Soldier Hollow with the Snow Family

What a GREAT day!  We had the opportunity to get together as a family and go tubing at Soldier Hollow, West of Heber.  It was cold, Aspen was a fan of the snow, just not the tubing, and it was great to see family and spend Christmas Eve with them.

throwing a tantrum on the snow doesn't have the same effect it does at home

Kara spinning Austin

Jolona pushed Syd and Paige down the hill

Hayden and Dad went on the fast hill

Aspen's way of keeping her face warm.... licking her face.

ELMO... Live!

Aspen's favorite Sesame Street character is ELMO (which to her is MO).  (The problem with getting a cool camera is that the pictures say more than any words could, and this is an event that was no exception.)    She has seen him in the store each time we go, and has knows that if she pushes his foot he talks to her and blows her a kiss.  She had the unwrapping thing down by the time she hit this present... but when she saw what was in it... OH MY!  Someone help me get this thing out of this box!!

WHOA~

ELMO!!

When he says "Elmo just wants to say that Elmo loves you" and blows her kisses, she gets her face right in close to his and blows kisses right back.  I've never seen a kid so excited over something.

Let 'er rip!

Aspen got to open her first present of the Christmas season... not counting the one she started tearing open that we put a stop to.  She thought we were kidding when we handed her the gift and showed her where to start opening it.  That's all it took!  The present was ripped and out in a matter of minutes.  With the kids not at home yet to open their presents, Aspen finished opening her one and was ready to tear into all the remaining under the tree.  Thanks to Joe & Mary for the adorable sweater.  Aspen loved it.

1st day of Christmas Break: SNOW DAY

The first school day with no school was a busy one.  We started the day with a run with some friends... two baby joggers, one kid on a bike and 3 runners on the messy roads.  It was fun but a little crazy.  Aspen had her 18 month check up (and shots) right after our run.  When we left it had just started to snow, when we got out of her appointment it had snowed 2 inches.  We made it home in 4 wheel drive with crazy roads.  The rest of the day we stayed in side while it snowed and snowed outside.  Aspen bundled up and went outside to "help" shovel the walk and LOVED IT.  

New Camera

After hours and hours of working on vinyl signs and lettering, I have earned enough to pay for a new camera, and a BEAUTIFUL thing it is too.  And what better thing to do with a new camera than to take MORE pictures of Aspen.

4th file, 4th picture tag

Thanks for the tag from my cousin in Roosevelt.

What a great faculty and staff we have at my school... and good sports too! We took this picture at Lagoon 2 years ago. There are many good friends and memories in this picture. My principal is in the back in the black hat (holding the gun of course).

I tag Kara, my sister, to show her 4th file and 4th picture.

Walk in those shoes

Aspen saw her dad's and mom's shoes sitting on the rug, and without prompting, she picked up her shoes and went and sat them by ours.  I just love this picture!  Before long she'll be out of her little pink fuzzy shoes.

NO NO NO!!!!

One weekend is all it took for Aspen to start making a connection with words.  This weekend, the word was NO!  and she knows how to use it amazingly well.

"Aspen, want a bath?" NO!

"Do you want a drink?" NO!

"Aspen, stay off the stairs" NO!

NO NO NO!!!!

Other words she is starting to "share" with us are:

Morgan = Mooowwwwwww

Wade= Way

Brenden=ra ra

Cow= cowwwwww or Mooo

Daddy (exactly like that too)

Mom=mom mom

anything that ends in the O sound is done with pursing her lips together like she is whistling.

hilarious!

words we're still working on:

book

fred

up

She loves to help mom load dishes, then put in the dishwasher tabs, and push the buttons to start it.  Pushing laundry into the machine (or the dryer) and dumping in the detergent is also one of her favorite things to help with.

Driving with a 18 month old is almost impossible without trauma and tantrums.  

The solution:

video ipod & headphones.

She LOVES it and it keeps her entertained for a good portion of the ride. Even puts her to sleep, if we luck out!

She is so much fun.  Her hair is getting longer (and she finally has some!) and it is so pretty and has a bit of a curl to it.  I'm jealous.  Mine is straight as a pin, even when I try to curl it.

Wade and PUMPKIN

I got the opportunity to attend Wade's first orchestra concert recently.  I remember going to Morgan's when she was the same age as Wade... and with the violin Wade is using now too.  Morgan's classmates and she named her violin PUMPKIN, because of its color.  Well, Pumpkin is still holding up.  It was a special concert because his orchestra teacher wasn't able to attend because she was in the hospital for her cancer, and her dad stepped in as her replacement.  She called the kids to wish them luck before the concert while she was in the ER.  That's dedication.  Wade did a great job.  I'm so proud of him!

  

Of course, afterwards, we had to go get ice cream... even if it was cold out.