Change Change Change

As promised...I vow to catch up on the last 3 months! Hope the next 3 go this fast! Way back in November of 2011 we had Thanksgiving. I worked the night before so we stayed low key. We got all dressed up to visit Ben's sister for dessert that night and then chickened out (more like tired out). But, we took a few family pictures before we ate. Hyrum & Alison on Ali's first Thanksgiving (above). Below is our entire family. Ali welcomed Thanksgiving in by getting her 1st tooth! She then proceeded to get 5 more in the next week. Fun!
I love Christmas and was so excited this year. Hyrum is at such a fun age to celebrate Christmas. Christopher Popinkins stopped by and made sure Hyrum was nice every day. We had a great Holiday celebrating with family. My mom and brother Nate came from Oregon too which was great! Oh yeah...and we sold our house and moved during Christmas too! We literally packed up the Christmas tree the day of Christmas (so sad for me). But, we were so blessed to have the time off work and family around to help us! Thank You to everyone who helped! We couldn't have done it without you!
Anyway...one tradition I normally miss out on due to work is the kids acting out the nativity scene before Christmas. We did this a few days before Christmas with Ben's sister's family. It was great! So cute to see the kids. Here they are all dressed up!

Hyrum had his 1st preschool Christmas program this year! So cute!

We had to visit Santa at our ward Christmas party and we actually got a smile out of Ali. More than I can say for Hyrum at that age!

Our Beauty!

Back tracking (someday I'll get it in order??) Hyrum helped Ben put up the Christmas tree after Thanksgiving and loved it!

Forward again....Ben holding the littlest ones at our nativity night.

Loving Grandma! So grateful to have her here for Christmas and moving!

Christmas morning! We were spoiled as usual! The highlights: a kitchen for the kids, Hyrum got a fire truck, Ali got a bitty baby from Grandma Breese (love these!), Ben got a laptop for school. It was a great Christmas-not only with the material things but being together too! Wish every day could be Christmas!

Ali's 1st Christmas!

Beautiful Christmas Morning!

We had church that afternoon. Here we are all dressed up!

Maybe I should title these before: (morning)

And after...

Lately I've been trying to be better about doing Ali's hair because it is always in her eyes so here was my first attempt at pigtails. Pretty cute!

More pigtails, Alison Boo and a Hyrum doodle bug!

Really we have been so blessed this year and already can see the blessings coming for 2012! I must admit that I'm trying to remember the blessings of this house building thing as we live in a interesting apartment and I freak out about all the decisions for the house. It will be so nice to have it done!

Ben is doing great in his first 2 weeks of school. Back in the grind! Let the next 2 years fly for that!

We have started going to our new ward and so far love it so much more! People have been so friendly and it reminds us of our beloved Virginia ward.

I think I'm all caught up! Whew!