FUNNIEST VIDEO EVER!

My little helper. I just love when he decides to un-fold the laundry. It is much appreciated and keeps me busy....always making sure there is something to re-do:) HE IS INTO EVERYTHING! I made a trip to the store today and purchased drawer and cupboard clips. Enstalling them tomorrow. I can't believe how quickly they grow up and how smart children are. When he finally gets one drawer empty...he will reach his little hand up, extend onto his very tip toes, pull open the next one up, and practically strain something trying to get it successfully emptied as well. He is talented....let me tell ya. I love it though...for some odd reason. Maybe because it just started...and instead of anger I am beaming with pride that he learned something else (even if it is obnoxious)....but can you seriously look at these pictures and get mad???? I just laugh...get my camera and then exclaim things like "you are so cute....I love you to death you little stinker...give me kisses..." as I re-fold the towels for the 100th time. Maybe it's just a proud parent moment; that feeling when they conquer something new or you watch them finally "figure it out."

"Can I reach the top one....I don't think so, but it's worth a try!"

"UH-OH! She caught me..."

YOU HAVE TO CHECK THIS VIDEO OUT! My little jaxson has the most contagious laugh ever. You just want to eat him with a spoon...I swear! (ok, maybe I'm biased) but mom, I totally know you'll agree. Watch this video and tell me you didn't just laugh out loud at how silly he is. He makes our day:) Such a special little spirit to have around.

FOOD....

Who doesn't love a sunday evening treat?!? I have made a bad (or good ) depending on how you look at it, HABIT of bakind some kind of treat every Sunday evening and watching "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" with Jarom! This week I gave Jaxson a cup of Chocolate Pudding for his Sunday evening treat...and he thought I was in heaven. He gobbled it up in two minutes flat. He scream and scream when it was gone....similar to the "rootbeer float" incident. He loves food.....

Last week (and after the rootbeer float incident) I decided that jaxson was definitely in need of some "real food" in his diet. I have been Super hesitant because I have the WORST phobia of choking. I use the word PHOBIA....not fear, or nervousness or worry....because it actually will cause me to physically panic and be sick if I think someone is choking or that a child is ABOUT to choke. This makes for some pretty uncomfortable and embarrassing times when I freak in a restaurant and gasp (plug my ears...and hum a song) when an irresponsible parent hands their infant a GIANT piece of adult food. Anyhow....MY "condition...as I call it....ha ha" is so serious that I have failed to ever let jaxson try anything but baby food...until this week. Although it's not something that most people are proud of... everyday I feel like I've accomplished something huge or conquered my worst fear if I let him eat something solid!!!! I would honestly rather swim in a shark infested pool than feed my child a hot dog! Crazy I know. ~~~So, I went to the store and stocked my house with graham crackers, saltines, little jello and pudding packs, and all sorts of "real food" that I thought jaxson would like. HE IS LOVING LIFE, let me tell you! He ate mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed carrots, rolls and the whole Sunday dinner with us yesterday....no baby food at all! I even gave him a chocolate pudding cup for dessert. It has actually been so much fun watching him learn to feed himself and enjoy all these new things. Just proves how much FUN any little part of parenting can be:)

p.s. HE LOVES TO EAT WHEAT BREAD...EVEN THE CRUST! He would eat a whole loaf if I let him. I thought that was so funny.

Embarrassing jarom...

This one is for you honey:)

I was kind of excited today because Jarom announced to me that he passed the "fake bar" exam. A few weeks ago Creighton Univerisity made all of the third-year law students take the BAR EXAM to see how many of them would pass ....let's just say not very many did!

It was good to know that all of his hard-work (and thousands upon thousands of dollars of debt) will be worth it. I know this is nieve....but I really thought after three years of grueling work they would just give him a Juris Doctorate (or whatever you call a law degree) in a nice little envelope and it would be over and official!!! I was wrong.

They have to pay 2,000.00 for a summer long preparation course (and then pay WHO KNOWS how much more to take the darn thing)....then PASS before it's over! He graduated in May...but the fun doesn't stop there...oh no....it will end sometime in July when we can say the "REAL BAR" was passed with flying colors. We'll pray.

