The Day Itself.

For the first time ever, I remembered to have my camera in-hand for the Christmas Day festivities!

Technically, things started on Christmas Eve. My parents recently purchased a home. They will still be living on the East Coast, but they bought a house back in UT, so that they will have a place to live when they return (be it 10 years from now, or less. We hope less).

So, we broke the house in, and celebrated there on Christmas Eve.

My Dad thought this gift for Reagan was really funny. Har Har. If you can't tell.... they're markers.

Reagan loved her Abby Cadabby doll. Grant also loved her doll.

I think the biggest "hit" of the evening was this dancing monkey toy that Elsa received. All of the other kids were fighting over who got to play with it!

Poor Nick was EXHAUSTED after a day of work. Nick had to work Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day, and the day after Christmas. I guess that is what you get when you work in the health care field. I'm happy he has a job, but I wish that the hours weren't always so miserable.

CHRISTMAS MORNING!

The first words out of Reagan's mouth were inquiries about Santa! She ran out and stood on the couch to see if she could see Santa out the window. Sadly, we had to tell her that Santa went home.

I had been eagerly anticipating how Reagan would react to her Power Wheels Jeep! I certainly didn't get the reaction I had been expecting.

Reagan promptly deemed the Jeep "scary", refused to drive it, and even went so far as to physically push it out of the living room.

Elsa, on the other hand, was pleased with her gift from Santa. She got one of those toys that you can either push (helpful when kids are learning to walk), or sit on and ride.

After all of the mayhem from opening presents was over, I was left wondering where my baby was? It's sort of like Where's Waldo? Can you spot the baby in this picture?

Oh! There she is!

We dressed for the day and went to Nick's parent's house. I tried (and managed) to get some good pictures. Of course, I couldn't get Reagan to stay in a picture with Elsa, to save my life!

To say that Reagan is "busy" is an understatement. Nick's Mom gave Reagan a Veggie Tales movie (Reagan loves Veggie Tales). The only time I can get Reagan to sit still is if I put a DVD on to play. But even that isn't entirely true. The child cannot sit in one place, even for an hour, to watch a movie. On Christmas Day she wanted to watch her new movie, so we let her. She watched the entire movie, but didn't stay in the same place for very long:

Here are "the boys" watching, yet another, episode of Top Gear (the British Version). Poor Elsa, I don't know know many hours of this show she has been subjected to?! She watches it while sitting on Nick's lap, and she watches it while sitting on my brother's lap (for both of them, it is their idea of babysitting).

Here is Reagan with her "bestie", Molly. Reagan LOVES this dog.

The following pictures were NOT taken by me. If I had been anywhere in the vicinity when this was happening, a stop would have been put to it VERY quickly. But apparently, it is Christmas Day and you are supposed to let your kid do whatever they want, even if it is naughty (yes, Reagan was playing in sawdust under the table saw). They used the vacuum to clean Reagan up, but it didn't do a stellar job. When we got home I put Reagan back in her pajamas.

When we arrived home in the afternoon, the girls went down for naps, and Nick headed off to work. In the evening I braved the dense fog in Utah County and took the girls to Springville to visit with my Mom's family.

It was nice to be able to visit with everyone, and neither Reagan, nor Elsa were grouchy.

It was a very Merry Christmas, indeed.

Leading Up To Christmas:

What a busy time of year. Nick had to work 8 straight days after Thanksgiving so I put up the Christmas decorations all by myself. The house didn't get any Christmas lights (hopefully next year!).
I hooked my ipod up to it's little dock and Reagan and I had several fun afternoons of dancing around to Christmas music.
Over the summer, while I was still pregnant with Elsa; I shredded zucchini and pureed pumpkin from our garden. Then I froze it. I broke it out two weeks before Christmas and made mini loaves of zucchini bread and pumpkin bread to give to our neighbors. Not all of the loaves turned out (I HATE cooking, and I'm not good at it). So, it was off to Costco to supplement gifts for others.

