Merry Christmas!

We got all our wiggles out, and now we're ready for Santa to bring it on.



Merry Christmas everyone!

Florida (belated, big time)

In October Aaron's folks (aka: best in-laws in the world) invited us to go to Captiva Island, Florida with them for a week. This time-share condo has been in the family for years...since Aaron was a little boy. He grew up coming here and Aaron and I had been one other time before in 2003. We were thrilled to get to go back.

Meet heaven:



This time, we took this kid and had an absolute blast with him. Six year old boys named Spencer are so cool.


We also took an underwater camera, also very cool.




We played in the pool




We ate



We took in views:







We shelled and swam in the ocean. It's amazing how different the beaches are on the gulf coast. Shells everywhere and warm, calm water.








We celebrated Aaron turning another year older


We tanned and talked and I finished two books!





Oh, and while there, I totally found my happy place...


Many thanks to my parents for keeping our other two rugrats safe in Cali so we could go and enjoy this time together with Mom & Daddy Mac. And thank you to my in-laws for this opportunity. What a memory!

Santa

Leda hasn't sat on Santa's lap since she was seven months old.

So this past Friday night at the ward Christmas party was a big deal then, you see.





When I asked her if she was scared, she replied, "No Mom, I wasn't scared, but my heart really was! It was beating so so fast!"

On being a girl

Last week Leda walked into the room with her hands on her hips and emphatically announced:

"Mom, a four-year old girl is a HARD thing to be!"

(this all brought on because her brother was being too loud and it was hurting her ears---how she drew this parallel, I'll never know, but I couldn't contain my laughter)



I love my Leda.

And side note about this picture: it was her first time ever having her wet hair wrapped up in a towel like this. She thought it was the coolest thing ever (to get to be like Mommy, she said) and proudly pranced around the house showing the boys and Dad her cool new look.

See, being a four year old girl does have its perks!

Grateful!

This Thanksgiving I was grateful that my brother and his lovely wife Blythe (of 6 months!) were here visiting us from Utah...


grateful to learn that all three of my children loved shrimp cocktail as much as Aaron and I do...





grateful for downtime with Daddy and holiday specials on TV


grateful for a patient Grandma who let a three & four year old roll EACH and every dinner roll.



grateful for the best Turkey EVER. Seriously, it was so good. Way to go Momma! (and thank you Barefoot Contessa)


grateful for a beautiful dinner with friends and family


grateful that Spencer finally had his two front teeth pulled the day before so that he could enjoy eating again...



grateful for my incredibly loving & handsome husband even though he's clearly not capable of taking a serious picture with me despite my best efforts...


and finally, I'm grateful this year for my happy and healthy family. Can I take a moment here to reflect on the word: healthy? This is (no joke) the first time in FOUR consecutive years that NO ONE threw up on day of Thanksgiving! Guess it was a good thing we got the Swine flu out of the way the week before Thanksgiving so we could all enjoy the actual day. Go us!



I hope all of you, my family and friends, had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well. Please know that I love and appreciate you all.