Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Since I'm enjoying my week off with my family and having too much fun to blog I thought I would say a short message! We had a wonderful Christmas and I loved how much Avery enjoyed and understood everything!

Have a wonderful New Year and all the best in 2011!

Our House at Christmas

Last Christmas I did not get to enjoy Christmas in our new home. Thankfully we escaped to my parents lots which is always beautifully decorated, but last Christmas was not the greatest in our home. We were doing major renovations because Jordan has a chunk of time off, we had our kitchen in our living room all December! It was such a mess, there was no room for a tree or anything really! I had also just gone through my second (and late) miscarriage of the year, so it was not a very cherry time :(

But this Christmas has already been wonderful. Aside from being crazy busy with Primary and work, our home feel so cozy! I can just feel the warmth of Christmas when I come home, and the three of us have been watching lots of Christmas shows and just spending time together in our home!

Our tree. I had never bought Christmas decorations since we got married in December and our center pieces were Christmas balls. So I just used those. But last year on boxing day I went to Greenland garden center and re-did my tree! Such great sales, and I've been excited all year to finally decorate my tree and put it all together!

My plate wall for the holiday season. I added a couple Christmas plates! And added my "Merry Christmas" blocks with pine cones. Man I love these edges - thank you honey for you amazing craftsmanship!

Christmas center piece. Buckets from Michael's, like $1.50 each. Mine pine cones from Dollarama, and I got the plate from Pier 1 last boxing day, the plate is really cute, I was trying to think of a way to show it more, but oh well. I still think this works.

My dear friend Tara made this for me last Christmas. It found a home at our front entrance on the ledge, Avery loves looking at the characters. I also used it for Family Home Evening this past Monday for Avery to learn the real Christmas story. Thanks Tara!

Up close look at the advent calendar. We had one similar to this growing up as kids and I loved it! My mom was making one to send Blake on his mission so I joined her an made one for our family. We got the trace for the stockings on Martha Stewart's website. They were very easy, and then I found this cute ribbon at Michael's. The numbers are stickers I found at Michael's too, they obviously weren't sticky enough to just stick on the felt, so I glue gunned them on. The first thing Avery does in the morning is runs to the stocking to get her treat!

The tree with some presents under it. I have no had time to get much Christmas shopping done yet, but me and Avery did have a fun shopping date with Auntie Taren this week and got a good jump start on Christmas shopping.

pumpkins, nerds and a poodle...

That is what describes our Halloween! It was a lot of fun, I wouldn't say that I'm an over board in love with Halloween kind of person... but I also don't hate it either. I think it can be quite a fun holiday when approached in a light hearted fun manner!

Avery sure loved it, she loves dresses up and talked about pumpkins all month long! We carved a pumpkin for Family Home Evening on Monday night, she thought it was awesome! She watched Jordan and I every step of the way!

She loves pulling the pumpkins "hat" off!I think she was quite surprised when she saw the inside.

We encouraged her to pull the insides out - she did not like that! We got a big "yuck" when she tried that.

Watching me draw the face on.

We turned all the lights out and lit the pumpkin up, she loved that!

So next we had a adult Halloween party at friends house. It was a lot of fun! Everyone had such fun costumes! Jordan and I brought back the nerds! We did this costume when we were engaged for the YSA Halloween dance. Seriously, one of the funnest costume to do! Here is us being awkward weird nerds!

Me - Nerd, Cindy - Football/work out chick, Trina - 80's chick , and Ashley - 80's chick. Some what all related, and none of us knew what we were going as! I have no idea where Ashley got the acid wash jumper, so great! And Trina raided her sisters closet who still has all her old clothes!

Aaron - Dwight, Jordan - nerd, so basically 2 nerds together!

Mike and Trina - 80's couple, on man, Mike looked so creepy with sweats and mustache! And Trina reminded me of my Mom 20 years ago, all the details down to a tee!

Jeff and Jaima - Colonel Mustard and Mrs. Peacock (there whole family was along with this theme the next day at the Primary Halloween party, it was very cute!)

Terry and Nicole - Nacho Libre and the Nun (still have not seen this movie, apparently I need to rent it.)

Vern and Julie - Rocker Slash (particular one, I'm too young to know I guess...) and Julie as the I-Phone!

And the hosts! April as Angela and Aaron as Dwight!

AND THEN, Primary Carnival and Trunk or Treat. This was a busy month for me, I had our Primary presentation the weekend before and then was in charge of our tri-ward Halloween party. The other wards were a huge help, but there was like 180 kids there! Kind of craaazzzzzy,but everyone had fun!

Here is my little poodle, such great weather that this is all she needed all night, kept her plenty warm!

Avery and her best bud Zach and Horse! Doing some crafts, I love when there faces light up when they see each other!

One of the Carnival games, Fish Pond!

Me and my poodle. To say the least.... "sigh" October is over! What a month. Our house is coming along, Jordan has been doing baseboards in between studying. I'm already getting soooo excited for Christmas! After last year and this house was turned upside down with my kitchen in my living room and then vise versa. I'm just so excited to decorate this year (and last year on boxing day I bought all new decorations for my tree, verrrrry excited!) Anyways, I'll refrain from decorating for a few weeks, but I don't now if I can hold out till Dec. 1!

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!

Family Pictures 2010

We finally got our family pictures done on Thanksgiving weekend. My sister Kamry took them, she has been getting into photography this past year as a hobby, and doing a great job! She had the impossible task of getting a good picture of Avery, mostly getting her to look a the camera. But during this little photo session Avery cooperated and sort of hammed it up for the camera... what a relief! Anyways, Kamry did a great job and I'm grateful for her and the time she took to edit these! Thanks KAMRY!!!

Fun at the Farm!

On Thanksgiving Monday we went out to "Prairie Farms" which is out north of Edmonton by Bon Accord (http://www.prairiegardens.org/.) My friend from work told me about it, and it was definitely worth the drive! And the drive is only about a 1/2 hour out of Edmonton and it is a beautiful drive.

Anyways, it runs through October and what a fun thing for families to do. There is so many different things for everyone! We had a blast and decided we will do this every year.

They had this great folk band playing, they were so good! That was probably Avery's favourite thing, when they stopped in between songs she would clap and say "more!"Avery and her goofy smile :)
Painting pumpkins, another huge hit!

Picking out her pumpkin to paint, found one!

Holding a bunny in the petting zoo, so many cute bunnies!

Avery and this goat were best friends, he loved eating the leaves she fed him, and Avery did not want to go!

Pumpkins! There were pumpkins everywhere!Jordan and Avery outside the entrance

Oh the hay ride over to the little pumpkin / Halloween town they have set up.