Christmas Blog Part 2: Picture Time, I mean Christmas Time in Canada!

B and Logan on the plane

LOVE this pic. These two are best friends.

Caroline and Cadrien

Hockey on Christmas Day

All the kids in the bunch

Hockey!!!!Flames, Havs, we honored both

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FACES OF THE HARKER CHRISTMAS

This holiday proved to be busy during part 1 of the holiday. Parties, school activities, decorating, church programs, all had to get done (see part 1 of the Christmas blog fest:)) But part 2 of the holiday season was quite the opposite! Peaceful, relaxing, and cozy is how I would describe part 2/ Canada. However, getting to the North Pole was an ADVENTURE! Now getting there.... that was another story. I'll try to highlight the holiday, along with the travel upset, and cram in as many pics as possible!!! Now, we know that all passengers flying/driving to CA are required to have passports. But the good law makes an exception for babies under the age of 1, and children who are entering Canada with a parent who is a Canadian citizen. So as we checked out the possibilities for little Aussie, we were feeling pretty good. Then, we called the airline the night before travel just to be safe. They said that ther was no way we would get on the plane without a passport for an infant. Next morning, vital stats for copy of birth cert, walgreens for photo, City office for application, airport. We overnighted the app to a San Fran agency just in case we weren't aloud on the plane....we weren't aloud on the plane. We even had the Canadian consulate and immigration office give the airline permission to let us fly. No go. So we all stay overnight at the.... I can't remember where we stayed. Brad returned to the airport 3 times that night in hopes to persuade the oh-so-coy Ron Burgundy-looking dude at the counter. When the manager lady got up in Brad's face, he reitred his efforts for the night. The next day being the 23rd, we needed to send Logan and Brad on up. Austin and I then moved to the Tropicanna (which we didn't know was in the middle of a remodel) for the rest of the evening. What a special memory- 2 suitcases, a stroller, a carseat, and a diaper bag with no ramps built anywhere in the hotel. Thank goodness that I met a sweet man that next morning who just so happened to own a new attraction about the history of the mafia in Vegas. He whistled for a crew in the lobby and all 4 italian men helped me get to their car. Thanks to Tony and his mafia men!

Meanwhile, the Harkers carried on in their traditional Christmas Eve party. Everyone participated in the bell-ringing, the nativity re-inacting and the soup-eating. But this time, they all looked like Jews as Val brought in many influences that she had aquired while visiting the Holy Land. The star of david flag hung in the kitchen the entire trip. We love you Val! We arrived late, late that night and were all prepped for Christmas morning. The only problem was that some goofball had mistaken my bag for his, and taken my luggage. No biggie, I was only missing all of the relatives' presents and my laptop. This part of the story ends good.... I got my luggage back unscathed. The neatest part of Christmas day was to finally be with everyone and see that the entire family was happy and healthy and together. Not only were we all healthy, but I had an awesome Christmas suprise to learn that Caroline is pregnant!!!!! What a neat suprise that was. And Orin had built the coolest skating rink ever made!! Thank the heavens that Santa made another trip to grandma's house, leaving full pads for Logan so that he and Cam could check themselves to the ground without leaving 1 scratch! All the guys worked without stopping for the entire vacation to Zamboni, water, and shovel that rink. What an amazing source of entertainment. Little Cadrien liked her make-up set and made sure that she spent all of her time making everyone look "beauful". Val spent a lot of time in the kitchen making meals. In fact, we didn't leave the house to eat once. What a nice break to stay inside that cozy house. Lucky us, poor Val! We played games, shared our annual family home evening night, and had photography lessons daily from Mikey. Toph made the most AMAZING FAMILY VIDEO to re-cap 2010. What a sweet and selfless gift he gave us. Watching it was totally priceless. Ben and Brad played a hockey game in town last night, and they both scored amazing goals. THeir sons were beamingly proud. Brad also took Logan to a Flames game one night. I found myself better-slept and more relaxed then i've been since Aussie was born. The boys gave up their rooms for my crew, so that I could enjoy sleeping in bed with Austin right by me every night. He was such a joy to have with me over the holiday. I felt so blessed to be with my boys and know that I have 3 of them. The flight home was something to remember. It was New Years Eve, and we had parked our car at the Tropicanna. The taxi driver couldn't get us to the hotel because Vegas is INSANE on New Years Eve! So by the time we had walked to the parking lot, it was 11:57 and we were just in PERFECT time to see a miraculous firework show that had the appearance of Vegas blowing up from every angle! Wow, it was a sight to behold. All in all, the best Canada trip yet. I miss it. I missed my family too. It was the first year of my life that I had not seen my fam over the holidays. But I know they all had a special holiday filled with babies and eachother. I love my families!!!

Val's influence from her trip to the Holy Land

Best Friends and Best Cousins (and just a little competitive!!)

What the other family was up to.....

