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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Surprise Visit!

Last night we got a surprise when some good friends of ours from 
St Louis called and said they were in town!!

They came out for only 2 days to get in some skiing in Vail without the kids!

So glad they took time to call us up and take us to dinner!

Thank you Jensen's and Jones'!


It was soo good to see them!  
The visit was sorely needed. It brought back a lot of memories and it was 
sooooo good to catch up on the ward and the people we love and miss soooo much in St Louis!

So hint hint!!! More of you need to stop by!! 

4 Years Old

January 18, 2014

Eden turned 4 years old!!!  

                                               
I cannot believe that my little girl is 4!!! She is getting so big and so smart.  
Everyday she amazes me with something new.  

Her birthday fell on saturday and we had a little party with some of her friends to celebrate.

After Christmas she told me that she wanted a snowman party featuring Olaf.  However, gradually from there the theme turned into Frozen because that has quickly become her favorite movie.  In fact Poopa has taken her to see it TWICE now.  She is always singing the songs and taking about Olaf and how he is the funniest snowman ever!  

So after seeing some examples I put together these movie ticket invitations...

And I made her a fun shirt just for the occasion.
"Warm Hugs 4 Eden"

***
When her friends began to arrive we had them decorate snowflakes.



Even Axel made one!

They did such a good job!


Then we showed them a clip from "Frozen," that isn't in the movie, that makes Eden laugh every time!

That was the precursor to playing pin the nose on the snowman.




Then we had birthday cake!


Colby and I slaved all the day before to make her an Olaf cake.  He was quite proud of Olaf and thinks that he may change his profession to sculpting.

Next it was present time!


Despite all the fun gifts she got I think that she like her olaf balloon the best!  
She carries it all over the house!



After her friends left she went on a daddy/daughter date for lunch to Cafe Rio.

In the evening we did family gifts.


After dinner and family gifts we wanted to take her somewhere fun.  And of all places she said she wanted to go to the big blue & Yellow store and play.  Can anyone guess what the big blue and yellow store is?

???

Well we took her and she loved it!

To continue with tradition we took her outside and let go of 4 balloons to end the day!


Overall, I think she had a great day and lots of fun!

She is getting so big!  I cannot believe she is in primary and how much information she retains.  She is such a special and beautiful little girl!  I just love her!





To see how much she has grown since last year click here

Sunday, January 5, 2014

2013 Christmas Memories

 December was full of party's and all kinds of festivities!
2 ward parties, a formal Messiah sing-a-long at a members home, an open house with some new friends, birthday, family and more friends!

One random night Colby, took the kids to a Christmas party at an office he refers people too.  He said it was awesome!  There was all kinds of food, Santa, elves, games, etc

I wasn't able to go because I was in charge of a women's ensemble for the ward Christmas show and we had rehearsal that evening.

So when I came home Eden has this little gem on her face!

One of my favorite Christmas traditions growing up was sitting down as a family and frosting sugar cookies together.  I tell you what we got pretty detailed and came up with some sweet creations.  In fact my brother had decorated one so good one year that my mother kept it for like 5-6 years!!!

So I wanted to continue the tradition with my little family and this was the first year we included the kids. 


  Eden loved "painting" the cookies.

The timing was also just right that my cousin came up from the Springs for my birthday weekend.  So while she was there I put her to work and we made all kinds of goodies!  I am so grateful she was there because it was so much easier having the help! I really love having her close by!


Once we have made all our goodies then we make up a bunch of plates and deliver them to people!  So I may make a ton, but we never keep it all.  We like to get rid of them and share them with friends and family.  There is no way I could eat them all myself anyway!

***
We started a new tradition this year with Eden.  Last year for my birthday I received a wooden manger about 2 ft tall.  Whenever, Eden is good or shares or is polite she was able to put one piece of straw in the manger to prepare it for when baby Jesus would come.  
(She did pretty good with it.  I just wish I would have taken a picture of it.)
Then Christmas morning we brought it upstairs by the big tree to remind us that HE is what it is all about.  We hope to develop this tradition a little more as they get older.

***  

Christmas Eve came and we were having a special visitor.  But before our visitor came we had Eden open her 1 gift that we open on Christmas Eve and it was a cute little set of Christmas Pj's with matching robe and slippers.



Not too long after there was a knock at the front door!  Who else could it be than......
SANTA! (aka Poopa)


Eden has never had an issue with Santa.  In fact she walked right up to one in an airport.  But Axel on the other hand....


Never to old for Santa


Axel finally warmed up to him but only if daddy held him too.


They made me do it!


 Once Santa left we got out our special Santa plate and mug and left cookies and milk for Santa.

FINALLY!!! Christmas morning came and it was a fiasco?!?!?!



Axel got some new wheels but if you watch the video I think he likes the sounds effects more than the jeep!



So this Christmas solidified it for us.  We are going to be doing things much different next year.  Colby and I have always wanted to switch things up but just have never taken the initiative to do it.  But after this Christmas we decided we gotta fix this.  Next year, we are cutting way back on gifts and then create a new tradition for going somewhere that day to give service or deliver 
things to others who are in greater need than us.  
We want our children to remember that it truly is about giving and not spending ALL DAY opening presents. 

We hope that you all had a memorable and Christ-centered Christmas. 

From our family to yours Merry CHRISTmas and wishing you a year full of growth and incredible memories.