Our November...

Oh MY heck...this is a huge post! Seriously it might take you hours to get through it!

We had a super busy November full of celebration, sadness, fun, family, and most of all

LOVE.

Remember how I told you that October was "Freaking Awesome"? Well part of the reason for my quote last post was that on October 1st we found out that we were pregnant with our 3rd baby!

Well, we started November out with a BIG chip. On November 3rd we learned our poor baby wasn't developing right and had no heartbeat anymore.

We were so devastated! It happened all so fast. We went to our first Doctor's appointment the previous Friday, and took the boys and everything. Aydan-Bug was so excited to learn that he was going to be a big brother again! We had an ultrasound and saw the baby's heartbeat. The tech said that our angel baby was smaller than it was supposed to be, but didn't say much of anything else.

(Why would they let you down, when things like that are pretty much up in the air? Especially since there was a heartbeat.)

Just when I thought I'd been through a rough trial with my husband being gone to war for a year! This is truly the hardest thing I've been through so far. I feel like I'm in a boxing ring fighting, and I've been hit hard twice, have a bloody nose, but I'm still standing and willing to fight.

I know that trials are supposed to make you a stronger person, and I do feel strong, but some things are just so hard to get through. I'm glad I have the husband I have, and an awesome supportive family. I'm also thankful for my faith in God and his plan for me and my family.

I don't want to ever forget that this happened, or forget our angel baby, because I know I will get to meet them one day.

There are some fun facts about our 3rd pregnancy!

 It took Justin and I 8 days of him being home from Iraq to conceive!

 I was due on June 12.

I was 8 weeks along when I miscarried.

AND....

Cats out of the bag.....We are excited to try again!!

I'm still greiving over our loss, but it's getting better and better everyday!

Our Angel Baby at 7W4D.

As I said, Aydan was super excited to have another baby! When we told him that we were expecting he drew this for us! (Me with baby inside me.) So sweet! He was so sad when we told him that this baby was not healthy, and mommy and daddy will make a new healthy baby. He said, "But I don't want another baby, I want this one!"

I think we handled telling him really well. Answered all of his questions, and did not make it all dramatic.

This whole experience has made me so much more grateful for the one's we have! I just love our boys!

We are doing well, and like I said, excited to try again! But don't get any suspicions just yet, and when you do, don't ask! Ha! Ha! We're just not going to tell ANYONE until we are REALLY, REALLY prego!

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These are the days of our 2 year old!
Yikes! I feel like he's out of control sometimes!
He's so dang cute though! Sometimes we just laugh before disiplining! He is full of life just like his older brother. LOVES cars, and trains! Has a HUGE vocabulary! And gives the best loves ever!

See...he even sleeps with them. He calls all yellow cars, "Bumbee!" (Transformer)

He colored on our bed sheets, and duvet cover! GRRRRRR! But really our fault for leaving untensils out!

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Aydan and Justin have loved every second of Basketball season! Aydan got to start learning how to guard and guy from the other team, by using colored wrist bands!

They also started SOCCER! They both do not enjoy this as much!

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On November 12th one of Justin's army guys got married and Justin was a groomsmen! They got married in the LDS Temple, and we went to take pics with them after they came out! It was FREEZING, but we are so happy for Brennen and Kailani Bradly!

So funny! Justin really enjoys Brennen as his friend! He's a good guy!

This was at their reception! The boys were waiting to congratulate the bride and groom (who are practically aunt and uncle to our boys!)

We went out to dinner with some friends before we went to  the reception.

 Benny and Chelsea Miralis!

Brennen and Kailani!

Our little guys love this dude!

Inside joke between all the army dudes in Justin's crew!

(Grooms cake)

Aydan eyeballed that cake like it was going to take off or something! He got to help Brennen cut into it!

Jayson Giesler, Benny Miralis, Brennen Bradly, Shane Owens, and Justin!

Trace got to dance with the BRIDE!

Aydan took a pic of us before we went home!

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So Monday November 14th Traceon Parker had to get 5 stitches above his eyebrow! Silly boy! I think he tripped on a blanket and whacked his head on the edge of his crib! OUCH!

This was him at Community Care at 8pm! Smiley boy! He kept touching his owie saying, "I bleed."

This was the morning after....

He survived, and it looks so GOOD now! Whew, I just have a feeling that that's not going to be the last time for this one!

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The BOYS BEDS ARE DONE!

And they are fantastic! We love them, and so do the boys! Trace especially!

This was the first time they slept in them!

 (the night of the stitches)

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Aydan looked so handsome before he went to school one day!

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Wednesday's are always busy for us because of Basketball and Soccer being on the same night. It is always hard to try to squeeze dinner in there somewhere so it seems like we always eat at 8 o' clock at night. It was the night before Traceon's Birthday so we went Red Robin and treated Trace to a Birthday with song and balloons, topped off with his own special ice cream sundae!

Then for his actually Birthday dinner he got BURGER KING! He loves the chicken fries, and crown of course!

Traceon's Birthday Party was so much fun! I made everything from his invitations to his decorations on Photo shop, and I think they turned out great! Yay for our baby turning 2!

Most exciting about his party was that it was no ordinary party, it was a

 LITTLE MAN MUSTACHE BASH!
Everyone wore mustaches and snacked on treats from my homemade dessert bar! Ties were also a requirement for the dress code...just to make it more interesting and fun!

Isn't this Birthday Boy the sweetest! Stache and all!

(Oh yeah...I made Aydan and Traceon's bow ties! I wanted them to match!)

