Bugging

I'm frustrated with politics today. I'm frustrated with society in general, really. The politics are where we play out all of the other problems we face as a people. I'm anxious about how passionate the divide between parties, communities, ideologies and generations is becoming. I'm sad at the lack of civil discourse and seemingly common sense approach to solving our difficulties.

Each day the news seems to report a little more violence than the day before. More crime than the day before. More foreboding than the day before. Our reaction? Overreaction at the wrong causes for the effects we are witnessing. It is not a matter of more legislation or regulation that is needed in our country today - I should say world today, rather - but more personal responsibility. We need to accept responsibility for our actions, choices, opinions, voices, etc. We need to take at least a small amount of personal pride in how we conduct ourselves, what values we prize the most, and what principles are worth standing for. We need to forgo the superficial and refocus on the eternal.

For instance - there is the current gun control debate raging through our communities. Sparked up again by the horrible Newtown tragedy we find ourselves, as Americans, spewing at each other over what the solution is for such violent acts. Based on the noble cause of protecting our children and neighborhoods we have digressed to fighting like toddlers. Name calling, finger pointing, yelling without pausing to listen. Neither side is the enemy here - we all want what is best for our country and people. And like a true democracy we are privileged to work it out as a union; however, that is not what we are seeing.

In the midst of all this conflict I find myself exasperated by the arguments deployed. It is true - I fall more on the conservative right when it comes to gun control. I believe whole heartedly in the validity of the Constitution of these United States. I hold true that the founding fathers were inspired from God on High when it was written and ratified. The 2nd Amendment is not there to allow for crime and violence, but to protect us as citizens from the very government types we came to America to escape from. How does a revolution take place with unarmed citizens? I am not crying out for a modern revolution - I am just defending the need for that 2nd Amendment.

Those on the side of stricter gun control argue that we do not need more than simple rifles to go hunting or shoot for sport. The problem is they are reigning in the 2nd Amendment to cover only the right for such activities. I'm sorry - I just do not believe the founding fathers would have thought hunting such an important right that we needed a constitutional amendment to protect it. It goes far deeper than that. I am not a conspiracy theorist. I do not believe President Obama is going to try to take over our nation and make us bow down to the United Nations, or something of that sort. But, in all honesty, who really saw Hitler coming? Who saw Stalin's reach until it was almost too late? Back in the 1700's who foretold us laymen fighting a war against the entire British Army? We cannot know everything - we cannot predict the future or what enemies we may encounter, both of the human kind or others. The 2nd Amendment is there to protect and provide for us. I, for one, am not willing to disband it.

On the other hand, I realize that people are scrambling for answers to today's violence. I do not blame them. It is scary out there. I am frightened at how much worse it's going to get. The unfortunate part is that those members of our society who inflict this terror are not going to press pause due to more regulation. It has been illegal to kill since the start of time - yet, does that stop them? If someone truly wants to harm another being, cause havoc, wreak terror and ultimately break the law they are going  to do so with whatever means they can drudge up. Why then continue to regulate and infringe on the liberties of the rest of us? Law abiding citizens are already doing their duty when it comes to owning weapons. We are already being responsible. Why must we be handcuffed for the crimes another committed?

This debate, and the many others we face today, is a difficult one. I do not envy those on Capital Hill who are sent to make the final decisions. They do not have an easy job. That does not, however, give them permission to do so poorly at the tasks they have before them. Let us breathe, pause and try to work together. Let us demand better listening ears from our representatives. Let us require that common sense and decency prevail in our legislative and judicial halls. Let us call for civil, respectful discourse and action.

Personal responsibility, family responsibility, good parenting, forgiveness, kindness, respect - all those basic, fundamental principles that have long been widely accepted in our society are eroding. That is the CAUSE of the EFFECTS. We are creating our own problems through our irreverence for morality and values. This is paraded out in our political spheres. As Americans, we have created the closest thing to a perfect union in the history behind us. We can fix those tears we face. I have faith we can do it again. We just need to remember our history, learn from it, respect each other, and - most importantly - do not alienate that God who blessed us with this country in the first place.

