I'll Be Home for Christmas if only in My Dreams

With Mikes 6 weeks break from school we were able to fit in many festivities. December was filled with lights, lights and more lights. Downtown Denver puts on a parade of lights where everything is covered in lights, even the band players. We found out Elena is terrified of gigantic balloon characters- definitely no Macy's Thanksgiving parade for her. Fortunately we passified her with hot wassail we brought in our thermos Mike gave me for Christmas (He knows my obsession with hot cocoa and finding any excuse to enjoy more). Mike and I were lucky to get a taste of it!
We did trail of lights, where you walk a garden path to view lights. We tried those glasses that turn them into shapes and words, which was fun but very trippy. It was too easy to run into things if you wore them the whole time, so I had to take them on and off. Along the walk there are warming stations and Elena got to make a reindeer ornament and write Santa a letter. Mike was so cute, and wrote a letter back a couple weeks later. It really made Elena fall in love with Santa. Last but not least, we did the Zoo lights where again, you walk a path of lights. Fortunately they had ice carving and zoo animals to look at, and even more fortunate- Elena cannot get enough of lights. You would think all those lights activities would have been enough, but we even went driving to look at lights at least 3 other nights.


Mike and I decorated graham cracker gingerbread houses for one of our earliest dates before we were even engaged (Our blog picture is one from that). I think we have gotten better over time. It is kinda tradition, but one we will have to make more kid friendly. Elena did well enough and we were able to build this. Next year me may make one a head of time, Mike is already drafting the architecture plans.



Don't make fun of our little Christmas meal, it was our first Christmas home. We had been planning on going to Las Vegas for Christmas with Mikes family, which is always such a treat. Sadly the week before we felt we should not go with the possibility of having a baby. We scrambled to get our own Christmas frills. With only 3 of us though there was no reason to buy to many sweets (yes, buy not make this year). Our turkey and stuffing turned out great, thanks to Mike. He was quite the chef and I was more a sous chef. Although I was proud of the poached pears we had for dessert.

Christmas eve, we let Elena do a sleep over with us in our room. After she fell asleep we got up to put the stocking stuffers and presents out, and this is when Mike and I started having lots of fun. It got us really excited for the future when we have more kids who understand and appreciate Christmas anticipation. Heck we were so excited it took us a little while to get to bed. Elena had been so excited for Christmas, she spent at least 3 days prior talking about almost nothing but how Santa was coming with her pink sunglasses, and we were leaving him cookies. Christmas morning must have brought too much excitement because when we let her run out to look at her presents she got nervous and asked to be carried out. Once she saw her presents parents were merely an afterthought.



Fortunately all the gifts from family and friends made our Christmas even better, as we all enjoyed opening many wonderful gifts, for which we are very grateful for. I still wish we could have shared Elena's excitement with Mikes family, but I am just glad she had many reasons to be excited.


It was a very Merry Christmas. We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas too. We were hoping for a little Christmas present in the form of a baby girl, but we may just have to wait until after the New Year. We will keep you posted on when the baby comes. It doesn't seem like it can come soon enough!.

Holiday Hustle n Bustle

With Elena understanding how great treats and presents are the holiday season has been a blast this year. Halloween was lots of fun, and Elena still talks about all the candy she got and how she wants Halloween to come back. Although the newly placed Christmas tree and presents have temporarily distracted her. Elena was Minnie Mouse for Halloween, so we got to put on makeup and she has never left Natalie's makeup alone since. She got to trick-or-treat two times, at the Denver Zoo and the Ward Trunk or Treat. By the end she finally started to say trick or treat. The next two days were spent gorging on candy (with some help from Natalie). Mike detested the candy obsession, but he knew he would have to sneak it past both Elena and Natalie if he wanted to throw it away.



Mike finished the quarter at DU very successfully. His finals were the week Harry Potter came out, so we waited a couple days to go see it. While we waited we had fun with our own wizard in training. Elena now loves finding sticks to wave around while saying "stupify". We really need to teach her more spells...


We stayed in Denver for Thanksgiving, and spent the first Thanksgiving without family. We got together with some friends in the ward and had a surprisingly lovely feast. We did almost burn our first turkey, but fortunately that is only almost. The day after Thanksgiving was one of the best. We got to put up all the decorations then spent the evening in downtown Denver. We got to take the light rail, or "train" as Elena likes to call it and enjoyed free ice skating, music, lights, watched figure skaters and got a free Santa pictures. The best part is probably the fact that Elena liked Santa. She smiled for pictures and actually sat on his lap without mom and told him what she wanted for Christmas, which was pink sunglasses.

