Monday, December 31, 2012

2012 Lewis News!

Here is an update on me and mine!

Mark finished his apprenticeship this past June.  He is so glad for that.  We celebrated his accomplishment a few times; with friends and family!  He is working for a great company now- based out of Oakland.  He currently is carpooling with his boss in the company car.  Quite nice!!  He became elders Quorum President in September.  He has lots of ideas how to get all the tools to our house, currently most of his tools are at his parents- thanks so much Mom and Dad!!!  Today he begins the quest for making space for the tools!

We just finished a refinance and are waiting for the check to change banks!  Wahoo!  Thank you- Opengate Lending!!  You should give them a try!

I (Gretchen) am keeping so busy with Hank and Ellie we have so much fun.  Meal planning helps me stay sane.  I co-teach a preschool called Joy School (google it) with some friends, there are currently 4 moms and 4 kids, it's held twice a week in our homes.  I am Primary President in my ward, which is so great. It is crazy fun each Sunday!  I have had lots of fun decorating our house for seasons and Holidays; Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas so far!  We have had a great time having people over to our home the past 5 months, mostly we do kids and moms get togethers!  I look forward to more.  I started Strength training a few weeks back, Hank has exercised with me twice.  He is so extremely cute about exercising!!

Hank, Hank Allen, or Hankie, Big Boy or Boss Man which ever we decide to say; is 3 years old, (B-day March 5th).  He is really into the "Vavenjers" aka the Avengers, especially Iron Man.  He loves playing at the Park, playing with his toys; legos, Toy Story guys, his new Imaginex castle dragon and Ogre (spoiled at Christmas), going to the Zoo with Grandma, pretending to be a Transformer, stickers, helping measure and cook and eating burritos!  He has lots of other favorites; foods and toys and shows, but that'll do.  He is so smart and is learning to negotiate with me over everything.  (Not my favorite.)  He stills takes naps, most days.  He can spell his name outloud, can spot it, and write it.  Wowee!

Ellie, El, Ellie Jean Jelly Bean, El-Bell, Miss Chif, Ellie Girl, Princess or Big Girl- take your pick is 1 year old, (b-day Feb. 26th).  She loves to play- at the park, at the Zoo, with her Daddies phone, or anything that looks like a cellphone- calculators small remotes and her toy phone, she is all girl- loves any and all pretty, sparkley, white, pink and purple things.  She loves her baby doll, (just got a babydoll stroller for Christmas).  Loves looking in the mirror.  Loves clothes!  She is constantly hungry, more of a snacker.  I have Z bars, Luna bars and fruit with me alot of the time.  She loves Oatmeal, beans, pretzels, cookies, and any kind of treat or snack.  She is a pasta and rice girl, and really loves meat too.  We just love her sooo much!

Lastly we love Fridays!  We get together for dinner with Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Brent and Auntie Afton.  We have so much fun!!  We swap who prepares dinner.  It is really the best!  Then we all play!  It is so great!

Good luck with the new year!  Here comes 2013!! 
Love- Mark, Gretchen, Hank and Ellie

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Merry Christmas 2012

It's a Holly Jolly Christmas!
 
 Hank and his Joy School friends ready for the Nativity!

 
Church Christmas Dinner!
 
 Christmas Eve

We had a homemade gift exchange!

 
Christmas morning!  Santa left Ellie candy!
 
Santa gave Hank some astronaut guys.
 
 Her own brush!
 
Awesome a dragon!!
 
Stickers!!
 
Auntie Afton made Ellie a blanket!
 
 I gave Sarah a fancy red purse!

 
Playing around after all the presents are opened!
 
Dancing!
Babies, one- two on Grandmas lap!
 

 Skyping with Granny & Grandpa Hinkson
 
Toy Story- toys!!  Mr. Potatoe heads with 4 disguises.

New puppets!!

 
 
Thank you so much!!  We love you all so much!!

 

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

December 2nd thru 13th photos!!

Ellie playing in her infant carrier, we cleaned it all up, and I put it by the door so I wouldn't forget it, we gave it to a friend who is having a baby in 4 weeks!

 Perfectly asleep!

Playing on the bed!


 
I found him like this.
 
Sick little girl!
 
Hank made this craft all by himself.

 
I made this at R.S.
 
 
The Nightmare before Christmas!


Ellie at Physical Therapy.


Talking on the phone!



Saturday, December 15, 2012

Afton had a birthday!

For Aftons Birthday we had a blast!  We went to Super Franks, here we are in the Fish Tank room.
 
 It is the funnest place ever!
 
This room is the Village!
Ellie had so much fun in here!

We have one of these cars, so it was fun for her to see a toy like hers in a different place.  They had countless toy cars for them to ride on and in.

 
This was mine and Hanks third time coming, and Ellies second, and Afton and Grandmas 1st, we had so much fun in this room, it was a Gym, super fun!

Later that day we had a birthday party, we had Hot Dogs, chips, and pistacio jello salad.  For dessert we had Ritz Peanut Butter and white choc. cookies!  Yummy!!
Hank opened almost all of Aft's gifts for her.
 
She got scrapbook pages to add to her "Auntie and Me" Scrapbook!
 
Hank helping in some way.

 
These two girls always sneak off and play!!  Teh piano is so fun!


 
I did the birthday decorations!!
 
Except for this fantastic design Hank is standing next to.  He made it just for his Auntie Afton!