Fun Idea for Crayons

My girlfriend found this fun idea to do with all those broken crayons to make them "new" again. I read it and thought some of you might enjoy it - they make great stocking stuffers! Here's the link: http://thebellsrock.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-craftiness-project-2.html

Thanksgiving

We had a great trip up to Utah to see our Nelson family. Brighton loved being the center of everyone's attention! Thanks Mom & Dad for taking care of her in the morning so that we could sleep in!


"Hold on, I got a booger."

The Family
My sister Shauna & I

Aunt Shauna & Brighton

Brighton loves reading with Great-Grandma

Like my new 'do?

Giving Hailey good-bye kisses

We were able to catch up with our friends Shahn Rashid, Dan & Emily Hilton & their daughter Hailey.

Even Hailey got in on the Guitar Hero action

Emily & Shahn

Dan & Tom

Hailey & Brighton playing

Why fall asleep on your own when you can watch old movies with Grandpa and fall asleep on him?

Playing cards with Aunt Jen

Brighton would hold her hand out to Ari and squeal when Ari would like her hand

Playing at Great-Grandmas

My friend from home Mary took our family pictures - she did an amazing job!

My Full Life (according to whoever created this list)

I stole this from Talyn's site and thought it'd be fun to see how much I've done. I italicized the ones I've done. 52 - not bad. There's a lot of stuff in Italy on this list, so ask me again in 6 months! Side note: Holy cow, I'm moving across the ocean in a little over 3 months and I feel like I should be doing so many things but instead am busy doing holiday things. Fun times ahead!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (But only if DisneyWORLD counts)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch - digital scrapbooking
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning - sadly enough, this was my own fault
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23.Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon - I know, shocking!! It was by force though when I was in high school
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice - 6 months
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person - 6 months
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David - 6 months
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight - with Brighton screaming - not so romantic

46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted - you know, if you count that one time at the carnival
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person - 6 months
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie - c'mon, we were all stars in those FHE flicks!
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican - ask me again in 6 months!!
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Past few weeks

We've been pretty busy around here, what with all the partying and the visitors and the sightseeing, busy busy busy. Tom's Mom & Grandma came down to celebrate Brighton's first birthday and while they were here we went to the Desert Botanical Garden. Brighton didn't care too much about the cacti, she just wanted to walk around and push her own stroller.We also took them to the base so they could see the F-16 up close. Today we spent the afternoon outside, trying to get in as much sun as possible before we head to Utah on Tuesday.

"Don't hold my hand, I can walk all by myself!"

We spent the afternoon riding on our little car. Tom & I both have backaches now! Seriously, that design is flawed! There should be an extendable handle that pulls out for adults to push!

Opening our fun presents from Aunt Kristi! Thank you thank you!

Modeling my birthday bows from Aunt TJ - aren't they so cute?

We had our friends the Godowns over and Brighton could not get enough of those boys!! She laughed at absolutely everything that Owen & Drake did!

F-16

Daddy's jet

Great-Grandma Brighton & Grandma at the Desert Botanical Garden

Me & my princess robe

CUSTOM CHRISTMAS CARDS

Hey guys. We're halfway through November which means it's time to order Christmas cards. (Already? I know, I know, time is flying by!) With everything else going on, allow me to make it that much easier for you! I've designed some Christmas cards over at my site scdcreations.blogspot.com and would love to help you check one more thing off your list.

Happy Birthday Brighton

Holy cow, my daughter just turned one! My hips, butt, belly and pre-pregnancy clothes can't believe that a whole year has already passed! Oops, better start working harder to get that baby weight off! I really can't believe that it's been a year since Brighton came into our lives (I know, cliche) but seriously, where has the time gone? And what's even crazier is knowing that before she turns to 2 we'll be living in yet another new house, be in another new ward, oh, and be living in freakin Italy! Brighton has been such a blessing and has been such an easy girl to raise. She's totally abandoned crawling and walks everywhere now! She still loves her baths but will occasionally get clean real fast and then be ready to get out. She's totally over baby food and only wants whatever we're eating, even though she still has NO teeth. She's happy to spend 10 minutes gumming the bite till it's happy baby mush consistency. I'm not sure who we could ever love her more, she is definitely the center of our world and we love her!

Grandma Nelson & Great Grandma came down for my birthday B sleeps with a ducky and plays with duckys in the tub, so she was a ducky for Halloween and we made her a ducky birthday cake.

Happy what? She was a little confused why everyone was looking at her and singing.

Someone clean me up!

Thank you Grandma Nelson for my new farm toy!

Thank you Grandma Kennedy for my Care Bears coloring book!

Daddy modeling one of her lovely presents from Great Grandma Cramer

Getting sung happy birthday by Aunt Krystal

Me & my girl after church but pre-party

Awesome Hair

This is what happens when you have bananas for breakfast, mash it in your hair, and then get laid down for a nap without getting your hair washed.

The past couple weeks

It's not like I haven't blogged in the last couple weeks, but I haven't really blogged about things we've actually done. So here are some snipits from the past couple weeks.

Oh where oh where is my mommy with my food? After the pumpkin patch we went to Cafe Rio.

Sporting TJ's shades

She grabbed Brennan's hat and put it on and off.

She's looking pretty tough, especially with that paci in her mouth.

Following the big kids in the hay mazeIt doesn't look like it, but she had tons of fun in the maze!

All the preschoolers and Brighton. I tried to get her to stand with Brennan, but as soon as I started to walk away, she followed me.

Sarah & Brighton with their pumpkins. This is seconds before B decided to see what happens when you roll the pumpkin over the edge of the hay.

B & Mack in the pumpkin patch.

The babies discussing stroller models.

We owe the inspiration for this year's costumes all to Wes & Becca Choate, our friends from Arkansas. Being from Arkansas, they have first hand knowledge of all things White Trash. A couple years ago they dressed up as White Trash for a Halloween party and were even more disgusting than we were!

I'm a lucky woman.

This was Brighton's first meal where she got to feed herself all on her own. IT was quickly followed by her first midday bath.

We tried to convince Brighton to be a ducky for Halloween - she said she wouldn't be caught dead in such a ridiculous hat!

Tina & I after their Halloween party. I had a Crud tournament that night and so Tom & I arrived late. We had our costumes in the car to change into, but after 3 games straight of Crud, I wasn't really in the mood to change into a costume. Don't worry, Tom wasn't too upset about not having to put a costume on.

After the games there was some Rock Band playing. TJ rocked it out on the drums!