currently

listening: to "human" by the Killers. check it out. love the lyrics. I'd say Audrey is more of a dancer.

eating: right now the peel of a clementine orange is sitting next to my computer

drinking: it's 16 degrees outside so my silver tea kettle sitting on the stove has been getting a lot of use. it warms up water daily for chamomile tea with honey and cups of 25 calorie hot cocoa.

weather: freezing

wanting: to completely overhaul the blog. something's bugging me about it.

needing: to make myself spend less time on pinterest. I love it, but oh, it's addicting.

thinking: that I need to go pick up Audrey in just a minute. and planning what we'll make for Audrey's Valentines. she'll be taking them to school and it's kind of a big deal.

enjoying: these family pictures that I forgot to post last November. Christmas just snuck up and got in the way.

wearing: my boots scored at a sweet after christmas sale. they're brown. and slouchy. and so awesome.

feeling: content for the most part. things are settled. Justin and I are good, the kids are good. Pocatello will do for now.

this time last year...

we were living on the other side of the state in Nampa

I had just had a baby

Justin was working in advertising

I didn't have a job

I was in the Primary Presidency

Audrey wasn't in school

we were trying to buy a house

there were no plans for Justin to go back to school

what a difference a year can make!

Last year I added "try lobster for the first time" to our list of 'Fun New Year's Resolutions' and so today, on the last day of 2011, we went to Red Lobster for lunch and had lobster. It was delicious. We're getting ready for our party tonight, Audrey is excited. (We let her stay up until 10:00 pm and celebrate the countdown on New York time). We've made black bean brownies and even splurged on a little smoked salmon for the occasion. I've been keeping a list in my phone for what I want to put on my resolution list for months now.

visit to Grandma's

after opening presents we packed up and headed down to the farm to visit my family.

Audrey got to ride a horse

and she and Grandma played "castle" for hours and hours.

Christmas Morning 2011

Having a four year old at Christmas time is so much fun. Audrey was so excited which made Justin and I so excited and none of us slept very well Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning we were up at 5 am to see what Santa brought.

there's a story behind this princess castle but I can't relay the details or I might reveal Santa's true identity in future years when Audrey reads this. Suffice it to say:

It was a Christmas miracle.

Christmas Eve 2011

We've known for awhile now that at some point we wanted to stay home and have Christmas morning at our own house instead of going to our parents. This was the first year that we tried it and I have to say, we had so much fun. It was so nice to be able to come up with some of our own traditions and just relax before Christmas instead of packing up to leave. All the shopping was done so we spent the few days before the 25th making cookies, watching Christmas movies and wrapping presents.

Justin thought it would be fun to have a more formal dinner on Christmas Eve and I loved the idea. We told Audrey we were going to have a dinner party and that we would dress up fancy and she asked if she could wear her Belle dress. We told her she could.

I whipped up some creme brulee for dessert and it was so yummy-

we decided that will be another tradition.

After dinner we cleaned up and watched the First Presidency's Christmas message.

In it they showed a short movie about Christ's birth and Audrey was fascinated. She asked to watch it two more times.

Then we left out our cookies for Santa and went to bed.

we're ready

we're counting down days on the homemade advent calendar

we're attending Christmas parties

we're playing angels in Christmas pageants

we're wearing very cute hats and wreaking havoc at kinkos

we're turning this:

into that:

(and delivering it to friends!)

we're taking breaks during shopping to enjoy an eggnog steamer

we're driving coin-operated trucks at the mall

and whispering a few last minute secrets to Santa

4 more days!!

We can't wait.

my husband is a good sport

he always goes along with his wife's silly requests for Christmas card photos

but he can only put up with it for so long.

Temple Square

While we're living on this side of the state I want to make sure that we take advantage of everything here. I've actually made a list of things to do in our 2 years here which includes visiting Jackson Hole, Yellowstone, and even Bear World. On that list was also- "Christmas- lights at Temple Square". We marked that one off last Friday with a quick trip to Salt Lake.

Audrey was enthralled and even David kept pointing and making noises as we walked around.

The weather was perfect- not too cold and even a little snow.

Then we went into the Joseph Smith building to see their Christmas tree.

As soon as she saw this grand room, Audrey informed us that she would be needing a princess dress so she could dance around. Unfortunately, I didn't have princess dress handy.

The next morning before we went home we took the kids to see Santa at Uncle Scott's work party. (Audrey wants a princess castle)

this picture cracks me up

It was another great trip to Salt Lake where we once again had coconut flour pancakes, gourmet cookies from our favorite little shop and...broke two of Aunt Lyric's mixing bowls.

Shattered.

Glass all over her kitchen floor.

It's becoming a tradition.

Next time we'll get a hotel.