Landon is such a good helper. He loves to feed the dog, and if he didn't remember Max might never get fed. Max just waits by his food and Landon runs over there to get him some. He also helps us pick up toys, straighten shoes, and load and unload the laundry. I love this little helper and am so glad he helps Mommy.

For Christmas Eve we had some fun things planned as a family. We were going to go to breakfast and then go and see Arthur Christmas with Kathy and Dan. Plans changed when Landon was awake all night with an ear infection, so instead of breakfast and a movie I took the two boys to the instacare and told Aaron we would meet for lunch. Things were good once Landon had his prescriptions and we headed to the restaurant. I let Ethan out of the car first. He wanted to run in and see Daddy. I went to the other side to get Landon out and just as I was finished getting him out of his seat belt I turned around and saw Josie. I was so surprised I didn't know what to say so I just stared to cry. I love my family and don't get to see them very often and to have her come and visit me and my little family for Christmas was very special. She and Aaron had planned everything and everyone was great at keeping it a secret. Kathy and Dan were so nice to pick her up from the airport and bring her up to see us.
We loved having her around. We played, ate, talked, and just had a wonderful week toghther. Thank you so much for coming to visit us Josie. I can't wait to visit you this summer.

I thought it would be fun to go to the Hogle Zoo's Zoo lights this year. I was excited because I have a membership and I thought zoo lights were included. I stood in a long line waiting to get Josie's ticket. Once I bought it we stood in another line to get into the Zoo. Josie went in first, and then we went with our pass. The lady taking tickets said that we couldn't use it for zoo lights and that we had to go back and buy tickets. I was annoyed by that point because I had to go back and wait in a really long line to buy tickets again while my family was freezing outside. An hour after we got there we finally made it into the park.

Landon and Daddy trying to stay warm.
It was really cold that night so we kept stopping at little warming stations to heat up a little.


It was so much fun having Josie with us. She always makes things so fun and exciting. We sure have missed her around.

The lights were beautiful and fun, but I don't think I will go again unless it is a warmer winter.

This year was a little crazy with the move and trying to get things ready for Christmas. Needless to say we didn't have a tree until the week before Christmas. We were going to go out and get our tree Saturday afternoon, but in the morning the guys that were putting in our fence surprised us with one. They had noticed that we didn't have one and got some for free and decided to give us one. It was very nice of them to think of us. Ethan was so excited to have the tree. I felt a little guilty not getting a tree earlier.

The boys had such a great time decorating the tree and I loved watching them.

Ok so I know that Landon's Birthday was 2 months ago, but I could not not write about it. We just had a little get together with us and my family. I made a Birthday cake, we sang, and then we opened his presents with my family.

Landon loves to blow out the flame on the lighter, but little does he know is that Aaron just takes his thumb off the igniter and the flame goes away. So when Landon was trying to blow out the candles on his cake he just kept blowing and blowing and blowing and they weren't blowing out. It was very funny and we eventually had Ethan help him blow them out.


Landon's stats at age 2.
Height: 35.5 inches 75%
Weight: 24.5lbs 10%
Head: 48.8cm 50%
We sure love our little guy. He is such a snuggle bug. As soon as you pick him up he lays his head on your shoulder. It is enough to make you melt. He also loves to have stories read to him. He copies everything his brother does and says. I love to hear the boys playing with each other and listening to them when they run around the house chasing each other. Ethan likes to say "What the Heck" (Thanks Aaron) and just the other day Landon was saying "What the heck" I would have to say it was cute and not cute at the same time. Landon is still a good sleeper he takes an afternoon nap, and then goes to bed at around 7:30. I love to put him to bed. We just rock and sing songs and he lets me tickle his back. It is one of the best times of my day because it is a time I can just spend with him and not be distracted. We sure do love that little guy and can't wait to see how much he learns and grows this next year.

Thursday night the University of Utah PA Program held their 42nd annual White Coat Ceremony.  This is held the evening before the students enter the clinical setting for the first time.  This is me in my new white coat.  It's not an attractive white coat.  It's a unisex coat, which is code for, "makes me look like a balloon," and it's very very short, because in the hierarchy of medicine, students are peons.  But, it's my white coat!  It has my name badge on it, and after my name are the initials PA-S, meaning Physician Assistant - Student.  I may not look great in it, but it means I'm one step closer to becoming a PA, and I'm ok with that.

These are the cookies Dan made for me, to surprise me after my first day in the clinic.  The note reads, "I am so happy I frosted cookies for you.  They kind of suck.  I love you."  It was such a good day in clinic that we celebrated with Rodizio and had the cookies for dessert.  That's when we noticed Dan's subliminal message...


"You suck."  


It's pretty obvious that the message was unintentional, especially because my dear Dan nearly killed himself with laughter when he found it, but it was great enough to take a picture of and document for the rest of eternity.


Just one more picture of my parents and I at the White Coat Ceremony.  I was super glad they could make it, and was glad to have the support of my three favorite people!  

