January

These girls were SO excited to go sledding with Grandpa on New Years day!  Look at those smiles.  I love Dan’s scavenged snow clothes from my parents’ closets, he’s such a good sport.  They all had a great time sledding over by the library.

 

We enjoyed some cousin time at the Chapmans, the girls all like to dance!  And they are all pretty good at it.  Elliott stopped by too, the kids all had a ball playing with the fun toys Nina has.

 

These kids really cracked me up with their tea party, surprisingly good etiquette for children so young. :)

   

Jonathan also came over to play some smash brothers with Dan, they are both so good at video games, it can be hard to find a worthy opponent. ;)  Jonathan is such a cute uncle to Elliott, she loves him! 

   

Great grandma Chapman came over that night to visit and she got her dream hat!  She asked for a musical, robotic  Christmas hat with lights last year and Nina delivered.  Isn’t she cute?  She’s a sweetheart who, despite us telling her to stop, insists on getting all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren Christmas and birthday gifts each year!  She’s so thoughtful.

 

Can’t believe this was the first time we made a fort with our sectional!  The girls kept it up for a couple days.  Jacob liked the idea of it, saying, “howse, howse, go howse.”  But immediately wanted out after we got him in the fort since the girls insisted on keeping the “doors” (blankets) closed, it was dark.  I love these kids!

 

Over the river and through the woods… our post-Cmas visit to Utah

It was a cold snowy drive but we arrived at my parents’ house the evening of Dec 26th.  There were a lot of wonderful people I love there waiting for us, so that was awesome!

   

We got to meet Mikey for the first time, he’d proposed to my sister Joni the day before!!  He seemed a little nervous to meet our big Mormon family, but I don’t know why? j/k :)  Mikey was very nice, and I look forward to getting to know him better, my sister Joni is one very special girl and deserves the best!

 

The next day we did a sort of “mock” Christmas morning, that came out wrong… we pretended it was Christmas morning again.

  

Can you believe all of this stocking my mom Santa had to fill!!  They went down both sides of this railing.

 

Then we reenacted the nativity…

    

And some other pictures from the morning I wanted to include, just a lot of playing, hanging out and laughing!  Except for Jacob, who was very cranky and sick… :(

    

Next up was matching outfit pictures of the cousins (and a few necessary adults) on the sectional! Of course it quickly turned into mayhem…

   

This is my talented brother Jonathan, working on a painting for my house!  Isn’t he awesome?  I can’t wait to get it on the wall!!  Because our walls are bare!  My mom did a craft with the kids, making picture frames to keep their new cousin photo in.

 

Then there was sledding in the front yard!

 

I know what you’re thinking… How much can she cram in 1 post???  Well, there’s more!!!!!!!  Here’s some pictures from our visit to Josh and Meg’s house one morning.

   

Cute little Jamison and Jacob, tried to share the bacon, but it was hard!  One of Jacob’s nick names is “little handsome,” I think it’s obvious why!

  

I asked Dan to take a couple pictures of me and Jenny, who despite the way her coat is puffing out in the photo is looking very thin and fit!  She is getting super strong and ripped doing her crazy cross-fit stuff.  And I just threw in all of the pictures Dan took of me in those 2 min he had the camera… because, as we all know, it’s hard to get pictures of yourself!  This may be all we get this year! j/k

    

Ok, ok, ok, I guess that’s enough for 1 post. :)  Don’t worry, I’ve got plenty more where that came from, but you already know that. ;)