Skiing.

Christmas day was a glorious, sunny, cold day and we spent the morning cross country skiing with Chris' brother Paul and his wife Ali. We simply walked out the front door after a warm breakfast and walked up the hill to the trail. We worked our way around the mountain and to Wasatch golf course where we got onto a groomed trail. From there we made our own tracks to the Homestead golf course trail and climbed the hill back up to our house.




It could not have been a more beautiful morning for skiing. Chris and I both really got a workout carrying the extra loads but it was worth it and I got a big nap later that afternoon. We will have to make this a Christmas tradition (along with the cranberry-orange bundt cake)!

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Everyone was in town for Christmas--really for the wedding--but it was so nice to see the whole family around the holidays (yes, we missed aunt Camille who is in Brazil with her family). On Christmas Eve we had the family over for soup and presents and to give my mom a rest from all the wedding preparations.




Presley was of course spoiled again this year! Nama and Grandpa gave her a new doll with its very own crib (and a handmade mattress), Playdough and a Mr. Potato Head from Becka and Eric and Krista and Matt, a handmade princess apron from Gregg and Camille, a princess storybook from Paul and Ali, and a pink tent (complete with a tunnel) from Mormor and Grandpa.




Chris and I tried not to get too much for her but Presley got a new "truck", a tutu, and a sled from mom and dad. Presley loved opening the gifts and helped everyone with opening their own. If you ask Presley how her Christmas was or what she got for Christmas she will simply tell you "presents".

Thank you all for coming to visit with us--it really made our Christmas!

All dressed up!

Well, it is hardly Christmas if you are not dressed up in a fancy outfit. This is Chris and Presley all ready for church. Presley loved the long velvet dress, black tights, and patent leather shoes (all courtesy of Nama)--if you asked her to spin around she would dance and make the skirt twirl.

Presley also wore this dress to her uncle Brad's wedding (2 days after Christmas). Her favorite part was "smelling" all the extra roses and sitting by the warm fire at the reception. She was a pretty good sport at the wedding (it was a long, full day) but we all still can't believe the bride survived a cold December wedding with short sleeves!

Snow days!

Daddy is home (no more traveling until after the new year)! And that means lots more outside playtime in the snow for Presley. Dad loves the snow a bit more than I do so any chance I can get him to take her out for sledding or just playing in the snow I take it.

We will definitely have a white Christmas and Presley has a gigantic, red, plastic sled to look forward to. The neighbors have been lending us one of theirs but because she loves it so much I decided P needed her own. From all reports Chris says the golf course makes for a really fast sledding hill (the hill is even groomed for the cross country skiers which makes it faster).

Little Gym.

For now the only classes/activities I had enrolled Presley in were the Music Together classes (which we both LOVE) but a friend of mine asked us to come to a Little Gym class and Presley fell in love with it! We will do music classes again in the fall, with the new baby, but for now we will try a little active play.

Basically the classes consist of a bit of singing, group activities like the parachute (you remember playing with those in elementary school, right?), ball time, bubbles, and free time to explore all the different "gym" things set up around the room. Presley's absolute favorites are the balance beam (no pictures because she needs both of mom's hands to walk across it) and an octagonal block that has a hole in the middle (she calls it a "tent").

Presley is learning to do a somersault--for now she gets in position and then falls to the side and rolls over (like a dog). We are still working on hanging on the bars but this skill will happen soon enough--today while I was cooking I saw her hanging on the oven handle. We look forward to starting classes on Fridays in the new year!

Diva.

Presley is a little diva. She will pose for the camera, dance, and try anything on (glasses, purses, bras, mom's shoes, etc.). Here we have a few examples of Presley practicing for her future rock star days with the Rock Band set up. With Krista and Matt already in North Carolina we will miss all the Guitar Hero and Rock Band practices!

She actually likes to hit the drums with the drum sticks and she does it to the music (at least she is trying). What's more rock star than big sunglasses???

See you soon Krista--we miss you already!

Update.

FYI, my mom likes to know this kind of stuff so here it is. I felt the baby move about one and a half weeks ago. I don't feel it all the time yet just every once and a while (like after I get up to pee in the middle of the night and the baby is happy to have a bit more room again).

We go in on Thursday for another appointment (18 weeks along). I am sure Presley will enjoy hearing the baby's heartbeat. I am happy to be almost half way there--but I know the next half will start to get uncomfortable.

Big girl.

Presley just looks soooooo big to me lately. She is a parrot and will repeat anything she hear--strangers, the TV, voices that come on over the loud speaker at the grocery store. She loves to be outside in the snow. And she just never stops exploring.

Presley decided that it would be fun to wear mom's gloves inside even though they are way too big. She of course had fun posing for the camera.

