December Fun

We did December up good!! We LOVE driving around looking at Christmas lights- I love it maybe as much or more than the gals. Last year, my parents rented the limo that we drove around in to see lights and the kiddos have been bringing it up. Grandma and Pops rented a 12 passenger van for us to go meet Brian and Sher and drive through Willard Bay. I was so extremely disappointed when Ella and I woke up during the night with the stomach flu that Gracie had had so we weren't able to make it! But the Brooklyn and Gracie had a blast! And luckily they got to see Santa there because it dawned on my Christmas Eve that we hadn't made our usual trip to the Mall to visit Santa. So sad for Ella she didn't get to see him this year. Luckily the bug was  a fast one and we were able to drive up to Preston the next day and take in the sights and drive through the Hollingsworth's (a tradition we have been doing since I was little.) Of course the kiddos LOVED it- it was pouring rain- I think we drove through 4 times.

We are avid Aggie fans in this house and have been since I was born. We have had such a fun football season this year. We were thrilled when they announced that the Ags would be playing in "The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl" in Boise. We were able to go and had so much fun!! Even more fun because the Ags WON!!! Sean took Brooklyn down on the field after and she was thrilled to get a picture with Big Blue. Nat has some friends whose son also plays so Nat went down to meet them and talk to them on the field. It was exciting when Chuckie (the quarterback) came back on the field and Brooklyn was able to get a picture with him. Nat said he was so cute with all the little kids and didn't act annoyed for getting bugged- I like that. Brooklyn also got to get a picture with Forrest (the friend of Nat's). My mom was such a saint and stayed back at the hotel with Gracie and Ella so Sean, Brooklyn and I could go- thanks mom! The gals were so excited when they woke up then next morning to see that Jingles the Elf and had followed us to Boise! Too bad I woke up with the worst migraine of my life!! I was running into the bathroom every 10 minutes and in so much pain. I didn't know how I was going to make it home- there is no way I could have made the 5 hour drive home with the nausea I was having- Sean and my dad gave me a blessing and the nausea faded. Luckily my dad also had something for his back I was able to take for the pain and slept pretty much the whole way home. So glad for the Priesthood!! Our hearts were broken the next day when we heard that Gary Anderson would be leaving the Ags (he has said so many times that he wasn't going anywhere and Logan is where is home is- all that kind of stuff. I am excited for him and hope he has success in Wisconsin.) Thanks for the great season Ags! I might also mention that the day before we left was the 14th- it just so happens that that is Sean and I's Anniversary- we celebrated 11 years this year!

Gracie had her Preschool Christmas Program they sang a few cute little songs. (She is on the far right.)

Jingles the Elf

When I was a little girl, my mom and aunt Paula let us know that we had a special Elf that watched our families and that Elf's name was Jingles. We never saw Jingles, but every so often we would hear bells and know that Jingles was around. Jingles has also been around since Brooklyn was little. This year, we heard bells outside when the gals went to the door to try and catch Jingles, there was a present sitting outside the door. We brought  it in and opened it- inside was our very own Elf on the Shelf. The gals were thrilled!! You are to name the Elf right away- there wasn't a more appropriate name for our Elf than Jingles. We had so much fun with Jingles. The gals fell in love with her instantly. Every night she would go and report to Santa- when she came back she would end up in some of the craziest places. That gals had so much fun trying to find her every morning. At first, it was hard for them to not want to touch her- if they did she would lose her magic. We were so excited the morning we woke up to head to Boise to cheer on our Aggies and she was wearing her Aggie shirt. The gals were so excited when Jingles found us in Idaho. She brought Gracie balloons on her birthday and that was a big hit! The gals wrote a letter to Santa and asked if Jingles could stay on Christmas to watch them open their presents- that might have been as excited to see her on Christmas morning as they were to see their presents. The gals were sad when they had to say good-bye to Jingles, but we know she will watch us throughout the year and we will be excited to see her next December!

Thanksgiving

I am so far behind on this blog- I am trying to get caught up before the year is over. We had a great Thanksgiving. Sean's parents came in from South Carolina and stayed with us for the week. We got to spend fun times with them and cousins. It wore the gals right out! Since Joe and Gisele weren't going to be here for Christmas Gisele took all the kids shopping and let them pick out what they would get for Christmas and then we celebrated Thanksmas (Thanksgiving + Christmas) at Sean's grandparents house. It was fun for the gals to get to have grandma and grandpa stay with us for the week.

Ella- 18 Months

I can totally tell that Ella is my 3rd just by looking back at the lack of pictures I have of her. It makes me sad now. She hit the 18 month mark in November- I can't believe it! She started going to nursery and most of the time does well. Here are a few things about Ella at 18 months:

• She weighs 23 lbs. 30th percentile
• She is 32.25 inches 68th percentile
• She has 7 teeth (3 more are trying really hard to come in).
• For the most part (minus a night here and there) she is a really good sleeper.
• She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES babies. She is always hauling one around with her or pushing it in her stroller. She kisses the baby and will rock it back and forth. It is super sweet to watch.
• She LOVES her sisters and cousins and wants to be doing whatever they are doing.
• She know what she wants- she will grab our fingers and take us to what she wants.
• Along with knowing what she wants- if she doesn't get it, she lets us know it!
• She loves Curious George (on PBS) she has started getting the remote and bringing it to us and get ticked if we don't put Curious George on. She especially loves the Christmas one.
• So far, she is a good eater and will eat whatever I give her.
• She loves to go out with Sean at night and feed the dogs. He will ask her if she wants to go- she will throw whatever she is doing and run to get outside.
• She still likes her binki and her sippy cup.
• She is still a big sweetheart. She really does have the sweetest personality and wins people over easily.
• She is saying more and more almost daily. I love her sweet little voice.
• She loves to dance- anytime music comes on she starts dancing away.
• She loves to brush her teeth. She will go stand in the bathroom until she gets a toothbrush.  

We love Ella so much and feel so blessed to have her as a part of our family! I had some pictures taken of her in July and never posted any. She didn't get a nap in the day of the pictures and was super onery, although we got plenty of her crying, she also go some super cute ones!