As good as it's going to get....

Catching the Holiday Spirit

With Mark being gone at work so much it's made it hard for me to get in the Holiday spirit, we had a great Thanksgiving with loving family but it just wasn't the same. The thought of getting ready for Christmas made me sad, we've always decorated together :( I am very grateful for Marks job but still it's an adjustment, thank goodness for facetime on our phones! Anyway, I decided I needed to put up our decorations to get myself excited for Christmas (Mark will be home for it :). I put up our Nativity scene, the few Christmas Village pieces I have and my snowmen. Than came the tree, Mark has always assembled the tree & strung the lights. I tried this year I failed I called Dad H who came & saved the day. I have always wanted a "fun" tree that was "me" so this year with some encouragement from my sister-in-law Kristi I did it. I bought new ornaments (shatter proof!), some burlap, dug out my ornaments that match the "theme" & poof you have our tree! Noah loves the lights every time he sees them he says "Whoa." He however also likes all the balls, if they stay on the tree I'll be very surprised...hence why I am so excited they are shatter proof. He was throwing them around tonight while I wrapped the burlap, he throw one and than say "oh boy" not sure where he gets his sayings but he sure keeps us laughing. I have to point out the angel on top, my Grandma S. crocheted that years ago & when she was cleaning out her Christmas stuff a few years back I snatched it up, it is beautiful and a very fun piece to have on our tree because it was made by loving hands. Anyway here is the best picture I could get. Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you have caught the Holiday spirit or you do soon!

Fallin' into fun!

Over the weekend while Mark was out of town for work my friend Sylvia, I & Noah traveled to Weston. We helped my Mom in he yard. Of course Noah had to help us.

After gathering the leaves we'd drag the tarp to the garden & empty it, Noah liked this ride for about 15 seconds. He wasn't a very big fan of all the leaves.

Last night we took advantage of a nice Halloween evening & did some trick or treating with Noah in our neighborhood. Lots of people told me Noah wouldn't understand what was going on. This was very wrong, he figured it out at house #1 going back up to our neighbor for a second piece while we chatted. By house #2 he was a pro! He'd knock, take the candy & head back down the side walk even if Mark & I weren't with him. He did not want to be held as we walked house to house, he had to walk like a big kid. Now the hard part of this post can you tell what his costume is? I was surprised how many people had never heard of the inspiration for his costume.

Thanks Mom H for making such an amazing costume!

Publish Post

Our Bishop's wife said we needed a family picture so she took one :)

Did you guess Max, King of the Wild Things

If not you better read the story, it's a classic!

I can't think of a title...

Friday I played hooky from work for 1/2 the day and we accompanied Marks parents to the pumpkin walk. Off subject we love having them so close to us! Anyway we had a blast looking at the amazing displays, people are so talented!

Noah loves the face cut out boards, especially when he could stand by himself and get his face in the hole. I couldn't decide which Yoda face I liked more so you get to see both!

I loved the minions , they are just so cute!

This is for Axton....

Growing up I loved the Winnie the Pooh episode where he got stuck in the wall. I was amazed at Tigger, I don't know why but he was one of my favorites.

Who doesn't love a little Calvin & Hobbs

Yes I will admit it I am totally addicted to Phineas & Ferb . In fact one of my favorite quotes is from the guy below (it has no real meaning in life, just makes me laugh), "I use to have goals, they were evil goals, but they were still goals." Dr. Doofenschmirtez.

This painting detail is crazy good! All the faces in the display were this amazing!

After the pumpkin walk we traveled to my parents house so I could go to super Saturday with my Mom, her ward always does the cutest projects! I probably won't post pictures so you'll have to visit me to see them, I'm feeling lazy.

Noah is always spoiled at Grandpa & Grandma's

Saturday my parents neighbor Gracie came to play for a little while. Noah enjoyed having a playmate, she played with sand box with him & convinced Mark to take them out in the boat. Noah loved it, the hard part was keeping him from jumping in the freezing cold water.

and with that I am caught up on our blog. Feels good!

Birthday, Animals & Deep dish!

Last week Alaina had her 20th Birthday! I can't believe she is not a teenager anymore. We celebrated by spending the weekend together; swimming at the hotel, visiting the zoo & eating deep dish pizza! We are so glad she let us join in her Birthday Celebration!

