Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010

Yes, I realize it's the 7th day of January and I'm just now posting about Christmas and looking back at the year. Better late than never, right?!?!

We had a wonderful Holiday Season. I love that Kason is getting it more now that he's a year older. It was so fun to spend time with mine and Shawn's families - what a wonderful way to celebrate the Holiday's, with those you love!

So now we say goodbye to another year. SO MUCH happened in 2009 for me and my family! Here's just a recap of what happened to us:
* We paid off our credit cards - finally!
* Celebrated 4 years of marriage
* Kason broke his wrist
* Shawn's Grandma passed away
* We paid off my car
* After 19 years of wearing glasses, I finally took the plunge and got contacts
* We sold my car
* I lost 65 pounds and realized that I actually kinda LIKE to run
* We all got a year older!

It really was a great year and now we look on to 2010. First up is a Cruise with my family and I am SO excited!!! We leave in a few weeks and we are going on the Mexican Riviera cruise (it visits Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas). Shawn and I are going with my parents, my brother, Spence, his wife and daughter (who will turn 5 on the cruise!), and my brother, Jake - 8 people all together. Anyway, I'm excited to see what the new year will bring us! I wish you all a wonderful year!!!

Christmas Day

Christmas was great this year! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family that I could spend this day with.

Christmas Eve Jammies

Kason's Grandpa and Nanna give him a pair of new pajamas to open on Christmas Eve. Shawn and I give a pair to each other as well. Kason loved his jammies with monkeys on them!

The "Christmas Dinner"

This year for Christmas, Shawn and his siblings (nine all together) decided to go in on a TV for his parents. They had no idea we were getting it for them! 8 of the 9 siblings (we missed you Laura and family) were able to go to Enterprise to surprise them with the TV. All of us told his parents that we wanted to get together and have a Chirstmas Dinner (which we did and was so yummy) but the real reason we were all there was to surprise them with the TV. It was so fun to be with everyone!

Click here if you want to see the video of us giving the TV to his parents.

The slideshow has pictures of the guys hanging the TV, and a "White Elephant" game the kids played...

Grandma Hill

My Grandma Hill's birthday is on December 18th. Every year on her birthday, she would give all her grandkids an ornament! She passed away almost 6 years ago, but her children - my Dad and his 2 sisters - continue the tradition. We now get together on a Sunday close to her birthday (this year was the 20th), have a dinner, and open ornaments, youngest to oldest.

We love and miss you, Grandma!

Kason's Birthday Party

Downtown Excursion

Last weekend we took Frontrunner* to Salt Lake. We went with Shawn's sister, her friend, and shawn's brother's family. We have never been on Frontrunner and thought this would be so fun for Kason. Here's Shawn and Kason on the train:
When we got off Frontrunner, we got on TRAX* and rode that to Trolley Square. We ate dinner at the Spaghetti Factory (YUM!) and saw Santa. I wasn't really sure how Kason would do sitting on a "stranger's" lap (this would be the first time even attempting it), but to my surprise, he did great! He stayed on his lap long enough for me to get a picture haha!

Then it was back on TRAX to go to Temple Square. The lights on Temple Square are incredible and we knew Kason would love it (every time we drive by a house with Christmas lights, he yells "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!")!

Cool red tree:

Our picture taken under the cool red tree:

Kason had so much fun!

Beautiful Lights:

We then got back on TRAX which took us to Frontrunner; we got back on that and rode ut home. It was super cold, but we had so much fun - a great way to start the Christmas season!

*For those that don't know: Frontrunner is a train that goes from Ogden, Utah to Salt Lake City, Utah (making a few stops a long the way). TRAX is a lightrail system that goes through Downtown Salt Lake and will take you further south to Sandy, Utah.

Christmas Tree Hunting

We went down to Shawn's parents for Thanksgiving. Of course I didn't get any pictures on Thanksgiving, but the day after, we went to the Ranch and hunted for Christmas trees. It was more for Shawn's parents than us (Shawn didn't want to deal with a real Christmas tree, which means, YES we have a FAKE tree!!!) but the boys had a GREAT time!

After all that running around, Kason fell asleep on the way home. He musy have been pretty exhausted because usually he'll wake up when the car stops, but he wouldn't wake up for anything! He even slept sitting up hahaha!

Ironing Boy

Yesterday I was ironing some clothes and the next thing I knew, Kason was standing next to me ironing with his own "iron." Earlier he was playing with the hand mixer and when I was ironing, he must have thought "this kind of looks like Mommy's iron!" Hahaha! I love that he has a mind that thinks like that!!! When I was done with my ironing, I lowered the board so he could do his own ironing...

Potty Training???

UGH!!! I guess it's that time! We went and bought some "fun" undies hoping it would help in this process. We got home and he wanted to put all 8 pair on! I have a very silly boy haha.

Are the "fun" undies working??? Not really! :( I know it takes time, but hopefully he'll get it...

Halloween

This year for Halloween, Kason was a Tiger. We went Trick-or-Treating with Kason's cousin, Mason. He was Buzz Lightyear. It was a fun night for the boys!!!

Shawn dressed up for Halloween as well. For the past 2 years at work, he's been given a hard time for not dressing up. So this year he finally does. He gets to work and NO ONE else dressed up!!! Poor guy, but he had fun anyway.

Sophie

A few weeks ago my brother and his kids came to visit. Sophie doesn't usually smile a lot (for me anyway) but we were doing something to make her laugh, and had to get some pictures of her. What a cutie!!!