Christmas in pictures

We had a fun and family-filled Christmas. Here are some pictures of the highlights....

Christmas Eve



Our little family

Me, Addie and Ashley

Babies make Christmas so much fun!
We got to have baby Mia and Tristan at Grammy Dawn and Papa Steve's house. Such cuties!



CHRISTMAS DAY
This picture sums up Addie's Christmas morning- LOVE her. She was so fun!



Playing with some Cousins and opening presents at Gramma's house. It was so fun, because we showed up at the same time as two of my brothers and their families. I loved watching all the kids tear into the presents and play together.


Then off to Grammy Dawn's....

Yay!! Ash got an awesome Christmas present- a ring and a proposal! We're so happy for her and Ian!

Opening some more gifts from grandmas and grandpas and aunties....Addie was definitely spoiled by all those who love her! Shout out to Addie's Dwight Shrute moment with her tea pot


Sunday Dinner/Post-Christmas get-together with my Dad and Tammie

Yesterday my Dad and step mom came up and had some dinner and visited us for Christmas. It was fun to spend some time together and Addie loved that grandpa was a good sport to have a tea party with her (her new favorite thing to do)

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas weekend!

Merry Christmas! (and some of my thoughts...)

It's been an interesting Christmas season for me this year. Due to the "economical climate" we've mutually agreed with our family and close friends that we're not exchanging gifts with one another. Jed and I also have just done a modest Christmas for our little family. I've been surprised at how much stress and time has been relieved by this!

I actually LOVE getting people gifts, especially when I know it's something they'll be excited about. Not having to do this, however, has taken that whole worry about finding that "perfect gift" and not just buying someone something for the sake of giving them a gift.

I always have said my favorite part about Christmas is spending time with family and friends. This year I can see how true that really is! With no expectations from each other, we're able to just enjoy time together and not think do you think they really liked that gift? afterwards. I'm not saying giving gifts isn't a great thing, because it is. I just think sometimes we get so consumed with that during Christmas and lose site of what's really important.

I feel like I'm blessed with SO MANY gifts in my life~ My wonderful family and extended family, great friends, a nice home, and all our basic needs met. Most importantly I'm blessed with the knowledge that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that Heavenly Father sent him here because of his love for each of us. That knowledge is a gift nobody can take away and that I'll cherish always. I hope that the love of our Savior fills each of your hearts and homes this Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you all!

Family night at the Chirstmas Village

Last year, Addie wasn't a huge fan of being pushed around in a stroller looking at lights. This year, however, she loved it! She got to walk and choose where we went and what we looked at next. She would pull on my hand, "This way! See that one? What's in there" as she peered through the windows in each little house. It was very cold, but so much fun to have some family time. I really love little traditions like this!


What would a trip to downtown Ogden be without a stop at the taco cart? Jed was a happy man. It was so cold when my fingers touched the hot taco they tingled!






I love how magical everything is for little children at Christmas time!

Christmas Party Time!

We've started hosting/going to parties....here are a few highlights from them. I hope you're all having a busy, fun-filled, sugar-coated fabulous Christmas season!

Great Grandma Margaret's Party



Margaret and her babies

Addie and Edie loved playing together. Margaret made them each an adorable tea set and they loved them!! What a fun, cute idea to do for little girls. Addie is still talking about the tea party.

Edie gave her some lipgloss in her present and Addie graciously offered to share

Blake, Jed and baby Tristan



Christmas Bash at my Mom and Danny's

I didn't get a ton of good pictures, cause I was busy chasing and playing with kids and eating :)

Me, Mom and Em

Melissa and Deacon

Gramma with some of the grand kids


Van and Lori/Jared and Amanda party

Our friends Van and Lori and their cute girls, Jaylee and Reagan came into town for an early Christmas and we were able to have them and Jared, Amanda and Max over for dinner last Sunday. Lots of fun-- the girls played so cute!

I LOVE these girls

Hanging and Laughing



Little friends, awe. They played boo with a dress, chased each other, played ring a round the rosie, and carried play handbags around together. Too cute

Ummm, HELP!

I'm now on day 7 of potty training and I'm totally frustrated and at a loss at what to do/try next....

So ANY suggestions, tricks, whatever- send them my way PLEASE!!

On a totally random note.....

This is beyond random, but I was driving home from the store tonight and this song came on the radio. Well the real version, not this one. Anyway, I started giggling to myself thinking about this clip and thought I'd post it...... It's possible it's more funny to me, since I've been in a potty-training quaratine all week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n4Vb91aJQg&feature=related#watch-main-area

Enjoy

What we've been up to....the condensed version

We've had a lot going on but very little time to blog, so here's a wrap up of our adventures since Thanksgiving :)

Christmas Set Up

She's obsessed with the R2-D2 and Yoda ornaments

Christmas Shopping/Dinner out

It was so nice to be able to spend some time together and find presents for Addie.

This is what Jed's "death row meal" would consist of he says
Vietnamese Pho and Fried Bananas Flamb at Kim Long

Rock Springs, WY

Addie loved visiting Ashley's school. The theater rocked, seeing as it was a room full of chairs and stairs to climb and a 4ft high stage to jump off of, luckily while I was paying attention.

