  I was a little concerned, but the doctor said the reason he was fine and not getting sick was because of something called "Herd (or Community) Immunity".

Here is a blurb about what Herd Immunity is from the web:

 "Herd immunity (or community immunity) describes a form of immunity that occurs when the vaccination of a significant portion of a population (or herd) provides a measure of protection for individuals who have not developed immunity. Herd immunity theory proposes that, in contagious diseases that are transmitted from individual to individual, chains of infection are likely to be disrupted when large numbers of a population are immune or less susceptible to the disease. The greater the proportion of individuals who are resistant, the smaller the probability that a susceptible individual will come into contact with an infectious individual. Vaccination acts as a sort of firebreak or firewall in the spread of the disease, slowing or preventing further transmission of the disease to others. Unvaccinated individuals are indirectly protected by vaccinated individuals, as the latter are less likely to contract and transmit the disease between infected and susceptible individuals. Hence, a public health policy of herd immunity may be used to reduce spread of an illness and provide a level of protection to a vulnerable, unvaccinated subgroup. Since only a small fraction of the population (or herd) can be left unvaccinated for this method to be effective, it is considered best left for those who cannot safely receive vaccines because of a medical condition such as an immune disorder, organ transplant recipients, or people with egg allergies. "

Because this isn't a fail safe method of avoiding these diseases, Caleb is now on a schedule to receive most of his original shots over again!  As of today, he's had nine of his childhood immunizations re-administered. Some of the vaccines (live virus types) cannot be given to him at all until he is at least 24 months past his transplant date... in fact, we have had to defer three live vaccines for Kalia until that time as well.

So that's about it for an update.  Like I said, he is doing really well, but he still has some hurdles to overcome.  Good thing he has Brooklin's blood...she is a state champion hurdler! ;)

and did you notice they are all wearing Star Wars shirts?? =)

It's Autumn Time...Wait, What?

It's cold.

It's been three and a half years since any of us have been cold, and we've kind of forgotten a few things.

• All of our noses and throats are dried out and we are using a lot more lotion and chapstick.
• Our cars need a few minutes in the morning to warm up before they are ready to go...even if we are already late for seminary or work!
• Socks are now necessary!
• The sun seems to be getting lazy...late to rise and early to bed. (Hawaii's sunrise/sunset only has one hour of variance throughout the year so they don't observe daylight savings time.) 
• Going through the box of coats/hats/mittens was like Christmas morning!
• I have to remind Isaiah (pretty much everyday) that he can't wear shorts to school...even if he does wear a coat with them. =)
• Brooklin and London need running tights for their end of season practices/meets. 
• Our baby has decided that wearing shoes is ok.  We are still working on getting her to appreciate coats, hats, and mittens...but the shoes were a big step for her!
• Brooklin came home early from the homecoming football game because she couldn't feel her toes.
• If you leave your coat over top of the heater vent in the floor, it will be nice and warm when you put it on.
• Raking leaves is fun!

Homecoming

Brooklin's homecoming dance was this past weekend.  Her old school didn't have a homecoming dance, so this was her first time going.  She said she had a lot of fun with her date, Wyatt.  Here are the pictures...aren't they cute!  =)

Bass Pro Shop

After Brooklin's xc meet today, we stopped by Bass Pro Shop!  It was so awesome!!  It was very similar to Cabela's...except for all the mannequins in Bass Pro Shop had guns!  hahaha! Kalia was afraid of the fish in the freshwater aquarium and the huge stuffed brown bear, but she loved all the candy in the fudge shop.  (Why do all the good sportsman stores have homemade fudge at them??  How do those two things go together?  hahaha!)

Here are some pictures of our little adventure in Bass Pro Shop.

I was taking a picture, and some guy asked if I wanted to be in one...so we are all in this second one. (Isaiah was on a scout campout and Brooklin was still at the xc meet)

Posing with the Duck Dynasty guys!

She was so afraid of this bear!  It was kind of funny though... =)

Do you think she will ever get this deer?  Mannequins in Bass Pro Shop are all armed...but probably not dangerous. hehe!

London has a bare-behind her... =)