Night of Daddy's Birthday!

As Taylor and Emma helped me decorate for Joseph's birthday some not so planned or fun things happened. First Madelyn...

Threw up all over the carpet.

She started coughing and threw up a little bit. Then said "MOM!" I said run to the bathroom, instead of following that sane advice she proceeded to finish her business on the carpet instead. Here she is helping me clean it up.

(The kids had all had a nasty virus this week that gave them a horrible cough. Madi wasn't sick to her stomach, but had taken to making herself cough so hard that she would gag and throw up. By the end of the week, we finally trained her to use a bowl or the toilet!)

While we were cleaning up after Madelyn I heard a loud crash and found...

Emma had knocked over the lamp.

To top the evening off Joseph's co-worker had offered to make the cake for his birthday and come and celebrate with us. But when they ended up getting stuck at work and sent home the cake from the office that day to have for our party that night, I was really wishing I had just done it myself and made him a cake. Birthdays are a big deal to me and I was sad that his wasn't turning out very well.
(that is how the cake came home, we hadn't eaten any yet:( )

But even though the evening started off rough, we ended up having a nice night celebrating our dad!!

Aprons!!

Thanks Aunt Carly!
We love helping Mom cook while wearing our new aprons!(if anyone knows how to rotate a picture on a blog I would love to know! I am still an amateur when it comes to blogging!)

Little Helpers!

Madelyn has adjusted really well to Mommy having to be down a lot. Everyone asks about her and if she is bored, but really she is doing great. Of course she has her days when she gets a little tired of it, but most days I find her like this. She has become very good at entertaining herself. Besides playing well alone, she loves to have mom one on one. Every morning she tells me of her plans and they usually sound something like,
"first we can play Memory, then Uno Attack, then the Wii together and then I will do your hair, okay Mom!!"
At first I think my being down affected Emma the most, she was definitely bummed that the regular visitors and play dates had dramatically slowed down. She was sure this was ruining her social life. But now that she is adjusting to it, she has become quite the helper! Madi anxiously awaits Emma's return from school and then Emma is great to help entertain her for the afternoon. They have taken to walking down to get the mail together! Thanks Emma for being a good sport and for all your help!!

My Sweet Husband!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!!
It seems like all we do is celebrate when this week rolls around each year. Between 3 birthdays and Valentine's Day, it is a job to make sure each person gets honored on their special day. However, we love our week long party and it started out today with Joseph! Happy Birthday Babe! Both Joseph and I love holidays, esp. birthdays so today on his I want him to know how much we truly love him. I especially love that he has crossed the 30 threshold and I still have not:) Joseph is the love of my life and that is not mushy, it is just true. I feel very fortunate to have all my dreams come true in him. He is everything I always dreamt of as a girl and more! I hope he has a wonderful day, below are some reasons why I love him!Top 5 Reasons I love you!
1-You Honor your Priesthood and Use it to bless our Family.
2-You consider your role as Father and Husband your most important job.
3-You find ways to show me you care (like surprising me with Phantom of the Opera tickets in Cali--pic above--or by doing something simple like doing the dishes!
4-Your sarcastic humor that always keeps the kids and I laughing
5-Your positive attitude towards life and the future!

Tag from Jennie!

I don't do a lot of tags, but I admit I was bored today and decided I would respond to this one that Jen tagged me with like a month ago!

8 Things about You
1. 8 TV shows I love to watch: American Idol, Color Splash, Myles of Styles, Smallville, Bachelor, Design on a Dime, HouseHunters, Everybody loves Raymond (reruns)
2. 8 Favorite Restaurants:-My favorite restaurants that you would recognize I don't ever eat at because they don't have them in Sheridan. We did just get a Goodtime Burger here and we really like eat, I love the Chinese Buffet here in town and when we go to Billings, I love Red Robin's fresh strawberry lemonade.
3. 8 Things that happened yesterday:-Lay on the couch, lay on the bed, played beauty shop with Madi, read to the kids, listened to Tay and Emma practice the piano, played WII with Madi, watched David Osmond make it to the next round on American Idol, lay some more!
4. 8 Things I'm looking forward to:-warmer weather, upcoming ultrasound to find out what we are having, birthdays(we love Feb.), having a baby, going home to see family this summer, exercising vigorously again, going somewhere fun for our 10 year, going back to Disneyland someday(hopefully with our old California friends!)
5. 8 Things on my Wish List:-I have a lot of future dreams with Joseph and our kids but honestly the only thing on my wish list right now is to have a healthy baby and then get back to good health myself!!
6. 8 people I am tagging:I will do this one at the end of the next tag.

