Brock is walking!

Hello everyone! I think I've been doing a little better lately at this whole blogging thing, you know, posting a little more often so that people can actually see pictures of the kids and hear how they are doing more than once a month (or two!). But don't get used to it! Who knows how it will go once "baby girl Jordan" arrives. Yes, so far, that is still her name. And honestly, we don't have a name decided, it's not that we're just trying to keep it a secret.. We have a few that we both like, but nothing that we are just loving right now. Chad is still pulling for Baby Blodwyn though...anyway! We had a great Thanksgiving and hope that everyone else did too! We took off for a few days and spent it out in Elk Ridge with my parents and family that was around. The drive wasn't too bad on the way out there, Ella complained a bit, just because she was anxious to get there. Brock did great though, with minimal problems! The day before Thanksgiving, we spent at the mall, just doing some window shopping and enjoying being out in the holiday hustle. And while we were out, I finally got that fruit smoothie I had been aching for! Thanks Mom! But by the time the day was over, I was definitely ready for bed. Just wandering around the mall really wore me out! I don't think I'll be spending that much of a day on my feet again, at least until a few weeks after the baby comes! Of course, Thanksgiving dinner was great, and it was nice to be able to visit with some of my family that we hadn't seen since Cheriss and Chris' wedding back in August! Unfortunately, we are pretty sure that we won't be heading out that way again for a few months! The car ride home the next day was miserable, to say the least, for Brock and myself. Brock was so sick of being in the car that he just cried for most of the last 40 minutes or so. And then, my legs and back were pretty sore from riding in the car and so that made me even more cranky! We did enjoy the time we got to spend visiting, but like I said, I don't think we'll be jumping up to do it again until the baby is a few months old.
Other than that, I guess the biggest news right now is that Brock is walking! It is official! He really just started taking off last Sunday and every day since then, his walking spurts have been getting longer and steadier. He is doing so well, and of course, so proud of himself! Ella, as always is my little helper. She is doing very well in school and earned all of her Indian Feathers for the first trimester. There were 10 things the kids needed to be able to do, such as knowing half of thier letters, being able to write numbers 1-5, basic shapes, and knowing some basic grouping skills. For each of the 10 requirements, they were awarded and "Indian Feather" that was then put on a head-dress for them to wear as Indian Chiefs and Princesses. She was so proud that she got all 10 and so were we! Work is going well for Chad and he finally is getting a good amount of time off during the week to spend with us. We all miss him on the days that he works because we rarely get to see him then, but when he is home with us, we sure do enjoy it! Ella looks forward to those days very much, by counting down how many work days left. And Brock notices too, I know. Just today as I was putting him down for a nap, he kept calling out, "Dada! Dada! Ou ooo!" Translation: "Daddy, daddy, I love you!" And I think the one that took the cake for me today was when Ella was lying down, watching tv, and Brock went up to her, without being asked or told to, and just wrapped his arms around her in a big hug. They may be almost 5 years apart, but they do have a good relationship, and for that I am so very grateful. I just had to smile and thank my Heavenly Father for blessing me with such a beautiful family. I hope that everyone else is doing well and that the upcoming weeks bring joy to your homes and families as well! By the way, this last picture of Brock is him watching the very beginning of the BYU vs. Utah football game (aka Daddy's school vs. Mommy's school). Comfy chair, bottle, blankie and a bunch of guys beating on each other! What more could a boy ask for? I guess we would have been happier if we had won, but it was still a pretty good game!