We Made It!

That was the most frustrating trip ever! But we did make it. The storms tried to stop us but we made it, 20 hours later than we had wanted but hey we are alive! Dad and Landon ended up picking up chains in one small town but we only used them for about 20 minutes. We just kept trucking ahead, trying to stay ahead of the terrible storm coming off the West Coast. We ended up sleeping in Baker City, Oregon because both guys were exhausted and it was 8 pm. Emily was an angel. We brought all of her DVD's and were going to borrow my parents portable DVD player. Problem was that our lighter in the car has shorted out so there was no way to power the player. (My parents tried it in their car and it ends up that the player is broken as well.) So Emily got to go old school traveling. The Lord sent me an angel for a daughter. I had to crawl in the back a couple of times to play with her but other than that maybe 20 minutes of crying THE WHOLE TRIP. The first day she was in her car seat for about 6 hours (2 hours of running around on the ferries.) Second day, car seat for 12 hours with only a one hour break and the third day she was in her car seat for 8 hours with only a one hour break. For my active daughter it was a miracle. She played with her barbie and teddy bear, ate some snacks, read books and when she got a little edgy I would climb in the back and play tickle monster. She only took one nap a day which last maybe an hour and a half. This isn't saying that she didn't ask to be let out of her seat every two hours, she just didn't get mad when I said no. We are sooo glad to be here! Emily is loving her cousins. She and Cassie were running around playing like best friends within 10 minutes of us arriving. And the boys are awesome. They all rough house together and Emily is loving it. Naomi was snowed into Seattle so she won't be joining us for Christmas. No flights were available until Christmas day. So sadly we are two siblings short. We miss Naomi, Matt, Ashley, Ethan and Sariah and hope that they have a fantastic Christmas. Thank you Bonnie for being our hero and rescuing Naomi from the airport and looking after her until her flight. You are a saint!

Snow.....

You have to love when the forcast is for up to 2 cm (under 1 inch) of snow over night and you wake up to 4 inches and it is still coming down thick. We don't usually get snow like this until at least January. It sure warms up the temperature outside which is nice. Emily thinks that heaven has just arrived on Earth, excited to see all the snow and here I am sitting at work waiting to here if the district is going to call a snow day. It is our Christmas concert this afternoon and evening and half the school didn't come. I love how a little snow can shut down our little town. :)

Branch Christmas Party

Emily loved being on her own for the party. Serena Coe was fantastic about watching her and played all of Emily's silly games with her. During the cleanup afterwards, Darlene Norris took this picture of Emily. She loves to play on the trolley. I thought it made a great picture. Thanks for sending it my way, Darlene. :)

First Snow of the Year

On Saturday we got our first snow of the year. Its not a lot of snow, since you can still see the grass, but Emily was fascinated! She wanted to go out in the snow. She kept pointing to it and telling me "snow" until I stopped what I was doing and got us both bundled up to go outside. I figured I should go with the moment, the windows could wait. (I was putting up plastic over the windows so no more drafts!) Here is a couple pictures and a video. Enjoy!

Emily's first steps into the snow! She loved it!

Emily exploring our yard.



My beautiful daughter!

Emily loved "throwing" snowballs with her Dad!

Good Friends

Landon and I were able to attend Christmas Parties for our respective staffs on Friday and Saturday. It has left me feeling really blessed to be surrounded by such good friends. At my staff party we were invited to bring our kids. (The joke in the school district is if you want to get pregnant you work at James Thomson. 8 babies born in 3 years.) Emily loved it! It was so nice to be able to visit with adults, eat FANTASTIC food, and have the kids run around and play. The home we were in was beautiful. Emily played the piano with her friend Sophia (and Landon was "invited" to play with them so they made a wonderful trio.) My friend Becki is due with her first child in January and so we sat and giggled with other friends about bellies and babies. It felt like Christmas. Maybe not the Christmas you enjoy with family but the kind where you are reminded that love and acceptance is the best gift of all.