One night we headed to downtown SLC and met up with one of my oldest friends, Michele and her family. We ate dinner, and then boarded the train to go to Temple Square to see the lights.


Reagan couldn't have cared less about the lights. She was far more enamoured with the fountains. I wanted to avoid the water features at Temple Square, but those suckers were EVERYWHERE! And Reagan had to spend 15 minutes at each one.



Right before Christmas we had a little dinner, and invited Nick's old buddies from High School to our house. I knew them in High School too, so I suppose I ought to say that we had friends from High School over.
It was fun to hear reminiscence's. The Nye's, Oates', Wallwork's, and West's all came.
I ordered lasagnas from Dinners By Diana, and rolls from Sugar Daisy Bakery. You know, because I just love to cook so much. Sarcasm.
The other items that were brought were simply delectable! Once again, Heather W. outdid herself on desserts! Liz O. made a yummy salad. Randy W. treated us to Canoli. And Josh N. brought drinks. All in all, a fine meal, and a fine evening.

Santa made another visit this year. As opposed to last year, Reagan loved him! Santa's costume from last year was unavailable. Since Santa was on a bit of a budget he had to pick up a new suit from Oriental Trading. I don't think any of the kids noticed the difference in quality, so that was good. Also, Thanks Again to my brother, Brian, for being Santa's Helper.

I hate that this time of year seems to go so quickly! It makes me sad to think that I have to put my John Denver and the Muppets; a Christmas Together away for 12 more months. But I guess what makes it special is that it only happens for a short time each year.

And Found, Found, Found!

We have been pretty lucky lately.

I know that I have mentioned things in previous posts, that we have been looking for.

We found a good deal on a new garage door, during the summer, and we purchased that.

After meeting with a lot of window salesman I found the company that was the most cost efficient, and we had our basement windows replaced last month.

Our freezing basement has been the bain of my existence (that, and potty training, and getting rid of Reagan's binky's). I'm "batting 1000" on solutions on all counts.

I have had half-a-dozen companies come in to give me a quote on putting gas heat in our basement. Because of the way our basement was finished, it was going to make the process very difficult. Several companies just told me that it could not be done. The companies that did come back with quotes gave me prices in the $13,000.00 range! And that didn't include finish work after the ducting was installed.

Needless to say, gas heat in our basement wasn't going to happen any time soon.

Instead, we went a different route and had a pellet stove installed. It is a lot more maintenance than the gas-burning fireplace that we have upstairs (ie- it needs to be cleaned all of the time, and the pellets don't refill themselves :), but it is cheaper to run and it heats our basement like a champ! Thumbs up on the purchase of the pellet stove.

Our Toshiba laptop has been limping along for some time now. It is 6+ years old, and honestly, I am surprised it has lasted this long. The Dell laptop that we tried out was awful. Nick and I thought about getting a Sony laptop at the outlet store, while we were in Seattle, but decided against it. After some research, and motivated by our like of the Toshiba laptop we already had; we decided to purchase another Toshiba. The Toshiba website was having Christmas specials so we got our laptop for a steal! Even though it will be our Christmas gift to each other, we didn't want to wait until then to use the new computer. We broke that puppy out of the box immediately; and I must say that I am impressed already.

Nick moved "old faithful" Toshiba downstairs to use in his office. We'll see how long of a life it has, without running the risk of losing pictures or important files when it finally dies (the existing information has been moved to our external hard-drive).

And, after a great deal of searching.... Seriously, I have been scouring the KSL classified ad's multiple times on a daily basis for MONTHS! I finally found a 4X4 truck that met all of our criteria, for Nick to drive during the winter. Thank Goodness! I can have my Acura back now! The biggest deterrent in my search was our budget. Trying to find a truck with 4-wheel drive, an extended cab, tow package, air conditioning, clean title, etc... was proving very difficult- considering the amount I had to spend. But patience paid off! We got this truck for a song! We paid $1,000 less than what we sold the Toyota for, back in June.

