Playing in the snow

Well we didn't get a white Christmas (it was sunny, warm and beautiful!) but we did get some snow while we were in Utah for Christmas and of course we took advantage of it! Eric got to go skiing one day - even got snowed in there for hours - but Gabe and I enjoyed the snow in a tamer fashion. Like our snowman?! That took me (I mean us, haha) a LONG and strenuous time... then when he was finally finished Gabe enthusiastically suggested we knock him down. Over my dead body!! The snowman lived to see another day. :)

Then there was the time Gabe wanted to go out and enjoy digging in the snow for awhile. So I got him all dressed and sent him on his way... only to find him settled literally on the back step to play. With a huge yard and expanse of glittering snow to enjoy he was perfectly content to be within inches of the door! What a goofy kid!

Papa and I took Gabe and Jack sledding one evening. It was a lot of fun! The boys loved it and I must say, Dad and I really enjoyed ourselves too! It was an incredibly beautiful evening with the deep blue sky of twilight and the air that is so clear and cold there is a crispness to it. The snow covered mountains were towering over us and there was a snake of mist along the creek nearby. It took my breath away. I miss Utah so much. Don't get me wrong, I love the Northwest - there is beauty almost anywhere you are - but I do miss the open, blue sky of Utah. The twilight hour there is magical. Anyway, it was quite the experience that evening enjoying the outdoors with 3 of my favorite people in the world! :)

TLC

We had a wonderful time just soaking up all the tender loving care from our families in Utah. There are so many people that love my little family! Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with how blessed I am. Family is everything to me. I love you all so much... more than words can say... bigger than the sky!
Gabe making sugar cookies with Grandma- yum!Building a cool airport and garage with Grammy!What's better than taking a break to cuddle and watch a movie with Papa and Logan?Grandma and Grandpa treated the kids to a train ride and carousel ride too - how fun!Once Nyah got used to Papa's prickly kisses, she loved playing with him!Nyah and her two aunties Caitlynn and CrystalPlaytime with Papa - Gabe was thrilled with Papa's imagination and sound affects! :)
Story time with Grammy - Wesley is fast asleep...and snoring! hee hee!

Colt Griffin

Just a few days before we arrived in Utah Mindy gave birth to her second son... what a sweet little bundle!! I was SO HAPPY that I was there to cuddle and love him in the first few weeks of his life. It was the highlight of our trip. One of the worst things about living far away is missing out on the little ones born in the family... I hate that. So needless to say I was really excited to be there for Colt's arrival. I was thrilled that everything went well for my little sis this time around. Two years ago, Jack gave us all the scare of our lives at his birth... but little Colt's was easy-peasy compared (or so I hear from Mindy - but then anything would be easy after her first experience, poor girl!) It was precious to hold that new little baby straight from heaven and I wasn't the only one that thought so! We all took turns - even Gabe loved to watch him. I love little Colt so much already and am so excited to watch him grow up!

Stinker Winker Bear

Look at this little trouble maker! Unwrapping the presents before Christmas and eating the glitter balls on Grammy's Christmas tree! :) Good thing she is so darn adorable!!

Snowflake Lane

We had to see Snowflake Lane in Bellevue this year again. The show is fantastic with music, live drummers, tall toy soldiers giving out peppermint lollipops, real snow falling from the sky (thanks to the snow makers!), princesses and giant (slightly scary) animals walking around! The drummer nearest us was really getting into it - it was so fun to watch. He made us all want to start dancing and singing! :)

Gabe loved this giant mouse! He was thrilling to see from a distance but when he wanted to give Gabe a high-five... no way! :)

Chocolate Factory

For December we went to Boehm's chocolate factory in Issaquah for the preschool field trip...yum! I love this picture because it shows all the kids running around playing and all the moms crowded around the window to see the workers hand dip the chocolates! Haha - obviously this activity was more exciting to us than to the kids!

Santa Claus

Gabe is new to the whole Santa thing. Sure, he heard about Santa last year... but he was only 2 and didn't quite grasp the concept. This year he is thrilled with Santa and loves to talk about him, give out presents, pretend he is him, makes sleighs out of pretty much everything, and has an ever changing wish list for him!
The best though was witnessing Gabe's reaction when Santa showed up to our ward Christmas party. His eyes got big and round and I could tell he was trying so hard not to smile but he couldn't contain it and ended up covering his mouth with his hands instead!! (He is such a reserved little guy - I think that is why he was trying not to show a reaction.) It was utterly adorable. Knowing how shy my little guy is, I was literally shocked when he eagerly got in line to sit on Santa's lap...and had the patience to wait 30 minutes too! When it was finally his turn, he started jumping up and down in excitement and waving his arms saying "is it my turn?! is it my turn?!" Once he got up there though, his shyness almost got the best of him but he ended up being able to talk to Santa... out of the side of his mouth!! Haha it was so funny! Poor Santa could barely hear Gabe - he even thought he wanted a plane instead of a crane (which Gabe explained to me by saying he asked for a crane and a plane!!) What a darling boy! I love these pictures because you can see how stiff and nervous he is with his little hands clasped together and how he is talking out of the side of his mouth. And yet I can still see his happiness and excitement too. Oh, I love that brave little guy so much!!

Had to add this adorable picture of Eric and Nyah at the party. What a happy baby... she has her Daddy wrapped around her little finger! :)

Christmas Dinner Party

I am in a dinner group with some friends that also love to cook and I have to say it is such a blast!! I love it! We get together once a month - taking turns hosting a dinner of whatever we choose. Then the hostess gives out all the recipes she used that evening. No kids, no cooking (except when it's your turn to host!), no dishes, no bill, no men... it's just about perfect. (I'm just kidding about the 'no men' part being perfect - haha! But you ladies have to admit that it is something special to just hang out with the girls occasionally!) Anyway, it is a special treat and I look forward to it every month.

So you can imagine how excited I was when it was my turn to host... and I even got December - my favorite month of the year! I will admit I put far more time into preparing the table setting as I did preparing the dinner! But to me, ambiance is everything. I wanted this Christmas dinner to be something special. Each of these women had given me such a wonderful evening at their houses this past year, I was anxious that everyone have a lovely time that evening at my home. Here is the table, ready to go: The ladies enjoying baked Brie en Croute (one of my all time favorite appetizers) and chatting while I put the finishing touches on dinner...All of my wonderful dinner group buddies! Thanks for taking the picture Eric...and for taking the kids out to dinner so we could have a quiet evening. :)
and Happy Birthday Alexia!!
I will be posting the menu on Sisters Cafe next week for those of you that are interested!

giggle giggle giggle

This video is so adorable - I just love it! To hear this you really need to scroll to the bottom of the page and turn off my music first. Gabe has to be the silliest, funniest little man ever! He comes up with the craziest, most creative things lately - Eric and I are LOVING it!

Look who's got a tooth!

Nyah's little gummy smile is changing! I'm a little sad but excited too because any new stage is fun with babies. We can't believe she has been toothless for so long. Gabe had a tooth by 2 1/2 months... Nyah is 8 months! Wow! I had to post a comparison picture of Gabe doing the same thing when he got his first tooth... he is 3 1/2 months here. Love the finger-in-the-mouth pictures!!