and a few last favorites

building a gingerbread house with the Bishops Aunt Bobbie giving haircuts Brian being well, Brian

Meli and Lance sledding Natalie and Lydia

It was a long and busy trip, but we had such a great time. We got to see so much family, do so many fun things, and made so many great memories.

and still more cousins

That's it. We have to move back. We have way to much fun with these guys.

And oh my gosh, this guy's adorable.

Brian, Bobbie, and little Finn were up from AZ, so we got to see them too.

Grandma was also around for all of this, but she craftily managed to avoid being in any of my pictures.

Burch cousins

What's a few more hours in the car when you've come as far as we have? And it was so worth the extra drive to Idaho to visit our Burch cousins. Seriously, so much fun. We could have stayed forever.

the special day

Such a great kid.

Such a great baptism.

So great to have family here with us.

So proud of him.

grandma comes to visit

cousins

At the end of July, the kids and I left Texas, Matt, the movers and the new house behind and headed for Idaho and Utah to get out of the craziness for a few days. It was so nice to let Matt handle the moving stuff and relax in the non-humid weather with so much of our family. Despite Lydia throwing up the entire drive back from Twin Falls to Sandy, we had a fantastic time. The kids couldn't get enough of their cousins. I so wish we didn't live so far away.

To make it even better, we had a couple days with the Glauser family as well, as we all met up for Jeremy's and Natalie's wedding on August 1st. Matt flew in that morning for the blessed event (it'll get its own post).

Idaho cousins Utah cousins

Summertime

Our one (and probably only) July post: a photo recap of our California Vacation and our Lehnhof Family Reunion.

California was so fun, sunny, cool in the evenings, and full of family time. We're back now to the apparently record breaking Texas HEAT and HUMIDITY. Throw that in with the hurricane last year and we might just find ourselves a little summer home in Alaska from here on out.

I was a little concerned we'd run out of things to do and drive each other crazy all summer, but we're finding our days filling up way too fast. Between gymnastics, baseball, music lessons, awesome community swimming pools, and buying a new house, I celebrate days like today when I don't have to go out at all.

Happy Summer to one and all.

California Weekend

I spent the weekend in Redlands for the wedding of my adorable friend, Cara. Cara stayed with us in Brazil for several weeks last year, at which point this little romance began via Facebook. It was fun to be there to witness the union I predicted 12 months ago. The wedding was beautiful. It turned into quite the girls' weekend with a sister, sister-in-law, and a neice all meeting up at my Mom's for the blessed event. Somewhere between all the wedding activities, we managed to fit in a visit to our favorite nail salon, eating at Cuca's and In-N-Out, and shopping way more than any of us probably should have. It was fantastic! Next time Erin and Bobbie have to join us.

mom, Kerri, Jenny, Sadie, me

It really was such a nice weekend to get away, even though I'm pretty sure I got less sleep than I have in a long time. I'm having a hard time getting back into life as usual. I fell asleep during my Pilates routine this morning in the middle of my living room floor.

ice skating with Grandma

To our good forture, we were in the middle of a cold front on this particular weekend in early December, so it really was cold enough to pretend like we were somewhere they don't have to make their own ice.

Darn photobucket...here's a glimpse of the fun minus the slideshow.

and then she was gone

Thanksgiving feasting

Black Friday shopping

Christmas tree trimming

chocolate fondue-ing

sewing and sewing

caramel corn making

The thought did cross my mind to get on southwest.com early Thursday morning and cancel her flight so she couldn't leave.

But we have to share, so we let Grandma go to continue gallivanting around the country bringing happiness and joy to adoring children.... she's sort of like our family's Santa Claus.

Until it's our turn again...

projecting

I can't blog right now.

Mom's here, and we're projecting.

Not pro-JECT-ing, PROJECT-ing.

I've had lots of projects to finish since we moved in that are just a lot more fun to do with someone else (especially when that someone else is an accomplished seamstress). Right now we're finishing curtains. I ran out of steam on the curtains about 3 months ago.

So, until I have more time to blog about all the fun and joy that comes with December and with Grandma being here, I'll just show off my irresistible Liddy, in her new Christmas dress (courtesy of Grandma, of course).