Christmas Time at the Durr's

We had a great Christmas this year! Caroline got a bike and Jack a train set! Though as you can see below Jack always wants to play with whatever Caroline gets. They loved the Christmas candy too of course. Above is our first nativity set. I have always wanted one. We got this one at hobby lobby 50% off. I love that store. I love having the reminder in my home of why we are celebrating. I liked how we had lights around the garland kind of lighting up the nativity, though you can't tell in the picture.

This is one of my attempts of getting the kids picture in front of the tree. Jack would only sit for a candy cane, but wouldn't take the candy cane out of his mouth for the picture.

The only one Jack smiled in.

Jack trying out Caroline's new back, which the dog chewed the seat and bar cover off of that day.

They love Christmas candy!!

Tired Santa putting the bike together. He was such a good sport even though he had to put so many things together.

Jack on Santa's lab....we waited forever in line to see Santa and the kids weren't feeling well it was awful and Jack threw up for the first time in his life in the car after this. But they were happy to see Santa.

Caroline was so happy to see Santa and tell him what she wanted!!

Advent calendar Blog

So a friend and I decided to do this advent calendar blogger thing, since we both have trouble posting regularly. You are suppose to post something for each day of December leading up to Christmas, of course it is the middle of December right now, so I am getting started late. Also I really doubt I will blog everyday until Christmas. So I am just gonna choose a few of the topics to do that interest me and I'm sure they won't interest anyone else. Anywho if you are confused as to what I am talking about, here is the link adventcaleder.genabloggers.com

So the first topic is Christmas trees. So growing up we always had this huge fake tree. It was nice, but it fell on my Mom every year, so finaly one Christmas she threw it away. So we discussed about getting a new tree and I had always wanted a real tree so I had been begging my parents everyday for a real tree and trying to convince. I almost had my mom, but she brought home a fake tree and I was so sad. And if that wasn't bad enough the tree was skinny and scrawny and looked worse than the last fake tree. I was so sad, so finaly I convince my Mom to just go look at the real trees. She had always thought they were really expensive and too much maintance. But the fake trees are more, though of course it's like an investment you can use it over and over, but there is nothing like a real tree. You get the smell and everything. Anywho I convinced her to get one and it was so beautiful. I wish I knew how to scan pictures and save them ect...but I just haven't been able to figure that out. Then I would be able to show a picture of it. But anyhow we had a real tree every year after that until I left for college and my family and I always have a real tree. My siblings will remember this intance and they will probably commemt about how spoiled I was and that the fake tree was fine (I was the baby), but I don't care I love the real trees!!

In other Christmas tree stories. For our first few Christmas's the trees we bought were too big for our apt. When we were first married our tree filled up the entire living room of our 400 square foot apt. The next year we got a condo that had vaulted ceilings so we were like we need a really tall tree. So you know how when you are outside and stuff the tree doesn't seem as big as if you saw it in a room, well we got a huge tree. We had a time trying to get it up the stairs to our place and I was pregnant at the time and everytime we walked by a neighbor they would comment on how big our tree was. Then finaly a nice neighbor offered to help. So we get it up there and discover it is too tall and so Ryan has to saw off from the top and bottom, but it looked so beautiful. I don't think I ever took a picture of this tree. Luckily our first two Christmas's we didn't have any furniture so they fit.

The first time we took Caroline to pick out a tree. This was the first time after the too large tree incident and we lived in a smaller place so we tried to find the smallest tree possible, but we still ended up with a pretty big tree.

And here is the tree we ended up with.

Christmas 2007. Me decorating the tree.

Christmas 2008. This Christmas I was staying with my parents because I was pregnant and Ryan was gone to AIT, but he was able to come home for Christmas. So we waited to get a tree until he got there and we didn't end up getting the tree till like the 23rd of Dec and it was basically the last tree they had left. It was snowing and so we just send Dad and Ryan to run and get it and you know they just grabbed whatever, but either way it was nice to have something that was part of our Christmas tradition even though we weren't in our own home.

Christmas 2009. I always think my house looks better with Christmas decorations. There is a better picture of this tree but I posted it already in a previous post.

