Christmas recap

Let's end the year with Christmas fun. We're already counting down the days until we can bust out the reindeer antlers again.

Here comes trouble

Snow comes to Oregon

I showed Carolyn the snow falling outside and she asked me if it was Christmas again. It might as well be because she fulfilled her wish of making a snowman.

Birthday boy

Fun facts about Blake:

• Redhead
• Loves his sister's dolly
• Gives great snuggles
• Plays peekaboo
• favorite sound: "ooooh"
• favorite food: clementines
• Likes to laugh

Newest known fact about Blake:

• LOVES cake

Blake is now one. The party day is over, and now I plan on taking a 24-hour break before tackling the rest of the Christmas projects head on.

Carolyn: Mom, can you see my eyes?

From the mouths of babes

I cry when I'm frustrated. I hate it, but I can't control it. Once in awhile, especially in the first year after having a baby, when Jeremy and I can't agree on something, I go upstairs to my room to cry. He knows I just need to cry and get it out, but Carolyn doesn't. She usually follows a minute or two later to tell me not to be mad and snuggle me. I can't remember the last time I did this, but Carolyn must remember it vividly.

Today, Jeremy and I were finishing some forms for our flex spending account. He started tallying the costs for the year for healthcare to show me this other option would be best next time an open enrollment period came. I love my pediatrician, and if we change plans I will have to change doctors. I don't like change. I had some things to put away and started to walk upstairs. Carolyn followed asking what I was doing. I told her I was putting things away. I was halfway up the stairs when I heard her tell Jeremy "her not going upstairs to cry."

Freedom

Blake is finally at the age where I can take him outside to play and actually set him down. Didn't love the hat, but he loved the freedom to move around. This makes Carolyn happier too because we can go outside more often. Just in time for rainy season!!

I love these two

This is going to be all sentimental, but I love these two together. Carolyn and Chandler are only two months apart and they spend a lot of time together. If Carolyn had her way, they would spend practically all their time together. They are best little buddies. It's nice to have Chandler come play Carolyn's games with her. They don't play by the rules, but magically they have the same made-up rules. It just warms my heart to listen to them talking to each other. They tell stories and correct each other's method of playing pretend. Apparently there are only certain ways to pretend you are going to a wedding. I'll be sad when one of our families moves away and it isn't a 3 minute drive to get the two together.

(Please note that Carolyn's hair wasn't always out of control. It's gotten worse with age.)

Wedding finery

Of course, I don't have a picture of the bride and groom from the wedding, but I think this wedding party looks fantastic.

Union Square Reunion

Albeit, this was just a mini-reunion. Many moons ago, Jeremy and I were newly married people looking for friends. Our apartment complex was great for this and we made some wonderful friends to share food and game nights with.

As happens to friends you meet in college, we each graduated, got jobs, and moved away from Provo. We were the only couple who actually lives outside of Utah and that made it easier to get together.

This picture is totally blurry because we didn't have the flash on. It was the only way to get all the adults in the picture. There was no way we were going to let the kids take the picture. So we have the Alos, Lucases, Horners and Williamsons .


Here's a better picture of all the women. It's amazing how 5 years have passed since I've seen some of these people, and we all look the same.

Also amazing is the fact that the last time we were all together, there were no baby bumps in sight. Now, there are 8 children between the families.

These are the best picture we could get with 8 kids. I'm just happy no one fell off the couch.


My favorite part of the evening was Carolyn's demonstration of her "rock star" skills. Whoever taught her how to do it (I'm guessing Noa) must have made quite the impression because she's told me many times since that she wants to be "rock star."

It was so fun to get together and see old friends, so here's my open invitation for everyone we know to come to Portland!