As soon as we got back from our cruise we listed our apartment to try to rent it out as soon as possible. It's a nice place and all. But to be honest it hasn't been our favorite place so far. I'm a firm believer that "home is where your family is" wherever that may be. But this place has felt the least like home to me in our 8 years of marriage. We knew from the start that it would be a temporary place and that's how it has felt. It was nice, clean, new, updated, had great amenities and great people. It was just not home. It sure served it's purpose for the 5 months that we lived there and I'm so grateful for the roof it has put over our heads but we are ready for our new house now.
Josan was playing with his blocks one day when he said "Hey mom! Look I built a Temple! Or a church. I''m not sure. I guess it can be both!" That made me so happy. We haven't always been the best at going to the Temple or even to church each week. But to see that my boy would built a Temple made me think that we were doing alright...
Our Christmas card this year
For Mrs Johnson
And so it begin...Buddy the Elf is back!
November and December have been 2 crazy months for us. As usual. But once in a while I'd be reminded to take a minute to breathe and be happy. This boy is the best at reminding me that.
I'm not gonna lie; sometimes I do get a little worried about how much Josan associates himself to our dogs. They're the closest thing he's got to siblings and he plays with them all day long, lays with them, has conversations with them and calls them his brothers all the time. It's cute and age appropriate. But on the edge of sad too.
One day I went to Costco to get some prescriptions. As I was going in I was checking out the girl in front of me's leggings until she turned around, did not see me one bit until I yelled "KARA!!!!" So funny to run into each other! So after we got done there we went and visited Tayler and brought flowers that we had just gotten for him...
Teasing the brothers some more...
I tried this recipe I had only had in Quebec before.
Not to brag or anything but I make some mean Vol-au-vents!
Between Josan's birthday, Thanksgiving, our cruise, buying a house and packing up our apartment, Christmas hasn't been as magical as usual. We did a lot of focusing on Christ but the presents and decorations were not the best. We did our best through it all. One thing we did is we drove through the Layton lights listening to Christmas music with hot chocolate in hands. That was so fun!
That's as close to a tree as we could get this year; a 3 foot tall, candy canes and lights only, Christmas tree. But we had fun decorating it and that's all that matters
Adam's work party
Savanna and Josan are such good friends!
Kara gave me one of my all time favorite foxes. For some reason the only picture I have of it is before I got it out...oh well....Kelli's Christmas present was super cute too. No pictures either...
We went to the Ogden lights too. It had been so long since we had been there! Last time Josan was what? 2 I think?
I was so impressed. When I asked Josan if he wanted to wrap the present he was giving Adam he took charge right away and did beyond great. When I asked him where the heck he had learn to fold corners and wrap so good he told me "I saw you do it!". Yeah he did...like ONCE! And all a sudden he's already better at it than his dad! :D
A couple more tricks from Buddy...
Since our Christmas was not gonna be...well...Christmasy we decided to go to Mom and Dad's and have Christmas there this year. We picked up Grandma Darleen on our way there. At that point our car was getting so full between all the presents, our suitcases and the dogs that we had to have Grandma open her present before we left! Amy and Tammy went on it with me on this. I think Grandma liked it!
On our first morning in Nevada Josan was hoping that Buddy remembered that we weren't gonna be home. When he woke up however Buddy wasn't there. But he had left Josan a little something...
The Fox Brigade
We saw "Night at the museum" and saw that sign...
Lovey-dovey...
The only Grandma Adam and I have left. We love Grandma Darleen!
Enjoying the fireplace
We brought the turkey and Grandma brought the ham and mom made the rest. That was a lot of food for just the 6 of us...
Dorking around
Can't go to grandpa's without setting a few things on fire...
Making sure Santa AND the reindeer are covered
It's Christmas morning! Time to open some presents!!
Enjoying some of the toys...
We sent my family some calendars this year. We were starting to be out of time so we just hurried and made those really quick.
Our dogs had the best of time in Nevada. They love it there.
I got bored at some point and messed around with my phone...
Josan loved his presents. He slept with a couple that night.
We had such a good Christmas! Like I said we had a hard time always feeling the Christmas spirit as much but all and all we just feel so happy and blessed to have the life we do!
Just brought the essentials while we were cleaning; Keaton and entertainment for Josan!
We still took some time off to party a little for New Years Eve. Here's the Garbage bag coats trio
Blurry group playing games
Kara had a bunch of fun games to keep the kids busy until midnight. And it sure worked! They had a blast!
MIDNIGHT! Time for fireworks! Happy New Year!!!!!
This year has been another crazy one. I don't know how normal it is to say that year after year, but it seems like life doesn't calm down much for the 3 of us. Maybe it's one of the reasons why we haven't been able to have another baby yet. Maybe we're too stressed or something. Maybe it has nothing to do with that. I don't know. What I do know is that although this year has been all over, we laughed a ton, cried a little and grew a bunch. We still love each other more and more each day and enjoy the small and big moments that life gives us. I'm not sure what 2015 will bring, but as long as we're together we'll enjoy all the good times and get through the rough ones.
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