Merry Christmas!

Well things have been crazy here in Seal Beach, so I thought I'd say a late Merry Christmas to you all. It was fabulous, I think my family (13 of us!) that was here for the last few days have eaten enough food to feed an entire army. It has been lots of fun in the CA sun!

We are getting ready to head out to Ridgecrest now, and look forward to one more whole week of vacation, family, fun and best of all, NO SNOW! ;) From the looks of it, Utah has been hit very hard the last few weeks, and I am glad to have had a break from it! I like snow for about a week, then I'm done.

Love you all, I hope you were able to enjoy the season for what it is really all about. Have a Happy New Year, if I don't get back on here soon!

California!

Well we're here, and despite my parents who think they are freezing, the weather is beautiful! Around 60 degrees for highs. It is so nice! Tonight is my mom's birthday and I am roasing a prime rib. Mmmmm. We will be in California for the next few weeks, and thus I probably won't have a lot to say for a while. I can't wait for Rebecca's first Christmas! I'll be sure to post something quick about how that goes.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Disco!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

My friend Lindsey did one, and I thought it was fun so I gave it a go. Since you can use up to 5 people and our family only has three, you can see who I added. ;) Oh man this is a great video! It takes a while to upload, but it is worth it! Enjoy it while you can!

Rebecca's Christmas Dress

Since we will be gone for our "Christmas" Sunday, Rebecca wore her Christmas dress to church on Sunday (and will wear in in Seal Beach on the 21st, and Ridgecrest the 28th!). But we got some really cute pictures of her in her dress, so here you go!

I thought this face was too cute! I think this shot of Rebecca looks a LOT like my friend's little girl Madeline!

I love her funny "oh!" face!

Yes folks, that is my little girl standing up all on her own next to the doorframe. She is growing up so fast! But isn't she cute!

Merry Christmas to all!

Tyson's Birthday and Other Stuff

As you all know Tyson had his birthday this week. He's a big ole 29! I was still quite sick on Wed. and we have so much sugar in the house from holiday treats that I didn't make a cake or anything. So on his actual birthday he opened his presents, and that was about it.

Becca thought that dad opening his gifts was pretty neat though! She has been trying to get at the presents under the tree for a while. "OOOO, daddy! Can I help?"

Tyson got a new sweater, some cinnamoned almonds, and Dark Knight from me. A framed picture of Becca to put at the office from her. And he got the new Indiana Jones movie from his mom, along with some cards and things from other family members. But the best present of all was this one!

Then on Friday Uncle Tevan came back down from Idaho on his way to California. I finally got some pictures of him and Becca! Then Tevan was going to drive home on Saturday, but we had a LOT of snow. Regardless, during a lull, Tevan tried to head out, but the truck kind of died on him so he called us and came back.

I wanted to make up for being sick on Tyson's birthday, so on Saturday night we invited a bunch of our friends to go out to dinner at one of our favorite places, Buca Di Beppo! Since Tevan was with us still we had enough people to get the "Pope Room"! I was so excited!

Jena and her family came and it was their first time at Buca! I think they really liked it and we are so glad they came. This is McKay, Nahvi and Jena. Moab was directly across from me, so I couldn't see her very well...but occasionally in the Pope Room, because of the shape of the room and the box in the middle (with the bust of the Pope inside) when the people that sit across from you speak, it sounds like they are on a loud speaker above your head. It's creepy and cool at the same time. So I got to hear Moab a lot. I just didn't get to see her much!

Sara, Travis, and Brad came too! Brad was so funny! There was a statue of a little boy constantly peeing by the table. Brad was fascinated with it. He exclaimed "He doesn't stop!" It was quite funny.

There we are. Notice my drink, it is a Choccolate Dipped Strawberry Italian Creme Soda. It seriously tastes like a Chocolate Dipped Strawberry. It's so good!


Becca is on the other side of dad.

Tevan and Andrew completed our party! It was so yummy! We had TONS of food. We ordered the Apple Gorgonzola Salad, Bruschetta, Chianti Braised Short Ribs, Quatro Al Forno, Spaghetti with Marinara (you HAVE to have the classics!), Penne San Remo, and a side of Green Beans!

Then since it was Tyson's birthday, he got some of their great Red Velvet Cake and we all sang Happy Birthday. Then he blew out the big candles on the candelabra.

