2012 Resolution Review

2012 was kind of a rough year for me as far as my resolutions go. I didn't expect to spend most of the year being sick with a rough pregnancy and a very rough recovery. So, needless to say, some of my resolutions went out the window. But here's a review of them anyway...at least I accomplished some of them!

1. Figure out a cooking/meal planning system that works for me. I went through about 3 or 4 trial and error ideas before I found a system that works for me. I've been using it fairly regularly for the past 4 months or so and I think it's working pretty well.

2. Get some things organized. Namely...my blog books made and printed for 2010 and 2011, our files and pics organized on the computer, my iTunes organized, our paper files labeled and put away, clean my stuff out of my parents' basement, get rid of old clothes, and finish my mormon.org profile. (I did all but 2 of these! Plus, I organized most of our new house when I unpacked everything.)

3. Figure out how to be fun again. I didn't really do this, but I have tried to make friends in our new ward.

4. Figure out some routine activities to do with Emily so we're both not so bored. Emily and I had lots of fun this year. We got a membership to the zoo and the aquarium, and visited both of those places frequently. We also went to storytime at the library almost weekly and we got Em a little pool this summer and she loved swimming in it.

5. Eat more fruits and vegetables. We started doing Bountiful Baskets this year, which really helped in this resolution. We also grew a garden this summer.

6. Memorize at least 12 scriptures. I only did 4. This was a lot harder than I thought it would be.


FAMILY GOALS

1. Buy a house. Done! And it's so nice!
2. Figure out a temple attendance schedule that works for us and stick with it. Still working on this one.
3. Read scriptures daily. Mostly
4. Exercise at least 3-4 times per week. Not really. Here's my exercise stats for the year.

Run/Walk: 126 Miles
Bike: 123.4 Miles
Swim: 3.25 Hours
Other: 34 Hours

2013 Resolutions coming soon! (Christmas posts are below)

Christmas, Part 2

After our Christmas morning festivities, we headed over to the grandparents' for more fun. Emily and Rivers had fun opening their presents from Grandma and Grandpa.

Emily also thought it would be a good idea to swing in the baby swing while brushing her hair with her new brush.

Emmy got lots of fun presents from both sets of grandparents. I don't know where we are going to put all her loot!

We were all very spoiled. Zach got this fun new toy, and he loves it!

He also got this fun shirt from my friend Caron. It says, "I'm told I love football." Ha!

Here is Zach with his cousin, Tyler. They are only 6 weeks apart, but Zach is like 6 times as big!

Uncle Kyle wanted a picture with all of his nieces and nephews before he left on his mission a few days later. The kids love Uncle Kyle, but they were not interested in taking a picture.

This picture makes me laugh though because it's so typical of everyone's personality. Emmy is wiggling and being silly, Zach is crying, Olivia is oblivious to everything, and Rivers is saying hi to everyone else. Kyle is great with them though, and we are going to miss him!

It was a great Christmas!

Christmas, Part 1

Christmas this year was SO FUN! Emily was old enough to "get it" a little bit, and I loved watching her celebrate all the festivities. We got Emmy a kitchen this year, and here is Matt putting it together. He said I had to document the first of the "toy putting together" experiences.

It makes me laugh because on our first Christmas we were married, we went over to our friends, The Margetts' house, on Christmas Eve to deliver some bread or something to them, and there they were putting together some stuff for their grandkids.

We spent Christmas Eve with my family. Allison got some butt-flap footisie pjs.

Emily had fun all month long putting up the little ornaments on the Christmas calender. This is how she arranged them.

We always play a game on Christmas Eve after our soup and breadbowl dinner. We played Trivial Pursuit (boys against girls).

Then we came home and set out the presents.

I didn't get Emily a whole ton of stuff this year since we got her the kitchen, but I saw this little doggie when I was getting some medicine, and I couldn't resist. It reminded me so much of Emmy with its big blue eyes. Emmy has also started calling Matt and I "honey".

