31 December 2008

Cute Pictures

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Charles and Sydney playing Army Men with Kaitlin and Cameron Phair.

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Sydney's yamaka...or just an infant hat that she insisted on wearing around the house.

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This one just cracks me up...heh.

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Sydney taking a nap...note the sticker on her foot


Christmas Day

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We had a lovely Christmas day, just the three of us. Sydney slept in until after 8, so we were able to wake up on our own and just take our time. And she loved EVERYTHING she opened. She kept exclaiming "oh, wow" and wanted to look and play with everything. She made us stop and put her new clothes on her and read her the book she got and let her sweep with her new broom. It was a lot of fun for us to see her so excited and curious about everything.





In the afternoon, we braved the snow and rain and went to see Bedtime Stories together. Sydney came with us and did really well in the theater. We sat on the handicapped row so that there was space for her to run around and let her gorge herself on popcorn and soda (mother of the year award nomination right there, thank you very much). It was a very fun day, and so nice to spend it together.

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She was so worn out, that she fell asleep in her highchair at dinner...which has never happened before

First Time Sledding

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We took Sydney sledding for the first time on Christmas Eve, back and forth on the balcony outside our apartment. She LOVED it! She kept laughing and saying "whee" while Charles pulled her. She loved it so much that the next time we put her coat on her, she ran over to the sled and kept calling for us. And when we left without the sled, she bawled because we left it behind.




26 December 2008

Friday Fill in

1. I must visit every state before I die.

2. You can't stop the beat.

3. I wish I never had to buy batteries again.

4. Being a mother and wife has helped me change my life.

5. I know the songs we sang in show choir by heart.

6. If I weren't so afraid, I would travel more without Charles.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to maybe have a game night, tomorrow my plans include probably being bored at home and Sunday, I want to be ready for Charles to go back to work on Monday!

24 December 2008

T'was the Night Before Christmas...

Well, I think we'll have a white Christmas, since this happened on Monday...

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We've talked about and "acted out" the Nativity...though there were a few holy sheep in there and Noah had to stand in for the angel...

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We've opened our Christmas Eve present of pajamas...

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And the stockings are hung by the tree with care...

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Now, all that is left is to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!

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19 December 2008

Friday Fill-in--Christmas Songs

1. Said the night wind to the little lamb, do you hear what I hear?
2. The first Noel, the angel did say, t'was to certain poor shepherds in fields where they lay.
3. Go tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere.
4. It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old.
5. Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Let your heart be light.
6. And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing right within your heart.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to maybe a movie or game night, tomorrow my plans include watching the Pioneer Bowl from the comfort of our living room and Sunday, I want to be finished wrapping presents!

18 December 2008

Go, Go, Go!




Sydney is cheering for the BYU women's basketball team here. And, as a side note, she cannot say "go" any other way. It is always shouted and in multiples.

A Photo Essay--Playing in the Snow

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Mommy caught me doing this...

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...so she took me outside, to play in the snow.

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This is me, telling mommy that this is "no"
(snow...when she says it, it's very different from when she says no).

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My feet were practically buried!!

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I'm not too sure about this stuff...

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...but I sure look cute in the warm hat Grandma Duran sent me!

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Then, I fell and I was NOT happy.

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So mommy brought me inside and gave me a gingerbread man to cheer me up.

13 December 2008

Caroling, Sydney Style


*Please ignore my singing...and my flub of the lyrics. Even though I sang that song ALL through highschool, I STILL mess up that last stanza*

12 December 2008

Friday Fill-in...a little early

Sorry about the lack of posting...I'm fighting a pretty nasty cough and just don't have the energy to chase Sydney and type. But she's in bed and I can do this.

1. Friends are always welcome here...just give me some warning so I can clean.

2. As for our health; it's pretty good. (although I sound AWFUL when I cough!)

3. I'm ready for Christmas to be here...I'm not good at waiting to give presents

4. Vanilla is one of my favorite smells.

5. The oldest ornament I have is the one from my first Christmas.

6. Take some eggs, milk, nutmeg, and cream; mix it all together and you have eggnog...almost.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to resting, tomorrow my plans include resting and Sunday, I want to be able to sing!

