Christmas treated us well

I think I was on the nice list this year because I was spoiled :)

So was Taryn. Christmas eve I slept a wink and finally got up at a quarter to six to get my own self ready and take many glances at the pile of presents gleaming in the low light of the Christmas tree.

So so magical...

Robbie and I had stayed up til one setting up Taryn's new baby doll set of necessities. I thought with baby sister coming, she would love to take care of her own. More like her own 4. For each piece of the set, there is a baby making good use of it.

When I finally convinced Robbie of waking her up at 7:15, she knew right away who had come by when I said...Guess who came!!

"Santa Claus! He so nice mommy, he bring toys!" Thank you ho ho..."

Actually she really could care less about St. Nick. Every time he was around this season she got the shakes and wanted to go in "the other room." But then again, when he's not visibly seen, she thinks he's alright.

I got a camera (It's turning into a tradition, by the time Christmas rolls around mine is out of service...I guess I just make good use of it all year long) For Robbie's sake, let's hope this one lasts a bit longer.

I also received many other goodies from my list of wants. I surprised Robbie with a new coat. Why does that man have to have such long arms!! At my parents house we were surprised with a kitchen aid mixer! Yay, I've been wanting one for quite some time. Taryn got her wish of Princess Barbies. I think that was the first gift she opened there, after that she wasn't interested in much else.

Grandma go-go gave her a mini vanity to help keep her beautified. Another successful gift.

Then there have been the dress ups... oh man, she would LIVE in the shoes, crowns, skirts, anything that is princess-like. She was spoiled with the shoes (she usually makes anyone with heels take them off so she can dance around in them) I guess they all decided it was time she had her own.

So the last few days have looked like this...


such the girly girl.

Overall Christmas was wonderful. In many ways it felt the same, yet in the back of our minds we all felt the emptiness of my Dad sitting in the corner enjoying the sight of his children getting too much. Always the one with the garbage sack to collect the unwanted wrapping paper. He and my brother are always the same with the way they open gifts. They wait. They are handed ones with their names, yet they don't fret to open them in a hurry. Then they each have a big pile of un-opened presents at the end.

Silly boys.

Like my mom said on her facebook status the day after Christmas...

check.

some kind of normal

After some much needed blog stlalking, I decided mine needed an update.

The normal kind...

So here's some mommy blog pics and the usual stuff us moms post... in a nutshell.

Halloween did happen.

It included a neighborhood trunk or treat. My first one eva. I didn't know how decked out everyone treated their trunks, so I guess I went obverboard? Oh well, I got lots of compliments!


p.s. - all pics are from my iphone, not too sharp, but is better than nothing!

We did the pumpkin patch thing....






My high school buds did our traditional halloween partay get-togetha.

Don't know why I decided to stick my prego gut out, I wasn't really even showing yet...weird.


I was a witch and Robbie was a nerd.

Taryn was an extremely cute witch for Halloween. I even made some of her costume (only the parts that needed a hot glue gun and tying) I loved her costume and I think the trunk or treat we went to at Dan's grocery store was the one and only time she wore the entire ensemble.
I had to tell her she was a "princess witch" to get that to work. Even then I got lucky.


This picture was right in the middle of all these Halloween ones. I can't not post it. The last home game I went to for Oly football. My Dad was holding Taryn while I tried to get a cute shot of her in her new hat and gloves I had just bought for that evening.
I want those big hairy calloused hands back...

I can see him perfectly through this picture, it makes my heart hurt.

Ok...I was going to stick to normal. But it's hard... I don't feel normal.

Let's see what happened next. Oh ya, November happened and it felt like everyday was 10 days, but at the same time looking back it's all a blur.

Then we did Thanksgiving and though I feel blessed with love, peace, the gospel, the atonement and so many other "eternal perspective" things. I also feel sadness and would give every "earthly" blessing to have my Dad back here as my Dad, the man who can never be replaced.

So.... now we are onto December. I really do LOVE Christmas time. I am celebrating, and so is my family. I decorated the house and made it cheery and bright. I added a few more things to make me smile. Amy Grant sings in the background and makes me think of Christmas's past.

Month by month, Week by week, Day by day... hour by hour I know the Savior will lead me through and continue to bear this burden that sometimes overwhelms me.


This month I will think of Him fondly, with new eyes, and celebrate His birth.