Best of 2011?

Seeing these two girls together. They love each other and I'm so happy that for the time being, they like each other too.

January brought on morning sickness.
February brought my second and last ski day of the year (and it was a great night!).

March: we found out we were having a girl.

April: we watch General Conference with my family. The spirit that those meetings brings is amazing.

May: we headed to the Oregon Coast for a day.

June: Addie started to help out at the doctor's and measure my stomach, which was getting bigger by the minute.

July we welcomed Leah Rose into the world. What a special day for our family.

August: Addie turned 2 and Mike and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary.

September: I enjoyed mastitis.... and sweet snuggles from my baby.

October: Addie dressed up as a gnome and Leah as a flower.

November: I surprised my family by coming down for Thanksgiving a few days early. So fun to be together.

December: we spent Christmas in Rexburg (still here). Addie skied for the first time.

My new year's resolution? Lose 10 pounds and be much tighter with my budget. I am excited for 2012 and hope good things come our way and yours!

Happy New Year!

Ok...

So cute!!

And sorry for the gad-zillion amount of posts. I would do it all in one, but blogging from my phone makes it a little difficult.

Family shot!

Love the three other people in the picture with me more than words can say. So happy to spend the day skiing with them!

End of the Day

Ok, those were the two cutest girls on the hill today.
Leah even got to ski with me down to the car. She giggled almost the whole way.

Dad and Addie

Mike skied with Addie all day. She loved it! He taught her to do the pizza! Going down the runs, she just squealed with absolute delight!

Riding the Magic Carpet

She did the bunny hill about 5 times then we rode the lifts about 4 times with her. When we got on the lift for the first time, she just giggled! "Swing! Swing Mama!"

Addie getting ready to ski!

Doesn't she look so cute? Every time we stopped, she bent down to eat the snow.

The Tetons

I could get used to that view

Sunset As We Finished Skiing.

Beautiful!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and yours a beautiful Christmas!

I am so grateful to be able to spend this holiday with those we love.
I am also grateful for the day the Christ child was born. He has overcome all to give me the greatest gift of all: eternal life with my family. Last night as we sat around as a family, Mike recounted the Christmas Story and we sang a few carols, I was reassured, very sweetly, of the truthfulness of the holiday we are celebrating. He came. He lived. He died, and more importantly, rose again on the third day.

Merry Christmas!

PS: my girls looked super cute this morning in their matching jammies and then their puffy Christmas dresses. Leah looks like a little cupcake!

13 for Thursday (if I can think of that many things...)

1. Addie and Leah played dress up today. They are so cute together.
2. I went down to Vancouver for a few days. It was my whole family. Dad, Mom, Mitch, Kenna, Marit, and my girls. It was so great to be all together.
3. We are leaving for Idaho tomorrow. I got pretty stressed out today...Poor Mike. Luckily, I have relaxed a bit.
4. We opened our presents last night. We got Addie some princess dress up clothes...She loves wearing them. She also loved opening all the presents.
5. Leah decided to stay up until 2 AM last night. That wasn't very fun. But she's so happy and we just cuddled while watching "The Help."
6. (Mom: skip this one) I am actually a bit sad that I won't be with my family this Christmas. It's my first one away from home. Mike hasn't been home for Christmas in a very long time (I think since before we started dating), so it's his turn. I am very excited to go to Rexburg and enjoy the cold. Plus, we are going skiing! And I am going shopping at Downeast.
7. Marit got me "Parks and Rec" on DVD...that is pretty much all I've been watching the past few days.
8. In college, I loved English. My favorite part was editing (punctuation, spelling, sentence order, you get the picture). I know on my blog that my grammar isn't always perfect, or even close for that matter, but I am kind of judgmental of others when it comes to their grammar; especially when it comes to Christmas letters. I think that if you are going to send out one letter a year to your friends and family that you would try to be careful and double check simple things, like where periods go. That is a bit mean, I know, but it makes me wish I had majored in English and gone into editing.
9. Since I have nothing left to say, I am going to be done for the night. I am exhausted (see numbers 3 & 5).

