A New Year and a Big Boy

I know this is a bit over due, but better late than never. We had a fun New Years Eve this year. When Jon and I were talking about what to do, we decided that we had become old fogies because we didn't have any big parties to go to. It's strange being in a different stage of life were going out with friends only happens far and in between. Anyway, we convinced Jon's parents to have a party.
Dinner was quite the event. Megan and Su decided to try something they did at a birthday party a while ago and have a nice spaghetti dinner. This was great except it was without any plates. There was a plastic table cloth and we threw the spaghetti in the middle of the table and then poured on the sauce and every kind of sectioned off what they wanted and dug in.
It made for easy clean up! Then for dessert, we pulled off the top table cloth and threw down some ice cream on a table cloth underneath. Pour on some chocolate and carmel and it was good eats! Zac loved it.
Dinner is always a great event with Jon and his dad. I don't even remember what was going on here, but this picture was definately worth sharing!
We played a lot of Wii that night. I've got to say I'm a big fan! I never thought there would be a video game that I enjoyed so much. I make it very well known how much I hate it when Jon plays the X box, but with the Wii fit, I could play for hours. This is my attempt at hula hooping. I haven't hula hooped in years. Apperently you need to hold your hands up like you are riding a horse, it helps you shake those hips I promise.
It is always fun to be in a new year. It feels like a new start for everything. It's a good time to think about what is important and start again to be better. I am so glad we have these opportunities now and then.
Zac is now 11 months old. He is changing it seems by the hour. He has his two front teeth and we are working on three more. (I do say we becuase it is a group effort.) He says watda (what's that?) and points at almost everything he sees. This is a watda in action. He'll say hi dad too. He is so close to walking. He will walk 6-7 steps by himself going from one person to another. He stands pretty well when he is distracted. Any day now he is going to take off at a run and life as we know it will be over. It's fun though becuase he is so thrilled with himself when he does something knew. He claps and laughs and buries his head in your shoulder.
Most of his bear pictures this time were standing up, becuase it is a severe punishment to make him sit down. Zac gives the best kisses! If you ask him for kisses, he knows exactly what you want- he turns toward you and opens his mouth wide. Sometimes he'll even grab your face and turn his face back and forth while making noises. Eventually we're going to have to teach him how to properly close his mouth or we're going to have an angry mom from his kindergarten class wondering what we're teaching our son. For now, I love the slobber kisses.
Check out those chompers!
Zac has also developed quite a little temper when he doesn't get what he wants (which when you're a little guy and you always want big guy stuff is quite often.) He's got the scream and arching of the back down really well.
Are you pictured out yet?I can't believe that in three weeks from today I will have a one year old. I need to stop blinking! When you get to be this big they only make big boy jammies which are 2 pieced and your feet stick out. I'm not sure why this out of everything makes me so sentimental. It just makes it seem like he is so not a baby anymore. No more feetie jammies? Good thing they are the kind that show his little chicken legs.

We hope everyone is having a stupendous 2009.

A Magical Christmas

I can't believe that it is already into January. Time just flies. We had such a fun break from school and work. This post is going to be long filled with pictures, so if you don't have the time, or the fortitude you can stop now and I will understand.

We started out with a visit to Temple Square to see the lights. It was Zac's first ride on trax and it was a hit. Lots of people to look at and give him attention.
It was a really cold night but it was beautiful, just a light snow. We spent some time in the visitor's center warming up and then headed for home.

Next, Christmas Eve morning is when Jon and I celebrate with our own little family. It was fun this year to wake up and have Zac come out and open his presents. He was less than impressed with the whole process. He wasn't even all that thrilled with the wrapping paper. Oh well. He is enjoying the toys now! We took video instead of pictures or that event.

That evening we had our big party with my family. This year after yummy Cafe Rio salads, we had a Food Network Challenge. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big fan of the Food Network- this was lots of fun. Each person was assigned a Food Network celebrety to be.
Jon made a charming Bobby Flay and Michelle a fantastic Rachel Ray. We got into groups and got a bunch of cakes and supplies and had one hour to design our cakes to represent a Christmas show.
This is our groups creation- and if you you're not sure what it is or what show it represents, it's OK. We did work hard, however it turned out t little scary. The show is Home Alone, and this is the guy that gets hit in the face with an iron- notice the paint can, spider, iron, and Christmas lights.
Although we didn't have much decorating talent, the other two groups did a fabulous job.
Can you guess who won? Great job with Buddy the Elf guys! Thanks for a fun night.
Christmas eve night, after Zac's first tooth popped through, we spent with Jon's family. He and his siblings stayed up and played video games and Zac and I slept in the other room. Christmas day we spent with both families.
My mom's favorite gifts were the bath toys she got- to play with Zac of course.
Zac was very spoiled and got lots of fun toys and clothes from all his family. He got a Jack in the Box from his great grandparents that he thinks is fun.
I got a TV stand that had doors so our little almost walking boy couldn't get into things. Zac helped us put it together. You can see the before and after. I love it.

