Merry Christmas....

Some of you will be receiving your Christmas card for 2009 this week. We kept it down to a minimum this year because so many of you are on email/blog/facebook!!
Merry Christmas 2009!
To sum up the year, “We worked too much, slept too little, and enjoyed our kids as much as possible.” Two brilliantly bright spots in our year were the birth of Hunter Kade on May 24th and my acceptance into the physician assistance program at James Madison University, made official just after Thanksgiving. Eight days overdue and 2 inductions later, Hunter was born weighing 8 lbs 5 oz and was stretched to 19 ½ inches long. Now that he’s 6 months old and 21 pounds, we can’t get enough of him. We love when Chandra’s mom, Martha, carries him over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes since holding him in front of her throws her off balance. He rolls over, sits up, pinches and scratches, and loves to laugh. Alexis can get him to giggle almost on command. Although he still has no teeth and hardly any hair, he is extremely loveable.
Alexis Marie turned 4 years old in October. She attends pre-school during the mornings every Tuesday and Thursday. She helps Ethan with his homework and the ultimate game seems to be slapping down Ethan’s sight word flash cards and having those two try to say the word quicker than the other…silly kids! She is also fond of singing in the van, the bathroom, throughout the house. She often will say a hilarious one-liner and keeps us rolling in laughter! She is quick to tear up when someone speaks harshly and equally quick to wrap her arms around us regardless of who is hurt. She is such a sweetheart!
Ethan Christopher turned 5 in April and is in kindergarten. He enjoys school and works on many projects and songs which he brings home to share! He has many friends in class and enjoys seeing them and spending time in school with them. He likes to learn lines from songs on the radio and sing them repeatedly. He usually plays well with Alexis, who idolizes him, as long as he gets the better end of the deal! He likes to help with the dishes and even made us peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch recently. He is eager to help out with things he feels he is now big enough to handle. We are very grateful to have him in our family.
Our address will remain the same for the next few years, as will our phone and email. We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year!

Look what dropped our way today....

SNOW~ about 5 inches total! Fun, fun, fun! Chris and I decided to go to the Christmas Tree Farm and hike and cut down our own tree this year. It was awesome, especially in the snow. The little kids and big kids had a great day! Enjoy the pics...

What a good looking tree Ethan and Alexis picked out. Chris cut it down. Hunter and I supervised! :)

Hunter fun

I'm so glad this hat, which Ethan and Alexis wore when they were little, fits Hunter this year!


PRUNES, ANYONE?

Thanksgiving fun!

My mom and dad came for Thanksgiving. We went to my cousin's house and had a feast! The food was delicious and spending time with family and friends was very enjoyable. A great time was had by all! We missed a special someone, but I know that she is having her own feast in heaven!

Christina and her kids came later on that night! We had such a blast on Friday with a little shopping in the early am, the children's museum later on in the day and a great dinner that evening.

MAIL....

So, Chris ran to get the mail today....and he just barely called me at work...
"JMU is pleased to announce that CHRISTOPHER HAL JEPPSON has been extended a seat in the Aug 2010 PA School! CONGRATS!"
Yes- it's our time to finish and finish hard....and then move on.
I am sitting here at work crying as I write this! THANK YOU to all family and friends! YOU helped us to make this possible! Thank you for all your fasting, prayers, ect..... Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
YES!!!
You have to know that Ethan and Alexis have been saying in their prayers..."Please Heavenly Father, please bless daddy to get into PA school so we can fly to Utah to visit Grandma and Grandpa." If one forgets, the other sternly reminds him/her that they forgot to pray for daddy's pa school! IT'S the cutest thing!

It's Official!

Hunter is 21lbs even and is in the 95% for weight! HAHAHAH! Poor kid got 5 shots today! What a trooper!
Ethan and Alexis held on to Mam-Maw's leg for about 5 whole minutes when she got here, and chanted her name like she scored the winning point on their team!
Thanksgiving is tomorrow and the entire house smells like yummy pumkin!
My dad killed a bambi and so we have lots of deer meat....yummy! We love it and use it in tons of recipes! THANK YOU DAD!!
I love my family!

Hunter 6 months...Ethan 5 1/2 Years....

Hunter....I can't believe that you are already 6 months old today. It seems like just yesterday, you were kicking my ribs and I was up and down to the bathroom half the night! Now look at you....big boy with a smile so wide- almost ear to ear. Your giggle makes me laugh and you love to spit and taste new foods....peas, squash, sweet potatoes, and green beans, oh my!!! You love your mommy and hold on to her clothes tightly!!! You babble and are very curious looking all around your surroundings! You love your daddy and sister and brother too! Alexis can make you laugh at just about anything. She loves you and showers you with hugs and kisses all the time. Ethan loves to hold you and play piano with you. As you can sit up now for short periods of time, you enjoy playing on the floor and reading books....they taste yummy....and are getting marked up with all your wetness! :) You are loved and are such a huge blessing to your family!
Ethan, what a great example and such a good young boy you are turning into. You are such a big big help to mommy....helping in the kitchen with setting the table, cooking, mixing things together, playing train with Alexis: coloring, puzzles, school, drawing, reading short books. You know all your sight words...and are a great little reader these days! Mommy and daddy are SO proud of you. We are very blessed you are in our family.
Alexis, mommy is proud of you too! You are such a huge helper...always praying for Hunter, Ethan and daddy. You think of others before you think of yourself, giving Ethan your flashlight so he won't be scared! You are an example to all of us! I love you, sis!
It brings tears to my eyes to think of how big my kids are and that they are growing and growing! I love being their mommy and hope and pray everyday that I can teach them like Heavenly Father teaches all of us! I fall short, but I can say that nothing brings me more pure joy than to be with my husband and kids! I love you, family, extended and all!