White Christmas

Finally - it's been a while since I remember having a white Christmas, probably since the year we moved back here. I was shoveling snow today, I don't really mind it - it was nice to get outside for a few minutes. This was the view from the sidewalk. I love it!


We also took Miss Peanut to meet Santa this year - last year she was really little and I wasn't brave enough yet to go to the mall on my own with a newborn. She didn't say she wanted anything, so...just kidding. She did really good, just long enough to get a picture, then she realized she was out of the stoller and tried to make a run for it. Stinker! She is everywhere these days.

Christmas Letter 2008

To make up for my lack of Christmas letter with our Christmas card this year I'm just going to do a little recap on our blog. If you visit the blog you probably know some of it already, so feel free to skim.

I'm so proud of Officer for all that he has accomplished in the last year. Your probationary year as an officer is pretty brutal. Rough hours, lots of paperwork, lots of tough training officers, but he has done exceptionally well and loves his career. He does come home totally exhausted most days, but he still truly enjoys his career. It's kind of fun for him to come home and watch the news and say, yeah I arrested that person, or helped with that accident. Last week he even changed a tire for a little older couple; he really goes above and beyond what is required of him. Now that he's done with all the training, he has had more time outside of work to things he enjoys. He plays "church-ball" everyweek; it's hard to understand all the injuries that happen, but he keeps going back. We were able to spend a week in California this summer skin-diving with his family and in October he was able to spend a week hunting with his dad. He's also pretty handy around the house and I appreciate all his help with "honey dos." In October he and his dad even poured concrete to extend our patio.

I celebrated my 28th birthday this week and I was thinking about what I did ten years ago - I turned 18. I know that I knew "everything" at eighteen, but I don't know that I had a clue what the next ten years would bring. This year, I'm especially grateful to be at home with Peanut. After working full time for so long I was really nervous about staying at home full time. It has definately been a transition, but I a truly blessed to able to be home with her. I guess that has encompassed most of my 2008; I'm finally feeling like I'm finding my niche in the stay at home mommy world. Being home I've been able to find more time to read, I planted a garden again this summer, and I've done a few crafty things and sewing projects, with help from my mom of course. I got a sewing machine from Officer and my goal next year is to get better at using it. I've also had a lot of fun being a cub scout leader and I even managed to start running again.

Peanut if seriously the greatest joy of our lives. Sometimes we still can't believe we're parents; the time just goes so fast. Peanut is into everything; she's so curious and so smart. I love that she can tell me what she needs with a few signs she knows. I'm trying to teach her how to tell me when she needs to go potty because she really is nearly potty trained. I won't be giving up diapers until she's a little older, but using less is so nice. She learned how to blow kisses last week and she is doing really well at copying sounds that we say. We're working on what animals say, but the only one she knows really well is an elephant, of all things. She is good at being quiet when we say prayers, but Officer has made a habit of getting excited after we say "amen." It's great because she is proud that she has been quiet, but it was funny last week at church, it was fast and testimony meeting, and everytime someone would say "amen" Peanut would squeal. It's so hard to keep from laughing cause it's so cute!

We know that our little family has been so blessed this year. We love you all and hope that you enjoy this Christmas season!

Oh Christmas Tree

When we bought out house - I loved that it had a formal living room, I called it my Christmas tree room. It took a few years before I got it all decorated, but now that it is done I think one of my very favorite things to do this time of year is sit there and enjoy my tree. It's just a little tree, and it's fake - I know a real tree is so much better, I don't disagree. Someday we'll do the real tree thing, but this was easier this year. We added a little extra height to it, so that Peanut can only reach the bottom where I have jingle bells and stuff she is constantly ooh-ing over. Anyway there is nothing better than snuggling up in a blanket with something warm to drink, (Tangent: vanilla steamers - that's also a favorite, not so much the hot cocoa; Officer goes for the spiced cider) all the lights out except for the tree and enjoying the stillness.

Checking it Twice

If your address has changed since last year, please let me know. I'm updating my address list before I send out Christmas cards. Thanks!

Happy Birthday and Happy Thanksgiving!

In addition to Thanksgiving this week we also celebrated Peanut's 1st Birthday, November 26th. ! I can't believe how fast it's gone! Here are a couple pictures of my teeny Peanut.

Lots of family and friends came to help her celebrate her birthday. We had yummy soups for dinner and ate a giant star cupcake - cake.

And she had a cake just for her! She wasn't quite as messy as she was with her cousins' cake a couple weeks ago.

She got lots of new toys and cute clothes, but the next morning her favorite gift was still balloons that Officer brought home for her.

