...And A Happy New Year!

I like the possibilities of 2011. I wonder what I will accomplish this year? I wonder what surprises await me? Disappointments? Who knows! 2010 was a great year overall, we were very blessed and were able to laugh through most of our struggles. As long as we can keep our sense of humor, life is good!

Hopes/Goals/Resolutions for 2011:
Get Carson into piano lessons
Potty train Cameron
Get Carson and Parker into swim lessons, and hopefully Carson can become an efficient swimmer
A successful Sweet campout (we are in charge!)
Another car purchased, we have been a one-car family most of our marriage
I'd like to lose 10 more pounds, bringing my total to 50 pounds lost
Learn how to make wheat bread that will be so good I won't miss the white stuff(Alison? You want a student??)

I'm sure I'll think of dozens more once I publish this post,but those are the first things that pop into my head.

We celebrated New Years Eve in Rexburg Idaho. Let me tell you, that town should be called "Iceburg Idaho" from January through March. I used to go to college there, but I had totally forgotten the bitterness that -4 degrees could bring! My toes froze when I arrived and they thawed out when I got home. I'm turning into my mother (love you mom!).

However, despite the cold, it was fun hanging with my brother and his family. My nephew was being baptized on Saturday the 1st so that was the real reason for the trip. I was also baptized on January 1st! However, the year was 1983. Darren said "that's cool, but not as cool as being baptized on 1-1-11!". Check mate.

For New Years Eve I asked Darren what we were going to do. He said "Just come on over and bring a good attitude" Ha! That's my new favorite phrase now. It applies to most situations.

We were lame camera owners. I'll show you what we got.

Cameron stayed up until midnight on New Years Eve! I couldn't believe it....and he was happy to boot! However, the next day at the baptism he was super cranky, and then he promptly fell asleep in a folding chair.


After the baptism, we went to BYU Idaho's photo lab where Darren works, and had a luncheon. See that kid in the middle? That's Ethan, the 8 year old. That's all we got. I think we are losing our touch. Congrats Ethan!


Yesterday, I went to my cousin's baby blessing. No pictures there either. But let me tell you, Ellie is a dang cute baby, and her mom (Meridith) made the most amazing dinner! I'm totally making it for dinner tomorrow, it was that good. It's called "Drip Beef" from the Pioneer Woman's website. I'm drooling right now.

Today Sam had the day off work so he helped Carson and his friend set up the front yard for snowball fights. What a nice guy!




We have an ongoing joke with some friends who live around the corner. He's an artist and makes really cool statues and even the cow made out of butter for the Utah State Fair! Once upon a time we broke an ear off one of his creations and gave them cookies as an offering of a sincere apology (I still feel bad!). One day he made a bear and he broke the ear off and left it on our doorstep with a ransom note, asking for more cookies. We've had the bear in our flower beds ever since. Well, apparently this frigid winter is more than he can handle. A missing ear is the LEAST of his worries! Isn't he cute though?


A big day for Cameron today. He played with the Sir Topham Hat Jack-in-the-box all by himself and he didn't cry or get scared out of his wits! He was hollering from his room "I DID IT! I DID IT!!!!!!" It was super awesome! He also took a serious liking to some animal puppets my parents gave him for Christmas. We played with them for a good part of the day today. Then he learned he could use his feet for the puppets as well. Success!