December 2013

As much as I don’t like snow, the kids sure love it.  And snow doesn’t seem so bad now that I’m not working so I don’t have to drive in it for hours to get to and from work.  It was fun to be home with Eli this winter and play in the snow.

Ok, so maybe I didn’t play in the snow…I bundled up and sat on the stairs in the garage and watched.

Patch loves tug-o-war.

Eli’s sneeze gives me fond memories of this picture of Halle.

Eli working in Tonya’s office at work.

Halle lost another tooth.

Each year Jared’s parents go to the Christmas brunch at Little America.  We were able to join them this year.

Halle threw up half a second after this picture was taken.  No lie.

Eli loved his gifts from Aunt Janene.

Eli and I made Christmas ornaments.

We went to dinner and looked over to find Alyvia had dozed off.

And I think Patch was cold.

Got to see Santa at the church Christmas party.  I took a picture of Halle, but apparently my phone camera was all zoomed in and the picture turned out really horrible.

Eli got to take a bubble bath in our jetted bathtub and loved all of the bubbles.

Went to Halle’s school Christmas program.

Decorated cookies.

Grandpa Jess did not participate in decorating cookies…

Built Lego towers that required a stool.

Christmas Eve Halle opened presents with her BFF Emma.

Then we headed to the zoo to watch the animals open their gifts.  This elephant is eating his entire present in one mouthful.  This was probably one of my favorite visits to the zoo.  The monkeys had boxes and wrapping paper, and the elephants were really funny eating the cardboard.

My mom’s dog, Radar put himself underneath this stool in the pantry and couldn’t get out.

 

We surprised kids with annual passes to Disneyland and had the car packed to drive out the next day, so they each got one present to open.  Eli got this Lightning McQueen remote control car.  It was a steal on Amazon.

Grandma Koren got Halle a Lego Friends set that she spent all morning putting together.

We went to Jared’s parent’s house to open gifts.  It was so exciting obviously.

We headed out for Disneyland early the next morning.

Upon arrival we headed straight for the parks.

The next day was also spent in Disneyland. 

Haunted Mansion Holiday is always a huge line, but a ride that can’t be missed this time of year.  Eli was SO sleepy.

Another day in the parks.  Jared loves the Buzz Lightyear ride because he’s awesome at it.  See he’s number two on that list?

Halle and I on Splash Mountain.  I love that you can see her cute little face through the poncho.

Another day, more Disney.  We don’t typically spend this much time at Disney, but when it’s Christmas, and the parks are almost to full capacity you need more time to be able to hit all the rides.

Halle knows where the cameras are on all the rides and loves to make silly faces.

Another silly face:

Nap time.

Eli was SO thrilled to see Lightning!

Then we headed to San Diego to visit some family.  Uncle Kenny took us to the nice beaches to see tide pools and seals.

There was a dolphin pod at the first beach we visited.

Then we headed to see the seals.

Then to the tide pools where Uncle Kenny could not contain himself any longer and had to put on his wet suit and take out his surf board.

Halle threw up about an hour after this picture.  Happy New Year! Then we had to drive home the next morning.  Luckily she seemed to be feeling better in the morning.

It was a great December, and so great to be able to go on vacation over Christmas since I never could have done that while working.

Random and November 2013

I just took all of the pictures off my phone going back to August. 

This is Eli after Jared left for work.  Even now, almost 8 months after leaving my job, Eli still asks Jared where he’s going, and when Jared says work, Eli asks if he can come too.  Just shows how much they enjoyed that time together for 2.5 years. 

Cousin Liam enjoying electronics.

Eli waiting for Grandma Joan and Aunt Janae to come.

Joan and I went to Park City and Eli really loved my calamari.  I sent this picture to send to Jared to show I’m not the only one that loves this stuff.

After exercise class we would swim a lot.  It was awesome because the place was absolutely empty on a Monday at 11 am. 

We spend lots of time at the Dino Museum.

You’ve read before that Eli always gagged and sometimes threw up upon entering the farm, so him petting a cow was a really big deal.

We’ve LOVED going to story time at the library every week since I’ve been home.  The library has these backpacks with educational books and activities that Eli loves.

This is a selfie from our last trip to the “beach.”

Is anyone else’s bus stop this insane?  The kids get there early to line up their backpacks to hold their place in line to get on the bus, then play tag and stuff.

Once the bus arrives they line up.  I think I counted something like 60 kids.  This is just one bus stop in our neighborhood.  The bus only goes to one other stop, and so there’s a bunch of buses that service our area.

Eli threw his Mickey Mouse train at Emma and split open her eye.  Poor thing, she was so brave, and is still willing to play here.

I mentioned in my previous post that Eli split his head open on Halloween.  The Dr. office had a tv in the ceiling, so he watched The Lorax while the numbing ointment was working.

We took the kids to the park, and Patch was shaking, so I wrapped a blanket around him.

Eli really likes sitting in the garage and waiting for people to arrive when he knows they’re on their way, so here is he bundled up waiting.

Patch LOVES Halle.  I think she’s his favorite, though he would never consider sleeping in her room.

We must’ve had a busy day.

Eli fell asleep in church again.

At the Hogle Zoo the Polar Bear swims up to the window, bounces up, then turns around, and comes back, and does it over and over again.  If you’ve never seen it, you should go.

Now on to November.  My nephew, Hayden, got baptized.  Eli and Ainslee were so cute walking to the baptismal font together.

The girls went to get pedicures. (Thanks, Mom!)

And Jared stayed with Eli where he and Ainslee were still best buds.  They’re so cute when they play together.

Another trip to the farm.

Another football game.

Back to the zoo.

When Jared is flying during the day he buys wi-fi on the plane.  He and Eli like to exchange silly face pictures.

Daddy was in New York enjoying wonderful food, broadway plays, and macaroons, so we enjoyed cold Utah with hot chocolate and showed off to dad.

Courtney, Halle’s nanny from when she was a toddler, lives in New York and caught up with Jared.  She made Halle and I rings.  Halle LOVES her ring.

Eli built this and said, “Mom, do you know what this is?”  I said no, thinking he was trying to build something spectacular, and he said, “It’s an I for E-L-I!”  So proud of my kiddo.

Jared drove somewhere with Jess.  Jess slept.

For Thanksgiving I cooked a 30 pound turkey.  Thanks to Joan for buying me a foil roasting pan since the turkey didn’t fit in mine.  The thing was HUGE, but turned out so yummy.

Turkey makes you so tired!

Eli would only let Jared cut his hair if he was allowed to buzz Jared’s head.

Emma, Halle’s BFF, got baptized!  We stayed home from a football game for this one. 

Eli went to breakfast and the football game with Jared while we went to the baptism.  Eli got a balloon animal at breakfast, which I believe popped almost immediately after this picture.

November was reasonably calm, which was nice since looking forward to December we knew we’d be busy!