Family Game Night

It's those moments in the middle of playing a game with your family when it's dad's turn and he says, "Die, please." and Jason (my brother) quickly follows with, "After you." These are my favorite moments with my family. I love playing games with these knuckleheads!

James and His Kindle

James got a Kindle for Christmas and has hardly put it down since. My dad loaded it with most of his library, so there's plenty for him to get addicted to. And he is just that... addicted. I don't like for him to read often, because he can never seem to put books down when he does, but it is kind of cute how involved he gets. Right now he's reading Inheritance which is the next Eragon book. Hopefully he'll be done by the time we get back from New Hampshire. We sure miss you daddy. Even if this is the site we're missing:

The End?

Makai's Long Do

James was in charge of styling the boys hair one day before church. This is the result:

It was supposed to be a "fohawk" but it kind of just turned into a unicorn horn. Good thing he's cute no matter what his hair looks like. At least his mommy thinks so anyways. Though I'll admit that I think it is finally time to even out his crazy do :(

Miss Jillian

 We have had the opportunity to get to know this little angel for a couple of months and it has been wonderful. Her name is Jillie and she's 3 months old. We love Miss Jillie and her adorable smiles.

The boys decided they really wanted to play with Jillie in their ball pit:

They kept handing her balls and trying to have her throw it to them. Then they got a little crazy, and Jillie got a little scared, so we moved on.

I just think this is cute. This is Makai saying "teese!" Two cute little faces.

Ezra loved sitting by her and holding her and helping with everything but diaper changes. I put her on the couch with pillows on each side and Ezra moved them because he wanted to sit by her. Naturally, she fell over, but Ezra's reaction was the sweetest. "Oh mom, she likes me! Look!" It made him feel so good that little Jillie wanted to snuggle up to him.

I did get many looks taking all 3 kids to the mall or into stores. And many people made the traditional, "you've got your hands full" comments. I just smiled and agreed.

She's a wonderful baby and her parents have done a great job getting her on a good schedule so early on. They sure do love their baby girl. Her mommy even wakes up at 4am some days to get to work early just so she can come home earlier and spend more time with Jillie before bed. When I asked her how she did it, all she said was, "I'm tired, but it's worth it." Amazing. They really are pretty incredible people, so it's no wonder they have such an equally loveable baby girl. We love you Jillie and are happy to play with you any time!

Oh and sorry about the soccer ball that bounced off your head. And the time you had to spend in the ER due to the sickness we shared :( Feel better soon little love.

Ezra's Shaggy Do

In September Ezra started playing soccer. He met a boy named Samuel and they became friends. Samuel has long hair and Ezra decided he wanted long hair like Samuel.

We've been working on it. I admit that I cut and trimmed it a couple of times because it gets a little funny looking, but I decided I will let it go through the awkward stages to get the shaggy do he wants.

Samuel is adorable and I fell in love with his hair, so I am not at all opposed to trying it out with Ezra. Not to mention James had shaggy hair when he was Ezra's age, so like father like son and it's cute.

Mommy Blog Update

Boys Are Wonderful

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Preschool Wall

Ezra was coming home with so many papers and the fridge is stainless steel, so we couldn't display them there. I think hanging children's artwork and schoolwork gives them pride and a sense of accomplishment, so we decided to just hang them all over the wall and call it "Ezra's Preschool Wall". Original. He was so proud of it. He loved bringing home new papers and finding a place for them on the wall. 

With the start of the new year, I decided it was time to take the papers down and clean up the wall. Maybe I'll get a Preschool Binder instead, though I will admit, I miss those pictures much more than I thought I would.

This is from the week Ezra was spotlighted. We enjoyed putting it together. Although since we've done this I noticed everyone else had their kid do it themselves and it's just a bunch of scribbles and drawings in crayon. How embarrassing for us!

Ezra Got Glasses

Oh, don't worry, he'll only need them for drinking.

He thinks he's cool stuff and I tend to agree. 

He just loved watching the water spin around his eyes to get to his mouth and I just loved seeing his excitement while he downed three cups of water just to use his glasses. 

This was one of his stocking stuffers this year and I'm kind of thinking that stocking stuffers (or "stuffing stockers" as James accidentally calls them and has for years) are sometimes just as amazing as the big presents.

Tressler 2011 Newsletter

(So I spent a couple hours putting together a fancy newsletter and then e-mailed them since I didn't get them out with our Christmas cards and then come to find out fancy from a Mac doesn't translate well to all computers and e-mails. It came out all squished and mumbo jumbo-ed. Bummer. Well, here's a simpler version of that letter. Next year I'll stick to simple.)

Happy New Year

2011 brought a few changes to our family. The biggest change was our move from Idaho to Maryland in July. It has been a hard adjustment as we greatly miss our first home and many wonderful friends, but we are learning to make it home here in Maryland. We are currently living with James’ mom and Stepdad. We are especially enjoying being close to family and the temple James and I were married in.

Our Bigger 2011 Adventures

In April we were able to make a trip to California to visit James’ dad and family. Before our move in July we made a couple trips to Pocatello, ID to visit family and to Utah to see a friend’s wedding and visit family. Our last Utah adventure was for our little Mak’s surgery in June.  Then we prepared for our big move in July. At the end of August we made a trip to New Hampshire to visit Kayleen’s family for our first Johnston Family Reunion. Soon after our return we traveled to New Jersey to visit more family. And our last getaway adventure was a trip to Pennsylvania that began with a rainstorm and ended with Ezra, James, Kayleen and the car covered in throw up. I guess that’s why it was our last for a little while.

