A White Christmas in Georgia

It is almost the New Year and I can't believe it. This year has been so crazy. I have visited 19 states, and lived in 3! We figured since we already drove across the country we would hop six states and head to Georgia for Christmas. My parents and my sister live near Atlanta, and for the first time in six years I spent Christmas with them, it was great.

We started out with a fun trip to the Zoo.

My sister Micah, her husband Warren, and their three kids. This is the bird area and we had feeding sticks and Ky got a bird to land on his.



Kacen is not too sure about that bird.



This is my adorable nephew showing the panda bear where he lives on the mapWe went to the petting zoo and Kace sat with the goats, he also petted the sheep and pigs.
And this was my favorite thing, the gorillas, this mama had a little babe, aww so cute!

Kacen met Santa and even got a present from him with his name on it! He didn't even cry.

What are the holidays without cooking? Here I am dusting pans for pumpkin rolls with my two little helpers. Yeah these kids were so helpful while I was out there, and Kacen didn't quite know what to do with three little mamas around trying to help and love on him all day. But it was so cute to see them play with him and love on him.
And ignore the hair, but here I am early Christmas morning making cinnamon rolls with my sis. Not to brag but I have been told many times this year that my cinnamon rolls are the best that people have every had, haha I guess these peeps don't get out much.
Christmas morning letting Kacen open his stocking. He loved trying to open the pringles and he really liked eating them too.
He got really spoiled actually, and got lots of animals from his auntie and this cool car from Grandma and Grandpa Murphy, he loves pushing it around. And Nana and Papa got him a fun gear toy and some really cute clothes. And books and movies from other aunts and uncles. Thanks everyone for kind gifts, we love them all! And thanks to all of you who sent pictures and updates those are the best!


Oh and we had a white Christmas in Georgia, can you believe it?


Here we are getting saying goodbye. My sis and niece and I look alike huh? Me and my sister are six years apart and she remembers me when I was kid and calls her daughter Heather all the time because she looks like I did at her age.

I had a great Christmas and this whole holiday season has been really fun. The car ride wasn't too bad only 13 hours and luckily Kacen was pretty well behaved for most of it.


That's all folks.

oh yeah and.....

Happy New Year everyone!

Sewing Project

So for the past three days (I know that is long time for only making a couple of sack but I have a kid to deal with, haha) I have been working on these little tie-up back packs, cute huh?
I found the tutorial here on dana-made-it.com I followed her steps but added a lining and straps and only made the ties come out of one side not both. I am happy with the end result.

They will be great for holding all sorts of little kid things.

My son is not nearly as photogenic as her son, once again view here, nor are my photography skills as good as hers but I still think little Kacer is pretty cute.

Well tomorrow we are headed to DC for the weekend to spend time with a close family friend, often referred to as Ky's foster brother, Henry and with wife Amber. We are so excited. So look forward to pictures of that. Then next weekend we hit the road for a 12 hour road trip to Georgia to visit my parents and oldest sister Micah. Not that my life is really that exciting but I do have another pretty cool and fun thing I am working on and hopefully I can show you the fruits of my labor at the beginning of January.

And oh yes, Kyle's internship. He is working at an antique automobile museum in Hershey PA, you can view their site here. I haven't been there but Ky says it is pretty cool and hopes to take me there soon. He is doing some public relations stuff for them and pretty much anything else they need him to do. Right now he is preparing for one of the Herbie cars (The Love Bug) to come to the museum and is writing press releases for that. So we are really excited that he has this opportunity and that he is that much closer to completing his schooling.

Internship

This is just a really quick post to let you all know that Ky got an internship today, finally. Actually he was accepted for two internships today but we picked one and he starts Monday. So thanks for all your prayers and love, it is so relieving to know that he is almost done with school now.

Mocking Jay

Just finished Mocking Jay, not sure what to think. I am pondering heavily about this and will have to write more once it all sinks in.

Oh side note: Yesterday Kacen danced all my himself! We were in the bedroom and Ky turned on some music and Kacen was standing holding onto the laundry basket and started bouncing and just kept doing it while the music was on, it was so cute. Looks like I'll have a little break dancer yet. Also another Kacen Kutie (haha didn't work as well as I hoped) yesterday he also started letting go of one object such as the coffee table and while standing rotated his body to grab the near by sofa. He has done this a couple of times now let go of one thing and step or turn to get the next. He will be walking any day now, oh no! I guess this wasn't really all just a side note, Kace is way more important than some silly book, haha.

Well I better hit the sack, I guess tradition here is to go play flag football at 8:00 a.m. The Turkey Bowl

New York New York

So this weekend I went to New York City not once but twice! Can you believe it?!?!? It is a 3.5 hour drive from PA to there and we went up and back on Saturday and then did it again on Monday. We went up so I could...brace yourself....audition for a reality TV show! I know it is sort of dorky but it was really fun. I don't know yet if I made but we'll see what happens. Satuday I didn't get to do much but Ky and his family took Kacen and hung out in the city. I didn't have to do as much on Monday so we had time to go site see in the afternoon. So first up,


Central Park


Kyle and Kacen standing out side of the park, it had a been a really long weekend so don't judge us too harsh if we aren't the most photogenic people, haha.

