27 December 2008

Benjamin: Super Hero (in training)

Laura thought it would be fun to put goggles on Benjamin. He looks like a wannabe super hero.

25 December 2008

A Very Merry Christmas

It's the best time of the year! No snow in California, but lots of cheer.

On Christmas Eve the whole family gathered, including some guests at my parents house. I think the final count was 36 people. It was busy. The kids did the traditional hunt for presents - it was all wheels this years, with vehicles (bikes, scooters, etc...) for the young grand kids. We had dinner (mmmm, great food), exchanged 'secret pal' gifts, and grand girls all got princess dresses and danced the night away.

We stayed that night at my parents house so the kids could stay up late and enjoy the party. Santa figured out how to get the toys to the right place, because the next morning, the kids had full stockings. Here are some pictures of the kids enjoying this morning:







Girls with their scooters from the Christmas Eve hunt:





In the afternoon we played it pretty low-key, mostly hanging around - no formal dinner or anything (typical Headley tradition). I took the girls along with Kory to see the Harwoods. We went with Aunt Cyndi & Aunt Kory to see movies. Laura and I took the girls to see Despereaux, while the aunts saw something more adult (Frost & Nixon). The car ride was fun. Then, to end the night we pack up the cars and got tired kids home to bed. My Mom sent us home with yummy party potatoes. Laura and I will snuggle up now to watch a Christmas-themed movie.

I hope everyone had a great day. We sure did and have our wonderful family to thank for all the time and effort they put it to make it so fun.

24 December 2008

Christmas Letter 2008

This letter was sent via snail mail and is reprinted here for everyone. Want something like this in the mail next year? Email me.



As many of you may know by now, we have set a tradition in our Christmas letters. For the past 5 years we have either announced the arrival of a baby or the announcement of a baby to come. Why break tradition this year?? It's true - this Headley family of five will become six by next June. The girls are very excited, and Ben is, well, maybe when the baby comes, he'll understand and be excited too! We will find out just after the New Year what we will be expecting (we like the 'surprise' to happen earlier).

Aside from our baby news there have been many recent changes in our lives. As many of you already know, we recently moved from Boulder back to the bay area in California. Our employer, Google, initiated the move, and Joel now manages a new team, which is exciting. We're very happy to come back home, closer to family and old friends. The girls love living around all their cousins and grandparents. And Laura's parents are ecstatic to have grandchildren live somewhere near them.

Also, we're very sad to have left Boulder. We lived in the greatest neighborhood out there -
Heatherwood, with a wonderful community, school, and Church group that we truly miss. We left behind new, life-long friends and are trying to find excuses to go back out and visit. If you're interested in moving to a great place, our house is on the market.

Benjamin has changed so much over the past year. He's gone from baby to toddler and is doing his best to keep up with his sisters. He babbles, saying some words clearly. If you listen closely, he'll spew out a full sentence: he gets intonation and tempo, but needs to work on pronunciation. If you've been following our blog, he has had lots of colds, and they have prevented him from normal weight gain. We've gone through a lot of tests, which don't show any abnormal or serious conditions - that's a good thing - we're sure he'll be fine in the long-run. It's fun to have a boy around the house. Very different already from having girls. He's much more physical - likes to climb everything, but he'll also settle down to cuddle. He frequently laughs, a deep guttural laugh, that brightens our whole house.

Collette has been a busy 3 year old. She started preschool in September and is desperate to get back into a preschool here in California. She bugs her Mom about it just about every day. She became quite the tricycle rider in Colorado (like her mom). She's also our household clown. She keeps us entertained with her singing or stories. And she has the unique talent of playing all the characters of an imaginary game with dolls, figurines, or stuffed animals.

Abigail is our big helper. She will be starting kindergarten now that we are in California (differences in age cut-offs allow this in CA, not CO). She is ready and excited. We've had a tough time getting all of our paperwork in order since many of our things are packed away in storage, but, hopefully, she'll begin prior to the holiday break. She has grown so much in the last year and will soon become the master artist she aspires to. Well, if there were a master coloring book artist, she would take the cake right now!

Laura is busy. And tired. Busy and tired. That says most of it. She has three little kids at home with her all day right now and she is busy making one more. She had found a really nice routine in Boulder of preschool runs, gym workouts, and date nights with Joel. Since moving here, it's the opposite routine. But Laura's happy to live around sisters again (in-laws that is) and living in state that has a Chevy's and Fenton's ice cream.

If you'd like to keep up with us, please check visit
our blog. We update it regularly, and there's a copy of this letter with links to specific posts, in case you want to read more about the tidbits we've included here. We are thankful for the many blessings in our lives at the moment and try to reflect on those often in this difficult time for many. We are grateful for our family and of course for the birth of our Savior especially this time of year. We hope the best for you and your family.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays
Laura, Joel, Abigail, Collette, & Benjamin

Kids Are Flexibile

Collette and Benjamin are flexible.

I think these are funny pictures.