We all passed around the cake (since there were two huge pieces!) and shared! It was REALLY good. The green stuff on the sides was a candied pistachio. It was a yummy, yummy cake!

Nahvi sure liked it!

The big girls liked it too!

It was such a great night with friends, we survived the snow and had a lot of fun! Thanks so much to all of you who could make it! We sure missed those of you who couldn't (Next time!). Tyson had a great birthday and I felt better that I hadn't ruined his birthday by being sick after Sat. night.

I've Decided....

...that when mom and baby are both not feeling well, life stinks!

Happy Birthday Tyson!!!!

Happy 29th Birthday Tyson!

I want you to know how much I love you. I am so lucky to be your wife! You are the most wonderful man on the planet and I hope you have a really really great year this year! It's your LAST one in your 20's! ;)

Twilight Score Soundtrack

It was released today folks! I have no clue if Tyson or Santa will be getting it for me. Since I have not told Tyson I want it, my guess is no. But I will probably try to get it with some of my own Christmas money if I don't get it. Are you surprised? If any of you want to get it for me though, here's the link to Amazon: Twilight Soundtrack. ;)

Christmassy Tag!

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Change all the answers so that they apply to you. And tag a few friends to spread the Christmas joy!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
For Christmas, it's always paper. And an ingrained trait from my mom, no box should go without ribbon and/or a bow.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
I LOVE real trees. But have not had one since I was probably in middle school. So I guess artificial?

3. When do you put up the tree?
I usually try to have most of my decorations up the weekend of Thanksgiving. If the lights are up before then, we just don't turn them on.

4. When do you take the tree down?
Um...whenever we get around to it. Before Valentines day at least!

5. Do you like eggnog?
Puke

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
The one I remember the most was my Barbie Dream House. Three huge sections that make up this big mansion for Barbie. It was a co-gift from Santa for my sister and me. In my family we don't wrap Santa gifts, we set them up...or rather Santa does...so they are displayed around your stocking when you come down the stairs. Instant fun and reactions. That one took my breath away!

7. Hardest person to buy for?
Tyson

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Right now? Becca. Cause I get to choose what she wants/gets/needs.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes! The original Willow Tree Nativity with all the trimmings. I want the other Willow Tree ones too though!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail! If it's not in the mail, it's not really a card is it...it's an e-mail.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Um...getting sick.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Whenever I realize I need to start looking.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Only white elephant type things.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Christmas breakfast. After opening all the gifts we always had a huge breakfast with eggs, bacon, danishes, hot chocolate, orange juice, our oranges from the toe of our stockings, maybe a breakfast casserole or waffles. Yum! In Ridgecrest we get Orange Bow Knots. Mmmmm.

16. Lights on the tree?
Of course! Lights are the best part!

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Away in a Manger and Silent Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
This is a tricky question, because you have to define home. Sure my home is in Utah I guess, but I still call California and my parent's house home. So I guess both. I love going home to California.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers?
Yep. But can you name all of Snow White's dwarfs?

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
STAR!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Open PJs Christmas Eve, and everything else Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
In Utah...trying to drive in the snow. In general, trying to pry info out of Tyson for what he wants not only for Christmas, but his birthday too.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Um...I like all sorts of things. Our tree started out red, green, gold, and a little white only, but we have been branching out. My favorite ornament right now is Becca's "Baby's First Christmas" ornament, because of what it represents.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Ham with all the trimmings. What we always had growing up. And it's never complete unless my dad says "Well, here we are again celebrating the life of a Jew by eating a pig."

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
Just a few nice things that are useful and meaningful. I really am mostly just looking forward to having time with my family.

Since Brina already tagged the family, I tag Diane, Sara, Lindsey R, Lindsey B, Tiffanie, Chelsea, and anyone else who wants to do it!

Our Crazy Saturday

Well it was a crazy week! But Saturday was probably the craziest! First I had a music rehearsal for RS at 10, then as soon as that was over Tyson and I packed up to go to the airport to pick up his brothers. His youngest brother Tevan just got home from his mission, and Taron and Tevan were headed up to BYU Idaho for the week so Taron could show Tevan all his digs and see friends. I thought I would post some of the pictures from Saturday for you all.

This is Becca waiting for her Uncles at the airport...can you tell how excited she is?

There they are! I am such a goober, we went out to lunch and then headed back to our place to pick up Taron's truck (that he left at our place earlier in the week on his way to CA) but I never got a picture of Becca WITH her unlces! I'll have to fix that on Tevan's way down/at New Years!

