bringing home "cookie"

Brody got to bring home the classroom "pet" this last weekend. His name is "Cookie" and he is a frog that loves to eat cookies. We took Cookie to dinner with us on Thursday night. He had fun riding on the slides. Cookie also went with us to the doctors appointments on Friday. Brody loved playing with Cookie all weekend and making sugar cookies with Cookie.

making sugar cookies

Brooklyn's sugar cookies she decorated all by herself

Brody getting so messy...we ended up taking our shirts off

the treats to go to friends for the holidays

Part of our holiday traditions is to make sugar cookies using my mom's recipe. It reminds me of growing up in my Christmas' past. Josh was gone to West Virginia for an interview this last weekend so the kids and I got busy baking and decorating. As you can see frosting was everywhere from our noses to our clotheses. We made so many this year and had so many people to thank for helping take care of various things while we were away that we gave them as gifts. It took us a long time to decorate them all but we had fun listening to Christmas carols in the background as we got messy....and of course we had to taste them at the end.

first day of preschool 2011

Brody started preschool on the Monday right after we got home. He is going to the same school again this year just a different teacher. He was very nervous (as Brody usually is), but was just fine as soon as he found out that Riley (a girl he plays with at the gym while I work out) was also in his class. He loved his first day of school. He LOVED his teachers and came home asking if he was going to get to go back tomorrow. I had been praying that he would have a good year since we were starting so late. The night before he was so worked up about going to school but Josh gave him a Priesthood blessing and the next day when Josh picked him up from school, on the way home Brody said, "Dad, I guess it worked?" "What worked bud?" "My blessing!" Just what Josh wanted to hear. It made his day and mine.

baby number three is on its way...

These are the shirts I made for the kids to surprise them that we were expecting

Brody's

Brooklyn's

Baby Girl

I got up early one morning the week I found out and made Josh these morning buns. We celebrated together eating breakfast and orange juice. The kids didnt really know what to think then but as my tummy has gotten bigger they have become more and more excited. Our first ultrasound we thought it was a boy...then we were told girl....and we have had it confirmed to be a girl since we have been back home in Virginia. The kids have had lots of fun coming up with names for the baby. Brody picked the name "Bat" if it was going to be a boy. Brooklyn wanted a baby sister named "Peach." Josh's family knew right away since they came to visit us when I was very sick in my first trimester. But I kept it a secret from my family until I arrived in October at their house...big tummy and all. I dont know if they liked that so much but I thought it was fun to keep it a secret. We are excited to be pregnant again.

Baby Girl Bingham

Due March 04, 2012

portland overall

Well we left Portland with heavy hearts saying goodbye to my family, but so excited to go home to OUR home. Josh had an interview in New York so the kids and I flew all by ourselves. It was a long journey but we made it home....and we are so glad to be home. As far as the rotation in Portland goes...well lets just say it was less than ideal. We both love Portland, but it is not in the cards for us yet. Josh started off his first week sick with a bad cold we both caught on the plane ride there, but even despite that his hours were awful. I could tell it was not for Josh the first week, which broke my heart but as time went on I soon realized that I didn't want to be there if that meant that Josh was NEVER going to be home and when he was home he would be so unhappy with work. But we made it through to his last week there (hanging on by a thread...seriously he was gone all the time!). So it looks like we won't be moving to Portland for residency but I am learning that my plans are not always the Lord's plans.

opening presents with my family

Big Hugs for Grandma and Grandpa Barrus

My mom asking the kids if they knew of anyone who wanted to open presents

so excited

Brody loved his Lego Kingdom set he received

but could care less about the clothes

Josh and I got the kids an early present this year for being so good on all of our travels. Brooklyn wanted a suitcase and loves it!

Brooklyn also received a cute outfit from my mom and a disney doll

Being the Lego Fanatic that Brody is...Josh and I saw this advent calendar and knew we had to get that for his early present. He loves opening a new star wars guy or ship everyday.

putting things together

cool legos

Brooklyn trying her new suitcase out

a trip to the beach house post thanksgiving

the day after thanksgiving we headed to my parents beach house for the weekend. we shopped, watched movies, were extremely lazy, played wii dance (with some crazy competition....taylor beat us all!), went for walks and watched a beautiful sunset. my parents stayed for just a night, and my sister and her family stayed for another day. Josh, the kids and I stayed a couple more days and enjoyed some family time. We played mexican train with the kids. Brooklyn and I went on a long walk together. While we were on the walk we were coming up a hill and there were a bunch of birds in the sky and she got so excited and said "Mommy look!" I then went on to talk to her about all the wonderful things our Heavenly Father has made (the flowers, the animals, our bodies, etc.) and she was really quiet for a couple minutes and then she said in her cute voice, "I wish I could thank Him" I said, "Brookie you can! Every time we say a prayer you can thank Heavenly Father for all the birds and all the flowers." She is too cute! I will always remember that. We ate lunch at a yummy place together as a family and had caramel apples and candy for the ride home. I love going to the beach house. It is such a relaxing place where we can all just get away from everyday life. Thank you mom and dad for letting us stay a few extra days! We loved every minute of it!

thanksgiving 2011

My mom wanted the kids to help her stuff the turkey...they didnt know quite what to think about that.

My mom gave Brookie a handful of stuffing to put in and instead of putting it in she dropped it by the turkey's bum. It was cute!

Grandma helping her put it in the right spot

Brody decided it wasn't so scary after all and helped stuff the rest of the turkey.

all the food and all the family

Brooklyn and Callie

Brody

This year for Thanksgiving my mom had around 35 people to feed. I don't know how she does it every year with out me there to help. She truly is superwoman! Taylor and I set tables, cooked, made table arrangements, etc. My mom was cooking from early morning till people arrived at 3:30 to eat. It was a wonderful Thanksgiving though with a lot of great food! I loved seeing all my cousins and spending time with my extended family. The kids ran and played with cousins and second cousins. We were grateful to be spending Thanksgiving with family and we are especially grateful for all the blessings our Heavenly Father has blessed us with. Happy Late Thanksgiving!

silly brookie

Brooklyn has been so goofy lately and she is making me laugh so I had to capture a few of these moments.

One Sunday morning I laid out her church clothes and she came in wearing her tights or mine on her head. Not quite the right way but oh well!

Too Cute

Another day she decided to be like mom and have her baby in her tummy too!

pinkalicious play

My sister planned on taking Brooklyn and Callie to the Pinkalicious Play and surprised us with it. We got the girls all dressed in pink...with pretty hair and make up on. They had a lot of fun and the show was really cute. It was a perfect girl night!

Brooklyn all dolled up

Mommy and Brooklyn at the theater

Callie, Alyssa and Baby Kendall at the theater. Thanks Alyssa for planning such a wonderful night. We sure had a lot of fun.