The last few of 2011

To finish off 2011 I thought I would just post the last few pictures I have taken this month. Of course they are of Morgan, but no one really wants to see me anyways :)

She loves playing on the computer now. My sister sent over a little people farm game that Morgan refers to as "barn" and basically she can hit any key and it will do something.

I took Morgan to the duck pond to feed the ducks and when we came home, I stopped and talked to Kevin for a little bit. Then I noticed it was really quiet. When I went looking for Morgan I found this...

For some reason Morgan really likes wearing her snow hat and sunglasses and sometimes she likes wearing them at the same time. Kevin said she insisted on wearing them both when he took her shopping with him.

Unfortunately, for this past week, Morgan has had a bad stomach bug. She had a really high fever and was throwing up. It threw our whole schedule off. One night she requested some oatmeal so I made it and set her in her chair. I sat down and then look over my shoulder a few minutes later and saw this...

Poor little girl :(. Thankfully, she is doing much better now. I look forward to being able to play outside again!

Christmas break

I really didn't take many pictures this Christmas. Really, I haven't taken many pictures at all lately which I hope to change. I really need to get back into it. This Christmas like every Christmas since we have been married, we got a real Christmas tree. Morgan really paid more attention to it this year and we let her help us decorate the tree. Luckily most of our ornaments are homemade ones and aren't too breakable.

On Christmas Eve we went over to Kevin's sister's house. We played Christmas carols on chimes (very cool) and joined them in their family tradition of going out to Chinese food for Christmas eve. It was nice and good until Morgan spilled her apple juice all over her and my bag. Thank goodness I thought ahead and had another change of clothes for her. After dinner we we back to their house, relaxed for a bit (washed my bag and Morgan's clothes) and then we filled up on some hot chocolate and went to look at Christmas lights. We had a really nice time.

Everyone was really generous. Morgan received a lot of great gifts!

We got our nephews a big blow up ball that you can get inside of. I don't know about you, when I was a kid I would have loved this! Apparently, they did too, which turned out great :).

I don't know why, but this year I was really missing my family. I got a little emotional over being so far away from everyone, but I have to say that I have really felt the love from those family and friends I have here and across the country. I have really felt blessed by my heavenly father. I know he is watching over us and that he truly loves us.

We hope you all had a Merry Christmas and here is to a Happy New Year!!

A great Poem

 This time of year can make us really miss the people that have passed on. Whether is is a friend, a sibling, parent, child, aunt or uncle, we really get sad thinking of them and wishing we could be with them. I was looking up good Christmas stories and I came across this poem and I thought it was too sweet not to share.

My First Christmas In Heaven

I see the countless Christmas trees
around the world below
With tiny lights, like Heaven's stars,
reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular,
please wipe away the tear
For I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs
that people hold so dear
But the sounds of music can't compare
with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you,
the joy their voices bring,
For it is beyond description,
to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me,
I see the pain inside your heart.
But I am not so far away,
We really aren't apart.

So be happy for me, dear ones,
You know I hold you dear.
And be glad I'm spending Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift,
from my heavenly home above.
I sent you each a memory
of my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious
than pure gold.
It was always most important
in the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other,
as my Father said to do.
For I can't count the blessing or love
he has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas and
wipe away that tear.
Remember, I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year.

This poem was written by a 13 year old boy who died of a brain tumor that he had battled for four years. He died on December 14, 1997. He gave this to his Mom before he died. His name was Ben.

Once there was a snowman

As I was shopping with Morgan one day last week, I came across a fun decoration from Hallmark. It is a snowman that you stick on the wall and let the kids pick different eyes, clothes, etc... Think Mr. Potato head in sticker form. Well I decided to get it and it was a HUGE success. The only problem is, is that she can be a little rough taking pieces off of the wall and she has ripped a few things in half, but I don't really care. After Christmas is will end up in the trash anyway.

Morgan's 2nd

We were planning on being in Florida to celebrate Morgan's second birthday, but it just didn't work out. We are finding out how difficult it is going to be to have a child with a birthday in December.  Everyone is super busy planning for Christmas and Kevin had some work events he had to cover so having a party for her is kind of tricky.  Instead of having a big party, we had a couple to little celebrations to make it up to her.

