Newman's Review...

Life this past month has been crazy and I haven't been able to get the chance to update the blog... this is for the very few people who do read this :)....

• I joined a gym... yes, you heard right! I joined the SportsPlex here in Kaysville and I try to go in about 6:00ish (in the morning) and work my tail off to get this tired old body back into shape... NO MORE EXCUSES!
• Weber/Davis Corridor is proposed to run right across the street from our home in West Kaysville... NOT HAPPY! Our home may be demolished or we will be in throwing distance of a 4 - lane highway... We now are in a wait to see situation!
• Yes, I'm still addicted and need my Diet Coke... Ethan was in big trouble after what he did in this picture :)... not really, it was pretty funny!

• Our projects this winter was to repaint our bathroom and bedroom and give them a face lift... Here are some pictures of the bathroom... the bedroom pics will be coming, as soon as it is completed!
  
• Our new challenge is to start eating at home more. These kids are just horrible when we go out to eat. Scott and I both like to eat out and with Scott now working from home we want to get out and so we go out to eat. But we decided that it was more stressful eating out that we would now make the conscious effort to plan a menu and stick with it for the week. 4 weeks later, it's working. We still go out a couple times for lunch, but for dinner was mostly make dinner at home. Yes, I'm starting to cook... Wow, I'm turning into a true homemaker!
• Emma is now 20 months and goes to nursery without much problem for church... Her favorite words these days are "NO" and "Daddy"... Everything is no around here, even if she wants it! She cracks us up! She loves her daddy and is always saying daddy! In fact, she never says mommy. I know she can say it, I've heard it. She just decides not to call me my name, but just cries and whines until mommy comes! She hates the word "No" and when she is mad at me she runs to daddy for comfort. "Want Daddy" is the phrase I hear all the time!
• Emma has been healthy since Christmas besides a couple of runny noses, but nothing major! She is sleeping better, but lately she is starting to wake up again. Not sure why... Nightmares? Teething? Who knows?
• We finally got a good enough snowstorm last week... For some reason we've been missed all winter long. Anyways, Ethan was finally able to go out in the snow and make his first snowman... I know, it's about time! Here some cute pics of my little guy and his friend Frosty!
  

Valentine's Day weekend!

Valentines Day turned into a big family weekend for the Riddles.... Nathan and Rene came down with their family and we wanted to get the cousins together to play. We took some of the kidlets to Kangaroo Zoo... Ethan, Austin and Skyler were running and jumping none stop and Emma was attempting the jumping thing, but did not succeed... I was able to get a ton of pics of little Emma, because she was easy to keep track of... The boys were another story... They were bouncing off from one toy to the next. We were always on the hunt for the boys!

Emma climbing up and Ethan's coming down...

Rosy cheeks!

Someone was having a good time!

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Later that afternoon, we headed to grandma and grandpa's house for a night of chaos and cookie decorating! All 9 grandkids (under the age of 5) were in one room... CRAZY! It was a blast seeing the kids play and goof off together!

Yummy icing!

Ethan's strategy is how much candy he can pile up on this cookie!

The older cousins!

Good Times!

Ethan's Masterpiece!

Can you see the cookies anywhere?

Fire Station

Ethan's preschool went on a field trip last week to the fire station... Ethan was bouncing off the walls all morning because he was so excited about going to see the big fire trucks. The firemen were very nice and told us about fire safety and showed us the trucks. It was a blast!

Emma is becoming an expert nose picker :)

Love Emma's expression!

That helmet was a bit heavy!

That hose must have weighed about 20 pounds! Muscles!

The kids were so excited, including this little one!

"Cheese!"

That is one big truck!

Ethan's preschool group!

Emma wanted to do everything Ethan was doing!

Wow! That is way up high!

Of course Emma had to give it a try too!

Hey, look at me!

Changes!

What is a New Year without making some changes... Some changes are made by choice while other changes are not by choice... but in the end, things all worked out!

New Job...

The biggest change of all this year is Scott's new job. So far so good! It has been different having him home, but I think he is having the hardest time adjusting. Scott is not used to being home all the time. He's getting stir crazy! Being winter, it is even harder... we can't go outside, we are cooped up and that isn't fun! We are still in transition, but this was the best move for the family. The kids love having him home. Emma has another person to run to for a shoulder to cry on. I have to say, what a huge burden taken off my shoulders. I feel like I can relax a bit and laugh at my kids instead of yelling at them!

