when Evie goes to sleep...

I try so hard to get motivated to clean things or do some sort of crafting project that is productive, but 9 times out of 10 I end up...

• curling up on my bed and reading a book
• taking a nap
• watching a movie
• eating some snacks
• blogging
• spending way too much time on pinterest
• chatting to Kasie on facebook

My life could be so much better if I took advantage of her nap times, but what can I say, I must be a masochist. And, my baby just woke up! :)

Deck the halls

Our little village

 Awesome Christmas calendar from Melissa and our Christmas tree

We're ready for Christmas! 'Tis the Season!

turkey anyone?

While I was flying home from Utah on Tuesday, I asked Dan to go to the store and get us a turkey before they were all gone. Apparently I should have been specific about the turkey because Dan came home with a 21lb frozen turkey. What the what? Needless to say, I spent all day thawing that sucker out in the sink. Every 30 minutes I would replace the water and turn it over. This year we were going it alone for Thanksgiving, but we wanted some turkey anyways so I cooked it! For the first time ever! And, you know what? It was delicious. We had some friends over and they helped eat some of that enormous bird, as well as supplied the potatoes and sweet potatoes, but there is still a whole half left. Anyone want any? Happy Thanksgiving!

Utah

playing the piano with grandpa

Evelyn and Jori. Doesn't this picture just melt your heart?

cheese!

Evelyn meets Evie. Second cousins??

I tried and tried to get a picture with both of them smiling. This is what I got

too cute.

 Evie: "I want that." Yoink. Evleyn: "okay..." haha

such cute girls!

Evelyn with great grandma Bennett

2 teeth!

Okay. So, on the Christensen side of the family we had three girls born within 12 weeks of eachother

AND THEN, another little girl was born on the 18th

which makes a whopping 4 girls this year!

left to right: Miriam, Evelyn, and Jori

not pictured: Elena June-- she was still in the hospital

cousins!

with great grandma Nelson

with great grandma Butler

Evelyn LOVED the puppies. She giggled every time she saw them. Jori liked them, I think. She was mostly along for the ride.

And that was my trip to Utah. I got to see a lot of family and had a lot of fun. I'm sorry if I didn't see you while I was there, but trying to see my whole family in one week is hard enough, let alone all the people I would love to see and spend time with. This trip was mostly just so the Christensens could meet Evelyn because none of them had yet, and I think they all fell in love with her. How could you not? Hopefully we will be back really soon, so if I didn't catch you on this go around, hopefully I will next time. xoxo

veterans day

 Because of Veterans Day, Dan got Friday off and we headed to North Carolina to go to the temple. It was great! We haven't been able to make it to the temple since before Evie was born because it was a 3 hour drive and my poor pregnant self just couldn't do it, and then we had Evie and that same 3 hour drive seemed even more impossible. But, we made it to Raleigh on Friday night and I went and did a session that night while Dan and Evie hung out in the hotel room watching soccer, and then Dan did a session Saturday morning. It was great to be able to go, but we both like it a lot better when we can go together. Maybe we can find a couple to go with from now on and trade off babysitting.

Our Bishop asked all the military members in the ward to wear their uniforms to church today and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take pictures. Doesn't he look great?

 

Handsome

now and then

 My sister-in-law asked for some family pictures of us, and as I was going through all of my pictures I marveled at how different everything is now as compared to then. I cannot believe how big my Evie Lou is! How did that happen? Her car seat used to swallow her because she was so small and now the seat belt is moved up to the highest setting. I just can't believe it. I am loving this stage in her life, with all the smiling and giggling, but at the same time I miss the newborn phase when she could barely stay awake and cuddled with me all day long. The only time I get cuddles now is right before and right after naps, not that I am complaining. I love that I have a super curious and intelligent baby and I love that she wants to try new things and explore her world, but at the same time, can't she just stay little forever? I know I'm not the only one who feels this way about their baby. I am certainly not AT ALL ready for another baby right now, but it is kind of sad how fast they grow up.

Those are my thoughts. Enjoy the pictures.

p.s. I am not sad at all to be over the colic baby phase. That was torture. In saying that, I just want to give a shout out to my amazing sister-in-law, Ariel.  Hang in there. I know it seems like it will never end, but it will eventually. Hopefully sooner rather than later. Love you!

seven months

My little girl is seven months old today. What!? How did that happen? Let me tell you about her.

She rolls back and forth all over the living room floor

She is one determined little girl. When she sees something she wants, she figures out a way to get there

She is almost crawling! Yikes. 

Her first little tooth is finally peeking through like a tiny dagger

She sits up all by herself

She'll giggle if I laugh

She smiles all the time and has become quite the ham in front of the camera

Because of her teething pain, she doesn't want anyone but mom lately

She is pretty tall for her age already

She just keeps getting cuter