Winter Wonderland

Saturday morning we woke up to lots and lots of snow.  The news reported that we got 11.5 inches over night.  It was the good kind of snow too.  Perfect for playing in.  While Aaron and I shoveled the driveway the kids enjoyed the white wintery stuff.

It is still a little hard for Paige to maneuver in the snow and in her snow clothes.

So she is pretty content to find a spot and sit while playing and mostly eating the snow.

Aaron hard at work removing the snow from our drive way.

I sure what hoping SPRING would come early!  I am ready to be outside more.  Unlike the kids I don't have a huge desire to be outside when it is soooo cold.

A new look

I have been wanting to re-paint and re-do my bedroom for sometime now.  I have been really wishy washy on the colors and I have changed my mind quite a few times.  Then a couple of weeks ago while in the shower it all came to me!  The colors, the look of a preferred bed spread, an accent wall... all of it.  As soon as I got out I told Aaron.  He agreed to the color choices, so my next step was trying to find a bed spread.  I figured that it would be almost impossible to find the right one.  I had resigned to the fact that I may have to make it.  Even looking for the right colors in fabric wasn't going so well.

Then last week I was at Kohls.  They were have a sale plus I had 30% off.  I decided to look in their bedding section just to see if there was anything that I could work with.  And to my surprise there was!  The bright green caught my attention.  It wasn't exactly what I had in mind but it would work and it was on sale for $60!  (normally $250).   I didn't get it though.  I left and called Aaron.  Told him about it and said that he trusts my judgement and reassured me that I could always take it back.  I wasn't sure if he would like it.  For one it is pretty white, and Aaron is a gray and black type of person.  Also it has that wonderful bright green color that I love and when we first moved into our house I painted one room in the basement that color.  Yes it was a little overwhelming but it made me happy.  Aaron hated it.  I went back and I was lucky enough that it was still there!  So I snatched up and bought it.

I love it.  It's already on our bed.  Now I can go pick out paint color and start painting the walls.  It already helps brighten up our room and it makes me happy.

See what I mean about it mostly being white?!  Well it will help off set the bright blue I plan to paint on three of the walls (at least I hope).  Now to decide what color to paint that dresser at the foot of our bed.

My work is hanging up!

My cousin Tim has very recently opened a dental practice in Albuquerque.  He wanted to have my frosted tree picture hanging somewhere in his office.  He ended up decided to have one exam room all woodsy, nature themed, so he asked if I could supply more pictures to go with it.  I guess it could also be called Studio 21 Photography themed room!  ;)  I did the best at finding pictures that I had to go with the tree.  Anyway he posted this picture on his blog and I stole it.  I am pretty excited that it looks so good and that my work is hanging up somewhere other than my parent's house!

  Doesn't it look like a calming room to get a dental exam?  I think so.  Thanks Tim for thinking of me!

Happy Birthday Aaron

So I failed again at taking pictures!  We had a birthday texas hold em party for Aaron.  It was fun and Aaron actually ended up winning.  We were able to use the Mansion (also the new home of my studio), and we had Panda Express cater, lots of other treats and of course cupcakes!!!! 

I found a new cupcake recipe that I absolutely love.  It is over at Our Best Bites.  They have an amazing site and lots of yummy recipes. 

So the only picture that I did take was of the wonderful cupcakes (I did decide that I don't like the flavor of almond extract in cupcakes so I did double of vanilla, much better):

Did I mention that I am still super tired?!  Well I was pretty much exhausted by the time the party rolled around.  I am surprised that I was able to stay awake the whole time.   Anyway Happy Birthday 33rd Aaron! 

Wicked

I had the wonderful opportunity to spend the weekend with some of my best girlie friends.  We took a road trip to ABQ to stay at my parents.  The purpose of going to ABQ was to see Wicked!  We also had fun shopping, going to the temple and just spending time together. 

Our friend Julie met us there since she has recently moved to Arizona!  It was sure fun to see her.  Before the show we went to dinner at PF Changs.  I had never eaten there before and it was some yummy food.  We also went to dinner and the show with my sister Meghan, my mom and each of their friends and my cousin's wife, Sara.  I love Wicked and I would see it a dozen more times. 

We also did a session at the Albuquerque Temple.  Being from California and living in an area where most people were not LDS, I still sometimes get excited and giddy about the idea that I can go do things like go to a session at the temple with my friends.  It is just so awesome to me, that I have the opportunity to be able to hang out with such amazing women. 

Of course a road with Amy wouldn't be complete without Michael coming along.  He was with us the whole way.  I must admitt that I got us lost a few times.  I am not as confident as I thought I was with my way around ABQ.  But Michael was with us. 

I had such an amazing time.  I would love to do it again.  Same people, different destination!

Christmas 2010

We were so fortunate this Christmas to have my parents and younger brother come to our house.  It was nice to have more family around during Christmas.  Unfortunately Aaron and I both got really sick.  I was so miserable.  I was also so tired as I was newly pregnant and super sick.  I was just exhausted.  So much that I hardly got any pictures.  I am kind of bummed now, but could have cared less at the time.

Santa came to visit the kids again.  This is one of the moments where I wished I would have had a least enough energy to hand a camera to someone else.  Jack was so into it just as he has been in the past couple of years.  This year Paige was also excited to see the Jolly Old Man.

Christmas morning Paige refused to put on her new jammies, and Jack asked Cameron if Santa got his jammies at the store because the tags were still on them.  Oops bad Santa!  I told you I was pretty wiped out.

We still had a lovely day.  It is fun to see the kids.  I think Christmas is better now as an adult than it was as a kid.  Even though it felt like we didn't get the kids much (we kept to our three gifts again, something you want, need and read) the kids sure did well.  It is because they have two sets of wonderful grandparents who shower them with love.

Here are a few pictures that someone did get:

Nativity 2010

So I am a little behind.  I have a good excuse though.  I have been super super tired.  So tired that I end up falling asleep most afternoons while the kids fiend for themselves.  They do a pretty good job at it.  My doctor has said that the fatigue may go away soon, but if not its just my lot with this pregnancy.  Anyway on to an update (which isn't much):

This year the Primary was asked to do the Nativity story at the ward Christmas party.  I was kind of excited even though it was a lot of work for the leaders and things like this tend to drive me nuts because I have little patience for kids who mess around.  Its a good learning and growing experience for me.  Jack was assigned to be a sheep.  Parents had to provide costumes.  Of course I don't think in simple terms.  I ended up making him a little costume.  Not the greatest work of all time but for me it was sure an accomplishment.  I am pretty proud of myself.  I think that Jack made a super cute little sheep. 

Don't look too closely at the sew lines.  Not too straight!

Something happened to the settings from the time I had the camera to the time I gave it to Aaron.   Aaron wasn't sure how to get it back and since I was back stage helping herd kids I couldn't help.  I was actually hoping Aaron would just take video.  Jack is such a good little singer and if in the right mood he will belt out the Primary songs.