First Family Hike

Last Sunday Justin and I took the girls for our first family hike (as a family of four). We went once when Ev was 2 1/2 maybe but Justin wore her in a hiking pack so it didn't really count. This was the first time Everly did most of the hiking herself. I say most because Justin did carry her a little at the end. She was really excited to climb a mountain and wear her "hiking" clothes. She did some whining and it was probably a little bit longer than it needed to be, but I still think she did really well. We hiked in the Thunderbird Conservation Park on a trail that I had never been on before but it was a very easy trail. It would be a great running trail. It was fun because the bushes at the top were decorated with ornaments for Christmas so she really liked that. I wore Aspen on my back in the ErgoBaby carrier and she slept most of the time. That thing is so comfortable and it was super easy to hike with her. The weather was great too so we really couldn't ask for a better hike!

Aspen on my bag and Justin teaching Ev to walk on the flat dirt instead of rocks.

pretty views

ornaments at the top

me and my girls

Dutch Bros ornament on one of the bushes

 

can't wait to take her again!

Santa Pictures 2015

Last night we took a quick trip to the mall to take pictures with Santa. My mom had to go to get a few things so she met us there with the boys and my sister came when she got off work. I made a reservation with Santa online through Arrowhead Mall and while we still had to wait a little, it did help. It was super easy, too so I recommend it. Everly was pretty excited to see Santa this year. She wrote her name on a letter to him while we waited in line and then told him what she wanted. Teddy was really great about talking to Santa too and Cam was just chill. Aspen cried immediately but stopped for a second when we moved her next to Everly. She looks sad in the picture but it is not as bad as Everly's from 2012 (here). I still love our picture from last year and I just noticed it is the exact same santa (here). Aspen definitely looks sad in the picture but it is not too bad! One more week until Christmas!

 

 

The Great Cookie Extravaganza 2015

We had our annual cookie baking day this past weekend. First I had a 12 mile training run because if you are going to eat cookies all day, you better run first, haha. We have been doing this for a few years now and you can see my post about them last year here. We make double, triple, and quadruple batches of several different types of cookies. The classics include chocolate chip, gingerbread, snicker doodle, peanut butter kisses, and sugar. We also made chocolate crinkles because those have been popular and we tried out chocolate dipped shortbread this year and I think those turned out really good as well. We freeze the cookies and take them out for parties and what not as it gets closer to Christmas. I will be bringing some to my work party tomorrow! Everly and Teddy helped decorate some sugar cookies this year. Everly loves to pile on the sprinkles. So many cookies. We must have a problem because as we were making them we kept saying, "we might need to make more." We loooooove cookies and we look forward to this day every year! Also, this year there was even a spreadsheet and a cookie binder because we take this job seriously!

 

12 miles done! Now time for cookies!

 

We start buying ingredients weeks before to take advantage of all of the baking sales at the grocery store. 

 

Two kitchen aid mixers are a must. 

 

Chocolate crinkles and chocolate dipped shortbreads

 

unwrapped hershey kisses and sugar cookies waiting for frosting

family wreaths by Krystyn

And custom Santa hats also by Krystyn

yum!

don't worry, they ate those cookies.

snickerdoodle cookies

 

I am not even a huge gingerbread fan, but you just have to make them. They turned out really good, too. 

Here is also a quick little video from our cookie baking!

Christmas Cards 2015

I was on top of it with my Christmas Cards this year. We took our pictures back in September so that helps, too. I ordered my cards back in like October or early November and then put them in the mail the first week in December. I got the majority of my cards from Costco while they were on coupon. I also got a couple of fun designs from Shutterfly with some coupons but I only bought like 10 of each. I love Shutterfly but the Costco cards were like $30 for 50 cards with envelopes with the return address already on them so, yea. I don't know why but I just love sending out and receiving Christmas cards. Apparently my brother in law is also obsessed with getting them in the mail but I highly doubt he will help send them out. My mom said my grandpa liked to look at them all, too. I love paper products, I love pictures, I love mail and I love Christmas so its basically the best time of year.  Here are our 3 cards from this year:

This is the main card, front and back, from Costco.

This card actually has a shimmer and is really pretty, from Shutterfly.

I have wanted to do a "review" card for a while now so I finally made one. It is also from Shutterfly and I gave these to people we don't get to see often to update them on our year.

