The rest...

of December. Here is a run down of how we spent the remainder of the Holiday season...

Christmas Sunday Best

C-ya Later...

Maycee finally said so long to her beloved binki(s). We attached all the binkis to some balloons and sent them off to the binki fairies. (they barely cleared the trees and house across the street...but eventually caught some wind and were long gone!)

When she came back inside the fairies had left her a surprise. A singing and dancing cheerleader penguin (courtesy of KC's work party).

Anderson Family party

KC's parents got the kids their very own Christmas trees and got out a bunch of old ornaments from his grandma and let the kids decorate their trees. Maycee loved having her very own pink tree in her room.

So proud of her work!

Child Family Christmas

These two always seem to find trouble lately...

She's a bit top-heavy...
We love you Uncle Joey!
Grandaddy and Grandma - truly amazing! 103 and 91 yrs old and still going strong!

Then there was Christmas Eve and Christmas day...but they get their own post.

Holiday lights

For family night we headed down to Thanksgiving Point to check out the Christmas lights display. We figured we could fulfill the tradition of seeing the lights without freezing our butts off. Maycee thoroughly enjoyed herself (as you will notice)...however, KC and I were not super impressed. Guess its back to the cold that is the Temple Square lights next year...

She made sure to tell us what each of the light displays were...and had some pretty interesting commentary on some of them. I think she was most excited that she got to sit on the console between mom and dad and not in her car seat. (Please don't report us)

Peace out Santa!
Maycee was a little scared of this last one...ok, maybe slightly terrified.

Randomness...

Just a few pictures from the last little bit I want to include on here...

And that my friends is how you roll over...Learning to roll from her back to her stomach 11/30/10

I can sit on my own! 12/4/10

We love our pretty dresses...thanks Aunt Cari and Uncle Jacob!

Oh...and we love each other!
**This was followed by numerous princess twirls around the room**

Little Getaway

The weekend after Thanksgiving we have a tradition of taking a little "stay-cation". It's really nice to kind of get away and let Maycee swim and stay at a hotel. This year we headed down to the Little America and stayed in the exact room where we stayed the night we got married...kinda silly! The Grand America had a little Holiday party that Friday night...really fun for the kids and a great way to start the Holiday season.

Layla's first swimming experience...Maycee loves the pool!!

The Grizzles Bear greeted everyone in the teddy bear suite...Sophia was not a fan.

Love to watch these two discover things together...

Thanks for the cookie decorating help Aunt Cari...tasted as great as it looked!

I waited in the line for a long time (maybe 45 min) so Maycee could see Santa and Mrs. Clause. Uncle Jacob spent the last little bit giving her a pep talk so she would be ok sitting on Santa's lap and talking to him. As you can see it was a SUCCESS!! Hopefully the Santa encounters in the future will go just as good!

We're all together again

This year for Thanksgiving everyone was in town from Sally's family including her oldest brother Jacob and his wife Cari who were in from Seattle. It was so great to be together again with everyone. For Thanksgiving dinner it was just our family (and one visitor) and there was still 20 people!! We had a fun day and ate way too much yummy food. It was so great to be with everyone!

The grub

He finished it all...and more!

This is everyone!

These three are hidden in the picture above...didn't want to leave them out.

Trying to see if Layla can stand on her own....

Sophia and Maycee...these two love a good show.

The ladies...Sally, Annette, Cari and Emily

The girls always have a great time when Uncle Jacob and Aunt Cari are in town! They are so fun to play with and always give the girls so much extra attention.

We love Aunt Cari!!

Love you Uncle Jacob!!
Looks like the turkey got to these two...

There's a first time for everything...

Layla's very first experience with rice cereal. (4.5 months)
Love these little girls!!!

That's OLD!!

My dad turned 60...so old!! We planned a small surprise party for him and he had NO idea. It was a little hard to get him there -this man will not miss a Utah game. Blake had to lie about Sophia getting injured...but it worked.

The birthday boy being surprised...

The spread

My dad with two of his siblings
Walt-Steve-Jan

Cute grandpa Steve...he is such a serious old man, but so funny a cute! Love him!!

My dad has done a lot in his 60 years of life. In the last few months/years I have learned so much more about him and it's been awesome. I'm grateful for the man that he is and the lessons he has taught me from lis life experiences. I'm so glad my girls have had the chance to get to know their Grandpa Steve...We love you Steve-o!!

Notredame :( :(

We were among the many that made the trip to the mid-west to watch the Utes take on the Fighting Irish. It didn't end with the most desired outcome...but we had a fun trip anyway.

Layla's first plane ride. Can hardly believe it took four months to get this little girl on a plane. I think Maycee had been on five or six flights by this time...

Maycee was done sitting and being so still...she jumped on the bed the second we got in the room and didn't stop for at least 20 min.

We spent Friday touring the great city of Chicago. Along with a bunch of other Utah fans...

That night we headed to Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co.
If you're ever in Chicago...go!! The grinders are huge and the pizza pot pie is unbelievable! I saw this place on the Travel Channel and it took a bit to get there and the wait was long, (both which I got major grief for)but SO worth it! Totally owned by the mob...which makes it that much better.

The pizza pot pie...AMAZING!!!

LOVE all of these pictures! On the subway headed back to the hotel...I think they were both in a great mood cuz they had full bellies.

Took this as I rushed into the stadium...we got there a little late and I had to run in to catch kick-off. Luckily we had been to campus before so I wasn't that sad.

My brother-Austin and I.

My dad and his friend Drew.

A shot of the action...as embarrassing as it was.

Thanks for watching the girls KC so I could sit in the rain and watch the Utes destroy themselves.