James, The Dad

James transferred with Wal-Mart and is currently working Asset Protection. It’s a lot different out here than it was in Idaho, so he’s enjoying how busy he is. He’s working on getting promoted in January. He has taken a renewed interest in missionary work and goes out with our local church missionaries often. He is our relief in the family. When daddy is home, playtime never ends. The boys adore him. Ezra can’t stop wrestling and Makai loves to “sword” fight with him. 

Kayleen, The Mom

Kayleen stays home with the boys and stays busy managing our family. She has started babysitting a newborn girl part-time and is enjoying that. She was recently called to work with the Young Women (ages 12-18) at church. Nothing brings her more joy than being called mom and getting to snuggle daily with those Tressler boys.

Ezra James

Ezra turned 3 in July. He keeps us laughing and he sure does keep us busy. He is a good big brother and has a beautiful, genuine concern for Makai. He started preschool in September and loves it. He also played soccer this fall and enjoyed having mommy as a volunteer coach. He doesn’t stop running, gets excited easily, and he enjoys people watching. He is tenderhearted and thinks everything is “cute”. He is such a joy to our family.

Makai Neil

Makai turned 1 in August. He had surgery in June and recovered well. He started taking steady steps the beginning of October and has since taken to running. He is fearless. He’s got a big sweet tooth and a gentle disposition, though he’s got a monstrous amount of sass too. He does everything Ezra does and finds more comfort from daddy than mommy. He has started talking and has the cutest little voice, though mostly he just “quacks” all day. We just adore this spunky little boy.

Here’s to a great 2012!

From The Tressler’s

James, Kayleen, Ezra & Makai

My 25th Birthday

I turned 25 on December 31st. I posted something and took it down to edit it later, but accidentally deleted it instead, so he's another version of the first post:

FYI: Birthdays are a big deal to me. Especially big one's like the 25th. James can tell you all about how I "ruined" his 25th when we were dating because I made a huge deal out of it and thoroughly embarrassed him. I still think I was an amazing girlfriend and beyond thoughtful, but whatev.

The 30th we all went out to dinner (for me! well, to eat, but James says it was all for me). There was James, the boys, Duane and Ilene (James' mom and stepdad), Aunt Dale, Erica and Dusty (James' sister and brother-in-law) and their 4 lovelies, Amanda, Ashley, Evan and Austin. It was an extremely long wait, but we got free food for it, so I'm over it. While we were waiting a man came over to the kids and started pulling out 2 dollar bills for them. When he got to Ezra he said, "I guess I'm out" and handed him a $20 instead! Erica kept saying, "no, no!" but I was like, "thank you, thank you! It's my birthday, you know :)" I didn't really say the second half, but you better believe I was thinking it. Ezra was so excited and would not let me touch that cash. He wadded it up and shoved it in his pocket for safe keeping. (Thankfully I dug through the pocket that night before it hit the laundry basket.) 

The next morning we had to attend a funeral for our friend Matt Naylor. He was like a brother to James growing up and I had the pleasure of getting to know Matt, his beautiful wife, Mary and their two boys, Shawn and Ethan, since James and I got married. He was a great guy; so easy to love and he will be greatly missed. I was asked to sing in a small choir for the service and it was a great honor.

I came home that afternoon to a card resting on the stairs (James was working) that started a scavenger hunt around the house. I quickly got the boys down for naps and began my adventure. It was clever and adorable and I smiled the whole way through. It lasted well over an hour if you count the second half that James finished that evening after work. 

Then we got the boys ready for bed and passed them off to Grandma so we could go on a date. We went to dinner and movie. 

It was a fantastic birthday. 

But I will say that I am not really interested in stating that I am 25. It just feels weird and too introductory to being old. And while I did have someone tell me that I look 18 (I think it's the acne) and on another occasion a man told me it was impossible for me to be the boys' mother, I have plenty of white hairs springing through and surely some wrinkles showing up leaving proof that I am not the 5 year old I model my life after.  But thankfully I have 3 wonderful boys who love me still:

Tressler Christmas

Christmas Eve day consisted of sticker Nativity project, reading all our Christmas books, and making Gingerbread houses (though Ezra's sides were too heavy to actually put together.)

Then we had a celebratory bubble bath where we almost lost Ezra.

Then the boys opened one present which was, of course, jammies.

Then James fell asleep (he was really sick), so Ezra, Makai, Aunt Dale and I ran a couple of errands including a trip to see some lights and other secret stuff. When we got home I put Makai and James to bed and Ezra and I prepared the cookies, milk and carrots for Santa and his rainy deer. And I waited forever for Ezra to fall asleep so I could send a message to Santa that our house was ready for him.

This is what Ezra awoke to:

(though the car rug was our pickle present, so he didn't get that until the end of opening presents).

We saw Santa at least 5 times and each time he asked for a spinning toy and a remote control car.
He got both, that lucky boy!

And at 5am(!) this is what Makai awoke to:

He crawled right in and found his way to the ball pit where he had a ... ball :)

We opened stockings and then ate breakfast.

And then the present opening began:

James got a Kindle and is now addicted.

Makai would only open his gifts enough to see them and then he'd move on to Ezra's toys.

This was James' present from Ezra. I think you can probably figure out how to play. He loved it.

After opening presents we cleaned up (a little), relaxed (a little) and Ezra and I got ready for church while Mr. Mak and Daddy took a nap. We came home to a delicious dinner prepared mostly by my mother-in-law (and she had the scars to prove it). And we played the rest of the evening. It was a very Merry Christmas! Hope yours was too!