My First Baby

  This picture was taken about a month after Jacob was born.  My first baby.  I was 25 and it really feels like a long time ago.  We were living in El Paso.  Jason was in the Army working as a pathologist.  We'd been married only a year and four months.  I had had a baby!  I didn't know what I was doing.  I was happy and scared and nervous and in love and worried and overjoyed all the same. 

   Today Jacob, my first baby, turns 12.  He's receiving the Aaronic Priesthood and becoming a young man.  It makes my heart happy to see him grow up into a wonderful person.  He truly is special in so many remarkable ways.  It also makes me a tiny-bit sad to see this little newborn in my arms and wonder why it went so fast.  And where did the time go?  And why must he grow up at all? 

  But I'm so proud of who he is and so proud that he's my little son.   

Good Morning!

We decorated our tree this morning since we had to let it thaw out overnight after our purchase.  So we're all looking a little sleepy and pajama-y.  But we had fun decorating and remembering all our ornaments from over the years.  The kids get so excited to see the things they made at school.  Their faces tell the whole story of what Christmas is all about.

Christie and Jacob carefully loop each ornament over the limbs.  Jimmy just lays the ornament on a bough.  No looping.  Ha ha ha -- love these kids.

Thanksgiving/Birthday Extravaganza

And that's what it was!  It was an extravaganza by all accounts.  We headed to St. George to my parents' home for the festivities.  It was lovely.

 

The kids all slept in one big king-sized bed.  Christie in the middle so she wouldn't roll out.

 Jason and I escaped to Vegas for two nights for some cozy birthday time.  I turned 37 on Thanksgiving Day.  This was our room's view from the Bellagio where we stayed.  We shopped and ate out -- my favorite things to do.

 Thanksgiving Day, my mom and I joined forces and threw it all together!

 Selfie in the kitchen!!!  Perhaps I could show more teeth next time.

 And the men did this ...  ha ha ha

 And the kids did a lot of this ...

 Jason and I the morning after Thanksgiving.  Ha ha ha ha ha!

 Sweet Christiana pie!

 And we did lots of this -- playing with our cute cousins at their house and at our house and at the park.  These kids are such good friends ... just warms my tender heart!

Happy Thanksgiving.  Happy Birthday to me.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, too!