Okay, once again we are way behind on updating the blog. Better late than never, I guess! So first off we need to announce that we are expecting another baby in June! We are very happy and so excited. And yes, this was planned. We have had to tell people that it was a planned pregnancy because some people just can't believe that we would want to have another child so soon after having Brayden. We want to have our children close together in age and we just don't want there to be a 3 1/2 year gap like with Alana and Skyler. Anyway, the pregnancy is going well and I am feeling great. I'll be sure to update more as the due date gets closer.

We had a great Christmas and New Year this year. We flew out to Colorado over Christmas to spend it with Chris' side of the family. We had a great time and the kids did pretty good on the plane. But of course, we caught some bug from the plan and now illnesses are flowing through the house. Since I have become a stay at home mom, my children and I are not exposed to many people like they were when they were in daycare. Therefore, Brayden ended up with a fever on Tuesday the 29th and we think it finally broke yesterday the 4th. I took him to the doctor on the 29th and they said it was a virus and it just had to run its course, which could last 7 to 9 days. His lasted 7 days. Poor little guy. We fought it with Motrin, but not Tylenol. I swear, our children's fevers do not respond to Tylenol at all. It's like we are giving them a glass of water. But thankfully the Motrin took the edge off during the week so Brayden wasn't miserable the whole time. But of course he and I also ended up with a cold at the end of last week. Brayden also got a nasty cough with his cold. The colds still have not passed and now Skyler and I are getting the cough. So much fun. Some days I do wish my kids would be exposed to a daycare setting so they can grow some kind of immunity to these yucky bugs. Anyway, no fever yet today for Brayden, so we hope that part has passed. We just need to handle the colds now.

Another new development around here is that Chris has new days off during the week. He used to always work Monday through Friday and have the weekends off but they have changed his schedule. He will be working Saturday through Wednesday for the next three months and then back to Monday through Friday for three months and continue switching off ever three months. We are not too thrilled about it, but at least he has a job! It just sucks because it will be another 3 months before all five of us will have a day off together again. Kind of sad when I think about it. We really enjoy our weekends together.

Anyway, here are some pictures from our trip. We took a bunch of pictures on Chris' phone from Christmas Eve that we wanted to post, but we are having trouble e-mailing the pictures to the computer to post them on the blog. If we get that working, we will post them another time. Happy New Year!!!!

Arriving at the Denver airport.

Opening gifts at Kerri and Ryan's Aurora.

Eddy and Alana coloring. Eddy is Josh and Erin's child. They flew in from Hawaii for the holidays. It was great to see them.

Erin. Nice pose: )

This is Kerri and Ryan's dog, Pongo. He is a Merle Great Dane. He is huge!!! Seriously the size of a small horse! As you can see, he is standing and his head is way above the kitchen table. The the kids loved him. He is a sweety: )

Skyler and Alana and Joshua opening gifts with Grama Robin. We stayed with Rich and Robin who live near Colorado Springs.

Breakfast. L to R - Skyler, Joshua, Alana, Brayden and Eddy.

Our family.

Grama and Grampa with the grand kids. L to R - Alana, Haylie, Robin, Brayden, Skyler, Rich, Eddy and Joshua.

Rich's mom, Mary Ann (GG) was also there. She flew in from near Deadwood, South Dakota. She went home to 54" of snow! At least she went home after the snow had fallen and the roads were plowed.

Mommy and Brayden. He loved my necklace.

Alana and Skyler all bundled up to go play in the snow.

Alana and Skyler in the sled
.

Rich and Robin pulling the kids. They definitely got a workout: )

Joshua and Alana pulling Haylie and Eddy in the sled.

Eddy, Haylie, Skyler and Alana.

Eddy: ) She's too cute. We almost took her home with us.

Alana and Skyler.

Sweet little Brayden: )

This was too funny. You strap the Donkey (from Shrek) to your leg and put a kid on it and you just bounce him around. Too cute. Donkey talks, too.