Merry Christmas!

It's a wonder anyone survives Christmas! With all of the madness and pressure of shopping for gifts, getting the perfect gift, trying to tie in traditions, dinners, etc., it's almost a relief to be done with the holiday. A relief, followed by a bit of sadness, that all the excitement and pressure is gone! Another year behind us. Another year spent braving winter weather to spend time with those we love. Heidi had taken Reagan to Idaho early, then we were hit with terrible snow storms. Mike and I were able to make it up Christmas Eve in the middle of a blizzard and terrible roads. The road between Idaho and Utah was closed for most of the holiday but we made it back safe and sound.

The wonderful thing about it all was we had a white Christmas!! That always makes Christmas more what it is supposed to be like. Although it was WAY TOO COLD to enjoy the snow in Idaho, we did manage to get out in it for a few minutes one day. Country roads aren't exactly plowed and so it was scary driving from my parents house to Mike's. However, we all had a very fun week with family. Christmas was enjoyable and Reagan was spoiled of course. I tried to get only a few pictures to post so you wouldn't have to watch a video but there were too many, so I hope you take a few minutes to enjoy the video and hope you all had a happy holiday season!

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I wanted to brag about this quilt for a minute :) I wish I had a closer up picture but Heidi has wanted this quilt for the past few years. It's been at a quilt shop during Halloween. So...this year I decided I would attempt to make it. I had never really done much appliquing but the whole thing was that, and stitching around it. I think she liked it. It was a lot of work but turned out SO cute and I'm thinking about doing a super cute Christmas one.



And this picture was on the slide show but I just think it's adorable. This was the only day we ventured out. It was freezing cold out but Reagan loves to be on the 4-wheeler so Grandpa Dick pulled her and Mike around the yard and then we tried to ride on the 4-wheeler but it was WAY too cold.

Suggestions....

Ok, I have house-fever....I've been struck with bronchitis and have layed on the couch for almost 4 days straight. Watched every chic movie ever made, drank way too much orange juice, and hacked up enough lungs for us all to survive on! Yikes, dreary picture. I was supposed to be painting, planning and arranging our bedroom, and Reagan's new playroom (which Tim the Toolman has taken MORE THAN ENOUGH time to finish!) But, hey! Our living room is painted, looks great, much more to come and I am SO excited. ANYWAY.....So when I wasn't imprinting my body on the couch, crying my eyes out, or wishing for relief of bruised muscles, I've been trying to find some cute ideas on how to decorate the playroom/room. I haven't found any sites that really inspire/enhance the picture I have in my mind:( So if any of you have any cute ideas/sites, I would LOVE them! We will be heading to Idaho tonight (hopefully in clear weather) to celebrate Christmas with our families. My wish for you all is to have the most MERRY CHRISTMAS yet!! We love you all and may Joy fill your heart Christmas day!

I was tagged!

I was tagged by my friend Jill to post the 4th picture in my 4th folder on my computer. Luckily I still have some saved on our computer. I have "broken" computer symdrom lately so I am always bugging Mike to get the pictures off the hard drive before our computer crashes :O) Like it's a stone-age piece or something! It would just be really sad if you could never access your life like before pre-digital times! So anyway, here is the picture. This was when I was at my brother's house canning with Yvette. I probably took this because of her pouty-girl look. Either way...I love her!

Cute!

When I was home a few weekends ago, my sister Jessica helped me make all (and I mean a lot) these cute little snowman gifts. They were a candy wrapper and we spent the good part of 2 days cutting, pasting, and WOW! how cute the end product. I gave them to coworkers and Reagan's daycare. Snowmen welcome.

Should I be worried that Reagan has scribbled all over these sacred faces!! Good thing she has an excuse - age factors in :O)

Holiday Lights

What do you do when you all have colds, want a little holiday spirit, and don't want to freeze in the subzero temperatures to see either Temple Square or Zoo Lights?! Well just drive to Thanksgiving Point for a few fun minutes and oohs and aahs. While it may not have been as fascinating as either of the above, we were cozy and warm, not fearful of the next step in which our toes would fall off.

Song bird

Here's a few clips of Reagan in the holiday song mood. Note that no song is actually finished and sorry about the quality of the video as she's bouncing around. Gotta love "Jinger Bells" and "Frosty (who apparently was a happy, happy snow)". Her best is the Santa is Coming to town but she only knows one part and it can become quite annoying since it's over and over and over again! Notice how the songs interchange. Cute :O)

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Seriously....I have to sit here until I eat all my dinner?

It's starting already!

Don't you love the Sunday paper? Ads, ads and more ads. Especially during the holiday. Reagan found the Toys R Us ad, immediately pulled it out, spread it on the floor and began looking and pointing saying "I want that", "I want this". OMHeck!!!!How do kids learn these things!

Welcome Winter!