Natalie is a whale, it is crazy to see how much she has grown in the last few months. No she does not wear this shirt everyday, but it makes it easy to see her belly so that is why she has the same picture on in most of her photos.
18 weeks
27 weeks

31 weeks

I am a spiritual 2 year old

Today I sat reflecting on my parenting experiences and pondering those of our Heavenly Father. At mother group someone mentioned how it is hard for us to understand why 2 year old's will throw tantrums or get upset and cry over silly things. I have often tried to remind myself that for a little child loosing a teddy bear (etc.) really is traumatizing and that I should not trivialize their struggles. Too often when these circumstances arise "get over it" crosses my mind. Later, as I sat there trying to think of my Savior and Heavenly Parents I found my thoughts being pulled into whats for dinner, what groceries to buy, about my legs that ache and pool with blood. My temporal concerns are so completely trivial to Heavenly Father and my own eternal existence and yet I am so greatly affected by them every day. He extends understanding, strength and love at every chance He can. How do I dare withhold understanding and love to my child over her own trivial matters? That is not the only way I am a spiritual 2 year old. Elena cannot give me anything I cannot get my self. She can't even do chores. But, my life sure is a lot easier and I am a lot happier when she listens (and obeys). Honestly, is there anything I can give my Heavenly Father or Savior? No. The only thing that I can do to show appreciation for all they do for me is to be obedient. If ye love me keep my commandments. It is rather silly that as we get older we somehow think we are more productive and have more meaningful concerns and problems then children. I am sure Heavenly Father looks down and chuckles at my temporal nature. Sorry if these thoughts are abrupt. Elena woke up and I cannot keep distracting her from the computer with chocolate chips...

Awesome Autumn

Since our last blog Elena traded a bike carrier seat she got from grandma for a tricycle, which although she adores, her legs are a little too short still (Elena is still wearing some 12 and 18 month clothing!! My tiny girl). She still sits on it and sings her elmo "riding a tricycle" song.


Natalie hit the third trimester
And we've been trying to enjoy the festivities of fall. I found this candle holder for 5 dollars, and we made these cute spider webs for 1 dollar a piece. Now I will just wait for my candy corn lights to go on sale and I will feel like I actually have something to decorate for Halloween.


Mom and Elena went to a pumpkin patch, where we enjoyed the most wonderful apple cider donuts. It was like drinking apple cider, but better because you could bite into it.

Instead of a hay ride we opted for the carriage ride- it was a little cleaner. These horses are 2000 lbs each! They were ginormous. Elena got to pet the black one too.
Where did my apple cider donut go? Oh... my stomach... Just yesterday we had friends over and carved pumpkins. Yes we do know they wont make it til Halloween- but I couldn't resist. Either way we don't trust them outside by our door (sadly) so we figure it couldn't hurt if they rotted before Halloween. Our friends were smart though, they saved one for later.



And my favorite thing- I made hot cocoa mix. Unfortunately they didn't have any thing besides Hershey's regular cocoa so I am a little disappointed in the chocolatey flavor, but I had a stroke of genius while making it. I had combined everything besides the cocoa, and the thought occurred- what about french vanilla? The grocery store, like it so often does, didn't have what I wanted-Stephens French Vanilla, so I tried to make it! I just added extra french vanilla pudding mix and vwallah- you had Stephens Family French Vanilla. This doesn't even need to be made with milk to make it extra delicious. If anyone else wants to make their own cocoa maybe I will post the recipe. This week it will finally be cold enough to actually drink it too. Denver does famously have snow fall on or just around Halloween, so I guess I am just preparing.

Busy Bees

We are tired, so this is going to be a lame post. We will only be partially offended if you don't read the whole thing. Our first month here has been good. It took a week to just get organized, and get the house in order. We spent much time at the park and pool- Elena's two favorite activities. We did our first hike into the Denver side of the Rockies, and we loved it. The contrast of trees and fields was beautiful. They definitely compete with the Utah Rockies. Mike is situated for school and is starting his third week of classes. He will probably be the face of the DU public policy website. Mike can't hardly walk on campus without people crowding him and asking for his autograph. No, but seriously, he may be in some of the pictures for the DU program. Campus is very green; it reminds us of eastern schools with its architecture and landscape. The last splurge of summer was the Denver Zoo. Elena just had a ball there, and talks about Bibbi and Dolly, the elephants who we watched get a bath. All elephants are now called Bibbi and Dolly. We have a pretty cool video of tiger cubs playing. Elena did turn two, but is going on 18. All she does is play with Natalie's jewelry, makeup, and high heels. She got some sun glasses and a little purse for her birthday, and she won't go outside without her shades and purse. It was a much simpler birthday, but we had a lot of fun. We made her a boo cake from Monster's Inc, and we had some friends come over and celebrate with us. Thanks belongs to everyone who sent gifts from afar. We really appreciate it. She loved opening all of her gifts, and it made her birthday very special. The end.