Hubby Tag:
WHAT IS YOUR HUSBAND'S NAME? Joseph Katschke
HOW LONG HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN MARRIED? 8 years
HOW LONG DID YOU DATE? 9 months
HOW OLD IS HE? 31
WHO IS TALLER? He is
WHO CAN SING BEST? I can, but he is willing to try.
WHO IS SMARTER? Joseph
WHO DOES LAUNDRY? I do.
WHO PAYS BILLS? I did in school, but it since then it has slowly worked towards sharing and now he does most of it.
WHO SLEEPS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BED?Me
WHO MOWS THE LAWN? He does, but I enjoy it too, so sometimes I do it during the day before he gets a chance.
WHO COOKS DINNER? prior to now I would have said me, but now he does or my friends do.
WHO'S THE FIRST TO ADMIT THEY ARE WRONG? we usually just avoid the topic until we both have cooled off and then just both forgive and forget
WHO KISSED WHO FIRST & WHERE? Joseph kissed me in my car while our roomates were standing right outside. He said it was like kissing a wall, I wasn't expecting it then, but we got much better. Practice makes perfect right?! (for the record he would say that I was looking at his lips acting like I wanted him to kiss me then!
WHO WEARS THE PANTS? In our house we tell our kids that Dad is the boss, because mom says so. I like to think we each help each other and support each other in our roles.
I tag: Jamie, Brooke, Cali, Jacey, Marcy, and any others who have the time or want to share, I would love to read them!

January Happenings!

As I was reflecting on the fact that it is now February, I was marveling how that simple fact alone seems to raise my spirits each year. There is something about January that always makes me a little depressed. I guess it is the lull of Christmas ending and nothing but snow and cold around (at least where we live). But February comes and there are more warm days, birthdays (in our home) and it seems like my spirits just lift simply because January is done and we are on to February. I don't have any pictures to post. We really haven't had a lot going on to take pictures of, but I thought I would write what we have been up to. Taylor is in Basketball and loves it. To his Daddy's joy, he wants a basketball hoop for his birthday. I think they will both have to wait until the Springtime though. Emma is as energetic as ever and is struggling with the fact that Mom doesn't take her out as much. If only I could have half her energy. She is still involved with Dance and is excited about her upcoming recital. Madelyn is coping with my partial bed rest the best. She has become a pro at puzzles, loves to color, and also loves to play the WII with me at home. She is quite content to sit by my side and play. However, she does anxiously watch the window throughout the day awaiting the time when her playmates (Taylor and Emma) come home. Joseph is still having success at WyoVision and they are in the process of working out the details for him to buy into the practice. I guess Sheridan is going to become permanent for us. I am okay with that though, it has taken longer than other places, but I am really starting to love it here. That is impart because of the love and support I am feeling from our friends here. I am having a bit of pain and discomfort with this pregnancy due to my pelvic congestion. Because of this I have about 2-3 hours on my feet a day and the rest of the day I have to be laying down. It is as a result of this that so many friends have showered their service and love on us. Four of my friends decided they would bring in meals once a week until the baby comes and a couple times a week someone comes by and gets Madelyn so she can get out. I can't say how hard this has been for us to accept the help and yet how grateful we are for their kindness that is making this more bearable. We are finally half way through ( 20 weeks YEAH) and although the days are long, we are doing really well. I told Joseph he is going to become a culinary artist by the time the baby comes. I have to say that Joseph deserves Husband of the year award, he calls daily to check up on me, cleans the bathrooms, takes the kids on the weekend so I can rest, cooks, grocery shops, the list could go on and on. This really is as much his trial as it is mine and he is rising to the task like a pro! I am so very grateful for a wonderful husband. Well, this is an incredibly long post, but since I am not good at keeping a journal this is my recap for the past couple weeks. To all my friends that keep in touch through this with me, I hope you are all well! Love ya!