Big Changes

Ellinor is officially a big girl! She has fully transitioned into a 'big girl' bed as of last night. I am ridiculously emotional about this change. Last night I was a bucket of tears and snot (very glamorous, you know). But I digress - I should start from the beginning.

Almost 2 weeks ago now we left for a quick trip to Redding, CA to visit Bryan's parents (Barry and Lyne). They had kindly set up a beautiful guest room for us to stay in at their home, complete with adorable toddler bed for little Miss Ellinor. I had been told prior to the trip that they had a bed for her instead of the crib we used last time. I was nervous. I told Bryan that this would probably mess with her sleeping habits because she had always been in a crib (and she is normally such an amazing sleeper that I would defend her schedule/habits to the death. haha) but when in Rome... :) While in Redding Ellinor did alright with the bed - she loved it, but wouldn't stay in it for long at all. And wasn't too keen on napping. I was hoping this was just a combination of the excitement of being at Grandma and Grandpa's house and the fact that Bry and I were sleeping in the same room as her. Why sleep in your own bed when you can crawl into mom and dad's so easily?

I didn't think much of it when we headed back home and Ellinor crashed per usual in her crib our first night back in UT. Undoubtedly due to utter exhaustion from 5 days of vacationing. And then it started - the next night brought on bloody murder screaming when we put her in the crib. And I am not exaggerating AT ALL. She just absolutely refused to be put back in her prison cell (or so it seemed to her). Oh man - I was panicked. These days I am so exhausted by bed time that the idea of fighting with my almost 2 year old was the least appealing thing in the world. We tried cry it out, soothing her every 10 minutes or so, rocking her and singing until she passed out. There were many moments when Ellinor was fast asleep on us but woke up angrily when we approached the crib. It was her 6th sense. We finally broke down on the 2nd night of this drama and removed her crib mattress from the frame and made Ellinor a bed on the floor. She didn't scream when placed on this, but then we had the perpetual chasing game every time she ran out of her room.

Needless to say it was a long few nights. We brainstormed and guessed that the crib mattress on the floor felt too much like a game, versus her bed. So we took the front frame off the crib, put the mattress back on and made a makeshift toddler bed. This went over much better with little miss. We still had a few back and forth escapes but it only lasted about 35-40 minutes this time around. And so we were content with this sleeping arrangement for a couple of days. Nap time was a different story - I had to allow her to fall asleep in my bed and then move her.

 I make this sound so dramatic, but really Ellinor is a champ. We only had a couple of days where I was at my wits end (and even then, the horror story was nothing compared to what I hear from some parents). I called my parents on Sunday night and asked for the magic secret. They laughed and wished us all the best. :) LOL. But after those couple of days Ellinor started doing really well. Eventually I got her to nap in her own bed, falling asleep in it from the beginning - sure it took about 1.5 hours to get there but I counted it as successful. 

Finally Bryan and I decided to just skip using a toddler bed set up and go right to the twin bed. We didn't want to deal with another transition in a few months. With baby sister coming soon it will be plenty of change already. We took Ellinor shopping for some fun bedding, which she was very excited about. She oohed and aahed for a bit and seemed happy with the choice. Last night Bry picked up the mattress and frame on his way home from work and the excitement began. Ellinor was her usual helpful self and insisted on building the frame with Bryan - causing him to work extra hard to miss little fingers. :) She also pranced around on the mattress for awhile and immediately tested out it's capacity for jumping on it. I believe it passed with flying colors!

Don't mind her outfit - she wanted to wear her high heels which apparently required removing her PJs :)

Ellinor helped us set up the bed in her room, get all her new bedding on it - she even insisted on throwing a purple stuffed bear up there for good measure. SHE LOOKS SO TINY on the big girl bed. I about lost it! She's still my baby - how can she be in such a big bed?! We did our usual bed routine, tucked her in and I settled down by her to sing and help her to fall asleep. I couldn't even get through Itsy-Bitsy Spider without crying. She started doing all the motions with me and I was completely overcome with how quickly my little 3.7 pound infant has turned into this beautiful, tenacious, smart  toddler. It has just flown by too quickly. I'm not ready to think of her as the BIG kid yet - as much as I love watching her grow and learn I equally miss holding my first little baby.

