Just a quick post

Had to show off how adorable my almost 3 year old looked today! And that's right folks, she'll be 3 on Friday!! Although, don't tell her, we're trying to make her believe her birthday really is in January ;)

Em joined me at the preschool pajama party today. And I know her outfit isn't pajamas, but I couldn't resist letting her wear it, and getting as much wear out of it as possible!

 This outfit was courtesy of the Fisher family, who's daughter is affected with that same crazy 18q- as Em! (Click on Fisher to see their blog and their adorable Kenzie!)

 The booties we got at the Festival of Trees, to which 100% of all revenue went to Primary Children's Hospital

A closer look at the shirt *LOVE*

And here's a few of Em and I together (me in my pj's)

We had a lot of fun (Em even got to meet her future class come Jan. 3rd! And had her IEP today!!)

Now, we're checked in at good ole Primary for a sleep study. And now that Em is finally asleep, I get to blog about it. But just a few pictures, of this most cooperative, and funny little girl!

 Anyone else thinking this looks like a botched plastic surgery patient?! No? Just me then ;)

She just let them put it all in! Took forever too, but they all commented on how amazing she is..

And you know what?....

I already knew that!

Seven years and counting! Here's to many, many more!

So Steve and I celebrated 7 years of marriage on the 12th of this month. This year has been one of many doozies, but probably the most trying of our marriage yet. But we made it through, and to think, if we can make it through that, plus all of everything else we've made it through, then I think we can make it through anything!

Photograph courtesy of Lacey Lyn photography (my bestie!)


Here's how we celebrated the night

Dinner Theatre at The Old Spaghetti Factory
with
A Christmas Carol


Waiting for the show to begin

 "The Outtake" (Steve's going to kill me for posting this!) But hey, it's hard taking the picture yourself (and I think I look worse!)!

Ah, that's better! Love this one!

"The Spirits" sang Christmas carols before the show and during intermissions by request. I requested "White Christmas" therefor got serenaded by this guy

And yes, he was sweating bullets ALL night! You'd think he was the "Ghost of Christmas Present" right?.... WRONG! Apparently he's the "Ghost of Christmas Past"

Subsequently, Steve also got serenaded by the real "Ghost of Christmas Present"

(sorry, it was really dark in there!) She's the one on the right in the red dress. I don't think Steve felt too special though since she was singing to ALL the guys. AND running her fingers through their hair, quite the character if you ask me!

Some more of the characters that came and talked to our table

 "Belle" and those two girls shared the table with us. They were also with a guy, all loud, a little obnoxious and, I believe, high schoolers

"Jacob Marley"

I didn't get too many pictures of the actual show, because we were so close I thought it would be distracting. But we did get an actual "shout out" during the show for our anniversary, and some mistletoe held over us. I did not think Steve would comply with a kiss (not a fan of any form of PDA), but he surprised me!

As we were leaving, I was able to get a picture of most of the cast

L to R: One of the "Charity Gentlemen", "Belle", "Scrooge", "Ghost of Christmas Present", "Marley" and "Charles Dickens" who narrated

I think I had a lot more fun than Steve, but I did catch him smiling from time to time. And what made it better was there was another family at our table, and the husband looked even less thrilled than Steve to be there! At least he didn't get asked to be part of the show, forgot to mention that Steve did, but he of course declined and passed it along to said gentleman, who then passed it on to the high school boy also at our table, who willingly obliged!

Happy anniversary honey! Here's to many, many more!!

Holiday Jazz Game

As in the previous post, we got to see a BYU game at the Jazz court... we then got to see the Jazz there 2 days later, but were not blessed with nearly as good of seats! In fact, we were in the very last row. That is, of the upper bowl. So really the last row. It made me dizzy to try and focus on the game so far below us, good thing I had these two crazy girls sitting next to me for entertainment!

You'll probably recognize the "peace giver" as one of the sweeties that stayed with us around Halloween. The one behind her is her older sister, they got to join us for the game.

