InsIdE jOkE...

Tonight at dinner Kai thought something was so funny. Ben and I couldn't figure it out, but it was HILARIOUS apparently. Hopefully I wasn't the butt of Kai's joke.
Kai loves to laugh...but tonight everytime he would start to drink out of his sippy cup, it cracked him up.
He is at such a fun stage. I love everyday I get to spend with this happy little-man!

Finally Done!!!

Ben finally finished putting up our lights around the house!!!
What do you think?


Ok...just kidding. This is a house in another neighborhood that we always drive by each year. It is CRAZY!!!
Last year they had an AM radio station completely dedicated to their lights. They talked about the electricity cost, where they store everything, and how long it takes to put these lights up. I would hate to live next door to this guy. The funny thing is, his neighbors don't even bother putting anything up b/c he always manages to take over part of their yard anyway.
I didn't get a very good picture of his yard, but it comes complete with a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, choir, Santa and reindeer, the north pole, star, nativity scene and much more...
It is so ridiculous!

Husband of the Year AWARD!!!

I got an e-mail from one of my friends telling me about this xbox contract a husband has signed. I guess he didn't fulfill the terms of his agreement and had to sell his precious friend. I thought it was hilarious.
I do not know the family to this blog, but am sure that every wife of an xbox player will be so jealous when they read this post.
Click here to see their blog.
I can't believe he actually sold it. First of all, Ben would never have agreed to ANY of the terms in their contract.
I am officially awarding the husband on the blog who sold his xbox, "Husband of the Year!" You are now my hero!
Congrats! Every wife will now begin comparing thier husband to you. (Even though it won't change a thing.)

hO, hO, hO...oH nO...

We went to the mall today to get Kai's picture taken with Santa. When we got to the mall, Kai watched other kids get their picture taken with Santa and ran around the set for a while.
I even took pictures with him around the set so that he wouldn't be scared.

I thought he would be fine sitting on Santa's lap...

WRONG!

Kai was fine as soon as I picked him up and saved him from the Scary Santa. Poor guy. Who knew Santa could be so scary?

GiNGeRBReaD HouSeS

Question:
What does a gingerbread house and hot glue have in common?
Answer:
The Coles Gingerbread House!
Every Christmas season Ben and I decorate a gingerbread house together. This year, we decorated one with the Coles. It was a blast! I can't remember when I laughed that hard. They were a riot.
Their house needed some TLC b/c the roof kept coming apart and then the walls started caving in. Christian was such a trooper and never gave up. He kept adding icing (mortar as he called it) and then finally referred to the hot glue gun.
It is pretty solid now to say the least.
Here are some pics from the fun night!!!
Christian was so excited to build a gingerbread house...can you tell?

This picture is totally out of focus. I told Ben to act like he was having fun and this is the face he pulled...

Look how happy Christian is!!! Totally in the holiday spirit...(love this picture, even though he is totally being sarcastic).

Meanwhile, our house is done...Ben is elevating his ankle (from a football injury earlier that morning). I am just hanging out with the Coles laughing at them bicker and work together to get their house to hold. They were absolutely hilarious!

Doesn't Kristal look devastated that the walls are caving in?

Second time their roof started caving in...

...and so the hot glue gun came to the rescue...

Michaelson Family Gingerbread House 2008

Our finished products...

See how much fun the boys had?

Thanks for such a memorable evening! You will be truly missed. We love you guys!

Daaaaadd-y

Kai is so talkative lately. He has his own language and most of it sounds like "Daddy", or "Doggie".
NOTHING sounds like "Mommy".
I have tried and tried to get him to say "Mommy," but he is just not interested.

Even though he doesn't say my name, he is still a momma's boy. He is my constant companion throughout the day. He loves to cuddle now, and gives the best kisses! Kai is my little buddy.

I am excited for the day when he does say "Mommy". For now, I will just enjoy his sweet kisses.

oH CHRiSTMaS TRee, oH CHRiSTMaS TRee...

I never had a real tree until I married Ben. My favorite tradition with Ben is our annual Christmas Tree hunt (the day after Thanksgiving). There is just something so attractive about Ben when he is hiking or in the mountains. It's like he is in his element.
This year, we went with our good friends, The Fitches. We had a blast and found a great tree, not my fav but still a great tree. It has a lot of personality.
The weather was supposed to be mid 30's so everyone came prepared and bundled up. Little did we know that it was going to turn out to be the perfect day. NO SNOW! We had blue skies the entire day, until we got home and then the storm came in and we have had snow ever since.
I didn't make time to edit many of these photos so the lighting isn't that great, but I just have too much going on to worry about it today.

Our family~

Poor Kai-man...he was to tired.


Just before Ben cut the tree down.

Our family Christmas Tree 2008!

All the kiddo's~
They were all such troopers.

The whole crew.

Me and my little "helper"

Cute Benny hanging some ornaments~

Look closely at this picture and you will see just how happy Kai is that we have a tree up with all these pretty glass ornaments that he is not allowed to touch...
(We are such mean parents)




~THANKSGIVING~
Ever wish you lived next to Rachel Ray or Martha Stewart? Well, I do! Jackie is amazing in the kitchen, and made Thanksgiving delicious. Thanks guys!
This year we had Thanksgiving with our favorite neighbors, Jackie and Nick. We are so lucky to live next to them. I don't know what we would do without them!
I didn't take many pictures...lame.
Here is a shot of the delicious turkey Ben cooked!

