This past weekend we went to Paradise to celebrate Christmas with Grandma and Papa since they will be in California for Christmas and we will be with Taylor's family. They made it special for Sage. When we arrived they had a Santa hat on and reindeer antlers and even though they are going to be gone a couple weeks Papa threw up a few lights outside just for our girl. We had a nice day and all got to open our Christmas presents. The highlight was watching Sage open her gifts and watching her get to excited. Grandma and Papa got her the Shirley Temple collection DVDs and also went to great lengths to get her some tap shoes, which they do not make in her size... They got little leather shoes and had taps put on them. Of course she only likes the parts of the movie where Shirley is dancing and singing.... thank goodness for scene selection. She says, "more, more" every time an stomps her little feet and tries to copy Shirley dance. It is the cutest thing. Grandma made a yummy dinner as she always does. We are happy we were able to spend some time with them before they left town and the new year.
Twenty five was a good year for me, but I have a feeling 26 is going to be even better! Taylor and I celebrated my birthday by going to Tucanos for lunch on Friday. We were both too full for dinner but snacked on pita chips on the blow up mattress we set up in the front room to watch the movie we red boxed. Saturday morning I came home from the gym to green waffles Taylor made. Taylor wouldn't let me clean a thing. He got everything all cleaned up since he knows I don't like to come home to a mess after being away. We spent the weekend in Paradise. Grandma made the traditional St.Patrick's day dinner of yummy corn beef & cabbage and yummy cake. We sang twice. Once for me and once for Taylor since is birthday is next Saturday. Tony and Jeanne joined us too. I know I have said this before, but it is so nice to have them both up there in Paradise. As always it was a weekend of lots of eating and resting. We always eat way too much when we are there and to make it even worse Taylor and I picked up a banana cream pie from Maddox and Jeanne also brought Udderly Peanutbutterly Ice-cream which I can't help but eat a little too much of. Grandma and Taylor dressed Sage up for my day. They were going to bring her out with the cake, but she was kind of a little monster and wasn't going to make it that late. I am grateful for such a great husband, daughter and wonderful family.
Fell asleep drinking her green milk on the way to Paradise.
I guess we have been good! Sage received a xylophone, 123 Favorite Kids Songs CD, a fun push toy, links, jammies, a dress, a storytime rhymes book that sings to her, a sippy cup, and Baby Sign Books.She was also spoiled with a piggy that sings when she puts the coins in, bath toys, a singing star stacker (everything sings), a shape sorter picnic basket and My Baby Can Read book/DVD/Flip card set. She also got a few really cute outfits sent to her from the Ruiz Family. From our families Taylor and I received the baby bullet for her which is going to be so useful in making her baby food. It came with the baby steamer, which is also a sterilizer , poaches eggs, and defrosts. It has a ton of storage containers as well. We are super excited about it. We have already made her a weeks worth of food- super easy, cheap and healthy. We also received the Magic Bullet which we are excited to try out. We got a Wii game and a 3 in 1 BYU puzzle. We also got the game Rummikub, Our families are way too generous. Taylor spoiled me with the Silhouette Cameo which I really wanted and was looking forward to for my birthday. If that wasn't enough he got me a book I have been wanting to read, the Andrea Bocelli Christmas CD, Zumba for the Wii, a mouse for my laptop and a sweet picture frame. Sage and I got him a blue ray player, the movie The Help (which he also got me), Scrabble Card Game, jammie bottoms and the Amazing documentary of BYU Basketball from last year with Jimmer. We got eachother the Wii Fit Plus with the Wii Balance Board. We really are so blessed with so much. There are so many things we take for granted. The fact that we have all of our temporal needs met and then some, we are so very blessed.
The True Spirit of Christmas
I think this has been my favorite Christmas. Not because of all the wonderful gifts, but because of all the time we have been able to spend as a family. We went to the Festival of Trees, went downtown to see the lights on Temple Square, decorated our home and have enjoyed the tree lights that have been on all day every day since the first of December, our home has smelled of sparkling pine and homemade cookie- we have made lots and lots of cookies, we have listened to lots of Christmas music (Michael Buble's Christmas Album has been our favorite this year), watched several Christmas movies, drank lots of hot chocolate, Taylor and I went to the Christmas Devotional, had a fun FHE/ White Elephant Party with our neighbors, had a nice evening with Taylor's family where all the cousins got to play together, hear a story, get their Christmas jammies from Grandma and Grandpa. Although not perfect, we tried to read a scripture verse of Christ together every evening and we read a few Christmas books. It really has been the happiest time of the year! It has been nice to reflect on the birth and life of our Savior.
How We Spent the Day
The morning of Christmas Eve Taylor's parents came over and we got to visit with them. We love them and are so grateful for them in our lives. They are so generous and are examples of Christ-like love. They are examples to us in so many ways. We enjoyed the time we were able to spend with them. Afterwards, the three of us packed up and headed to Paradise where we spent Christmas Eve and Christmas with Grandma and Papa. We are so grateful that they live so close now. We love spending the holidays with them and being able to see them in between now. Grandma was a good sport and played games with us and Papa even watched the movie The Help with us. Christmas morning we woke up early. Taylor woke before everyone excited to start the day. I soon learned why he was so excited when he had me go on a scavenger hunt to find my gifts. Sage did pretty good opening her gifts. Of course she was more interested in the paper, but she did pretty good for a 9 month old. Right before church Sage woke up from her nap supper fussy. She would not stop crying, which is not like her. She threw up all over her Christmas dress. She felt much better afterwards and we quickly changed her and went to church. The rest of the day we lounged in our jammies, ate good food and enjoyed our time together.
This is my highchair from when I was a baby. It also winds down and turns into a rocking chair. Her and Scruffy became best buds this past trip.
We had the best weekend spent with friends, family, and full of Christmas celebration. I don't think it could have got any better.
We had one of the best weekends. Friday evening we had the Peterson's over. Sage and Cole got to play for a little bit before we put them both to bed. The four of us then had dinner and played games-speed scrabble and racko. We had a really good time.
Saturday morning Taylor woke up early to do some Christmas shopping. He brought us back yummy peppermint hot chocolate from Starbucks.
Grandma & Papa came down from Paradise to visit with us and bring our Christmas tree/decorations they had got us.
We all went to our wards Waffle Christmas Brunch and afterwards went to the Festival of Trees.
After Grandma & Papa left we put Sage down for a nap, put some Christmas music on and decorated our tree. We watched some of the movie The Christmas Carol.
Taylor & I read/sang Sage the 12 Days of Christmas Book.
We went and picked up a few more Christmas decorations we had in storage and then went grocery shopping. I don't know why, but I love when we go together. It makes it so much fun.
After putting Sage to bed we made dinner and even used our Christmas china. Why wait for a special occasion? Every day is a special occasion, right?
We finished decorating and cleaned up and watched more of The Christmas Carol.
Sunday we went to church, came home and all napped, ate lunch and watched an uplifting Christmas movie called Mrs. Miracle (It's a Hallmark movie).
Taylor & I went to the Conference Center to watch the Christmas devotional. Lorrie & Kylie were so nice to watch Sage for us and Dan was so nice to drop us off and pick us up from the Conference Center, so we wouldn't have to battle parking.
When we got home Sage went to bed and we watched Miracle on 34th Street.
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