Good job honey...I would have killed you if you hadn't:)

DREAM CAMERA???

Ok- I need some help. I have been leaving random comments on people's blog about what kind of nice cameras they have. Or what they would recommend.

A camera is precisely what I have recently been begging for... (Valentines Day...or more likely my b-day because I'll have to save my $$$:) Anyhow...I have been searching back through old posts and reading all the comments to find the ones in which people shared their "camera advice" and I thought it would be easier to post and BEG all those of you with wonderful photography skills or camera knowledge to share some tips! What is the best camera? Or just a wonderful one that is easy to use, not to complicated, but AWESOME. I want to get into photography....or have a camera that is good enought to make me look like I know what I'm doing!!!! I have heard a lot about a NIKON and also the canon SLR and canon XTI? What is the difference, does anybody know?

I want this camera to last for ever...be amazing...and let me blow pictures up GIGANTIC while still looking perfect:) Any tips would be much appreciated! I am about to start my researching....so give me a list to look at!

~thanks~

Show Off!

I got home from work tonight and I had quite the arrangement of pictures to look at! Jarom had taken some pretty hilarious (and some not so cute) pictures of jaxson showing off for the camera:)

My favorite part about these pictures..... 1-His little chicklet teeth, 2-His little personality that has just erupted this past week! Man---this kid is full of character. He thinks he is soooo funny. I'm not around other kids much.... so maybe this new-found personality change is completely normal. All I know is it's freaking funny to watch!!!

Does he not look like a toddler or a little boy in these pictures instead of my baby???? I was half tempted to not even post them because they reminded me of a "Big Boy". Enjoy~

"Check out my new car...new teeth...and new attitude!"

HOLY CRAP! This one is so scary! What is he doing? I can't help but laugh...and pray that his other little teeth will push those monsters together:)

Rootbeer Float!

Jaxson is starting to become VERY interested in real food.....which means anything that me or Jarom try to eat. Even if Jaxson is FULL....he will become devastated if we eat something in front of him. Where do these things come from??? They seem to always happen over-night.

Jaxson has developed a LOVE for Ice-Cream.....Just like his mommy:) This semester Jarom has a class on Friday Nights....which makes for a lonely afternoon/evening for me. This last Friday night I decided to treat myself to a HUGE rootbeer float while waiting for him to get home! I was sharing little bites with Jaxson until I decided it was enough. He wasn't having it! It was then that I witnessed the hugest tantrum to-date!

Jaxson learns something new or does something new everyday it seems! He just started throwing little fits when he doesn't get what he wants....It is so strange for me to see! Mainly because for the first time he actually KNOWS what he wants. Over-night he went from my little baby who really didn't know the difference....to "MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY- full of personality-little spunky Jaxson!" It is making for some pretty memorable video footage. It's sad that we can't help but sit and laugh. Jarom always looks at him and says, "you're just like your mommy when she doesn't get what she wants:)" I decided to get the last few minutes of his fit on camera to provide Jarom with proof that he is WAY worse than I am. ENJOY:)

Destructive!

ONE WORD sums up little boys: Destructive! Jaxson is so full of energy and always into something. I have learned that the bathroom door must always... no matter what... stay shut. There are way too many fun things in there just waiting to be destroyed. Jaxson has recently become fascinated with toilet paper. His favorite pastime includes waiting until we accidentally leave the bathroom door open...crawling in as fast and as quietly as possible....unraveling the entire roll of TP and then, of course,...eating some. Boys...Boys...Boys:)

"Oh my gosh! They left the door open....YYYYEEEESSS!"
"I must hurry and make the biggest mess possible before she catches me!"

"I LOOOOOVVVEE THIS STUFF!"

"Uh-OH!"

"I've been caught!"