Our tiny BIG girl

Trying it out

Reading a bedtime story to Daddy

I'm sure Bryan thought I'd lost it completely - I was leaking mascara down my face, puffing up like nobody's business and had to lock myself in the bathroom to clean up all the uncontrollable snot. Total ugly crying. But I'm good now - and happy to report that Ellinor did AMAZING last night. We only worked for about 35 minutes to finally get her to stay in bed and fall asleep and she didn't make an appearance in our room until 6am. She usually just runs in and stands by one of our sides - looking at us but not making any noise. It's kind of adorable. LoL. We missed her so much by then so I pulled her into bed at this morning's wake up call and let her finish the night with us.

We are excited that this transition is going so smoothly - thankfully! Because I couldn't have handled it any other way, I'm sure of it. We truly are blessed with the perfect little darling - as perfect as a toddler can be. ;)

Colors!

I have finally decided on a color scheme for baby girl's room -

Pink, Gray and Green. I think it should be pretty darling! I'm excited to pick out the paint, figure out a design for the walls and get started. Poor Bryan - he has a lot of work ahead of him. ;) Thank goodness he is so incredibly awesome and carries out the 'honey-do' list without a complaint to be found. Have I mentioned I love him?

I had my 30 week appointment today for baby girl. Her last ultrasound looked like all was well, but it turns out her growth is a bit concerning. She looks to be at least a week behind compared to the ratio of growth she had at the last ultrasound - not a huge issue on its own, but if her growth continues to slow down or never catches up it will compound on itself. She is just not where they want her to be. I have an appointment with a perinatologist on Feb 26th for a special follow up ultrasound and consultation. There is a chance that my genetics just make for small babies, but with the two-vessel cord situation the growth is something to be concerned about. Not going to lie - I'm pretty stressed. While being reassured at every corner by our doctors and the percentages of healthy babies with 2-vessel cords I was sure we would finish out this pregnancy without any bumps. Already having regular ultrasounds every 4-6 weeks keeps the possible issues on my mind, and now being referred to a specialist because there is bit of a red flag is just so fun. In the realm of everything that could happen we are extremely lucky. That doesn't erase the stress and worry from us mamma's though, does it? With Ellinor's situation at her birth we are on extra high alert already. Prayers all is well and baby girl has caught up by this next ultrasound!

We are currently transitioning Ellinor from crib to big girl bed - post coming soon!

Noses and Tap Dancing

Husbands are the best. They just are. Bryan Foster is amazing and I love, love, love him. Enough said.

I had an ultrasound this morning to check on little miss. She is doing so well! At least, as far as the tech could see. She did really seem to know her stuff so I am embracing her assessment. :) We will have the full radiologist's feedback at my appointment this upcoming Tuesday. Baby is running a little on the small side but it doesn't seem to be because of any health concerns. I think I'm just destined to have little angels. Hopefully slightly bigger than Ellinor this time around though. ;) From the pictures we received at the ultrasound we can already tell she has the same nose Ellinor and I share. They are going to look so much alike. I AM SO EXCITED. Yesterday I was having anxiety about the changes a 2nd child will bring and the amount of work. Seeing her again today, though, reassured me that this is the plan and everything is going to be perfect. Cannot wait to meet her!

I've said it many times before and I know I will say it again - Ellinor is a natural born dancer. She just has to move and groove. She has recently been given tap shoes. Let me just say this was a big day in her little life. She adores them! I keep them in her dress up box and she insists on wearing them every day and dancing up a storm. When she got the shoes in Redding she had to be taken in the backyard promptly so she could tap on the deck. Now she is good with using the kitchen floor for her stage. IT IS ADORABLE. Ellinor is amazing. I love watching her dance. I hope she will continue to dance and enjoy it as much for the rest of her life - and I'm crossing my fingers that her confidence about the whole thing never wanes.

Here is a video link - trust me, you want to watch it. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywgsP0xEEBM&list=UUUe6ShzH_JmpzYcqBTIEdiw&index=1

There's A Shakespeare Quote about this...

Names - they are a tricky thing. We didn't have too much trouble picking out Ellinor's name. Although Bryan later admitted to not liking the name until he saw it together with our little girl. It just seemed to click so perfectly.

