Tuesday, December 31, 2013

.2013 insta-vine finale

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Another month of instagrams has come and gone in a blink. It has been a wonderful month indeed. I was shopping at Wal-mart a few weeks ago when a little British guy (who I had already passed multiple times around the store) came up to me and said he was doing a random act of kindness to spread Christmas cheer and he handed me a “Christmas card”. I was so surprised. How nice that people are out there doing this stuff at this time of year.

I ‘paid it forward’ by shoveling my neighbor’s sidewalk a few more times.

*****

↓↓↓Ames is a cuddle bug//he loves having his Daddy home from work more than anything↓↓↓
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↓↓↓gingerbread house party with friends//us in an ornament↓↓↓
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↓↓↓I made Ames some glasses out of his blocks//a gift from our bishopric↓↓↓
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↓↓↓Ames would make such a pretty girl…//snack time↓↓↓
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↓↓↓my twinner winners//I just finished this puzzle. 1000 pieces took 5 days—my family would be proud↓↓↓
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↓↓↓Ames loves getting sled rides, he just sits there grinning and repeating "wheee!"↓↓↓

And Happy New Year tonight!!! Wheeeeeee!

Monday, December 30, 2013

.Magical Christmas Time 2013

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Isn't Christmas great!?? Everyone has their traditions, and so far every year since we've been married, our traditions have pretty much all involved Air's family. First, we MUST drive around to look at lights. We really love Candy Cane Lane here in Edmonton. We picked the warmest evening to go out and it was perfection... even with all the crowds.

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↓↓↓Another tradition on Christmas Eve is the pajama elf followed by photos↓↓↓

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Let me tell you a little bit about these glorious people…

↓↓↓Air's Mom and Pop. The most wonderful parents aside from my other parents. Winking smile They both work so hard for all of us and made some amazing meals during this holiday. These two provide lots of fun memories and laughs. We love them so much.↓↓↓
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↓↓↓you know us and little Santa Ames↓↓↓
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↓↓↓Air's sister Tam was alone this Christmas while Jadey worked the night shift. Um she is PREGNANT with Ames' cousin right now! She is beautiful and glowing and we can't believe she's already half way there. We can't wait to meet this little BOY! Finding out the gender was the perfect Christmas morning finale event. Thanks for the excitement Tam.↓↓↓
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↓↓↓Tessa is graduating this year and is probably the happiest person alive. She is our best babysitter for Ames and is so awesome for driving all the way up to our house for that // Josh is turning in his mission papers soon. We are really excited for him to be going wherever the Lord wants him to go. This will be so great for him.↓↓↓
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↓↓↓Tiana is probably Ames' favorite (sorry everyone), they really love each other a lot. Ames calls her “Tani”. This 11 year old girl just saved up and bought herself an ipad mini and is in love with that thing… oh how the times are changing↓↓↓
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Okay, so on Christmas morning I took lots of videos. Here is one of those:


I hope you all had a lovely holiday too!

.weekend away

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The weekend before Christmas we decided we needed to escape the city. Air’s cousin offered for us to come stay at their cabin in Cherry Grove and we jumped on the offer. We love Cherry Grove and all of our family up there. It’s always a really good time when we’re there.

This trip was true to form. So so good.

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The 3 hour drive up was not so great since we forgot to pack our tablet for Ames to watch videos… he pretty much whined most of that drive.

↓↓↓Ames has been so fun and social lately. He was loving his Great Aunt Tracey (Air's Mom's sister) and all the other cousins and kids around.↓↓↓

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↓↓↓He loves Air's cousin Kevin's kids (and they love him) too. Also, he is mesmerized by nativity sets.↓↓↓

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↓↓↓This country is beautiful↓↓↓

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↓↓↓Kevin's cabin is beautiful↓↓↓

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Kev was so nice to let us play with his toys. I am a complete wimp on these things, so Air went off without me after our ride (I did drive for a bit, and that was less scary). But I am so bummed because he actually found a huge MOOSE that was limping with a broken leg about 15 feet from him. Then he went back out with Kevin to see what was up… long story short, the poor suffering moose is now deceased…

These are the types of things that happen in the country, right?

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We had lunch at Boston Pizza with everyone and visited Air's aunt and uncle Merlene and Dennis before dinner at Air's cousin Shea's. We were planning on going home that evening but we got wrapped up in this awesome game after dinner called "Pick 2". So much fun. We stayed another night.

↓↓↓This is Air playing with his cousins Kevin (right), Shea (left) and his son Diego.↓↓↓

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Anyway, this trip was the most fun we've had in too long and we are so grateful to our family in Cherry Grove for letting us come play with them. We seriously cannot wait to get back up there!

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

'Tis Newsletter Season

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My last post was all about Ames. I hope you enjoyed that. So now here are some current facts about Air and I. 

Pretty boring stuff! Enjoy!

*****

Aaron received a calling in our church this month as the Assistant Ward Clerk and now spends a few hours before and after church on Sundays working and etc. Um, he's in heaven with this calling and is ridiculously glad to be serving in the church again.

His health has been on what we call "a good cycle" since October and we are counting our blessings and crossing our fingers that we don't run into another "bad cycle" too soon. We found a new doctor this month and have some hope again that we'll find some diagnosis from lots more tests.

While Aaron was shoveling our driveway a month ago he slipped on the ice and caught himself, but pulled a leg muscle pretty severely and has been limping around everywhere and in a lot of pain since then (a long time). We are thinking about him going to physiotherapy if he can find a second of time, also that's what the dr recommended.