Today is December 1st and you would NEVER believe it. It was gorgeous outside today. Mike has Mondays off this December in exchange for the Saturday work (for the first time ever during a holiday). It's so awesome because I also have Mondays off so it's a bonus day together! Sunday night we put together a gingerbread house and I was reminded how someone as anal as myself should stay clear of messy, unpredictable projects like this that don't really mold together as wonderful as they appear on the package. After running errands and wrapping up the holiday shopping today, Mike got busy putting up the lights, while Reagan took a much needed nap and I was able to finish some sewing projects for gifts.

I think (hope) Christmas will be a blast this year. For the past week, all Reagan has wanted to do is go see Santa. I wanted to get a few weeks into the month before we went to see him. Tonight, we ventured out to Gardner Village for a tractor ride with Mrs. Claus and to see the Elves milling about. I thought it might also give us an indication as to if she would even walk into the same vicinity as Santa...she failed! She was fine sitting there watching her during the ride(however cautiously), but when we tried to get her to pose with Mrs. Claus, she was all about freaking out. Ahhh, the joys of the season.

Decorating the House

The finished project - and a kiss for Dad

The Blurry Mrs. Clause


Some of the cute (and semi-creepy) Elves

Mom and Reagan

Buddies

This is a cute picture from when my friend Jennifer was here from PA. We had a fun-filled few days with her and Reagan instantly took to Auntie Jenn. Reagan is such a ham anyway, but this picture is just cute!

Thankful Day Fest

We've had a busy few weeks with company here and then the holiday of feasting. And that we did. We stayed in Utah this year and went to Matt & Yvette's house. She cooked all of the food and it was so yummy. You know how nobody cooks like your mom used to cook for you?? Well Yvette can!!! She had a wonderful spread and we feasted over and over again. The girls had fun doing crafts and bugging each other :O) We braved the Black Friday wildness but I think I will have to retire from that. It is just insane and makes me so angry at people who are so disrespectful!

Cousins

Crafting

The Feast

For That I Am Thankful

Of course the holiday season is upon us and we all find ourself pondering that which we are grateful for. I like to think that I am grateful every day of each year. I try to be. I consider myself a "grateful, intuitive, thoughtful" person. So, since I've been thinking about the upcoming holidays, I would love to share some of my thankfulness.

Working in the medical field, I see things every day that make me thankful for my/my family's health, foremost, but also for my "luck" as fate would call it, with life in general. We see a lot of patients that have pretty much been unlucky their entire lives. Unlucky in anything and everything. I am reminded every day "I am SO blessed".

I am most thankful for my sweet daughter. That I have been entrusted with this amazing little person. That she chose me, as her mother, to lead her in this wicked world to teach her right from wrong, and hopefully all that is good in life. To love her, rock her, kiss her owies, smile when she does her first dance recital, wipe tears from her eyes for her first heartbreak, and send her out into the world. She brings so much joy, laughter, and love into out home and our lives. We waited awhile, and then waited while not wanting to wait, and in the end, she was more than worth the wait. She is all that is good in both of us. She has an amazing father. Anyone who knows Mike will agree to this. He was born to be a father. I always knew that about him and probably what most attracted me to him. He loves me in spite of my many, many faults. He never goes a day without saying how much he loves us and is lucky to have Reagan and I in his life and that means so much to me. He works hard to provide for us. To give us a warm, comfortable roof over our heads & food in our bellies. He is a kind-hearted, funny, loving individual he is my best friend.

I am thankful for my family. I have loving, forgiving, sacrificing parents. I have great brothers and sisters. Heidi is a great sister, friend, babysitter, but most of all a loving, loving Aunt to not only my child but all her nieces and nephews. Reagan lights up when she comes into the room. I know my brothers and sisters love me and my family. I would love to live closer to them all but I am grateful for the ones we do. The bonds we share, and the memories we can create. I'm blessed to have married into a family that I love as much as my own. Mike's parents are wonderful people. They have raised their kids to be successful, respectful, and loving individuals.

I also feel like I have been "lucky in friends". I have always been blessed with wonderful friends. From the time I was little to my present life, my friends have always been there to laugh with, cry with, fight with (and still love me), confess worries to, and most of all to love with. They've shared heartaches, joys, and sweet, sweet memories. Although life creates situations that are harder to keep in touch, I love them all. They hold special places and memories in my heart. What is life without friends!

I am thankful to a God, who made all this possible and that I know he will love me in spite of my imperfections. And for all of this...I am Thankful.

A Magical Day

Spending a day in a world of fairytales and imagination isn't so bad after all! Saturday we went with Heidi, Matt & Yvette and girls to Disney on Ice. Although Reagan is probably the only 2 year old there who has never watched a Disney movie, nor really knows anything about who the characters are, we thought she would have fun watching the excitement as they twirled and danced on the ice. She was a little unsure of the loud music at times but spent the rest of the evening talking about the characters and thinking we were going back the next day.
Aunt Heidi and Reagan





She looks thrilled right!

George

Meet George. George is all ready to go outside this blustery day. He could only stay out for a short while, however, because according to Reagan, "he got very very cold".

Self Portrait

As most children like to..Reagan loves to grab the camera and take pictures. I've saved a lot of them (to scrap or just laugh at) because they are very good shots. Just of odd things, her dolls bum, the toilet bowl, a cracker, etc. However, this was one I thought justified posting. Apparently, it's her "self portrait".