I think Evelyn is still the winner. Nothing else pops for us. Literally hundreds of names have been poured over, multiple times, and not a single one stands out above the rest - other than Evelyn. I suppose that is our answer right there. Perhaps it is time to just let it all go. If it doesn't seem right when we hold this second little one we will figure it out. But for now Evelyn feels the best.

Thank goodness my only real worry at this time is whether the name we have chosen is good enough for our daughter!! Haha - what a blessed life we live.

California Blues

We are home - back to the frozen tundra. ;)

Redding was a nice getaway. I was sick for the entirety of the trip, but I enjoyed the clear air and warm temperatures anyhow. California weather really has a way of sucking you in. If it weren't for their pesky politics and financial issues I think we would be relocating ASAP. :)

We always love visiting with family. I especially like to see Ellinor strengthening her relationship with her grandparents. I have always known my grandparents pretty well and I hope to keep that going for our children. There is just something special about grandmas and grandpas - every little girl needs them in her life! They are magic - I swear it. ;) Plus, Bryan and I both happen to really like our parents. We need to see them just as much!

The air quality is horrible in this state. You wouldn't expect UT's air to be the worst in the country, but due to our valley sitting in a nice geographical bowl we are! I used to not think much of it, but my cough was returned with a vengeance just since getting back in town yesterday. It was all but gone when we left Redding; alas, I am hacking up a storm yet again. At least I know the antibiotics should be keeping me from getting worse. Yay for doctors and meds!

I get to visit with Evelyn during an ultrasound this Friday. :) Pretty excited to see her again! I am 29 weeks and the reality of this little girl's impending arrival is almost overwhelming! There is so much to be done still - not to mention the mental and emotional preparation for bringing another addition into our home. I am thrilled to be blessed with another daughter. It's a weird feeling to know that in a matter of a couple of months I will have two girls to dote on - I'm just hoping Ellinor handles the transition well. Actually, let's be honest - Ellinor is a champ. She will welcome Evelyn and be her amazing self as she always as. So, the hope is that Bryan and I handle the transition well. Haha.

"Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Popcorn Popping" are our new favorite activities. Ellinor has mastered all of the hand movements for the songs and LOVES to sing them. I'm seldom happier than when we sing these songs together. I just get so thrilled watching her learn - not to mention proud in how smart she is. ;) My baby is no longer a baby, but rather a toddler. While bittersweet to lose my sweet infant Ellinor, this new stage is absolutely fantastic!

OK - goal for this weekend. Finally pick a bumper or fabric to work off of for Evelyn's room. I need to get this ball rolling!!

Did I Just Do That?

Well, we have hit the 28th week mark! Wowzers! I thought my first pregnancy flew by but this one takes the cake. It must have something to do with that toddler that I'm chasing all day - after all, my entire universe revolves around her at the moment.

My alarm went off at 7am this morning. It was a nightmare; one that I had carefully scheduled, but a nightmare nonetheless. I hate mornings. Really truly hate. And my current stage of exhaustion these days makes a 7am wake up call pretty abhorrent. But hey, first world problems right?! Anyhow - I headed to the doctor for my usual 4 week check up. This one was a special occasion though. The glucose screening! When pregnant with Ellinor this test went off without a hitch. I didn't even think the drink tasted bad. So I pranced into my appointment ready to go and then get on with my day. I guzzled the orange dream in about 2 minutes and so the hour timer began before the blood draw. I was only in with my doctor for 5 minutes - a pretty routine check up - then headed down the hall of the medical building to the lab. I was prepared with my Abe Lincoln biography, solitaire on my phone and a lobby of magazines to get me through the 45 minute wait.

Lucky for me (just a tad sarcastic there) the lab was having a busy morning - barely a seat in the house to choose from. I settled in and began to read. Suddenly the nausea ship set sail - and I mean it really came on quick! I told myself not to panic. After all, I hadn't had a problem with this stuff last time around. 5 minutes later I started getting shaky. Then my head felt feverish. When the sweating kicked in I knew I was toast. As luck would have it there was another pregnant lady in the lab's restroom. I wasn't about to vomit in the crowded lobby's garbage can. I tried to discreetly gather my things and head out the door - basically dying in my effort to not upchuck on the couple coming through the door at the exact time of my exit. I WAS PANICKING. No restroom available and no privacy for the next foreseeable yardage. I raced down the hall and vomited into the first garbage can I could find - a small one propping the door open to the elevator lobby. It was uncontrollable - and those of you who know me, I have no gag reflex so it's like moving heaven and earth for me to throw up.