These two also joined us! Amber (Steve's sister) and her husband Kevin

 And of course, these two!

Yeah, that's really how far we were!

The cRaZy bunch!

The girls even got to see the "little" Jazz Bear

So even though the seats were crappy, it was a very fun night!

Tis the Season after all!

**Disclaimer** This is a really long post because I am so behind! And I'll have you know that it was started a week ago, and is now just getting published!

Well, I'm a little behind on this post, but well.... to say the least, life has been hectic! But know, that that is putting it lightly.

As far behind as we were this year with getting our tree up, we did start of with a bunch of bangs in December. And I'll just point them out in picture form ;)

First was the Festival of Trees to see the Howe Family's tree for their little boy Deakon, who just so happens to be one of Emarie's best little buddies in the Ch18 world and out as well! They did an amazing job with it, and just know our pictures do not do it justice, so click on each of the first 3 pictures to see their blog and the story behind it all :)

 It was to the theme of Deakon's favorite book "Good Night Moon" It was his sister Abby's creation brought to reality

 We donated the bunny, and I love what they did with it!

 We also donated some of the Yo Gabba Gabba books, which is Deak's favorite show

 It was emotional to be here in the midst of all these miracle inspired trees. Especially sharing it with our living miracle child who we can not thank God enough for everyday. Thanks Howe family for this special moment!

 In front of the giant gingerbread house. We also bought some things to help with donations to Primary Children's. 100% completely of the proceeds goes to Primary

Immediately after the Festival, we got to use some great BYU basketball tickets yet again, thanks to our home teacher Terry Nashiff. 

After we got to our seats and were there all of about 10 minutes, I noticed someone to my left and the row behind us

this guy

Yup, that guy in the BYU safari hat just so happens to be my grandpa! Took a minute to get his attention, love this guy!

Did I mention this game was held at The Energy Solutions Arena (where the Jazz play)? Not that we could ever think to be this close to a game there again!

 These nice complete strangers asked if they could hold our daughter, and they had her for about half the game!

Sitting in the chair all by herself

Bad habit probably, but we're trying to defer chewing on her bib by giving her a pacifier, but we really are trying to get rid of it all!

Steve was very excited to be so close!

I did get all my decorations up except the tree (which is really the main affair though) the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but waited to take pictures of everything until we got the tree up, and then for all the lights to be working :S

My favorite is snowmen! But a close second are gingerbread men, so that is the decor for the kitchen


I also got crafty a bit this year, only because I had to ;) (I use to make all my decorations, back when I had the time).

I had to make a garland for the door because Steve didn't want to do lights on the house this year.

I made the wreath too, but that was a few years back

 I've been wanting a Christmas floral arrangement for awhile now, but pricing at Michael's, Hobby Lobby and Robert's- WAY TOO EXPENSIVE (like $45). But one day while shopping for candy for PTC, I saw some Christmas floral priced at $1, so this whole arrangement was about $12, and I got to use it on my table at PTC. Subsequently one of our hard working teachers/translator/super woman exclaimed how pretty it was....

 So I made one for her too!

Also the tree for my sister's grave saw it's last Christmas last year, so I made a new one of those too.

 This is before it was finished though, so it's without the poinsettias and holly berries, and the ribbon wasn't set just right yet either. I'll get a picture of the final product next time we get up there :)

And just a few of the annual Christmas pictures of Emarie :)

 PEIP Christmas party, amazingly Em wasn't scared of Santa! As Trish said, "Smart girl, smart girl"

And our traditional home ones:

 Always have a candy cane picture

 And Steve's mom got her this apron that says "Santa's Little Helper" very cute!

This one's kinda blurry, but loved anyway!

 And her stocking that she was delivered to us in (since she was born on Christmas Eve). We'll continue to try and put her in it every year, until it just has to be next to her or held by her ;)

Hope your holidays are going as smooth as ours ;)