"YUM! Sorry mom:)"

Thank-you Laci:)

Tonight sucked! I hate that word...but what just happened to me totally deserves it. I was playing around with my blog....and erased the entire thing...no lie. It is 2:00 a.m. and I have spent the last hour reading "Help" sections on blogger to figure out what in the crap I did. I messed with the widgets??? or something only computer people should do. I have never been more scared in my life. Embarassing as this is...I totally cried and felt like I was going to throw up. It is my ONLY kind of journaling and I feel addicted to looking back at the posts and reading about jaxson's little life! I started it just a few weeks after he was born. Anyhow....I am sooooo lucky that I just figured it out...I have no clue how I did it...but it's back (kind of). It erased a lot of stuff and I have spent hours re-loading all the links, pictures and crap on the side....but my posts ( all 137 of them ) are back. THANK-YOU LACI for telling me this week that you can publish your blog in a book. I honestly never realized how freaked I would be if it all got erased. I am ordering one tomorrow!!!

I'm a nerd!

I have been on some really wierd kicks lately. I don't know if it's the depression of it being "January" or what? January has to be my LEAST favorite month of the year. I HATE IT. I always feel sad that the holidays are over and "in search" of something to look forward to. I always feel annoyed that it's too cold to be outside...but stressed that it will soon get warm enough to feel wierd wearing a sweatshirt to cover up my newly added winter "flab". I always feel the pressure to set all these goals...start exercising again...blah, blah blah. January is so not fun.

---I have also been doing things completely out of the ordinary for me. Like reading?!? A TON. For those of you who have read my "crazy things" down the side of my blog...you will know that I HATE anything that is fictional or make-believe. I can't even watch movies that could never "really happen". I'm odd...I know. BUT....I started the Twilight series and I AM HOOKED. I was not so convinced as I read the first one....even calling my friend Brittany in the middle and saying "Oh please? are you kidding me! Vampires....he wants to eat her!...this is ridiculous!" But now....holy crap, I cannot put them down. These books are like 600 pages each and I started the second one on Sunday evening about 10:00 p.m. I finished it this morning. One day people...one day it took me to read it...and I have a demanding infant on my hands! Granted I stayed up until 3:30 a.m. frantically reading.....but it is so good. I'm sure a lot of you totally agree. Embarrassing as it is to admit...it totally makes me want to kiss/attack my husband! ha ha ha ha. I swear....I will read a chapter and then look over at him (silently begging him to cuddle me or kiss me or just do something..... ANTYHING ROMANTIC like Edward....he is getting so annoyed:) hee hee. Anyhow...the reason I am stuck blogging this evening is because I finished it too quickly and I have yet to borrow the third one...I'll keep you posted!

---I am also anxious and in constant grueling anticipation of graduation. Help me! It is like a huge fat X on my calendar that marks a day which will cause my life to change immensely! Kind of like when I bought a day planner last year...turned to March 28th and casually wrote "DUE DATE:)" like it was just another appointment to keep. I wish I could just relax and enjoy my last few months here....but it seems like everything I do is just leading to the "last time" I will be here...or do this...or see that! aaaagghh. I could scream. I don't necessarily Hate change....especially a change like my husband graduating from law school and getting a real grown-up-person job. BUT....a Life Change like picking up my entire life as I know it...best friends...ward...church calling...teaching job....students....colleagues....Von Maur...Pottery barn kids a few block away...Vala's Pumpkin patch...and just driving away like it never happened. Unimaginable. Actually I did that when I moved here...and it was hard. That is a change that could cause similar symptoms as the stomach flu for probably a month I'm guessing:) I am scared to death!!! How long will we live at my parents? Out of a suitcase...with every belonging in a storage bay? Where will we live? Are we going to rent, buy, or build a home? How in the world am I going to survive NOT having a job for the first time in my entire life???? That is soooooo not like me. This change is just laying in wait.....and it's all I think about. For heavens sake...I had a break down last night and yelled at Jarom about renting a U-haul. This is not until May 10th people....and my brain starts panicking like it has to be all figured out TODAY! Anybody know the name of an over-the-counter drug that could cure "CHANGE OF ENTIRE LIFE ANXIETY?!?"

