Let It Snow!

The day after Christmas, we headed out to go sledding. There has not been a very good snowstorm for weeks, so the snow was more like ice which made for some slick slopes and a few snow/ice burns on kids' faces. Our friends, the Wangsgards came too. We had so much fun. Mick has never been on a big hill before and Mom was ready to talk to him about what to do and wish him luck and worry for a minute, but Dad put Mick on his sled, gave him a hard shove and yelled, "Have fun." But he babied Tori so much. He went down with her for quite a few times, then when she was brave enough to go alone, he ran beside her and walked back up the hill everytime with her. Do you think he is a little protective of his baby girl? I even rode down a few times, though I have no pictures for proof. It was fun, but a little too bumpy on a pregnant belly.

Christmas Night 2009

Jarod, Jamie, and Lilli came over to eat with us that night. It was also Jarod's birthday so we had us a little cake, a little wish making, and a feeble attempt at blowing out the candles. It was a nice night in our cozy home with people we love-the perfect Christmas.







See any resemblance here?

Christmas Day 2009

The calm before the storm:
Let the chaos begin:

Christmas Eve

Not only did Santa get his usual cookies and milk, he also got a survey to fill out that Mick made and a letter from Tori telling him how much she loves him. Mick's survey was asking if he and Tori had been good, inbetween, or bad.
Apparently they had been very good because Santa didn't leave coal but a whole load of other stuff.

Christmas Shopping

This is what my family looks like when they have to go shopping with me:

My Little Reindeer

Tori's preschool put on an awesome Christmas Program this year. She worked very hard to remember her part and to sing all the songs. I am so happy to be able to be a mom and get to be part of all this excitement that the kids have for this time of year.

My Birthday

No pictures AGAIN, but yesterday was my birthday and I just wanted to journal it so I don't forget down the road how much I enjoyed it.
I started the day off with a couple hours at the gym and I felt better than usual and had a really good work-out. Great way to start the day!
My kids were extra sweet to me all day, writing me little notes and wrapping little things out of their rooms up for me to open, and giving me lots of hugs and kisses.
I had lots of calls and emails and Facebook messages and treats delivered during the day from my most wonderful family and friends.
Adam got home pretty early and took me and the kids to dinner at Magleby's. I knew something was up cause the kids were so wound up during dinner. When we got home from dinner, I had some friends waiting in the dark to surprise me. It was so fun.
I am thankful for this beautiful life I've been given and all the wonderful people who have been so kind to me and made it even richer than it would have been otherwise. Cheers to another great year!

Thanksgiving weekend

I am mad at myself for not using my camera all Thanksgiving weekend, but at least I can steal pictures off my mother-in-law's blog. She is never without her camera, thank goodness.
We had two enjoyable Turkey dinners on Thanksgiving, one at Adam's grandma's, and one at my brother's. Regretably, I haven't got a single picture of this day. Also, regretably, I DO have a few extra pounds to show for it.
Then the next day, I went shopping with my mom (at a normal reasonable time) and had such a good time with her. Adam and the kids went to his parents house to "help" put up Christmas lights and I met up with them later. Did some MORE shopping with Bev and Jamie. But we were very thrifty and only bought 4 homemade caramels during the whole 2 hours we shopped.
Later that evening, we experienced some of Vernal's Christmas activities that were hosted around town. Everything was free and there was a lot to do. We watched the light parade, toured the Festival of the Trees, and let the kids do a few activities at a carnival-type function.
The next day we headed home early enough to put up our tree and decorations. It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

Yesterday morning I told the kids to go upstairs and get dressed. As they ran up the stairs, I yelled, "It's supposed to be cold so don't put on shorts or dresses or skirts."
Mick, being typical Mick, just had to do what I told them not to do and came down dressed like this.....

It will make awesome photos to share with his fiance someday.

New Winter Dress Clothes

I just wanted one good picture of the kiddos in their new clothes before we headed to church. Unfortunately, we couldn't get them to cooperate and smile at the same time, but I do love their outfits and wanted to remember them down the road.

24 weeks and counting

I really don't like to show pictures of myself, but it's tradition to take pictures of the belly at 6 months and 9 months with my pregnancies. I am feeling great and the baby seems to be too, if the kicking all night and keeping me awake is any indication. I feel so blessed lately. I love my family and am very excited for it to to be added to.

Happy 5th Birthday Party, Victoria!

Tori's real birthday is December 22. It is a really hard time to try to have a party. I am exhausted, it's overshadowed by Christmas coming, and the few times we've tried to have a party, snow storms have kept most of the family from coming. So this year, I decided to do it a little earlier. I must say that I liked that a lot better. I think she did too because it was way more focused on her than it has been other years.
I can't believe my baby girl is 5! It feels like she was just barely a baby. I feel like I missed her first year of life because I was suffering from post-partum depression so badly. I just stumbled through the motions and it will be something I feel sorrowful about the rest of my life. I wish I could have that time back so much, but I hope I have made up for it since then. I do love her so much. She is everything, EVERYTHING, I hoped a daughter would be. I enjoy getting to hang out with her everyday and I am in no hurry for her to go to school this year. She's my best girlfriend.
The party turned out awesome. All the neighbor girls that came were such nice, sweet, well-mannered ladies. I love that I live somewhere that my kids can have such good friends and influences for friends. I also love all their mothers for teaching them to be that way and for being dear friends. It makes me so hopeful for the next generation to see these sweet girls.
The party was a Tinkerbell theme. I thought it turned out pretty cute. Note the placecards that Tori asked me to make at the last minute. She's funny. I made them thinking that they were cute, but the girls weren't going to notice or care or sit where their names were. But those little princesses ate the placecards up and were so excited to sit in their own spot.

Thanks, Victoria, for coming to be part of our family. We love you so much!