Don't we all look SO thrilled to be up at 2am putting lights together? Hey us girls had it easy though.... the guys spent all day the following morning putting them up while it was 10 degrees

Reuniting/Playdating it at the Treehouse

Addie showing Reagan how to accessorize

Apparently hats are the cool thing of the day today

So just for fun, I pulled up a picture of Addie and Reagan the last time they played. I was amazed at the difference 6 months makes! They've both gotten so big.

June

Today- giving loves :)

not a good picture, but you get the idea

Gobble gobble

We had a very nice Thanksgiving! I hope you all did too. Jed's been very busy the past few weeks doing Christmas lights, so it was SO lovely to have a whole day with him and Addie. I made all my pies the night before (which rocked) so we got to relax in the morning until it was time to go to Jed's parents'.

We had Thanksgiving with Jed's parents, siblings, and his mom's side of the family this year. It was fun for Addie to be able to play with her cousin (well 2nd cousin?) Eden. Dawn made delicious food....mmmm I love Thanksgiving.....

Eden, Addie, Whitney and baby Tristan

Jed carving the turkey. He was proud of his "mad surgical skills" and said Preston Burke would be proud. It was a huge turkey- weighed more than our kid!

Addie's first time eating big people Thanksgiving dinner

Guys doing dishes :) love it

After we all ate, Addie and Edie wanted to play outside. What a beautiful day it was! We didn't even need coats. It was so fun watching them run around. (NO idea how kid can run around after eating....)

Addie teaching Edie to run down Papa Steve's hill.

Aunt Ashley came out to play and the girls loved it. We also played Ring around the Rosie which both girls found hilarious.

I love this holiday because it's all about family, thankfulness, and food! We finished our day by going over to my mom's and enjoying some more pie.

Then way after Addie went to bed, Kacey, Ash and I went out to venture the midnight sales......to no end since we COMPLETELY underestimated how many people would be already in line outside waiting. Still a fun adventure though!

Some stuff I've learned the past week or so

• I learned that there is a way to screw up No-Bake Cookies. It involves butter being measured in ounces not tablespoons and MATH, oh stupid math. I am still bitter....
  
• I learned today that my new company is AWESOME and I'm so excited to have such fabulous training and innovative high tech tools at my fingertips. Wahoo!
  
• I learned that Addie LOVES snow!! I also learned that her coat from last year still fits- SCORE.

• I learned that not only does my child love Jamba Juice, she can also say it :) AND I heart our local one because they gave her and her buddy Max their very own little cups with extra in it. Kids got their own cups. We didn't have to have them use our straws. Win-Win. (sorry for the bad pic, the kids would only stand by the window)

• Fall and Winter co-exist, sometimes even on the same tree. Love it. I actually enjoyed watching the snow fall this weekend. I'm calling this beautiful mixture of in between seasons Wautum or perhaps Finter? Either way, I'm liking it. I adore the smell in the air and knowing Thanksgiving is next week!

• Last, but not least, oh I wish I hadn't learned THIS
  Yes, that would be my husband balancing on the edge of a rooftop just above the rain gutter, putting up Christmas lights. Oh, no worries, it's only a 20-foot high roof with rocks below....... He IS wearing a harness and brother Blake atop the roof and is supposedly keeping him from falling, buuut uhhh apparently I wasn't supposed to have stopped by to say hi at this point. Hmmm, wonder why..... (again, sorry bad pic....maybe that's for the best)

Change

Change is coming once again.......even though we've had more change in a year than I thought possible, I'm embracing it and I'm excited!

I'm going to switch real estate companies to better suit my needs and our family's needs. It's been a hard decision because I love the people who I work with. Even though I did get my Mortgage license recently, Real Estate really is my passion. I'm excited to be busy once again, be able to work mostly from home, and hopefully able to be successful. It's going to be a lot of work and effort but I'm ready to do it. So tally ho right?

I've always loved the quote "Change is inevitable, growth is optional" and I've said that to myself a LOT over the years. So here's hoping I grow in my work life as well as my home life :)



Just a side note, I made Addie's blog private, so let me know if you'd like an invite.

H to the ALL-- O to the WEEN

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!

Here's our little butterfly all ready for trunk or treat Thursday evening.
My evil plan worked. She wasn't on board with wearing her antenea, so I took her to trunk or treat so she'd see WHY it is worth it to dress up. Ha I win ;)

Baby cousin Tristan the giraffe

Friday we went to Grammy Dawn's office at Wonder Bread to trick or treat. The office ladies all loved her and they all gave her treats. It rocks going to Wonder cause she got twinkies and cupcakes. Now that's a treat!

We saw Grady and Taylor on Halloween for a few minutes. Tay is a lady bug and Grady is Flash ( I don't know who that is) Uncle Bryan and Grandma Rees thought they were all cute of course.


That night we went to Blake and Kacey's for a party and had such a fun time! Thanks for hosting guys- your place was so cute all decorated.

Addie and I as butterflies

We didn't really take her trick or treating much, just a few houses on Blake's street. She said "trick or treat" very cute. She didn't get the concept though, because every house we went to she tried to walk into. Glad my kid will just walk into strangers homes and try and hang with them. Guess "stranger danger" will need to be discussed at some point.

My contribution to the party. Witch cupcakes.

They were fun to make and pretty easy