Festivities

We've been enjoying every wonderful minute of this holiday season! 

 

We have kids, can you tell?

Diana and I went to see The Boston Ballet Nutcracker! It was my favorite rendition I've ever ever seen.

We made some fresh Christmas wreaths for our fireplace and front door...

...and saw the ginormous Christmas tree and lights at Feneuil Hall.

Lincoln begged incessantly to ride the horses.

And we met Santa!

We leave tomorrow for OHIO!!  Enjoy our home, Marc & Diana!  Feed the plants!

Hoping to Adopt

As you visit with friends and family this Christmas season, please help spread the word if you know of anyone considering giving their child to an adoption agency.  My dear and darling sister-in-law and husband are the epitome of selflessness and love, and I can think of nothing that would make me happier than to see them with a child of their own!  Please visit their adoption blog, their profile on LDS Family Services, and watch their endearing video, filmed in our city!  Help spread the word and share the love!

Marc & Diana's Adoption Blog

See Marc & Diana's profile on LDS Family Services.

Tis the Season to Get Crafty

 Need I explain this one?  I just love peg dolls.  And I reeeeeally love Nativities.

 Merry Peggy Christmas!

Update on Us

First of all, here are two darling pictures from last summer that I just saw for the first time!  Parley still has his baby curls.

Well, here's an update on us.  The kids are still cute and adorable. 

Jason is studying for the GMAT nightly, and I feel like I always have a hundred things going on.  Jason and I are loving being Primary teachers to a room full or rowdy 9 year old boys, and

we're ecstatic about another wedding in February!!

My little brother, Braden, is engaged to Lauren, also a Monson scholar, genius, returned missionary, and musical-prodigy!  They're a great match.  The wedding is in Vegas, so we're still weighing out travel options...

 Parley is still uncontrollably reckless and Lincoln is completely obsessed with floor puzzles.

 

These boys have already seen and played with all of their Christmas gifts, since they are all free review/giveaway items, but I'm hoping they've forgotten about them.  At least I know they'll love what they're getting!

They also are quite accustomed to boxes arriving nearly every day, and they're quick to make them into cars, spaceships, and go-carts.

Those little naked hams :).

Evan Day

Boy oh boy, am I sorry for the lack of blogging this month.  The giveaway business kind of explodes mid-Nov until mid-Dec, and its been absolutely nuts for the past few weeks.  Things are finally slowing down and I can't contain my excitement for Christmas vacation!  Especially to spend some more time with one of my favorite guys:

 

Today is Evan Day, as he is undergoing his 4th brain surgery to remove another brain tumor.  At this point, he has reached his life limit of radiation, but as far as I understand, there are new kinds of chemotherapy that are available since the last time he did this 4 years ago.  Evan is a pillar of optimism, and I'm sure he'll be just fine and back to his happy, humorous and wonderful self soon.  Here's to a speedy recovery and all the love in the world, Evan!

Countdown til Christmas!

Now that Thanksgiving is finally over, its Christmas time for real, and I can hardly stand it!  I'm a sucker for Christmas countdowns, thanks to Mom!  This one was really fun to put together.

Start by making 24 pockets.  I outlined them in double-sided white bias tape because it curls so nicely around curved edges.

Make a strip of fabric for the binding, and paint up twenty four buttons.  I found these blank wood buttons on eBay for cheap cheap cheap.

Sew button holes in the pockets, then lay everything out on a big quilted rectangle and sew the pockets down around the outer curve.  Add the binding and loops up top.

 We used a basic wood dowel rod: painted it white and drilled holes in the ends to run a string through.

 Then chock it full of candy and treats!

 This turned out really big--about a door's width, so hanging on the back of a door might be a great idea for saving wall space.

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Finally Thanksgiving

 Thank you to Ben (Jason's cousin) & Liz for inviting us to their house in Connecticut for Thanksgiving dinner yesterday!  As usual, Parley got carsick and threw up all over the backseat, but other than that, we had a grand time.

 This year's pie.  I've been using my recipe from my time as a TA for a BYU cooking class every year since.

Liz bought flowers and supplies and let Diana and I make arrangements for the table, and I got to try out our new gold-plated silverware for a review :)

And now, for reals guys, let's bring on Christmas.

Fiver

Happy Anniversary to us!  FIVE years ago, we huddled and shook uncontrollably for hours in the 18-degree cold for pictures.

 

I've decided there is nothing better than having your anniversary around Thanksgiving, when you can count your favorite person as one of your greatest blessings.

We're headed out of town (thanks, Diana!) for a day or two.  This will be the first time we've left the kids for more than 3 hours EVER! 

A little NYC

A few friends and I filled a mini van and spent a day in NYC! 

 We visited the 9/11 Memorial,

took the ferry to Staton Island,

then spent the rest of the day shopping! 

We hit up Canal St. and I think every one of us walked away with a knock-off designer handbag.  

I spent an hour in the fabric district, in all its wonder.  We ended the day at the "Stardust Diner"--a restaurant whose waitstaff consists of Broadway-bound aspiring singer/dancers who perform continuous showtunes throughout the night.  

SO fun, and what talent!  I totally want to come back every time we visit NY.

Fun weekend, ladies!

Thankschalking

I'm trying really hard to give Thanksgiving its fair amount of holiday attention, but this chalk print might only be up for another week or two...

My Photographer Boyfriend

Jason is a fantastic photographer and he has been a sweatheart and a half about taking all these glamour shots for the crazy reviews I do on Dandy.

We're like our own "model and photographer boyfriend" couple.  I love it.

 Ok, I took the picture above.  It took about 15 attempts of setting the timer and running up the steps to pose and balance!  It was 6am and the park policeman was chatting with me the whole time, haha.

 

 

And I think I look 30 yrs old in this picture from yesterday.  Someone at church asked if my husband has ever thought of running for office because I have the perfect 'politician's wife' hair, haha!  100% compliment!