Our Holiday Season...

Celebrating the birth of Christ is what Christmas is really all about. And this season was great for us. Here's some highlights...

#5 Visiting Santa

Better luck next year? Hopefully. Roman is so easy going I honestly thought he wouldn't have a problem but he was so dang tired when we went that nothing but a sucker made him happy! We actually did get one picture (just not with my camera of course) that turned out before he screamed.

#4 Decorating the Tree

So Todd and I were decorating our real tree (yes I'm obsessed. It has to be real. Even if it dies a week before Christmas... One year I'll keep it alive.) and we notice our silly little boy trying to help us decorate. He had put some of his own decorations on the tree... A block and his Yoshi car. Todd and I both burst out laughing it was so cute. We thought he'd be more likely to take the decorations off, not put more on!! He actually did really well at leaving the tree alone all December long. Though he did eventually managed to break a bulb so the ornaments went higher up out of reach.

#3 Sledding

Christmas Eve we went sledding with my family. It was lotsa fun. We got to go down a few times with everyone before it got dark. Todd spent most his time helping Chelsea and Gentry try out our snowboards. Cody did pretty good too. I mostly took pictures but did get back on the horse aka my snowboard for the first time since my excruciating first attempt that had me out of work for 3 months. Thanks Chels for the sledding idea and thanks Mom and Cody for hanging out in the car most the time to keep Drew and Rome warm. Oh and Dad you freakin' rock!! It made me laugh so much seeing you speed down the hill over and over.

#2 Opening Presents on Romes 1st Christmas

Roman's first Christmas was great. It was fun having him be old enough to unwrap at least some of his own presents. I think he liked the wrapping paper the most... until lightning mcqueen came along! It's a little scooter he sits on that makes fun sounds. He just hasn't quite figured out the scooting part but he does like to push it around the house. Thanks for giving it to him mom and dad.

#1 Todd having the week off!!!

Todd had 9 days off!!! He's such a hard worker, constantly working overtime that it was a much needed break for him. It was so nice spending time as a family. Rome was his little buddy the whole time just following him around, wanting to play with him. They had some good father/son bonding!

Oh and it was fun to have cute blow up decorations for a day...

Even if they were stolen from the neighbors lawn!!

Does this count?

If I just post our Christmas card here... Can you pretend you got it in the mail? You're right that's lame! Especially being late.

Sorry to all those friends and family who never got one. We love and miss you. Hope you had a wonderful holiday season!!! Next year I will be much better at actually sending them.

What is this stuff?...

It was Roman's first time in the snow. (Last winter he was way too tiny to take out.)

I think he liked it...

Only was less a fan of not being able to move all bundled up!

We made his first Roman sized snowman.

He was fascinated and couldn't take his eyes off it.
He even gave it kisses!!!

I'm sure hoping with all this snow, it at least means we'll have a white Christmas!

Cuz it just doesn't feel like Christmas without snow!!!

Here are some of my new favorite pictures of Roman. They turned out so good. Thank you Emily for taking them.

♥ ♥ ♥ And for the fun play date ♥ ♥ ♥

Isn't she amazing?! There's couple more I don't think I posted on her photography blog if you want to check it out.

The Green Duck Experiment...

I think bath time is the highlight of Romans day. (Besides when Daddy comes home)

He's got lots of fish and frogs to play play with; along with a yellow rubber ducky.

Only, we think he hates the yellow duck. He'll always put it on the side of the tub and plays with all the others.

Wondering if he was racist against yellow ducks...

Todd bought him a green one.

For a minute, we thought the green duck's fate was the same as the yellow's and it was just ducks regardless of color...

Only it was proven not to be true, because the side of the tub was the new place to play and the Green Duck got friends to play with! (I should mention the yellow duck was moved somewhere else all by itself.)

Rome did once play with a yellow duck at my parents house,
so we thought maybe he wasn't really racist...
it's just time and time again, he's proven it to be true in the tub.

I think his parents need to teach him some manners and let him know that since it's okay to play with the yellow fish, it should okay to play with the yellow duck too!

Oh my little Roman...

This sweet child came into this life with no idea of how much he'd be loved! He has love oozing from everywhere; mom, dad, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, cousins and so many others! I saw this picture of him today and got giddy inside. Even with some not so pleasant experiences in his short 10 months of life, he always has a smile on his face! I know that I do what I feel is best for him, regardless of what anyone else thinks and would do anything in this world to keep him safe. After all, what would I do if I didn't have his charming self tugging on my leg and rubbing snot on my shirt?!

While working in the salon clear until I was past my due date, I saw lots of clients who had a lot to say about motherhood. Some said it was great but lots had negative things to say about it too! Really, even through the sleep deprivation, lifestyle change, dirty diapers, and long nights in the hospital, I really don't have anything bad to say about it! How could I? I get to see things like him taking his first steps!

Some say it's annoying when people can't stop talking about their kids. Being a mom I now know why!

Children: What an incredible thing.

Get Well...

I tried my luck at cake decorating during enrichment. (Yes. I really went for once!)
& it actually turned out! My boys haven't been feeling 100% so I dedicated it to them. Roman has had a fever and sore throat and Todd broke his ankle on Saturday.

Todd hurt it helping our friends move but if you ask him, he'll usually tell you a different story of some macho way he broke it. Kinda like last time he was hurt. I think I heard him tell people it was a motorcycling accident, braving a bear, got in a fight but you should see the other guy...

He thought it might have been okay, but finally Monday, he went to the doc and sure enough, it's an avulsion fracture with some partially torn ligaments. Diagnosis resulting in: a big ol' boot for 4 weeks then they'll check again to determine whether he'll need it on for another 2-4 weeks or possibly do surgery (most likely not). He's mainly bummed about not being able to snowboard! He can't wait to get the ok from the doc. Hopefully he won't be out all season.

Check out Gentry's cake too. She made her own designs out of the fondant and it turned out so cute!

Happy Halloween!!

Todd loves to go all out on Halloween. Can you tell?

He really bad wanted Rome and him to be Shrek and Donkey

I wasn't quite on board until I found this baby Dragon/Donkey costume.

Seeing his little tail waddle back and forth when he'd crawl around was so cute!!

I didn't wanna be left out... so I decided to be Fiona.

It was definitely a fun day with some creepy experiences.

But isn't that what Halloween is all about?

1st place baby!

and no mom, not baby as in Roman. he he

We love carving pumpkins at our house. We carve them several times every year. This year a couple of them were winners!! Todd entered his in contest at work and won 1st place. He got a gift certificate to brick oven (yummy!...) and a big pumpkin full of m&m's. (also yummy) Gentry and I, also entered ours at an Orem Owls party. We were up til 2 in the morning carving them but it paid off cause Gentry won those season tickets!!! Here's a look at the pumpkins we've carved so far. Yes I've got plans to still do at least 1 more!

Todd's Stack-o-lantern. I have to say, it's the first time I've ever seen someone use a drill and screwdriver when carving pumpkins.

top pumpkin: Frankenstein

middle pumpkin: Joker

bottom pumpkin: Jason and Freddy Krueger

My Owlz pumpkin. It was a lot of work creating my pattern but Rome was a good helper.

Gentry's 2009 season tickets winning pumpkin of Hootz!

Mom's scary witch

Cody's graveyard!!
He free handed this one.

Ty and Drew's alien