This year, for our New Year's celebration, we were invited to IHOP with my brothers and their families.  We picked up my niece, Megan, and made it to IHOP at 11:30pm where the festivities were in full swing.  


My sister-in-law, Devanie, had prepared several games for us to play while we waited for our food to arrive.  We had a blast folding paper napkins into the most creative designs, competing to see who could build the tallest tower out of straws and who could build it out of sugar packets.  

Nathan Traveled over 130 Days for work, Ran a huge convention for his company, went on a family Vacation to Utah Arches National Park, Moved the house without a moving service, got a fish tank for his birthday, works his butt off for the family. And takes good care of us!

Devanie got the old house rented out the market was too hard to sell in, suffered a kidney stone passing, volunteered at the kids school for the Halloween Party and dressed up as Mrs Clause, drove the kids to school 2-3 times a day for 3 months while we were waiting to occupy our new house 10 minutes from the old. Her dear Grandma Leavitt passed away this year and the family took a trip to her funeral. Her oldest niece got married and the family got to take a trip to Idaho to be there.

Hailey has had 2 Orchestra Concerts she is playing viola and has moved on to Jr High. She has read a lot of really big books and is learning responsibility at school with 7 classes, lots of homework from each and working on getting things turned in on time. this year is a learning year for all of us. She is in TSA Technology Student Association and loves it. working with robots, and technology. her Christmas gift was a Lego Mindstorm robot. that and a comfy chair to read books in. 2 of her favorite things. she is in Young Women’s now and enjoys the girls at church a lot.

Sierra is fitting in at school well, she is fun loving and very outgoing. She loves to get a crafty idea and expand on it. She loves to go shopping for whatever project items she needs and works hard to earn money to do her own stuff. She has been a great help around the house and a wonderful babysitter for us. she made it to her school spelling bee and was top 20 in the Bee itself. she did well. Her many many hours of reading books has been paying off.

Zach is reading at the top of his class. He loves Legos. Loved having mom do his Halloween Party, Likes to play Lego computer and XBox games. He has 1/2 day kindergarten so we still get to spend a lot of time with him. He is getting a little more adventurous with foods but will gaga and puke if he really doesn’t like it or the texture. kinda silly, but that’s just how he is. He got the biggest bedroom in the new house because his train tracks and Legos take up so much room when he is playing. it’s a great space for his little mind to go on great adventures.

Aurora Stays home with Mommy, we watch TV, play birdie, puppy, Ipad games, shop, cuddle, snack, and chill together a lot. she loves little animals and loves pretending to be an animal. She is very active and loves being on the move. Her favorite place to go is Kangaroo Zoo. her second fav is chuck e cheese. kangaroo Zoo has a lot of blow up inflatable bouncy houses and big slides. she loves racing thru adventure areas like that. She is still working on reading we have a program called head sprout we try to do 2-3 lessons a week on when things aren’t crazy. with the new house her own room, lots of busy stuff with Mom reading is coming along slowly, but then again she is only 4. she is learning a lot on mommys ipad.

Dan and I have spent Christmas in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho for the past three years.  This year is no different.  We started the drive early in the morning on the 23rd.  We made a stop at my parents to wish them a Merry Christmas and to drop off their gifts.  After an hour with them, we made our way to the Salt Lake International Airport to pickup my sister-in-law's Christmas present, her sister.  After we acquired the goods we headed up to Kaysville to deliver the package.  We had lunch with my brother's family and then made our way farther North to see Dan's parents.  After a couple hours with them we set off to our final destination, Lava!

We pulled in to the Riverside Inn around 5 o'clock where I promptly fell asleep while Dan watched a little t.v.  At seven o'clock we made our way down to dinner where we were spoiled with the most amazing creamy potato soup with Prosciutto followed by Prime Rib and completed by Figgie Pudding!  Have you ever had Figgie pudding?!?  It's amazing.  We got a few tips from the chef and are excited to give it a try.  We even ordered a second round of soup to eat later that night.

Back in our room I made Dan open one of his presents so we could watch "Date Night," and enjoy our soup.  We love Date Night!  I think we're the only people who enjoy it as much as we do, but it never gets old and it's one of maybe three movies I can actually stay awake to watch.  Once the movie ended we called it a night.

This morning, Christmas, we woke up early (meaning, Dan woke up at 5:30 because he was so excited to open presents and woke me up with a cup of hot apple cider), opened presents, and then watched an episode of Jem.  It was truly outrageous!  Truly, truly, truly outrageous!  After Jem I took a little nap, because heaven knows I am not a morning person, while Dan watched Indiana Jones, and when I woke up it was time for breakfast!  We had a delicious breakfast (Dan had egg nog french toast and I had the traditional eggs, bacon, potatoes, and toast) and headed back to our rooms for a little more t.v. and R&R.

We love our lazy time in Lava.  Today we'll continue to laze around, maybe leave our room once or twice for food and some sightseeing.  Tomorrow we'll hit the hot spots and we're making plans to have lunch at the Bluebird Inn in Logan where my parents had their wedding dinner.