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Seriously... it's so cool!

Perfect Portion Scale

Almost a Year Ago... Discovery Gateway

I've been going through pictures and found some cute, old ones that never made it on the blog.  Back in February 2011... I know right, we went to Discovery Gateway.  It was a real treat, because that place is EXPENSIVE, but we bought a groupon and made a day out of it.  We took Trax downtown, which is always so exciting for the kids.  They loved riding the train, and loved everything there was to do at Discovery Gateway.  I can't get over how much Sydney has changed.... dang they grow so fast!

Warm Days in January!

We've had some really nice weather this month.  I can't believe how much it has helped January- (the most dreaded, longest, coldest, depressing month of the year) go by faster and be more enjoyable.  I am most definitely a fair weather person.  I'll never forget the year Matt and I lived in Provo.  That January was the worst.  Inversion every day and freezing.  Freezing, like below 20 every day.  We didn't even have a car port, so literally every time we got in the car, even if we'd only been out of it for an hour in the middle of the day, we had to scrape... To make matters worse, my family lived in sunny, beautiful-January-weather Arizona.  31 days of miserable, freezing, depressing, yucky air weather.  We literally didn't see the sun for the whole month.  I shudder just thinking of it.

Fast forward 5 years and we've had a beautiful January.  We've had days that we've even reached 60 degrees!  We took full advantage of it and took the kids to the park with some of their new Christmas toys.  Cooper loved hitting his baseball off the tee that Grandma and Pamps gave him.  Sydney had a blast riding her scooter around.  And we all enjoyed throwin' the pig skin around.  We didn't even have to wear big winter coats.  It was glorious.

I just hope we don't pay for it with snow in June...

Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Tray?

Caught ya red handed buddy!

Christmas 2011

Christmas Eve was a fun and busy day.  We slept in after a long traveling day, being up late the night before, and having a sick Cooper throwing up during the night.  I think his poor tummy must have been upset from all the driving and snacks.  We did a few things around the house- washed sheets, wrapped a few presents, and even hit the stores to buy groceries and a few last minute gifts that had not been bought yet.  Matt and Sydney headed over to Nana's house, while I stayed home with Cooper so he could get a nap.  

Later, Cooper and I joined them at Nana's, where we had our annual Christmas Eve dinner.  This year we had soup and bread bowls and it was delicious!  We had a white elephant gift exchange, which was really fun.  Sydney opened a funny picture of Kelsey, and she loves it and wants to actually display it in our house. Sydney, Cooper, and Mason also exchanged gifts.  Mason gave them cute little quiet toys for church, that I'm sure we will all love!  We also read the Christmas story.  I love the book that Nana and Papa put together.  It includes many songs, which I think always brings the spirit and helps break up the reading.  It is such a nice tradition.  

For the past couple months, Matt and I have been working on a Christmas present for Nana that would be from all the grandkids.  When Matt was preparing his talk for Papa's funeral, we had the idea to compile a book of all our favorite memories of Papa along with pictures.  We thought it would make a perfect Christmas present, and that it would be a nice way of having those memories written down.  The book included a personal memory written by each grandchild along with pictures of that grandchild with Papa.  It also had Matt's "grandchildren talk" in it.  I think it turned out really nice, and we were really excited to give it to Nana on Christmas Eve with most everyone there.

It was obviously very emotional when Nana opened the book.  I think we were all a bit teary.  She looked through it for a bit and came around and gave each of us a hug.

When we got home from Nana's house, we set out some cookies for Santa, and Sydney and Cooper opened some new pajamas.  They went to bed so quickly, which I was grateful for because we had so much to do!  The other big project that Matt and I have been working on was a Christmas present for the kids.  We've been building a play kitchen for them.  The kitchen still needed another coat of paint, the backs nailed on, sink glued in, and more.  We were up pretty late working on it, and it still didn't get all the way done.  I'll have to post a picture of the finished product.  It still needs doors on the fridge, and the curtain isn't done being sewn (I just taped it up for the kids to see when they came out).  But it was finished enough that we could give it to them.  I think it turned out so darling, and I love it!  I can't wait until it is all the way finished!

Then we wrapped presents, put them under the tree, and helped Santa lay out presents...

It was a lot of work, and another late night... but the morning totally made it worth it!  We video taped the kids coming down the stairs and into the family room.  It was so fun to see their reactions.  Cooper saw his Mac truck and Lightening McQueen first. He was so excited.  Sydney loved her scooter and scooted around on it all day.

They didn't even notice the kitchen until we pointed it out to them... but they were so excited about it!  Most of the presents that were from Mom and Dad were kitchen related.  Little pots and pans, play food, etc.  They would each open a present and take it over to the kitchen and play for a little bit before coming back to open another one.   They also got some cute kitchen things from Pamps and Grandma Holmes (a toaster, mixer, and hot cocoa maker).  They love playing with all their kitchen stuff.  

It was such a fun morning.  I loved watching the kids play with all the presents they got.  And I loved having a morning just to ourselves.  I just love our cute little family.

After a relaxing morning at home, we went over to my family's house for a late breakfast.  Then we headed up to my grandparent's house.  We missed church, because the only time we could visit my grandparents was during church, since they had to be up at Temple Square most of the day.  I was bummed to miss church, but it was really nice to visit with my grandparents.  After that, we headed home.  My family came over to see the kids' toys and kitchen.  After they left, we watched movies and took some naps.  And we ended the day with a nice dinner at my family's house.  Such a great Christmas!

Christmas 2011 was nearly picture perfect in the Page household.  Don't get me wrong... there were a lot of things that I wanted to do that didn't get done.  But as I look back on pictures, and remember the month of December, I think about the spirit and magic of the Christmas Season.  I remember the fun things we did together as a family.  I remember the projects Matt and I worked on together.  I remember our kids being so excited about Christmas literally every day, especially Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  The things that didn't get done aren't the things we will remember.  

