Happy Birthday Gavin!

I can hardly believe that Gavin is 10 years old. I remember when we decided to have baby #2 I wanted to have a baby in January. At the time their wasn't many if any January birthdays in our families, so I thought that would be the perfect month. I had it all figured out and we got pregnant just as I had planned, that is for my January baby. So lets just say I was a little surprised at my first doctors visit when the nurse told me his due date was not only in December but on my birthday, the 26th. When it was all said and done we were very excited to be adding to our family. We didn't find out what McKinley was, and Matt thought that we should do the same with Gavin. I wanted to know but on the way to our ultrasound I told him that if he didn't want to know I would be OK with that. We tell the ultrasound tech that we are not going to find out the sex of our baby. By the end of the ultrasound Matt's curiosity had gotten the best of him and we found out that we were expecting a boy. The thing I remember most about Gavin's pregnancy was the heartburn, and he felt so much bigger then McKinley. The doctor kept telling me that I was measuring smaller than my first pregnancy, and the baby would probably be smaller. I was so ready to have Gavin when I headed to my doctors appointment the morning of the 21st. With Christmas fast approaching and my experience of having a birthday right after Christmas, I begged my doctor to start me. I remember he looked at me, said nothing, rolled his chair over to the phone and called the hospital to see how busy they were. After hanging up the phone he instructed us to go straight to the hospital, no stopping anywhere, for anything. I remember feeling so excited and nervous as we drove to the hospital in Payson. Gavin was born at 9:22 on December 21st 1998 and weighed 8lbs 8oz (which was almost a pound bigger than McKinley, what do doctors know). I remember hearing them hitting his back trying to get him to cry. After a few minutes of poking and prodding with no real cries they decided that they should take him to the nursery and check him out. I will never forget that feeling of fear and panic as I lay watching Matt give me one short second to see him and then being rushed away by the nurses. It was close to midnight before I was able to hold him. Matt said that he really never cried all that much while he was in the hospital. We were able to take him home with us and Matt says that he made up on the crying at home. We are so blessed to have Gavin in our family. He is truly a peacemaker. Gavin may be small in size but he has a huge heart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY we LOVE YOU.

Christmas Traditions

One reason I love Christmas is because of all the fun traditions that we do. I can't remember all the toys I received as a child, but I remember the traditions. We have started some new traditions of our own and carried some on from our childhood.

My Mom would dip chocolates every Christmas Season, and they were the best. I can't remember when I started (maybe 5 or 6 years ago) but this is one tradition that I have continued and is now expected.

I am not sure why Jade didn't sit on Santa's lap, but she sure enjoyed her homemade sucker.

Lilli asked Santa for some gum and little reindeer. Lilli favorite thing in the world is gum, and I am not sure what little reindeer she is talking about.

Yes this is my preteen and she is way to big to sit on Santa's lap. What else would a preteen be asking for? Ipod and her own email address.

Gavin reminds me of his Dad in so many ways, and one of those ways is his love for music. He is also asking for an Ipod.

Granny Goose's Christmas Party is another great tradition.

The kids love their bag of goodies that she gives them every year.

Last year was the first Christmas derby and it was a hit so they did it again.

My hot husband and beautiful sister-in-law.

Our Ward family has a great tradition that the kids love, a hayride. It seems to fall on the coldest night in December every year, but the kids don't care.

We sing lots of songs and take fruit baskets to some of the people in our ward.

After we deliver all our fruit baskets we head back to a roaring bonfire, doughnuts, and hot chocolate.

Yes we are missing Gavin, he had basketball practice.

Party time for the Grandkids!

On the first Saturday of December you can find Grandma and Grandpa Ercanbrack doing something with their grandkids. Mom and Dad started this tradition several years ago and it is a huge hit with all the kids. In the past we have been ice skating , bowling, out to dinner, to temple square, and much more. This year the kids had a sleepover and played the Amazing Race. In the race they had to go shopping and help Santa get some presents for some special kids, identify pictures of their parents when they were young, and even make a gingerbread houses. My kids had a great time with all of their cousins and Grandma and Grandpa. Thanks Mom and Dad for giving them this great memory and being such a positive influence in my kids lives. I had McKinley take my camera and get some pictures, most of which are of the gingerbread houses. The frosting must of been really good because the kids seem to be licking their fingers.