06 December 2008

Christmas Shopping

I am quite proud of us. As of right now, our Christmas shopping is virtually done. Charles has to pick up a gift for me and I need to pick up stocking stuffers, but other than those, we are done. And, I've already started wrapping presents. Hopefully, those will stay wrapped with our little Miss Destructo running around.

29 November 2008

I need some help

No, not THAT kind of help. Our ward is having a contest to chose the picture for the front of the bishopric's Christmas Card. Last night we went up to Temple Square to see the Christmas lights and I decided to take a few and see how they came out with a bit of editing. Well, now I have several pretty good ones (at least Charles says so) and I need some help deciding. So, leave me a comment as to which one of these pictures you think is the best.

**oh, and I have to decide by Sunday night, so no rush.**

Choice 1)
Choice 1

Choice 2)
Choice 2

Choice 3)
Choice 3

Choice 4)
Choice 4

Choice 5)
Choice 5

27 November 2008

First Dentist Trip

So, Sydney had her first trip to the dentist on Tuesday. She has a new tooth coming in that wasn't looking right, so we wanted to make sure it was okay. Turns out, she must have chipped it and it has started to decay. So, she gets to have it pulled when it comes out more. It was quite the trip. She loved the office...right up until they tried to touch her teeth. Then she screamed and screamed until they gave her a pink balloon.

26 November 2008

Thanksgiving Eve

Well, the rolls are ready to rise overnight, and the turkey is defrosted and Charles is more than ready to play football with his new flag football gear. Now it's time to go to bed and rest before tomorrow.

25 November 2008

27 years old.

It was Charles' birthday today. I think his favorite gift was our family lunch date to Tucanos...he even called me just after he got back to work to thank me again for taking him. The best part was that his meal and Sydney's meal were free. Anyway, I'll post pictures tomorrow. Right now, I'm tired and I still have one big meal/party left this week.

24 November 2008

Silly girl

I should have taken a picture, but Sydney was trying to put her pants on by herself tonight. She would pull them open, then try to put her right leg in...usually missing. The one time she got her leg in, she couldn't pull the waistband open enough to get her left leg in. She would growl at me when I tried to help her, and when I finally just put her pants on her with out letting her help, she threw a tantrum until we told her to go to bed. Then she got up and walked into her bedroom and we put her to bed.

22 November 2008

Glad it's over.

So, you should all be very glad that we are alive and safe. Our tickets for the BYU v. Utah game was in the middle of the Ute fan section. Seriously, we are glad we brought Sydney with us, because we're pretty sure that they left us alone because of her. And, while we're sad BYU lost, it was probably a good thing for us, since we were both appalled at the behavior of the Ute fans. And, due to that, we have decide to never attend a BYU v. Utah game at Rice Eccles Stadium again...unless we are in the BYU fan section.

21 November 2008

My Favorite People

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Just a quick picture, since I have to go back to cleaning and getting things ready for Trevor's party and the game tomorrow.

Friday Fill-in

1. The last band I saw live was the BYU Marching Band.
2. What I look forward to most on Thanksgiving is cranberry sauce and egg nog.
3. My Christmas/holiday shopping is waiting until after Thanksgiving to start.
4. Thoughts of party plans fill my head.
5. I wish I could wear some of my pre-pregnancy shirts again.
6. Bagpipes remind me of geneology.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to cleaning and getting ready for Saturday, tomorrow my plans include Trevor's birthday party and attending the BYU v. U of U game in person and Sunday, I want to relax!

Best Wife Ever!

So Valerie is totally awesome!

About a month ago we went to a BYU football game and the cheerleaders and Cosmo shot t-shirts out of a cannon. The t-shirts were wrapped in fake million dollar bills for an advertising stunt called "The Hunt for a Million Dollars". Anyhow, each coupon won some different prize. Most of them were vouchers for $20. Well, the "The Hunt for a Million Dollars" guy emailed this week stating that if we had vouchers we could go to a store last night and enter to win a pair of tickets for the BYU vs. Utah game. Well long story short....

