24 Days of Christmas

My amazing Mom is doing the 24 days of Christmas for my sisters and I this year. She’s been working on it all year long and it’s so fun opening them each day. They are technically for the ‘family’ but since I’m my own little family I don’t have to share! I love the boxes a few of the days came in.  They will be fun to decorate with next year.

My Dad delivered days 1-6 to Susie at her office and her coworkers couldn't believe it.  Susie simply described my Mom and how she plans these things and they were jealous!

Day 1 - Vinyl Christmas Countdown.  I'm going to mount mine on wood so I can use it over and over again.

Day 2 - Christmas Blanket

Day 3 - Cookie mix and cookie cutters

Day 4 - Christmas book

Day 5 - Manger to remember the true meaning of Christmas
Day 6 - Wooden Shoe and candy like the kids in Holland get to celebrate Sinterklaus Day
 
Thanks Mom!

The Pioneer Woman

Ok, I have found my new favorite blog.  I stumbed upon Ree's blog via another blog I read and I'm in love.  It's about Bree, a city girl that fell in love with a cowboy and how her life changed.  It isn't so must just a blog as a full blown website now.  She just wrote a cookbook and I can't wait to get it.  I just got a tweet today saying she is in Salt Lake tonight to do a signing....maybe I'll have to go.  I kinda feel like a stalker going so I'm not sure if I will!  If you get a chance go to her site The Pioneer Woman and check it out.  She wrote a short story about her journey called 'Black Heels to Tractor Wheels'.  It's amazing.  I laughed till I cried, cried from sadness and from the romance.  It's only a 2-3 hour read and well worth it!  All I can say is where is my Malboro Man!

Pumpkin Patch

I had a couple days off and I spent the last one off with Roo. We had fun hangin in bed watching tv, going to visit her Mommy and Grandma at work and then we were off to the patch. It was really windy and chilly but we both had fun. She was fascinated with all the pumpkins and couldn't keep her eyes of one pumpkin in particular. Therefore that's the one we left with!

Grandma Nelson

Mom and I spent this last weekend down at Grandma’s. We decided on the ride down that we where going to get her out of the house. She’s been couped up since January in pain and since her surgery last month she has only lef the house for doctor appointments. She was so excited and wanted to go for a walk. So with Mom and I on each arm we were off. We went up the road some and back. I’d say she did about a block. I know it doesn’t sound like much but for what she’s been through it’s a huge milestone. We had the sun behind us on out first walk and we could see our silhouettes. After all she’s been through she’s worried about her figure. She’s looks great and her waist is tiny!

After her walk we went to Mt. Pleasant to get groceries and for a ride. She did great and we even went on another walk later in the evening. Mom took her for her follow up with the surgeon today and he said she is doing amazing. Grandma was worried she might have moved wrong and screwed something up but he assured her that all is well and that she needs to keep moving. I told her next time I come down we’re going for a jog. She laughed and said maybe one day. I’m so glad she is feeling better.

Utah State Fair

I love this time of year and I know fall is almost here when we go to the fair. We go every year and it’s a lot of fun. Friday night I met Susie, Will and Roo and we went through some of it while visiting with Dad at the DWR booth. It’s cute to see him with the little kids and seeing DeAnn and Santa. On Sunday Mom, Susie, Roo and I went back to see everything else and to go through the buildings and booths. The weather was perfect and we had a lot of fun. Roo went on her first pony ride and I happened to get her Christmas present there (I now have all but Brooklyn’s gift!). Best purchase was my sheets as I’ve become a high thread count snob. We all got some at a smoking deal and I scored and ended up with 2 sets (Will hated the high thread count so Susie gave me theirs!). Now to get my new dryer (mine caught on fire!) so I can try them out. You just can’t go into fall without a fair corndog, snow cones and seeing the butter cow!

Yummy junk food!

Roo's first pony ride

Dad working the DWR booth

The famous butter cow

An American Saturday Night

My family and I all got tickets to see several concerts this summer at USANA. Brad Paisley was the last of the three and a great way to end the summer. Susie and I went early to get our place in line and again Susie ran her heart out and got us our spot. Jimmy Wayne and Dierks Bentley opened for him. Dierks was great but Brad proved why he was the headliner. Hands down one of the best entertainers I’ve ever seen. Through the heat and rain we had a blast!

Sleepover

I love to have sleepovers with my nieces and nephews. This was my first with Roo and her first night away from her mommy. Roo was just fine with it but her mommy was a nervous nelly and missed her tons. I had her most of Saturday so we shopped and played at the park. She is so funny and I love her personality. She reminds me a lot of Cody when he was that age. Everywhere we went people would stop and tell me how beautiful my daughter was. I wish she was mine!

But since she's mobile now she gets into things and anyone who’s been to my house knows it’s not baby proof! I would follow her around to make sure she wouldn’t hurt herself and get into something she shouldn’t. She loved pulling the baskets out of my coffee table and dumping them out. I finally made one of them hers with all her toys and she was a happy camper. First thing on Sunday she went straight for her basket and giggled when her toys where there, including her favorite WCW westler doll. I got this when I worked at the E Center over 10 years ago and had found it in a box so I sat it aside for when she comes. She loves it! We both had so much fun and I can’t wait for the next one!