My Hero!

One of my favorite songs is called "She's Somebody's Hero" by Jamie O'Neal. My all time hero is not legendary, well-known, famous or any of the other things most people might think of when they hear the term hero. My hero would deny that she is really that important at all to the world, but as the song says, she is the one who "brought Snow White to life, has been a waiter, a cook, a taxi driver, and her life's ambition has been to make her children's lives better." As you have guessed, my hero is my mother!! I know it is cliche, but I mean it most sincerely. There is NO ONE (sorry Dad you come in a close second!) that has impacted my life as much as my mother has. Her sacrifice has not gone unnoticed, I am the person I am today largely because of the example, love, and support of an amazing mother! Still to this day she is the first person I call to share good, bad, or just plain funny news! Tomorrow is her birthday so in the most public forum I have I want to tell her I love her. I want her to know that all those sleepless nights, meals cooked, and miles driven are appreciated. Even more than all of that, I thank her for still caring. When she could easily have counted me as raised and off the list of worries, she still find ways to take care of me and I thank her for it. My mom may not be famous or important to very many in the world, but She is my HERO!!

Happy Birthday Mom!!
I love you!

Snow Fun!!

What could be more fun than playing in the snow with friends?!!

Warming up by the Wood Stove!

Christmas Day!!

We received so many wonderful gifts through the mail this year! Due to my health with this pregnancy we couldn't travel home. I was worried since this was the first Christmas in 9 years that we wouldn't be with family. However, it ended up being a wonderful day due to many wonderful friends here, lots of fun family time with our children, and many calls home that day. (Sorry Dad and Mom, I think I called more than necessary!) Anyways, everyone let us know we were still thought of as the packages kept pouring in. We feel truly blessed by so many thoughtful family members! We tried to scale back this year, but after Great, Great Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Grandparents, and Aunts and Uncles all sent the kids gifts, the tree was packed! Thank you, thank you!! I won't list each gift individually but we are really blessed with a wonderful family! We love you all!!New Bedding for Our Room!

(now we get to start a new decorating project! YEAH!)
((Thanks Dad and Mom P.)

Taylor's Narnia sword and shield!

Madelyn and Emma's New Barbie Doll house!
(Madi didn't leave the doll house all Christmas Day!)

Christmas Morning Opening Stockings First!

I don't have a picture of the gifts Joseph gave me, but he got me some really nice things, including a pair of very fancy leather boots which I love! Thanks Babe!!

Joseph received a new suit and long wool winter coat which he looks really HOTT in!! I must admit he picked these out since I wanted him to get what he would like, but I think I succeeded in surprising him with one of his gifts. He received the new I-Pod Touch from Santa! He has really enjoyed playing with it this week.

Christmas Eve

The one time I love Wyoming
weather is at Christmas!
The kids enjoyed playing outside
in the snow Christmas Eve and
Joseph got us a nice supply of
wood cut so we could be warm
that night and through
Christmas Day!

Getting a Christmas Tree!

This is the first year we have cut down a fresh Christmas
tree! It was a lot of fun. We have become really good friends
with this family. Besides just cutting down a tree, we had fun
on their snowmobiles. They came over Christmas Day as well!
We are blessed to have such great friends here!

Holiday Traditions!

We did many Christmas activities as a family that we don't have pictures of! These activities take a lot of preparation and I must admit wore me out many of the days, but for me they are what Christmas is all about. I want to thank my mom and Joseph's mom for teaching us about the Christmas spirit and helping us to have wonderful Christmas memories! It is because of you two that Christmas is both of our favorite time of the year! Below are a few of our favorite things at Christmas, we have enjoyed sharing the traditions we enjoyed as children with our kids!

*Christmas Caroling*
(this year we took the Living Christ to 6 non-member friends and
caroled to them with the missionaries! It was 20 below that
night, but we all had a really fun time!)