Christmas decorations.

Everyone is in the mood and I have finally started working on purchasing the gifts on my Christmas lists. The other day we put up the few holiday decorations we will have this year (unfortunately no tree--it is just too messy/dangerous and with Chris gone so much this month there has been no time to even think about getting one).

I finally found stockings I like and with our first ever mantle I hung them up with lights and garland. The table is set and really that is just about it. I still need to find a way to do lights on my house--I really miss doing that. Merry Christmas!

(PS-I am trying bigger pictures because I am not too happy about the new way that Blogger has you download the image to view it larger. We will see how this goes.)

Found.

Well, I thought I had lost my camera but luckily after searching (and cleaning) the entire house, calling the restaurant I thought I last had taken pictures at, and searching the car I finally found it! It was buried in the glove box (which was the LAST place I looked).

Too bad I missed taking pictures of Presley's first sled ride. We spent all Sunday morning sledding down the hill outside our house. When it was finally time to go to church Presley was so upset that we weren't sledding to church that the screamed the whole way there. She was read faced and tear stained the whole meeting. Luckily the polka dots on my sister's outfit kept her occupied (and the whole congregation knows she can say "polka dots").

Up to date.

Finally, I am "up to date" with the things that have been going on in our lives. Thankfully I am no longer sick (that ended about the time I turned 31, end of October) but I have picked up the second illness of pregnancy--constant tiredness! Any spare minute I have I am taking a nap or (this is embarrassing) going to bed not long after Presley is put to sleep for the night. I remember this feeling from last time . . . it will last for a while longer.

I almost to the half way point of this pregnancy and we will find out if it is a girl or a boy on the 3rd of January--more than a week later than normal because the original appointment was scheduled for the day of my youngest brother's wedding and had to be changed. Presley came to my last appointment and sat on my lap as the doctor listened to the baby's heart beat. If you ask her what the baby's heart beat says she will tell you! Wshwsh, wshwsh, wshwsh.

For Daddy.

Presley's daddy loves the snow. So it seems a bit sad that on the weekend of the first big snow storm he is in sunny Florida enjoying 80 degree weather. It snowed well over a foot just yesterday and with the sun out today we had to enjoy some time in the snow.

We went to Matt and Krista's to see how it was going with the shoveling at my parent's house (I am so thankful we have someone to come plow through the snow at our house). Matt got the job done with the snow blower but he did mention how thankful he was that soon he would be moving to a snow-free state (North Carolina).

After that we spent some time at home out in the snow with Roxy. Though the snow covered most of her Roxy enjoyed being outside in the sun and snow. She ran up and down our street stopping at every house to smell the snow and run around. Roxy was so fast we couldn't get any good pictures of her!

Presley was very toasty and warm in her snow suit from last year. We need to find some better mittens (purple ones to match her new coat, snow pants, and boots) but for now she was just happy to be outside in he snow! We are excited for daddy to come home and play in the snow with us!

Clothes.

Presley is definitely a girl (as if there were any question). She likes having her toe nails polished--they are purple right now. She won't let me put a coat over her blue and pink striped shirt--she likes it too much. And she now tells me which shoes she wants to wear--they all have different names (pink ones, flower ones, church ones, etc.)

Presley is now into looking at my clothes and wearing them around the house. The latest items have been a pair of her underpants on her head as a hat and one of my bras. She was so proud of herself wearing my bra around the house--I thought it was kind of funny how it looks hanging nearly to her little knees.

Turkey.

Our little family are now considered the black sheep of our larger, extended family. We didn't go the Thanksgiving with the rest of my family. My entire family drove to Idaho to spend the holiday with Becka and Eric and we just couldn't make the trip (Chris has been and continues to travel and we need some time at home). From the photos and the food it seems we missed out--however we had a lovely little dinner and a relaxing, no driving couple of days alone.

I cooked my first turkey which had I not smelled while it was raw I could have eaten--from all reports (Chris, Presley, Paul, Ali, and Roxy) it was moist and delicious. Everything else was easy and besides Ali's sweet potatoes Chris probably liked the last minute cranberry sauce I cooked up.

IT.

So, I have been "it" for a few weeks now (I was 'tagged' by a friend of mine). I suppose "it" means I need to share a few facts about myself--and not being a terribly creative person I am going to keep my list short (and the fact this h as taken me sooooo long).

