Just the basics of the last 2 months!

Kaden: "Daddy, when we get home can I have a bath?"
Silence as Daddy considers it (it is already bedtime).
Kaden: same question.
Daddy: "No Kaden, I don't think we're going to do baths tonight."
Kaden: "JUST because I ask you for something DOESN'T mean you always have to say NO!"
Poor kid got a short bath.

The last 2 months have been insanely busy. In November Kaden took 5 weeks of swim lessons with his friend Quincy. He thoroughly enjoyed every second of those lessons! The first day of lessons Kaden convinced his teacher to take him to the deep end afterwards. She didn't know what she was getting into...almost every lesson he begged, pleaded, and otherwise convinced her to spoil him for a few minutes after lessons. He also was the kid who was always in trouble and had to sit on the wall. He wasn't trying to be naughty, but he just loved to be underwater. Apparently going underwater while the teacher is working with other kids is a big no-no. Also, he didn't have the greatest attention span, and loved trying to make the other kids laugh. I was told before we started not to expect him to pass because "they never pass a kid the first time." Well, I'm proud to say he passed! (I do have to wonder if the teacher just wanted to be rid of him!) He was able to hold his breath under water for 3 seconds, push off the wall on both is front and back and glide 2 body lengths, pick up an object off the floor of the pool, and other things like that. He even jumped off the diving board twice! He was one of only 2 kids to pass.

Katelyn and I spent that time either sitting and watching (well, she ate suckers...) or we suited up and walked the "lazy river" together with a friend and her daughter. Walking against the current is harder than it first appears! Katelyn loved getting to be in the water too.

For Thanksgiving we headed to Montana to my parents house (and sadly, we forgot our camera.) We were able to spend Thanksgiving with 3 of my 4 brothers and my Grandparents. The last time I was able to be home for Thanksgiving I was pregnant with Kaden and sick, sick, sick. I don't even remember most of it. It was fun to do all of our traditions: the meal, graham cracker houses, games, and leftovers on already too full stomachs. Kaden still talks about the house he made (which had character! I wish I had a photo!) and has asked Gramma to save it for him at Christmas so he can eat the candy off of it. So fun to share traditions that I enjoyed at his age!

For my birthday my parents offered to keep our kids for the night the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We left around 9am and headed to Billings to shop. It was so weird to drive in silence, and the car felt so empty! We shopped alllll day, then had a nice hotel with heated pool and hot tub. We shopped a little more on Sunday and were able to get much of our Christmas shopping done. We met my parents with the kids at Sams around noon. Katelyn wouldn't even look at me when we met up. She held out, not looking at us, and refusing to come to us until Gramma threatened to put her in the car and take her back home. She practically leaped into my arms! What a stinker! It was a very fun weekend, but it always reminds me how much a part of my life my kids are. I sure do love them. (I just don't love shopping with them!!!!!!)

(I am so thankful for autosave as I accidentally just deleted this entire post. It had autosaved just a few seconds before!!!)

This month has been filled with Christmas Parties, (for MOPS, PCA, Church..), meetings for church, and other holiday fun. Yesterday Kaden and I were laying on the floor by the tree looking into the ornament's reflections and talking about Christmas. He has been asked several times by people what he wants from Santa, which has generated much talk. He is confused between the link between Santa and Baby Jesus. We are talking about how Santa is someone we pretend brings us presents, and Baby Jesus is real, and was born as the son of God. After we talked about that I asked him what he wanted for Christmas and his reply was, "Ummmmmm...some more trains, some more trucks, and something for Katelyn." It melted my heart. A while later, curious as to what he'd say, I asked again. He replied the same exact phrase. So we decided to take him out Christmas shopping for his sister. They each got each other a present and we are talking about how we get presents for each other at Christmas and why. It has been fun to see him question, and put together the pieces that everyone teaches him about Christmas.

This week Luke had an appointment to find out if the mole on his nose was something we needed to be worried about since it was changing in shape/size from year to year. Since he works in the sun many hours all summer long we wanted to make sure it was not going to be something to cause skin cancer, etc... The doctor said that he was fairly confident that it was nothing, but said that it might be best to have it removed just to make sure. It ended up being more than we bargained for. Apparently to make an inscision on the face they have to put you under anesthetic to ensure that you won't move and screw anything up. So 2 days later Luke went in for that surgery. It was not a very fun experience for either of us, but it's over now and we're glad to have it behind us!

In a week we are headed back to Montana to spend Christmas with Luke's family. It's hard to believe it's already that time of year! During that stay I'm hoping to write our Christmas letter (which is actually a new years letter and I don't know why I still call it our Christmas letter and send it in Christmasy envelopes!) We need to take a family picture- I wish I'd thought of that before Luke's surgery! (I bet he wishes that too!)