Of course, it isn't brand-new. The miles are high. It "rides" like a truck. And I spent over 2 hours detailing the interior (with more that can still be done). But I feel like we got a good deal.

A great deal has been accomplished in a short amount of time. BUT... I'm still left with the need to get Christmas shopping done!

In years past, I have had my Christmas shopping done by September. Not so, this year.

Another anomaly: I didn't leave my house to go shopping on Black Friday. This is the first time in OVER a decade that I have not braved the cold to stand in line at some store at 4AM.

Strangely enough, I managed to get everything I wanted from the ads, though. Yes, I did my shopping online and had far more success than I ever have at procuring Christmas items! I think I am going to make this my new Black Friday M.O.

I had a few hiccups with Walmart Online. But they have been surprisingly gracious to work with; and it looks like Reagan will be getting the Barbie Power Wheels from Santa, after all!

Tis' the Season, and I love it!

Lost.

Health Update: Less than a week after I went to the doctor the first time for the flu, I was back in her office because I had an ear infection (seriously?! Adults get ear infections?!). Some of you may remember that I got pregnancy-induced hypothyroidism. I was hoping that it was gone by now, since I am 4 months postpartum. So, I had the doctor check my thyroid levels while I was in the office. I got a call today, and the nurse said that my thyroid has gotten worse, NOT BETTER! They are upping my prescription. Oh, the things us mothers go through. Sigh.

Moving on....
First, let me say that I NEVER lose things. I am usually so organized it is almost a joke. Nick is constantly asking me why I hide his stuff, when all I actually do is put it away.

So, the sinking feeling I experienced when I lost my wedding ring was probably double what a normal person's would be.

I was at Heather's house for dinner and Reagan wanted a bath. I specifically remember putting my watch and my ring in Reagan's empty boot, and then putting the boot in my diaper bag. My stone is a little loose in it's setting so I have been trying to be really careful about what I subject my ring to these days. The jeweler that Nick bought my ring from seems to have gone out of business, literally, overnight. So, I can't go get it fixed for free anymore.

This situation alone, has left me at a total loss lately.

Anyway.....

The roads had been pretty icky from the snowfall, and Nick had driven my car (yet again) to work so that he'd have 4-wheel drive in case road conditions became worse.

Brian, my little brother, was kind enough to come pick us up in his Subaru; and he transported me and the girls to and from Heather's house that night.

We got home, and I put the girls to bed and then proceeded to put things away. My diaper bag had tipped over on the living room floor, and when I was setting it upright I remembered my jewelry.

I pulled my watch out of the little boot, but when I put my hand in the boot a second time I found that the boot was empty.

I searched the other boot.

I tore my diaper bag apart.

I looked everywhere in my house.

No diamond ring.

I texted my brother to see if he'd look in his car for the ring. Maybe it had fallen out on the drive home?

At that point I couldn't think of anything else that could be done.

I went to bed. But I didn't sleep.

I know it was completely irrational but all I could think about were the awful things that could have befallen my ring.

I pictured my ring falling out on the walkway in front of Heather's house, and imagined that it was in her rose bushes, and if I was lucky I might find it after things thawed in the spring.

As I was dozing off I wondered if it had fallen out in our garage, when I exited Brian's car??? I was almost certain that if this were the case, Brian had probably run over it with his car. Knowing that the diamond was already loose did nothing to help my overactive imagination and I was 100% positive that when I did find the ring it would be ruined.

I was beside myself, the next morning when I woke up. I tried to act nonchalant, so that Nick wouldn't realize how sick about the situation, I was. I casually asked him if he had seen Reagan playing with my ring? He told me, that he had not.

I called my brother, and asked if he had found the ring. No dice.

I left a message on Heather's phone, asking her to check for my ring.

It must have been a Christmas miracle, because Heather called me back an hour later and said she had found the ring in her couch cusions.

Talk about relief!

