One hat, two hats, red hat, blue hats..

Jack's latest obsession... Hats!

It does not matter where we keep them in the house, Jack will find them! We always keep one in that car because it's one of the only things that will calm him down when he's sick of being in his car seat! Also, if Jack ever sees someone wearing a hat (at the park, or grocery store, whatever) he immediately starts yelling- He'll do the sign language for "please" (scratching/hitting his chest) with one hand and do the sign language for "hat" (wacking the top of his head) with the other hand. Translation: "Hat Please!" It is so hilarious. I guess you could say that he's said his first sentence... in sign language!

I'm so glad when Daddy comes home!

Dear Daddy,

I am so glad you came home. Mommy and I missed you so much when you were gone. But, I'm glad you had a good time in Idaho!

Love, Jack

Next time... I'm coming with you!

I waited and waited for you by the window. Just like I always do when you come home from school... but this time you never came home! I missed you Daddy.

When Mommy said that you weren't coming home for a few more days I didn't believe her at first. But then you never came home, and I got so sad.

Daddy, have you noticed how happy Mommy is whenever she looks at the pretty plant you got her? I can't believe you brought that all the way from Idaho. And, you carried it on the airplane. WOW, you must really like her! Welcome Home Daddy!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Jack experienced snow for the first time yesterday. He saw it on the ground in Idaho and Utah, but never got to play in it. Anyway, I guess it's quite rare for it to snow here in Durham so it was pretty exciting. Jack didn't really know what to do with it at first, but after a while, he absolutely loved it. John is in Idaho this weekend for his grandpa's funeral so we are missing him like crazy. Here's some pictures of the fun Daddy missed out on yesterday.

Round 2...
After a few pictures, I realized how cold it was and ran to get his little hat!

Thanks for letting me play in the snow mom! That was so fun...

We love you Grandpa Gochnour!

Jack Milton Gochnour

July 26, 1918-January 17, 2008

Grandpa Gochnour passed away this morning at about 7:30 Idaho time. Dad was with him. This post is to celebrate the life of a man who taught us so much and left us with so many great memories. I will not forget the hours I spent with him in conversation and the things he taught me about life. Grandpa was a great example. He worked hard, he loved his family, and he served his fellow men. The last lesson I learned from Grandpa was how much he loved and cherished his wife. Grandma died 5 years ago, and in that time not one day has gone by that Grandpa has not wished to be with his sweetheart. He loved her with all his heart and soul and freely admitted that all the goodness in his life he owed to her.

We have so many great memories with Grandpa. He loved Melanie. We lived with him for about a month after we first got married. I would leave early to go to work on the farm and Melanie would stay and spend time with him. He loved it when she cooked him breakfast. He would get out his usual bowl for his peaches and cream oatmeal that he ate every day (not just some days...every single day). Needless to say he got so excited when she offered to make him scrambled eggs or pancakes. He loved to tell stories from when he was younger, about how he had grown up in the desert sage brush and all the funny things that had happened to him as a young boy in a family of 12. He loved poetry, giving updates on all the family and hearing all the crazy reasons I wanted to go across the country for law school.

I will never forget some of our last moments together this Christmas break. I read him one of his favorite poems, "the men that don't fit it", as he went to sleep that night. He just smiled, and then he slept, and now he is gone.

We love him but it is wonderful to know that he is where he will be happy forever. With his sweet wife, Cleo for all eternity. This day has reinforced my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I am so grateful to know that the plan of salvation is real and that some day we will be together with grandpa again.

As soon as we found out we were having a boy, we knew we were naming him Jack. He was named after this wonderful man, Grandpa Jack Milton Gochnour. Their first time meeting was when Melanie was 7 months pregnant in October of 2006.

Their first time meeting in person was Christmas of 2006, when Jack was 2 weeks old.

We love Grandpa Gochnour!

4 generations!

Jack Milton Gochnour, Jack Steven Gochnour, John Jacob Gochnour, and Jack Truman Gochnour.

Baby Jack loved to listen to Grandpa Jack tell stories and sing songs!

New Years in Idaho

Early Saturday morning (Dec. 29th) we flew up to SLC to spend the rest of our Christmas vacation with John's family. His sister Kyanne lives in SLC and picked us up from the airport, meanwhile John's family brought 2 cars down from Burley to take us back up with them. We went out to lunch all together and then the boys headed back to Burley while all of the girls went to the Nutcracker ballet at Capitol Theater. It was so fun to be all together. When it was over, we drove home to Burley. We had a great time in Idaho, although it was horribly cold the entire time. I was really looking forward to taking Jack out and letting him play in the snow, but the cold wind in Burley was just too bone chilling.

Kissing Cousins!

Eva and Jack are second cousins haven't seen each other since they were 2 weeks old. Thanks Greg and Andrea for coming down from Pocatello to see us! It's always fun to see cousins.

Jack was giving out kisses left and right to the ladies! Too bad all of them were his cousins! Madisyn is Jack's only cousin on the Gochnour side.

Hugs anyone? Jack couldn't get enough lovin!