Here is some of the fun from the dessert bar! All desserts need water or milk to go with them!
Dessert Bar Menu:

Cupcakes

Smore's Bars

Lemon Bars

Chocolate Cake Pops

Manly Mints

Chunky Chocolates

and

Chocolate Stache Pops

Get ready for some staches! And lots of silliness! We did a photo booth, and we all really got into it!

Even Gma and Gpa Thompson got in on the mustache action that night!

Trace got some really awesome new TOYS for his birthday! He loved opening all of them up, and got to playing right away!

The package tha Uncle Derrick and Aunt Jess sent had air-filled bags that as soon as Trace saw them new exactly what to do! POP them! How funny huh?

Look how happy he is!

Had to get a quick drink of milk in....

Trace and his NEW "BUMBEE!"

Aydan got a Dump Truck, Excavator, and Trailer for his little bro!

Yay for our little family! What a fun night!

Chocolate mustache pops made good staches too!

Happy Birthday Traceon!

Cutest BLOW FACE EVER!

Dig in Birthday Boy!

Traceon with all of his presents and cards! He had such a fun time and we are so happy to have him in our lives! We love our little Case!

Grandma Chris and Papa Dennis got Traceon a really cool pop-up card for his b-day! He HAD to take it to bed with him, and he fell asleep with it by his side! SO PRECIOUS!

Thank you all so much for coming and celebrating Traceon's Day!

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Friday after Traceon's Bash, Aydan came home with a Pilgrim hat and his first PROGRESS REPORT! He is doing so well, and having so much fun! Also, Aydan-Bug

CAN TIE HIS OWN SHOES ALL BY HIMSELF!!!!!! Yeah...I know....he's BRILLIANT!

Great Gma and Gpa Aultman came for a visit and brought Traceon a new TRAIN, that he loves so much he wouldn't share, so mom had to buy brother another one!

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So this year we really wanted to do our own Thanksgiving Feast! Oh my! I'm so glad we did! I had so much fun cooking it all! I was a little nervous about it the day/night before! I love Albertson's for many reasons, and one is that they are so friendly there! The Lady at the checkout stand on Tuesday asked me if it was my first time, and I said, "YES! Any advise?" She said GET ORGANIZED!

So that's just what I did! I made a sort of Thanksgiving Day itinerary! I wrote down what time I needed to start things the time and degree things needed to be cooked at, and it WORKED like a charm! It was a perfect dinner, about a 1/2 hour later than I expected, but that's nothin'!!!

I had lots of help in the kitchen with Melanie and Justin!

I know you're all dying to know if I actually touched the Turkey...and the answer is yes, but only once! Ha! Ha! I brined Mr. Turk for a full 24 hours in a bucket before I put him in the oven! Wednesday morning Melanie was busy, and Justin was gone, so it was up to me to take out the neck junk and plop him into the bucket! I gagged and gagged, but I did it! Needless to say, I did not stuff him with apples, onion, and celery or inject him with butter and garlic! HUSBAND DID! And he turned out so delicious and juicy! I know I'm tooting my own horn when I say this, but I'm being honest....BEST TURKEY I'VE EVER HAD! Hands down.

One oven was tricky, but I made it work to our advantage! I took a quick pic at the craziness! How funny!

Menu for our Thanksgiving Feast:

Brine Turkey (13lbs)

Apple Sausage stuffing (that did not go in Mr. Turk)

Roasted Garlic Potatoes

Sauteed Green Beans

Sweet Potatoes

Cranberries

Candied Walnut Salad

and

Homemade Rolls

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

 I made this GIVE THANKS board! It's so cute! I had everyone write what they were thankful for on Thanksgiving and then clip it to the board. Before we ate I read off the cards and we guessed who wrote it! It was so perfect and fun!

 After dinner we sat around and looked at "THE DEALS" and made a plan to go out on Black Thursday night/Friday morning! RIDICULOUS!

 We did dishes and dishes and dishes and dishes!

 Sat and talked and talked and talked and talked and talked.

Slept and slept and slept and slept and slept.

 The kids watched a movie, and were so cute and happy!

 They also made a Thanksgiving Turkey craft from their hands and feet with me!

It was a wonderful Thanksgiving and we all have so much to be Thankful for!

Me, I'm thankful for my beautiful children. Also my amazing husband, and that this year we got to celebrate Thanksgiving with him in our home!

 I LOVE US!

I'm also very thankful for my beautiful sister! She is amazing and brought my spirits higher by just being her! It was good to have her stay 10 whole days! 

 After shopping until 3am, we got home and I found these guys downstairs snoozin' away! (Aydan's in the middle, and Traceon is on the left.)

 Saturday (after Turkey Day) the boys got to break the wish bone!

 Aydan got the bigger half!

 Making his wish....

 This pic cracks me up! Aydan is telling me what he wished for, which was the toy he picked out to give to a less fortunate kid for Christmas! So cute! And then Trace is making his wish! Ha! Ha!

 On Monday, Trace and I hung out while Aydan was at school.  We finished getting the Christmas decor out and up! He was sitting at the counter stacking my Christmas blocks, and he was so CUTE!

Then he crashed while I was reading a Christmas story to him!

Later, while I figured out how to get all the lights on the tree to work, Trace stripped down and rocked his new Santa slippers around!

 Love this pic, and these 2!

 This morning I had to get a pic of them in front of the tree, and in Christmas jams and slips!

 Then I saw Aydan teaching Traceon about baby Jesus with the children's nativity seen I have for them under the tree! So CUTE!

Yay for Christmas time! Yay for an update!

We are so excited for our weekend in PARK CITY! Hopefully there will be shopping and sledding in our future!

I know you're jealous...but no need to be. We're going for the 2nd round of the Army's Re-Intigration program, which mean lots of boring seminars! But I'm being positive and it's going to be great! Like a free vacation! Plus it's really pretty!