My ring means more to me today, than it did on the day Nick used it to propse to me. I still think it is gorgeous (Nick picked it out himself), but there is now the sentimental value too. This Ring reminds me of the vows Nick and I took on our wedding day. When I look at it I remember that we agreed to stick together through the good (there's been a LOT of that :) and the bad.

I am fairly certain Nick feels the same way. I am less-than perfect; and Nick manages to look past all of that. This year, in particular, has seen a lot of joy in our marriage (Hooray for Elsa, the easiest baby ever!), but things haven't been all roses. I am eternally grateful that Nick overlooks my flaws (especially my most recent ones) and acts like he wants to stayed married to me forever.

OK. Not the turn I expected this post to take.

Back on track: I lost my ring, but thankfully, I found it.

An Ounce of Prevention...

The old adage "An ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure" should actually say "... is worth a pound of baloney".
I had my flu shot in October, along with Nick and Reagan. I thought I was protected. Wrong.
Last Thursday I felt fine in the morning. I got up, got showered, dressed, and hair done. And out of nowhere I felt like I was hit by a semi-truck. I felt worse than I ever have in my entire life.
I put a mask on (Reagan hated this), and tried to "power through" the day, without breathing on the girls, because I didn't want to pass on this awful plague.
Of course, this turned out to be the day that Nick was working a double shift. Knowing there wasn't going to be any respite in dealing with the kids by myself, I called Nick's Mom and she graciously came to help.
By the next morning I knew something was very wrong. Every inch of my body hurt.
My sister came and took the girls, because Nick had to go to work for at least six hours.
I called the doctor, and had to wait until 11 AM to get in to see her.
After a few tests, including the one where they stick a swab up your nose until it reaches your brain.... It was determined that:
#1. I had a fever of 103 (I took my temperature at home, with the kid's forehead thermometer and it said I was normal. Now I'm wondering if I ought to trust this device???),
#2. I had Influenza. Even after the flu shot? Even after the flu shot! And apparently, I am not the only one! Others who have been immunized have had confirmed cases of the flu too. Nick had a long talk with me about how the CDC needs to pick the strains of flu they "think" will hit during flu season 6 months before flu season even starts. Blah, Blah, Blah. I had my flu shot. This is not fair.
#3. I was severely dehydrated. My doctor wanted me to go to the hospital for an IV. But I begged and pleaded and told her I really would prefer death over an IV. I promised to go home and drink a lot. And I did.

I have been quarantined in the guest bedroom for the past 4 days. There is no internet connectivity in that room. Which sucks. But I have gotten by doing a lot of sleeping. I also found time to watch: Moulin Rouge, Charade, & MJ's This Is It.
Nick has been a very good husband. He "lysoled the crap" (his words, not mine) out of the upstairs living space. And it looks like he and the girls have escaped the Influenza curse. That is a relief.
I still feel yucky. But am hoping to make a full recovery soon. I felt like my "to do" list was drowning me, prior to being sidelined for a few days. I can't imagine what a more extreme feeling of overwhelmed will feel like, but I am probably about to find out. Good thing Nick has a few days off next week!

Lastly, I'm still a promoter of flu shots. But it helps to limit your time in public and do a lot of hand-washing too. I think the latter, is the only reason I didn't pass this crud on to anyone else.

Christmas Card Pictures 2010

We recently had our pictures taken for our Christmas cards this year. I can never say enough good things about Korie's talent when it comes to photography!

We decided to use the SLC Downtown Public Library as our location/backdrop. Elsa doesn't tolerate the cold well, so I didn't want to subject her to outdoor pictures.

Korie did the best with what we gave her. Reagan has never liked the camera, and especially hates having to sit still (even for a millisecond).

I ALWAYS think that there is no way Korie should have been able to get one good shot, and Korie ALWAYS manages to surprise me with a multitude of beautiful pictures!

Thank you, Korie, for doing such a great job. And Thank you, Nick, for not being too much of a Grinch about the whole thing.