Going Home

I was so happy to be headed home after spending 2 days in the hospital. In Reno I had to stay in the hospital for 3 days after a C-section, but in Idaho they let you go after 2 days....YAY! When we left the hospital it was snowing just a little and very cold, but even with the weather I made Ryon go to the drive-through at Dairy Queen for a blizzard. I had some serious cravings for ice cream!!

Now a family of four!

Grandma and Grandpa Murray left for Blackfoot the day before - they were a big help with Hoyt while I was in the hospital.

More of Day One

When the C-section was finally over (that is a long and painful story I will have to write at some later date!) the real fun began. Here are a few more pictures from Jett's first day of life.

Literally seconds after Jett was born.

After he was cleaned up he and Ryon got to take a trip to the nursery where he was monitored for about 30 minutes.

Jett and I meeting for the first time

He was ready to SLEEP the day away after such a traumatic experience!

Jett's first sponge bath. Ryon was there...but I was stuck in bed!!

Grandma and Grandpa Murray and Hoyt came to visit Jett later that day.

Hoyt was really excited to finally be able to meet his baby brother

Definitely a great day

Jett Ryon Murray

He's here...he's beautiful...and we are all doing well. Jett was born Monday, December 27th at 11:53 AM. He weighs 8lbs 3oz and is 21 inches long. He has Hoyt's nose and mouth, and the "big brudder" thinks his "little brudder" is pretty cool! More pictures to come later when we are released from the hospital!

Christmas Eve

We spent a quiet Christmas Eve at home this year. We baked cookies for Santa, watched Ryon's favorite Christmas movie A Christmas Story, and read the REAL Christmas story from the Bible. Hoyt couldn't wait to put Santa's cookies and milk out, and even colored a special picture to go with it.

Being a big helper with Santa's cookies. Mixing the dry ingredients...

and even running the Kitchen Aide! (With mom's supervision of course)

The finished product ready to put out for Santa.

A last minute look at the tree before Christmas morning.

Horsin' Around

A few days ago Hoyt watched a horse race on TV with Ryon. We now have a "BIG" jockey on our hands - he's pretty funny to watch. I haven't broken the news to him yet that jockeys tend to be a bit smaller than he is most likely going to be! I guess a boy can dream!!

Thirty....Something!

Ryon turned "36" yesterday and we celebrated that night by going out to his favorite restaurant. This was quite a gift, because I am not a fan of his favorite restaurant so we usually never go there. So....to Sizzler we went for all you can eat steak and shrimp! Ryon's parents drove from Blackfoot to have dinner with us and we had a great time. I even took the birthday cake and candles to the restaurant, so Hoyt could hardly wait to finish his dinner before lighting the candles and singing happy birthday.

Ryon asked for a chocolate bundt cake, but from this picture you would think it was Hoyt's birthday cake!

Blowing out candles....Ryon is holding Hoyt back so he doesn't fall head-first into the cake!

The whole gang

The sweeper that kept Hoyt entertained for the last 30-45 minutes. He worked up a sweat sweeping all the floors. Thankfully the employees at Sizzler thought he was hilarious!

One of Ryon's presents....due to arrive in exactly 13 days. I am ready!!

Santa!

Hoyt and I had an in-depth conversation in the car the other day. It went something like this:

Hoyt: "Mom, when Santa Clause comes to our house to bring presents I want to give him a hug."

Me: "Well... Santa only comes to our house when little boys are asleep, so you won't be able to give him a hug when he delivers presents."

Hoyt: "I really want to hug him mom. When can I give him a hug? Can we go to the North Pole?"

Me: "I think Santa Clause might come visit the children at our ward Christmas party. You can give him a hug there."

Hoyt: "OK mom - I love him!"

Here he is waiting in line to see Santa at the ward party. He was very patient - he had to wait in line for 15 minutes (an eternity for a 3-year-old).

Sitting with Santa. He got to give him a big hug, and when Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas Hoyt said, "a turtle". What?? He had just watched Little Einsteins that day about a boy who wanted a turtle for Christmas - I think he's going to be disappointed, because that ISN'T going to happen!

Loving every minute of his time with St. Nick!

Christmas Cookies

After the library on Wednesday, Hoyt and I decided to come home and make Christmas cookies. We made a MESS, but Hoyt had a great time helping make the dough and roll it out. He especially loved using his cookie cutters to make stars, bells, angels, etc. (He is now asking to make Christmas cookies daily!) What a fun activity for a snowy, cold day.

Getting the dough ready to....

roll and roll and roll. Hoyt became an expert at rolling cookie dough!

Using his Christmas cookie cutters - he picked them out at the store himself, so he was very excited to use them.

Fresh out of the oven and ready to....

FROST!

Hoyt trying out the finished product. He said they tasted "delicious"! The next day he went to play at a friends house and got to take some of his Christmas cookies. He couldn't wait to give some away!

Tree Trimming

We had a fun family night this week, and went out to get our Christmas tree. Next year I just might do an artificial tree (I always swore I wouldn't) so this may be my last post about going out to pick the perfect tree! We found a little tree lot that sold "noble firs", which are my favorite and had one picked out in no time. Hoyt LOVES to run around and check out all of the trees, and he made fast friends with the man at the tree lot! He didn't mind the cold weather at all and would have stayed all night if he could have.

Of course, it wouldn't be a great family night without eating out at some horrible fast food restaurant!! Here is Hoyt showing off his Burger King crown!

We made it to the tree lot...

and Hoyt slowed down long enough for me to try and take his picture. This is as good as it got!

Helping mom with the decorations. (Look at that hair...I think he just woke up from a nap!)

The finished product! Oh how I love a Christmas tree - I would keep it up until the end of January if I could!!

Thanksgiving Sledding

We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year and other than the exceptionally cold weather, -1 that morning, it was great! Grandma and Grandpa Murray came with Kelly and Marcus and we all had a fun day. (Noelle and Kyle were supposed to come as well, but Landon was really sick so they had to stay home.)

It was my first time "hosting" Thanksgiving, so I was in the kitchen most of the day, which is why I didn't take many pictures. However, I did make it outside to get a few shots of the boys sledding (if you want to call it that)! They were definitely ready for a warm Thanksgiving dinner after this little adventure.

Getting ready to "sled".

Ryon's job was pulling them with the quad - he had just as much fun as the kids!

An action shot

I'm loving Hoyt's face in this one - I think he is enjoying himself!

Winter is HERE!

Would someone please tell this child that it is 10 degrees outside (it was -1 this morning)....which means that it is COLD, and that we should probably go in and have some hot chocolate! Oh how this boy loves the snow!!

Getting ready to head out into the SNOW!

Our neighbor came and plowed our massive driveway - so Hoyt had some snow mountains to play on.

Cold yet....

Nope. Someone is definitely loving this winter in Idaho!

Baby Ava's Blessing

This past weekend we went to Pocatello for cousin Ava's blessing. Grandma and Grandpa Hoyt, Caleb and Isaiah drove to our house on Friday night and then we all left for Noelle and Kyle's on Saturday morning. Due to the first big snowstorm of the season, it took us quite a while to get there, but we enjoyed spending time with family and watching Ava be blessed on Sunday.

Hoyt was a good little traveler and loved playing with all the kids after church on Sunday.

Noelle, Kyle, Landon, and Ava with Grandma and Grandpa Hoyt

Ava finally giving me a little smile!