December has Arrived!!!

Vienna working on her ornament

At our community center a church was having a Christmas party and offering food/snacks, ornament making, cookie decorating and pictures with Santa. It was a big hit and very busy. We made it just in time to see Santa and get a hot dog.

She did just fine with him...
We also got to see Elmo dressed as santa and considering Vienna is in love with Elmo, he was a hit...from a distance.
Our ward party was so nice and the primary kids were so cute, they did the nativity as it was narrated. Aww, I just love those kids! They also sang carols and played instruments.

So we celebrated Mike's 27th Birthday a day early and besides an ultrasound that took forever (but all looks perfect and the gender is sealed in an envelope waiting for our arrival in Washington) I made him a pecan pie, he got a fuzzy warm hoody, sunglasses from Vienna and a book he has been wanting. We also went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner and then to this very popular event called "Country Lights" It is in Kirtland at a Metropark there and OH MY!!! It really was worth every penny. It sells out every year within a few days. Crazy I know. I will try to paint a picture. A huge Farm Park in the countryside of Ohio that has acres of land, stables with tons of animals and they turn it into a winter wonderland with lights everywhere, hayrides
through lighted tunnels, past a gingerbread house and various Christmas scenes. There is Cow milking, an arena with animal shows, you can visit the stables and see all the horses, there were pigs, sheep, goats and many other neat animals, then of course there is visiting with Santa, model trains, but the main highlight is Santa's worshop where there are over 55 wooden toys to pick from. You get your own elf to help you build it and then there are decorating stations. Not to mention the decorations. AMAZING!!! So much fun and I can't wait to go again next year...hopefully with family. Here are some pics.

Vienna on a saddle, not sure if she should hold on or not.
A melted snowman
Entry way into Santa's workshop...seriously so cool!
Waiting in line to make out toy!
At the stables
Vienna with her elf, making her toy train.
Hammering and everything
Decorating her train pinkyellow as this is every color "pinkyellow" one word. Cutest thing ever!
She got to see santa again! L-u-c-k-y!!!!!!!!!!
Visiting with the Grinch and Cindy-loo Hoo while we are waiting to make her toy.

It was quite the event. We love Christmas time and can't wait to be with family in Washington!!!

Thanksgiving Week

I know this is much delayed but I still wanted to post about our Thanksgiving week. Even though Mike was technically off school, because he has boards on Dec 12th he treated it like he was in school the whole week except Thursday and Friday. Unfortunately at work on Monday I could feel a soreness in my throat. Of course Vienna woke up that morning with signs of a cough and runny nose. Tuesday was much worse for her, but mostly the same for me. Luckily she never got too much worse, but I got more sick than I honestly remember ever being. I'm pretty sure I know why...on Thursday while at our Turkey dinner with our friends the ladies were talking about when they were meeting to go shopping that night. I was surprised because normally that nonsense starts at like 2-3am. Anyway I agreed to meet with all the ladies outside of Toys R Us and wait in a line outside in the cold for 1.5 hours to get some great deals. The whole thing was madness, but it was more the experience of it all and I guess you could say my official inauguration in becoming an American. It was loads of fun and I ended up getting great deals for little Vienna, although I really had nothing in mind when I went. Once I got home and waited in the Looooooooooongest line ever, Mike and I were chatting and he was saying how lots of stores were opening at 12am. I said he could go if he wanted and then we would just take it easy on Friday. Then somehow we got this great idea to go together, so at 11:15pm I emailed our neighbor girl and asked her if she could come over and watch Vienna. She showed up in 30seconds and we were off. It was fun to be out together. It was so crazy, wow! The worst part of the whole thing is we were out until 2:30am with nothing to show for it. That's right, all the other stuff on our list were things we needed and they just don't have great sales on that stuff. We did find some things, but the lines just weren't worth it. After all that, I think that's what enabled me to get so sick. Friday was rough, and Saturday we had plans to go to the temple. I woke up really yucky on Saturday, but the weather was perfect and we had friends down there to watch Vienna so it was too perfect to pass up. I toughed it out and went. Besides asking the matron for more kleenex and having my nose drip at the veil, it could have been worse. I called in sick for church and for work on Monday and I am finally feeling better, but there are still signs of it. Man, being sick is a bummer! I guess the nice part about this was that I was able (forced) to take a break and relax. I started reading The Hunger Games and finished in 3 days. That is definitely a record for me! I am already on Catching Fire and I can't wait for the movie.

Daddy and his little lady getting ready for some yummy Thanksgiving Dinner

There was soooo much food and a great variety with everyone pitching in to make it happen!

The ladies chatting and watching the kids after dinner while the boys...

Play a game of 1/2 court ball at the other end.

Our little family (this is the first family pic in FOREVER!)


Mike BEFORE his first of 2 "TURKEY BOWL" football games
Mike AFTER
The close-up. So gross but he had a blast!
Our wonderful Columbus Temple. (The weather was absolutely amazing Thurs, Fri and Sat)
It's so nice that it is only 2.5 hours away.

I just wanted to take a minute and express some thoughts and feelings, which I don't often do on our blog. This season always gets me thinking about all the important things in life...My Savior, His teachings, Family, Friends and blessings. I know I should reflect more often, and I always plan to, but then this time of year comes again and I feel I haven't done very good throughout the year. None the less, there really is always so many blessings to count if I just take the time to do so and I know it is because I have a loving Savior who cares about me. I know that as I strive to live the principles of His gospel, trials are more endurable, my faith increases and life is simply just better. Our little family is watched over and protected in so many ways as is our family and friends who are far away from us. I just want to publically Thank my Father in Heaven and my Savior for always loving me and watching out for me.
In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.