19 December 2008

Moving Redwood

Sometime last week, my brother sends out an email asking people to help him move redwood. What for? How much? I don't think anyone knew, but all the 'boys' nearby chipped in to help out. Last Saturday, early and in mud, we moved six large redwood tree stumps for use in a young men lesson/activity.

Unfortunately two tailgates were damaged in the process. But what I love about my family, no one is too bothered by this. At least, I think so :)

17 December 2008

First Day of School: Abigail

Abigail's first day of school today. She starts kindergarten for the first time.

Both Mom & Dad were a little sad to see her off. It's the beginning of lots of new things, exposure to kids we don't know, etc... Abigail was a bit worried about making new friends, but both Laura & I think she has a knack for it.



Abigail gets a late start, because we just moved to California and needed to get in order her paperwork. There's not many first day photos that have a Christmas tree. Mom & Dad are still in a state of shock.

09 December 2008

Product of Boulder (or you can chalk it up to good parenting)

So Abigail and Collette are deep into a game of evil witch and her submissive servants. Abigail, as many of you may guess, is of course the evil witch. Collette and Ben are her servants. Many of you may be thinking, "what could she possibly use Ben for? He wouldn't be a very good submissive servant" and you would be correct. So she quickly dismisses him as a servant and tells Collette this (which is what the title* would be referring to): "He is of no use to us!!! But he is still a good boy. Go throw him in the recycling at once!!!"



*Boulder as a city has recycling containers everywhere~maybe more so than regular trash cans it seems at times and has city wide pick up of household compost. They are very eco-friendly.

08 December 2008

Connect with my life on the web

So, Google released Friend Connect recently, which allows any website to add social features to your site. Join this site on the right nav ->

Would love to hear if people find this useful. If you have a blog, it is easy to set up. Easier still if you're using blogger (ignore the 'put these html files on your site' step, and blogger automatically verifies).

Sign up and we can share our lives on the internet - hmmm, or don't, if you don't want to share :)

Update: you can learn more here.

07 December 2008

Christmas letter

Our December 2007 Christmas letter

As letters passed, we've announced new additions to our family. This year is no different. Benjamin was born 29 June - a healthy, happy boy with big eyes and a wide grin. The girls love him. Abigail will sing to him, and Collette will spend time entertaining and tolerating his grabbing and pulling at her hair. We thought their love for him might have faded as he grew older and not quite so little and innocent- but instead the more he can do- rolling over, sitting up, taking the toys they give him, the more they seem to enjoy him. Mom and Dad love him, too. He has been a joy to add to the family, an especially easy baby to make smile and laugh (though not quite the sleeper Collette was).

We've been in Boulder, Colorado for nearly a year now. We've spent a lot of time remodeling the kitchen - new cabinets, new floor, new ceiling, and lights. There is so much more we'd like to do but there aren't enough hours in the day or days in the week - and so on. Laura is tackling the girls room - removing wall paper, painting, etc.. and will enlist Joel to work while he takes time off in January!

Laura stays busy with many neighborhood and ward activities - not to mention three little children. We're a part of a great neighborhood full of other young children that get together regularly. Also, she's gotten serious about a book club. She has enjoyed all the books so far and recently blazed through a trio of vampire books in less than a week.

Joel has enjoyed working at Google in Boulder. The company has grown into a new building with more space and more people. The kids love going to Google and playing with the video, massage chairs, big bouncy balls, and the enormous climbing wall. Every once in a while we spend a Saturday afternoon spending family time at the office.

Abigail turned 4 in November and is doing great. She attends a preschool just two blocks up the street and enjoys it. She likes being the biggest sister in the house and often reminds the other kids of her authority. She's convinced of her princess-hood - wearing dresses, rings, crowns, and heeled shoes frequently. Maybe someday she'll get married into a royal family and support her aging parents. In California she would have started kindergarten in the fall, but in Colorado she'll have to wait one more year.

Collette is our busy body. She'll turn 3 in May and is often the source of humor in our house. She enjoys physical challenges (eg., climbing to the top of anything) and perseveres until she finally gets what she wants. She plays well with Abigail, and isn't as enthusiastic about princess stuff, but loves taking care of 'babies,' including Ben. She's like Joel - happiest at home with family.

We sincerely hope that your holidays have been enjoyable and fulfilling. Abigail was singing a song to us that she made up herself the other day. In essence, it was a song of how Jesus was waiting with Mary and Joseph in the manger for Santa to come. At least she's almost got the true spirit of Christmas! We pray that you all have found it in your homes and lives. Please continue to stay in touch with us.


05 December 2008

Decorating the Christmas Tree

We love the holidays at our house and took the time last night to decorate the Christmas Tree.



Abigail & Collette acted as if they were opening presents as they went through each ornament, putting them up on the tree. Note decorating the tree with kids means there are a lot of ornaments all in one spot.

Thanks to Grandpa for bringing over a Christmas tree stand.

02 December 2008

Thanksgiving

We spent our Thanksgiving in Middletown with the Spikers. It was great food and fun. The girls played with the dogs while we spent our time playing Hand & Foot (the card game the Campie's taught us).

Also, with Abigail steering, the kids rode down the driveway in a wagon.