Christmas Cards Out, Yae!

Love their smiles!

Lucky Ladies to be surrounded by such fine men and boys


Here's a copy of our Christmas letter...

Merry Christmas

Wishing our friends and family a Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year!! We hope you are all doing well and have had a great year. 2006 was an eventful year for us. The best part was adopting our precious daughters to complete our family! Our boys love being big brothers and we love having daughters along with our sons. Paul now says "Why didn't you tell me this would be so great?" You should see him with his girls, and boys. He's a great dad!

Nick (14), Josh (12), and Trevor (8), have had a good year. They've enjoyed being in a couple of plays at the local theater, diving club in the summer, and playing flag football in the fall. They are all involved in scouts and Nick is working on his eagle. They like school and are doing well. Josh just started playing the drums this year in band (earplugs please). They are growing up fast and enjoying life! They are at such fun ages.

Sophie and Sage (3) are delighful! They are happy, smart, busy, and beautiful little girls. They have adjusted well and fit into our family perfectly. They stay close to mom and dad's side, or their brothers', and still have fears of being left, but they have bonded very well to our family and we love them dearly. They are blossoming and learning so much. We are so happy to give them a home and a family and they have blessed our lives greatly!

Paul works hard as Sales Manager and is involved with the Boy Scouts in our ward. He enjoys remote control airplanes, shooting with our boys, and his motorcycle. I'm grateful to be a full time mom again (not teaching this year) and I'm still serving as Primary President (I love the children!). But our favorite job is being a mom and dad!

We did two Christmas cards this year so you can see Sophie's and Sage's smiles. Have you ever tried a family picture when the photographer is in the picture? We are blessed with such good friends and family, hoping to see all of you soon.

Love,

Paul, Dianne

Nick, Josh, Trevor, Sophie, and Sage

FFFF- PJ Parties...

We love our new slippers and nightgowns...

See how well they work

But not for long,

Sophie telling Sage how tall she'll get someday...

Here's some favorite PJ pics for Donna's photo Challenge.

Bouncing Right Back...

The girls are healing fast and almost back to normal! Thanks for everyones' concerns and prayers, they are doing very well! The dr. had to go through their belly button (laproscopic) to see if they have double herneas (which they didn't:). Now they point to that and say ooow. But they haven't complained about the incision from the surgery.
They have been toilet trained for a good month now, I'm so glad they didn't regress with that. I didn't post when this happened because it was so gradual, but I definately wanted to celebrate!

All went well!

I wasn't going to take pictures of any of this, but I couldn't resist...
What a day! As much as I don't like hospitals, we were extremely pleased with the care our girls received at Primary Children's Hospital. The wonderful staff made sure our girls had the best experience possible.

First, they got to change into some comfy pj's with fuzzy warm socks, and play with bubbles while they waited... (Sophie is patiently waiting for her turn)

They loved it when dad blew the bubbles...

They were a bit nervous when they went into the children's waiting room

(notice the identification band on Sage's bear, just like theirs, they think of everything)

But quickly relaxed and had some fun

A lot of fun!

They loved Mr. Potato head

Such concentration

We received a surprise visit from Jaren Collins from the Jazz! (6'11", and says he's the short one in his family, he was very nice) He gave the girls signed Jazz basketballs (Sophie loves balls! She was in surgery at this time, so he signed one for her also). I am a huge Jazz fan, way back to Stockton & Malone. They are having an exceptional year!!

Most importantly, the surgeries went very well. The girls were terrified to leave mom and dad, so we walked them as close as we could to the operation room, then it wasn't long until they were put under (so they were only afraid for a minute or two). After their surgery, Paul was with Sophie and I was with Sage. When Sage saw me she held on to me so tight and started crying with this heartbreaking cry. After a couple minutes of sobbing... wondering how I could do this to her, she was comforted easily as I sang her our favorite songs. She still wouldn't loosen her grip around me. Sophie was very brave also but her heart was racing, she was being tough until she saw dad, then she couldn't fight back the tears. She cried for a few minutes, and was a little delirious (looking around like she was disoriented), then she was very content in daddy's lap. My mom met us there and helped out while Paul had to run and get Nick from school. Sophie enjoyed cuddles and comfort from Grandma while I was in with Sage, she was a big help! Sage even climbed up on her Grandma's lap for cuddles. Our girls were amazing and melted the nurses hearts (they do mine everyday)...

It has been a big day. Our sweet girls (and Nick, their hero) finally get some rest...

Little princesses~ having surgery tomorrow...

Sage~ such a little lady...

Sophie~ so elegant...

Such happy girls...

(although they were wiggly [and a bit nervous], they had fun at their first professional sitting, the great photographer loved their laugh and beautiful smiles)

This came up too quickly. Both Sophie and Sage are having surgery tomorrow. They have inguinal hernea's. Poor things, they have no idea what is about to happen to them. I'll explain and prepare them in the morning and comfort them all I can! I can't sleep, worrying about my girls, but I feel all will go well. Pray for them.

Playing in the snow

We saw Santa!!

I'm so proud of my girls! Sage was brave and felt so special sitting on Santa's lap, although she wouldn't let go of my hand. Sophie felt just fine sitting "next" to Santa on moms lap. They were nervous, but I'm just glad they did it! This was a big step for them. This is a special picture because it is the same santa that my boys have seen when they were younger. I'll post some pictures later of them w/ santa.
p.s. Santa adored the girls and held them for a long time... this must be the real Santa!

Story time before nap

S & S love books

Even upside down

Sage, time for bed...

They were mesmerized looking at the Snow Globe...

Fun with Grandma and Grandpa!

Grandma and Grandpa stopped by for a visit...

They brought Christmas Advent Calanders

Grandpa helped Sage

Grandma helped Sophie

They are so nice, but I only get to open one a day, must have patience. We love our Grandma & Grandpa!

Grandma helped me feed my baby a bottle.

(Sophie is really getting comfortable sitting on other's laps, way to go Grandma)!

Zach (my cute next door neighbor) waited patiently until G & G left, then he helped me with my skating. Love the leather jacket.

Maybe mom won't notice that I'm skating in the house... Oops

We love the snow!

Can you believe it? The first inch of snow we get, Trevor is out with his coat and boots. Next thing you know, Sage is right there with him jumping on the frigid tramp. At least she had long sleeves and put her shoes on.

Of course they had to leave their mark on the snow covered slide. Sage (and Sophie) are Trevor's little shadow.

Let's do this right...

They felt so special to have their own nice, warm, pink coat.

(Thanks Aunt Lynn & family- such a thoughtful gift)!

The sun goes down early, but the dark won't keep them from having fun in the snow!

After they came in, I took off Sage's coat, and Sophie gave me the look...

You're not getting this coat from me, it's mine

(After 3 years of having to share basically everything, I don't blame her for not wanting to give up her beautiful coat)

So Sage had to put her coat back on also!

After all, we must stay warm to read our book

But we'll take it off for hot chocolate...

Thanks mom!

This is what they woke up to the next day...

Yae, more snow!!

Playtime with Addison

Sophie and Sage saying good-bye after a great morning playing with Addison. Jen and I had a planning meeting for the new year, and the girls were excited to see each other and played so well together. They shared and took turns, they dressed up, played lego's, and played with their dolls. Sophie and Sage didn't even mind when Addison wore their shoes, which fit her perfectly, they are the same size. Then they cleaned up their mess, with our help. Addison is a year younger then Sophie and Sage (isn't she a doll) and such a happy and smart little girl. We were so busy I didn't get pictures of the cute things they did, but we got a lot done!
Such sweet and fun girls! S & S love their new friend Addison!