We had a wonderful holiday. It was so nice to have so much tim off of work to hang out with Zac and other family. We are truely blessed! Zac is already 11 months and we have some other holiday pictures to put on as well. I'll update soon. Happy New Year everyone.

Family Pictures

A couple of weeks ago Jon let me drag him to get our pictures taken. There is a company that is wanting to do our schools pictures and so they offered free pictures to the faculty. I don't think my boys were thrilled about it. Jon even missed basketball to get these done. But they turned out cute and I'm glad we went. I'm not sure if my dad's scanner was a little funny, or if something happened with the emailing, but these look a little fuzzy and the color is weird. They really did turn out nice in person, but you get the idea.

It's nice when something really is free!

I HATE Teeth!

It seems like a strange thing to hate. Teeth are a very useful appendage. One I use every day in fact. I do very much enjoy eating, and I couldn't enjoy my favorite foods without them. However I have struggled with teeth for most of my life. When I was young I had two huge front teeth with a large gap in between them (not the cutest thing to look at.) Then I was lucky enough to inherit my dad's lack of I teeth. They just never grew in, so after oral surgery to put a chain on one of my teeth so that it would not push my front one out, and years of braces, I had to wear a retainer with two fake teeth on it. This did have its benefits- I could take them out and creep people out. I now have a bridge with the fake teeth attached- still gives me problems though.

Jon has had teeth problems as well. When he was young he hit his mouth and it killed the roots of one tooth and he has a fake one as well.

I even have an old roommate who had a phobia of teeth and having them fall out. She couldn't watch that scene in The Little Mermaid where the chef goes down the mast of the boat on his teeth.

All of this has added to my distaste for teeth- but the last few days have sealed the deal. Zac is finally teething.
Who would have imagined that something so small and pointy could make life so miserable. Those small sharp bones have changed my very happy, easy going, sleeping through the night,good eater, of a boy into a cranky, temper tantrum throwing, picky eating, and non sleeping little boy. I know that everyone goes through it, but the poor kid just has a hard time being happy lately. And I'm afraid looking at how those top ones are coming in, he is inheriting the big buck teeth. I'm sorry Zac! I hope this process passes quickly. Please pray that those little buggers come in fast for all our sanity.

Dumb teeth.

It's The Holiday Season!

I'm sure everyone else is just as busy at this time of year as we are. The weeks are just flying by. Thanksgiving was lots of fun. We spent the day with my family this year. For the past few years my sisters, parents, and I have run in the Human Race Thanksgiving morning. It is a 5K in Draper. It has been a fun way to start the day- and I use it as an excuse to have an extra helping of stuffing. I had been looking forward to bringing Zac this time, but the weather was pretty crummy. It rained almost the whole time. It felt pretty good to run in though.
It was just the girls running this year. My dad stayed home and played with Zac.

You can tell we got a little bit wet. It was really fun. I was just happy to get my goal of under 30 minutes. I'm sure that is slow for some of you speed demons out there, but it was good for me.
The race was made more interesting with the man who chose to run it in a loin cloth. Hey, it got him on the news. And I think everyone's cameras too- I wasn't the only person there sneaking a picture of him.
Thanks for a fun race girls!

We had dinner at my aunt's house. I'm sure the pilgrims and indians didn't know what tey were starting, but I'm sure glad they did. Any holiday where the whole idea is to sit around and eat lots of good food is an OK holiday by me. Thanks mom for your amazing stuffing.

We got to spend a lot of time with family. Here is Zac dancing to the Christmas tunes with his Grandma. He adores his grandma- and I'm pretty sure the feeling is even more than mutual!


I also got the chance to go to the Festival of Trees. What a wonderful way to raise money for Primary Children's Hospital. It was beautiful. Zac did pretty good for the first half, and then got tired. He eventually fell asleep on my shoulder. Thanks for going with us Kris, it was a fun day.

Zac is already 10 months old. I can't belive that in just a little bit I will have a 1 year old. I got a new computer and I was transfering all of my pictures and that newborn little boy in those pictures doesn't even seem like the same kid. It is almost sureal how fast time goes watching kids grow up. He has learned so much in just a few months. It has been amazing to watch. I seem to only post when I have his new monthy pictures (sorry if you are getting sick of them). It is fun to compare him to that bear each month, and it is a little bit sad to see that tiny little boy get left behind. He's so much fun though, that each new stage seems to make up for it.



We hope everyone is having a happy holiday season. It is so easy to get caught up in the business and to not take the time to reflect on the real reason we celebrate. It is my goal to remember my Savior this season. I am so grateful for His life and atonement. It makes it even sweeter to think about Christ's birth as I rock my little boy to sleep at night. What an amazing gift we have been given.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!