Halloween

Here are a few pictures from Halloween night. To our surprise, Reagan put her costume on first thing in the morning to go have a party at school and kept it on all day. She didn't even want to take it off that night. She had fun going to the houses around the neighborhood, although she was nearly in sugar shock from a fun-candy-filled day! As Reagan told Mike that night "This is the best Halloween ever"!

Fall Fun

As much as I love summer, sun, flip flops and ice cream, fall is a welcome breath of fresh air. We continue to have beautiful weather. I feel sorry for those that don't live around the gorgeous changing of the seasons :) We've tried to take every opportunity to be outside doing something because we know that cold weather, ice, and snow haunt the background. Last Saturday we went with friends to Thanksgiving Point. Their "farm yard" was doing a fun day of Halloween activities. The kids got to make fun things, we took a tractor ride, and of course, they got to ride the horses. We then traveled to Spanish Fork for a fun trick-or-treating down town with Matt's crew. Reagan put on her witch costume with little fuss and once it was all she was all about getting candy. (they learn at such a young age!). She's been carrying that thing around all week. She calls it her Halloween purse. Yes, the beloved rotten teeth purse! I had so many from last weekend I thought I would do a little video and I'm sure more Halloween pictures to follow. (you have to scroll all the way down and hit the pause button on the music player in order to shut off the auto music while you listen to the song with the video- sorry!)

P.S. Fun things she's said this week....

When she thought she peed her pants "oh, that sucks" (oops, gotta watch the language)
"Mom, stop acting like me"
When I tried to use a wipe after going potty "those are for babies"
Her new favorite word: Actually - she uses it a hundred times a day like "this is dad's car actually" or "actually I'll be right back" and tonight "actually I wonder why?"

What a fun age this is. She says crazy things every day that crack us up.

She has her first boyfriend and his name is Alex. Her teachers told me that she likes to tell him he's cute and even kisses him. Yikes! So then it became a joke that Mike would say "You only kiss daddy" and she laughs and says "I only kiss Alex". She's probably scaring the poor kid, not to mention HER parents.

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Carving Pumpkins

We carved our pumpkins the other night and Reagan was very excited. Me, on the other hand...icky! I won't touch raw meat so how on earth would you expect me to touch gooey, slimey, stinky pumpkin guts!! The raw meat I can get creative with arranging with all sorts of utensils, but I couldn't figure out a way to get the seeds and slime out of a pumpkin, so I was a willing onlooker. Reagan/Mike did a great job. Here's to Halloween.

Cookies, Witches, Pumpkins, Campfires & The Zoo..Whew!

It's been a gorgeous fall week. The weather is so perfect right now and you have to enjoy every second of the weather and the beautiful scenery.
This past week we spent a night making Halloween sugar cookies. Reagan is always a "big" help in the kitchen and she thought it was fun because I even let her crack the eggs (which consists of her squeezing them so hard they finally shatter and I spend a few minutes digging out the shells). She got to roll out the dough and stamp the cookies and even (only one) got to ice them. I forgot to take a picture of our final project, however, I'm sure that a few guys at Mike's work could testify of their yumminess since they eat them until they have a belly ache!






Saturday, Katie, Heidi, Reagan and I went to Gardner Village for the "Wee Witches Weekend". Always fun to go out here in the fall as they have really cute decor set up, and on weekends like this...ALWAYS A TOTAL MAD HOUSE". Anyone in Utah will have these pictures on their blog!! Reagan held true to form and was absolutely afraid of everything. So, as you can imagine, not very many cute pictures were taken. I'm guessing she's a no-go for Trick-or-Treating this year!!
A witch

Hurry and take the picture while I stand over here


After Rea's nap on Saturday we thought we would go to a "pumpkin patch". Much to our disappointment, it was pretty much just a huge field that had a million pumpkins dropped around and you got to walk around with thousands of others, to try to find a pumpkin. Not cute photo opportunity...but a pumpkin we bought.



Saturday night we pulled out our fire pit to roast hot dogs and make smores. Nothing like a camp fire in your own back yard!
Roastin' the Dog

Yummy!

Everyone say "Cheese"


Last but not least, we took a trip to Hogle Zoo today. It was SO perfect. The weather was great so the animals were out and active. Much, much better than trying to go in the summer when it is hot, sweaty, and miserable. Reagan loved it this time. Much more so than last year. She was excited to see all the animals and wanted to pet them all. When we were getting ready to leave she wanted to wear - well whatever she had on. Including the cowboy boots that she currently wants to wear with anything. I pursuaded her to at least change her shirt but the capris and boots stayed. Mike thinks they should make tags that you put on kids that say "I dressed myself today" :O)

Riding the Train

I thought this was cute because if you look closely the mommy monkey is snugglin' up to a sleeping baby monkey



I love this picture! She is looking down at the Gorilla's but my favorite thing is her feet. She has crossed her feet like this since she was born. Sleeping, sitting, etc. It's our little criss-cross