November

 We read "Hop on Pop" an easy 500 times in November and solidified it as Britta's favorite book. Of course, I can now no longer find it. 

The highlight of the month was Thanksgiving and our trip to Utah. It is really sad when Utah is ten degrees warmer in November than where you live, but it does make for a nice vacation. 

Here are the men showing their stuff at the Turkey Bowl.

Victory hip bump. 

We took some pretty amateur family pictures the next day--hello crazy bright sun that none of the children wanted to look at.

This picture brings me so much joy--it is the epitome of all the grandkids. 

So much love between these two.

I love me some siblings. I really needed that Caribbean vacation--I have never seen such a pasty white version of myself. 

Unfortunately, I didn't take more pictures of the actual feast of happenings throughout the week--I was too busy eating and soaking up my family.

October--better late than never, right?

I love everything about October. The changing colors on the trees, the crisp air, the built in excuse to put pumpkin flavoring in everything, and of course Halloween. We had a great October with two pumpkin patch visits, a quick visit from my sister, and lots of candy.

Fort building with Auntie Jasi.

We call this look "Rambo baby." Don't even ask me what that is on the front of her shirt. Let's just say, we took a much needed bath that night.

Britta was very helpful in the pumpkin carving department. At one point I looked over and she was wielding a butcher knife--not my proudest parenting moment. 

My little Halloween chicken. Her bucket was so full of candy she had to drag it on the ground behind her.

Punta Cana

Chris and I took a lovers getaway to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for our fifth anniversary/because we felt like it. People kept asking me if we were taking Britta to which I would politely respond "heck no." She had a blast being spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa and staying up way past her bedtime and we had a blast laying on the beach for hours everyday. The weather was perfect, the beaches were sandy white, and the food was delicious. It was basically all I could ask for in a vacation. 

I loved our cabanas. And as you can see, it wasn't overcrowded since it was the off-season. This meant I could sleep in until ten and still get prime beach real estate. Heaven.

Who doesn't love waking up to flamingos every morning?

Sometimes I forget how attractive we are and I have to take pictures like this to remind myself. 

Christmas lights everywhere. 

Crazy snail in the lobby--Chris was obsessed with it for some reason.

This picture about sums it up.

Home again, home again, jiggity-jig.

This wonderful boy man came home from his mission over Labor Day weekend.

  Can I tell you that I started crying like a madwoman the second I saw him on the escalator. We'll chalk it up to the mother in me.

 He is just as awesome as ever; not an awkward bone in his body (other than the ones that were already there). Already cracking jokes with Dad.

 Chauffeur Britta. I think we've found a life calling, people.

 A picture on here that I am actually in? What the what?

I can't wait for Thanksgiving so we can all be together again.

Only slightly less exciting was the spotting of this lady at the SL airport while we were picking up Nik.

I thought to myself, "gee she's pretty and she looks really familiar." I didn't put it together until I saw Jef picking up thier bags from baggage claim. And yes, I was pretending to take my mother's picture to get one of the Bachelorette. TMZ here I come.

18 Months

How is it possible that we are half-way through this year of life already? I swear this year is going faster than the last did--not cool Father Time, not cool.

At 18 months B weighs in at 22 lbs even (25%), 32 in long (50%) and a head in the 75th percentile. I am telling you, this kid did not walk until she was 16 months old because she couldn't balance that thing and move her legs at the same time (and because her crawl was so awesome).

Britta loves:

to sleep--and I , in turn, love her for this. She goes down for naps and bed with no fuss. It is wonderful.

to eat--most of the time she is not too picky. When she is I feel like ripping my hair out.

to talk--she jabbers all day long. She says full on sentences to me and asks me questions; I just don't happen to speak her language. She has tons of words (mostly that only Chris and I understand). Her first real word after mama and daddy was "grandpa." She loves that man.

hair--she is still obsessed with her hair and my hair, especially when she is sleepy or upset. She will take the ends of her hair and brush them across her face, feet, arms, you name it.

peekaboo--she thinks it is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

being chased and tickled--who doesn't, right?

to wink--it is hands down the funniest thing I have ever seen. I am still trying to get it on video.

Unfortunately, we are seeing more of these outbursts.

She is pretty awesome and although I can see the seeds of the "terrible two's" beginning to grow, I am loving this stage where she is learning and growing so much.

If you give a kid an ice cream cone...

she's going to think she's died and gone to heaven.

She may even raise up some "HALLELUJAHS!"

These pictures are over a month old, but I have much to catch up on...blogging has taken a backseat to life lately.