Santa found us...

...and brought a much anticipated train set!


We have been enjoying our holiday, taking it easy, playing with trains and eating great food. We will continue to enjoy the holidays until after the New Year! Hope you all are having a great time also.

the floor

Jace has taken to sleeping on the floor. He never wants to sleep in his bed anymore. Crazy kid. He has also decided that he wants to go on a mission like Uncle Devin and Daddy and wants us to sing the missionary songs to him. Hope he keeps that enthusiasm for the next 18 years.

snow day

I love the snow! I love how beautiful it is. I love playing in it. I love snowboarding on it. I love driving in it. I love watching it snow with a cup of hot chocolate.

This morning I set out to do a little Christmas shopping (without Jace!) and after about an hour it started to snow big beautiful snowflakes. So I finished up with the things nearby and headed home. After a little struggle getting up our hill (I had to get out and give the car a little push) I made it home just in time to throw on some snow clothes to play outside with Jace.

We had a great time throwing snowballs, riding on the sled, making snow angels and building a snowman.

(Jace's very first snow man. I put the hat on the snow man and Jace says "mom, he needs some gloves. oh! he doesn't have arms. he needs some arms for his gloves.")




p.s. Jared hates the snow (except when he is snowboarding). And good luck to all who are trying to go places for Christmas. Hope you all get to your families by Christmas. I'm glad we are staying right here in the basement.

p.p.s. When I got home from shopping Jace says "mom, i was very good for hunter. you bring me presents?" Don't tell Jared but I let him open one of his Christmas presents (snow gloves and a hat) so he could play in the snow without being cold. Maybe we will wrap them back up before Jared gets home from work!

(**Jared's wonderful cousin, Amber, took these pictures of me and Jace together. Thanks Amber!!**)

just married!

My little sister got married on Saturday! It was a cold day but a beautiful wedding. I hope it was everything she wanted. Now they are off enjoying the sun in Hawaii.


Now that the wedding is over we are ready to enjoy the holidays. Christmas, come soon!

date night

Jared and I went on a date Friday night. Date nights are so great and a vital part of a great relationship. It's amazing how much a few hours out of the house without a toddler can rejuvenate you and your relationship. I think that this will be on the top of my New Year resolution list: date night every week.

p.s. We went and saw Australia which was a beautiful movie and well worth watching.

all i want for christmas...

...is a phone that works!

At least we are staying within our minutes since it is difficult to make calls without a screen. Hopefully Santa gets the memo.

This little guy is tired of waiting for Christmas. Every morning he asks if it is Christmas and if Santa came with his train. Only 7 more days, Jace.

imagine. draw. create.

My mom picked these up for us and we love them!



Jace was up at 5:00 in the morning the day after we got the chalkboard to draw. And he asks everyone that comes over if they want to see and draw on his chalkboard. My favorite part is that he is explaining his pictures to us. On the easel he drew himself at the temple and he drew some train-boats. I love watching his imagination begin to develop.

the polar express

All aboard!! (read in Tom Hanks' voice for more affect)

Last night we bundled up Jace in his pajama's, drove through a very snowy canyon and boarded the much anticipated Polar Express!




We ate chocolate chip cookies, drank hot chocolate and read the Polar Express on our way to the North Pole.


Buddy and Jingle (the elves) told jokes and sang Christmas carols. The conductor punched our "genuine tickets to ride."


Mrs. Clause brought us her secret recipe for christmas cookies.

(jace is telling Mrs. Clause that he wants a train for Christmas)

And Santa gave out the "first gift of Christmas" (which is a bell from his sleigh).


Jace made sure he told the elves, Mrs. Clause and Santa that he wanted a train. When we got the North Pole, Santa was outside waving to the children and Jace exclaimed, "I love Christmas!"

As for the bell, Jace actually lost it (it just fell on the floor) so we thought we would wrap it up and give it to him on Christmas with a note from Santa. This morning when he got up he told me that there was a hole in his pocket. He has also informed us that Santa is the King of the North Pole but he is the King of the Polar Express!