christmas eve 2010

We spent our Christmas holiday in sunny St. George.

Christmas eve was filled with family and festivities.

I was just excited that we could take Halle to a park and not freeze our buns off.

There was a Santa hat. And a new found love for being naked. I thought we had already been through this phase a year ago, but apparently it is back.

We decorated Christmas sugar cookies at Grandma and Grandpa Nimer's house with the Bodines. I was lucky I got her to wear a sweater for this.

Halle mostly just wanted to taste the frosting and ended up licking the cookies and not eating the cookie part.

We didn't make Santa eat her slobbery cookies.

Wes taught the Christmas story using the little people nativity set.

Halle set cookies out for Santa and carrots out for the Reindeer, but she really wanted to eat those too.

Halle opened one present and then was sent to bed so Mommy and Daddy could wrap presents.

Coming soon: Christmas morning 2010

temple square

Last week we enjoyed a night in Salt Lake eating dinner and walking around Temple Square to see the Christmas lights. I really love temple square this time of year. We bundled up and braved all the traffic on a Saturday night. Halle thought the temple was amazing. She wouldn't take her eyes off it and kept asking to go inside.

We spent some time in the visitor's center. I had forgotten how beautiful the artwork depicting the Savior's life is. Halle loved going to see the Christus. I love living so close to so many beautiful things.

lovin' every minute

I'm just soaking up every second it is just me and my halle girl.

Can't even begin to imagine how our little world is going to change when we bring home a baby.

Until then I am loving every minute of mommy and kikster time.

aren't you digging the food stains on her princess dress? this obsession with dress ups is getting ugly.

it's christmas

The tree is up.

The stockings are hung.

The nativity is in the alcove for all to see.

Halle can now sing "Jingle Bells."

We sat on Santa's lap and just stared at the jolly man.

We eat a chocolate from the advent calendar everyday.

At every store decorated for Christmas we say, "it's Christmas!"

All we want for Christmas are princess dolls.

Halle hates the taste of candy canes.

Oh, how I love this season.

p.s. did i mention that halle is going through a major dress-up phase. which is why she is wearing the frilly green nightgown. we sleep in dress-ups, go to the store in dress-ups, and literally live in dress-ups.

time is running out

It is december, which means i am almost out of time this year to complete the goals I set. It has been awhile since I checked up on myself so here we go...

• Temple once a month: Yeah baby! I made it every month and even witnessed a special treat. Wes's cousin Max and his wife Tayona were sealed for eternity last month to each other, but the most beautiful part was when their baby boy's tiny hand was placed over theirs and he was sealed to them for all eternity. There is nothing like it.
• Eat better: I try. I was doing great until we were expecting. The baby wants what the baby wants people!
• Read some classics: I finished every book on my list and even added in a couple more classics including wuthering heights and anne of green gables. Plus many more books that aren't considered classics.
• Plan a trip: Our little family trip to Disneyland was really the best trip ever. I think the way we felt on our trip is a little bit like what heaven will feel like.
• Learn to bake something: The other day I made some peanut butter oatmeal cookies for the women I visit teach. There was no hyperventilation, anxiety, and the cookies tasted fantastic. I definitely can't bake a large variety of things, but I am getting more comfortable with more things and have come a long way!
• Serve my family, neighbors, and relief society sisters: Wow, this goal has had to change three times. First, it was nursery children, then young women, then our ward split and I found myself on the "enrichment" committee. I love planning activities for the women in my ward. And I do my best to address the needs of the peeps in my home and the peeps that live by me.
• Do pilates: I did this for awhile and learned to love it. Then it became warm and I was able to run again. I ran most every day throughout the summer and then when I was about 3 months pregnant it became walking every morning and now it is freezing so I sit inside and hope I don't get huge.
• Teach Halle to share: Well, Halle understands the word "share" and she understands "turns." She will even tell me when she is supposed to share, but she doesn't like to do it and cries every time she thinks she has to share. I just keep telling myself it is all about the baby steps.
• Be lovely: I have noticed I feel lovely when I am productive and get things done and manage to take a shower. So, for this one I usually judge myself by the state my home is in and the way I smell.

it's a...

GIRL!

halle has requested we call her baby donuts.

however, we're considering lily bell.

she's as healthy as can be with legs that go on for miles.

it was love at first sight.

happy birthday

today is my lovely husband's birthday.

this is a picture of wes and halle digging into his pumpkin birthday cheesecake.

thanks to the blizzard he was told to stay home from work today.

we decided to chance it and go to lunch at the cheesecake factory before the blizzard started.

i love celebrating my sweetheart.

halle loves it too.

after her nap today he told her they could dance around the room and listen to "happy birthday princess"

he is amazing.

it shouldn't surprise you that he does all the work around the house.

really, he does.

he takes out the trash, he mows the lawn and weeds, he waters the plants, he makes sure the house is safe when he is out of town, he cleans the toilets, he deals with all things electrical, he takes total and complete care of me and halle, all while working and studying for the cpa exam.

he gives and gives and i take and take.

it is his nature, and i guess you could say i am a leech.

but, somehow it all works.

