The Shirt

So yes, James has a new shirt, and it looks like this....

...and this...

Can you read it? If not, it says "Big Brother"!!!!!!!!!

So far these are the best pictures that you can read the whole thing. We did tell our families in person over Christmas or via phone, and waited to write anything on the blog until everyone knew and until I was far enough along that I felt safe to write about it. It took our families all lengths of times to figure it out:

~Grams Christmas Morning: about 5 seconds when he walked out of the bedroom

~Mom and Dad Grazulis Christmas Morning: 5 minutes max at the brunch
~Cory and Karissa (we saw them in Denver!): 15 seconds when he walked out of the bedroom
~Jason and Nicole: 7 minutes when they stopped for the night on the way back to Twin Falls
~Mom and Dad Manwaring: Basically all night! To their defense he did have a jacket on some of the time, a bib on other parts. They got it when we took a long time getting him undressed for his bath, and he showed them how he can do pull-ups ;-)
Everyone was super excited, and so are we.
Due date is August 5th, so will probably come in late July, just like James.
James could even share a birthday!

The Christmas Post: Part 3

Getting home on Tuesday, James (and us of course) got to see his Manwaring grandparents. Both sets within just a few days of each other? He was spoiled the Christmas. It was fun too that we got to drag Christmas out a little longer. James got some clothes, a book, and a really fun fisher price car station. I (well we) got a beautiful crystal goblet set, which I love. Thank you!! We had a good time with Mom and Dad Manwaring, put together shelves in the basement, and had a really good time talking and playing games like Mormon bridge.

Opening presents with Grandma

James liked helping his Grandpa do manly work

They got to stay a few days before they went back to AZ from having Christmas in Idaho. It was great to see them, and we wish we lived closer to both our parents. James especially loved his Grandpa this trip.

James and Grandpa looking at the iPad, they both like the tech stuff

Learning letters on the iPad with Grandpa

No offense to the Grandmas, I'm sorry he didn't go to you as much!!! He likes men more at the moment, but I know he still loves you!! Thanks for coming and sharing Christmas!!

The Christmas Post: Part 2

Okay, I'm back, internet here is sketchy.
So Christmas morning was fun, and we even and an improvised tree out of a coat rack and our stockings. In Nathan's family, Santa wrapped all gifts, however, he must have been out of time by the time he got to Denver because Santa did not wrap for Kendra's family. What to do? Santa did both this year :).

Awesomest "tree", with presents below

Opening stockings with Kirstin, James got his first coloring book and crayons

A tunnel that James got, it is so fun, and this kid is so fun

Can I take this off now mom?

A wooden tool set, he got the hang of it right away

Santa brought James this little gem, his very own "Dirt Devil" vacuum, and he went to town!

More opening with Grandpa and Grandma and Kirstin. James also really likes candy canes.

Nathan played almost every night while there, he is getting quite a following at Lincoln Meadows, and Grams is even making copies of his CD and giving them out!

We also had a very yummy Christmas brunch by Lincoln Meadows (it is really nice to not have to cook and still eat fabulous meals). The next day everyone on my mom's side of the family came for a party.

Aunt Maggie, Aunt Carol, Marleigh and Rick, Uncle Dana

Kendra and Grams

Tim, Uncle Kyle, Jessica and Meghan

This picture is awesome, all cousins, and apparently I'm the shortest ;)
Marleigh, Kirstin, Kendra, Meghan, and Jessica with Tim

Monday was kind of like our last day since we'd be driving on Tuesday. We saw the Colman's, Russell and Mina, they are our adopted Grandparents.


And...we finally got to go to see the Denver Zoo Lights! I love zoo's, seriously. I always wanted to be a zoo keeper when I was little (still would if the chance arose), and I don't even care if it is cold, I want to go. It actually turned out to be the warmest night we were there, which worked out, and we stayed for quite awhile (there is lots to see).

Daddy and James checking out the elephants, one of the places you could go in to get warm

Mommy, James, and Daddy, next to a Rhino

Cougars next to a light up cougar ;)

Fascinated by fish, another place to warm up in

Appropriate since a wolf is one of the animal noises he always knows, and loves to do, but the wolves were all sleeping, so we only got a picture by the sign

Mom, Kendra, and Kirstin by the big lion near the entrance

We had a really good time, thanks to Grams for the guest suit at Lincoln Meadows! The next day we drove back to Utah, so stay tuned for part 3.

The Christmas Post : Part 1

Christmas was in Colorado this year, and boy did we do lots of fun things. We wanted to see Santa at the mall, since last year was a long line and we decided not to wait in it because didn't really know who Santa was anyway. Well, this year, we got to the mall on Christmas Eve at 9am, and the line was already really long. However, that line was to then get a ticket to wait in the real line to see Santa (kinda weird if you ask me). That line was 45 min long. The ticket then gave you a time to come back, then you had to wait in the Santa line that was 45 min long also. Our ticket time........1:15pm! And there was no way to even get a glimpse of Santa without waiting. So here is this years picture:

We found a Santa in a display window, and that was the only thing we could find

James still liked it

I also wanted to go see Zoo Lights. One night when we decided to go, it got to late, so right next to my Grams' house is "Wildlife Experience". They had lights all outside, and I guess inside too. We decided to walk around the outside and see the lights. When we got there, we found that it cost $10 a ticket to walk on the sidewalk outside (the ticket did include going inside, where we later found there was a Santa and reindeer). Anyway, we didn't pay that, and walked outside and still saw all the lights, next to the sidewalk.

Grandpa John and James looking at a lighted reindeer

Kirstin, Mom, Grams, and Kendra enjoying lights, for free!

Manwarings next to the Moose, it seemed appropriate considering where we live

Christmas eve we had the unexpected pleasure of seeing my cousin Nolan and his wife Tasha and their two kids, Landan and Dakota. Landan (3years) and James took to each other right away, and played and played. I haven't seen Nolan since his wedding, about a month after ours! They would be moving to Wyoming in January to work for a railroad where Nolan is a mechanic. We wish them luck on their journey.

The whole gang: Grams, Us, Uncle Kyle and Aunt Carol, Nolan, Tasha, Landan and Kota

Getting two little boys to sit on a couch and look at the camera = impossible

"Cheese" faces!

After seeing family, we went over to my Aunt Diane's place for Christmas Eve dinner. She moved to Colorado in October, and was very excited to have us. So we ate, and watched "It's a Wonderful Life" before heading over to the barn to see Cinnamon and read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" out of an old book that my Dad has had since he was a little boy. I don't know if we planned on it being as cold as it was though. And poor Nathan, my Aunt has cats, so his allergies started up at dinner, and then being at the barn just got worse with the horses. Those are the only two animals he's allergic to, and he was bombarded with allergens that night.

Us at Aunt Diane's place for dinner

Reading the story, it's a tradition

More to come!! Look for Part 2 soon!