December in Everyday Photos

Here is December in everyday photos:

Visiting P.J. He was his thrilled when Emme gave him a hug. He's talked about it everytime I've seen him since.

 

I took these cuties for their well checks. They are both healthy and happy and both in about the 70th percentile for weight and height. Hudson had to get 4 shots though. Sad.

They totally zonked after!

My grandma was going to DI this vintage coat. What?! So I totally rescued it. This picture totally cracks me up because Emme took it, and Hudson cried in the window wondering what the heck we were doing out there!

We have been looking for a shuffleboard online for months and they were $$$$. So Shaye was thrilled when he found this beautiful one at Costco for $400. Score! We love playing on this. So much fun!

My sweet little shower crasher. I tell you what, a shower in peace and quiet can be a RARE commodity these days.

This is graphic--sorry. But I know if I don't record the totally disastrous moments of my life, ten years from now I might not remember what it was REALLY like. I was showering after running on the treadmill this one day and had the kids join me. Call me a weirdo, but sometimes it's the only way I get a shower--period. Hudson escaped our walk-in shower, but I wasn't too worried about it. (In hindsight--WHY NOT?!) A minute later Emme calmly tells me, "Hudson went poop on the floor." Yep. There was a trail of it through our house--thankfully only on the hard floor! Waaaaah! 10 paper towels and 10 Lysol wipes later, it was like it never even happened. 

Moving on...he falls asleep eating all the time. So cute, but it makes me feel like a terrible mother.

These two snuggle every chance they get. I ran into Michael's to buy something and found her "driving" in the parking lot and smooching on her dad.

Jourdan and Caitlin came to visit. I freaking love them! (And so did Hudson!)

The day after Christmas we went to the new Fiesta Fun. It is a neat place, though not designed for littler kids really. Skyler and his boys and Shaye played games and then won Em and Hudson some fun prizes.

And that's December in everyday photos!

Christmas Day 2015

Can I just say, 2015 brought us THEEEE best Christmas ever! Such a wonderful day! I don't know how this one can be beat, but we'll certainly try.

At about 7:30, I woke Emme up and got her dressed. She was so excited and could hear her Nana, Papa, and Grandma Porritt in the front room. After she was dressed, she came out and she and Hudson opened their stockings. Emme expressly asked Santa for a green Elsa dress, though, and it was nowhere to be found. We wondered if Santa could have left it upstairs for some weird reason.

Imagine her delight when she opened the door to the playroom and found her own pink princess castle!

I found her expression hillarious because she looked shocked for one second and quickly her expression shifted to her "princess look," a look that says "of course this is for me!"

Silly Santa left her green Elsa dress inside the castle. So of course her Christmas dress went straight out the window after that. When we came home later, she played in the castle the rest of the day. The still plays in there a TON. She pushes the button on the door, which plays this Royal-sounding music and dances and dances.

Little Hudson got these fun tunnels. His squeals as we chase him through them make me giddy.

Emme got this matching Frozen Fever Elsa doll too. You just couldn't replicate the splendor in her eyes.

That morning we got to talk to Amy. I freaking love her! She bore her testimony about the Savior in a way I'll never forget. I could sense that she was feeling the full measure of the Christmas spirit as a missionary. She cried, especially when she saw Hudson. I know it's hard for her to be away, but it's so worth it.

Here are my Christmas treasures. We're immeasurably blessed.

Christmas Eve 2015

Christmas Eve we hosted the Scotts for a little party, and went down a little like this:

I jumped on the bandwagon and got a selfie stick. I know, they're totally obnoxious, but also terribly useful at times.

After the kiddies went to sleep, we put together this castle we got from Costco for Em. I was proud of us when we didn't get frustrated or bugged with each other even once! Getting Christmas ready is so magical!

Retro Christmas Cards

My husband is a genius! Have I mentioned that before? More accurately, he is a creative perfectionist. When I begged for a composite Christmas card this year, using the words "classic," "vintage," and "quirky," this is what he came up with!

Here are some other fun shots from that night:

I still can't get over that Shaye had the notion to get Em this gorgeous dress when he was in Scotland. So unlike him, especially because it was an expensive silk piece. Love it on our Christmas girl!

Christmastime Shenanigans--part 2

More Christmas time fun!

How amazing is my sister in law?! As many times as she has come over as Elsa, it never gets old at all. This time she read The Night Before Christmas to Em by the fireplace and the tree. Absolutely priceless.

Oh the craziness I put my kids through to try to get good pictures. Call me crazy, but I think it's worth it!

Em and I had a blast making this "gingerman" house during Hudson's nap one day. She kept asking if she could eat it and exercised great restraint when I continually told her no. "Okay! Honest-wee, I really wanna eat it!"

Emme loved being Mary in nursery...for about 30 seconds. Then she wanted it tied around her neck so that it could be an "Elsa cape". This kid!

Some days I just get hairbrained ideas in my head. A friend with a brand new baby commented on my Instagram that she loved a hat I made Hudson and so I made it and dropped it off to her little boy playing in the front yard, who must have thought I was a lunatic-- "Will you give this to your mom? Okay--bye!" I am such a sucker for surprises--especially giving them to others.

We seriously went to see Santa 4 different times, but Emme would either get totally freaked out or the line would be crazy long. The weekend before Christmas I put my foot down and we went and saw the Santa at boulevard. Em was a little scared but the Santa was darling and kept repeating that he knew she wanted a green Elsa dress for Christmas. After, she wouldn't stop talking about how he most definitely is NOT scary! :)

For the first time, little Emme got to shop for a little friend's gift and we delivered it a few days before Christmas. It was such a good experience for her because she's pretty much on the receiving end of everything.

Christmastime Shenanigans--part 1

There is no better time than Christmastime! My goodness, it never gets old. Here are some shenanigans that helped us feel the Christmas spirit this year.

We wrote Hermana Hauck this silly letter and made her this hymn book cover. I'm so proud of her serving in Mexico but can't wait to have her back next Christmas.

Oh the wonderful bribery that Lala the Elf brought to our house. She was certainly mischievous and Emme loved to see what Lala did in the night, but the best part was when Emme was naughty, she would cry that Lala had seen her and would be telling Santa. We might have to develop year-round elves--this could make me a millionaire.

I got to go on a date to the DSU Faculty lunch with my mommy. She is so well-respected on campus. One of the many reasons I love being seen with her.

During finals week the college had therapy dogs to calm nerves. This little Rylee was darling. Best idea ever!

Our 2016 friend Christmas party. We ate, played the newlywed game, and caught up with some of our favorites.

Some darling family, still unbeknownst to us, brought us the 12 days of Christmas. The kids got so excited to see what our "secret friends" brought. In fact Christmas morning, I asked Emme, "Guess who came?!" and she said "Our secret friends??!" :)

After tasting a Sweet Tooth Fairy iced oatmeal cookie at the Dicken's festival, I decided to make my own. This proved to be a dangerous dangerous mistake that I think will have to be a yearly tradition now!