Me and Kacen looking at the city scape and sitting in the park, haha I look so uncomfortable. But at least Kacen is cute!

My two boys playing at the park.

Kacen playing on the cool stone playground.

Next stop, FAO Schwarz Toys

We went here thinking it would be fun for Kacy to see all the toys and stuff but, he fell asleep, haha. It was a really long weekend for him too, yep he went up with us both times. But he was pretty good about it all.

Kyle on the Big Piano, he was sliding on it, it was pretty cool. And get this you can take your own Big Piano home for the low price of $25,000 (serious).
Chewy made out of legos

Me playing dress up, and yup Kacen has socks on his hands, it was pretty cold and we couldn't find his mittens but I did bring an extra pair of socks.

Last stop, Rockefeller Square

Have you ever wondered how they get the big tree up? Well here it is.

But the real question is, have you ever wondered how they make it look so nice? And here is the answer, they take all of these branches and nail them in the more sparse places in the tree.


So there you have it, our trip(s) to New York all summed up. That city is a lot more fun if you have money, haha. Maybe someday we can go back and do more exciting things.

Chutes and Ladders.....or Stairs and Ladders I guess

Kacen is gettin sooo big sooo fast. He can now go up and down the stairs on his own and today he was holding onto the railing on the left of the picture below and stepping up and down! He is so crazy, he will climb on to, over top and up any thing, view picture below for example:

Yup that's the ladder to attic and yup he climbed all the way up it. You can't take your eyes off this kid for one second.

Something new that made me happy, Kacen is finally saying mama and mom a lot but I don't know if he knows what he is saying though, haha.

Well Kacen is pretty much the most exciting thing going on right now. But hopefully something really neat will be happening soon, I just got one of those feelings.

Cute little pumpkin!!!

Here is little Kacer racer in his little pumpkin halloween costume. Everyone enjoy!

Halloween

So I wish I had pictures I really do but to be honest we didn't get any. Kacen was the cutest pumpkin ever but I will go out and get some on the next nice day. And I was lion Kyle's mom made an amazing lion costume I will definately get some pictures though. Kacen was totally afraid of the lion costume and Kyle and his dad would take turns putting it on and scaring him finally once I put it on he got used to it. We went trick or treating to a couple of houses in the neighborhood just for fun I only went to five houses until I got an Almond Joy then I came home. I will take some mock Halloween pics once the weather clears up.

SUPER SUPER SUPER LONG POST WITH LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF PICTURES

OK well I finally have a few minutes to get some pictures up and re-cap all that we did this summer so hold on to your seats kids, it gonna go fast.

Kacen's first boating trip, thanks uncle Dave, he likes the water and had fun on the tube. Hahaha and yes Ky is picking his nose. And yes, I can still get up and rock on a wake board, haha, well I am happy that means hopefully this winter I will still have some skill on my board.

Large Storey family reunion, Ky won the horseshoe competition with his cousin Branden they each got $25

Ice cream with cousin, Kacen didn't get any but Emily LOVED hers

Swimming with aunt K'Leena, I didn't have a swim suit so he borrowed one of his cousins, haha but he had a high fever this day because he was cutting his first tooth so he loved the water but wasn't feeling too great. We loved all the fun stuff we got to do with aunt K'Leena, uncle Ryan and ccousin Emily this summer!

Chad and Amy came to Utah and here are their girls with Kace and their Grandma Raleigh

Playing in the park with cousins, well soon to be cousins, my brother is getting married soon and these will be his new step kids they are so cute and we are so excited for them and their mother Liz (she was at work) to join the family.

Just my guys hanging out in the basement. They were so cute watching TV I had to get a picture.

Bike ride conference weekend, Kacen was so excited and so was Em but her eyes are closed.

Saying good bye to Grandma and Grandpa Storey, the let us stay with them and it was so neat to get to know them better. We are so grateful for our generous family and all they do for us. We have such amazing sibblings, parents and grandparents we are truly blessed.

Here we are in Iowa, My sis-in-law took great pictures but I didn't have them right here when I decided to blog so check out her blog sometime see some great photography. Haha well that is when she gets time to catch up on her blog photos. Here we are going for a walk to visit Uncle Chad at his work.

Going to this great pumpkin patch on a farm we are on a wagon ride being pulled by a tractor.

Kacen eating pumpkin leaves, what a goofy kid.



When in Iowa what do you do? A corn maze of course!!!

Kacen is pretty tough standing up all the time now, part of me can't wait til he can walk but the other part knows that with walking comes running, yikes!






Just my two buddies again, the wind was blowing so Kacen got really excited.

I love the FALL! Long sleeve shirts, uggs, hot cocoa mornings and the beautiful leaves.




Last but not least, Kyle wishing you all a Happy Holloween.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures now that I have access to the internet you and expect a lot more.