Chase's new favorite thing is ...

... to throw the ball to Lexi! And since Lexi's favorite thing to do is play fetch, I would say they are a match made in heaven now. I am going to load a clip of them playing. It is so funny to watch them. Everytime Lexi runs to get the ball Chase laughs so hard. He also thinks its hilarious to put the ball in her mouth for her. Here are some regular pics but I am going to load the video next.

Chase's First Haircut!

Even though Chase doesn't have a ton of hair, we still noticed he was beginning to sport a bit of the "rat tail" look where this piece of hair would hang down longer than the rest of his hair in the back. We decided since he is a boy and we don't have to grow it long, to trim it a little. His hair was also growing over his ears on the sides and it was looking hilarious. Not to mention his Dad is obsessive over his own hair getting too long so he had been bugging me about it for some time.

Before shots (notice the long piece in back)

Playing with the light switches
Rat tail in full effect
Almost gone!
Yay, much better!
I love my new haircut!

Christmas Survey ... always fun

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper - more fun to open!

2. Real tree or artificial?
I loved real trees when I was growing up then when I realized how messy and big of a hassle they are, after our first Christmas we bought a fake one. Still want the "real tree" smell? Buy a candle.

3. When do you put up the tree?
Usually right after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down?
After New Years.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Not really. I'll drink my Mom's egg nog punch though.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
I don't know, we always got a lot of presents so that's a tough one.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Not yet but I like them, will probably get one soon.

8. Hardest person to buy for?
My Dad. Being the youngest of eight kids, he has everything already. From sports memorabilia to every golf shirt on the planet, he gets lots of gifts every year.

9. Easiest person to buy for?
Ramon. He tells me exactly what he wants and I go buy it.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
I don't know.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail them.

12. Favorite Christmas movie?
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation ... it is classic. Ramon put it in my stocking last year and I was so excited!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Well this year I took care of a couple gifts like in Sept. which is not typical of me. But I usually shop into December. This year I'll really be cutting it close and I'll be shopping in Utah because I can't bring a ton of stuff on the plane.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Ha ha no. Maybe gift bags though.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Christmas decorated sugar cookies.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
White is classic but I don't hate colored lights.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
O Holy Night

18. Travel for Christmas or stay home?
We travel and stay home every other year and I have to say, I enjoy them both. There is nothing like a nice Christmas with your family at home but being in Utah around extended family and all that excitement is fun too.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Donner, Comet, Cupid, Vixen, Rudolph?

20. Angel on the treetop or a star?
We have a silver glittery star but I do like angels.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Growing up we would do our family gift exchange Christmas Eve and then we would get to open Santa's presents Christmas Day. I think I will get that same tradition going with our family.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
The mall.

23. What I love most about Christmas?
Just the spirit that I feel being around family and getting to have so much fun.

USMC - Congrats to Sergio!!

The same weekend I was in Chicago, Ramon flew to San Diego to watch his brother Sergio graduate from the Marines at Pendleton. He said the graduaton was really cool and he is so proud of his little brother!

Saturday night Ramon stayed at my brother Scott's house and hung out with my sister, her husband and their baby (she was babysitting Scott's kids while they went to a work Christmas party). I am so jealous, Ramon got to meet baby Alex before I did! He said he reminded him of Chase at that age, just really laid back and calm the whole time.

Sergio is right in the middle looking at the camera

The whole fam!

A drive by shot of the San Diego temple .. breathtaking!
My sister Christi with baby Alex!
Uncle Ramon & Alex

Chicago Visit

Chase and I were lucky enough to get to visit my sister in Chicago for the second time this year! The main purpose of the trip was for me to babysit her kids while she and her husband went to Dallas, TX for a work related event. It was only less than 2 days that I had all 4 kids and it went very smoothly despite how nervous I was about it. I took Josh (6) and his friend to school while dropping off Jenna (4) for preschool. I was with Chase and Shelby (2) most of the day until I had to pick up Josh from school. Jenna was dropped off after her field trip so in the evening we played games like Candyland & Uno and I helped Josh with his homework while the girls played with Chase. Then I made dinner (macaroni & cheese) then I put the girls and Chase to bed while Josh & I played a few more rounds of Uno (of which I only beat him once - he's good!). I gotta say, I really enjoyed the day. I can totally see myself with 4 and at least now I know I could handle it! Well, at least for one day anyway.

Chase loves waffles now! This is his breakfast after he eats a jar of oatmeal. I loved his little foot in this picture.

Don't worry - they aren't Chase's Barbies!
At the mall play area
The merry-go-round
Playing Candyland
The cutest little girls in the world!
Saturday I met up with a friend of mine, Lisa, who I met on a Babycenter.com thread. We got pregnant at the same time and our babies are just 2 weeks apart! We just met up for lunch and it was fun to watch our babies interact.

Chase & Skylar


My sister set up her Christmas tree while I was there and Chase wouldn't stop eating the ornaments!
Monday I took the train into Chicago where I met my friend Shauna and we just shopped and hung out in the city and then she showed me her apartment (she lives right in the city!) and we went to dinner. Shauna drove all the way across the country with me when I moved out to Utah from Illinois 6 years ago and we have stayed in touch. I love her, she is so much fun. We had tons of fun together I just wish it could have been longer.






Enjoying dessert
The Chicago Theatre!
Anyway, the 6-day trip was nice. My sister & I had lots of fun going to the mall, watching Grey's Anatomy (our favorite show), eating chocolate, and just staying up late talking almost every night. How we somehow managed to not get a picture together I don't know. Oh well. She is the best! Love you Jules!!

The wheels on the bus go round and round ...

Chase's great grandparents got him this amazing school bus for his birthday! It has magnets with letters and numbers on both sides, a whole town with attached cars, trucks, train, ambulance, everything. On the inside its got a key, a steering wheel, mirrors, turning blocks with letters on them, and those swirly wires with blocks on them. it even has its own stop sign that flips out just like a real school bus! Its so cool and he loves playing with it. Its pretty large so we had to put it in his room but it worked out perfect! Since he likes to put everything in his dirty clothes hamper, when I am doing laundry I will occasionally find the magnets in it. One of these days I will see them stuck to the side of the washer.

Chase's First Birthday

The weekend of Thanksgiving (since family was in town) we decided to celebrate Chase's 1st Birthday camo-style! It was so much fun and I loved making all the food and entertaining everyone. Publix made a camo cake for him and Ramon's best friend Chris made the camo cupcakes for us! I've been asked what made me think of the camo theme and I just think alot of the themes for little boys are really cheesy but the camo one was cute. Plus I took advantage of picking it myself before he is old enough to tell me what he wants. Chase had fun opening presents with his cousins and playing with his new toys. His favorite present was from Grandma Wendy - the Fisher Price Sing-Along Stage. He loves to dance to the music and even sings a little after he hears it! I'll have to post a video of him playing with it. It's so much fun to watch him. When it came time to bust into his cake, Chase wanted no part of it. I dipped his hand into the cake and even put some on his face to get him a little messy and he freaked out. He immediately wanted me to wipe his hand off. It was so funny. He didn't even taste it hardly he just wanted me to get him out of his highchair and clean him up ... definitely not your typical boy.