Christmas Outfits

Christmas was wonderful in Idaho! We froze our California hiney's and loved it! I'm not joking either, single digit temperatures. And lots of smiles and love about the white snowfalling down. I really didn't go all out for Christmas outfits this year, but I go the boys some new white shirts and freakin amazing red skinny ties from H&M kids. Addison's little dress and boys green pants were from Cotton On kids. (My 2 favorite stores for kids clothes, love them) Brandon wore a new tie and I some purple tights. That's about as fancy as we got! And I am actually really glad that I did it that way this year. I didn't spend alot of money on something they will only wear maybe 2-3 Sundays? Addison's dress she can even wear to school and be all cute in.

I may be biased but Addison is growing up so beautiful. And she is just so sweet. Growing incredibly fast. Her little (big) forehead just cracks me up. She has the hardest time wearing headbands. Either they are way to tight/don't fit or they just slip down the front of her head like in all these pictures. She eventually just throws them. She is not one to deal with high maintenance  I kinda love that about her. She is just happy as long as her hair is out of her eyes. I do her hair all cute and in a few hours it is mop around her face.

  

Brandon was attempting to make Bryce smile. Didn't work. Addi's head band is killing me! hah! More like a fancy sweatband. 

 You get one shot mom before I go back to my toys.

Yay for sweet cousins.

And naps! Crew was missing from the pictures because waking him from the nap was not even an option. This little man had some rough times on the trip. Since we have been home he has been so clingy and anxious. Either he is teething or the trip really threw him off. In the meantime, I am loving the extra snuggles.

Family Pictures~ Laguna Beach Edition

This summer I had the grand idea to have family pictures taken! A few months after Crew was born {so some of the baby fat might be fading}, at the end of summer {so we would be all nice and bronzy}, by a wonderful photographer {my dear friend Geri}, at a beautiful beach location {have to do that since we live in Cali}, and on a strategic weekend {when my ENTIRE family would be in town}.

Planned PerFect! Right?! Well kinda. It was kinda crazy trying to get all the kids to not run wild on the beach. And some of the adults. The other problem was my miss Addison.

She normally LOVES the beach, swimming and all of the above. But for some reason, on the day that we are having family pictures she decides that she is deathly afraid of the beach. I mean freaking out crying and screaming because she didn't want to be even remotely close to the waves.

I felt bad because if it isn't hard enough to get a big group like that organized my child has to be screaming. It flustered me. My perfect pictures not so perfect experience. But we were lucky to have Geri as our photographer. She is so sweet and spunky, it didn't seem to phase her.

Here are some of the group pictures on the beach.

OUR ENTIRE family! Hasn't happened in years! Either a hubby or a brother missing on a mission.

One of my favorite pictures. Isn't the beach just beautiful?!

AND we had 3 new additions to the family! CREW WES, WILLIAM LESLIE, and JESSI {Andy's new Wife!} We love them all!

The men of the family

Des's family, her kids were all champs!

My family we ended up doing last, up away from the waves. Addison managed to smile.

She actually smiled quite beautifully.

Despite my flusteredness the pictures turned out just beautifully! I'll be producing a Christmas card shortly with one of them on it! Excited for the holidays!!

My family thinks he looks mexican? I can see it here in this pic. A beautiful boy either way! 

I hope your Thanksgiving was just wonderful! Ours was splendid.   

PS> if you want a Christmas card.. email me your address at aubreyhnielsen@gmail.com  So many people movin around hard to keep track of addresses! 

Words and Patience

As a mother, you get excited over the silliest little things that your kids do. Such and the first time you find your baby sucking on their big toe! TO YOU it is hilarious and adorable and a moment in time to freeze. To everyone else, an oh how cute will suffice. Well I have had a few of those moments lately that are just so adorable I can't wait to share and ew and ah over, but I understand it is probably going to bore you. oh well. 

So my little Bryce man is 21/2 and a handful to say the least. Not that he is a terror and writes on all may walls and flushes things to the never returning sewer, he is just full of unpredictable, demanding, and opinionated personality. Combine that with his lack of speech and shyness and it can be very hard some times to make him happy. Yes, he is 2 1/2 years old and very slow at his speech. I know I know this is typical with boys, and second children but it doesn't help anything knowing that. (Our Dr. blew us off about Speech Therapy.)  

For months we have been trying to encourage Bryce to even try saying different words and either he is to busy to care or to shy to try. However, the last few weeks he is starting to blossom!! Finally!! He has had a few select 10-15 words that he will say if you can call them words like. ahmm = food, choo-choo= Train, mmmmm = car, dada, dohn=don't. One word I have been trying and trying FOEVER to get him to say is Please. 

The other day in the car, well van, I was handing Addison a drink and heard this soft little "Pareese" from Bryce. I was trying to figure out what he said/wanted. And he said it again!!

 "Pahreese Mama"

I WAS THRILLED!!! Finally!! he said it!! and it took so much effort for his little mouth to form that word! You could just see the work his little face was doing and his struggled it out! It was adorable!! and now he says it all the time! I'll get a video up sometime. I guess patience is the key! 

Addison on the other had has always been a chatter box. Sometimes I find myself telling her, "Addison! You only get to ask one more question. "

She is so funny with the little things that she says some times. The other day, she asked for something and I told her no because it cost to many dollars.  She thought about it for a minute then said. "Well, mom we need to go buy some more dollars!"    I love her little brains!!  Love being a mom. And love love family. 

Speaking of family here are a few family pictures we snapped over Christmas time! It was the first time in over 4 years that EVERYONE was home for Christmas and since our family will be changing soon we thought that we would capture the moments even though we are freezing and pale and the sun was setting. 

I love this picture of Brandon and Addison, So adorable! When it comes to quite time, she snuggles with dad and always sleeps right next to him after a bad dream. They are the cutest little buddies. And Bryce loves nothing more than to listen to mom sing songs and snuggle while she tickles his belly. Kids take a lot of patience but there is nothing better in the world!!! 

Blissfully Sweet

Congratulations to Blake and Ciera!! 

My Brother-in-law Blake was just married this weekend to the beautiful Ciera in the Twin Falls Temple! It was a beautiful wedding and the couple are just so cute together! They were even blessed to have a beautiful blanket of snow covering the ground. It was a splendid day with tons of pictures! So you can enjoy tons of collages! 

We had to snap a few family pictures all dressed up and beautiful scenery

 

Snapshots of the wedding luncheon

My mom, brother Connnor and Brandon's dad playing with the kids on the Temple grounds. 

 And my baby bump that is starting to grow uncontrollably! 17 weeks along here!


I have just loved being home with family and enjoying a true winter season with scarves and hot cocoa! I love California, but the holidays just don't see right with out a crisp chilly air. Addison tells me daily that she LOVES Idaho and wants to live here forever. I am sure she would say the same thing if we lived in the middle of the safari desert but all her family was there! Just a few more years of school Addison and we will be closer, for now we cherish our quick trips home and growing family.

Welcome to the Family Ciera! We are so excited to have you! 

All dressed up

Our Easter was alittle un-Easter this year. I had to work on Easter so we decided to celebrate the next Sunday. We dressed the kids up, had a wonderful program by the ward, had the scrumptious Sunday Feast, but mom forgot to get goodies for the Easter baskets. Thankfully the kids are to young to know the difference.{Not the first time that I have dropped the ball!}

After church we took some, okay alot of pictures of the kids.. both were being crazy and so adorable all dressed up. 

Addsion....

 Bryce...

Family....

Forgive me for the millions of pictures but Grandmas and Papa's can never get enough!