Christmas 2011

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  I LOVE Christmas!!!  I love the traditions, the happy feelings, the music, and the good will.  This year we spent Christmas with my family which meant a lot of extended family time.

Annie's Excited

For Christmas Eve we go up to my grandparents house and eat soup.  This year, after dinner, each family member shared Larsen memories.  This was a lot of fun to hear such a variety of memories.  I am truly blessed to be a part of such a great family and am grateful to my grandmother for all of her work to bring us together so often.  

Enjoying Familytime

After we were done sharing memories, it was time to re-enact the Nativity.  Over the years, my grandmother has made quite the collection of costumes that are coveted by most of the family members.  Growing up, my cousin Alicia and I would always fight over who got to be Mary.  This year, as we were getting ready, my grandma said, "I guess we all know who is going to be Mary."  Apparently having a baby is an automatic qualifier.  Who knew?  

Playing the Picture-Telephone Game

We eventually made our way back south and spent the night at my parents'.  My mom offered to watch Leila for the night, so we dressed her in her homemade Christmas pjs and set up her crib in their bedroom.  The next morning I go upstairs and my mom says, "You're going to hate me.  She slept for 6 and a half hours last night!"  Go figure she would do that the one night Grandma has her but has only ever managed 5 and half for me on one rare occasion.

Content with Great-Grandma Larsen

Since Christmas was on a Sunday this year, we had the opportunity of going to Sacrament Meeting before opening gifts.  We went to my parents ward where my dad was the only speaker amongst lots of Christmas music.  I thoroughly enjoyed having this spiritual element to help remind of the true reason for the season.  Leila was also a hit among the members of my home ward.

Taylor, Genie, and Ashley

We returned to my parents to open our gifts, eat food, and just relax and enjoy one another's company.  Later that evening we returned to my grandparents' for Christmas Dinner.  What a great holiday!

Christmas Elf

On Christmas, my dad did a little photoshoot with my little Christmas elf on her first Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Christmastime at ACOM

My company certainly goes all out for Christmas.  Earlier this month we went to the company Christmas party at the Zermatt Resort where they had casino games, sleigh rides, a hypnotist, an acapella group, a cariacture artist, a string quartet, blanket tying, a photo booth, a live band, and prizes (which included ipads, Macbooks, ski passes, cameras, etc.).  Jason and I left Leila with my parents and had our first date night since she was born.  Even though we didn't win any prizes, we still had a great time!

A couple weekends later, my team threw their Christmas party/activity: the Red Nose Run.  For this activity, we met at the Trax station in Sandy, split into teams, rode Trax up to Temple Square in Salt Lake, and then were unleashed on the city for a scavenger hunt of sorts.  These are some of the pictures we had to take as part of the quest.

On top of the JSB

Ring Around the Rosie

Conference Center Waterfall

Jumping in front of the Reflection Pool

Despeite the awesome pictures, my team came in dead last and were rewarded with "yellow snow" candy.

For the 12 business days before Christmas, my department had a different activity every day.  We had contests, dress-up days, and lots and lots of yummy food.

My contributions to "desk" decorating day

Gingerbread Contest

The Polar Express (Winner)

Frosty the Snowman

While it is certainly tough to get up and going at 4:30 every morning and leave my sweet angel baby girl for 8 hours, I'm grateful that I work for such a good company and with wonderful people.

Ski Day

One of the many benefits my employer offers is an opportunity for employees to use their corporate Ski Utah Gold pass.  Basically, the company has two season ski passes valid many of the Utah resorts that employees can sign up to use.  I got to use them on Monday so I took my sister Jori along with me.

It is a good thing they've figured out how to manufacture snow because we sure haven't gotten much of the real stuff this year.  It was odd to be riding the ski lifts and see dirt and trees beneath us and look at all of the brown mountains surrounding us.

Yuck!

But real snow or not, the sun was shining and we were able to escape the fog and inversion hovering in the valley.  And since I got paid to ski (PTO) and got free lift tickets, I really can't complain.  I did realize just how inactive I've been lately though as my legs starting burning by early afternoon and I've been hobbling around since!

Go Jo Jo Go!

Californian Thanksgiving

This year it was our turn to spend Thanksgiving with the Ziebarths in California.  However, we also lucked out and were able to spend some of the time with my family as well since they were spending the week in Disneyland.  We drove down with Jori and Jared Tuesday and were impressed with how well Leila did in the car.  If only it would always be that way!

We dropped Jori and Jared off in Anaheim and visited with Granny D for a bit before we continued to make our way south to Oceanside where our arrival was anxiously anticipated.  Okay, so maybe it was really just Leila's arrival that was the highlight.

