Blessing Orson

Part of the reason for all our Christmas visitors was for the blessing of this sweet boy! We ended up blessing Orson at home so that all the family could be here (they didn't overlap on a Sunday). It was a really neat experience to have a special day all his own.

We love you little Buddy! 

Angel made your adorable booties.

Michael gave Orson a beautiful blessing. Orson was blessed to grow strong in the gospel and prepare to be a worthy and powerful priesthood holder. It made me so excited to have the opportunity to raise a boy. He has some great examples of powerful priesthood holders to look up to! 

(not pictured - TJ who likes to avoid pictures whenever possible)

Orson, here's a little background on your name, Orson Thomas Ballard. At first we choose the name Orson because we loved it, and it fit with our old-fashioned name trend. We also liked the links to some of the early church members like Orson F. Whitney. Then, I found out that my great-great Grandfather's name was Orson! In fact, it was Hazel's name sake's father. So we now have a daughter named after my great-grandmother Hazel and a son named after her father.

Orson's middle name Thomas was chosen to honor our good friend Tom. Michael and I met Tom in the Deaf ward when we were first married. He was also the ASL coordinator when we worked in the Jordan River temple. He and his wife TeddiAnn were incredible examples to us during that first year of our marriage. We will forever be thankful for his love, faith, and example to us. You have a large name to grow in to Orson, but we know that you will!

Christmas Visitors - Grandpa

My dad was our next Christmas visitor! He flew in late Christmas day. Originally both my parents planned to come, but my mom needed to have surgery the beginning of December and had to stay home recovering. Poor thing! But because she is the sweetest person who always puts the needs of others before her own she insisted that my dad still come out. The girls were so excited to see him! 

Grandpa loves to wake up early with the kids and have "pow-wows." This is their special time and they all love it! So every morning the girls would gather in Grandpa's room to laugh and talk and snuggle. 

When you pow-wow in the morning you need an afternoon cat nap:)

My dad also got to know Orson. He greeted him with plenty of toots, spit-up on him numerous times, and even had a huge blow out at church while my dad was holding him! Luckily Grandpa was a great sport about it and they became fast friends. 

When there's snow and there's Grandpa of course we have to have some sledding and outdoor fun. I have the best Dad! I love how much he adores these grandkids. They all love that he still gets down on the ground to play with them (after all, he's still just a big kid himself). I didn't include it be we do have a great video of him back in the saucer with his feet kicking up in the air sledding down the hill! His visit was over much too soon! Good thing we'll see him again soon. 

Christmas Visitors - TJ

We had lots of visitors come out over Christmas break to meet Orson. First was TJ! The kids have really missed him since we moved (after all, he lived with us the whole time we were in Utah). 

Orson waiting up to greet TJ in his Dirtbags shirt:) 

TJ was here in time for Christmas Eve and just before too much of the snow. It snowed all day Christmas Eve, and we ended up with almost a foot of snow!  We had the most magical Christmas filled with friends, family, and love. The kids are at the perfect ages to enjoy the magic of Christmas and having TJ here made it all the more fun.

Christmas Orson

Share a Coke with Santa

White Christmas!!!

Silly surprise from Santa! 

Hazel and her doll Lily.

Eliza loves her cowgirl hat.

TJ has always taken it upon himself to make sure our kids get plenty of bear hugs, roughhousing, and spicy food.We enjoyed plenty of these while he was here! (Not to mention a small stomach bug that passed around the family but luckily TJ never picked up) His trip went by much too quickly! 

Ready for a snowy walking tour of Boone!

Dutch Oven doughnuts.

TJ and all the kids (Hazel had the bug at this point and is on the couch)

Leading up to Christmas

December is always such a wonderful month! This year was no exception. We prepared, we partied, we played, we wrapped, we shared, we spent time together, and most importantly we contemplated the real reason for this wonderful season - our Savior. Last year I created an advent calendar that held a scripture to read each day and filled it with prophesies of the Savior's birth. This year each day we read a story from His life and watched the corresponding Bible video. It was wonderful and the kids really looked forward to it each day (well that and their chocolate advent calendars from Grandma and Grandpa that we opened after reading the scripture for the day). We also made lots of fun memories this month...

Our tree went up the day after Thanksgiving and out came the "baby's first Christmas" shirt!

The weather was wacky! One week we were at the park picking dandelions (yes in December!), the next week we had so much rain our basement flooded a bit, the following week our supposed to be 50 degree Christmas turned in to the most beautiful white Christmases, and by the end of the month it was freezing!

This sweet boy turned 2 months old!

The Saturday before Michael's birthday we celebrated knowing he would be teaching on his actual birthday. We joined the Iowa's Deaf Night Out group for ice skating at a cool outdoor rink in downtown Des Monies. It was so much fun!

Daddy and the big girls skating. 

Lenora cried every minute she was on the ice but didn't want to go home. 

Our ward had a wonderful Christmas party where as Primary President I was in charge of the nativity. Eliza was a cute little sheep and Hazel was an angel. Orson was supposed to be baby Jesus but he was screaming his head off when the time came so we quickly grabbed another baby and sent her on instead. Sorry buddy!

Hazel's class earned a dress up day and she decided to go as a present. She thought up this costume all by herself. I love her creativity and imagination!

To: Mrs. Zimmerman, From: Hazel

One day Eliza, Lenora, and I had a tea party for lunch while Hazel was a school. They clinked their glasses and drank their milk from tea cups with such style. I love these two!

I found a school performance of the Nutcracker by Ballet Des Monie and determined I HAD to take the girls. So I pulled them out of school for the day and we went to a show with our friends that home-school. The company put on a one hour version that was perfect for them. Then I took the girls out to lunch. It was a much mommy-daughter date for all of us. I really enjoyed being able to treat them to something fun without a baby and toddler in tow. Hazel even commented, "Mom, it's so nice to be able to talk to you without Lenora interrupting us!" These girls have been so helpful since Orson was born and they totally deserved a fun "big girl" day.

Rose, Hazel, Abe, and Eliza

Hazel signing "ballet" and Eliza at lunch. 

Hazel (my little mini-me) and I

Orson loved hanging out under the Christmas tree. We'd set him down like this and he'd just stare and stare at the lights. He also started smiling a lot! The only time he looks even a bit like me is when he's smiling.

Mesmerized by the tree lights. 

The girls played Santa and his reindeer over and over again this month.

Eliza and Lenora the reindeer pulling Santa Hazel with her toy sack. 

Eliza and Lenora also put on a ballet of the Nutcracker for me. It seems like just yesterday it was Hazel with little Eliza creating ballets for me. Meanwhile, Orson chilled in his seat and smiled away. He is such a happy, sweet boy.

We did plenty of baking and delivering goodies. Daddy made peanut brittle several times as well. Always with tons of help which takes twice as long but also makes it twice as fun.

Before we knew it school was out for Christmas break. Michael finished his first semester of his Doctorate! (and with straight As!!!) He works so hard at school, at work, and at church and still manages to help out around the house. We are so blessed to have him! Then it was time to kick back, relax, and wait for our many guests to arrive.

All Four

Before Christmas my sister-in-law Rebecca asked if I could send her a picture of all our kids as part of a gift for my parents. Believe it or not we didn't have a single picture of all four of them together! I plan to post more on life with four kids later, but this is a perfect illustration haha.

Here of pictures from ensuing photo shoots. I adore these kids so much!

 Lest it seem they are always sweet and angelic for photo shoots there was plenty of this: (I almost love these even more because they capture their little personalities)

Lenora: "Aren't we done yet!?!"