deck the halls.

this year, for the first time ever in my life, our tree went up before thanksgiving. i am just so excited about christmas this year.... for the following reasons:

1. it's the best time of the year, obviously.
2. serena will be sooo much fun on christmas morning! she can actually understand the whole santa thing and hopefully about the birth of the Savior as well. we have been talking a lot about both.
3. i love twinkle lights.
4. end of december means beginning of january, and january means HAWAII!!

other wonderful things in the month of december: first annual "you've got mail" party with my sisters & mom. {oh hey ladies, did i mention i'm inviting you to a themed party? get ready! and i think it should be an annual thing.} singing handel's messiah with my choir. lights at temple square. a lunch date with my friends. a new picture book every night. salt lake children's choir concert. christmas eve fondue!! and plenty of other lovely things.

i'm ready for december :)

christmas book advent.

i've been collecting books all year, and finally {just in time} found all 24 books for our advent!

here they are, in no particular order:

1. a christmas goodnight {nola buck}
2. the night before christmas {clement c. moore}
3. stopping by woods on a snowy evening {robert frost, illustrated by susan jeffers}
4. white snow, bright snow {alvin r. tresselt}
5. wake up, santa claus! {marcus pfister}
6. snowmen at christmas {caralyn buehner}
7. snow {uri shulevitz}
8. i'll be home for christmas {holly hobbie}
9. the twelve days of christmas {jan brett}
10. a wish to be a christmas tree {colleen monroe}
11. mr. willowby's christmas tree {robert e. barry}
12. how the grinch stole christmas {dr. seuss}
13. christmas is here {illustrated by lauren castillo}
14. bear stays up for christmas {karma wilson}
15. who is coming to our house? {joseph slate}
16. christmas in the manger {nola buck}
17. snowmen at night {caralyn buehner}
18. the polar express {chris van allsburg}
19. making a friend {alison mcghee}
20. the christmas magic {lauren thompson}
21. christmas oranges {bethers/sowards}
22. how murray saved christmas {mike reiss}
23. santa mouse {michael brown}
24. the wild christmas reindeer {jan brett}

i can't wait until december 1st!!

hello, world!

well, friends. it has been almost a month! that must be a record for this little blog of mine. poor, sad, neglected blog. rather than attempt a written update, i will now proceed to dump a whole lot of photos into one post and catch up that way. in order. hopefully. mkay? here goes.

harper was cute. she had her one year dr appointment. she's still a big girl :)

 

i took lots of pictures of fall leaves.

 

i spent some time browsing the book garden.

 

sean and i went to a movie in the middle of a work day.

 

we carved some pumpkins.

 

the witch and the duck.

 

more fall leaves.

 

we had friends over for baked potato soup.

 

 

woops... out of order.

 

fort.

 

mannequin friend.

 

static electricity.

 

first big snow and a snow man!

 

watching dad play basketball.

 

my mom helped me cook some turkey for our fast & feast with the youth of our ward.

 

table decor for the fast & feast.

 

i had a choir concert.

 

more snow.

 

much fun with the tent & christmas lights.

 

kids pooped after church.

 

dancing & singing to selena gomez.

 

we had a grumpy day, so dad took us to kangaroo zoo.

 

turkey craft with serena.

 

decorations for Young Women in Excellence.

 

sean went on a road trip to arizona.

 

i got excited for christmas candy.

 

sean went to a fancy gala in AZ.

 

gooby was smiley & cute.

 

i sent sean lots of cute pictures while he was gone.

more snow.

 

gooby wore a hat on a snowy day.

 

"eternal family day" for sean's parents' 40th anniversary. we all did sealings at the temple.

book of mormon challenge with the YW.

 

gooooby!!

i made delicious sugar cookies. grandma's recipe.

 

lovin on my harper.

 

i made some cookie cutter ornaments for the tree.

 

haper got a hair do for thanksgiving.

 

choir rehearsal on thanksgiving eve.

 

black friday shopping with heather. we bought matchy pants :)

and i spent a few minutes in lamp heaven.

and there you have it. consider this blog UPDATED!!!