so long 2011

 The tradition in our family is that the kids have to wait for dad to go see if Santa has come and left the presents, and if he has then he yells "Good Ga'll he's been here!!"  This goes back to when my mom was a little girl, her dad did it for her, my dad did it for me, and this year my dad did it for my girls.  A favorite tradition to start off the morning.  I love the look on the girl's faces as they wait for the signal.

 

Both girls are into Whinnie the Pooh and were thrilled with their new plush friends.  

After we had a delicious breakfast we told the girls they should go down the slide and there was one more gift waiting for them in the gym.  Ryan revamped what used to be a cheesy hot wheels with Disney stickers all over it, and turned it into this darling little "bumble bee" as the girls call it.  Their reaction was all that we hoped it would be.  Lydia was more confidant driving it than Emma was, and even Ryan took a turn.  This is something we both always wished we would have had as kids, and it was fun to see that at least our girls will get to enjoy one.

Ryan played with his new helicopter all day and the rest of the family came over at night for games, food, and cookies.  Papa and Annie gave the girls their gift after the Christmas morning had calmed down, and they were both thrilled.  Lydia lives in her dress up clothes, and Emma finally has her own camera so she can leave mine alone.  I absolutely love giving gifts to those I love, it's one of my most favorite things about Earth Life.  I am so thankful for my family and our health.  What a wonderful time of year this has been.

The next day I made my new favorite recipe, molasses cookies.....delicious!

We had a really fun girls outing to Salt Lake with my mom, sister, aunt and cousins.  We stopped at various boutiques for end of season decor and hit up the Gateway for some shopping and Thaiphoon.  I just LOVE my family.

Speaking of LOVE my family.  We have been so happy to have my dear cousin Kylee and her husband in town for an extended Christmas break.  Kylee and Brody are our closest friends and we try to spend as much time with them as possible.  This night we went up to my aunt Lee's for some home made pizza, monkey bread (to die for) and a fun night of cards and games with the rest of the family.

I had the best mommy-daughter date with Emma at Firehouse.  She is such great company and knows how to hold an interesting conversation.  I just adore her personality and genuine nature.  Although it makes me sad how fast she is growing, I am also really enjoying how much more of a "friend" she has become.

Lydia is our little "baby."  Except she's two, so she's not really a baby.  She delights us with her croaky voice and her large vocabulary keeps us laughing all the live long day.  I never deny her when she asks for a snuggle or for me to sing her a song.  I know how fast this phase will end and I am trying to soak it up as much as I can.

Well, I did it.  I completed a WHOLE YEAR of taking a photo a day.  It about killed me, seriously.  There were times I wanted to quit, but I hung in there.  What a year this has been.  Last January first when I started this project I knew I had a few big events for the year.  I knew my baby would turn two, my husband would turn 30.  I knew Emma would start Kindergarten, that I would see Josh Groban in concert, that we would have a girl's trip to Las Vegas, visit the Bundys, and just enjoy every moment we had with our girls.  However, I did not know that we would hideout in a basement cellar waiting out a tornado, or that we would make so many new friends who would leave such a lasting impression.  I did not know that we would move FOUR times, the final time we would have to say goodbye to our little dream home.  I did not know that at one point this year our marriage would be stronger than ever, I did not know that my testimony would be shaken.  I did not know that we would have our lowest of lows.  I did not know that everything would be okay.  I did not know that I CAN do hard things.  I did not know that at the end of such a trying year, I would look back and have some of the fondest memories we've ever made.  I learned who I am.  I learned where my testimony is, who my God is, just how deeply our parents love us, just how thankful I am for my girls, and who our real friends are.  2011 didn't beat me, it didn't win, because we're doing something with what we learned, and we're going to be better and stronger because of it.  So long 2011, you're no friend of mine....and yet, I know I owe you a big juicy thank you.  I'm prepared to give it to you, someday, but not yet. 
So here's to 2012!  May we never know what lies ahead, so that we can enjoy the gift of the present.