2012

New Year's weekend we spent down in UT. New Year's Eve is one of my favorite holidays. No stress just a party! New Year's Eve day our family was ALL together and we decided to go to the temple. We got dressed up, found babysitters, and were on our way. Until we discovered that the temple closes by 10 on New Year's Eve. Whoops. Then we got to have Christmas #2 with my family. It was perfect.

Annie NEVER holds still for pictures anymore. Ever. So with my camera she's blurry in just about all my pics. Oh well, you get the idea.

Trying to get a pic. of the two girls in their skirts Kiera made. Not happening.

My little fam :)

We rang in New Year's just like allways, minus the snowman and snow. Tons of fireworks, family, and friends.

At least my dad didn't shoot fireworks at children this year. Just our neighbor's roofs.

Something for everyone.

Happy New Year!

Merry Chirstmas!

Christmas was wonderful once again. Nothing beats this time of year. This year we spent Christmas in Boise and it was so great to be with ALL of the Bairds (even Brad who skyped from Jamaica almost the entire Christmas day).
Christmas Eve was hilarious with a late night visit from Santa (will Annie ever forgive me?), dinner, Christmas Eve program, ugly sweaters, pj openings, and a white elephant gift exchange. Here's a few candid shots of almost everyone.

Annie was not a fan of Santa. But I am a cruel mom and made her sit on his lap (Adam is a kind soul).

The Christmas Eve festivities were a little late, so after Annie was traumatized by Santa we put her to bed. :) We did our own Christmas Eve singing with Annie, and here she is joining in. Christmas just gets better every year with her!

Christmas morning was glorious. So many presnts and surprises. All the kids walked around sharing and playing in the wrapping paper. Annie loved her baby and elmo chair, but mostly her cousin Sophia's cat. Luckily she didn't notcie we didn't take it home.

Thank you Drapers and Bairds for a perfect and wonderful Christmas!!!

For we need a little Christmas..

Here are our Christmas lights. In the pic. they don't look that great, but they are red and white (my favorite) with sparkling snowflakes. Scott did them very professionaly :)

At one of the light shows by our house. Annie is facinated by them.

Annie loves to sleep on her tummy and knees. She was sick and fell asleep on the floor. When I went to check on her she had scooted under the Christmas tree.

Sweet Annie watched me wrap all the presents and put them under the tree. I told her nono you can't touch them. About an hour later I watched Annie scoot to my diaper bag, take out the wipes and put them under the tree. When I tried to pick them up Annie told me nono. I guess I'm getting wipes for Christmas.

Our Chirstmas ornament. Perfect for this year because Annie scoots on her bum!

I can hardly wait for Christmas!

Disneyland!

It was magical.
Annie was an angel and it was that much more perfect having her there ( I was a little worried about how she would do). As long as she held her button they gave her on all the rides she just sat still and soaked it all in.
The whole family was together.
There were hardly any lines and the longest ones were about 20 minutes max.
Between child swap, grandparents, and kid friendly Disneyland, we got to do everything we wanted. Poor Scott got sick towards the end but stayed pleasant :).
Now I want to go back!

It was Kyla's "birthday"

Feasting and Swimming.

For Thanksgiving we drove the LONG trek down to California :). It was my grandma McRae's 80th birhtday and a great time for a reunion. Almost all the cousins were there and best of all, it was 80 degrees with a heated pool. My grandma just moved into a dream house and our ENTIRE family stayed at all the old house. A small family reunion inside a big one. I love these people.

At the old house there was just a tiny old TV with a VHS player, so at night we actually had to talk to each other (or watch home movies). Here is Jakey telling us mission stories.

Here is the last house we lived in in CA, where most of my memories are. Kenton was born while we lived here, so that's why the giant is in front.

Black Friday shopping at the Palm Desert mall. Annie HATED Santa Clause. I've tried several times since to show her happy pictures. Nope, still hates him.

The early birds in the family. Annie doing what she does best.

My grandma plays piano beautifully. Annie does not.

Annie's first haircut. One random morning we chopped off Annie's mullet (thanks Kiera). Much better. Her first haircut, tear. And yes, I am one of those moms who saved all of her hair in a bag.

Thanksgiving evening as we were all way too full and lounging around, Scott told me Annie had a surprise for me. I went in the kitchen and she was holding a Minnie Mouse pillow. Scott surprised me and took me to Disneyland!!! My whole family went.... but I'm bored so next post.

He's Back!!

Jake came home from Chili!! After 2 years it was great to have our entire family toghether again. It's just not the same with anyone missing. I love that no one lives too far away (we are the farthest in IF) and we get to see eachother often! All the boys.

Precious. The only neice Jake had when he left.

Patiently waiting.

The kids playing at Olive Garden after. Jake's request of first food. (Annie is naked due to a horrible accident that even filled the highchair. So fun.).

Yes this happened Aug.6th....

But I finally got around to getting my pictures back! Annie's b-day was Sat., Aug 6th, the day after we got home from Bear Lake. What a crazy time. The next day I got stomache flu AND drove to Washington. And right after her park party with perfect weather there was a huge storm. So perfect timing.

I just realized I did all my pics in backwards order. So you can start from the bottom and read up, or not.

At the end all Annie really wanted was to roll the pop cans around.

She LOVED all her presents.

Our birthday queen. We thought there was no way she would her cake (she just throws food) so I didn't bother to make her anything specail. She ended up eating three mini cupcakes. So proud :).

Annie had a concerned look on her face most the party. But I think she had fun.

Cupcake and polkadot theme. Annie (and Scott and I too) loved all the family that came! We are so lucky!

The night before having the traditional bday dinner at Garcias with the Sonbrero. Too bad she couldn't eat her ice cream and mom had to help her. haha.

Halloween Night

A puppy, ballerina, rag doll, and monster. I'm sure we scared our neighbors.

Halloween afternoon. Ava and Lisa came from Pheonix for a fun Halloween surprise!