Christmas Spirit

Just click on the link. My friend, Ike, put this up on Facebook. It warms my heart and makes me wish I was in a position to help people a little more. I love news like this. So much better than all of the scary/sad/pathetic/celebrity/political/economical news we get every day.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/anonymous-donors-pay-off-kmart-222535611.html
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

13

1. Yes, these cute pig tails will be making lots of appearances from now on. Addie calls them baby trees.
2. When Addie sees the Christmas lights on, she yells, "Christmas lights!"
3. Addie loves to sing "Once there was a Snowman" and "Jingle Bells"
4. Kenna comes on Saturday, then we are taking the girls to Vancouver on Sunday. I'll be back on Tuesday and the we leave for Rexburg on Friday. YIKES. It stresses me out thinking about it, but it will be so fun!
5. I am excited to see Addie ski in a few weeks. I hope she enjoys it.
6. I am in the middle of a Christmas craft (I know, so I can enjoy it for 5 more days...). I'll put up a picture as soon as I'm done.
7. When I go to Vancouver, I fully expect to get at least 2 minutes of time to hold my new little cousin! And spend some time with my siblings. All while carting around 2 of my own sleep deprived children. Lovely!
8. I love when Addie talks to Leah and then Leah talks back. Sometimes she'll giggle.
9. Cafe Rio chicken, but the homemade version is AMAZING! Put some frozen (ready to cook) chicken or non-frozen pork roast in the crock pot. Add 1 cup of salsa and 1/3 to 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Put on high and let it cook for 5 (ish) hours or until all the juices have cooked down (if you can wait that long...I never can). Its amazing in a taco salad!
10. I am making my friend Janessa's Red velvet cupcakes for a party this weekend. I am so excited to eat them.
11. Holding a sleeping child is therapeutic. Leah calms me down (even when she's awake). She is such a smiley baby.
12. Leah now rolls from back to front and front to back. Yesterday she scooted a bit towards a toy.
13. The first time I met Mike was fall of 2006. I thought he liked this one girl I couldn't stand, and I thought he was a player (turns out he really wasn't). I went to school for 4 months, came back in April of 07 and we started hanging out. We went to a party and hung out. I had gone with my friend. Mike asked if I wanted to come over after the party to hang out. I said yes, but ended up staying at the party too long and then went to Denny's. While I was there, I called him to say I wasn't going to make it. So what if it was 11:30...he called me out on it and said I woke him up and that I had to make it up to him by going on a date with him. I couldn't stop grinning.

Things That I've Been Thinking About Lately

-Even though, I might not look great all the time, or get ready until 4:30 PM, I always feel amazing when I'm holding or cuddling with one of my girls. Nothing makes me feel better than when I look at myself in the mirror and the reflection is a woman holding her sweet baby. That is something I have always wanted, and I am beyond blessed to have that.
-I attended the funeral for a friend's mom and Saturday. It was a really nice service. They are a strong Christian family. As the pastor was speaking near the end, I was almost overcome with gratefulness that I enjoy the blessing of having the fullness of the Gospel in my life. I am grateful for the things that I know concerning this life and the next. As I watched the slide show of pictures from this great woman's life, I held my baby closer. Life is precious and can slip away from us sooner than we would like. I came away more determined to raise my children in the Gospel, to love their Heavenly Father, and to do the right things in this life.
-I am happy to be celebrating Christmas and the birth of our Savior. He suffered for my sins, died and rose again so that I may live again.
-Addie has started to master the art of stalling at bed time and nap time... And I am a sucker for it. I love reading her books and singing to her. How can I say no when she wants to pray and say it on her own?
-Yesterday after church (which felt like a whirlwind) Addie sat at the piano and played some notes while singing almost all the words to "I Am A Child Of God." I was beaming and I cried.

3 for Thursday (just three, I'm too tired to care...)

1. Mike and I stay up way too late on www.damnyouautocorrect.com. Some are inappropriate and will make you blush, but others are hilarious! Mike teared up reading this one. Plus it was after midnight. My favorite thing to do is hang out with Mike in bed (that sounds dirty, and I just blushed and I don't mean it like that...) But what I mean by that is its just us, no kids, and we can talk with out being interrupted. No TV, but usually a funny website or video from the day, but I really enjoy the times that it is just me and Mike. I am thinking we need a trip just, just us for our anniversary this year.

