Happy Birthday, Ethan!

Can you believe our little Ethan is three years old today? It doesn't seem like it's possible! I really don't know where the years go. Ethan has been such a blessing in our lives. He loves being a big brother and is a great helper. Some of his favorite things to do are puzzles, playing sports, trains, eating (I honestly don't know where he puts it all!) and he loves playing with his friends at church. He will be a Sunbeam in January and I can't even tell you how old it makes me feel to have a child in Primary. Ethan loves his family and enjoys spending time with all of his cousins, aunts, uncles, and granparents. He is so funny and has such a wonderful little personality. I am so blessed to be his mother and so grateful to have him in our family.

My sister tied this little Santa toy onto Kamden's Christmas present and he just LOVES this toy! There is a tiny button that you push and the face swirls around and the expressions change. We took it to church with us last week and he sat on my lap during Sunday School and I pushed the button and he just watched it go around and around. It wasn't long before he fell asleep! I couldn't believe it, Kamden never falls asleep when he's being held. I really enjoyed just getting to sit and hold him while he slept. This morning he found that little Santa toy and plopped himself down in the Elmo chair and sat and stared at it. It was so cute, I had to get a picture!

Our Christmas

Last night we went out to my grandparents' house and spent some time with my mom's side of the family. When we got home we read the Christmas Story in the Bible and then the boys went to bed. My brother, Ryan, came over and helped us get ready for Santa and before bed we watched a Christmas favorite, Home Alone. Kamden woke up about 7 and I took him downstairs while I made breakfast and waited for Ethan and Jeff to wake up. They came downstairs about an hour later and Ethan saw what Santa left...a miniature golf course! He didn't care about anything else and he immediatley started playing golf. Kamden found his activity cart and played with it for awhile before we gave him his stocking. The boys got matching "Chick Magnet" shirts, Ethan got games in his stocking and Kamden got Wiggles movies. After we finished opening the rest of the gifts and had picked up all of the wrapping paper, we spent the day playing with the things we'd received. We played the little games from Ethan's stocking and Jeff helped him put together his floor puzzle. Uncle Ryan taught Ethan to sword fight with his golf putter and to ride it like a horse after he wins. My brother, Jeff, and Erin came over and Jeff brought the Guitar Hero Erin got him for Christmas and they gave the boys new pajamas from BabyGap that I LOVE! Shelly, Kylie, and Kelsey also came over and we had dinner at our house this year since mom and dad flew out at 7 this morning to spend a few days in Iowa with my older brother and his family. It was my first time making an entire Christmas dinner but I think it turned out really well. After dinner everyone took a turn with the Guitar Hero and we watched a movie. Now that the day is over and the gifts have been opened, it's hard to believe Christmas has already come and gone but we had a fun day and the boys are enjoying their gifts. We're looking forward to this weekend when we get to spend some time with Jeff's side of the family and Ethan can't wait to go sledding and play with his cousins.

Christmas Eve

Merry, Merry Christmas!

White Christmas!

Yea! We finally got some snow and, unless it all melts away today, we'll have a white Christmas tomorrow. I was begining to wonder if all we'd get was rain. There are a few inches on the ground and after their naps the boys and I got bundled up and headed outside. We tested out Ethan's new sled that his Aunt Shelly gave him for his birthday. Thanks Shelly! We'll have a lot of fun with that, especially this weekend in Declo. We came inside about an hour ago and Ethan's ready to head back out. Jeff will be home from work soon, so I'm having him wait for his dad. Kamden kept sticking his hands into the snow and it didn't take long for his mittens to get soaked. We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and I'll try and get some pictures posted of the boys tomorrow.