Aspen's DayCare Photos

A few weeks ago we got notified that they would be doing photos at Aspen's Daycare/Preschool. We really didn't need to do them, but she is so dang cute I couldn't resist. We only bought a couple of pictures but they turned out pretty cute. Her hair is at a funky weird growing stage right now and I put her in a Christmas outfit because they said there would be a Christmas background (there wasn't) and she still just kills me. I love those two little chompers in her smile. Such a cute little nugget!

St. Gregory Christmas Pageant

Last night Everly had her Christmas Pageant at school. She has been practicing her songs for weeks now. The first song that she sang with the other preschool class and Kindergarten class is called "The Friendly Beats." I had never heard of it before but it is cute and they started out the pageant with their song. I did get some video but it was hard because I was sitting in the back. At the end she also sung Joy to the World with the entire school but we couldn't even see her. My mom came and brought her flowers. It really is amazing how fast they learn things. I feel like she picked up her songs so quickly. There music teacher does a great job. She is constantly coming home with new songs. They had been rehearsing in the church this week and I think she missed her nap because of it and on the way home she passed out and never woke back up until this morning. Girl was tired! She only has one more week of school before she goes on her winter break!

Here is the best I could make of the little video that I got and some pictures:

15 Month Update

Yesterday I took Aspen in for her 15 month checkup. She is doing great growing and is 19lbs 7oz. and jumped up to the 25th percentile for weight! She is the sweetest little peanut. She has started saying more words and signing more. She says Evie now which is adorable and she is really starting to try to say any word we ask her to. She says uh-oh a lot and papa. She also makes a cow noise and a car noise. She loves playing with cars. She is basically running everywhere and can now get herself down off the couch. She loves to eat, especially meats and cheeses. She also loves ice cream (shocker)! She still takes 2 naps for the most part and sleeps great. Recently her sister has been trying to teach her how to jump and it is so funny to watch her try.

In other news, unfortunately during Aspen's checkup they discovered yet another ear infection. She has had like 7 in the past 8 months. They don't always upset her or cause fevers but we feel like we are constantly in and out of the pediatrician and pharmacy. Everly rarely got sick so this was new for us. I was able to get in with an ear, nose, and throat specialist yesterday and they determined that Aspen does qualify for tubes so we are waiting to hear back from them to schedule her surgery. It is definitely not ideal to have to do surgery on a 15-month old but we are ready to be done with all of the ear infections. It was nice to spend the day with my littlest squishy but I hope this gives her relief!

 

 

  

Target shenanigans while we picked up our prescription.

Weekend in Review

Another weekend down and another weekend closer to the holidays! We didn't have a ton planned this weekend which was nice because it gave us some time to get some things done before it really gets crazy for the holidays. I went to bed early Friday night because on Saturday morning I had an early 11-mile marathon training run. I was meeting my friend in Scottsdale to run since we are training together. This was our first long run together and it could not have gone better. We talked for the first 9 miles and I have never done that before. It just zoomed by. I pushed myself for the last two-miles but I felt I could have easily gone longer. It is kind of scary to be training for my first full marathon because that is simply just a long time to be running for so that was nice. Hopefully all my training runs go that well! After I got home Saturday morning we met my sister at Home Depot for the December kids workshop. The kids made some little stacking blocks. It was a quick and easy craft. Saturday afternoon I stayed home while Justin went out and got a new truck. He paid off is Xb and had been looking at this truck for like a year so finally ended up getting it. Merry Christmas to him! Haha! Saturday night I went to church and then hung out at my sister's while Justin was out at our niece's birthday party in Tempe. I don't want to jinx it, but the girls really do well in church so I lucked out! Sunday morning I went grocery shopping with Everly who at an entire chocolate donut. She was bouncing off the walls later. I went to Ikea and got some Christmas presents before my last soccer game of the year. After the game we went straight to my sisters for dinner to celebrate her birthday. The Cardinals won yesterday so we got a pic of all the kids in their Cardinals outfits. Never an easy task but man, they are cute. Already excited about next weekend and the annual Great Cookie Extravaganza!

running along the canal and Scottsdale Waterfront.

Home Depot Kids Workshop

Choco donut face!

The cutest Yancone babies