The first one was with her grandparents. They weren't going to be around on her actual birthday so they came down and we went out for dinner. When the waiter came by with a little cookie for her she got really shy.  It kind of reminded me of myself. I'm not one to be the center of attention.

But she can be pretty silly too!

On Morgan's actual birthday, Kevin took work off and we went to the Paradise Pier hotel by the Disneyland theme park. Morgan LOVES Mickey Mouse as well as most of the Disney characters, but we are not ready to take her to the park just yet. At this hotel they have a character breakfast where the kids get to meet a handful of the characters and dance and play with them. She LOVED it! Kevin and I both got a little teary eyed seeing her smiling so big and just having so much fun.

The day after her birthday was a Friday and that was pretty much the only time we could have any sort of a party. With most of Kevin's family being out of town, we just had a couple of friends over for some pizza, cake, and ice cream. Morgan had a blast. Thanks again, Sabrina, Frank, and Tasha for bringing your kiddos over and celebrating with us. :)

Timing is everything

The other day Morgan and I went shopping with Kevin's mom, Linda. After we had lunch we headed over to the mall so Morgan could ride the carousel. The only problem was, is it was right around Morgan's nap time. She had been on a carousel once before and cried when I tried to take her off when the ride was over. This time well...see for yourself.

At first everything is just fine, but then she drops her Mickey mouse and...

 She was trying to get off of the reindeer so they settled for a ride in a sleigh.  She fell asleep pretty much right when we got in the car.  Timing really can be everything :).

Where did November go?

I can't believe I went a whole month without a post, but I think I had a lot on my mind and not too much on my camera.

The end of October brings the anniversary of my friends death and the beginning of November brought the sudden passing of an acquaintance I knew from my old church at the age of 44, along with the loss of my uncle after a long battle with cancer. All of that together made me slow down a little and just think of each day as a blessing and try to enjoy my family. This is what I'm going to call a "photo dump" post. I few random pictures that I did take this past month.

Ready for a morning jog!

"Princess Batman"

Playing in a fort

She makes this face a lot now. I don't know when it started or why, but it is insane.

There you have it...the photos of November :)

Halloween festivities

This year we weren't really sure what we were going to dress up as for Halloween. Last year we did a family Star Wars theme, which seemed to be a big hit, but we really didn't want to spend much money at all this time around. So I came up with some costumes that were near to my heart :)

Here is my inspiration:

Characters from E.T. What is funny, as my friend Elizabeth pointed out, is that I chose to dress up as characters in a movie dressing up for Halloween. Yes, I am just that complicated :) No really this was one of my favorite movies growing up (if you can't tell from the almost life size talking stuffed animal I am holding below). What is funny is that apparently, neither one of my parents have seen this movie so when I emailed them pictures their response is um sure you look good.

Our costume trial run was at our friend Tasha's birthday party.

After I came home from the party and I looked at the pictures, I realized I needed a wig because I look bald under my sweatshirt!

For Morgan's costume I couldn't find any "cowgirl" costumes that were anywhere close to the one "Gertie" was wearing in the movie. So...I used what we had. Morgan had a checked skirt already, but when I went to the fabric store they had NOTHING similar. So I had to settle for plain red for her vest. BUT I have to say it felt really awesome to make part of her costume. It was one of those "I am really a mom" moments.

Under close examination there are plenty of flaws, but hey I am not much of a seamstress and I made up my own pattern as I went along.

We took Morgan to our church's Halloween party and I was surprised that there were a few people that knew who we were dressed as right away! I was expecting to have to explain it all night long. However, there were some people that literally didn't know it was me behind the make-up until they saw me holding Morgan.

I have no idea what face Morgan is making here. Ha!

If you look behind Morgan you will see how we decorated out trunk. I made a moon with the bike flying across it and made a mock communicator with the umbrella and tin can etc...

Happy Halloween everybody! Beeeee Gooooood :)