Stockings for Santa

We decided for Family Home Evening that we were going to make stockings for Santa. (Mostly because our stockings are packed away in storage) We read some stories about 3 generations of family and their Christmas away from home and what they did to make it special. Then we read about where the traditions of hanging stockings came from. Then we went into the dining room and made and decorated our stockings.

 We cut out a stocking shape out of paper bags and then punched holes in the side and used ribbon to tie them together.

 Statton did a cute job. He drew a sledding hill and then arranged his snowmen so they were sliding down the hill.

 Madison was all about order.

 Cassidy as usual was the last one done. She made sure to utilize every inch of paper.

Statton was cute to put his arm around everyone and pull them in for a group shot of the finished stockings. Turned out pretty cute and Madison kept saying "this is the best Christmas ever!"

Delanie's Blessing

Delanie Heward was blessed by her father on December 7, 2014. As usual he did a wonderful job. We had a lot of family who were able to make it. We did a soup bar at the church after her blessing and then sent everyone home so they could watch the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional. These are just a few quick pictures I took after we got back to my parent's house.

 The kids each wanted a turn holding Delanie and having their pictures taken.

 Grandma and Grandpa Darrington with Delanie

 I loved her dress. My mother and I had gone to A Child's World in Burley to look at buying a new dress but they didn't have any that I liked. So I was happy to use the same one I had used for Cassidy and Madison since I still loved it. Then on our way out of the store we saw this one hanging up by just the regular dresses. I thought it was adorable and different then what you usually see. I debated for awhile since I didn't know if it would be too different. I finally decided it would be fun to be different so we took it. I absolutely loved it on her. I thought she looked adorable!

I'm so grateful to be the mommy of another sweet little spirit. I love my kids and am so grateful that I have been blessed like I have.

Halloween 2014

The other kids kept asking me what Delanie was going to be for Halloween. Considering she was only going to be about a month old I told them she wasn't going to be dressing up. I happened to find this cute shirt and pants and figured it was as dressed up as she was getting.

 Statton dressed up as a grim reaper. Can you see the glowing eyes? Cassidy wanted to be Elsa from frozen but after finding this dress she changed her mind. She is a medieval princess. Madison is a fairy princess.  Cousin Kensie is herself.

Our ward didn't have trunk-or-treating this year and our Bishop had encouraged the ward to go trick-or-treating to our neighbors and visit with them in their homes. It turned out to be really fun. We went and trick-or-treated Grandpa and Grandma Heward and a few of Blair's Aunts and Uncles. We got to go to Great Grandma Heward's house. We then came back to my parent's neighborhood and did some trick or treating to the neighbors. The kids had a lot of fun going into these people's homes and showing off their costumes and visiting with them a little bit. It was so much more personable and I loved it. The kids still got a ton of candy plus pop, toys, a puzzle, and even a gold dollar.

Delanie's newborn pictures

Moving!

     The first part of September, Blair received a phone call from a friend of his that works for Idaho Power. He told him how the positions in Twin Falls, ID were re-opened to applicants because apparently they didn't like any of the candidates they got from the first time they posted the position.

     We had decided not to apply the first time for a few reasons. Blair was having computer problems with his application, we had just been in Thermopolis a little over a year and I felt we owed High Plains more of his time. I had just started working prn for the local hospital, we were having a baby soon, and I loved our friends here. All this going on we decided not to apply. When we got the phone call from his friend telling him he should apply and he's already told the foreman about Blair, we decided we better put his application in. (Blair said he had been kicking himself for not applying the first time anyway.) Well within a few days he had done a phone interview with Idaho Power, few days later he was on his way for a face-to-face interview and skills test. The day after getting home from his interview he was called and offered a position on the Twin Falls crew. We accepted and set a start date of October 13th. That means we would be moving back to Idaho about a week and half after I had the baby. Talk about crazy. New baby, New job, and major move. It was pretty stressful for a few weeks while all this was going on but we got it done. Excited to be closer to family but sad to leave our friends, home, and school for the kids.

Delanie Heward is here

Welcome to the newest member of our family. Delanie Heward. Born Oct. 1, 2014 at 11:53 a.m. She weighed 7lbs 5 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. She was born at the hospital in Powell, Wy. Blair and I drove up early that morning from Thermopolis. The doctor broke my water shortly after 8:00 and she was born at 11:53.

 

Having Delanie was probably the easiest delivery in history. They were having troubles keeping my monitors on my belly for her heart rate so the nurse had another nurse come in to see if she could get them to stay. While she was fiddling with them she heard a little squeak. She pulled up my covers and let out a gasp, reached down and pulled up the baby on my chest. I had no idea I that she was out because I was completely numb from the waist down. We were all in shock with what happened. Funny thing was is that Blair had stepped out to grab a quick bite to eat before things started happening so he missed the whole thing. I had to send the student nurse to go find him and tell him. He was worried that I was going to be so mad. (Considering he hasn't made it to one delivery of our kids.) I told him not to feel bad because apparently we all missed it. :-)