October November December

Have gone by in a blur!

Here goes a marathon catch up...

October started with a trip to California to see my mom, bless Gabe, and attend my 2nd cousin's wedding in Laguna. It was a GREAT trip, included the beach...

the Blessing...

My dad, grandma, and great grandma

my wonderful siblings...

The blesser

Tyler & my dad

Gabe's admirers

The wedding & reception in Laguna were exquisite. Good to see family and the ceremony was beautiful - on the roof a hotel right on the beach with a couple SO in love it brought tears to our eyes.

And the reception was hilarious.  Here's my 96yr old Great-Grandma on the dancefloor - YES!

 sexy cousin Samantha

Tyler got me out there for some psycho swing dancing - so fun

And Monday morning -  to Disneyland!

We rocked the park from 10am-10pm and he was easy-peezy all day. Thanks Mom & Ken for another fabulous trip to Disneyland :)

The following weekend we went to the carnival across from The District. 

Ruthie Ruthie Ruthie.

and Live Music at the District with my Dad

 breakdancing

Sloan playing football with dental school friends

Pumpkin Patch with the kids from our ward

Shopping with my boys

 HALLOWEEN

 Aja sent an awesome chicken costume for Ruthie to wear, and I got the tights & accessories all ready for her, and of course she wanted to be a fairy-princess-whatever you can find in the dress-ups girl instead (which is ok. she looked dang cute)

 We knocked on a couple dozen doors, but she mostly just wanted to hand out candy

NOVEMBER

 Gabester getting bigger. And Smilier.

Tyler started working for my dad mid-November and lived with us for a couple months - I loved having him live with me. My mom came to town & we all went bowling.

 Ruthie would send her ball off with all her muscle, and it would take about 3 minutes to get to the end. Once and a while it actually hit pins.

For Thanksgiving, we went down to Arizona to meet Tyler's daughter, see my Aunt JoRita in Scottsdale and the Fegert family in Tucson. 

Thanksgiving dinner in Tucson

 Meme, Riley, Tyler

Hiking in Scottsdale

Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa with the Nielsens

And finally getting to meet my sweet niece Riley - she and Gabe were instant buddies (when she wasn't trying to eat him!)

Back to Vegas... Sloan's dad & sister Lindsay came to sing in the Messiah at Ham Hall. We met up for lunch at Town Square...

He's funny in hats. They're always too small.  Always.

DECEMBER

Tyler dressed up for a Mafia dinner & Gabe loving every minute with him.

This was right before Gabe puked all over my keyboard

Storytime at Town Square with Ruthie's BF Emery

 carrying on the family tradition

 Visiting Santa

Sloan survived finals and we hit the road for California immediately after. We stayed with my mom & Ken for a week, and although it rained every single day, we had a delightful stay. Sloan got some much needed sleep.  And we made candy houses, went shopping, almost bought a dog, etc.

Gabe's first flight (I flew, Sloan & Ruthie drove, saved us all from 4 hours of baby crying)

 Opened presents Saturday morning

 Mom loves watching us opening presents - gets so excited about forgetting what she got for us :)

Gabe's lower lip pre-cry. Melts our hearts.

popcorn party!

Annual candy houses. Like my almonds??

Hanging out, playing Beetles songs

 Ruthie's a great big sister.

The ride home - all of us together. In traffic. for 6 hours. Gabe crying for 4 of it.

 But we made it, just in time for...

Christmas Eve & Christmas in Vegas

 We had Christmas Eve at my dad's. The highlights were driving around to look at lights and a hilarious ping-pong match. Christmas morning was just Sloan & me & the kids for a few hours. We read the Christmas story, had breakfast, and started the present-fest. Then my dad & Roxanne came by with more presents. Then we spent an hour or two cleaning & packing & off to Utah!

 Caroling

 Gabe finding his fingers - they fascinate him!

 Sloan with his brothers & mom

Lots of quality time with dadddy

 And, finally, me getting my kicks!  I LOVED this - the streets were perfectly covered in snow and Sloan pulled me for about an hour around the tree streets in Provo.

Felt like I was 14 again :)