The Gochnours have adopted the Soelberg's tradition of Secret Pals. It is so fun to share and be introduced to new traditions. I got this beautiful bracelet from my sister-in-law, Kyerin. We now have matching ones!

Jack's secret pal made him this awesome blanket. I put it against his face to show him how soft it was and he got mad at me and thought I was trying to put him to bed! Silly boy.

Christmas in Arizona

We had a great Christmas in Mesa this year. By the time we got back from California, we got to spend a little over a week there, but it still felt way too quick. Thursday before Christmas (the 20th) all of the grandkids came over for "Play day at Grandma's". We made ginger bread houses, read Chirstmas stories, ate hotdogs in the back yard, and made ornament nativities. It was a very fun day.

Sweet Kennedi Maughan found a tangerine in the backyard and was taking bites as if it was an apple! She is so darling.

The Soelberg kids. (Sydney, Jess, Jake, Josh, and Sadie)

The Adam's Family. (Dallin, Glade, Emma, Ben)

Jack was experiencing a little bit of separation anxiety while we were in AZ. A whole lot of new faces was a little scary to him, but he LOVED my youngest brother Mark. Jack would scowl at anyone that tried to pick him up, but he would leap to go see Uncle Mark! Thanks for making him so happy... You're the best Uncle.

Uncle Marky, Jack-Jack, and Grandpa Soelberg!

"Secret Pals" is a tradition my family does on Christmas Eve. Around Thanksgiving time, we draw names and then Christmas Eve, we give our homemade gift to that person. It has become quite a creative tradition. This year I had my dad and made him a pillowcase with all 35 of his grandkids handprints on it, as well as a calendar for the 2008 year with pictures of the family. Janalee made me awesome JOY squares to add to my Christmas decorations. John had Mark and made him a duck-tape wallet. Ashlyn made John a law school survival kit with: a pillow to sit on so his tushy doesn't get sore while he studies so many hours for law school, also made him a frame that says, "Daddy and the Beautiful Boy" with a darling picture of Jack and John so he can look at it when he needs a break, and finally a shirt that says, "I love you but... Don't talk to me right now, I'm studying"! Another great year for secret pal gifts.

We love the PJ's my mom made for us this year. They are awesome Duke print.

Silly PJ picture! Jenica, Mel, Jack, Ashlyn, Mark, and John.

It's time for bed! Santa Claus is coming to town...

Christmas morning with our stockings. Santa came :-)

Jack's first word was Mommy. His second word came shortly afterward that... "ABaa" translating to "A Ball". It's not just "Ball" but "A Ball". Anything that was round and could roll on the ground was called "ABaa"... Apples, Oranges, you name it!

We line up oldest to youngest to go see what Santa brought us! Jack, Mark, Ash, Jen, Mel, John.

Jack got lots of toys for Christmas. Thanks JaNae for the "Jack in the Box". He loves it!

The Temple lights were beautiful as ever. We didn't get to see them last year and were so glad to be able to go this year.

We went to the temple lights with our good friends, Matt and Mimi Snow. We met them when we did our internship in DC summer of 2006 and became great friends. Now they live all the way in Cali and we miss them like crazy. After the lights, we went to Village Inn for hot chocolate and pie. Luckily they had a few extra pies that night and let us take one home with us! Thanks for the fun date Snows!

All I can say is thank goodness for "Mr. Monkey". Being gone from his own bed, toys, and house for 3 weeks was a little hard on Jack, but I can't believe how well he did. The one thing that was constant was Jack's favorite stuffed animal, "Mr. Monkey". Jack LOVES him so much!!

Merry Christmas 2007!

Road Trip to California

We flew into AZ late Saturday night and went directly over to the Sandstrom's Christmas party. Jack was a trooper (considering it was 2 hours later for us still being on eastern time). Sunday we went to church at good ole 60th ward and later that night we had a little family talent show. We sang Christmas songs and many of the nieces and nephew performed their Christmas piano pieces. It's so fun to be around family during the holidays. Anyway, Monday morning (Dec. 17th) we drove to California to see my sister and her family. It was so fun to see you Danny and Shera. In May of this year, little Andrew Lary Walker joined the "Soelberg" family (#34 grandchild for my parents). He was diagnosed with Down Syndrome and has been such a champ through: months in the NICU, open heart surgery, G-tube, therapy... He's such a little angel. We are so blessed to have him in our family.

Hugs for cousin Andrew! Although they are almost exactly 5 months apart, they weighed only one pound difference. (Andrew was 20.7 and Jack was 21.8) He is one very large little boy.
Jack was very curious! Trying to figure out this other little human being.
We had a cookie day while we were there an apparently we weren't watching them close enough! Truman (Mr. Sly Guy) was hoping we might not notice he was sneakin as long as he continued to take really small bites... out of several cookies of course!
We took this beautiful nativity picture of the Walker kids while John and I were there. (Anna as Mary, Davey as Joseph, Katelyn as the angel, Truman as the wiseman, and Andrew as baby Jesus). We got to stay in California until Thursday morning when we drove back to Pheonix. I'm so glad we got to come see those cute kids. Thanks for letting us vistit Danny and Shera.