VanLeuven Christmas Party

Last night we had a great time getting together at mom and dad's house for dinner, games, and gift exchanges. After dinner we played a round of Christmas Jeopardy with Eric, Logan, Zachary, Ryan, and Jeff S. winning first place. Mom, Kristen, Jeff V., Erin, and Joe came in a close second and Dad, Shelly, Kylie, Kelsey, and Emily ended in thrid. You gave it a good effort, though! The cousins had a gift exchange and the grandkids opened their presents from mom and dad. Our White Elephant Gift Exchange was a lot of fun (I still think I came home with the best one!) and there were also several rounds of Guitar Hero played throughout the night with even Dad taking a turn.
After church tonight everyone's going back over to mom and dad's to watch the BSU game and to finish off the leftovers from last night. Next year we'll be starting church at 9:00am instead of 1:30pm. Our entire marriage, we have started church no earlier than 1:00 in the afternoon except for three months when we went at 10:20am and that was when we only had Ethan. It'll be a miracle if we can make it to church on time in 2008!

Christmas Cookies

Ethan helped me make sugar cookies for the Christmas party tomorrow. We made lots of different shapes but Ethan's favorite was the Choo-Choo Train. He's eaten about six of them already!






I'm not sure what the point was of dumping all the flour out on the table, but it kept him entertained for quite awhile.



What a mess!



Kamden helped out, too.


Here's Kamden enjoying a cookie...

And this is what Ethan picked out to wear after we got the mess all cleaned up. Who says Elmo pajama pants don't go with a basketball jersey?

Brotherly Love

Last week Kamden was playing in his crib and having such a good time, Ethan figured he should join him.
Yesterday morning Ethan was watching Barney and when Kamden finished his breakfast, Ethan wanted him to sit in the chair by him. I caught Ethan giving his brother kisses and Ethan put his arm around Kamden, it was too cute!

How to eat an enchilada

This is Kamden atempting to eat a chicken enchilada. He did pretty good once he got the hang of the fork but before that, he was picking up the plate and putting it on his head. You can see the remains of the enchilada in his hair. And if that wasn't enough, he decided it would be a good idea to rub it in.

Christmas Projects

We've been finishing up some Christmas projects today. I can't post pictures of most of them because that would give away the surprise but I made these fleece blankets for the boys and I can't wait to give them to them. Ethan's is the one with the sports and Kamden's has the dinosaurs.

Ethan also helped me finish up his little gift for his Nursery teachers, "Auntie Di" and "Uncle Chuck". They are the best nursery leaders and we're sad that Ethan has only two weeks left with them before he moves up into Sunbeams. The gift that he made for them was a jar of "Reindeer Poop"-it's actually Whoppers-and a little poem that goes:

I woke up with such a scare
When I heard Santa call
"Now dash away, dash away,
Dash away all!"
I ran to the lawn
And in the snowy white drifts
Those nasty reigndeer had left
Gross little "gifts".
I got an old shovel
And started to schoop
Neat little piles
Of "Reindeer Poop"
But to throw them away
Seemed such a waste,
So I saved them thinking
You might like a taste!
As I finished my tastk
Which took quite a while
Santa passed by
And he sheepishly smiled.
I heard him exclaim
As he flew through the sky,
"They might not be potty trained,
But at least they can fly!"

I told Ethan he could eat one while we were making them but I'd already mentioned that they were 'reindeer poop' so he wouldn't touch them. He looked at me like I was crazy when I popped one in my mouth.

The boys made this reindeer card-Ethan's handprint is the head and Kamden's handprints make the antlers. It was quite a challenge to keep Kamden from getting paint everywhere!

Here's another Christmas project-I made this wreath about two weeks ago and I learned that it's something I'll probably never do again. I made the biggest mess all over the dining room and I got sap on my hands and I must have been allergic to something I used because my hands had itchy, red bumps on them for two days. But at least I have a pretty wreath to hang on my door this year!

There are a few more projects I need to get finished up and I think we're pretty much ready for Christmas. Eight days and counting!

Happy Birthday to ME!

