Fun Things

I have been going through pictures today and realized I haven't blogged about a lot of things. So here are a few pictures of FUN THINGS!!!

Our "Staycation". This past weekend Scottie got off early on Friday and didn't have to go in til 2pm on Monday, so we made the weekend extra fun and called it our staycation. We went to the Cheesecake Factory, went swimming at the rec center, went bowling with the Adairs, Schultz, and Stevensons, out to eat at the Pizza Pie Cafe, watched a movie, went on a run, and enjoyed the extra time with Scottie.

Our staycation bowling group

Jazz Game- January

Play group-We found an awesome indoor play place at City Creek! Maddie with her boyfriend Kingston.

 Counted down the days til Christmas with new advent calender pieces

 Went to Dr. Parker's work Christmas Party and had fun having a fake casino night.

 Went to see the lights at Temple Square with our fellow Ohio friends, the De Jongs

 Had a Christmas Piano Recital- Now have 9 piano students!!!

 Ally Bowcutt and me (below)- November

 Visiting old friends And

 making new friends

 Play Group-Swimming

 Time Out For Women with Jenny and Tracy- What an amazing weekend in November!!!

 The Hogle Zoo

Maddie with Eleanor and Sammy-checking out the bears

 Play Group- Kangaroo Zoo in October

 Maddie with Brooklyn- These two are in separable!!! I am so blessed to have good friends and playmates for Maddie and me too. 

 The Discovery Children's Museum with Amanda and her kiddos- October

 We had such a blast together!!! I am grateful to be close to my forever BYU friend and roomie, Manda!

Canning peaches and applesauce with Sara Whetstone-October

Utah State Fair, went with Morrisseys- September

House Guest, the Glassmans- August

 I can't believe we have lived in Utah for 7 months already! Time has flown by and we certainly have enjoyed ourselves. Life is good and we're blessed.

Christmas

What a fun Christmas we had with Miss Maddie Sue this year! We enjoyed spending sometime with family in Utah, before we headed off to Washington for Christmas with my family.

 We had a big Parker/Belliston Family dinner the Sunday before Christmas. It was nice to be with everyone before we left town.

 Maddie opening her present from Aunt Jenny. Maddie was so cute opening gifts this Christmas and knew exactly what to do!

 Our Christmas Eve. We did our own Christmas on the 23rd and had a blast spending time together and watching Maddie open her gifts!!! Above you see Scottie aka Daddy assembling Madison's kitchen and ME sound asleep on the couch! Love that Scottie took this picture. Way to go Scottie staying up way late to make all your daughter's dreams come true!

 All finished!!! I loved how he even assembled the food and had everything just perfect for her. 

 Success!!! It was so fun to see Madison's reaction to her kitchen. She started coming down the stairs, then spotted it, quickly slid the rest of the way down, ran over to it, and starting playing with it NON-stop til we had to pull her way (literally) for breakfast!

 Madison busy in her kitchen

 Maddie fondly calls our house "kitchen house" now!!! Glad her gift was such a big hit:) It's so fun to be a parent and have my favorite part of Christmas be Madison's reaction!

 Family pic

 Scottie kept telling me he wanted lunch stuff for Christmas, so I went on a shopping spree for food and got him tons of unique things for lunch and a cool lunch bag too. It was fun to surprise him!!!

 Twinners! I couldn't resist and got Maddie a sweater dress that almost matches mine!

 Out to eat at Johnny Rockets with Scottie's family and grandparents

 Maddie and Daddy

 Getting an awesome present from Grandma Tracy- a homemade apron and play food to go with Madison's kitchen. Maddie wears her apron all day long!

 On the plane heading to Washington on the 24th. We love having a short (under 2 hour) plan ride now!!! We miss Ohio, but not the LONG flight to visit family.

 Maddie giving Grandpa a kiss! Madison was amazing and did a wonderful job around everyone from the very beginning!!! I was so proud of her and was happy she remembered everyone and warmed up so quickly, even to my crazy brothers.

 All the Gingers in the family

One of Madison's favorite things to do during our visit was "ride papa" Andrew decided tag a ride too. She also loved riding the dog too.

 A Christmas Eve visit from my friend Veronica, who was in town from Alaska. 

 Christmas Eve Pjs

 Christmas tradition- lining up on the stairs youngest to oldest

 Us with our stockings

 Maddie getting a Mini Mouse doll

 This little stinker found Uncle Austin's chocolate stash!!! You know they're up to NO GOOD when they get quiet, and this is how I found her.

 Maddie's all time favorite thing when we're in Washington is to gather chicken eggs with Grandma Karen. Every morning Madison would get her basket and go stand by the door saying "please chickens, please bawk bawk". She just loves animals and her Grandparents.

Visiting some BYU friends. It was great to catch up with Kelli, Brittney and their families! The last time I saw these girls, none of us had kids!!! Now we have enough for a basketball team:)

Our time in Washington was very eventful and we had wonderful time with my family. We played lots of board games, ate WAY too much good food, went skiing and clamming, and had a nice time chatting and relaxing with each other. I finished two books too! It was a wonderful Christmas season:)

346 Days til Christmas

Guess it's time for me to admit Christmas is over and take down my decorations!!! So sad! "I cry the day that I take the tree down, I want it to last all the year round."

PS. A Christmas update will be coming soon.