Closet Organizer!

I love my house, for the most part.... I hate that we don't have a basement or place to store things... After 5 years in this house we've collect A LOT of things! We decided to change some things around here to so we don't feel like we are living in clutter! First, we are finally using our crawl space. We've put toys and baby items down there... Also, we are utilizing our HUGE walk in closet. We contracted a guy to build an organizer with shelving, cabinets, and a work table. Still a work in progress... pictures to come!

So Long "Black" car...

Taken back in 2006.

Scott's dear sweet Focus has met an untimely death! On the way back from dropping his parents off at the airport he slid on a patch of snow and hit a barrier. He had this car long before we met and lately all it was used for was traveling to and from the airport. Now, we are a one car family. We thought we would try it out for awhile and see how long before we have to find something else...

Computer...

We moved the computer from upstairs to the downstairs office... So my access is now more limited... It is very good thing for me... I noticed I've been on the computer a lot more lately and I need to find something else to keep me occupied... perhaps a book, a puzzle or maybe I can finally get back into scrapbooking!

2010 in Review...

Scott...

• Scott traveled A LOT this year! He did most of is travel within the United States mainly on the East Coast!
  
• Scott will be starting a new job on Jan. 4th... NO MORE TRAVEL!
• Scott started his own photography business... Scott Newman Photography!
• Loves his camera and loves buying new accessories for his baby!
  
• Scott continues to work in the primary in our church!

Melissa...

• Survived a major remodel to the kitchen and main floor of the house!
• Participates in a Co op preschool in the neighborhood! Teach every 6th week!
• Busy caring for 2 adorable sweet little devils... oops, I mean angels!
• Still working in the Young Women with Personal Progress!
  
  Ethan...

• Turned 4 this year!
• Participating in a neighborhood preschool! He LOVES it!
• Took swimming lessons this summer... didn't like putting his face in the water!
• Loves to play games and tries to play hide and go seek with Emma.
• Loves Buzz Lightyear!
• Know all his letters and sounds and starting to read 3 letter words.
• Recognize numbers to 100!

Emma...

• Emma is now 18 months old!
• She can now go to nursery, but doesn't mean she will :(
• Loves her big brother and tries to do everything that he does.
• She is all girl and loves jewelry, dolls, and being pretty!
• Emma has 10 teeth and 2 more (the bottom molars) on the way!
• Emma has been sick A LOT this year. RSV, Herpangina, pink eye, MANY colds and coughs, and stomach bugs!

Our Family Christmas!

The kids scored big time! Santa's sleigh must have been weighed down with all these presents! The kids were definitely spoiled, but since they are so darn cute, why not!

Before...

After....

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Christmas morning was like any other morning.... Ethan wakes up at 7:00 (7 dot dot) and comes into our room... We asked him what today was and he remembered it was Christmas. We told him to go downstairs to see if Santa came. He went downstairs and came back and his reaction was... "Emma got a pillow pet!" and "I got a Buzz suitcase!" He was pretty excited! By this time Emma was awake and the day has begun!

We insisted on having breakfast first! Ethan wanted his usual, a blueberry waffle!

Christmas breakfast! Blueberry waffles while watching Curious George! A typical morning around the Newman's house...

Ethan watching George! LOVES this show!

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Ethan...

This was the first present of the morning... and it was for me! Chocolate! YUM! Ethan picked it out!

LOVES Toy Story!

Ethan was totally into the presents and everything!

Hot Wheels!

Thomas the Train.... Just what he told Santa he wanted!

A mommy gift... preschool work books! He loves doing mazes and dot to dots! Perfect!

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Emma....

Emma got a baby! I think she ended up with about 4 babies by the end of Christmas!

Mrs. Potato Head!

Little People doll house! She LOVES it!

Emma was done well before Ethan... Near the end she wasn't interested with opening any more presents and was DONE! Ethan picked up her slack and helped her finish opening up her presents!

Emma chillin' with her new pillow pet!

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Scott and I had a wonderful Christmas as well... Our true gifts are our children. We love them more than anything and their smiles and laughter makes our Christmas even merrier!