YMCA christmas party

Our very sweet neighbor gave us free tickets to the YMCA breakfast with Santa this year. So we took the kids, and it turned out really cute. They had a really good breakfast with belgian waffles, muffins, and fruit, and there were crafts for the kids and a local author was giving away free signed copies of her children's book. Once again, several pictures didn't turn out well, but I got a few.

Here is Jim with the boys eating their waffles

Zoie being cheesy

Nolan and Aidan making crafts

Zoie and Jim with Santa

Aidan and Santa

Nolan and Santa

Nice sweater!

Our ward here in Clearwater has an Elder's Quorum party every year where they have a contest for the ugliest Christmas sweater. It was so funny to see what some of the people came up with. Jim and I scoured the local thrift shops for several days, but it was really hard for me to find something that fit, and Jim was super picky and was afraid to go too crazy since we hadn't ever been to this pary before.

Here is what we came up with. It's weird but our sweaters don't look as bad in this pic as they do in real life. The best part of mine is that it's sparkly and has crazy huge sleeves, I should have taken a pic of that. Ultimately the person who won was a guy wearing a very tight, short, ugly woman's sweater, so we'll have to see if Jim will get a little more crazy next year.

Surprise baby shower!!

I have some of the best friends ever!! The same weekend that Jennifer came to help me paint and that I had the primary party, several of my friends from our old ward made the 2 1/2 hour drive to come up and surprise me with a baby shower. They were all waiting at my house when I got home from the primary party and Jim kept the kids away all night so that I could party with my friends.

It was so great, and I was so surprised. I can't believe Jim and Jennifer were able to keep it a secret from me. Looking back now, I should have known because Jim was cleaning the house all day while Jen and I were painting. Hello, dead giveaway something was up.

Here is Jennifer with the adorable diaper cake she made me. I still have it on the baby's dresser, it is so cute I don't want to take it apart. Veronica and Jeannine

The Jens. Jen B, Jen D, and Jen A.

Abby and Mikelin

It was so wonderful to see all my friends and I am so thankful that they took time out to come and surprise me. We had a great time staying up late and talking, I just wish they could have stayed longer, it was so fun!

Primary Christmas party

We had our Primary Christmas party early this year which was nice since December is always so busy. It was the traditional (for us anyway) breakfast with Santa/pajama party at night. The kids had a lot of fun. Unfortunately my pictures didn't turn out well at all. We need a new camera.

Here is Nolan with Santa Aidan and Santa
Zoie and Santa

Santa reading a story

Jim and Zoie helping wrap presents for the missionaries

Nolan, making faces at the craft table

Stripey fun!

Ever since I found out we were expecting a new addition to our family I have been trying to figure out how to decorate Zoie's room to make it appropriate for her and a baby. The boys already share a room so there is nowhere else for the baby to go but in Zoie's room, at least for now. So the problem was not only how to make her room baby friendly but also how to translate her extremely girly decor into something more gender neutral.

A friend showed me a picture online of a striped baby room and I loved it, so I chose the colors and finally had it figured out. Luckily my awesome friend Jennifer came up to help me because it was much more work than I thought. Just measuring and taping the lines took FOREVER! The painting part was not as bad. But I LOVE the finished look so it was worth it.

Here is Jennifer taping

The room with everything shoved into the middle. What a mess!
The painting process
And the finished look. Here is Zoie's side.

And this is the baby's side.

I obviously have a lot more work to do. I still haven't figured out exactly what I am putting on the walls on both sides, and I want to get Zoie a new comforter that goes a little better with the colors on the baby's side, but I think it turned out cute.

Dinner with friends

A few weeks ago we had our friends, the Larsen's over for dinner. The weather had been so nice that we wanted to eat outside, and Jim came up with the idea to roast hot dogs in the fire place. It was a little weird, but it worked. (we got rid of our grill when we moved and hadn't gotten a new one yet, but happily Jim got one for Christmas.)
We also roasted marshmallows and had smores, Yum!

Here are Jim and Eric, with Nolan, Aidan and Tate.

Here are Zoie and Addy chowing down

Tick, Tick Tick....

Yikes! Only one post in December, sooo behind....again. I guess its my thing.
While sitting on my computer, checking email and other people's blogs (who actually keep up with them), I was thinking about how I have only 18 days before this baby is due.

What?!?....Ahhhhhhhh! I have been so busy complaining about being pregnant, and wanting it to be over that I forgot about something I want done before the baby actually comes. ie. updating the blog.

I am not saying that I have been doing nothing lately, I HAVE been trying to get things done before labor ensues such as, getting primary in order, getting rid of some girl stuff taking up space, getting rid of lots of stuff in the garage taking up space, getting baby stuff organized....however none of it has involved blogging.

AND, it is very unlikely that while having a needy infant, 3 kids in school, and a husband who will be out of town 2 days a week that I will get a lot done, sooooo.... new goal.... to get the blog updated before baby shows. (This goal may be just what I need to send me into labor, he he)