After the horror had passed I snapped around and took a perimeter check. What a blessing! In this bustling medical building not another soul was in the lobby to witness my embarrassment. And let me tell you, I was dying. I'm a lady. I don't THROW UP IN PUBLIC. This is where the real charmer comes in - I had to use the inside of my jacket to wipe my mouth. I felt like Ellinor at that moment, just using whatever I had on. Haha. I made my way back into the lab and found an empty restroom. I quickly snagged it and cleaned myself up. I wasn't too much of a mess actually, thank goodness - I just won't mention what I had to get out of a few strands of my hair. Rinsed my mouth best I could, brushed my hair and waltzed out as if no big thing had just happened.

I sat back down in the lobby and tried not to pass out - extreme body shakes, nausea and fatigue kept me company for the rest of my wait. I was given the OK to continue with the test and submitted to the blood draw at the required time.

My mom assures me this is a common occurrence with pregnant women and the glucose drink. I am still mortified a bit. The joys of pregnancy. This time around it has really thrown me for a loop. Hopefully all comes back well from the results and I do not have to go through this again. Fingers crossed!!

On a happy note, all looks well with baby girl! :) We are now in the final countdown. An appointment every 2 weeks moving forward to check on things. My next ultrasound is Jan 25th. I am looking forward to seeing her again! I am starting to get both really excited and anxious about my impending due date. I have the nesting bug, that's for sure. Time to sew, paint and organize!

News

I may stop watching the news. That would be hard for me - I like to feel at least somewhat informed about the world's happenings. But I tend to get either extremely sad or irritated after every news cast I tune in to. Last night Bry and I were discussing all this drama over the gun control debate. We are not for extremely restrictive laws or outright banning of guns, but this whole issue has gotten bloated. Obviously it inflames a lot of passions across the board - and the tragedy at Newtown brought those passions back to the forefront of public discussion. But rather than come together as a unified country, we are polarizing ourselves even further. It's frustrating - but just as I feel strongly about my opinions, I can't blame the other side for the same. I suppose I'm just wishing we could have more intelligent debates.

It's good to keep up on the news though. I would love to live in bliss but not if it means ignorance. The frustration really boils down to my feeling that I cannot make a difference, no matter how strongly I feel one way or the other about the issues at hand. I feel like I could contribute somehow - but in what way? I'm just another person in this country. So, I've decided that my contribution and service is how I raise my children. I will teach Ellinor and Evelyn all of the important values that seem to be disappearing ever more rapidly in our world. I will strive to mold them into amazing, helpful, kind, loving and smart citizens. If every home had that as its goal, we may just find these world issues resolving themselves.

The Gospel and church leaders have had it right all along - true success has to be achieved in our home. Without loving, strong families there really are no solutions to the calamities on the news. I will try to focus on the Gospel, my family and the important things that transcend the superficial of this world. Maybe this way watching the news won't be so intolerable. Or it will - in that case, I just pray harder. ;)

Boredom is in Perception

Bry called me this morning to report the craziness he found at the gym - all the New Years Resolution members had descended in droves with new resolve. It's one thing to have a busy gym, another to wait in line for 20 minutes for each machine. Anyway, after reporting about his escape from the madness he asked what Ellinor and I were up to for the day - my report took all of 3 seconds. It was only 10:30am and we had accomplished all chores for the day, played and had snack. I reported that my highly exciting life left a wide berth of unfilled time for the day - sarcastically highlighting my boredom already.

