The Weekly Photo

Seeing the lights a Temple Square.

Recents: including ballet's, lights, parties and Santa

We have been pretty busy, but also having a wonderful Christmas time. It feels like it is going so fast this year.

Elanor and I went and saw a local production of The Nutcracker ballet. It was so fun to take her, but made me miss ballet so much.

Elanor is all ready to go into the theatre. She would not make any normal faces....

Cute little outfit, all from my mom.

Elanor just waiting for the show to start.

 We went and saw Santa down at the Gateway and it was very fun and relaxed. We loved this Santa, he was tiny, super old and adorable.

If you live in Utah, seeing the Temple Square lights is a must. 

Elanor's birthday was last week, but she had her party this week, so Tyler could be there. She had a Charlie and Lola party. Charlie and Lola are books by the British author, Lauren Child. It was also made into an adorable children's show in Britain (almost all of the episodes are on youtube fyi). Elanor is pretty much really, really into them (as she would said).

I made a chocolate cake with peppermint frosting (Elanor's request).

Tyler drew this awesome Charlie and Lola backdrop. Elanor is wearing some "Lola" bows I made for her.

We had a coloring table.

We watched one 10 minute Charlie and Lola episode while drinking some homemade pink milk.

Elanor opening gifts!

We have had a fun and busy week. It is not over yet! My mother-in-law got in last night. She came to see Elanor's recital, which is tonight! Then, tomorrow we are driving to Oregon!

The Weekly Photo

Yes, I know you have all seen this photo already, but I want it to be part of my Weekly Photos because I am going to be making a photo book of all my Weekly Photos from 2013 and I want this one in it.

Happy Birthday to This Three Year Old Girl!

Three! Can you believe I have a three year old! One and two are big milestones, but three feels huge. She is not a baby or even a toddler anymore, Elanor is a kid. She does not let me forget it either. "I can put my shoes on, I'm big", "I can turn off my light myself", "It's ok, Mommy, I can get water for myself because I'm grown-up". Not quite, little missy. She has been enjoying the fact that she actually can do so many things herself and does not need my help, which is both liberating and sad for me at the same time.

I talk about Elanor all the time on here (is there anything else I talk about?), but I'll give you a little blurb about this here girl.

She is really so smart. I love reading other people's kids silly conversations and while Elanor does say funny things, she says them on purpose and does not often say goofy kid things because she often already talks like a grown-up. 

Elanor loves to pretend. When we are in the car, she often talks to herself making up stories (which she is a part of). I will ask her what she is talking about and she just says, "I'm talking to myself". Then, I hear little mutterings about witches, monsters, and princesses.

This girl also loves to perform (I wonder where she got that from...). She loves to sing and dance for people and make movies (of herself doing said things). She is definitely a people person and an extrovert. She loves hugging, kissing, snuggling and getting into people's personal space. Elanor does not really have "personal space", she is always ready for hugs, etc.

She has a will of her own ( a good and bad thing). She also does not do so well when tired. For example, yesterday she was throwing a tantrum right before bed and once she was calmed down I asked her what that was all about and she said, "I don't even know. I'm just tired." Well, I admit to having similar behavior...

She is overall such a joy and I feel so blessed to have her, Elanor  specifically. She is exactly what we needed. We love her so much.

The Weekly Photo

Nice smile there, kid.

Tyler and Elanor in front of the Polar Express (an old-fashioned train in Heber, UT).

It was so hard to choose a picture this week! We did so many fun things and there were so many cute pictures to choose from. However, almost every Weekly Photo is of Elanor and I wanted to get someone else in a picture. My aunt bought us tickets to go on this Polar Express themed train ride and we went this past Thursday. Elanor loved it! There will be more on this later in the week!

O, Christmas Tree...

...how lovely are your branches.

Elanor loved decorating the tree this year! She was super excited to unwrap all the ornaments and remember which ones were hers,  and to find a place for them on the tree. Decorating the tree is always one of my very favorite Christmas traditions. We have Christmas music on, we do it together as a family, and it is always such a joyful experience.

I also love to sit near the tree at night, with only the Christmas lights on and just look at the tree, with a mug of hot chocolate in hand. It is so peaceful and wonderful.

Also, is there anything quite as adorable as this?:

Micah and Elanor did this on their own (they were pretend sleeping), there was not any posing from me (just picture taking).

The Weekly Photo

Looking for the perfect tree.
{Yes, I would much rather choose a tree from a farm, but we are not in Oregon and Christmas trees do not grow so well in the desert. Also, with Tyler being so busy, we do not have much time to drive an hour into the mountains to go to a Christmas tree farm, unfortunately.}

Yes, I should have had a picture from Thanksgiving, but I took zero pictures. That is correct, zero. There are three reasons: 1-I was quite busy. 2-I was having way too much fun. 3-I just completely forgot (see 1 and 2). I love Thanksgiving and I missed my family, but it was fun to have it with friends (all of whom did not have family near either). The food was delicious (it was a joint effort, everyone brought something!) and it was such a perfect day. We played games, ate way too much, talked a lot, Elanor had fun playing with friends, and we had Tyler here all day! The rest of the weekend was fun as well. Tyler still had to work, but he found time to go get a tree with us and decorate it! 

I love Christmas. I have always been confused how someone could like any other holiday more than Christmas. I, of course, love Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, 4th of July, etc., but Christmas is easily the winner. Perhaps, it is because my family does Christmas so well. I have such wonderful, dreamy memories of Christmas and I want Elanor to have the same sort of magical experience. Plus, does any other holiday (besides Easter) really celebrate anything more meaningful than what we celebrate at Christmas, Christ's birth (and everything else that goes with it, such as giving, being kind, helping those in need, etc.)? No, not really. 

I love the Christmas season (obviously)!