Grandma Z wanted her Leila time so much that she offered to stay up and take care of her all night long every night we were there.  I definitely appreciated the sleep and she seemed to appreciate the company.  Afterall, who couldn't love this face--even at 3 in the morning?

The next day was spent recuperating from our drive/lack of sleep in previous weeks and letting Leila's grandparents get to know her better.  Just before we left, she started intentionally smiling and every time she did, she'd melt everyone's hearts.  We also managed to squeeze in a family picture during one of the few times all family members were present.

One Happy Family

Thanksgiving morning we managed to get up bright and early to meet up with my family in Disneyland!  Originally we weren't going to take Leila into the park, but I'm a softie and didn't want her away from me for very long and wanted my whole family to be together, so she got her first Disney experience at just over 6 weeks.  Her very first ride was the Jungle Cruise which she slept completely though--even the "gunshots."

Waiting for The Jungle Cruise

Enjoying the Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

My first time on Splash Mountain in almsot a year!

My parents even eagerly volunteered to sit with Leila for an hour or so while Jason and I went off by ourselves to take advantage of some fastpasses.  When we met up with them later, my mom greeted us with, "Grandpa has a confession to make," in a very serious tone.  My heart plummeted thinking that he had dropped Leila or something.  Come to find out, they had just taken her to go see Santa for her first time.  Apparently she was a big hit with Santa, the photographer cast member, and nearby Duffy the Bear.

After bidding adieu to my family for the day, we made our way to Huntington Beach where we were meeting up with Jason's extended family for dinner.  Grandma and Grandpa Z could hardly contain their pride over their new little granddaughter as they showed her off to Great Grandpa Noble and all the relatives.

After we left, the rest of the evening was spent in Oceanside.  Jason even went out and did some Black Friday shopping with two of his good buddies: Jimmy and Josh.  Or at least he attempted to but ended up empty handed and with the outlook that holiday shopping was better done online.

Friday morning we were heading north once more to spend the entire day with my family which meant more Disney!  I was able to experience the new Star Tours and have to say that I was impressed.  What's even better is that it doesn't make me nauseous like the old one did.  Leila experienced Little Mermaid (twice), Winnie the Pooh, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Peter Pan.  Of course, the only one she was awake for was Pirates, but that's okay. My parents gave me an annual pass for Christmas so I'm sure we'll be making even more Disney memories over the next year!

Bonding with Auntie Annie

Not letting baby slow us down too much

Another Happy Family

On Saturday we loaded up in the car once more and went to visit Jason's grandmother and great grandmother.  We made sure to document the experience of having 5 generations together!

Jason (27), Leila (6 weeks), Helen (90), Pat (70),  Erich (50)

Unfortunately all vacations must come to an end and we drove home yesterday.  I had to go back to work at 6am this morning, but at least I have the memories (and pictures) of a great vacation to reflect on!

Grateful for Technology

With my husband being an IT guy, we are a pretty tech-saavy family.  Lately, we have been putting that know-how to good use by using Skype to have video chats with the Ziebarths.  

They mostly involve holding Leila up to the camera and laughing at all of the funny faces she makes.  I am grateful for this technology that allows us to show our daughter to her grandparents two states away in real time--and I know that appreciate it too because they get to see this beautiful girl more often!

Halloween 2011

We may have a three-week-old baby, but that didn't stop us from having fun on Halloween!  On Sunday we went to my parents for dinner and to carve pumpkins.

You can't see it, but her shirt says "Grandma's Little Pumpkin"

Granny D enjoying her little pumpkin

The pumpkin creations this year consisted of Tow Mater by Jason, Kermit the Frog by me, Mickey Mouse by Mom and Dad, and Screaming Head by Annie.  Jared also put forth a great effort to create his own Dumbledore pattern that, unfortunately, didn't quite turn out the way he wanted.

Tow Mater

Kermit the Frog

Screaming Head

Screaming Head

Mickey Mouse

My most recent sewing project was to make costumes for the three of us, and they turned out pretty good, if I say so myself!

Minnie, Mickey, and Pluto

So the next day, we made it to our ward Halloween party where we had some chili, passed out candy during the Trunk or Treat, and showed off our little bundle of joy.

Afterwards, we went and trick or treated and Granny D's house who also showed Leila off to some neighbors as they came by the house.  Jason and Annie made homemade rootbeer, and we spent the evening watching 1401--or rather watching my mom watch 1401.  She gives good reactions during scary/suspenseful movies.

Brewing his Beer--Root Bear, that is!

Happy Halloween from the Ziebarths!