December 11th, 2009

The Staffords came down from Idaho to visit Temple Square and see the lights.  They were kind enough to invite us to come with them.  It was sooo cold, but we had a great time anyway.  We parked at the Gateway and rode the Trolley over.  While we were visiting one of the visitor centers we were lucky to catch a pilgrim era show chorus perform Christmas songs in the lobby.  The lights were beautiful, and the temple was radiant.  But it was almost too cold to enjoy any of the outdoor sights.  We came back after eating dinner in the food court, and had birthday cake and presents for Bailey's 8th birthday.  

 

Unfortunately we tried to let the girls sleep in the same room. Disaster.  At about 11:00pm we finally split them up.  It was really fun to have them come visit us though, we're always down in Idaho, so it was a nice change to have them in our neck of the woods.

 December 5th-9th

*Ryan has started this little quick-step-in-place dance, it's absolutely adorable,

especially with his little grin.

*Laura took Eden up with her to sing a Christmas song during Sacrament Meeting.

It was so sweet, but E came back and told me, "They sang the wrong song!"

She hadn't been in primary when they practiced!

*When E gives me kisses at night she goes

(KISS) 'ONE'

(KISS) 'TWO'

(KISS) 'THREE'...

and sometimes holds up her fingers behind my neck to help her keep track.

She loves the number 3

*Tonight L came downstairs in one of my dresses.  I got upset, but Brent quietly

told me, "Be patient, she just wants to be like her mommy."

*We're doing something where if they get their jobs done by 11:15

they get a button to save for the Mommy and Daddy store. 

They have to get dressed, brush their hair, make their beds, L also does her

homework and practices piano.

*Christmas is almost here, time keeps sneaking up on me!

*We're mostly healthy right now, and I'm trying to make healtier meals, one small

baby step at a time.

*We've had a big snowstorm and Brent brought the snow in for the girls

on Saturday.

December 4th, 2009

Ryan playing with his 'computer'

Laura practicing piano

Eden watching her kitty in the washer

L and E playing computer together.  I love how different and similar their faces look.

 

December 1st, 2009

I'm sitting and writing in my journal by the light of the Christmas tree with the kids finally all asleep and Brent on his way home from taking his final.

Ryan has started coming up and sitting on my lap with a book and pointing at the pictures. Love it!

When Brent came through the door today Eden looked at him and said, "Woah, it's a big one!"

Laura's famous catch phrase right now is, "You're the best (insert: mommy, daddy, friend, piano teacher, ) in the whole world!" Her eyes just light up when she says it too.  She really wants to make everyone around her feel good.

I can't remember what she had just done in this picture but I happened to be holding my camera and caught her face:

 

November 30th, 2009

The other day I was getting into my cedar chest for something and I noticed my porcelain dolls from when I was a little girl.  Santa Clause used to bring us one every Christmas.  I looked at them sitting there getting dusty and called Laura and Eden in.  For Laura it was love at first sight.  They both loved taking off their little shoes and stockings and feeling their smooth porcelain faces.  Laura slept with my favorite, the one that has a yellow dress and ringlets that I tried to comb out as a little girl.  She named her Theresa and she is now sitting happily on their book shelf.  The others went back into my cedar chest for another day.

"RETREAT 2009"

I love our annual retreat.  This year was wonderful too, even though it almost didn't happen!  About an hour after Maren and my Mom left Rexburg to meet Sarah and I up at Wolf Creek Maren's kids got the stomach flu.  They almost turned around halfway.  I'm so glad they didn't!

It seems like each year we spend a little less time scrapbooking and being productive and more time just relaxing.  Pride and Prejudice, the 6 hr. A&E version, Sarah's first time watching it, Nerts, exercising at the gym, hot tubbing, eating delicious food, laughing so hard we couldn't stop, and listening to great music about sums it up.

Even though Sarah slept half the time to catch up from her overworked schedule, Maren was wishing she was helping poor Mike with the kids, we missed Ellen not being with us, and Mom got hurt in an ill-advised game of racketball, it was still a blast.