... Obama...

With no coaching at all, Rylee answered every question right!

...Weekend of Firsts...

We had a couple "firsts" this weekend...

*First pony tail

*First movie at a theater

*First real snow fall

*First time in nursery

We'll start at the top!Rylee has more hair then ever now, which is still not hardly anything! There is enough though to put into a little pony tail on the tip top of her head. It looks kind of ridiculous, but pretty cute at the same time. She loves to watch me brush her hair and put little clips in it. That doesn't mean she keeps them in for very long though!  

I took Ry to the movie Tangled (which is super cute by the way) on Saturday. Chasey wanted to go, but he got the flu Friday night. It ended being me and Ry, my mom, SIL, her mom, and two nephews. It was so much fun. I didn't know how long Rylee would last, so we got the back row isle seat. We got her her own kids popcorn and drink... she loved that... and sat her in a booster seat. When the previews came on she sat up in her seat and her eyes were glued to the screen. She would laugh and talk and point and clap at everything. It was hilarious! The best part was that she sat through the WHOLE THING!! I got up once with her the last 15 minutes and held her in the back, but only for about 5 minutes. She had so much fun!

All ready to go pick up Grandma for the movies... ponytail and all!

Sunday we woke up to real snow! Not the kind that falls and melts within an hour, but real stick to the ground snow!

I decided to try nursery on Sunday. They told me a couple weeks she could go, but I kind of hesitated. I didn't want to leave my little buddy for 2 hours with a bunch of snot nosed kids! I have seen moms leave their kids and the kids freak out... kicking and screaming. I didn't want that to happen either! Chasey was sick and I had to teach my class, so I was brave and left her. I took her in and she jumped out of my arms and started playing with the other kids. The teachers are our neighbors so she already knew them. I went to pick her up after church, and they said she was the best one. She sang, colored, danced, played with all the kids, and read books. I guess she is good to go on the nursery thing, but am I ready to let her go? Well, yes, yes I am. It was a nice 2 hour break! No chasing her around, having her interrupt my class, worrying she was going to cry during someones lesson! It was kind of nice! So, this little bug is now in Nursery!

...Light Parade...

Every year we go with my Dad and Karen to the Light Parade in Spanish Fork. Its a small parade where everything is decked out in Christmas lights, and everyone that passes is singing Christmas Carols. Its short, fun, and a good kick off to the holidays! Rylee was too little last year to really know what was going on. This year she loved it! We started out in the back of my dads truck, so she couldn't run into the road, but once she saw all the kids on the side of the street she wanted out. She actually stayed right by the older cousins and had a ball.

Waiting in the truck for it start. It was a little cold that night!

In the back of Grandpas truck with Sam and Ben.

I love that little face of hers!

Ry looks a little out of it, but its super cute of my niece Sayla!

The light man!

His whole body was decorated in Christmas lights. The flash on the camera kind of ruined the whole affect of the picture! Oh well! Look at poor Rylee. I just kind of shoved her over there with everyone and said smile!

The boys hanging out in the back.

Rylee with Grandma and Grandpa.

Our little family!

Us with Karen. Her and Ry had matching hats that night.

After the parade, we drove around Salem Pond. They lit the lights over there the same night. I took Ry out of her car seat when we got there to show her the lights. I thought she would like them ,but not go crazy over them! She 110% loved them, and wouldn't stop pointing and smiling at them. I forget that this is new to her. All the lights and decorations are things she has never really seen. Its so fun to watch her discover new things. I never want her to grow up!

This was her face most of the time. I couldnt get her to look away for one second to take a picture!

...Favorite...

Whats your favorite holiday decoration?

This is mine...

My boss in New york gave me the whole nativity scene one year for Christmas. I love it so much, and every year I put it up I think of Danny the little boy I used to nanny. It is hands down my favorite decoration, and one of the best gifts ever. I get so excited to put it up each year, and hate to take it down!

... The Tree...

We went to get a tree on Friday, and just couldn't find one that we loved and could justify spending $60 on!! We looked and looked and decided to go look somewhere else. Rylee had a blast running through all the trees, and hiding from us! She didn't want to leave. On our way home I told Chasey that we should just use our fake tree at home. He was set on getting on a real tree that didn't look like Charlie Browns famous tree!

Side note... I bought a fake tree on the day after Thanksgiving sale last year. The picture of the tree and the actual tree were two very different things! It is pretty small, and its not very full. Its a fun little tree though.

K, back to the story... So, I convinced him that we could use the $60 to do something else, or save it, or go to Home Depot! I had him sold! We went home and put our Charlie Brown Tree up for one more year! Rylee loved it when we turned on the lights. She loved it even more when she figured out how to take the ornaments off and hand them to us! I have said it plenty of times before, but KIDS MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER... especially the holidays!!

