Thursday, December 27, 2012

Christmas memories

Christmas was very good to the Francis family. We frolicked for 3 full days in a row; 
starting Sunday the 23rd and ending on Tuesday the 25th.
On the 23rd we hosted a family Christmas party where we gleefully cheered on the Seahawks.
Here is Gracie & Ezzy with their favorite uncle, Andrew.


Ezzy got to meet his cousin Keaton (1 year) for the first time.


Ezzy opening his first present...


Gracie as a pink leopard with her cousin Remedy as Spider girl...


Family pic on Christmas eve...


It was the year of 'hello kitty'...

(Gracie also received a 'hello kitty' CD player, alarm clock & watch.
 I told you it was the year of 'hello kitty'!)

My brother Austin (with Ezzy), Mark, and my brother Andrew...


Ezzy on Christmas morning...


Gracie was pleasantly surprised with her gift of a Barbie car!


Family photo on Christmas morning...


The holidays brought out the best in Ezra!!
His personality is really starting to flourish as you can see in the following video of him...


Here is a video clip of Gracie performing with her new keyboard and microphone that Santa brought her...



We had such good time this year celebrating Christ's birth and making memories with our loved ones. We have much to be grateful for!! What a blessed year it was for us. Can't wait till 2013!!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

3 for 1

This post is a 3 for 1 deal. 3 separate posts about 3 different holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas) all rolled into one. What a deal! No, seriously, this is a perfect example of how unorganized I still am after becoming a new mommy all over again. I realize this is the longest post I will have ever put together and the longest one any of you readers will have ever had to endure, so if you give up by the tenth picture, I understand. I have to do this though since this serves as our family journal. Okay, here we go...

Ezra at 1 month old. He is sporting an outfit that Mark wore during one of his 1st "photo shoots" :)

I might be a little biased but I think Gracie made an absolutely beautiful flapper! Va va voom! ;)
entire outfit (head to toe) was made by me :) and I was super excited to do it - I love the flapper look!

 
And Ezra was pretty dang cute as a sleeping duck! Quack! Quack!

 
On Halloween day the kiddos weren't allowed to wear their halloween costumes (thank u to all of the busy body whiners out there who killed halloween for the majority of our kids) soooo... Gracie's class celebrated with a whacky hair and socks day. Here Gracie is showing her school spirit!
 
Ezra was showered with love and affection by my auntie Marilyn when she graciously hosted a family baby shower in his honor. Thank you auntie!

 Ezra at 2 months old. What a chunker he is becoming!

Thanksgiving pics... We spent the holiday in Utah with all of Mark's immediate family. Note: 14 hr road trips with a 2 month old are not recomended. The pic to the left is of Gracie sporting her new digs from uncle Vern and the one on the right is of the "princesses" after they had just woken up, at least I think, cause they are still in their PJ's, but ya never know, it could have been 2 o'clock in the afternoon! :)

Gracie with her cousin Dylan.

All of the young ones loaded up and ready to go! But who is going to pull them?

"Mr. Muscles" of course! Good thing Mark pumps that iron, you never know when you're going to have to pull 5 youngsters in a wagon! 
Ezra with his cousin Sora. Would you believe 6 months seperate these two in age? 


Mommy & Gracie   (pic taken by G's cousin Tori)                 Daddy & Ezzie

Temple square, at Christmas time, at night. I had no idea it was so beautiful! I couldn't stop taking pictures!



This years crop of goodies that I made for Arlington's Handmade Holiday. I was able to double my profits from last year so I am well pleased with my efforts. I have been told multiple times (AUDREY!) to increase my prices so that I am not ripping myself off... and I intend to do so next year. 


Wow! Looking at all this stuff I made is reminding me of how tiring it was to do it while taking care of two kids... I am feeling exhausted now just thinking about it. 




Ho! Ho! Ho!

Mark as Joseph, me as Mary and Ezzie as Jesus in a live nativity.



Ezzie did such a GREAT job! The very beginning (of our 1 1/2 hr. stint) was rough as he ripped a big, long fart that we soon discovered was a diaper dumper, but once we changed his drawers he was a very happy baby and I was a proud mama! 

Gracie was our official photographer and she did a EXCELLENT job!

Our Christmas cuties!!!! (Notice Ezzie's tongue? It's a Francis (Parry) thing)

Mrs. Claus and Rudolph. Rudolph was NOT happy!
Gracie performing in her 1st Christmas concert.

Our annual Christmas party - Oh what a fun night!