These are the desserts Jackie made...
Yum-o!

Me, Jackie, and Kai

Our Family~

How In The World?!?

Kai is crazy.
In Elementary School we were always told to sit "Indian Style". I am not sure how Politically Correct that is, but it is the only way I know how to describe how Kai sleeps.
He usually sleeps "Indian Style", sleeping right on top of his folded legs and his hands always cushioning his forehead. I went in to check on him this afternoon and this is what I found. I felt so bad b/c it looked like it hurt. (I guess I didn't feel that bad b/c I made time to run downstairs and grab my camera to take pictures).
We tried not to wake him up to get his leg out, but it was stuck pretty good. I felt bad for the poor guy, Ben pretty much just had to jerk his knee out of the slats.
I wish I had gotten a better angle of his foot. (If you click on the picture and blow it up, you can kinda see how red his lower leg looks). But, he still managed to sleep through it.


I am always shocked at the positions Kai can sleep in.

New Cabinet

I love our home, but we have had this empty space above the TV for two years now. We couldn't decide what to do with it. It just looked unfinished and a waste of space.
I talked to a friend who referred her handyman to us. He was WONDERFUL. I would recommend him to anyone.
Ben did such a great job painting the cabinets. (He is almost done, but is going to add some distressed red to the door edges). I am so impatient and took pictures before he finished. But...you get the drift.
Great job Benny!
Before~


After cabinet was built~

After painting~


I am so happy with the cabinets! Not only does it add so much more storage to our living room, it changes the feel of the room as well. It is so much cozier!

Go Utes!!!

Utah vs BYU tomorrow!
Our friends had a tailgate party tonight. It was so fun and SOOOO cold.
I brought my camera to take pictures with everyone but was too cold to even get out of my chair and grab it. (I am such a wuss when I am cold).
So once again, just pictures of us and our little stud, Kai. Ohh well, there is always next time.
Here are Ben and Kai sitting around the fire. Kai was mesmerized by the flames.

Me and my cute little man....
We had a blast and can't wait to see Utah kill BYU tomorrow!!!

tEAchIng bAd hAbIts...

Yup, we are the kind of parents who think it is funny to teach their kid to stick his tongue out.
Let me just set up this video...
I was feeding Kai dinner tonight and he stuck his tongue out b/c he didn't like something I fed him. I did it back to him and then it was all down hill from there. Monkey see, monkey do.
Great...I can see him now. Sitting in church and sticking his tongue out at everyone.

Good thing to teach your one year old, I know.

Baby #2 @ 13 Weeks

Went to the dr today to have another ultrasound done. Wow, the fetus really looks like a baby now! I asked her if she could tell what the sex was and she thought she saw some white lines and is guessing with a 60% chance that it is a girl.
60% isn't very much, so really she doesn't know.
Ben and I are still guessing that it is a boy b/c I feel so normal (just like I felt with Kai).
8 more weeks and we will have a better idea.
Here's the latest pictures of our little one. He is so cute. I love him already.

The appointment went well though. I love getting pictures. I have lost a pound, but the dr is sure that I will make it up later. (So encouraging, I know...)

bEEf rAvIOlI trAncE

Kai is in a bit of a rut. He ONLY wants to eat pasta lately...for every meal. I hadn't fed him pasta in a while and the other night we had beef ravioli. He was so excited! I am working on letting him feed himself (even though the clean up is a nightmare).
Kai just ate and ate till he was in a bit of a food coma.


This is a picture of how I feel after Thanksgiving dinner, or The Melting Pot.

Check out this potbelly! You think he's full?

First Snowfall of the Season

We woke up this morning to snow. So, I put my flip flops on and went out to take a picture. :)
It just makes me want to put up the Christmas lights and start the Christmas music...but I will refrain till after Thanksgiving. I probably won't leave the house today though b/c I am a terrible/nervous driver in the snow.

Proof that the Holidays are here!!!

Pregnancy Pictures~

Disclaimer~I really hope this post doesn't offend anyone.
Ben and I were at a photography studio this weekend having a family photo taken. When they found out I was pregnant the photographer got so excited and went on and on, and on, and on, and on about pregnancy pictures he wanted to take of me and Ben and me and Kai. I flat out told him I wasn't the type, but it didn't seem to phase him. He told me that when I got further along and started showing I had to come in and get some "special shots" taken.
OK...whatever. I know that some women love these kind of pictures. They say it is the most beautiful they ever feel. Well, not me. Being pregnant is the UGLIEST I have felt. Both pregnancies...yup, ugly. No, I didn't get stretch marks, and I have really easy pregnancies. I guess I feel ugly b/c your body just isn't your body when you are pregnant.
No, I am not fishing for compliments. I am just being honest. I don't want to have a picture of myself at my ugliest stage. Everytime I saw that picture I would think, "UGLY". Yes, pregnancy (the act) is a beautiful thing. But, I don't have to have naked pictures of myself to remember it. Trust me, no woman ever forgets how much pain, and joy she feels during delivery and birth.
Plus, Ben doesn't ever caress my belly. Nor do I want him to. That just isn't us. I don't want a picture of him or Kai being all cheesey. Yes, that is exactly what I think these pictures are...cheesey.
There, I said it.
Let me just say that I know there are some photographers out there who don't make you take pregnancy pictures like the one above. But the photographer we went to on Saturday was about about draping me in a sheer sheet.

Also, to any my friends that have a semi-nude pregnancy picture...If I see it. I will totally lie to you and tell you I love it!