Aquarium.

It is no secret that I love aquariums. It is too bad that we really don't have any good ones here--like the Monterey Bay Aquarium or the Baltimore Aquarium (and I have heard that I need to visist the new Atlanta Aquarium too). But what SLC does have will have to do until I get a chance to take Presely to a real aquarium.




Today we got to look at a few fish, a gigantic lobster, some sharks, sting rays, jelly fish, and a display on local aquatic life. Don't you love P's fake smile--she does this now when I ask her to smile for a photo.



Presley really enjoyed looking for each of the different animals in the different fish tanks (above she just spotted the seahorses). She even came home and told her dad about the "scary sharks", something the other kids we were with labled the sharks. We had a good time but I can't wait to visit a real aquarium soon!

Leaks.

Our roof is leaking! And so are the roofs of most of the neighbors. We simply have too much snow and not enough places for all the water to run off before it gets dammed up and leaks through the roof into our laundry room and garage.




We don't have it quite as bad as some of our neighbors and hopefully there is no permanent damage (we will have a lot of work to do come warmer weather). Chris and the developer's guys have spent the last 3 days up on the roof (inbetween snow storms) clearing the 4 to 5 feet of snow and the 10 inches of ice from several parts of our roof.




Hopefully the new heat tape will help keep the ice from forming and leaks from getting into the house--what a mess! And yes, it is still snowing with another 2 feet expected over the next couple of days. When will summer get here?

New room.

Presley is getting a new room. We are trying to talk about it and play in it as we explain that her crib and the nursery will be used by the new baby. Presley only kind-of gets it.






Today when the bed and rug arrived (we are still waiting on a dresser, nightstand, drapes, and decorations) Presley understood it a little bit more! I think she will really start to get it once we get the mattress and everything else put together. I know it won't really sink in until she actually makes the move--but we are still a few months out and she is still my little baby.

Roxy update . . .

It has been just about 6 months since Roxy's diagnosis with a liver disease. After many hours of research, new food, and supplements we have gone back into the doctor for a retest of Roxy's blood work. The ALT levels are back down to normal! We couldn't be happier and Roxy really couldn't be doing better.




I really do believe that Roxy has an allergy to wheat and glutens so we are going to keep her on her new diet of raw, dehydrated, organic food. Here's to a long, happy, fun life for a dog!

Once there was a snowman . . .

Sunday afternoons are LONG now that church is in the morning. The good news is hopefully Presley will do better in nursery during the morning hours. After church uncle Gregg and aunt Camille helped Presley build a snowman--her first!

The snow was good and sticky but a little too heavy to actually make nice round snowballs. With twig arms, cookie dough buttons, Godiva chocolate eyes, a carrot nose, scarf and cowboy hat this snowman was a little unconventional but we had fun making him anyway.

Presley loved stomping around in her boots and "mushing it" anytime she came across a pile of melting snow on the side of the road.

Even Roxy came out and enjoyed the brief moments of sun in her winter coat. Presley got a kick out of the fact that Roxy even has a coat. Now, anytime we go outside she has to ask if Roxy needs her coat too.

It looks like it is going to be a long, snowy winter!

Girl!

Well, today was the day! We all made the trip to the doctor's office to find out how our new little baby is growing and developing and of course to find out the sex of the baby. I had been telling Presley all morning that she would get to see her new baby on the TV. She was a bit confused and kept asking me if it would be "On this TV?", pointing to our TV at home.

This was about the only good shot of her profile. This baby stayed pretty curled up--though she is flexible, holding her feet and legs straight up over her head!

We are happy to say that so far things look completely normal and we are thrilled to be having another girl (especially with them being so close in age). With another girl it means that Chris will certainly (and forever) be out numbered by the girls in his life--hopefully he can handle it!

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).