Then we had our ward Christmas party that evening.
Daddy and Becca.

Mommy and Becca...it's not a great shot of either of us, but it's the only one we got.

It was such a good party! There was TONS of food and the primary did a nativity show...
It was very cute!

And Becca got to see Santa for the first time!
I don't know if she was so happy about it, but there were lots of people trying to get her attention so we could get a picture with her looking at the camera...so she didn't cry!

Merry Christmas!

On another note my little girl is still growing up way too fast! She stood on her own when Taron and Tevan were at our house for 15 seconds. Not holding on to anything. I was freaking out and the Uncles and Dad were egging her on....thanks guys! You aren't the ones who have to stay home with her all day keeping her out of stuff! I would not be surprised at all if she was trying to walk by the first of the year! She is going so fast with everything! She is also trying to get teeth. Poor thing has the mild fever and wakes up crying in the middle of the night because her mouth hurts. Hopefully one will pop through soon. Brings on a whole new meaning to "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!"

Rebecca's First Present

On Sunday before Rebecca had her dinner we let her open her first present ever! It was an advent calendar from Uncle Michael, Aunt Lindsey, and her cousins Jeremy, Tyler and Megan! (Thanks guys!) Of course she is too little to eat any of the chocolate, but since it IS her present we let her open it. I just put the pictures on our computer, and they were too cute not to share!


Opening presents is such an exhausting ordeal that she promptly ate, wanted her binky, and fell asleep in the chair. Believe it or not...she is asleep with her arm at that angle!

Winter Snow!

Well folks, the first snow of December is hitting Utah today. I don't think it will stick around very long in the valleys. But we have been REALLY dry this winter so far, so I expect some BIG storms this month. I'm so glad I'm going to CA for Christmas! ;)

Pumpkin Mousse

Do you like pumpkin pie? Do you like mousse? Then this recipe is perfect for you! I modified a recipe my mom gave me for the ingredients I had leftover from making one pumpkin pie from the large can instead of making two. It turned out great! Some of my friends asked for the recipe, so here it is folks.

Ingredients:
1 cup pumpkin
1 small box vanilla instant pudding mix
2/3 can evaporated milk
1 Tbs. Pumpkin Spice OR honestly I just put in about a Tbs. of spices from greatest to lowest quantity in this order, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves I didn't measure just dumped some of each in the bowl
1 8 oz. tub of cool whip

With a hand mixer I mixed the pumpkin, vanilla instant pudding mix, milk, and spices until blended. Then I sfolded in the cool whip and stuck it in the fridge. It can be frozen for longer storage as well.

Hope you guys have a chance to use this recipe sometime...it really is yummy!

Christmas Arrives!

So we have slowly been getting all of our Christmas stuff up! We started putting lights outside about a week ago, but didn't turn them on yet. The Nativity went up on Wednesday when we organized the front room so that there was room for the tree. We finished the outside of the house and decorated the tree on Friday. Then our light sensor broke, so we can only plug in the lights on the roof of the house, because without the sensor plugged in, the other ones for the lawn and trees don't reach the plug! We still have some more stuff to organize and put up, but having my tree and Nativity up make it feel like Christmas at our house!

Mocha is of course going nuts trying to get at the tree as usual. One ornament has been broken already. Rebecca is fascinated with the tree. Thankfully we still have a really small tree that we could put up on a table, so she can't reach it at all. She crawls over to it, pulls herself up on the table and just stares at it. She will sometimes talk to it with a rhythmic...oh, oh, oh. We have my grandma's old music box on the lights that makes them flash to the sounds of a bunch of Christmas tunes. She loves that! I am so excited to share this first Christmas with her!

Because of the broken light sensor, I didn't get any pictures of our outside decor yet, but here are some fun ones I took when we put the tree up, including Rebecca putting on her "Baby's First Christmas" ornament.

Here is Mocha waiting to pounce on some ornaments.

This is our cool "ball of fire" shot that I got when Tyson was testing out all of our lights. Someday, a prelit tree!

What is it mom?

If I could only reach....

Ooooh! Ahhhhhh!

But I don't want to let go, I want to eat it!

We are loving having our home filled with the smells, decor, and music of Christmas! We are so excited to be going home to CA to see our family (both parent's homes at some point) and having 2 weeks on vacation! This is the best time of year!