Merry Christmas!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas! We had a great time at home this year with just our little family and it was so perfect. We all got spoiled and I just wanted to share some pictures of us enjoying this wonderful holiday. Here is our annual "picture on the tripod after church" photo. I make JR take one of these pictures every year and it is fun to see how much our family has changed. I like to frame them in a Christmas frame and pull them out every year with our other Christmas decorations and put them on the mantle. It is one tradition that I actually follow through with. I usually send out that picture for our Christmas cards but this year, my friend took pictures of the kids and so I just used those. But I did sort of miss having our whole family on the cards, so I thought I'd put it on the blog instead.

Here is the decorated tree and stockings waiting to be filled. Notice how there are only four stockings, I never got around to making Caitlynn's, oops! Next year I will get it done and maybey she will even get a gift from Santa too. Thank goodness for grandparents or else she wouldn't have gotten anything this year. But don't worry, she won't remember. Do you remember your first Christmas?

So since we were suppose to go to Portland this year for Christmas, I didn't want to put the tree up. But when we decided to stay home, Luke informed me that we had to put up the Christmas tree or else Santa wouldn't come. So, here we are Christmas Eve day, putting up the tree, listening to Christmas music and just enjoying not having to drive anywhere. I highly recommend it.

Here are the people that made my Christmas so special. Thanks hun for all your hard work this year. You are the BEST husband I could've asked for. You are also a pretty good gift giver too. I love you! And to my four children (three walking, one flying) You make me love my life (most of the time). I have truly been blessed this year. We will always miss our baby Chelsea but are so thankful that she sent us another sister to love. I still learn from you everyday and miss you in those quiet moments. Some day I will get to raise you, until then, you continue to teach me.

What a happy family we are. Hope you are feeling the love of the Savior at this time of the year, we sure have felt His love. We love you all and can't wait to see what is in store for next year! It truly was a Merry Christmas for us.

Love,

JR, Ronna, Luke, Brooke, Caitlynn, and the spirit of Chelsea Lynn Edwards

Brooke's Princes Party

Brooke wanted a Princess Party this year and with a "pink castle cake". Here is the final product. It was crazy-fun, as all parties are, but I am sure glad it is over.

Since it was so fun decorating the castle cake, I decided to bake 3 more boxes of cake the night before and let everyone decorate their own "castles". It was a hit, and I tried to explain to JR that the extra $75 I spent on candy and frosting was totally worth the memory. The kids definitely loved it but I don't recommend it if you want a clean house.

Besides decorating castles, we made homemade tiaras and played Kiss the Frog Prince. The girls LOVED getting to put tons of lipstick on and trying to kiss the lips on the frog poster I made. The boys, not so much. But hey that is what you get at a princess party. I forgot to get pictures of that but it was really cute. Here they are opening presents. Notice how I said "they" instead of "Brooke". Luke likes to help her-oh well, she didn't seem to mind.

This is how Luke felt during most of the party until his friend Jacob showed up.


On the invitations, I told everyone to dress up and so they all looked so cute! Sorry about Brooke's immodesty. I tried to convince her to wear a shirt underneath but it was her party and she insisted on the hoochie ballet dress. I can only win so many battles with a 4 year old princess.

Thanksgiving

We had such a fun Thanksgiving this year. My brother Rory and his wife Katie came and also my older brother Ryan. We had a very relaxed Thanksgiving dinner-I wore my pj's and didn't even take a shower. Here is my brother Rory dancing with Luke and Brooke on the coffee table waiting for the turkey to cook. I don't remember what song they were dancing to but it definitely wasn't a thanksgiving song!

That weekend we went to the pier and had clam chowder at the Boudin Sourdough Factory and then went to the Musee Mechanique. It is a collection of over 200 vintage arcade games and attractions housed in a warehouse on Fisherman's Wharf. We like going there because it is free and you can just wonder around and watch other people put their quarters in and get a free show. No, we did spend about $10 in quarters but it is definitely worth it and my kids never get sick of it.

Here is Luke and Brooke trying out the massage chair that just shakes annoyingly. They liked it though.

Here is Brooke in front of a farm house where you could watch all the men at work and the windmill turning. It is actually pretty amazing how they all work. It makes me think of simpler times(before video games).

Here is Uncle Ryan using all my quarters on another massage chair. I threw Luke and Brooke on so we could get more for our money.

Here is the famous laughing lady. She does have a name, I just can't remember it. Basically all this lady does is make this freakishly loud laugh and her upper body shakes. It is kind of scary, in a scary clown sort of way. But we do it every time we go.

Another fun thing we did over Thanksgiving was to go shopping on Haight and Ashbury street. It is the famous hippy shopping district and it is great!!! I am a huge fan of Mendel's Art supply and I go there on a regular basis. I don't even mind all the crazy hippies/homeless people there. You definitely have to go there to appreciate what it has to offer.

Here is Brooke and Aunt Katie in front of a great costume store. I bought Brooke that crown.

Here we are on the Haigth and Ashbury intersection-where it all started ;)

Here we are in front of one of the many smoke shops. And yes we did get asked a few times if we wanted to purchase some marijuana.

Here I am with my awesome pouch that my friends gave to me at my baby shower. Caitlynn sleeps every time I put her in this and I totally recommend it for anyone looking to pack around a baby. It is called a "Kangaroo Pouch" and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!! It was perfect for the busy weekend, thanks again guys!!!

So as you can see our Thanksgiving was lots of fun-table dancers, party clothes, hippies, marijuana, slot machines, massages, an all-you-can-eat buffet and a happy little baby to top it off. I am so Thankful that I had fun people to share it with.

PS. What happens at the Edwards, stays at the Edwards. Anyone want to come for Christmas?

Happy Birthday Brooke!

My little girl turned 4! I can't believe how fast she is growing. We love you Brooke and are so happy to have you in our family.

Pictures of Caitlynn

My friend asked if she could take some pictures of Caitlynn and so of course I said yes! She did a great job and I think Caitlynn looks so angelic. This was a week ago when she was exactly 2 months old. After only a week, she already looks so different! I cannot believe we have had her for 9 weeks now!

Caitlynn is such a joy to have. Luke is very cute with her and loves to sing to her. Brooke loves to "hold" her and never forgets to thank Heavenly Father for our new baby. Caitlynn is smiling alot now and loves to be talked to. She looks exactly like Luke but has Brooke's soft temperament. We love having her in our lives and I cannot get enough of her.