...And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care

I had so much fun designing Christmas stockings for our family this year! Sherri helped me make them over Thanksgiving break, and they turned out so cute. I wanted them to kind of have a retro theme, yet each have a little bit of our individual personalities. Here they are!

 All of the stockings are lined with the coordinating striped fabric of the toe on the inside

I love how huge they are! You can stuff DVDs, Books, all kinds of cool stuff in there!

I alternated them so they will hang green ,red, green, etc on the fireplace. I am already excited for when I get to make the next stocking! haha. (and no, it won't be coming anytime soon!)



8 months

Gotta get up to date!




Do babies get any cuter? NO!!



Here's what my little man has been up to:

• 21 pounds 1/2 an ounce, 28 in long
• Army crawling, pivoting, rolling, scootching, basically working his way to wherever he wants to go (which is EVERYWHERE)

• Can sit unassisted now, but still can't push himself up to sitting on his own

• Says Da da, Dad, Ba ba ba, and just barely starting to say Ma. I think he is figuring out the meaning behind Da and Ma too!
• Feeds himself finger foods and LOVES it. He eats Yogurt Melts, Baby Mum Mum crackers, Gerber Puffs, Maple Crunchies, and Apple Wheels. His favorite are the Yogurt drops I think. Keeps himself entertained for half hours at a time doing it!
• Up to eating solid foods 2-3 times a day with snacks in between
• Loves to sit on Dad's shoulders and pull his hair like reins. haha



"Giddyup Dad!"

• Still has this one wake up at 5:30 everyday where he needs a couple sips of his bottle to get back to sleep. We're working on that. haha
• Investigates everything, especially Electronic things that Mom and Dad love i.e. Cell phones, remotes, laptop, xbox controller, camera, keys, and things that are "off limits" - cable cords, battery cord to computer, air vents, plastic bags, wrappers, price tags, etc etc etc

This is his "inspection face" We see this one a lot. LOL



just getting a little gaming on

• Also has an obsession with this mini tape measurer
• Officially has become a good little car rider! wahoo!
• Wearing 12 mo Clothes
• Has decided sleeping in bed with Mom and Dad is the only way to go
• Still obsessed with his morning TV shows. We're talking addict

• Can't wait for Christmas in a matter of days! (okay, so maybe thats me excited to give him all his presents!)

Gobble Gobble Gobble

Since we're only 10 days away from Christmas, I figure I better get my Thanksgiving post in! We have been so busy this past month with Emmett growing and changing every single day. We've also been decorating, Christmas shopping, mailing out our cards (comment with your address if you haven't got one!!), and just enjoying the season in general! It is SUCH a wonderful time of year. It really is magical - beautiful, peaceful, and everybody really is nicer to each other and more charitable. I love it.

...For Thanksgiving we got to journey back up to Rexburg and visit the Ericksons. We had such a fun weekend! The drive was a little bit scary and had me clenching my fists in stress, but we traveled safely thank goodness! As always, Emmett was the star of the day in his cute little Thanksgiving outfit Grandma Roe sent him.

Love that little Turkey butt!

Hanging out with Grandpa Erickson

Jareds sister Emily has a baby (Julia) that is Emmett's exact age (they were due very same day) so it's always fun to get those two together. 

Grandma Erickson with Julia and Emmett

Giving each other the close-up inspection. They were quite fascinated with each other.

We had a delicious dinner, played games, enjoyed each others company, did some Black Friday shopping, and Sherri helped me make Jared, Emmett, and I's Christmas stockings! They are SOO cute that they deserve their own post! So that will be coming.

Notice Emmett (bottom left) joined us for dinner in his bumbo. He doesn't do well with being left out. haha

We ventured out into the snow and fed (or should I say got attacked?) the ducks/wild geese. Emmett wasn't quite sure what to think. One of the little psychos even bit my finger in its frantic fight for the bread crumb. haha.

This time of the year really makes you count all of the wonderful blessings in your life. I am so grateful to have Emmett, who I love more than anything in the world, an incredible husband, and the most amazing family I could ever ask for. I am grateful for the gospel, and the Savior's presence in my life each and every single day.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well!

Wednesday Confessional

#8 - I really, really wish my body would just return to it's pre-pregnancy form [without so much work]

This is all I have to say about it.

Dear Former Physique,

Where have you gone? I was hoping for a sooner return, but alas, you are taking a longer vacation than I thought. I miss our old days at the gym enduring grueling workouts, our shoppings trips [where you looked so great in most everything you tried on], and your ability to eat a few treats now and then without sacrificing too much. 
Your temporary replacement is not living up to expectations. It is fickle, deciding to randomly just add back on the 5 pounds that I worked so hard to lose. I have been eating healthy [besides the occassional treat too good to pass up], working out [so my schedule might be a little erratic the past couple months], and still it refuses to accept the memo. It will not surrender. I find my myself catching a sideways glance of my body in the mirror occassionally, stomach relaxed, and am caught off guard at the pooch I thought I had taken care of! I don't want to look pregnant anymore! Even though the replacement may fit in your old clothes, it doesn't come CLOSE to looking as good in them as you did. It is a foreign body being shoved into them, and they were stretched and worn to a different shape.
Will you ever return? Will your nice flat abs ever decide they want to come home again? I would throw them quite the welcome party! Please let me know of your decision asap. And  whatever you do...don't say no.

Thanks,
Me

Do any of you Moms out there ever feel like this still??

Say Cheese!

We finally had our FIRST family pictures taken a couple weekends ago! It was also Emmett's first professional pictures. We got some really great ones, I am so happy it was worth all that hard work!

This is my favorite (LOVE the little mans smile! He looks so grown up! haha)

Here's a few more shots with the dark background

And an outfit change...

A few shots of my chub a' lub



and last, but certainly not least...

Family Photo Shoot = SUCCESS!  :-)