Saturday we went to our branch's "Old fashioned Christmas in Nauvoo" party for an hour before heading a few blocks away to Landon's staff party. Emily was also invited but Landon really wanted to go and be able to socialize without having to worry about her. I know ..... my husband wanted to socialize! :) My parents were kind enough to take her. He really has fantastic employers and co workers. His employers surprised us with the most fantastic Christmas gift yesterday. I don't think that there is enough ways to say Thank-you to them for the gift they have given us. And that doesn't even count the party! Scott, the man that Landon delivers appliances with, opened up his home and cooked the MOST incredible dinner ever. It rivals some of the nicest resturants I have eaten at. They had appetizers that had me loving seafood (and it wasn't even kalamari!) Then it was a grilled Ceasar salad that was the best salad I've ever had. Scott was even thoughtful about the dinner. He knew Landon can't eat shellfish so he decided to make two prime rib roasts. Landon was in heaven. I could go on forever about the food. Needless to say I stuffed myself! But that wasn't even the part of the evening that stuck with me. You see over the years, Landon has tried really hard to be an example at work about his religion. He answers questions openly and lets people know his standards. I have been very grateful for his courage, because at times it didn't seem to go over well. But as I sat in a room of people who truly liked us for us I see what he has done. He has created a network of people who love and respect him. They joke around, lovingly, with us about being Mormon. About how Chuck and Chris (his bosses) have even more kids than the "Mormons." Down to when is Landon going to get his next wife. :) But as the alcohol was distributed they quickly brought out Landon's favourite soft drink and non alcoholic drinks for me. Always checking to make sure we had enough for toasts. The room was filled with love and thoughtfulness. And as I watched Chuck and Christine's 8 month old twins sit and smile with us I knew that this was perfect night. We sat and talked with Heather and Andy who come from the British Isles. They have been in Canada for three years. Andy has been everywhere and met incredible people. But what I am most thankful for is that as he chatted with Landon he told him that he did not enter formal secondary schooling (to be a nurse) until he was forty. That he knew he was smart enough, he just didn't know what he wanted to do. And since he accomplised this he has moved his family to Canada and has become an incredible nurse here in Powell River. They are the kindest people but their Christmas gift to Landon was to let him know he isn't the only one that is going to school later in life. I can't thank them enough. The time went so quickly that before we knew it, it was almost 11pm. Feeling for my parents, we tore ourselves away and went home. (It was difficult to do since Andy was playing the guitar and singing and it was FANTASTIC. He is a great entertainer.)


I just want to thank all the great friends out there for their example and friendships. Families play a special part in each of our lives but friends are their voluntarily and I am thankful for the wonderful friends that we have!

Pictures from the Past

I am putting together a book of pictures for my Grandma Knoll for Christmas. It has been fun to look through pictures of my cousins when they were little and also their kids, etc. My mom gave me a couple of photo albums to go through as well. I found a treasure trove of pictures that are not going into the book but brought back lots of memories. Let me walk you through them. :)


My parents wedding photo. I love it! My dad had gotten his hair and beard trimmed for the occasion. I am so grateful they took a chance on each other and worked through the hard times.

My grandma and grandpa Hull. Both of my grandfather's passed away before I was four so I just love to look back and remember their faces. Both Grandma and Grandpa are gone now but they have left a legacy and lots of happy memories. What else could you ask for?

Grandma and Grandpa Knoll. I still have the chance to make memories with my Grandma Knoll and I am still reminded of Grandpa when someone walks by smoking a pipe and I smell his brand of tobacco. Funny how I can't remember much but smell brings it all back. :)

I think that today I am mostly grateful for the knowledge of eternal families. Thanks mom and dad for taking that leap of faith!

"Mommy, it's mess!"

Last night, I heard a crunching noise in the kitchen and I quietly head in that direction to investigate. To my surprise (well not complete surprise) I found Emily, surrounded by cookie crumbs, sprinkles, and some corn flakes. She had found the flakes on the table and the other two ingredients in an empty cookie container her father had left on the table. She promptly scattered them all over the floor around her. I said, "Emily, what is going on?" (Actually in a nice tone since it was pretty hilarious.) She quickly jumps up, runs a few feet, throws her hands in the air and says, "Mommy, it's mess!" (Picture a look of horror on her face.) I say, "I noticed." I call for Landon, he comes in. Emily again repeats, "Daddy, it's mess!" Landon asks, "Who made the mess Emmy?" Her reply, "No, it's mess." (Translation: Don't know, it's a mess.) So I told her she had to vacuum up the mystery mess. She was quite happy to comply. She even brought the vacuum back out after Landon put it away, plugged it in, turned it on and proceeded to vacuum the play area. (I wish that this fascination with the vacuum will last to her teens.) I tried to hide my laughter, but I will always remember her little voice saying in a surprised, horrified tone, "Mommy, it's mess!"