After the party was over I got started on baking pies for Thanksgiving - I spent most of 24hrs in the kitchen. I made 2 pots of soup, baked 2 loaves of french bread, 48 cupcakes, 2 pumpkin pies and 1 apple pie, 2 pans of stuffing and...I think thats it. Officer made me take a picture of the pumpkin pie (his family LOVES pumpkin pie and he wanted to make them jealous I think - it was a yummy pie) Baking is great, but I'm glad I didn't have to cook the turkey. Needless to say it was a busy couple days. It was nice to sit and enjoy Thanksgiving day with my family.

We are grateful for so much, but especially all the little things that happen around our house and make us laugh. Here are just a few

Totally off subject because I am so grateful for the home I have, but I found my dreamhouse and the picture of it was uploaded with all the birthday pictures. I'd love to build this home on a couple acres somewhere - but probably just in my dreams.

We are the proud parents of a toddler.

Can you believe it?! She's really a toddler now! Where did the time go? We'll celebrate her 1st birthday next week.

Before and After

5months since we first started the helmet and we've mad lots of progress - we're thinking that it will only be a couple more months unitl we're done.

Mmmmm.....

Mmmmm... Those were her words as she got her first ice cream cone. It was one of those teeny kiddie cones and she finished the whole thing all by herself. Such a big girl already.

This going to be a long post - just to let you know!

Forgive me for my lack of blogs the past couple weeks. I've been trying to spend less time on the computer and more time doing other stuff so my blogging may be a little more infrequent. In attempt to catch up yet again - I'll start with Halloween. I dressed up miss Peanut as a Martian again and we decided to take homemade bread rather than treats and visit a few earthling friends.
When I loaded her into our car she kept looking at herself in her little mirror like "something's different mom". Really funny to watch.
On our little adventure out, I took my little martian on a trip to visit grandpa at work and happened to run into her astronaut cousin - you can see that it was a peaceful encounter.

The next morning bright and early we left on a flight to sunny Arizona. My brother agreed to drop us off at the airport -Thanks again cause it was really, really early. Peanut is still an awesome traveler! I think I've been bragging about her lately - cause hello she's an angel - most of the time. Of course she got a little restless, but to be expected.

Officer's brother and family live in Mesa and we hadn't seen all their kids in about two years so we really wanted to just go hang out with them. They also had twin cousins for Miss Peanut (and us) to meet and they celebrated their 1st birthday while we were there. We got to go to the Pheonix Zoo just after we arrived - sorry no pictures I camera was packed in a bag somewhere. Of course Phoenix Zoo is huge compared to our local zoo and it was so nice to be out in the sunshine now that its getting colder at home. It did get hot for all the little ones and they had this water feature play area for the kids. They were all soaked, but it cooled them off. Officer and I were able to visit the Mesa Temple, I did a little ribbon shopping and the boys all went hunting one afternoon, but most of our trip we just wanted to hang out with the family.

The twins celebrated their 1st birthday and after they had their fun with cake we gave Peanut a trial run since her birthday is in 2 weeks. I started her with a cupcake just to see how it would go. Um - so after she ATE the entire cupcake we let her go at the cake (Rhett would hardly touch his cake - we couldn't let it go to waste). Her birthday will be fun!

I am amazed watching my sister-in-law keeping up with 6 kids. With them living in AZ I haven't been able to spend all that much time with her so it was really fun to get to know her better. She also taught me how to make bows - silly I know, but she has it down and they are so cute, so I picked up a new talent. Here are a couple modeled by Peanut - she wasn' t that thrilled that Gabe was holding her and wouldn't look at the camera, but you can see the bows really well. Other than making bows - I just loved watching all the kids play together. I hardly saw Peanut most of the time because she was right there following the twins.

I had to censor the cutey bootey!

One night we all went out for pizza at Organ Stop Pizza. The kids totally loved it. They were all boppin' to the music.

Mitch and Peanut were swapping sippies the whole week - what is so interesting about some one else's sippy - I don't get it. Lucky for us Peanut didn't get sick. My poor sister- in-law! When we left her she had 3 barfing kids and was still knee deep in laundry after 10 loads. It was a sad way to end our visit, but we totally enjoyed the trip. I'm sure they're all feeling better now - we miss you guys!