That's when Sleeping Beauty rescued me. After hanging up with Bryan Ellinor bade me follow her to her room. I dutifully tagged along and she promptly dumped out her dress up trunk, patted the ground for me to sit by her, and began excitedly showing me every item that was in the upended trunk. She was thrilled to be playing with these dress up accessories for the 90th time - no boredom present in her beautiful face. We proceeded to dress up all of her Clifford and Friends stuffed animals, which she thought was the funniest thing in the world. Then I helped her into her outfit of choice - the Sleeping Beauty top, Cinderella skirt, earrings and church shoes. Ellinor pranced in front of her mirror, hugged and lined up her stuffed animal friends and had a great time frolicking in her room; never forgetting to turn around and include her mamma in the fun.

I was struck by how much fun I was having watching Ellinor enjoy herself so. I love seeing her happy and listening to her laugh. Taking pictures of her adorable faces and videoing the funny way she talks these days. How could I possibly have thought we'd have the most boring day in the world? How can a day be boring with an almost 2 year old? Sure - dishes, cleaning, the lunch routine, diaper changing - some of my daily activities may not make it on the glamorous, exciting scale, but Ellinor ALWAYS makes my life feel more exciting. I love her to pieces. I need to be more grateful that I am home with her to experience her life. I don't have to miss out on any of it. How lucky am I?!

As I sit here typing she has reached the refrigerator door and filled a toy cup to overflowing with water. I should go clean her up. But she is LOVING that she got the water all by herself. I will let her have a few more minutes of triumph before locking the water dispenser. :)

Anniversaries and Resolutions

I posted all about it on Facebook, but I need to make an entry about it as well. Bryan and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary last Saturday! 5 years! Wow! Some days I cannot believe 5 years have already gone by and some days it seems a little more fitting. ;) I'm so thrilled to say that I am happier today than I thought possible. Bry and I were married 2.5 months after meeting on a blind date - it was a whirlwind time. I'm sure it appears crazy that we married so quickly - even we look back on that time and laugh at how little of each other we really knew. The important stuff was known though and I knew that Heavenly Father sent this man to me - so we took a leap of faith and married for time and eternity. I haven't regretted it one bit. I love this man more than I can say and I am grateful to know that he is mine forever. 

This year's anniversary day was pretty low-key. Life was just settling down after the Christmas holiday and I've been battling a pretty gross cold for the last week. We exchanged cards in bed right after waking up. Bry popped out of bed all of the sudden and came back with the best surprise - my engagement ring!! Just a week earlier I had gone to my jewelry case to put my rings on and found them missing! I freaked out and did a complete, frantic house search that day. It was nowhere and Bry swore he hadn't seen it. I even made him dig through the trash bins (both inside and outside the house) just in case. Needless to say I had been sad all week thinking I wouldn't ever see my wedding rings again. Turns out this sly guy had taken them into the jeweler for my anniversary surprise. He had the original engagement ring replated, bought me a new diamond wedding band, and then had the 2 rings joined together. I WAS SHOCKED and so RELIEVED to open that little white box and see them. They look just BEAUTIFUL! I quickly forgave him for scaring me so - shiny things have a way of making that happen. ;) 

My anniversary gift to Bry was his .22 rifle - seeing as how I know little about the characteristics of gun brands and such, he had to pick out his own gift. LOL. I think he ended up with one that makes him pretty happy though. We went to lunch at PF Changs (a tradition each year as we both ate there for the first time during our honeymoon in Seattle), did some shopping together and just enjoyed each other's company. It was nice to have a few hours of uninterrupted time, knowing that Ellinor was safe at home with Aunt Becca. We love Aunt Becca and appreciate her willingness to babysit for us - she is the best! The rest of the evening was spent relaxing at home with our beautiful daughter and just enjoying our little family. Bryan and I really do feel blessed - our lives are tremendous. We absolutely love each other, we adore Ellinor and are thrilled to be welcoming Evelyn soon. 5 years of marriage has treated us quite well!

As for 2013, I was thinking about New Year's Resolutions, and there are just a few things I'd like to work on. Some of them I started already in 2012 and I want to make sure I don't lose sight of them.

- Continue to read my scriptures each day

- Read more good books. I'm starting with "A. Lincoln" - quite the lengthy biography on the president

- Spend the next few months doing more quality activities with Ellinor. Enjoy our time together with just her before another sibling joins the fray. :)

- Try to cook more for my family - and healthier meals. I'm not crazy cool enough to make my own bread every day or rid our kitchen of all processed foods. But I will try harder to incorporate more real food into our diets. 