*Visiting the Rest Home*
(took cookies and sang songs to the older people at the rest home)

*Twelve Days of Christmas*
(something both Joseph and I did as children,
the kids had so much fun this year with it. They would
chant the Mission Impossible theme song and say they
were secret agents!)

*Making Christmas Breads and Candy and Delivering it to Friends*
(one night we delivered to 19 people! That was a long night,
but it is so great to let the wonderful friends we have know we
love them and are grateful for them)

*Took gifts to the Homeless Shelter*
(didn't turn out as well as planned, but still good for the kids)

*Sang songs around the piano*
(the kids asked for this nearly every night)

*read Christmas stories together*

*Act out the Nativity story Christmas Eve*

If I can go on a soap box for just one moment, I had many friends say I was crazy to try and do so many things this time of year and that they were just too busy for such things! That made me sad. I love Christmas more than any other time of the year and so does Joseph, but the gifts I get on Dec. 25th or even that day itself isn't really why I love it. I love it because for a few weeks people are nicer and think more of others than themselves! The spirit of Christmas really is the spirit of Christ. I had that instilled in me by my mom and I hope to carry on these traditions with my children so they will feel it too! Thanks once again Mom P. and Mom K. for teaching us what Christmas should really be all about! We love you!

Candy Making!

Christmas Candy Workshop!

Too bad you all don't live closer! We have lots of
homemade candy we would love to share! It took most
of the day, but we had a really great time making candy
as a family!

Christmas Program!

Taylor was great in his performance! He sang really well and
looked so nice! In the bottom left picture he is pointing to his
teeth because they have fruit roll ups over their teeth to block
out two. They sang, "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front
Teeth"




















We had many friends tell us how funny Emma was in her
program! She was more concerned with talking to her friends
and pointing out their parents to them than singing. She was so
cute though, she would clap with the audience after each song!
In the bottom right picture she is embarrassed that I am taking
her picture so she is covering her face!

Catching Up!

It has been a while since I have posted, but there have been some noteworthy things going on this December!Even though she wasn't dressed yet, Madelyn didn't want to be left out of the picture fun!

This is the morning of Taylor and Emma's Christmas program! They looked so nice!

What a handsome boy!

Emma looked and felt just a princess! Her and I had a neat experience that day. A friend from school called me that morning and said there were two little girls at the school who were crying because they didn't have a dress to wear for the program. I guess their mom had left a couple months before and it was just Dad at home and they didn't have dress clothes. I quickly gathered a few dresses and some tights and socks and ran them up to the school. The second grader's teacher said all the girl's in her class told her she looked just like a princess and the kindergartener's teacher said she said she had never felt anything so soft on her legs regarding the tights. So the program went great and the girls were so pleased. One of the dresses didn't fit Emma anymore, but the other was one of her newer favorite dresses. I leaned over to her and asked her if she thought we could give the girls the dresses as a Christmas gift . She was fine about the one she had grown out of, but really struggling about the one that still fit her. I told her it was her decision. She thought about it and then agreed with me so we went up to the girls and told them they could keep the dresses. Our friend later told us they were so happy with the gift. I wanted to record this for Emma's sake. We are always looking for ways to teach our children about the true meaning of Christmas and I am so grateful that this opportunity came along for Emma and me. It was a special day for us both!!

Christmas Comes Early for Us!

We are so excited to announce that we are pregnant
again! We are due the end of June. The baby is healthy
so far and the kids are so excited to be having a new
baby! We told them over Thanksgiving! Emma won't
let us miss a prayer now without praying for the baby!
It will be a long 7 months for them!!

Christmas Lights!

Thanks to Dad
and James for
putting up our
Christmas lights!
We have had so
many compliments
on them! We really
appreciate your putting them
up, esp. Dad and the time it took
to individually tape each light!
Love you!

Christmas Stroll

Sheridan has a Christmas stroll the day after Thanksgiving
where all the streets are lit and there is food and music and
shopping! We had a great time experiencing this together!

Gingerbread Houses!

Making Gingerbread houses
are harder than they look.
Mine lasted only 2 minutes, but
we had fun making them!