Aaron is still managing group homes for people with disabilities. His work is extremely... busy? But also a huge blessing for us because it pays for everything we need. I think we need a vacation soon.

Aaron is the best husband and the best Daddy in the world to Ames, and Ames knows it. Whenever Aaron is around, Ames is ALWAYS right by his side and making him laugh. They are awesome together…

*****

And me: I just got a new calling in our Ward too. After working in the Primary presidency for a year and a half, I was released and called to Cub Scouts... crazy. I am really going to miss primary, I was seriously just getting into a really great groove when I got released. Luckily I already know all the boys in cubs, and they are great so that helps a lot.

My health is great and I am very blessed for that. I've been doing most of our shoveling myself since Air pulled his muscle, I don't really mind it much since we've got the best shovel ever this year.

I finished nursing Ames at the beginning of November. Ames and I both loved nursing and it was really hard to wean him. But hey! I'm not a dairy anymore! Plus, I don't have to be with him every night to nurse before bed. A little freedom.

My job is great... I cook and clean and grocery shop and play. I am so blessed to have a husband who allows me to have the best job at home, while he has a not-so-perfect job away.

I love being a Mommy and a wife and hope I’m doing ok at it… I know I’ve definitely still got a lot to learn.

*****

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We are thankful for this time of year that we can remember Christ and his example and the things he taught while he was on Earth, and the enormous sacrifice he did so that we can live with Him again one day.

Thank you all for being here and thinking of us so often. We love you all and hope you have a beautiful white Christmas and a fantastic new year. May your days be merry and bright :)

I made you cookies

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Love, A&A&A Gusa

Thursday, December 12, 2013

.Ames facts at 16 months

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1. When Ames wants my attention these days I often hear him calling “hunny-hunny-hunny!”, because he calls me and his daddy ‘hunny’ now. And I guess that’s what we call each other a lot.

2. Lately Ames’ favorite show is Looney Tunes. Whenever he wants us to turn it on he shouts “hop-hop!”. Bugs Bunny is his favorite character. He will watch it intently and when its over he will wave and say “bye”.

3. When Ames wants something that he can’t reach he will yell “PWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” (please). We seriously only had to tell him to say please maybe twice before he started doing this all. the. time. And it is really hard to say no when he’s being so polite.

4. Ames is a cuddle-bug and regularly comes to me throughout the day for a “hu?” (hug). He holds on tight around my neck for a long time and sometimes pats my back a little or plays with my hair. My hair is his favorite.

5. Ames will try to repeat anything you ask him to say… unless it’s an animal. Then he will tell you the sound it makes instead of the name of the animal.
Say owl “hoo”, say tiger/bear/lion/monster “WAAAWRRRR”, say dog “wuh wuh”, say elephant “woo”…

6. Ames doesn’t love vegetables, but I find ways of making him eat them. He LOVES steamed and mashed cauliflower with a little butter. So do we.

7. At church on Sundays we take Ames to nursery (even though he isn’t 18 months yet). We take turns staying with him and he loves it. His favorite primary song is Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam, I caught him singing it by himself one time and he loves to shout out “BEE!” (beam) whenever I sing it to him.

8. I gave Ames his second haircut last Friday. I got really creative and sat him in his bumbo in the bath and filled it with water and toys and gave him a lollipop. I cut his hair while spinning him around in the bumbo and it worked out perfectly. Although… the haircut didn’t turn out perfect. I’m still learning.

9. I was teaching Ames how to smile by saying “Daddy smile” Air would smile, “Mommy smile” I smile, “Ames smile” and then he carefully opens his lips and sticks out his lower teeth and clenches them together, and feels his mouth with his fingers to make sure it was right.

10. Every morning when Ames wakes up, the first thing he does is point out his bedroom door to the Christmas tree and says “tee?”.

11. Every afternoon when the day is at it’s warmest, I dress Ames up in his snow pants, boots, coat, gloves, hat and scarf and we go outside to play. I am amazed by his ability to walk on the slippery ground without falling. He follows me around while I shovel (usually trying to sneak onto the shovel for a ride). And he sticks his mittened hand into piles of snow, to get it all covered, and then he licks it off. Gross.

12. Every night before we put Ames to bed we have family kisses and hugs. I kiss Air, and then Ames sticks his lips right in and we all hum “MmmmmmWha!” and we throw our heads back and all laugh hysterically. I’m not even exaggerating this.

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He’s a special boy, this one. And we truly love the stage he’s at right now and how sweet and loving he is. He’s helpful. He’s curious. He’s gigantic (I don’t want him to get any bigger please).

We love you Amesy.

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Wednesday, December 11, 2013

.The Boy Who Hated Santa

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At our ward Christmas party this weekend Ames met Santa for the first time.

Look, I’m not sure that this boy would have hated Santa so much in other conditions. You see, the room was LOUD with speakers booming the loudest dance music ever right beside Santa’s chair. Ames was on edge the entire time we were there, and it was only elevated when I handed him over to the stranger with the beard. The boy couldn't even stand to be in that room, let alone sit on Santa’s lap. It wasn't great, but you know, the pictures do make us giggle.

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↓↓↓Here we are in line to see Santa… next to that blasted speaker↓↓↓
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↓↓↓The poor little guy wouldn't even dance, he kept running straight out the door into the quiet halls↓↓↓
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Otherwise, the party was fun. We really love our ward. Wish we could have stayed longer, but at least we got the rest of our Christmas shopping done afterwards and had a nice dinner out.

Ames is a very interesting little 16 month old now. So smart and funny, but really timid and nervous around large groups of people and loud noises. Hopefully this doesn't last forever.

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