Christmas Part 1: Getting ready for Christmas from home

Here are a few pics of Christmas memories at home, before we took off for the holiday. We had a little pre-Christmas Eve that was pretty special. Earlier that day, I tried to get some decent pics of the boys for the Christmas cards. Way to go Ann! That isolated experience wasn't so special. It was rather painful. That evening, Santa came to our house 3 days early to deliver our presents. Logan left cookies and egg nog, and Santa left Logan's original letter in return, with the items that he brought checked off. Way to go Santa! And here are a few pics of Bradley running off to Whistler with some friends right smack dab in the middle of the holiday bustle. Way to go Brad!

Aussie getting ready for our little Christmas Eve party at home!

Santa has kept been great about keeping a Wii away from our home for 2 years in a row! This year, we didn't get so lucky. Let's just say that Logan now has an addiction, and daily time restrictions.

Santa also brought Legos, Legos, Legos!! I think we could build a city twice over. Mom brought a lego sorter, so that the pesky little things could stay organized.

Aww, doesn't Max look sweet?! This was his last night in our home, sob.

Logan's school Christmas party. I planned and delivered the whole thing and will remember to never volunteer to do it again!

Brad and Dave Bauerle at Whistler

Tram Ride

The whole crew ready for an amazing day

Braddo shreddin' it up

Austin at 6 months

So these odd grunting noises are as common as breathing for Austin. He has done this since he was a few weeks old. Needless to say, it makes heads turn at the grocery store. I didn't know Brad was filming at first, or I would have got out of the picture!

Brad had just gotten home from the Flames game with Logan, and he didn't believe me that Austin had started to repeat the words that Brad tries so hard every day to program into the poor kid's brain. So this was my attempt at showing the new skill off to Brad.

I am beside myself that my baby is 6 months old! How did that happen? This last 6 months has been a blurry, difficult, sweet, and memorable whirlwind. Austin has definitely taken the 5th month of life by storm! So many changes and firsts have occurred with this babe. At the beginning of Dec, I began adding solids to his diet. If he were still on my milk and not soy, I would have waited for longer. But soy backs this guy up so much that a little bit of vegetables have done him a lot of good! What a pleasant relief for him that he can go potty! He drinks lots of prune juice, and eats squash, sweet potatoes, avacadoes, applesauce, peaches, peas, and carrots. During the Christmas holiday to Calgary, Austin began sitting up on his own, got his first tooth, and started babbling out, "Dadadada." Not to worry, "Mamamama" started coming out two days later, but it is clear that he prefers saying is D's! December has been a good month for us with Aussie in that he has overcome more of his discomfort and colicky behaviors, and is able to be more himself- a very funny, happy baby. He continues to get better at falling asleep. Staying asleep is another story, but we are down to 3-5 night wakings from about 6-8 in November and December. He isn't usually hungry more than once in the night, it still seems like his stomach is the culprit. I still keep him right by me in bed so that he can have a hand to hold. As long as he can squeeze your arm and play with your face, he drifts off to sleep pretty calmly! And the second that I reclaim my hand as my own, he wakes up:) He sucks that binkie like he will eat it all through his naps. I will always remember him as a baby with nervous hands. He just doesn't know what to do with his energy if he isn't squeezing on to something when awake and asleep. My funny little boy. My exhausting little boy. I know that I will look back and miss these days. I bet i'll even wish for them back. They go by so quickly, and then they are a baby no longer. But I have to admit that being in the midst of it all, I find myself looking forward often to when I can get some good sleep.

Max is going to be a Cragun now

Click here to view this photo book larger

He is our best little friend and will be desperately missed. But the little rascal deserves a yard, a doggie door, lots of kiddos to play with, and not to be left in the house alone so often. What makes this all conceivable for me is the fact that he is going to live with some great friends who are a fabulous family for any lucky dog. I couldn't have let him go under any other circumstance. I'm not looking forward to getting use to living without him. But I know he'll have more fun in Idaho where can be aloud to go outside to play without the threat of a rattlesnake or coyote! And someday, when we are in our next home with a yard and a doggie door, Logan plans to come during the night and sneak Max back to St. George. Either that, or find another little guy just like him. Don't worry Craguns, he'll have moved on to hampsters and fish by then. It's me you'll have to worry about. 

Please watch, then go and do!

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Stories for dad

 These little stories are for you Brad, so you can get a laugh or two while you sit and wait for something to happen at the airport tonight. So first of all, we started the day off yesterday in tears. Logan came downstairs quivering, tears pouring down his face and said, "Mommy i've messed up alot this year and Santa knows it just like God does, but you can't repent to Santa and so he's not coming. " Oh boy. We had a talk about mistakes and how their okay, and that he is a very good boy. So later that day, I found this letter on his desk..........Translation: Dear Santa, I have been good. Please bring a present. I want a hampster.

Today I told Logan that he needs to watch a movie and color while I attempt a nap with Austin. After interruping me 3 times, I basically threaten him with serious consequences (taking away a present) if he comes in the room again before Austin is done napping. So I hear the doorbell and Logan answers it, reassuring the person that he will take care of it and that he'll be back in a minute. He takes the fast offering envelope and slips it under my door. Not even 3 seconds later, he sticks his hand under the door to retrieve the envelope, takes it to the front door before i've even had a chance to get off of the bed, and confidently hands it over to the young man, saying that it's all taken care of and that he'd better go now. "Oh, and have a great day!" Then I hear a giggle and he's back to his movie. This is the best part- I start to walk out to have a talk with him about what had just happened, and he was in a downward dog yoga position, lifting his leg into the air.
     "Logan, what on earth are you doing?!"
     "I wanted to get in good shape like the lady on the cover of the DVD, so i'm doing all the moves that she does. Feel my muscles mom......Uhh, could you not tell dad that I did a workout that is all girls on the movie?"

