december 2015

december is one of my favorite months, and the only tolerable winter month in my opinion. the snow is new enough to be exciting and pretty, usually utah's inversion hasn't set in yet, and the magic of christmas is almost tangible.

this year was especially fun; remy started to understand who santa is and what giving gifts was all about. he even kept a few secrets, although he almost spilled the beans to oma about her gift, since he was there when we bought it. luckily his mouth was full of cookie when he said, "oma, we bought you a giant clock!" and it sounded more like, "cookie cookie cookie cookie rockin' everywhere." just a little rap music humor for you there.

we did just enough christmas activities to feel the holiday cheer, but we didn't go nuts, as we were also really busy with work and life. here are a bajillion pictures from december up until christmas. that one's going to need its own post so you can fully appreciate all 20000000 pictures of remy opening gifts. i kid i kid. do i though.

we aren't those crazies who put up their tree in november. (you're crazy!) we put it up the first week of december. 

i told remy he could drink some if he posed for a picture. full disclosure. 

"why is there a tree in the house mom?" 

every night he asked to read by the tree instead of in his room. 

all month whenever asked what he wanted for christmas, remy
confidently said, "santa is bringing me a front end loader!" he was so
excited to write a letter to santa. 

while christmas shopping with lilian, remy climbing in the front of this display and stayed there
for a while. being the great mom i am, i didn't stop him, because it was keeping him
entertained long enough for me to talk to lilian without whining toddler. quite a crowd
gathered around to point at the kid in the lego store display. 

climbing with brother chad at the busy gym. winter months are so crowded and crazy. 

aunt melissa threw a great birthday party complete with pony rides.
(the cool moms just go all out!) (love you melissa!)
remy had one ride and was done. 

my pony immediately ran straight into a tree. 

my mom's mom's mom (my great grandma) nelda elnora, painted these beautiful christmas villages,
one for each great grandchild. she had insane arthritis and her fingers were crooked, but she loved ceramic painting.
every christmas we put it up and remember her. 

the morning i got up earlier than usual to go to a work conference about teen suicide.
probably the most vibrant sunrise i've ever seen.
the conference was great, so much good info and great people dedicated to ending suicide. 

reading before bed. remy watches a fair amount of netflix,
but he always chooses books over tv. 

dropping rem off for a hot date! 

thai food and ginger beer. cream soda for travis; he hates ginger. i know, right? 

doubled with my brother reed and sara, my newest sister in law! 

the next morning remy and i went to a christmas party put on by the library. 

he belted the christmas carols, much to my delight. 

and tried to play the piano. 

covered in candy cane making his craft. 

his first interaction with santa. wouldn't sit on his lap, but would sit on the same bench.
he asked him, "why aren't you at the north pole?" 

and he somehow got his hands on another candy cane. 

then we visited daddy at the fire station. 

ting signed us up for the cards against humanity hanukah pack, which was amazing. the cards. are deadly.  

playing some after dinner charades with the bodtcher family. travis and liana get pretty intense. 

sunday night visiting my family for dessert and games. 

and of course remy opening presents all month long. 

he loves oma and papa. 

it snowed all month long! 

before i could find boots for remy at a reasonable price, i was just putting plastic bags under his socks.
kept his feet dry! being a mom makes you a professional problem solver. 

throwing a snowball. 

he loved playing in the snow. for about 20 minutes and then inside for hot chocolate. 

only the beginning of the accumulation of snow in our driveway. 

enjoyed some spectacular sunsets. 

the fire department threw their annual christmas party, but we elected to eat mexican instead. 

and then graced the party with our presence. 

remy makes friends so easily and is almost more social than me. 

we enjoyed desserts. 

and remy again was confused about why santa wasn't at the north pole. 

he was so obsessed with talking to santa and ms claus, i had to hold
him most of the time to keep him out of the other kids' pictures. 

finally he got his turn and asked for a front end loader. of course. 

travis and i picked out a present for him to open. we had wanted to get
something really fun for him to play with at the party. 

unfortunately, we picked something all the kids wanted, so everyone swarmed
remy and started taking his new toys away. he promptly burst into tears.
i would have been pretty upset if strangers took my brand new present away too. 

OH FOR CUTE

OH FOR CUTER 

another fun thing we did was go to the mall to ride the train with grandma and
all the bodtcher side cousins. so the only cousins remy has at this point. 

poor grandma had to take the train ride. the conductor really really
loves his job, and does excess circles and spinning. i'm always green after the ride. 

the two boy cousins. 

oh man, those little faces. 

of course, i became bored with my hair and decided to go blonde balayage. 

it was pretty cute. 

MOAR SNOW

this sequence of shots melts me. 

we took remy sledding for his first time right in front of our house.
he let out the longest, loudest, shriek of delight. 

travis and i got our workout in carrying him and the sled up and down up and down. 

here we are christmas shopping. 

you know, two days before christmas. 

i had mucho shopping to do this year because we did our own family,

and then the sub for santa family from my work. shopping for 

two christmases was a lot of work, but so much fun.

travis and i out in the mall madness. 

my dad always makes a big pot of homemade clam chowder the week of
christmas and then we all come over and have lunch in between the madness.
i found a tentacle in this bite. 

my mom and i (and remy) made a zillion cookies for the neighbor christmas plates.
every year i love spending the afternoon listening to the old christmas music and baking/eating. 

december really was magical this year. remy constantly talked about santa and ms claus, and the reindeer and santa's helpers making toys at the north pole. travis and i had our usual fun of shopping for each other and going totally over budget.

next up, christmas eve and day!

i know, you're waiting on pins and needles.