Tomarrow afternoon we will be in section 27 row 26 seats 9 and 10!!!

Valerie rocks! As near as we can figure from KSL.com advertisements and ebay, the tickets are probably worth somewhere between $500 to $1000 a piece. I'm just glad we will be there to see the Cougars win for the third time in a row. Go Cougars!!!

20 November 2008

Cheering





I forgot that I had uploaded this a week or so ago, but here is Sydney doing the end of the fight song. We were getting her ready for bed at the time, hence the nudity.

19 November 2008

Off Night

Not much to say tonight. I went to a baby shower, Sydney freaked out when I left and then again when Charles went to his meeting, and Charles had a bit of excitement at work. Oh, and we're watching his Grandma's favorite TV show.

18 November 2008

Shadow

Sydney and I went on a walk today, with both of us walking. It was really cute to watch her, just talking to herself and watching her shadow move when she did. I have some pictures of our walk, but Charles wants to watch Get Smart, so I have to go.

*Here are the pictures*
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17 November 2008

Words, Words, Words

Sydney has been amazing us lately with her attempts at speaking and learning new words. She can say "happy", "baby", "daddy/dad", "mommy/mom", "bean"(well, it's either bee or me, it's hard to tell.) and several other one syllable words. She can do the motions for the end of the BYU fight song and does them anytime she hears the words "touchdown" or "Cougars" or even sees a football. She also does motions for Pat-a-Cake and Popcorn Popping as well as the songs the library uses for story time. Now, if we could just get her to realize that not all animals bark or growl.

16 November 2008

Big Girl

We substituted in Primary today. It was fun, a lot of fun. And one of the best parts was how Sydney wanted to be just like the two girls in the class. She wanted to sit in her own chair and color her own picture and join in the conversation they were having. It was reassuring to know that she will be very prepared for Nursery here in two months, although, I will be sad if she doesn't even notice us leave her there.

15 November 2008

Normal

*sigh* I'm tired and it's getting late and Charles wants to finish Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. So, we'll be up for another couple of hours and then have to be up early for his meetings. Oh well, it's just another Saturday night in our house.

14 November 2008

Friday Fill-in

1. Please feel free to give me suggestions for our new chair.
2. When I cook with almond extract, I can't help sniffing it occasionally.
3. My favorite thing to cook is DESSERT!!
4. Sydney is something I can't get enough of.
5. That's the thing I love most about being a stay at home mom.
6. The children screaming upstairs always makes me think to myself, what the heck?
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to BYU basketball game, tomorrow my plans include BYU vs Air Force football and the Ward Harvest Dinner and Sunday, I want to relax and live through subbing in Primary!

13 November 2008

Poor Charles

So, if you've been to our apartment, you have more than likely seen Charles' recliner. That big, ugly, blue thing. Well, it died tonight and Charles is in mourning. He sat down in it tonight and leaned back and it just completely broke. It was amazing! Here, see for yourself...

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So, while I feel badly that he's lost his friend (Charles is protesting my sorrow...calls it false), it does mean that we can get a new one that looks nice and fits us both. Like a nice armchair from Ikea. Hmmm...I think I'll dream of that tonight.

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Charles' reaction...he claims a red fern is going to grow in our living room now.

12 November 2008

Ouch!

Charles and I received flu shots today and MAN, do they HURT! I could barely lift my left arm this afternoon. But it will all be worth it if we don't get the flu this winter. Besides, it was free...you can't beat that.

11 November 2008

Blah.

Feeling cold and blah tonight. But, I did make these cookies, which we thought were pretty good. It must be the start of the holidays...I bought flour less than two weeks ago and I needed to buy more today. Usually, five pounds of flour lasts me about month. Anyway, good cookie recipe...the whole site actually has some pretty amazing recipes. Check it out.