Noah thought the ball water sculpture thing was pretty great, he'd have stayed there all day I think.

I had this brilliant idea that a toddler leash would be great to keep Noah inline since he refuses to hold hands with anyone. Let me back up a few years, whenever I saw parents with these prior to having a toddler I always thought why can't you just control your child instead of treating him like a dog. Well I had another eat my words moment & bought one. I have also realized raising a child is a lot like raising a dog, another post all together. Back to the present, my brilliant idea wasn't so brilliant. I am sure we looked like a scene from a funny movie where the dog is dragging it owner around because well that is exactly what happened except it was with a toddler & his Mom. The leash spend the day in the basket under the stroller.

I am not sure what Mark & Alaina are doing I just thought it was cute.

We actually got to see the tigers up & moving around, pretty awesome.

Noah really enjoyed the carousal, he would have stayed on there more than 1 trip around.

We paid all the money to go to the zoo & the animal Noah got most excited about was the one that looks like a cat. He kept saying "titty" and pointing at it.

Alaina's highlight of the day was seeing the wolf. They actually were having wolf day so we got to see some cool exhibit things & touch wolf fur.

Feeding the ducks. Noah liked it less when he tried to eat the duck food aka dog food. He was less the thrilled. As we were feeding the ducks we learned that swans are rather mean, they kept attacking & biting the ducks for food. I believe one remark was whoever wrote the Ugly Duckling has not seen a hungry swan.

Noah really enjoyed Discovery Land.

As a child I always thought these were fun, now I think the are hot & stinky! Noah thought it was fun to see Daddy outside.

COTTON CANDY!

MMMM, Chicago Deep Dish!

Happy Late Birthday Alaina! We love you & are glad we could celebrate together!

Growing up

Noah had his 15 month check up earlier this week, I can't believe he is getting so big! He has changed so much. Some of the new things he has done recently are:

-Saying "all dn" when he is finished eating

-Running to the bathroom & trying to take his clothes off when we says it's bath time

-Picking up his jacket and bring it to me saying "go" when he wants to outside

-Helping to put dishes away, usually after he's got them all out of their homes & played with them (I wash them after)

-Saying "Jessie" to my sister when she's on the phone, no seriously as clear as day!

-"Reading"

-Singing to the cat in the hat theme song okay just the "go, go, go" bit

- Starting to recognize his toys, we can ask him to get a certain one and about 50% of the time he can find it.

-Noah loves to spin circles. I need to find the video of him doing this & upload it, it's hilarious.

-Jumping off the side of the swimming pool, even when his face goes under

Sorry you have to endure a long list, this is really the only record I have of stuff he's done.

He loves reading this book, it has a puppy and moving parts....a toddlers dream!

Growth states as follows:

Height 32.27in 90%

Head 19.4in 95% (he gets that from his Dad)

Weight 23.88lbs 40%, no wonder he shivers when he gets a little cold no fat to keep him warm!

Father & Son

Many weeks ago (early Sept.), I came home from work to find Mark giving our car a much needed wash. Okay much needed is an understatement, they were very dirty. Even Granddad's golf partner had commented that we should wash our cars....oops!

Noah loved all the water, it was only in the 60's and he just couldn't handle not being in the water. He was splashing in the bucket, playing in the water running off the car & of course in the stream from the hose.

How did it become October?

I still haven't blogged about September?!?

At the beginning of September we headed to Bear Lake with Dad & Mom H and Alaina for some fun in the sun before winter settles in. It was a beautiful day! We were lucky enough to be able to stay over night on Friday (Thanks Opa & Oma) and than Saturday we headed to the beach. In no particular order here are a few pictures of our weekend.

Noah would have spent the entire weekend right here

and here.

Hanging with Aunt Alaina

Bedtime story with Grandpa & Grandma

Yep we did,

bye, bye hair. You can freak out, but before you do it is almost back to that length 1 month later so relax! (his curls are still there)

This is the best view on a Saturday morning, and so peaceful! Oh and Noah has mastered walking, when we got home from Bear Lake he finally figured out he could take more than 4 or 5 steps.

No fear Noah, he wouldn't stay out of the water! Even when his teeth where chattering from the cold water.

He did realize the sand was fun once he decided to destroy Aunt Alaina's bear lake monster.

For our next adventure check out this , yep I am saying I am to lazy to blog about it when it's already completed elsewhere.