2. I LOVE THAT MY GIRLS LIKE EACH OTHER. I can tell that Leah adores Addie and looks up to her. Addie loves to help me with Leah, give kisses and loves, feed her, cuddle, show her toys, the list goes on. Now, the trick is to keep it that way for a very long time. When Leah rolls over, Addie says, while applauding, "flip-ober! Yay! Mom, clap your hands!" If Leah spits up, Addie will wipe up Leah's mouth and say, "uh-oh, bit up baby."

3. Addie is such a cute little girl. She, despite her independence, is very obedient (most of the time). She is nice to other kids, listens to me, usually does what she is supposed to. Now, she's two, so we do have our fits and times when we are in Costco and she just wants to run (...tonight) but when I ask her to, she will usually stay next to me and help me shop. She is such a big girl. I love hearing her sentences and the funny things she will say. Today she asked to use the toilet, and did some good work! While sitting upon the toilet (for 30 minutes, even though she finished in 3...) she told me she wanted to pray. She folded her cute little arms and said, "kank-oo por my day." I was so happy that what we are teaching her is starting to sink in. She is beautiful.

December 7 1941

This is my grandpa Kenneth Doty, fresh out of high school and fresh in the Navy. I think he looks pretty handsome. 60 years ago, this date changed my Grandpa's life. Because of the attacks on Pearl Harbor, my Grandpa ended up joining the navy.
He flew in a plan with the pilot and co-pilot. I only know them as Willie and Jenkie. My grandpa was the bomber. They flew in a TBF Avenger. They were shot down over the Sea of Japan and rescued by the USS Gabilan after floating in the sea for a few hours. All three survived. I love that we have video of my grandpa being rescued and climbing up onto the deck of that submarine.

I love to hear my grandpa telling his stories from his time in the navy. He has quite a few models of his plane and the aircraft carriers he was on. I love looking at his medals and through his scrapbooks. I am grateful for his service. He is a great patriot and loves this country and instilled that love in his children and his grandchildren. I remember asking him to come speak to my class in 5th grade and to tell us about his experience. I was so proud of him, and I still am.

I am grateful for all those who left their homes to protect this great country during World War II. I am grateful for those that continue to serve our country and protect our liberties.

Highlight of My Day

You mean other than this sweet face?

Addie was looking through the Toys R Us catalog. I was in the other room making dinner or cleaning. I hear Addie start yelling, "Mom! Mom! Mamamamama!!! Looooookkk!" I run in the living room not knowing what to expect. She has the catalog spread out and she is in the pink section. "A-well! A-well is on SLIDE!" She was pointing excitedly to an Ariel Barbie that had a slide. The look on her face was priceless.

Christmas Spirit

Addie likes to wear the stockings!

Standing with Dad

After bath

13 for Thursday

1. Leah LOVES sitting in the jumper. I love that she loves it.
2. We bumped her up to size 2 diapers and I cleaned out the 0-3 month clothes. On to 3-6... She's growing up to fast.
3. Leah still doesn't sleep very well at night, and I haven't done much to fix it lately either. I have come to the conclusion that she will when she's ready. But for now, I get to have some special time just the two of us, even if we are both pretty much asleep.
4. Addie asked for candy today by saying, "trick-or-treat mamma!"
5. I am really enjoying my calling right now. I feel like I am kind of hitting my stride. I feel more comfortable voicing opinions (and policy...I'm surprised at what people don't know sometimes) when needed. Being the secretary for primary allows me some flexibility too, which is very helpful with the two girls. I love the women I work with too! They are amazing.
6. When I was in Young Womens, one of my leaders made us a Christmas Advent with scriptures about Christ. We are doing that tonight!
7. I'm about to order pizza... I haven't done that in forever.
8. Have I mentioned how awesome Mike is?
9. Addie says the cutest things lately. She said, "you're welcome milk!" when I gave her a sippy of milk the other day. She also says, "cute leah!"
10. I love cuddling with Addie. It doesn't happen to often so when it does, I relish every second.
11. Have you ever had missionaries not want to set up a dinner appointment with you? I have... My cooking can't be that bad, right?
12. I have been working out! Jillian Michaels has shredded my legs and shoulders.
13. I need a date. Mike, I'm taking you out very soon!