- Have more fun!!!!

- Remember to be grateful EVERY DAY

That's about it for now. Don't get me wrong - I have a million things I need to work on and do better. But that would be a ridiculous feat to document all those. Haha. 

Christmas 2012

Wow - Christmas flew by!! I still cannot believe it's over and time to put all the decorations away. Between having all the family in town and then getting sick right after the holiday I have been procrastinating many things - like blogging, putting away the Christmas tree, going anywhere in general. It's time to get things rolling again. So, here is a quick post about our Christmas 2012!

Let's just say it was wonderful! All of my family came into town (immediate family) and camped at my house for a few days. It was a bit of crazy chaos going from 3 people to 12 people every day but I loved every second of it. Ellinor was basically in heaven - numerous people enamored with her and open to obeying her every command. She never ran out of entertainment or play mates for the week. And everyone thought she was just amazing - heaven, I tell you. ;)

Basically the bodies fell where we could find room at night for sleeping and we somehow managed to cook some fabulous meals in my little kitchen. Thank you mom and dad for your culinary skills! They are amazing. Jeff also cooked a mean breakfast Christmas morning, so a shout out to him. I can tell you that having other people here to help cook some great food was Christmas enough for me. As per tradition, holidays and family gatherings revolve around the food and this year was no let down. We had so many goodies left over after the holiday that we have had to hide them and put Ellinor on a bit of a sugar fast. I have to admit, Bry and I let her have plenty of freedom when it came to treats over Christmas. We figured it only happens once a year, so it couldn't hurt too bad to just let her have some fun. Now I am trying to get her back on a normal eating schedule period - such a stinker she is! LoL.

There as plenty of game playing (Apples to Apples, and Xbox after Christmas morning - but poker took the cake) to be had, hanging out watching whatever football game or random show was turned on, and tramping through the snow. This year we had a nice white Christmas - and then the snow just didn't seem to want to stop. But, it was fun for Seth and Caleb to get some sledding time. Ellinor LOVES playing outside in all weather. She looks pretty darn cute in her snow gear too. I ventured out for a bit on the first day of snow play, but then enjoyed my nice warm home after that. ;)

We enjoyed our traditional Christmas Eve Shepherd's dinner - we basically picnic on the floor eating a meal that could have been had by the shepherd's that Christmas Eve night (with a few modern additions thrown in like salad dressing and sparkling cider). After we eat we read the Christmas story in Luke and try to ponder a bit on the true meaning of this beautiful holiday. This year Mom also sang 'Oh Holy Night' for us - have I mentioned she is amazing?! I teared up a bit - nothing like a stunning voice and Christmas hymn to bring on the spirit. Plus, I just missing hearing my mom sing since no longer living at home.

Christmas morning was fun! We were all up by about 7:30am and hung out for a bit while Jeff, some some assistance from Bryan, whipped up a great breakfast. We enjoyed the feast and then gathered downstairs in the formal room to watch Ellinor discover her Santa present - a kitchen! Let me just say it was the biggest hit ever. Good job Santa! ;) But she was then so preoccupied with playing chef that she literally refused her other presents. Did not want to open them or acknowledge them in any way. After about 35 minutes or so she finally came around and we could coax her into opening them. Such a funny girl. She made out like a bandit this year!

We spent Christmas day enjoying each other's company, playing with our new gifts, and preparing the big feast. It was lovely! I am so sad to see it go for another year, but I am overwhelmingly grateful to have my beautiful family. It was incredible spending time with all of them - including our new addition, Becca's fiance Nick. I was thrilled Andrew and Jeff could make it up from Vegas and Dad was able to spend more than 1 day in town. :) MISSING THEM ALL so much already.

Lights at Temple Square

Surrounded by presents but only had eyes for her kitchen

Waking Up Christmas Morning

Quality time with Uncle Andrew's dogs

Seeing her kitchen for the first time

Poker on Christmas Eve - yep, that's how we do it :)

Shepherds Dinner

Trying to sneak presents early

Girl time!

Love all these boys

Merry Christmas!