---So, of course, I think of things to keep me busy. One crazy thing about me (again, if you've read the side comments you already know) is I LOVE holidays...so that is always a positive thing to keep me occupied. January is lame...but February...now that means Valentines Day and another holiday to get wrapped up in. I just love it. I, of course, couldn't wait clear until the 14th for a reason to have a "themed" get together....so Superbowl 2008 is at my house this year. Football printed napkins, plates, bowls, a Humongous football shaped chip bowl and all. I even found this cute tablecloth that looks like a football field. Does anybody else love holidays? Or maybe just things to celebrate? Nothing is better that getting together with big groups of friends or family to celebrate something... I thoroughly enjoy it:) Maybe it's just the decorating....or wandering the isles at Target looking for the supplies. I'm always for a party! Who knows....I'm a nerd as the title says.

Happy Wednesday!

Go Cubs...again:)

I'm not sure how many times I have posted something with this EXACT header! But...this probably won't be the last either. What can I say...Jarom is obsessed with the Chicago Cubs and baseball season in general. Therefore, Jaxson has no choice but to love them and endure! I can tell he is starting to love baseball himself. He loves to throw his stuffed baseball...and he has several bats and mits that he carries with him as he crawls around the house! He has totally LOVED a baseball game that he got for Christmas. It's amazing to me that he understands the concept of the game and can pick up the bat...aim for the ball...and hit it everytime. When he hits the baseball that is connected to the tee...it will sing "take me out to the ballgame"...or shout "You hit a double!" At this point.....Both my husband and son are usually grinning with pride.

Anyhow...I am throwing/planning jaxson a big baseball or Cubs birthday party for his first b-day coming up in March. Jarom ordered him this little Cubs outfit and his very first "Cubs Cap" from MLB.com....to wear at his party. I had to share the pictures...because I thought they were so adorable. How is my child old enough to wear a baseball hat?????

I'm almost ONE!!!!

Jaxson thought the whole thing was so fun and he just sat and laughed at himself! He usually hates to get dressed...but when his package arrived he was all smiles! He must have sensed that it was a monumental day in his life (and his dad's). The day of the first cubs hat....I think Jarom probably dreamed of that before I was even pregnant:) ha ha.

"Backwards...Just like daddy...."
"Check out my new cubs gear!"

Being Silly:)

Jaxson was so much fun this morning! He is so happy and makes the funniest little facial expressions:) He kept tackling and "throwing" his stuffed animals. He also kept trying to crawl into his reading chair in his nursery and when I lifted him up and let him sit in it...he could not stop laughing. It was so great! I took Jaxson's picture by this monkey on his 3 month b-day and it was HUGE compared to his little body. Today my Jaxson is 10 months old....and he is the same size as his favorite monkey...so rude. You don't recognize how quickly they grow because you're with them everyday. Today I realized what even just a few WEEKS could do. Only two months until my baby turns 1! I will hate every minute of it....but until then...let the party planning begin:) I am throwing him a huge Chicago Cubs Baseball birthday and I can't wait! Pictures to come...

Today was better:)

For those of you who read my last post and wondered if I'd given up completely...I have good news...I'm alive, AND today was better than yesterday. Nothing is better than getting a nights sleep and starting over the next day!

Today our church switched times to 1:30 p.m. Most of you are probably thinking that stinks...I, on the other hand, am so excited that I might actually make it on time now:) I slept in (me and jaxson like to sleep until about 10:00 a.m. AT LEAST) and had a much-needed relaxing morning. I wasn't onry to go to church and face all the primary children...which was a plus...because when we had 9:00 a.m. chruch they didn't always get the most PATIENT Sister Bishop:)

Anyhow....Jarom has been working tirelessly to re-stain my table to the best of his ability. It is looking much better...but he is definitely not done! He will continue working until it meets my approval:) I'm kidding!

The other counselor surprised me by going to the church and finishing the bulletin board without me. I love her!!!! I guess sometimes it's obvious when your at your breaking point.

