Christmas in Santa Barbara

 Logan loves his aunt Kristin and uncle Ken!

 The Shrode Clan

Logan trying to open a gift (he didn't really get the concept)

After returning home from Utah we had Christmas at our house with the Shrode Clan. Justin's mom came up to stay at our home while we were away to take care of our animals. She made an awesome dinner for us with some pasta salad, green salad, and so much more! Justin BBQ'd a couple of tri-tips. Logan finally has his own Jumperoo so no more borrowing from Nicole, he can now jump at his leisure :) Thank you all for making it such a fun Post-Christmas Christmas!

Christmas in Utah

Little cousins Logan and Brooklyn

Can you tell if Kelsey likes her gift?!

We were so happy to be able to go to Utah for Christmas this year since that is where Grandma Ruth is living now. Karen made a wonderful dinner (minus the yams that got left in the oven and created this charred volcano of marshmellows), and we all ate until we were too stuffed for dessert. Kelsey cleaned up with so much princess stuff and Logan got the cutest dump truck and cement mixer truck and some adorable outfits! We went to the St. George LDS Temple to see the lights after we opened gifts. It was so pretty but Nicole said didn't have nearly as many lights as the Los Angeles Temple did. Kelsey is a runner so Aunt Holly volunteered to chase her (mostly because I needed the exercise). Thank you all for a wonderful christmas!

Temple at night.

Great Aunt Terry-Ann

 Logan got to meet his great-aunt Terry-Ann on our way to Utah. We feel so bad because everytime we are in Las Vegas we are on such a time crunch that we haven't been able to go visit her (eventhough come to find out she's only a 7 min drive from Holly's cousin's house). So this time we made it a priority and thank goodness. She is such a sweetheart and she even had a little christmas gift for Logan (a soft book with teething corners, such a lifesaver for the last 2 hours in to Utah!!!). Next time we are going to spend more time with her but so happy that she finally got to meet Logan (and Holly).

6 Months Old

Here is my 6mo old little man. He is getting cuter and cuter as the days go by (although I'm totally biased but a girl at Babies r Us said he was really cute, and she would know!). He is now rocking on his hands and knees scooting to where he wants to be on his belly. Babbling all the time except on command for other people. Loves to be held at church by all the older kids. Still sleeps in my arms which is so precious. Still sleeping for 12hrs at night and still no teeth! Happy 1/2 Birthday Baby!!!

Santa!

 Meeting Santa

 He was so chill the whole time!

 Logan's first letter to Santa. He wants a puppy and a bicycle!

Daddy's turn!

Logan was such a good boy on Santa's lap. Not a single cry out of him, but we could not coax a smile out of him for our lives! After seeing Santa we meandered over to Macy's so that Logan could send a letter off to the North Pole.

Thanksgiving 2010

 

Our table

 Kelsey loving on Logan

Logan loving on Brooklyn

This was the first year we had thanksgiving without Grandma at home :(. So it was up to me to throw our shindig together. At first it was just going to be Justin, Logan and I, but as the weeks drew closer we had just about all our family rsvp! Justin's mom Susan came and made her famous sweet potatoes (and I got to see her make them this time so I now know how), Ken (Justin's brother) and his dad Ted; Nicole and Evan brought their daughters Kelsey and Brooklyn. Nicole even made spicy sausage stuffing like our Grandma Nutt used to make. By request I made pumpkin chiffon pie, to be honest I'd never really cared for pumpkin pie, but I am now converted to the chiffon style...yum! 

Originally we were only going to have ham, but remember how I said that we were getting more guests as the weeks went by, well we got the ham in the mail on Wed. (that's right folks, online ordering) and it looked so tiny!! Looking back it was for sure enough but Justin went to the store to buy a small turkey just the same. So lets add it all up: Nicole made stuffing, Susan made sweet potatoes, that leaves me with: Mashed potatoes, green beans, pumpkin chiffon pie, gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls (store bought thankfully) and the infamous Turkey. Guess what, everything came out great! I am so surprised to be honest. Couldn't have done it without my helpers though.

Happy Thanksgiving!