1. I am a biologist. I have a degree in Conservation Biology and I love the outdoors--playing in it, camping, simply looking at it and enjoying the beauty that is this place we call Earth. I went in to studying this field simply because I was good at it but have since grown to realize that I have a simple love for the science and that was what really interested me.
2. There is this part of my brain (and I wish it were small) that likes to remember things--and not important things but just things. If you turn the radio to an Oldies station I will be able to sing to you about 95% of the songs that play. I suppose I picked them up from listening to the radio as a child while my mom was driving us around. I also can remember nearly any commercial jingle or slogan that I see on TV--this I know comes from a love of watching TV that I need to cut back on (and with my TiVo it has been easier to skip those commercials--good and bad).
3. I am an oldest child--ask any of my siblings and they will confirm the bossy, controlling, sometimes mean older sister that I am. I would like to hope as I age those tendencies are disappearing but I fear they aren't.
4. Some little known facts about me . . . I was a cheerleader, marching band member, swimmer, and yearbook editor in high school. I loved high school but the sad thing is I have barely kept in touch with one friend from my childhood (which consists of a yearly letter at most and an occasional visit every few years). If there was one thing I could change it would be that I was a better friend and could keep in touch with old friends and new friends better.
5. I used to be an avid reader--and this summer I was once again! I had never read any of the Harry Potter books and I had always said once they were all published I would sit down and read them all. Well, I did it in a week! They were great and I loved every page--it just meant a week of not much sleep and a messy house while I spent every moment Presley was asleep engrossed in the series.
6. And lastly, I never knew I would love being a mom so much! I remember thinking I wouldn't have minded being a 'working' mom but now thankfully my situation allows me to stay at home and I probably couldn't have any other way. We have too much fun together as a family and I love everyday.

Just to let you know, I am not going to "tag" anyone but I will tell you that Presley joined me in being "it" for the last several weeks. She has learned the word "it" means and adds it to nearly everything she says. Her list includes:

1. Like it
2. Have it
3. Touch it
4. Open it
5. Close it
6. Eat it
7. Play it
8. Love it
9. and my favorite, Stab it (referring to the food she is trying to spear with a fork)

Things we are into . . .

Presley is really into 'playing' and lately it has been with the tent (when daddy will set it up) or a laundry basket which we pretend is a boat. She will sit in the basket and pile all of her dolls (the baby, monkey, and bunny) in with her and sail around. Presley will even get out and push the basket around while making a motor-like sound.

When we get a chance to go outside Presley has been into chasing the leaves as they blow around and picking what berries and leaves are left on the trees off. Too bad Roxy hasn't been into the same thing--yesterday when we were outside she found a dead, dried-up mouse and proceeded to roll around in it. We had to rush her in and give her a thorough scrubbing in the tub. Gross!

Lastly, Presley has really been into this macaroni necklace and bracelet she made last Sunday in church. She constantly wants to wear them everywhere we go. It is no surprise that her first 4 syllable word is "macaroni" and she can actually say it very well.

The fridge.

We have the kind of refrigerator that has in-door water and ice and until now it hasn't been an issue--in fact we never really use it. But the other morning while I was folding laundry Presley found it an attraction she could not resist playing with. When I walked into the 'too quiet' kitchen where I knew she was playing I found a wet mess! The floor, the fridge, and Presley were all covered in water--and not just a little bit!

We quickly cleaned up together and talked about why it was naughty to play with the water. Now ever time we are in the kitchen Presley walks up to the fridge and points to the water dispenser and says "naughty fridge" .

Little did I know you can lock the water and ice with the simple push of a button--Chris pointed this out to me just a little too late.

Fabulous weather.

I can't remember when we last had a fall that was quite so nice! Chris is still out golfing and riding his bike and Presley and I are out playing in the yard with hardly a light jacket. Though the mornings have been very chilly we love the warm afternoons and all the bright sunshine.

Days like these lead to car washes and playing on the deck. Presley loved "driving" the car while Chris washed--she told me she was going to Grandpa's. She also couldn't stop waving at us as she climbed all around the cab of the truck.

This orange mess is from Presley's first Cheetos--and she loved them! They were a left over from the night of trick-or-treating that really didn't happen for us this year (hopefully next year everyone will be healthy and up for a party). With no morning naps we are willing to try anything to keep P occupied and busy during the day--even the occasional over processed food.

Milestones.

There is just so much that I have failed to keep track of on our little blog--here is an update on some of the things little P is doing:

• Saying nearly any word we ask her to (we are still working on pronunciation)
• Putting 2 and 3 words together to say short sentences, "I love you" is our favorite combo
• Loves to explore the rock walls in our yard and climb them
• The occasional words still come out "naughty"
• Climbs the stairs walking upright with a hand on the wall for support
• Likes sleeping with a pink, fuzzy monkey
• Calls the new baby in my belly Lady (we have no idea if it is a boy or girl yet)
• Learned how to throw a tantrum when she is upset

She is a joy and everyday gets better and better (even the hard ones).

Trick or Treat!