he is the best decision i ever made.

oh, and he is a hunk.

i love this day, for on this day a lovely, perfect boy was born.

insider info

some things you may not know about the bell's

• halle calls the kit kat candy bar a kitty kat and junior mints are called bimmies
• when i go walking in the mornings i get happy when the beegees pop up on my ipod
• wes had an uncle rico moment the other night (you know, creepy uncle rico from napoleon dynamite who wants to go back in time to 1982 so coach will put him in fourth quarter and they could be state champions.) anyways, we were watching the jazz game together and ronnie price was out on the court. wes and ronnie played together at uvu when wes was red-shirting there before his mission. during the jazz game, ronnie was in the corner of the court, shot a three pointer from out there and made it. wes promptly said something like. "i used to make that shot over ronnie all the time. i could do that. i just sounded like uncle rico didn't i?" and yes, he did. i could almost see wes in sky blue pants with a moustache saying, "how much you wanna make a bet i can throw this football over them mountains?" and "back in '82 i used to throw a football a quarter mile." oh i laughed hard.
• one morning i told halle we needed to go running. (she usually comes with me in the mornings and i let her put on her little nikes and run around at the end) she didn't want to go that morning and said, "we can't go running. your tummy hurts." maybe i am using the pregnancy card a little too often with her and maybe she is getting slightly manipulative.
• my christmas wish list?: a pair of pink sparkly toms and lots of toys for halle.
• one day halle and i were in target and i found the most fantastic christmas gift for her and it was on sale! i knew i had to snag it so i put it in the cart and didn't think she would mind. she screamed the rest of the time we were in the store because we had to wait until christmas to open it. she kept sobbing, "santa will open it." luckily she has forgotten about it, but i don't think we will be going christmas shopping together anymore.
• i really like working wes
• halle says the word "hair" and it sounds like Nelly the rapper saying "herre" like on the song "hot in herre" oh it makes us laugh.
• i caught wes talking to himself while he was working out the other day. i think it is one of my favorite things to experience. i wish i talked to myself. i think it is therapeutic.
• halle wears 4t clothing. yeah, she is two and a giant.
• halle saw the big "d" for dixie all lit up one night in st. george and was so excited because she thought we were by disneyland.
• i eat chocolate chex in the morning. do you think that is good for baby?
• at night halle lays by me until she falls asleep while i read. don't tell anybody but, i kind of like it. pediatricians everywhere are wagging their fingers at me, i know.
• i am at the "whoa, did she gain some weight or is she pregnant?" stage. let me tell you, it's been fun watching people's eye contact fall from my face to my belly, including bob harper, one of the trainers from the biggest loser. who knows what he was thinking when he met me in my pajamas outside my house one morning.
• halle likes to sing "home on the range" to the baby
• the song "you've got a friend in me" will forever remind us of our little halle girl. you should hear her sing it. you might cry.
• oh boy, we are enjoying ourselves.

halle

We were so pleased with how well Halle's two year portraits turned out.

Photography by Mckenzie took the shots at her home studio in Orem. We were a little worried about getting them done, because Halle is a spunky little girl who rarely looks at the camera let alone smiles at the camera. I don't know what it was, something about the photoshoot atmosphere and that Mckenzie is great with kids, or a little blessing from heaven. Whatever it was, it turned her into a photogenic little kikster for her photo session. Mckenzie captured so much of Halle's personality I don't feel like I am able to catch with my own camera. I love that we won't ever forget some of the silly faces she makes at this age. And the best part is that Mckenzie burns you a high resolution cd with the printing rights right on the disc. No more hassling your photographer to sign over the rights so you can get your pictures printed! Her prices are absolutely the best I have ever seen for someone who gives you all the images, no strings attached. Halle's session and cd total? $55! (We took advantage of her $35 session deal, there are more to come so check her blog for the dates). She has so many different background colors to choose from and she does family portraits and weddings all over Utah county. We highly recommend her!

Check out her blog for more information and to see some of her other photos.

http://www.photobymckenzie.blogspot.com

trick or treat 2010

The only way I got Halle's costume on her Halloween night was to show her over skype that baby Jake was wearing a costume.

After she saw him she was okay with putting her dress on. So we bundled her up for another cruel and cold Utah Halloween.

We caught a break in the rain and took her out to trick or treat with her buddy Wade the airplane.

Although it was freezing she loved trick or treating. She said it in the cutest high pitch voice and ran from house to house, sometimes digging her hand in the candy bowls without saying anything. What can I say? We taught her well. We said goodbye to Wade and the Barton's just as the rain started again and warmed ourselves up in the house. Halle grabbed a bag of mimmy's (m&m's) from her candy bucket and we watched Scooby Doo and the Witches Ghost for the rest of the night. Halle has loved this holiday. The whole month she has been so excited to see witches and skeletons and scary things in the grocery store. The school halloween carnival's spook alley was talked about for days. She has loved seeing everyone's scary decorations outside their houses and all the pumpkins. She loved all the costumes and seeing little kids dressed up. But, I think her favorite part has been realizing she can say trick-or-treat and she will get candy. What's not to love about that?