Christmas 2011

Hooray for Christmas! This year was different, but good at the same time. First of all, Kyle and I followed our usual pattern and opened our Christmas early...to be honest it is just too hard to be the "adult" and wait when all the presents are wrapped and under the tree and there is no one with the sense to say "No kids, you need to wait for Christmas!" This year our traditional presents were:

• Christmas book: The Polar Express

  

• Christmas ornament: a small wooden flower that we found when we visited Hawaii earlier this year.
• Christmas game: Mr. Jack, which is a two player strategy game with a bit of a mystery behind it! It is super fun, even though Kyle usually wins :)

The highlights of the year was Kyle gave me seasons 1-3 of NCIS and a new apron and baguette pan! I was so excited!

I was lucky enough to have an AWESOME mother-in-law who donated the game that I had been spending way to many hours looking for online....13 dead end drive! We have so much fun playing it! The funny story behind this gift is that each year Kyle always, and by always I mean ALWAYS, knows everything that is under the tree...so I was doing my darnedest to have at least one surprise under the tree this year. So I plot...bring the game home already wrapped and everything, and what happens?! He picks up the box, shakes it and proclaims that it is 13 dead end drive! So I spend the next few weeks thinking that somehow HE KNOWS! In reality, it was a really lucky guess and he had no idea that that was what it was. The other really fun, Kyle appropriate gift was a doughnut maker, which he may or may not have found the add for which sent me looking!

Here is Kyle with all of his loot...which was ironically mostly food...

We both gave each other hot cocoa...so we are officially set!

Me and my presents! This is Kyle and his ENTIRE box of raspberry filled doughnuts! Thanks Shan!
Doing Just Dance at the family Christmas party...Alyssa was hilarious!

Hair bows

So with a brand new niece and a little girl on the way I decided to try my hand at hair bows and I think that they turned out pretty cute and they were SUPER easy to do...new favorite baby gift? I think so!
You can't really tell from this picture but this one is pink and chocolate brown.

Christmas Photos 2011

My friend Krystal did a wonderful job on the Cottam family Christmas photos this year and she had some AMAZING spots up on her property to take shots! Here are some of the favorites this year!

Newest Member of the Soderstrom Family

Abigail Anne Johnson is officially here! Can I just say how much I love being an Aunt? I think it is one of the best things ever! I was lucky enough to get to spend a few days with miss Abigail and my sister Carrie although I think that I was more of a hinder than a help, but I sure enjoyed being there! Also it was a great learning experience because I was able to ask all sorts of questions to Carrie. I must be really attached because I am already missing her like crazy! Here are some pictures of the babe!

Aaron and Sarah's Wedding

On November 5th my brother got married! I thankfully was able to travel down to Texas to be there for the wedding. They had it at the Marriott, and it turned out beautiful! They had the actual wedding outside, and the venue was gorgeous! And then the dinner/reception was inside. It was right next to a lake and they timed it just right so the sun was setting during the ceremony. It was wonderful to see family and add a new member to ours! Funny wedding memories...on the day of the wedding Amy, TJ, Aaron, kids and I were down at the pool. Aaron said that we needed to be dressed and ready by 5:30 so we were all just relaxing and playing in the in pool. I headed up to get in the shower at 3:45...and just as I am getting out at 4:00 everyone else comes into our room. Aaron received a text from Sarah saying everyone needed to be ready by 4:45! That is not an easy feet with 4 others needing to use one bathroom! So it was a mad rush to get ready, but thankfully we made it! The second story...the flowers were not my friend...I was the one distributing them to the wedding party and they kept breaking on me! But all in all the wedding was small, very personal and just like Aaron and Sarah! Here are some of my favorite shots from the wedding!

Halloween Crafts

I have been such a slacker but for good reasons! Here is the Halloween craft from this year...I had SO much fun doing this with Valeena and Tina! There is a story behind these ones, Valeena had a picture of them and we just loved them...so we all pooled our resources and were able to make them for about $5.00!

And here is the pumpkin of the year! I had a nice Halloween party by myself, but thankfully had plenty of trick-or-treaters and was able to chat with my sisters while they passed out candy too :)

Happy 4th of July!!

What a wonderful 4th of July with new traditions and great friends and family! I started out the day baking...and baking...and baking! I had a lot of fun doing it though and appreciated the fact that I had time to do it! Here is a photo of the fruits of my labor...
Sonnett and Levi joined us for the day; we played games, watched Harry Potter (we officially started a HP marathon! ) ate yummy food and just relaxed! Later that night we had the Clawson family join us for a BBQ...and MORE FOOD! Maybe that is why I had such a great day, feed Megs and she will remain happy? Anyways...after the BBQ we played with the kids, the sidewalk chalk was my favorite :), then we headed out front for some great fountains, epic tank battles and sparklers! Have I mentioned that I LOVE the 4th of July? Cause I do! After we did the "home" fireworks, the Clawson family headed out, and Kyle, Sonnett, Levi and I headed up to the roof to watch the Cedar City fireworks...I have a feeling that we have a tradition in the making there! I was a bit scarred climbing up, but after I got up we had a great time! :) Here are some photos from the night!

Me and Kyle
Sonnett and Levi
Kyle with the 1.21 Gigawatts firework...thankfully it did not disappoint!And here is the actual show! I was playing around with my new mini video camera that I won! :)


Me and my wicked big sparkler!
The epic tank war!

This was the big finale!

Kayla was having a great time in the duck hamper!
Us doing our "fish faces"