Never Too Much Christmas!

We started our Christmas week off at a party with Dave's extended family. We ate some good food and then topped it off with a white elephant gift exchange (we made it out the best I think with 100 calorie kettle corn and a bag full of clementines) and some Christmas carols with chimes.

Christmas Eve was spent with Dave's family. Again we ate some good food. We had a live Nativity with Cora as Mary, Wellyn played Joseph and Jonas as baby Jesus...

So so cute!



Papa Claus brought Dave a lighted frisbee and me a comfy blankie

We came away with a Snuggie too!

Dave grew up sleeping under the tree on Christmas Eve so we tried it...we lasted about 3 hours before I found Dave on the couch saying he couldn't sleep so we headed to our bed

Christmas morning breakfast at my parents along is now served with matte thanks to Michael. Dave wasn't complaining...

Christmas Dinner at the Little America

The day after Christmas we had my mom's fam over at our place for a Christmas-style lunch since we are the middle point for the Loganites.

It was a great Christmas! We both scored some sweet gifts! Me some bike stuff (Lotoja here I come!) and a Cricut so I can take my crafting to the next level...I have a lot to learn! Dave some sweet bike stuff and the dvds Planet Earth and Blue Planet. We also got some great Christmas movie classics!

Merry Christmas and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Dave and I started putting up our tree and decorating our tree the day after Thanksgiving with help from some milk and cookies. Since it was our first time having our own place to decorate I accumulated things here and there and I still am looking for more each time I am out. I probably went to stores like Tai Pan, Michaels, Hobby Lobby and plenty more at least 3 times each looking for the right things for our tree and house. Here is a peek of how our house was decorated...

I am in love with this "Cowboy" Santa!

I kept finding the cutest snowmen everwhere!

Michael's Homecoming

Michael's homecoming went great! However, I didn't get much sleep the night before because I stayed up making food and then up early to finish the food. We had sort of a Cafe Rio-style with sweet pork and shredded beef for tacos and some rice and beans that are Bridget's specialty and so so yummy! There was a lot of food!! Lots of food=Dave and I eating yummy food for every meal for a week & me not having to cook on the busiest week of my life! That worked out well.

Here are some pictures from the after party...we forgot to take pictures until close to the end so these are the stragglers :) that we love, of course!

Christmas Party

All of Dave's friends are fleeing the state next year for med school or master's programs (well all but Kyle and Kenze, YAY for them!) so we decided to have a Christmas party. It turned out great! Dave mentioned after how great of relationships his friends have because they can just get together after a long time and just laugh and have just as much fun as they use to in high school. Laugh we did. It was a blast!

We played pin the carrot-nose on the snowman, which I got dq-ed from for feeling around too much. We also played Christmas songs with chimes. I think we mastered one song, no coincidence that it happened to be the shortest.

The boys

Some cheer thing they do...none of us knew really what in the heck they were doing.

He's Home!

Friday morning came fast. His plane came even faster. As I was getting ready I received a call from my mom, panicking, because Michael's plane was early! Since when are planes early these days??? Luckily we were planning on leaving early anyway but we cut it close. His flight was suppose to land at 11:25 but ended up landing about 11:05...well we left our Riverdale home at 10:40. I was trying to not freak out. I think I did a pretty good job but Dave probably would tell you otherwise. I have to tell you though, Dave did a great job getting us to the airport quickly. He dropped me off right where the road splits for the parking and the terminals. It didn't look as far as it felt to run in my uncomfortable shoes. Dave got to us just a minute after me so it was a bit pointless for me to run and look like a maniac across the airport. Oh well!

We weren't waiting more than 3 minutes before he came walking out, filming us while we were cheering and as he said, my mom screaming and going after him like a defensive linesman. Both my parents had tears in there eyes...it was cute.
I wouldn't let go of him

Elder Jones is who he left with and came home with.

This is an inside joke in the family.

Sweet soccer jerseys! We also got yummy chocolates!

We had such a great weekend with Michael. From his release to seeing 2012 as well as helping him get back into the swing of things with phones and catching him up with many other things. Michael and I have always been best friends so I am super excited for him to be home! Wahoo!

Kaitlin's 9th Birthday

While Dave was trying to recover this last weekend, I kept really busy. I worked a ton and had an obligation to Kaitlin, my little sister. I was in charge of her birthday cake for her 9th birthday. She has begged me for months to make the Dr. Suess cake that I had made for my mom's birthday. She would ask me when I was going to start it everytime I would talk to on the phone leading up to it. Luckily, Dave's family lives real close and his parents were able to help take care of him. They probably did a better job than I would have done with Sunny, his mom, being a nurse and me being clueless. I am grateful for them.

The Cake

I also made her a blanket. If you get a present from me, it's more than likely going to be homemade. I love to make things, I'm not that great at it but I think it means a whole lot more.

K, so I don't ever remember having as much personality as this little one has. She is the funniest thing! I couldn't stop laughing at her and her friends.

I can't even tell you how much I love this little one without a tear coming to my eye. Yes, I have tears coming to my eyes as I'm writing this, I am such a boob lately. She is a light in my life. I can't believe she is 9! Michael is going to be in shock when he sees her next Friday!

They went ice skating and were so adorably-cute with each other. One of the girls wasn't so good but they all stuck by her and would hold her hand. They would all hold hands and make this big chain. I caught a fall, and when one falls they all fall.

Recovering Dave

So Dave had a Septoplasty (is the correct term, but in other words septum) procedure done on Thursday. The doctor said his cartilage was shaped like an accordian. We don't know how it happened. Dave doesn't remember any major hit but it probably happened when he played football in high school.

He's been nauseated since the minute he woke up from the anesthia. From when I got to be with him in the Phase 2 recovery room we had to wait 2 more hours to even be considered to be let go due to Dave's nausea roller coaster. Poor guy has probably the weakest stomach I know. Every time we fly he has to take Dramamine to put him out so he won't be miserable the whole flight. And to think he wanted to be a pilot. After being at the hospital over 6 1/2 hours, for a procedure that took less than an hour, the nurse finally let me go get the car to go home. While I was getting the car Dave finally let go of some of what was bothering his stomach. Blood. I guess blood has a tendency to drain back into your stomach from nose surgeries and your stomach doesn't like blood. We think that is still the main cause of his nausea.

His nose is healing up fine and he can already feel a complete difference in breathing. Even with gunk still up there, he noticed a difference right off. I hope it helps in the long run. He was so miserable with the constant stuffy feeling and always having to clear his throat.

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Being a Fall baby, I am bound to have pumpkin as one of my taste buds. Well, it's true, I am living proof:) I love pumpkin right down to it's seeds! This year I have been baking up all sorts of different pumpkin recipes. I decided I wanted to try making my own pumpkin puree. It turned out to be really easy and ended up with about 16 cups with a $2 pumpkin rather than 3 1/2 cups for $2-3 a can. It took awhile but you can freeze it and pull it out whenever you want to use it!

Cut up and clean out.

Add 1 cup of water to the pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes
Should be a burnt orange color

Scoop meat away from skin

Puree using a processor or blender

Straining the extra juice to thicken the puree

Ta dah!

Plenty more pumpkin treats to come!