Christmas Dinner @ John & Krista's

The last few years we've been home for Christmas, we go to John & Krista's house for a big extended family dinner. It's always a lot of fun and almost like a cozumel reunion, since the majority of the people there all went to cozumel for Brock & Nicole's wedding last January. Hayden loves playing with Onica- and stealing eachother's toys! :) Hayden wore her new Big Sister shirt to tell everyone about her new baby brother or sister! The girls discovered John & Krista's balcony and thought it was a great place to play! We had a wonderful time and a super yummy dinner!

Christmas Morning

Going for after breakfast walk!

Hayden was very excited to open presents christmas morning! She loved all her clothes and toys, but was especially smitten with her train set from papa & gama (neal & angela). She kept pointing to the box and saying "papa out please" and waited patiently as he put her track together for her! :) Eventually she started playing with her play kitchen! She loved the pots & pans and french fries! She makes me 'tea' and 'fren fries' a lot! Our living room/toy room was destroyed and remained that way for a few days! Jeremy made a big yummy breakfast for all of us: him, me, hayden, his parents, my mom and my lil brother jake!

Christmas Eve @ Mom's

Family pic with cooperative Hayden! :)

She loves my mom's kitty stevie

We always do Christmas Eve at my mom's house. We went over after hayden's nap and opened presents first thing. Hayden was much more interested in presents this year! It was so cute- she'd say "ooohhhh" after she'd open a present, but even before she saw what it was! :) She got a lot of accessories for her kitchen that santa was bringing her! Good thing she was too little to figure out that she didn't have her play kitchen yet! :) We ate, reminisced and had a nice family holiday. Neal & Angela arrived from Spokane just in time to open their framed 'we're pregnant' pictures! Everyone had a good time and a great way to start out our holiday festivities!

SURPRISE!!

We surprised our family at Christmas with wrapped frames of the poem and picture below! Everyone was very surprised and extrememly happy! This was a surprise to us as well, and we believe that everything happens for a reason- especially since we most likely conceived on mine & Dick's birthday. I think it's him telling us "life goes on!" SURPRISE!! :)

"I do not have a face to see, or put inside this frame.
I do not have soft cheeks to kiss, and I don't yet have a name.
You cannot yet hold my tiny hands, nor whisper in my ear.
It's still too soon to sing a song, or cuddle me so near.
But all will change August 24th, that's when they say I'm due!
I am your new grandson or granddaughter, I cannot wait to meet you!
All I ask between now and then, is your patience while I grow.
I promise I'll be worth the wait, because of all the love we'll know.
So what I have to give you now, is a wish to you from me.
I cannot wait to be a part of this wonderful family!"
~ Baby Wheeler

SNOW!!

My pretty christmas cactus is actually blooming! My Great Grandma gave it to me and I thought I'd kill it for sure! But- as she said, only happy plants bloom!!

Yesterday afternoon it started to snow (while I was out putting lights on the shrubs!) When Hayden woke up from her nap- she was fascinated by the "pretty snow"! She kept saying "hi pretty snow" and waving outside! It was still snowing when I went to bed, but we only got about an inch or so- already melted this morning! :( Fun while it lasted!

Tumwater Tree Lighting Festival!

Last year, we took Hayden to the Tumwater Tree Lighting Festival and she really didn't have a clue what was going on! This year, she was much more fun! She loved the "pretty tree" and all the kids to watch. She scored a balloon and got to pet a 6 week old puppy! It was cold, but we had a lot of fun! Santa even came on his firetruck after the tree was lit! :)

Christmas Cookies!!

Hayden had a blast making Christmas cookies with Mom & Dad! She loved licking the dough from the beater, decorating and testing out all the ingredients! :) Happy Holidays!

Tree Decorating!

I put up the majority of the holiday decorations after Hayden had gone to bed, but I saved some snowflakes for her to "help" put on the tree! :) She thoroughly enjoyed it and kept saying "pretty tee (pretty tree)" over and over.

All Bundled Up!!

Hayden really wanted to go outside for "walk wee-wee (wagon)" but since it's been so cold (below freezing!), we said she could only go for a walk in the wagon if she had on her snow pants & coat and hat & mittens. She's not a big fan of any of that outside gear, but it we managed to bribe her into them! :) She looked so stinkin' cute- little lavendar marshmellow!! She chucked the mittens after about 5 mins, but since her coat/pants are a little big, her hands still stayed fairly warm. She then wanted out to run around the neighbor church's parking lot- but couldn't exactly move easily!! ;) Silly girl!!

This is "no cheese mama" aka no pictures! :)

Thanksgiving Weekend in Spokane!

This Year we were in Spokane for the Thanksgiving weekend. Hayden sure had a good time with her "papa" and "gama"!!



She has them wrapped around all her fingers and toes! :) She has figured out that if she says "papa pease (please)" he'll do anything for her!

She discovered the step stool and decided to "help" gama make her coffee (hayden is now addicted to frothy milk!), help with Thanksgiving dinner and with dishes! She would love to have a stool like that at home, but I'm scared what she'd be into if we had one!

We did the usual 5 am black friday shopping! We went to: Shooter's Coffee stand (necessary first stop!!) then Fred Meyer, Kohl's, Toys R Us, Michael's, Macy's, Bath and Body Works, Gymboree, Children's Place, amongst other mall stores! All home by 11 am! Hayden rallied and went down for her regular nap at noon!

Papa got Hayden a train set which was supposed to be for Christmas, but he wasn't very good at hiding it, so of course he and Hayden had to get the choo choo all out and play! :)

Hayden also discovered Gama's Spice drawer. She grabbed each one, gave it to grandma to open and smell! All was good until she got pepper in her eye! :)

My birthday was the tuesday after the thanksgiving weekend, so Neal & Angela got me a yummy Just American Carrot cake! My favorite!! I think Hayden and Jeremy were more excited to try it, and it was very yummy!!!