Parental Bragging rights

I don't really know the etiquette for a parents' bragging so without tact - I just have to brag about Miss Peanut. I have had so many friend that struggle with potty training - I laugh usually with them about their potty training mishaps, so I decided that we would start early mostly with the idea that that way she won't freak out about it. Now I think, my daughter is exceptional in all things of course, what parent doesn't, inlcuding her temper, determination, stubborness call it what you want - she knows what she wants. Anyway, she totally wakes up dry most mornings. So...about two weeks ago I bought a little potty and when she wakes up we set her on the potty with a couple toys and she does her thing. AMAZING!!!! Every morning for 2 weeks!!!!! Since the first few days went well we have been adding after naps and before bathtime. HELLO - #1 and #2 everyday for almost 2 weeks. This could of course totally backfire at some point, but for now it's nice to only change a handful of dirty diapers. Okay less of the potty talk. She also folds her arms now when we say prayers. I don't care who you are - that's cute, and sweet! These little ones are so intelligent and so precious. She also discovered belly buttons and just took her first official steps last night - and she is so much more brave today about letting go. I was unloading the dishwasher and suddenly I see these little pink ruffle-bum jammies wobbling towards me. She's growing up way too fast. I love being a mommy!

Trunk or Treat

We kind of decided last minute to go to our Ward's Trunk or treat last weekend. I kind of thought it would be closer to Halloween - eh, that and Miss Peanut decided to get some serious snottage from her nose from teething. TANGENT Poor thing - I 'm ridiculous I know, but I totally only use kleenex with lotion because that way her nose isn't all raw, yep that is one thing I splurge on. Hello - I always use Kleenex with lotion cause I hate that too! - END TANGENT. We had talked about Peanut being a martian and here's what we came up with last minute. We covered her helmet in foil and put those glow in the dark necklaces looped through the venting holes in the back. She jammies worked for a space suit and she was perfectly content playing in the back of the xterra. Officer says he's dressed as an undercover officer - very clever and I just grabbed some scrubs - people just asked if I got off work rather than a sad attempt at a costume for the night (I'm the one behind the camera so hence I am absent from these photos).

Hopefully we'll get it together better the second time around - but pretty cute for a rush costume.

Catching up

It's been a little busy around our house. My sister took pictures for us the 2nd, Officer's parents came to visit on the 3rd - deer hunting season opened the 10th and Officer and his dad spent most of last week out in search of their deer, no luck yet. I think it's been way too cold, but what do I know about hunting. Anyway, so Officer left again today after working this weekend to join forces with his dad in search of anything before his parents have to head back home by the 22nd. With our fearless hunters out my mother-in-law and I went shopping. She is the queen of bargin shopping. I can usually refrain from making too many purchases, but we found some really great deals and kids are always growing so I gave in. We've also been working around the house/yard all that good stuff. Besides hunting Officer and his dad are also going to be pouring concrete to extend our patio, so Officer has been getting the ground all ready. I planted my tomatoes too late in the year and most of them were green when we had a couple of super cold days last week. Lucky for me the young men in our ward came by on a service scavenger hunt and I sent them out to pick them all. Most ended up being green - but if you didn't know, they will ripen in a window sill. The last couple weeks I feel like I've spent most of it in the kitchen. One meal seems to lead right into the next and with company here and doing something with all of the food from my garden it seems like I don't leave the kitchen. I love having yummy food on the table and treats and stuff, but I feel like I'm eating all day and the holidays haven't even started quite yet. Totally defeats the purpose of my running - which I have finally been getting back to. I've been running about 9 miles a week -Yeah me! The weather has been great for running here. I had hoped to do a half marathon or at least a 10K again this fall, but I got started a little too late, eh maybe in the spring. Miss Peanut has been hilarious the past few weeks, except for the whole getting up 3-4 times a night for the last week. She's getting more teeth and the poor thing is miserable. One tooth broke through a few days ago, but two or three more are right behind that one. She won't normally fall asleep with me anymore, but after a long night - we both needed a nap. It makes me miss when she was little. I can't believe how fast they grow!She started signing please and more - I love watching her get her little fingers to work like she wants them too. So fun to see her learn new things. Like playing peek- a-boo She just started to really love it, we just have to teach her that we don't play it with our dresses. She loves helping me with laundry too. I fold everyting while she plays with all of the socks. It works great! We had to get a new dryer last month and now that we have a super capacity dryer I couldn't resist putting her in it - She loved it of course. With grandma and grandpa visiting she keeps trying on Grandpa's shoes and taking them in and out of the "shoe" basket. Her facial expressions crack me up!
Like these faces too!
Her culinary skills are amazing! Her new favorite cupboard is my pots an pans now that we've Peanut Proofed the ones we don't want her getting into. She was so frustrated because the pot kept sliding as she was trying to get out and this is how I found her. She loves to be outside and help Officer in the yard. While we were hauling dirt in the wheelbarrow she thought she was pretty tough stuff. Again with the faces - what a stinker!

I keep blankets in this little "cubby" of our entertainment center and after she cleaned out the shelf she climbed in and when she couldn't sit up because it was so small she settled for this position - comfy huh!

Anywho! That's been our month so far. If our weary hunters return with a kill I'm sure I'll have pictures to tell the tale. Until then...