Robeez

Robeez is donating $5 of product to children in need for every e-card that is sent. Please go and send some Christmas cheer and also help in a great cause!

http://seasonofgiving.robeez.com/intro.asp

The Singing Emily

At church today, Emily decided to showcase her vocal skills. :) During the opening hymn, "I Believe in Christ," Emily was so caught up in the music and singing that she sang as loud as she could. Meaning absolutely everyone in the room could hear her over the piano and everyone else singing. :) At first I didn't think anyone noticed, and then I noticed the grin on my mom's face. Huge grin. The second verse started and Emily got louder. I started to giggle, which got my mom giggling. Then I look up and Landon, Matt and my dad are on the stand with huge goofy grins on their faces. (By the end of the song Landon and Matt were trying to hold back the laugher.) She would hold out the last note a little longer than the rest of the congregation and then sing the next verse louder! By the end of the song I had tears in my eyes, from laughing. She was LOVING the song. It has always been one of my favourite hymns but now it will always hold a special place in my heart. After the prayer, Matt was announcing the rest of the meeting and he said that Emily was probably singing with the concorses of angels at the Saviour's birth. (Because of her enthusiastic singing.) And that she was definately a Hull. (We all sing with ferver.) Emily was oblivious to the whole thing! She was quite surprised to see me watching her and giggling. I love my daughter. This is the second week in a row that she sat reverently throughout Sacrament meeting. A new record! She wasn't able to make it through the closing prayer but hey I wasn't expecting a miracle, she is only 22 months!

Here are a couple of fun pictures from last Sunday and today. Emily has decided that Barbie and her teddies should have their picture taken. Not herself. So enjoy her entourage!

Emily was adament about which necklace to wear to church and that she wear her slippers (boots from Old Navy). It turned out rather cute. She has potential! She was also adament that Barbie be in the picture. When asked to put Barbie in the diaper bag so we could leave for church, Emily put in Barbie and two other dolls!

Emily with Barbie (big surprise), Elmo (another big surprise) and teddy bear.

I was surprised to find that she agreed to put on a dress so easily this morning. As soon as the last button was done up she ran and got her wings from Halloween. She just had to wear them. I forgot to tell Landon I take them off in the car and she forgets about them by the time we get to church so she ended up wearing them for Sacrament meeting. I took them off before nursery though. :)

Me and my beautiful daughter.

Hockey Night in Powell River

Tonight was the annual Teddy Bear Toss at the Powell River Kings Hockey Game (BCJHL). Rona sponsers the event so we go every year to help out. (For those that don't know, Rona is the store my dad is the general manager for.) For those unfamiliar with the event, when the Kings score their first goal of the night, everyone in the audience is to throw new Teddy Bears or any stuffed animal onto the ice. The staff and friends of Rona go out on the ice and collect up the bears to donate them to different organizations. (ie: Christmas Wish, Salvation Army, police and fire departments who give them to children who have witnessed or been through a tramatic event.) We took Emily last year but she and Ethan didn't fully grasp the concept because well they weren't even one yet. But this year was a whole new hockey game. :) Emily LOVED it! I left my camera in the car, unfortunately, because there would have been some funny pictures. There is a fan called Crazy Pete who bangs a drum and yells alot. At first she was scared of him but then she decided he was funny. She started to yell at the players on the ice when they were in front of her. Whenever the music came on, she would dance and laugh. She was just loving the excitement and energy. Whenever someone would check another player into the boards, she would call out, "Ohhh, owie." When the Kings scored the goal, we were all piling onto the ice, and Emily tried to go on without Landon or I. That would have spelled disaster. We quickly put her in her stroller and headed on out. I used the stroller so I wouldn't fall. :) I passed her one of the teddy's to hold while Landon and I hurridly filled three and half garbage bags, plus filled the stroller. When we handed them to my mom, to put in the back of the truck, Emily had this look on her face of why are you taking it from me. She loved being out on the ice. She kept pointing at it after the game started again, asking her dad to take her back out. We only stayed for the first period because it was her bed time but she would have stayed all night! Crazy Pete even let her beat on his drum. All I know is that the baby in my belly was dancing to the music with Emily. I was pretty sore by the time the whole thing was done. :) Next year, it might not be so easy to pry her away from the game. My daughter is a bit of a party animal! (She must be related to her Aunt Nomi) :)