So, I didn't know how I was going to top the PINK OCTOPUS that Presley was last year for Halloween. And with the new baby on the way I just hadn't been up to putting in the time to look for something cute. When I stumbled across the $9.99 (on sale) COW from Gap it was meant to be--Presley loves making animal sounds and she has a great "moo" .

Presley had a bit of a fever today so we had to skip the neighborhood trick-or-treat, which was to bad because I was really looking forward to seeing her get all excited about saying "tick-n-peet" in exchange for candy (which unfortunately is another word she knows). We did manage to see Grandma and Grandpa and one set of neighbors--though she didn't feel well, Presley loved being a cow for Halloween.

Late last week aunt Krista took Halloween pictures of Presley and a few of her friends. You can see the rest of them here under "Halloween 2007". Of course all the kids are adorable and I can't wait to dress up two little ones next year!

Without Further Delay . . .

It is true, I am expecting our second child in mid-May 2008! Chris has been busy telling the world today and we are all thoroughly excited to be adding another little one to our home. So far things have been very different with this pregnancy--I have been continually nauseous for the last 3 weeks (let's hope it subsides in a few more weeks). Chris has been a super dad helping out with P--I don't know what I would do without him.

We took Presley with us to the doctor so she could "see" the baby--she did well in a waiting room full of people and even better in the exam room once daddy took her blood pressure and taught her how to "talk" into a stethoscope while listening at the same time.

The Farm, Round 2.

On Wednesday we visited the Farm at Thanksgiving Point again. The first time was back in April--it was cold, Presley couldn't walk--and I was excited to try again. This time Presley was walking all over the Farm! She loves to make animal noises and is very good at identifying them too. The goats and sheep were fun because they would come right up to the fence to get a peek (and nibble) at you. Presley would jump back as soon as they got close. The horses and cows were a little big and scary for P but feeding the ducks was something she has had practice with here at home.

Presley's favorite had to be either the baby chick or the pumpkins. She still gets excited when we sit at the computer and look at all the pictures. The playhouse and jail was another fun stop--this time she was hanging out with all the other kids, climbing in and out, and screaming with delight.

Krista came with us and tried to get a few shots of Presley with all the pumpkins--hopefully with her professional camera and endless patience they turned out better than mine.

May I suggest a trip to Cabela's if you are in the neighborhood. Presley loved all the deer, moose, bear, and other stuffed animals (maybe more than the live ones at the farm) and the fish were great too--so big and entertaining. Presley couldn't get enough of the animals this week! (Except for the pony ride which terrified her to tears).

Loss.

Last Thursday my last living grandparent (my mom's dad) passed away. He was 86 and has been very sick with Parkinson's Disease (especially the last few months). The funeral was nice--it was a quick trip to Colorado to visit with family and remember my grandpa. I like to remember last summer when we threw a surprise 85th birthday party for grandpa. My sisters and I drove out together (with a new baby in tow) and spent a few days with him. Grandpa really lit up with Presley around--this and one other time at Christmas were the only times they would ever get to meet.

At the funeral I didn't get up to say anything but I kept remembering a photo from our family album when we were kids. Grandpa is in the middle with all of us kids gathered around proudly showing off the hairstyle we had given his comb-over (braided, bows, and standing straight up).

Time flies.

Where has the time gone?? I can't believe it has been 12 days since my last post . . . yikes! In those 12 days we have been to Chris' 20 year high school reunion (which included the homecoming football game and a fancy dinner at the country club), we had my little sister Becka in town for a weekend, we had a house guest for a couple of days, Presley's music class, and several other little activities that have kept me from keeping up to date on our lives.

Hopefully I am back on track and will start posting more often. Today was a gorgeous fall day (sunny but crisp) and with the colors quickly fading we decided to have our first ever family picture taken! Now we have sort of done this before but it was at a wedding so it doesn't really count. We only had a few minutes of shooting before Presley became obsessed with all the "little rocks" that we were around. She loves saying the word little--"little rock", "little lamb", little anything.

Thanks Krista for being patient and getting us to look so good for the camera! Even Roxy is looking at the camera--a first! And I am proud to say that Krista is helping (well, basically doing all of it) put together Presley's baby book. It looks great and I am excited to have the finished product in my hands in the next few weeks.

Pasta.

Presley has had pasta before but it has always been bow-tie or shells. Last night Presley shared Matt's spaghetti with him. At first I tried to feed it to her twirled around the tines of a fork but that didn't work well (everything kept sliding off). Instead I ended up feeding her the spaghetti one long noodle at a time.

Presley would suck the noodle down without even chewing! She was swallowing the noodle as she sucked it into her mouth--it was so funny to see her eat that way. Presley also loved the olives from the salad--I am amazed at the things she likes that I don't like (for instance black olives and pickles). What a good eater!