Christmas 2010. By far our best looking tree. We always go to get the tree the day after Thanksgiving aside from 08. And this year when we got there they didn't have all their trees untied yet so Ryan picked this try while it was all tied up and it turned out great...big but beautiful!!

Exciting airport adventures!

So I didn't feel like typing up a Christmas Card letter so I was like well why don't I just include our blog in our Christmas card, cause that is like a long Christmas letter right? Well maybe if I actually posted anything on the blog. So anywho here it goes. I will start with an impromptu trip I took to MD with Jack. So I was already flustered and anxious because I was going for the funeral for a wonderful man, whom I could dedicate an entire post to, but not now. So I get a ticket out of Dallas....Dallas Fort Worth right? So I am running late of course, and there is traffic and I almost forget my conformatin number and all that. But we finialy make it to the airport and this airport is huge and I have no idea where to go. They charge you just to drop someone off or pick someone up whether you park or not. Anyway so Ryan drops us off with all our stuff and we go up to the ticket counter and I put in my conformation number and it isn't working so I call someone over and they ask what time and where is your flight and I was like 4pm to Houston at this point it is past 3pm so I am getting anxious. So he tells me you are at the wrong airport and I was like what?? Yeah apparently there are two airports in Dallas. I am like oh my gosh, and I do not have a cell phone mind you. I ask the guy what I should do and that I needed to borrow a phone and he just said he would get someone else to help me. Meanwhile I am freaking out so I go and track him down again and ask for a phone again and he was like oh that what you were saying? Anyway so I call Ryan and I tell him he needs to come back now, and that I was at the wrong airport. They assured me they would be able to help me there even though I wouldn't make my flight. So Ryan had just left the airport but turned around to come get me. Of course this takes forever cause the airport is huge. He doens't arrive until about 3:50pm. I decided to call ahead to the other airport to see what they could do for me and they got me on the next flight to houston that should be get me to my connecting flight in time. So I felt better about it all. So we get there and of course during all of this Jack is freaking out and doesn't want to be in the stroller ect...Anyhow so this flight I was on ends up getting delayed half an hour. It would put me at the Houston Airport which is larger than DFW at the time my next flight would be boarding. And we were coming in at terminal B and my flight out was at terminal E. So I haul it to the terminal with Jack and all our stuff...of course I didn't check anything...and we even had to get on a little trolly thing. I got there barely in enough time to get on the plane. Luckily Jack was a good boy on both flights. The second one he slept the whole way. It was crazy though cause it was a super full flight and Jack was on my lap and asleep and I couldn't get to anything and my stuff was everywhere. Anyway we make it to MD at like midnight and of course since Jack just had a 3 hour nap on the plane he is wide awake and I am so tired. So anyhow fast forward to the next day. I want to take my sister to lunch for getting me from the airport and letting me stay with her ect...and I go to get my wallet to pay amongst Jack throwing a huge fit and scrathcing my face in the process when I realize my wallet is not in my purse. Everything had been so crazy who know where my wallet ended up. The last time I saw it was when I got my ID out at the 2nd airport. Thank goodness I left my ID out in my pocket and didn't put it away. So I assume I lost it on the airplane when my stuff was scattered everywhere on the second flight. (which I also lost my watch on) Between the veiwing and funeral and everything I didn't have time to think much or deal with the situation so my sister reported it missing for me. That night though I started getting major anxiety about it and starting thinking, what if it got stollen? So I am praying please God let me find my wallet, and then I just realized what made me so sure it was left on the second plane. So I decide to go and report it missing on the first flight as well and also to airport security and basically wrote down every lost and found number I could find from each of the three airports I was at. And I happened to find one for continental so I wouldn't have to wait for them to respond to my e-mail. Like come on this is a wallet, I can't wait around. So I feel a lot better after that and am able to go to bed and the next evening I called the number I found and by the grace of God my wallet was on that first flight I was on and they had it at the Houston airport and fed exed it to our house. Wow I have never thanked God so much in my whole life...though they never found my watch. Ok so this is one crazy trip right? Oh it does not end here. So I go to go home. My sister drops me off super early. I was like I do not care the earlier the better. And thank goodness she did. I get there and they tell me I cancelled my ticket I was like uhhh no. So I go through it with a whole bunch of people and they tell me when I called to move my flight originally it some how cancelled my return flight...what the heck? Why would I all the sudden not want to come home? They could have at least let me know. Anyway she tells me that I would probably have to purchase another ticket home and I was like what I couldn't even if I wanted to because I didn't have my wallet. So I asked to speak with a manager, who thankfully had mercy on me and gave me my original ticket back so I could go home already. It probably helped after I told them my whole pathetic story and I was like on top of everything I was here for a funeral. Oh and Jack had a major melt down on the flight home and Ryan was an hour late to pick me up due to a car accident and of course I have no idea where he is cause I don't have a phone. Anyway it all worked out and i am sure this is one of those stories where you look back and laugh...but I haven't laughed yet. And I didn't get any pictures while I was there. But, Mr. Robinsons service was beautiful, and it was wonderful to see his whole family who took me in as one of theirs. I am so glad I was there to mourn the loss of this wonderful man who served his country, community, family and God faithfully. It is a true loss for this world, but a gain for the one to come.

