Happy 2011!

We had such a great New Years Eve...it was really low key! We ate delicious Thai takeout food, let the kids celebrate with blowers and hats at 8:30 before Deano fell asleep on my parents bed, then we watched the ball drop in NYC and called it a night! I was asleep at midnight...which if you know my normal sleep habits, is a miracle! It was actually a great way to start the year...especially since one of my goals is to go to bed earlier!
Baby Noli looks SUPER excited about this picture...the poor kid looks like he is thinking "why in the world are you putting that thing on my head and making me cuddle up to these two again!"

Noel 2010

We had such a wonderful Christmas. We spent the morning at home opening gifts, then we went to my parents to open gifts with them...and eat Chris' Swedish pancakes.

Deano LOVES apples & Iron man (which is odd b/c he'd never even seen Iron Man...he just kept telling us he wanted Santa to bring him an Iron Man Mask).Christmas Day is also Aunt Nat's Birthday! The last couple of years we've had Santa Lucia & little Star Boy present her with a cake to try to make it a little more special. Nat was my favorite Christmas present in 1982! Brielle & Kiersten...adorable little Santa Lucia's

Christmas Eve 2010

It would not be Christmas Eve without 'The Nativity.' We have been doing this forever, it is one of my favorite Christmas traditions. Jane (my cousins daughter) & Deano were Mary & Joseph. Jackson (my other cousins son) was a wise man...we were missing a few parts but it was still a great little Nativity. Our littlest Angel GirlFor some reason Nat would not let Nolan play the part of baby Jesus....maybe it had something to do with Mary & Joseph being 3 years old. We had an amazing Raclette dinner complete with filet...for 30 people. What is Raclette? It is a Swiss cheese that you melt on a table top grill that has little pans and a griddle. You cook meat, veggies, potatoes on the griddle then top it off with the melted cheese...it is delicious. I had Raclette at Christmas on my mission in France and I've loved it ever since.

Baby Noli

Aunt Nat & Uncle Ty brought Bri & Deano the best Christmas present...their new cousin Baby Noli. They all look so festive in their Christmas jammies. I love this pic. of Deano kissing baby Noli...this pretty much sums up the two weeks that they were visiting...my kids smothering their new cousin.

Deano & Noli looked so sweet on Christmas Eve in thier matching sweaters.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

We had a wonderful Christmas season this year! I really tried to forget about the 'small stuff' (which is why the only Christmas cards I sent went to Chris' parents and siblings) and enjoy the holidays! It was great! We took the kids to Temple Square, which they loved because they got to see "mommy & daddy's temple" from our wedding video (one of their favorite movies). Deano was especially excited that he got to 'touch' the temple.I took the kids on our horse driven carriage ride at Riverwoods (Shopping center) & to see the giant Nutcrackers...they thought I was the best mom ever! (I think Chris was at a Jazz game or something that night).Our cousins came to visit!Brielle & Dean had SO much fun playing with Benson & Claire (children of Chris' lil' sis-Sarah)! It was so nice because the kids played so well together. Dean loved playing star wars (particularly...lightsabers) with Benson...for several days...non stop!
Brielle was tickled to have Claire (her only girl cousin, on either side) to play with and take care of. I wish they lived closer because we were sad to say goodbye!

This is what Deano will to to you if you try to take a Sunday afternoon nap! I did not pose this picture at all, and Chris is fast asleep! In fact, I made Deano take a pillow off of Chris' face so I could see it! I walked in on Deano collecting toys, books, pillows from the play room to put on top of Chris while he slept...he was getting such a kick out of it! That little guys is such a rascal!

Dear Santa...

We have been busy (just like everyone else) getting ready for Christmas. The other night Brielle showed me this sweet letter to Santa that "Kiersten had written." She is the cutest girl, I just want her to stay as sweet as she is forever!

"From Kiersten, The American Girl. Braces, Earrings (luckily I ordered the earrings for her...but unfortunately Kiersten won't be getting braces this year). I love you Santa."Deano looked so cute on our way into Sams club yesterday, that I had to snap a picture! I love this boy...he is such a crackup...he constantly says things that make me laugh! A few minutes before this picture I grabbed his hand in our garage (b/c he'd been riding his razor scooter in the snow and now he was eating the snow off his scooter) and led him to the car--he said to me: "whoa mom, you are really tough"...where does he come up with this stuff? Temple Square Christmas lights...my 2 cuties. (p.s. yes, I'm obsessed with my kids....you would be too if they were yours :)

Thankful

I'm thankful for SO much! Sometimes it is overwhelming how many people bless our lives!
This precious little girl lost her 2nd front tooth on Thanksgiving morning...now, all she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth. Her crazy little brother helped her lose that tooth by hitting her in the face with a toy microphone...oh, the joy of having a little brother!

Deano, Deano, Deano...this kid makes life SO interesting! He has so much personality! He gets so angry & frustrated, yet he is so sweet & cuddly. He adores my uncle's dog Royce...I wish you could see how big Royce the Great Dane is! He'd make a great horse for Deano the Great Swede!

My newest little love...my nephew Nolan. My "original child" my sister Nat, had her baby on Tuesday (Nat always hated how I 'mothered' her...but that is a big sisters job)! Nolan Robert was a big boy (9lbs9oz) and he is so sweet, I'm so glad he joined our family. Nat & Ty are such proud parents...Tyler is sitting next to me right now, telling us that Nolan just laughed...it's so sweet to watch two people melt like butter when they look in the eyes of their child.

Motherhood--I heard a line in a movie "Motherhood is like getting a tattoo on your face, you'd better make sure you are fully invested before you do it," this is the truth b/c motherhood is always and forever...there are no sick days! I was really sick on Tuesday, I was lying on the floor of my mom's house (while my mom made my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner...b/c I was too sick...I'm 32 and she's still taking care of me...I am grateful for my parents) and of course I immediately had company. There is no rest for the weary, but I still love being a mother.

My crazy cousins. I could not leave these funny Thanksgiving pictures out. Thanksgiving was my uncle's birthday...so my crazy cousins put on a crazy production for their dad. It was hilarious! LAST BUT NOT LEAST...I'm so grateful for Chris. He's taking care of the kiddo's so that I can be with my sister and he is in the middle of 'fixing up' our bedroom...going above and beyond my request to simply repaint. He is awesome!