Anyhow...I took some pretty funny pics of my baby today. He is such a goofball. He is ALL-OVER the place and is so active. Also...I had to show off his new front teeth:) He got all four in just about 1 weeks time. They are simply adorable....Big diastema (giant space) and all!

Check out my new front teeth!

This is the look I get when he is getting into something he shouldn't. It's amazing how smart he is! He totally knows when he shouldn't do something....I'll say "jaxson, no no" and he will stop....turn...and look at me. Then of course he will do it as fast as he can and as many times as he can before we can get to him! All Jarom and I can do is laugh. How can they be smart enough to tease us...but too young to know better???

The same face! He got caught in the kitchen. He is a destruction zone in there...His favorite is when he hears the dishwasher open. He can zip across the house in 10 seconds flat if he hears it open. He loves to tear everything out....just as I am putting it in.

I think I mentioned once that Jaxson LOVES to throw a baseball...and boy can this kid throw! He is getting better everyday. The only problem is now ANYTHING you give him he throws. I can't blame him since that is exactly what he's been taught!

Jarom loved teaching him how to throw a little stuffed baseball and football and now we can't leave home without it! So....in sacrament today I was trying to keep his attention with a book (ya know...something non-disruptive and quiet) Jarom, on the other hand, hands him his baseball. I swear...the second that thing gets put in his hand he chucks it as hard as he possibly can (and it goes far!) Accompanying the throw is hugest, meanest, LOUDEST grunting noise...that sound like he's using all his effort! Well...President Rheinhardt's wife almost got pelted with his cheerio container today in sacrament....and several people got hit by his baseball before I put a stop to my "two children's" behavior. Jarom thinks it's awesome and beams with pride!

I am also excited to say that Jarom has officially accepted a position as an associate at Bartlett Webster. A law firm in Riverdale. We are relieved and so excited that we get to move back "home". We have loved it here and will surely miss it...but Utah is home for us and definitely where we want to raise our family. We are only 4 months away from graduation and it feels great:) I never thought it would go so quickly. We feel great about the decision and I feel blessed that he gets to work with other LDS attorney's that recognize the importance of balancing families, church, kids, AND work. That is not always the case at MOST of the firms Jarom's interviewed with.

I hope all of you had a wonderful Sunday! Back to work....I hate mondays:(

I hate today....

This post is entirely me whining....so if your not in the mood to pull up a seat and listen to one ONRY, STRESSED, EMOTIONAL fit....I would quickly link to someone else's blog. That or you can read on for amusement. If nothing else it might make you grateful for your peaceful stress-free life and totally feeling sorry for mine:) It acutally is not that bad...but today it feels like it! Do you ever have those days when the whole world feels like it's caving in??? That would be today. What is the date? Jan. 4th or 5th or something? I've completely lost track. All I know is that I was having a WONDERFUL and RELAXING Christmas break and on New Years eve, approximately 6 a.m., I was rushed to the airport...whisked away.... and my life has been nothing but Miserable ever since. The past week has been SO overwhelming and stressful. It can't be helping that I have a serious sinus infection/sore throat/possible ear infection....totally nasty sickness that I have had for over a week. I can barely talk...which has made my job of teaching and lecturing a challenge. I returned to Omaha only to face the depressing task of kissing Christmas goodbye by taking down my tree/decorations, having to unpack and do SEVERAL loads of laundry after living out of a suitcase for over 10 days, going back to work and immediately starting presidencey meetings to kick of the New Primary theme for 2008! I wish I was more positive about any of these things...but listen on and you will quickly see how even the most optimistic person could be brought to their knees after the week I have experienced. Of course, I realize I bring some of these things on myself....but nonetheless it stinks.

Weeks before Christmas break I was asked to substitue teach sometime in January! Thinking it was far off and my "never saying NO disease" kicking in....I happily agreed. I obviosly was asked to substitute teach on a day when I was stress-free, happy and willing....and I must have forgotten, because immediately upon my return to Omaha I have been working 10 hour days.... teaching things such as Applied Math classes to 30 and 40 year old men. AAAGGGHHHH! Things such as dosing equations for medications, percentages....getting x alone and (FOIL) for those of you who had Mr. Hollingsworth in Junior High! Things that totally brought back 9th grade Algebra.