I turned 25 yesterday. I got a little depressed when I realized that in five years I'll be thirty and that I am now officially halfway to fifty. But, for being 25, I feel like I've accomplished a lot in life and can't wait to see what the next twenty-five years bring. I remember thinking that I'd get married right around the time I turned 25...here I am having just turned 25 and I recently celebrated my 4th wedding anniversary and I have two kids! I guess life rarely turns out the way we plan, but I couldn't imagine spending the last four years without Jeff and I can't picture life without our two sweet boys.

Since my birthday was on a Saturday I got to spend the better part of the morning lounging around the house in my pajamas...a rare luxury for me. I didn't even worry about laundry or dishes! Later that afternoon the four of us headed out for some shopping. I got some great stuff at Bath & Body Works and a few things at Old Navy before we met my mom and pawned the boys off on her. Jeff and I went to a few more stores and I can't even tell you how nice it was to be able to walk around a store and look at whatever I wanted to look at without any temper tantrums or fussy kids. We ate dinner at Red Lobster and then I talked Jeff out of buying me a cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory (I know, I can hardly believe I did that!) We even saw Jeff's Aunt and Uncle walking across the mall parking lot and we stopped and talked with them for a few minutes.
I know this doesn't sound that exciting, but after dinner Jeff and I went grocery shopping. It was the second time in three years that I have been grocery shopping without any kids and probably the third time that Jeff and I have been grocery shopping together during our entire four years of marriage. During that one day, Jeff probably spent more time inside of stores than he does in a year! And he didn't even complain once. I had a great day and enjoyed being able to spend time with my husband.

Today after church we went to mom and dad's for my birthday dinner where we had yummy enchiladas and the best chocolate cake. Ryan, Jeff, Erin, Brian, Sierra, Kylie, and Kelsey all came too.

And, of course, what's a birthday party without a dog pile?

The True Meaning of Christmas

Tonight was our ward Christmast party and we had a great time visiting with friends and remembering the 'Reason for the Season'.
of Jeff and the boys enjoying their dinner:




We also got a little handout that I thought was cute, some of these I'd never heard before.

The True Meaning of Christmas
The Fir Tree: It's pure green color remains green all year round, representing the everlasting hope of mankind and eternal life. All the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts and prayers turning toward heaven.
The Star: A heavenly sign of prophecy, fulfilled long ago, of God's promise of a Savior.
The Wreath: Symbolizes the true nature of love. Real love never ceases, it does not have limits or stipulations, just like God's love which has no begining or end.
The Candle: Represents the light that Heavenly Father sent to us through the Christ child that first Christmas so long ago. When we see the glows of the flickering candle we are reminded no matter how big or small, each one of us has the light of Christ within, to share with the world.
The Gift: God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.
The Bow: Represents how we are all tied to each other with love as the family of mankind and should be tied together in the bonds of goodwill forever.
The Holly:It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red berries represent the sacrifice made by Him for the entire world.
The Candy Cane: Represents the shepherd's crook that keeps sheep from straying and helps to bring back lost sheep to the flock.
The Angels: Announced the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth and goodwill toward men."
The Bell:Symbolizes guidance, return, and rings out glad tidings.
Santa Claus: A humble servant and believer of Christ, symbolizes the generosity and kindess we should feel.

So, the way that we view Christmas is all up to us as individuals. The holiday has become very commercialized, but, wherever we look, there are signs and reminders of what Christmas is really about. Christmas is what we make it.

Look Who's Walking!

Chocolate Covered Baby

I made some fudge-oatmeal bars to take to a Christmas party tonight and I sat Kamden in the high chair and let him try one. You can't really see the chocolate very well in these pictures, but he had it clear up in his eyebrows and his hair.


This is Kamden's "Oh" face. He's been doing this for awhile and I finally got a good picture of him doing it. I try to get him to say Uh-Oh but instead of the 'Uh' he just kind of growls and then says "Oh". It's pretty cute!
Kamden FINALLY has teeth! Only two on the bottom but at least now I can say that my one-year-old has teeth. Another version of the "Oh" face.