December Goings On - A Catch-up Post!

Hey there! We have been so busy this month, which means I had a lot to blog about, but no time to blog about it! So now it's time for the catch-up game! This post is HUGE. Sorry! I just have SO much to post that I didn't want to break it up into different posts instead you get it all at once!

Tyson's 31st Birthday!

Becca was excited for Daddy's Birthday!

Tyson's breakfast of choice, sausage and waffles!
Birthday Kisses!

And help opening birthday presents!

Proof that I was involved in the day, dinner at The Red Iguana! Mmmmm!

Becca and daddy enjoying chips!

Tyson was in heaven with his ginormous plate of food!

Then back at home Becca was very excited for cake!

Tyson and his cake! Ummm, yeah and I forgot to buy candles...so we used the 2 and added a candle in front (kind of hard to see) and then the 1, so 31!



Ready to cut into it!

Yummy devil's food cake with vanilla-almond buttercream frosting!

Happy Birthday Tyson! We love you tons!

Ward Christmas PartyI didn't get a lot of pics, but I did get Becca enjoying her hot chocolate!



Christmas Card Photo Shoot This was the picture we ended up choosing.

This was my other favorite.

Other December Activities
Color Me Mine!
I took Becca to Color Me Mine to paint a mug for her Grandma Ratliff. We had already gotten something for my mom, so we'll have to do this for her another time. But she LOVED it!






Incredible Pizza Company
We went to IPC for FHE one night and Becca had an absolute blast! It's a fun place, but I'm glad we got it at a very discounted price! It can get expensive doing all the fun stuff!


Shoot the ginormous bugs game.

She absolutely LOVED riding the go carts!

Celebrating with Friends!
On the 18th we went to see Tron Legacy, went to Buca di Beppo with Shauna and Andrew for a late birthday celebration for Tyson and decorated Christmas sugar cookies! It was a SUPER fun day!
Happy Birthday, Buca Style!

Ah, newlyweds!

The plate of our bests.

I can't claim the idea for the arms made of toothpicks but it turned out super cute!

Our happy family!

Again, not my idea, I stole it from Shauna, but they turned out cute!

DAZ 3D Christmas Party
Let's see if anyone is still reading...There was a change of venue from Carver's to Madeline's the day of this dinner, because when they called the number for large party reservations, the guy put us down for San Diego not SANDY! I guess Carver's uses just one number to book these for all their locations? Seems odd to me. Anyway, Madeline's was yummy and it was really fun!


Gift #1 Tyson opened, and was stolen immediately, then there were some mint truffles that were promtply taken!

Then this, which would have been awesome for his office...but it was also taken.

Then this was a giftcard that was taken.

And what we ended up with. Every year Tyson opens a lot of presents, I guess he's just good at picking them out, but bad at picking his number for order of opening(we were number 4!)


Sunday the 19th Family Pics!
All dressed up in our Christmas best!

Becca Quote of the Day!

This morning I walked over to Tyson and kissed him on the cheek. Becca promptly said "Don't kiss my prince!"

Then I told her that mom and dad were married and it was okay. Then she said: "But I'm a princess."

I asked: "Is mommy a princess or a queen?"

"A queen" she said.

"If Becca's a princess, and mommy's a queen, what's Daddy? A king?" I asked her.

She stopped to think. "No, he's Tyson."

After laghing, I said, "That's sounds about right to me!" ;)

Ah ha!

It was the bag of broccoli that oddly looked completely normal, but upon opening the bag I almost passed out. Who knew one could make broccoli wine...that still holds the shape and look of fresh broccoli...

What IS that?!!!??!!!

Okay, so have you ever sat there in your house thinking... "What IS that smell? Where the heck is it coming from?"

Tonight I felt like a blood hound, a very old, Rusty from "Lady in the Tramp"-type blood hound sniffing my house for that musty kind of funky smell that has been building. Walking from room to room turning and sniffing trying to lead me to the source. I ended up in the kitchen...and still couldn't find anything.

Did Becca leave a cup with milk in it somwhere? Are the potatoes in the cupboard going south? Is there a diaper missing? Serioulsy people, annoying.

I think the medications I am on right now are making me a little crazy. I get energized at night, don't sleep well then am a complete zombie and want to sleep in till insane hours (today I was in bed until almost 10). So I decided the best course of action at 12:20 at night when Tyson and I were settling down to bed, was to go downstairs and clean out the entire fridge. I threw out EVERYTHING that could be a source of any oldness or smell. Literally everything. Even food that I sniffed and they smelled just fine.

I found some veggies and fruit that were going south, but other than that I don't know if I got it. If I conquored the lingering "humph".

Has this ever happened to you? Or am I just insane? Have you ever felt like a blood hound who has lost their sense of smell in your own home?

Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving!
I didn't take a lot of pictures which is strange for me. It was just such a chill day, but my brother Casey and his wife came up from Orem and we had a great afternoon and evening eating lots of food and playing games!

The food.

Me and my herb rubbed turkey!

Friday
On Friday we set up the Christmas tree and started getting ready for the season!
Becca and the cats were very interested.

Just a cute shot of Becca kissing her baby doll. She has really taken a stronger interst in them lately.

Working on fluffling.

But the best part after the fluffing is it is pre-lit! Ooohs and Ahhs all around!

Our beautiful princess! The purple dress was because we also went to see TANGLED and Becca wanted to dress up like Rapunzel. It was seriously good! We laughed and I cried twice. Becca just loved it too! Best family movie of the year!

Saturday
On Saturday my brother's family came to stay with us before heading back to CA after having Thanksgiving in Logan with my SIL's family. We decided to go see the lights at temple square.

We decided to take TRAX up, and believe it or not it was my first time! This is my brother and his cute family!

And us on the TRAX.

With the lights...um...that dad missed in the picture.

This is the cousins, minus baby Clara in her stroller.

I just LOVE the lights on temple square!



We went in to see the Christus. Becca was very excited to see Jesus. And it was a great stop to warm up!

I love to see the temple!

Daddy and Becca with the star lights.





In the South visitor's center they have this newer section model of the inside of the temple. It was really cool to see how it all fit together. I didn't realize how BIG the assembly hall was in the top room.

Clara surviving the cold all bundled up!


Our family with the temple and lights! Merry Christmas!

A closer shot.

On the East side of the temple there was this little lonely section that no one was going to see with these AWESOME green and blue lights. I loved the glow!

Becca was enjoying the Luminarias. A great distraction since she had been saying (I want to go home) for the last 20 minutes. She was just SO cold!

Ryan's family and the temple (this shot came out a little dark)

Us and the temple.

The nativity in the reflection pond.

Such an amazing place!

Me in front of the temple.

Becca our frozen little popsicle!

We had a really fun weekend despite some illnesses that took over (mostly me this time). We are looking forward to the rest of this month and all the crazy Christmas celebrating, but also taking time to remember what the season is all about!!!