Girl's Night Out

Since Perk and Big Chris went to watch the Utah State game, Anna and I went over to Erica's to hang for a while. The girls watching Kung Fu Panda and playing under the table.

This video is the funniest thing. Anna and Avva get so excited when they see each other.

Christmas Traditions

Chris and I set up our tree today. It's so nice to be in our own home for Christmas this year. I feel really blessed that we have done so much those past 2 years to get to where we are at.

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Chris getting frustrated (okay this picture is totally staged!!)

Even Anna helped put ornaments on the tree. And then she'd turn around and take the ornaments OFF the tree.Even the dogs got into the spirit. Okay not really, but I liked to make them try!!

My dad had a Dickens Village that he would set up every Thanksgiving weekend, it would take all day. He'd unpack box after box, set up the town, the river, the lights, etc. It was a huge project, but it was tradition. My family decided to carry on that tradition this weekend by meeting at my mom's on Saturday morning to get everything set up. Steph and Will did a great job setting the village up, I tackled lights with Tanny. One thing I had to laugh at; my dad used to make me climb in the Attic to get all the boxes down...I STILL HAD TO CLIMB IN THAT DANG ATTIC!! I laughed when I was up there, thinking about my dad, and cried a little too. It was hard to pull all the Christmas stuff down knowing he won't be here this year. But he was there on Saturday as we set up that village. Oh and I'm sure he was watching over Tanny and I as we were setting up the outside lights. Probably telling us HOW to do it when we stood there trying to guess how he had "Macgivered" the lights from previous years!!!

Will and Steph standing next to their creation

Thanksgiving

Helping Dad make apple crisp. Anna decided she wanted to bake with her clothes off, kept the mess off them, I'll give her that!

Steph and Will hosted Thanksgiving dinner this year. They did a great job (missing mash potatoes and all!!)

Andy and Grandma

Larry and JodiThe oldest grandchild (20 yrs and just a handful of days to 21!!!) the youngest at 2yrs old

Anna's weekend

Watching Shrek with Holly

Playing in the leaves (that I just raked up!!)

Teasing Bear with the ball

Driving in dad's Jeep

and playing with Ashton & Keegan (see next post!)

Football with the Tamagawa's

Anna and I went to Sara's to watch the UTE'S BEAT BYU. Well, we attempted to watch the game...mostly we chased after the kids! Sara made yummy chili and pumpkin and apple bread.

I love this picture because Ashton looks so disappointed that Anna was giving him a kiss...but he really enjoyed it! We just made them do it a few times so I could get a good picture!!

Keegan and Anna (I've told Sara since Anna was born that I would have no problem with an arranged marriage between these two). They played so well together.

And yes, the UTE'S beat the pants off BYU...48 to 24.

Go Utes!!

LET'S GO UTES!!!

NKOTB

My sister and I went to see the NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK. Yes, in 7th grade I had their poster hanging up in my locker! I use to love them! They put on a great show. There were a few cheesy moments (Jordan coming on stage with his shirt open, bare chest and all and a fig fan blowing on him. Donnie grabbing his "goodies" a few times and Danny's breakdancing). But overall it was a fun concert. VERY LOUD! My gosh women scream loud! Natasha Beddingfield and Lady Gaga opened. Thanks sis for taking me!!!

6 Things About Anna

1. She is a natural comedian. She loves to make you laugh and be the center of attention. She is either doing something to make you laugh or laughing at your for doing something silly. 2. She is very smart and remembers things quickly. She can count to 10, recognizes when we get close to people's homes ("we go to Nina's, Papa's, Fuffy's" etc). She is fearless and was flying on the swings on her belly and climbing UP her slide the week after we had it (she was only 1 1/2yrs old!!)

3. She makes friends easily. She'll walk up to a kid in the grocery store, grab their hand and say "we walk". She follows the neighbor girl up and down the sidewalk and never notices that she's 3 years younger and that much smaller. She still keeps up.

4. She loves animals of all kinds. She gets excited over horses, doggies, kitties and birds. She knows where the horses will be on Legacy Highway and points them out to me. She'll pat her legs and say "here kitty, kitty" when she sees a cat in the neighborhood.

5. Her little saying melt my heart: "MOM-LOOK!!", "I stuck", "MOM HIDE!!", "Hab a good day", "Time to wake up". She's a total mama's girl. She'll play in my make-up when I'm getting ready in the mornings, will walk around in my heels and loves to cuddle when watching movies.

6. She loves it when her daddy plays monster chase with her. She'll drag me into the closet, shut the doors, shush me and then wait for Chris to come and find us. She'll run and jump into Chris's lap and then say "MOM HELP!" and we pretend Chris is the monster and I'm here to save her.

Cocoa and friends

*Hot Cocoa*

Nothing like hot cocoa on a cold fall night.

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*Friends*

Sara and her boys made their annual trek up north (she's really only about 20 mi from me, but rarely comes to visit. Yes Sara, that's a hint to you!!) She brought up this beautiful flower arrangement for me.

Ashton didn't really want to share with Anna, but did manage to give up 3 French fries!

Keegan and Ashton

My mom also came up and brought Haylee and Ethan with her.