I WOULD HAVE rather left it in the past:)

I have no idea what I was thinking when I said yes over a month ago? I hated every second of it. At one point I honestly was standing in front of the classroom with the dry erase marker in one hand and several eyes staring at me in confusion and I thought, "what would happen if I just grabbed my purse and ran?" Instead I did something more ridiculous and just scribbled the equation on the board and quicky solved it....then proceeded to tell them that I HAD NO IDEA how to explain how I got it...I just knew how...and I wasn't qualified to teach Math!!! I then returned to my desk, frantically ate a bag of skittles and opened up the novel "Twilight", which I received for Christmas and have been waiting to read! I'm sure they thought I was crazy.....and I didn't even care. I sat there reading with an almost "I DARE YOU TO ASK ME A QUESTION" glare on my face. That was the best part of today:)

I taught from 7:30 a.m. until about 1:00 p.m. and then Jarom delivered Jaxson to me and work so I could relieve hime of Daddy-duty for the 3rd straight day. I immediately had to go to the church to assemble the entire primary bulletin board. After 3 hours, the other counselor and I gave up! The only border we had for the board was being colored on for entertainment by her cute children. My child insisted on crawling all over, wrinkling and drooling all over the prepared post board and picture of Christ that I had prepared long before Christmas. The board is scary looking....unfinished....and again, I didn't care. That is totally not like me....! I packed up my bag and child and walked out of that church! I'm still deciding if I'm going to finish it...or if I am going to leave it half done so that every sunday I can look at it and have a fun memory of TODAY!

At this point it was about 4:30 or so and I hadn't eaten all day! Starved I stormed home...proceeded to yell at Jarom for no good reason....poured myslef a glass of milk and devoured as many cookies as I could before feeling sick.

It was sometime shortly after that....that i decided to clean the house that was looking like me (the mom) had been at work all week...when I noticed that my wallflowers were removed from the wall. I immediately turned to Jarom, knowing that he was the culprit. Heaven forbid I plug in a scent that Jarom thinks stinks...he totally freaks out! Anyhow....not too long ago Jarom bought me a new dining table for our 4th anniversary that I JUST LOVE TO DEATH. I protect it like it's my child for some reason...and your not even allowed to eat on it without a placemat. He knows the rules. Anyhow....I walk over to my table where my lovely wallflower is now resting. He knows nothing gets set on the "TABLE" :) Well....long story short....the scented oil of course leaked out of the "tipped on it's side wallflower" and saturated the top of my new table. Even better...when I removed the placemat I noticed that it had eaten away the wood, varnish, color or whatever it's called and had left a huge, destroyed, totally depressing, hideous mark on my table. I tried not to hyperventilate:)

Well....it's pretty much ruined. Fun huh? Can today get any worse you ask? Oh, you bet!!!! Jaxson is screaming his head off right now.... it is 12:30 a.m. and I put my foot down and made Jarom put him in his crib without rocking him to sleep.

Moral of the story:

My husband is mad at me...I could kill him...our kid is screaming....our table is ruined....and I am overworked....AND HATE TEACHING MATH!

I hope you all have a wonderful day. Sigh:)

Pre-Christmas Fun!

This Christmas wins! I loved every minute of it. My family was able to do so many things together....and my mom kept us busy with movies, Christmas plays, bowling, shopping, DELICIOUS meals and special memories. How could it be over so quickly? I was totally depressed to come home yesterday. Jarom keeps reminding me that we only have 4 months until Utah is "Home" again!

Usually I look forward to coming home and getting back into life....but this time was especially hard. Back to Christmas break.....We were in Beautiful Utah for 10 days....and our first stop was dinner and Temple Square. What a way to welcome Christmas! I would love for my friends here in Omaha to see that temple...you appreciate it much more when you don't see it that often. Beautiful! And those lights....whoever puts them up better be paid A LOT...there are millions. Visiting Temple Square is one of my favorite traditions at Christmas. My dad endured it just for me:) He HATES the cold and HATES the crowds! I forced him to do it...and he actually go the worst cold for the rest of the week. I felt bad....and feel even worse now that he has given it to me and Jaxson. We are so sick!