Westover family!

This July on Pioneer day, my entire family got together for a little reunion of pictures and crabs and lots of family time! I have more pictures of the visit, but here are the pictures taken of our entire family. 2 parents, 4 children, 4 spouses, and 9 almost 10 grandchildren. (there is one in Aprils tummy that was too scared to come out when we were all there.) It was crazy though we had to bribe children with smarties to get them to stay in place and you can't tell from the picture but they were running all over the place. The poor photographer had to hurry and take the picture before another kid ran off.

The whole family at downs park. It was too sunny to take pictures of the whole group by the water, but they look beautiful regardless.


Grandma and Grandpa with all the grandkids. It was not easy to get all the kids to stay seated and look at the camera, smile ect...but this is the best. Only Caroline isn't looking.



Mom and Dad with their 4 lovely children. Everyone wore khakis, but Grandma refuses to wear khaki.


Me and my siblings.

Craftiness!

So I finally downloaded all 500 or so pictures that were on my camera for the past 4 months. So it is gonna be blog overload. I apologize. Plus now I have more free time to blog now that Caroline is in school, though I am sure I should be doing more productive things with my time like dishes. Anywho I have been working on several knitting projects. mostly hats and blankets. Everyone I know is having a baby. Everyone just had a girl this summer except one friend and now this winter and spring everyone I know is having a boy! So I have to go pick out some cute boy colored yarns. Anywho here are some pictures of the progress of my latest ones. Some of these babies have been born already but you know how I roll.

This one was so slow. It was hard at first, but then I got the hang of it. But it was very tedious. It looks nice, but I will never make this one again. Now if I could just mail it to the baby it is for who is almost 2 months old now.

Yes if this one looks familiar you aren't seeing things. I have been working on this one forever now. I have promised it to someone now so I really need to get going. I have made a little more progress since this pictures, but this is also a slow moving one and also tedious and just hard in general. But definitly will be one of the most beautiful ones I have made I think.

I really like this one, but if you can't tell from the picture...I have messed up a lot on this one. There isn't anything particularly hard abou this one and it actually goes by pretty fast. I have actually gotten much further on it than this picture, but for some reason it is sooo easy to mess up on. I just think it has too many steps. When there are too many steps I start to get them confused, but I think I have worked out all the kinks and should be smooth sailing from her on out...considering this baby was born almost a month ago. Opps.

There are others I am working on but either I haven't shown them to the people recieving them yet or they aren't far enough along for a good picture. I am teaching a lady in our ward how to knit on thur for a personal progress project. I am so excited. I love to share the joys of knitting!!!

First Day of School!

So we sent Caroline off to school today. It was hard I am not gonna lie. Well only for me. Caroline had no problems and even told me she didn't want me to come have lunch with her. She is growing up too fast. I was good though I didn't cry in front of her. Everytime I was in the car today I would look back and panic for a second cause Caroline wasn't there, but then I remembered oh yeah she's at school. I still can't believe this is happening even though she is already gone. I guess I just didn't prepare myself enough for this day. Who knows you all are probably thinking I'm crazy. Well I hope she had fun and I should be on my way to go pick her up.