Okay, now I love Christmas!

PICS SOON TO COME
So it took me a few days to embrace the concept that winter is here, but something happened when I came home from Thanksgiving holiday..... Oh yeah, I know what it was. I was begged by a very tenacious boy named Logan to start in on everything to do with the holiday. We are now fully decorated, christmas treed, and have all of the Christmas specials set to record on the DVR- all the important stuff, right? Yeeaahh. Right. Seriously though, I had forgotten how much enjoyment the holidays can bring. Trust me, I will be simplifying like crazy this year, but at least I didn't go through with throwing a towel in on the holiday altogether. While we were waiting to put the tree up tonight, Logan asked if we could put up the decorations 4 different times, but referred to them as the lanterns, the condiments, the ottomans, and cornucopias. I about died laughing.

 I have to commit to a new level of discipline starting now in order to start strengthening my muscles. I think i'm ready. I get my next prolotherapy injections on Monday. Austin is doing better since we got home. The daytime is smoothing out a little. Night, well, is long. But the kid is so amazing to me. The way he grabs my hands and my face and just talks to me- it's as if he has more wisdom and ideas in that little head than anyone could ever imagine. He has such a demanding presence on me. I felt the same way about Logan. I suppose it's just the way a mother feels when she is around her kiddos. Logan is also a very, very happy little boy.

Thanksgiving at the north pole

 Okay so it's not like we went to Canada, but the view from this window sure leads one to believe that they have definitely entered northen territory! Idaho is as white and as cold as can be, and for that I am actually grateful. If not for this nasty weather, I would still be in complete denial that the holiday season has crept up on us. At home, we have still been watering the flowers and playing at the park. Awesome, but not exactly festive feeling!We arrived here on Monday and have been enjoying the r and r so much that we bumped our flights from Friday to this coming Monday. I was here for 5 days before I even as much as went outside! Relaxation was needed. Mom has spent the entire holiday in the kitchen, whipping up a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner. Brad added a port wine reduction to the menu, and I attempted a chocolate souffle that we really could have done without, considering it took 10 billion hours to make ;-0 Boo.

Aussie and Molly 

3 little princesses

best friends

Grandma and Grandpa R. getting their baby time

Maddy

Mom took me shopping for my bday, and we made a killer jello cake with a dairy-free, soy-free cake mix. Yeah buddy. We are celebrating Bailee's big number 8 tomorrow. No winter holiday would be complete without the family getting a cold, right? Aussie got the worst of it, but he is pulling through just fine. Logan, Bailee, and Ella have spent most days as well as nights together playing their hearts out. Grandpa checked Logs' tooth to see if it was ready to come out, and pop! Go figure, he flicked it right out. Logan loves being here with family and snow. I don't know how he'll ever want to get back in the swing once we get home. What sweet chaos it is to have 3 babies under 1 roof at the same time! Little Kate is the tiniest, most fragile thing i've ever seen. At almost 3 weeks old, she is still 5 lb, 11 oz. She's such a peaceful little babe. Molly and Austin could not possibly be more different. They are both at such a fun age! Molly looks at you with those huge eyes, and then looks away as fast as she can. She is so bashful! Her cry is more like a polite squeak, and her expressions are consistently skiddish and hilarious. She is such a sweet, soft-spoken, quiet, petite little thing. She sleeps like a champ.

And then, well there's Austin. He is the loudest baby i've ever listened to. He talks and laughs and smiles without pausing for air when awake. It's very comical to hear him speak his mind to everyone. Seriously, kid's got pipes. He is sooo happy when he's happy. On the contrary, he is soooo mad when he's mad. Poor little guy is still just not an expert when it comes to winding down and sleeping. And who knows what is happening in his stomach. Reflux is fine. I took him off of goat's milk and back to neocate, and now on to soy. Nothing really changes his tummy trouble, if that's what it is. His naps are very brief and he still 'accidentally' wakes up after a little bit of sleep. The family has completely restored my sanity by helping me with him so much. After waking up 6-10 times a night, they take him and let me crawl back into bed until the late morning. My momma has taken him into her room for a few of the nights. PRICELESS is the sleep I have been getting. So nervous to go back home! I love being so entertained by this baby, and it's a good thing that he is so funny, or I would be losing my mind:-) I am excited about the fact that he will eventually outgrow his mystery issues. Logan made drastic improvements by 6 months old, and started sleeping by 7 months. I'll cross my fingers!

I will definitely miss being here with the babies and the girls that provide Logan with endless entertainment. I love checking out of everyday life once in a while. But i'm excited to get home to Braddo for a day before he takes off to Whistler for a ski trip later this week. Christmas is coming, whether i'm ready or not, so bring on December! Man, saying that just gave me a side ache.