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!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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)

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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