Emmy woke up early Christmas morning and wanted to come "sleep" in our bed. She's never done that before, and it lasted about 5 minutes until I asked her if she wanted to go see if Santa had come.

She was so cute opening her stocking. Then she had to look in Zach's stocking. She was much more interested in playing with her bubble bath than opening the other presents.

She finally got around to opening her kitchen, and proceeded to play with it for the next hour before she would think about opening any other presents.

She was cooking up a storm all morning.

When she was done cooking, she opened the rest of her presents (slowly), stopping to play with each one. She got this special sacrament book to help her be reverent during the sacrament at church.

The one thing she asked for Santa to bring her was fruit snacks. Purple ones.

Santa obliged.

She also got some underwear so we can start potty training. (Oh joys.) She thought it was a good idea to put it on her head!

Then she got the right idea!

Zach actually slept in that morning so we could enjoy Christmas with Emmy. I was so grateful because it was so much fun. (Part 2 coming soon)

Christmas cookies

Emmy and I had a great time making Christmas sugar cookies this year. She loved cutting them out.

But loved eating them even more!

She kept wanting to put all the colors of frosting on the cookies.

And enormous amounts of sprinkles.

When it was time to put the cookies out for Santa, she said, "But Emmy just needs a little bite." And then she proceeded to take the tiniest little bite out of the cookie and put it back on the plate for Santa.

Then she took the cookies over by the fireplace to set out for Santa. It seriously was so cute.

And boy did Santa ever enjoy those cookies!

Temple Square

The Christmas season isn't complete without a trip to Temple Square. So we bundled up the children and headed out to see the lights.

Zach was nice and warm zipped up inside Matt's coat!

And Emmy loved seeing all the lights and the temple.

I really love Temple Square at Christmastime!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas festivities

We have been enjoying some Christmas festivities around here. We went to pick out our Christmas tree, brought it home and decorated it. Emmy put about 3 ornaments on and then she was done.

She had much more fun decorating gingerbread houses.

And sneaking some candy.

The finished product...

She has also been helping wrap presents by picking out which wrapping paper to use and which color of ribbon. Whenever you ask her what she wants to get someone for Christmas, she always says, "shoes!" and then if you ask again, she says, "a present". It's really pretty cute. This week's activity is making cookies!

Here Comes Santa

There is a photo studio around here that lets the parent dress up as Santa and have their picture taken with their kids so that you don't have a screaming child's picture with Santa. I think it's a great idea! So we went to try it out. The kids watch Daddy dress up in the Santa suit...

And then they take the pics without the dad's face really showing.

I didn't really like our photographer though, and I was a tad disappointed with our pictures. I still think they turned out cute, but I really think she could have done a better job. The examples on their website are so creative, and I wish our photographer would have been more creative.

Next year I am going to come better prepared with examples of what I like.

But it was really fun. They also had a "real Santa" there that the kids could go see and get a candy cane. Emmy wanted nothing to do with the real Santa, so it was fun to have Matt dress up.

This next one is my favorite.

They were doing the photo shoot at the new Scheel's store, so as we were waiting for our pictures we explored a little. It's a really neat store. They have wildlife all over, a fish tank, and lots of fun things to see.

Nothing like eating your fruit snacks in the forest with an elk!

They even have a giant ferris wheel.

Anyway, it was a lot of fun!

Life with Zach

You can't see him very well in this video, but you can sure hear him, and this is what Zach sounds like most of the day and night. Grunt, grunt, grunt, squeeze, squeal, cry...Poor little guy.

Zach turned 2 months this week...at 2 months, Zach...

-weighs 13 lbs, 10 oz (85th percentile)
-gets up at least 2-3 times in the night
-seems like the world's fussiest baby
-can roll over from tummy to back
-has a big, goofy smile
-LOVES to be held
-loves the Christmas tree and lights

This kid is really giving me a test in motherhood that some days I'm not sure I'm going to pass. But even with all the fussiness, he can still be a cutie pie with his big, goofy smile. And last night, he only got up once! Let's hope this is a sign of improvement and a good night's sleep is just around the corner.