Us girls....I can't wait to live closer to these wonderful women!
My family. My dad kept complaining that it was freezing. It was 25 degrees. I promptly reminded him that I just came from about 2 degree weather.....it honestly felt great to me! A nice change from Nebraska Ice-Storms:)

Wahoo....we're in Utah!

We also built a gingerbread house. It was so much fun. I had never built one before. We were pretty proud of it...although it didn't turn out as beautiful as our minds imagined it would:)

In action.....

My cute family. We can't wait to have Ryan with us next year! We will finally be complete:)

Look at that Beauty! I was pretty proud:)

We played sooo many games and I have become addicted to Blokus and Wakee Six! For those of you who live in Utah....go to FUNFINITY (a game store in Orem and buy these games. So fun!) I had to drive to Orem while I was there just to buy it!

A Merry Little Christmas...

Christmas Eve was so special. My mom had such a wonderful evening planned. We all went to the movie together as a family...which is a yearly tradition. Jarom, Jaxson and I then stopped by Grandma Hansen's for Abelskivers! A yummy danish dessert/food....that is also one of our favorite Christmas Eve traditions. We then returned to my house and ATE again! Eating tons of yummy food is also tradition ar our house! My mom always does the whole Turkey, Honey Baked Ham, potatoes.... big meal for Christmas Eve dinner...So Delicious! She then always gives us all New Jammies.... One of my favorite traditions...my mom has great taste and always knows what we'll like:)

Jaxson opening his new jammies....

Nate and Kayla....

My little family with our new jammies.

My mom also gave us each another gift that evening. A copy of "God Bless Your Way"....a wonderful Christmas book. We each took turns reading a page. My mom also wrote her testimony on the inside cover for each of us to have. It was special. I love her for always making moments like this. She loves to create fun things that we will always remember. We then watched the Nativity Story and played tons of games. My new favorite.....WACKEE SIX! It was a great night!

The bunch of us with our new jammies....Thanks mom!

Jaxson hanging out with Uncle Steve. He absolutely loved the LovSac. I think we'll be purchasing one someday....just for the purpose of throwing him high into the air and letting him fall into it. He giggled so loudly. It was a highlight of the trip!

Showing off my new jammies. They were so darling. They had a big moose on them and it said, "Big antlers...big heart". I love them.

This picture. Christmas 2006~

This picture is random...but I promise goes along with the next photo. Over the last few weeks I have been thinking about how different this year seemed than last. Mainly because of these two photos!!! Last year (the above picture) is what I saw when I looked down. This year (the below picture) is what I usually see when I look down. I wouldn't turn back time for anything:)

This picture. Christmas 2007~

These next few pictures are out of order! After all his new toys....jaxson would rather play with the remote. Figures.

Christmas at grandma Bishops!

Playing with Uncle Jashon and Grandpa Bishop!

CHRISTMAS MORNING! (can you tell by our scary faces and hair????) Jaxson looks so stunned because he usually doesn't wake up until around 10:30 a.m. every morning. I am so lucky! Anyhow....we had to rip him out of bed at 8:00 a.m. because we were going to call my brother Ryan who is on a mission in Madagascar! We usually talk to him for 3 hours....so we had to have all the presents opened and breakfast cooked by 10:00. Kind of early for us all...but so worth it.

"WHY IN THE CRAP WOULD THEY WAKE ME UP THIS EARLY???"

This picture made me laugh. He was soooo tired!

Jaxson's stash. He was spoiled.

Talking to Ryan was the best! Maybe because the next time we talk...I will be asking what time he wants me to pick him up at the airport!?! WAHOO. I can't believe time can fly that quickly. We will move home in May...and only a few weeks later Ryan will come home as well. Stephen will be used to the house alone....but I'm sure won't be opposed to the crowd! We are a very close family and love to spend time together. It was good talking to you Ry....We love you:)