1st Day of School

Daddy and Caroline

Jack wanted to do his school work too. hehe he was being so funny and cute this morning. We ran around all day today so i don't think he has had time to miss Caroline yet, but I enjoy my time with my little man. It's so weird to just have one again. I used to have to think so much about Caroline when planning our activities but now I only have to think about Jack and the things he would like to do. I think we will both enjoy this time we have together...but I still miss my baby girl.

One year of blogging!

I just noticed that I have had this blog for a year now. So I figured in honor I should actually blog something. I have posted 26 blogs though. I'd say thats pretty good more than once a month. I know I know I said I would do it once a week, but obviously that didn't work out too well. Anywho I guess I can give everyone a quick update on the kiddies and everything that is happening around here. Caroline just turned 4 in June. I can't believe it and she is going to start all day pre-K in two weeks. Oh goodness how did this happen. She is so smart, too smart for her own good. Last Sunday her Sunbeams teacher told me they were having a lesson on saying you are sorry and she asked Caroline, "If you get mad and push down your little brother, what should you say?" Caroline responded with, "Tell Mommy he fell down by himself." Oh goodness and whenever he cries from the other room and I ask, "Why is Jack crying?" and Caroline responds, "He just fell down by himself." So we had a family home evening about lying. I don't know if she totally understands, but she will tell on herself now if she lies and calls us out if we lie. They notice everything you do. It is amazing. You think your kid isn't watching but they are and they will know you are full of it if you say one thing and do another. That is one of my biggest challenges as a mom. To always be a good example to my daughter. Why should she not yell if I get angry and yell? Why would she say thank you and please and talk politely if I don't speak to her that way? It is the suttle things sometimes. I know some believe that you are the parent and they should respect you blah blah blah...but I think they are people too and deserve to be treated the way you would like to be treated. It's hard though. Hopefully I don't screw them up too much. I try to remember that they are special gifts from our Heavenly Father and try to think how he would have them raised and how he is with his children. Because he and Jesus Christ are out ultimate examples. Anyway, Mr. Jack is getting so big. He is walking very well now. And he only says few things, but is very well at communicating and knows some sign language and he knows where his belly button, nose, ears, and hair is. He is so cute and sweet and loving. He is kinda naughty too and is in the hitting and pushing phase. Hopefully he grows out of it as Caroline did. It is hard to help a 1 year old understand why you can't hit/push. But he will give hugs afterward and he puts his head on you. Thats how he shows love. He is so cuddly, I love it! Anyway we had lots of fun this summer and hopefully once I get all the picture down loaded I can blog all about it. But now I have to start to get into a routine with school and everything. Hopefully I can get here there on time. Here are a few more recent pictures of the little monkeys too and other happenings.

This is the picture that was in the Waco tribune. Taken at the fireworks in gatesville on July 3rd!

Super fun night. We saw a random guy get hit by a car in the parking lot right in front of us, by a poor old lady. He was fine of couse she was probably only going 5 miles per hour and that dude wasn't watching where he was going. So it was actually pretty funny. I am sure that poor old lady was saying to her husband, "uh oh they are taking our lisence for sure now."

Jack and Caroline in the pool in the back yard. Now the dogs pool.

Me and a few of my YW at girls camp. Now I know I said I wouldn't post these photo's but I don't think that any of them will notice hehe. I love them and love to show them off! And they looked so beautiful without any make up on and were so happy and filled with the spirit when I came to get them.

Last blanket I finished, back in May. Actually finished it before the baby was born. I gave it to my friend Janis who had a baby girl successful VBAC. So proud of her! This was by far the funnest blanket I have made. I love how it looks like a quilt. I have several in the works and will post pics of my progress once I get those photos downloaded.

Caroline waiting for her turn to show off her gymnastics skills. She did gymnastics and at the end of the classes they had a big showcase. She did so well and loved it. I don't know if we will continue though with her starting school, but I can continue to teach here things at home.

Caroline doing her handstand. Probably her least favorite of all the skills she practiced. She would always try to skip in during practices.

Jack after Ryan took him to get his hair cut at the army barber. They cut all my little boys hair off, but he looked like a little man and now he gets it down all the time and everytime we cut it he gets blonder and blonder.