Rylee before she went on one of her runs at the tree lot.

Love this picture so much!

At home with the Charlie Brown.

Diligently decorating.

I hated the silver, so we re did it in gold and red. It looks a lot better in real life, but either way I love it!

Of course we got our yearly ornaments.

Ry's is a little girl holding her cat by the neck.... so fitting! It says " Love me, Love my cat!"

My mom always gives the grandkids an ornament. This year Rylee broke hers. It was so cute too... a little pink tree with bells on it. Hopefully we can fix it!

Mine... a shopper with a sign that says "Attitude." It seemed like a perfect one for me.

Chaseys... a snowboarder!

They were all perfect for us!

Look how excited he is to have a new ornament!

Let the holidays begin!!!

... Thanksgiving 2010...

Thanksgiving this year was so much fun! It was every ones away year except for my sister, so it ended up being just the girls at my moms house! I felt bad for Billy and Chasey, they were the only boys in a house of 7 girls. We met the night before and had pizza with my brother and his family. The kids played, my SIL pulled out my nephews tooth ( the video wont upload), we all ate ourselves sick, and had a great time. After Mats family left we started making the pies for Thanksgiving day. I say we, I mean my mom and sister. I was like the cheerleader/taster, telling them good job through the pie process. Shani's kids totally wore Rylee out... I was very thankful for that! We went home late that night ready for the feast the next day!

Rylee, Grandma, and Mallori getting ready to make pies.

Me and Rachel making sure it tasted just right!

Shani's kids were all about Rylee, and each of them wanted their turn to play with her. Ry loved all the attention she got. Here is Kate reading to Rylee.

Poor Uncle Chasey.

The kids had fun with him while he was asleep!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Thanksgiving morning we woke up and watched the Macy's day parade. I'm not one for parades, but have to say that after actually being at the Macy's Day Parade while I was living in New York, it really is an awesome parade! Its fun to see NY on TV, and know exactly where everything is at. I miss that place!! Anyways, I ran to Walgreen's that morning to get one thing and left with a lot more then one thing. All their toys were 50% off, so I am happy to say that Rylee's Christmas and Birthday are completely DONE!!! We got ready and stopped down to see Karen's ( my step mom) mom. She isn't doing very good, so we needed and wanted to go see her. A lot of Karen's family was there, so it was fun to catch up with some of them. It reminded me of the first Thanksgiving I had with Karen's family. There were a ton of people and they were all family. I was used to just my 9 cousins! It was hard to see her mom so sick. She is usually up and talking with everyone, making jokes, telling me that I spoil my baby! It didn't help that while she was laying in bed, Rylee kept throwing Barbies at her to try and get her to wake up. After we left there we had a mini photo shoot with my sister to try and get some pictures for our Christmas card ( Ill post them later). It was freeeeezing cold, we were all hungry, and Shani couldn't feel her thumbs. Despite all of that we still got some good shots! We went to moms for dinner... which was so so so so so good, watched some Christmas movies, colored, took naps, ate too much pie, and then went to see Grandma Darling. It was honestly a WONDERFUL couldn't have asked for a better pretty much perfect Thanksgiving!!

My mom making some potatoes

My 2 nieces and Rylee.

Oh gosh... these two trying to get that turkey on to a different plate was priceless!

Grandma Paula with some of her grand kids.

Billy, Rachel, Ry, and Mallori.

Strike a pose if you LOVE Thanksgiving!

This crazy girl keeps me laughing all the time. She does this eye thing that kills me!

Cheers!

Kate loves her Uncle Chasey!

Me: " Kate, Rachel is going to brush out my hair, so you cant sit on my lap. Go sit on Uncle Chasey's lap."

Kate: " I already sitted on hims lap and now I'm done with hims."

Pie!

The best part of the whole meal.

Love me some Diet Dr Pepper!

Yes I fell asleep with this in my arms. Only because I kept pouring little tea set glasses for my niece in the front room.

Ry and Chasey were napping, so they missed out on the group shot.

We are pretty much perfection!

Me and Rachy Roo! My two oldest nieces are growing up WAAAAAY to fast.

Not the best picture, but its the only one we got that day.

Rylee loves to get into Great Grandma Darlings corner hutch and play with the coins. She dumps them out of the jar, and then puts them back in over and over again. I used to do the same thing when I was little. They still smell the exact same as when I was little too.

4 generations!

I love this picture!

Too much turkey... Chasey is tired!!

Ry kept trying to put her headband on me, so I put it on my head for her. She looked at me and said, " Thank you mama," and then clapped. LOVE HER!!!

We had such a great day! I love this time of year !