I feel like we were so blessed this year to spend some of Christmas with almost all of our loved ones.  We spent the week before Christmas with Matt's parents and most of his siblings in Oregon.  We spent Christmas Eve at Nana's house with cousins, aunts and uncles, Chris, Lisa, and Mason, and Nana.  We spent Christmas morning in our home with our little family of 4.  And spent some of Christmas Day with my parents, siblings, and grandparents.  It really was perfect. (Funny how that can happen even when your house isn't clean and your projects aren't finished!)  I am so grateful to have such a great family.  I am especially grateful for Jesus Christ.  I'm grateful for his glorious birth and his resurrection.  I'm grateful for the Plan of Salvation, and that through Christ's Atonement we can all be together forever.  

Our Trip to Oregon

We did it!  We were finally able to make a trip up to Oregon!  It has been so long since we've been able to go up there, due to work responsibilities and finances.  A trip up there was long overdue.  Since Matt works on Saturdays, we planned to leave after he got off work on Saturday the 17th, and drive to Boise where we would spend the night, then finish the drive to Salem on Sunday.  I had planned to take the kids to the McEwan family Christmas party while Matt was working on Saturday.  It all worked according to plan, except Matt got off a little early and came to the party with us!  We had a good time at the party, as usual.  We decorated cookies, made ornaments for the tree, played Christmas bingo, ate lunch, chatted, and opened presents.  Sydney always loves playing with Jocelyn, and the kids always love to see Grandma Great.  I love watching them talk to her.  Cooper asked her if she wanted to go camping with him... and I busted up laughing.  My grandma wasn't a camper even in her younger years. Isn't he darling to think of her though? 

On a side note:  The kids have been obsessed with the idea of camping lately.  Sydney asks, practically every day if we can go camping "tomorrow when it's summer" because I told her we couldn't go in the winter.  It's so cute she says, "Mommy, I have a great idea.  How about we go camping tomorrow when it's summer? I think it's getting warmer today!"

We left the McEwan party, and headed straight to Boise.  It was actually nice to have had a nice lunch in our tummies, instead of the typical "road trip fast food."  I believe we made it to Boise with only one stop... a bathroom break.  When we got to the Motel 6 to check in, Matt went inside while I waited in the car with the kids.  Someone pulled up next to us, and Sydney asked where they were from.  I said I didn't know, and she said, "oh, maybe Jupiter."  Ha ha... probably not.

Sydney and Cooper had a great time at the hotel.  They were so happy to be out of the car, and enjoyed exploring and playing a little bit.  We watched some tv and went to bed.  Luckily we had a room with two beds, so the kids shared and of course Cooper fell off the bed twice, getting a nice bruise on his forehead, even though he was on the side right up next to the wall.  I'm really not sure how that happened.

We got up in the morning, grabbed some breakfast at McDonalds and were on our way.  The drive was long... so long.  But we had optimal weather.  No rain, snow, nothing.  The kids, of course would get restless, so we tried to take breaks, but not too many, so we could make good time.  It was a hard balance.  They took a few naps, watched a lot of movies, and had lots of snacks...3 definite necessities for a road trip!  Sydney kept telling us, "I want to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house!"  And we would tell her that is where we were going.  She'd say, "no, now!"  Really overall, they did great.

Always holding Bootsy and Yankee Bear

It was so exciting once we finally got there.  We walked up to the door, rang the doorbell and gave hugs galore!  Matt pretty much headed straight out the door to go to Jeff's football banquet with Molly, Alex, and Kenin, and the kids and I stayed with Grandma.  Cooper was so excited to be out of the car that he ran around in circles for about 15 minutes straight.  The kids loved seeing all the things they could play with... nativities, doll houses, stuffed toys.  They played with those toys all week, and loved every second of it!

It was a nice, relaxing week.  Matt played a lot of X-box with his brothers.  The kids loved playing with toys and family.  I did a lot of reading (Finally started reading my birthday present, The Help.  It was great and I'd highly recommend it!)

Highlights include: Cooper watching Megamind with Grandpa~ Sydney playing "cakes" on the I-pad~ making cookies with Grandma~ going out to eat... Walrey's and Mo's~ a trip to the beach~ shopping~ hanging out together~ Pizza with friends ~ Seeing the Moores~  Sydney playing with Lucy~ family pictures~ sewing and shopping for material with Missy~ reading the Christmas story and opening Christmas presents!

We were so spoiled with our Christmas presents, and enjoyed being able to open them all together.  Matt got a Logitech Revue, the kids got toys and some clothes, and I got a sewing machine!  I am so excited to learn a bit about sewing and start some projects :)  The kids have loved playing with their toys.  And Matt can't get enough of his Logitech Revue.  So perfect.

Family Pictures

Being spoiled by grandparents... riding little rides that parents almost always say "no" to.

Grandpa and Grandma!

the beach

When it was time to leave, we woke up to "Boat Pancakes" YUM!  After a nice breakfast, we began the long trek home... planning on doing the whole drive in one day this time.  Our drive home was pretty uneventful.  It was LONG, and boring.  We had great weather (again!) and Cooper bawled the last hour.  Nothing would console him.  Not snacks.  Not a movie.  Nothing.  He just begged and begged to get out.  Luckily it was the end of the drive.  It was late when we got home.  The kids went straight to bed, and Matt and I crawled in bed around 2:30 (early Christmas Eve).

We had such a great time!  It really went by so quickly and we were sad to see it end.  It was fun to celebrate a little of Christmas with Matt's family and to just spend time with them.  Thanks for everything Kenin and Missy!