New Year's Eve

James & I rang in the New Year with some neighbors, but before we headed off to our party, we had a little New Year's celebration with the girls. We had a dance party, played a couple games, and just had fun.

December Instagrams

12.1.2014

Jack and his 4th Mommy.

12.11.2014

Happy Thursday!

12.12.2014

I just can't help it...he's soooooo cute!!!

12.17.2014

Today James finished finals (one semester before rotations to go!) 

and Avri & Emery had their school Christmas program. 

We took them out of school early and celebrated with ice cream! Yay for family time!

12.17.2014

Jack thinks his dad is pretty great!

 

12.21.2014

Oh how I love these cuties!

12.23.2014

Breaking News! All she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth!

12.30.2014

Never a dull moment with these goofs!

12.31.2014

Ringing in 2015 with my favorite part of 2014.

Hi, my name is Bree, and I'm obsessed with taking pictures of my son. This is just a small sample. He's just so cute and every little expression is absolutely adorable that I keep on clicking picture after picture!! I really had no idea how incredible my love for this little boy would be. I had hoped it would be something special, and have found it is everything I hoped and more! Some days I think my heart will just burst because I love him so much. He is truly such a blessing to this mama. Heavenly Father sure had a plan in sending him to me, and for that I am eternally grateful. There is nothing like the bond between a mother and her son. I love you, Jack J!

(Top row taken 12.29 bottom row taken 12.12)

Christmas 2014

Oh how I love Christmastime. The girls are at such fun ages where everything is so magical, and they also understand what the season is truly about. Having a newborn son this time of year gave me greater love and appreciation for Mary. I admire her willingness to carry and give birth to the Son of God in the humblest of circumstances. Her faith never wavered as she knew the part she played in God's great plan. The Church released a beautiful video that taught how the first gift of Christmas was not wrapped or bought in a store, but it was a gift from a Father to all His children. It is a gift of love, hope, peace, and joy. The end of the video encourages us to discover the gift, embrace the gift, and share the gift. We loved watching this several times and trying to remember where our focus should be during the holiday season. I have to add that when the girls saw the video, they asked if the sweet baby Jesus was Jack. They do look a lot alike. :)

As usual, it was a busy time of year! Me with extra Relief Society responsibilities, and James with finals, but we enjoyed lots of time reading, talking, giving service, making, eating, and delivering treats, shopping, wrapping, and reflecting on the joy of the season, and our many blessings.

Buddy was back again, and the girls loved finding him each morning, telling him about their day, and hoping he would observe them doing good deeds. He was not up to as many shenanigans this year...he must've been more tired this year. ;)

Two nights before Christmas, the girls had a sleepover in front of the Christmas tree. Claire ended up in her own bed, but the other two had fun in their sleeping bags.

On Christmas Eve, we drove around and looked at the Christmas lights after dinner. Right before bedtime, there was a knock at the door, and a special gift was delivered from "Santa's Elf". The girls were so excited and the box was full of fun gifts like colorful striped and polka dot socks, books, blankets for Jack, pancake mix and buttermilk syrup, hot chocolate, and a couple other things. It was such a fun surprise that made us feel so special.

Super early on Christmas morning (I think around 3 a.m.) Avri came in and said she couldn't sleep, she also told me that the wrapping paper we hang across the hallway entrance to hide the tree and Santa's visit had fallen down. I asked her if Santa came and if she caught a peek. She told me what she saw and then helped me tape the wrapping back up before heading back for a bit more sleep. I was sad her big Christmas morning surprise had been ruined a bit, but oh well, she was still excited.

We enjoyed giving and opening gifts, playing, and then we headed down to brunch. As usual it was wonderful and delicious. Of course we missed Grandma and the special touches she adds, but we all loved being together. We ate, shared gifts, visited, played games, and the cousins acted out the Nativity. That evening we headed to my Mom's for dinner. We had a nice dinner, shared more gifts, played games, and visited. We spent the night enjoyed the next morning and part of the afternoon together the next day.

Sleeping by the tree

Christmas stories, and Christmas fingernails! :)

Christmas morning!! (Jack was still asleep)

Santa brought bikes!!

I secretly love the chaos and mess of Christmas morning!

 

Claire & Live were angels, Ave and Emmy were shepherds, Sawyer was a wise man, Bridge was Joseph, Grace was Mary, and Jack was baby Jesus.

Grandpa Myron & Grandma Sherry gave Jack these ADORABLE cowboy boots!! 

Jack: Two Months

This little boy has sure captured our hearts. I wish we could just freeze time! He is growing way too fast!! Jack has started smiling much more--which melts us all!! We love to talk to him and just get smile after smile. He is cooing a tiny bit which is just adorable. He tries SO hard to make noise and his tongue is just moving all over in his mouth, but after all his effort he just makes a tiny peep. He loves to munch on his hands, won't take a binky, CAN sleep for 7+ hours at a time (but doesn't treat us with that skill often enough :)), he loves the swing and bouncer, almost always falls asleep in the car, doesn't care for tummy time too much, loves to be held and snuggled, still has a good head of hair (although it is thinning a bit), he eats A LOT, and is chubbing up quite nicely! He is such a blessing and joy to our family!!

Weight: 10 lbs 10 oz
Height: 23 3/4"

Just an example of how much Jack likes to be held...some days I don't get much done!

...But I do love it! :)

December 7, 2014: A Name & A Blessing

James gave Jack a wonderful blessing today. Jack was surrounded by his Dad, Great Grandpa Jones, his Uncles Jason, Jon, and Jess, and Bishop Anderson. It is such a special sight to see your husband hold your sweet babe in worthiness to bless him through the power of the Priesthood. And to have other important men in your life stand in a circle to join in such a special ordinance.

My mom took notes, and I was later surprised with a gift of Jack's blessing transcribed by a sweet sister in our ward, Marsha.

Jack J. Lufkin

• Bless you that your body will grow and develop to be strong and healthy that you might have a wonderful and successful life.
• That you might have a desire to do what is right as you grow older, to learn of the ideas and principles of the gospel. That you will have the desire to do what is right and follow your Heavenly Father and be obedient to Him.
• Follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
• Have knowledge that in this challenging world there are forces that will tempt you to choose evil for good.  You will be one who stands for that which is right and good.
• Bless you to be close to your family and look to those that are righteous, and pattern your life after them.
• Be close to your Mother and learn from her righteous qualities.
• Bless you that you will be able to enter in the House of the Lord and be sealed for time and all eternity.

After our church meetings we had a luncheon with our family that came to support us. We had soup, rolls, and some yummy desserts. We visited, played games, and it was even nice enough for the kids to play outside for a bit! We are so grateful to all who were able to come, and missed those who were there in spirit. We love our family!!

  

Random Pics

I'm generally a pretty good picture-taker, but I find myself taking a ridiculous amount of pictures of Jack!! He is just so cute, pulls the cutest faces, and we are just trying to soak in these newborn days that pass so quickly. So here's a small sample of the many random pictures I take of our cute boy...

We snuggle...a lot!!

 

With Dad too!

  

These big sisters love their baby brother!! Avri especially is a huge help to hold him and calm him down if I'm busy.

Claire & Emmy sang Jack to sleep so I could get ready.

 

   

There are no words for this picture!! It cracks me up!!!!

Jack gives us quite a few cute sleepy smiles and we have caught a couple awake ones...

But we see quite a bit of this adorable furrowed brow! :)

Look at those cute dimples!!