10 November 2008

Family Home Evening.

We had a fun evening tonight. We invited over the Pittas, a newer couple in our ward, to come play games and get to know them better. It went really well. Sydney LOVED them and even performed for them...something she won't even do for mommy and her camera. And then, when she went to bed, we got to enjoy a great game of Apples to Apples and these delicious blondies.

08 November 2008

Perfect Day

Do you know what made tonight end just right? Having homemade steamed milk flavored with pumpkin pie spice Torani syrup. Mmm...delicious.

07 November 2008

Date Night.

Charles and I went out on a date tonight, to go see High School Musical 3: Senior Year. Now, before you mock us, we have had movie ticket vouchers for a couple of months now that we have wanted to use and it was the first movie we actually wanted to see since we got them. And, you know what, we really enjoyed it. It was fun to watch, and fun to make fun of, and we both left the theater humming. For me, it was nice to watch a musical and just be out, getting a break and spending time with Charles. And it was twice as nice to pick Sydney up from the Phairs and see her all excited to see me.

Friday Fill-in

1. My blueprint for success includes spinach dip and fresh bread.
2. 100 Grand Bar was the last candy I ate.
3. The best facial moisturizer I've ever used is the stuff I use from Dove.
4. Retail therapy can be good therapy.
5. I'd like to tell you about how much I love staying at home and relaxing.
6. Ooo, baby is my strongest characteristic. *Charles words, not mine*
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to maybe a date with my husband, tomorrow my plans include the last BYU home game and Sunday, I want to play games and have people over!

Bullets

  • Sydney got her first paper cut today, while we were at story time. It bled for a while, as I tried to put pressure on it but she was unfazed by it.
  • Sydney has started doing parts of the Cougar Fight Song whenever she hears the word "touchdown." It's really cute, she says "rah, rah, rah" and rolls her hands and then waves them in the air for the "Go Cougars!" part. Too bad we were talking about Ute touchdowns.
  • Charles and I tried pumpkin spice egg nog for the first time. It's a little more spicy, but still good.

05 November 2008

Where's Sydney?

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How Sydney entertained herself while I was out shopping with Olympus.

04 November 2008

Pants!



Sydney's way of putting on her pants.

03 November 2008

Funny Girl

Today, Sydney was just hilarious! She started off this morning when I let her watch Little Einsteins so I could do some cleaning and my hair. I came out to check on her and she was laying on the floor watching the show. I know it does not sound funny, but for our VERY active little girl to be laying on the floor with her tummy sticking out, it was pretty funny to see. And then tonight, she was on a roll. She walked around the house with my sunglasses hanging on the back of her onesie, she kept putting on a plastic lei and shaking her butt, and just being absolutely adorable. We sure love that girl!

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02 November 2008

Finger Painting




I let Sydney try finger painting this last week. It went over pretty well. She loves to get messy and do things with her hands. And, of course, tasting new things.

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Not so tasty, eh?

01 November 2008

Halloween

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We took Sydney Trick or Treating for the first time this year. Our little ballerina was super cute and super tired, having only had one nap for the day. Charles and I were most excited about the candy she got, since it meant we got to keep the good candy I bought to give out to trick or treaters. We also had fun introducing our little girl to this fun tradition.

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31 October 2008

Mmm...



Charles just threw one of these at me. It's a pretty good night, I'd say.

Friday Fill-in

1. My favorite food seasoning is garlic.
2. Sydney playing in her crib is music to my ears.
3. Lucky is what we were at the football game last week.
4. Playing with Sydney is something I take very seriously.
5. Many people thought our baby was cute in her ballerina costume tonight.
6. Tulle was the last thing I bought at the store.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to taking Sydney trick-or-treating, tomorrow my plans include another BYU away game and Sunday, I want to hang out with Brooke!

29 October 2008

Eating with a Spoon




Sadly, after this video, she decided that the best way to eat her oatmeal was like this:
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So ladylike, huh?

At the Park

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