It's a New Year....Happy 2013!!!

January 2013

When we got back from Utah, we decided it was time to get Maverick's first haircut. He was a champ, super wiggly, but did not fuss! 

 Lanie's friends, Sage and Sydney, came to play since their mom had just had a baby. They love Shawn! Who wouldn't? I mean, with story time as awesome as this!!!

Watch out Paul Blart, this Patrol officer is a high inforcer!

We forgot our stroller when we went to the mall to do Christmas returns. Renting the mall stroller was well worth the $5 of entertainment we got out of this boy. He's a true driving natural.

 I still laugh just looking at these pictures. Shawn got Lanie dressed in leggings, white shorts, and her tall Go-Go Boots. Interesting combination that left Lanie looking like a 'Lady of the Night.'

Our cute Bug didn't know, all she wanted was to walk her own stroller with baby over to the gym. She is becoming such a big girl, so independent, and so smart!

 This little man brings so much joy to our days. I love little boys in overalls, and I found these adorable ones at the second-hand store for $1. He is probably has grown out of them by now (the boy is growing like a weed), but it was worth the dollar, just for the photo shoot!

This chica loves the snow!  Really she just loves to play outside, which we haven't done a lot of this winter.  When it snows though, she brings me her snow clothes and asks to play outside. She likes to go out on the deck and use her sand bucket and shovel. We're pretty sure that Lanie has no sense of temperature. She is NEVER cold!

One day, Lanie wanted to play outside. So I let her out on the deck. The green saucer sled was full of ice. She dumped it out and was startled. I thought, why not give her something to do. She is always wanting to pound things with the hammer and constantly has me telling her "NO." So, I gave her the hammer and let her go to town. She had a ball!!!

"Church Day"

Lanie gets lunch in the car on the way to church and usually falls asleep now that we have 1-4 pm church. She never skips a beat of nursery though, she love love loves nursery. Maverick was a little sick this day (hence the rosie cheeks). He looks a lot worse than it was (we would not have brought him to church otherwise). 

FINGER FOODS

Mav has become our little eater. We gave him blueberries to feed himself and he made a way funny sour face. Unfortunately I missed capturing that, but in the end, he really liked the blueberries. And even more, loves the freedom of feeding himself.

Bruins Hockey Game

Shawn's company took us to a Bruins game. It was fun just to be there. Hockey is not our favorite sport to watch, but hockey fans are quite entertaining.

This is how daddy time goes for Maverick!!!

AUTISM AWARENESS

For Family Night one night, we put together some Valentine's to send to Utah Legislatures for Autism Awareness. We have some friends whose children have autism, and requested an effort and voice for Autism Awareness. We were happy to help.

December in Utah

Utah

December 19th - January 7th

The kids traveled really well. As you can see, we laid them out, sleeping, taking up the whole row. We fit oodles into this trip. Shawn hadn't been home since May and had a lot in mind. So it begins: went to Heber to Saige's school program, stopped by and delivered a package to an Elder's mom, went to the dentist, had Hooper family pictures, went to Daniel's cabin, did Christmas shopping, celebrated Christmas with Tyler, Destiny, and Adaela, acted out the Nativity (Lanie was an angel), had breakfast at Warren's, had Christmas Eve Dinner at Aunt Susan's, went to Alana's and acted out the Nativity again (Lanie - Angel, Maverick - Baby Jesus), opened presents Christmas morning at Hooper's, Lanie tortured Koa, breakfast at Grandma Shirley's, Parker family Christmas, sang carols at Auntie Pat's grave, visited Grandma Lu-Lu, celebrated Shawn's birthday, played in the snow, sledding in the snow, 4-wheeling in the snow, lunch at Zupa's, went to Brigham City to help my dad with his truck (in a blizzard), party at Adam's, Lunch with the Swedish family in Orem, Party at Melissa's, Lunch with Shawn's boss, Parker family weekend in Salt Lake (Chris' Birthday, Talent show, Jingle Bus, Jazz game, Joseph Smith Movie, City Creek, Cafe Molise, and Swimming), Spainhower Family Party, Cousin game night, New Year's Meatball Party, Maverick learned to sit up, Skyler's cabin, Treson's Basketball game, Lunch with roommates, Christmas present returns and more shopping, craft night with Jen, lunch with sisters and mom at Sizzler, traveled to St. George, rented a car, saw Chris' new house, went to Vegas, celebrated Jordan's birthday, date night at the Bellagio, stayed at Jordan and Tara's, played with Kynli, visited Haley and Jake, flew home!!! I'm sure there was lots that I did not list too. Lots more eating and playing with cousins and grandparents. I think you get the idea. Not much more we could've fit in. Needless to say, we were beat, slept on the flight home, and took 2 weeks of catching up when we got back to Mass.

Highlights

 

Parker Family Salt Lake Weekend

New Year's Eve

Traveling Home from Vegas

You may wonder, why is Lanie in the same pink dress the entire trip??? Well, she got that from Pops (Grandpa Kerry) on Christmas and refused to wear anything else the entire trip. We did pack clothes for her, a lot of them, but next time I'm just bringing the pink princess dress!!!

December in Massachusetts

Music with Carrie

Lanie loves going to this music class. This was especially fun because Lanie got really into it and became Carrie's sidekick. They put red stickers on their noses and pretended like they were all Rudolph and then they threw cotton balls and sang about snow. Such a cute program!

Mother Goose Reading Time

Lanie had a blast (can you tell???) singing, dancing, and reading stories with the other kids at the Northboro Library. She even got Shawn doing the actions (something we love about Daddy's schedule is that he has some mornings off to do fun things like this with us!)

Bathtime Buddies

These two LOVE bathtime, especially together!!!

Jordan Furniture Enchanted Village

Edaville Railroad

This was so fun!!! We went to a Christmas Village that had a little fair going on. We got to ride a train around the grounds and lake, rode on the rides, sat on Santa's lap (not pictured), and played in a ball pit. The kids loved it and so did we.

Pre-Christmas Christmas

We decided to do Christmas and Shawn's birthday here in Mass. before we went to Utah. We had Christmas Eve dinner and opened our ornaments. The candles are from the 4 weeks of advent. Lanie woke up on OUR Christmas morning, got her stroller and Dora doll from Santa, emptied her stocking, and opened presents all before Maverick was awake. We had a lot of fun with her. Shawn gave me clues for my present; he gave me like 6 different presents. I opened a foam letter "U." Then a "B." Then an "M" and "I." Then I opened a toy wheel broken off of Lanie's toy car. The last one I opened was a wrapped up date (the fruit). I was like "Thanks???" It took me all day of thinking about the clues to guess what his present was,."Wheel U B MI Date (Will you be my date)?" Clever, right? But date to where or what....? I still did not know. Anyway after opening presents, Shawn went to work (kinda funny since it was "Christmas"); When he got home, I had decorated our bedroom door with balloons and his birthday presents. The only thing I failed to remember was a birthday cake...ooops!!! The next day, we packed up and got ready to fly Home for the Holidays.

Quiet Book

This is the quiet book I made the kids for church. It's great, time consuming, but paid off when I saw them playing with it. They love it AND it really does keep them quiet. Phew!!! This was my homemade gift and project for the month of December. This year I vow that I am not doing any projects, just enjoying my family and the season. :)