Merry Christmas!

Wow! What a fun day! Our whole break has been lots of fun so far. Jessica has just fallen in love with everything. Michael has been loving spending more time at the law firm. I'm so glad he likes the work he does. Today was great, but I'll start with a few things I've missed. A week ago was my (Laura's) birthday. 23 - that seems old, but I know how silly that must sound to most people. :)

I think I look pretty silly - but I got em all on my first try! :)

As I've mentioned before, Jessica LOVES the snow. I'm so glad we got a picture of the first time she tasted snow.

"Nummy!!"

We also went sledding the other day. Jessica had fun for a little while. I think she just liked being with her Uncle "Nonny" (Jonny).

Jonny and Jessica

Michael, Laura, and Jessica

Like I said, Christmas morning was fun. Even though I got all of Jessica's presents at the dollar store, I think I got too much. She would have been thrilled with just a couple of things. The most excited she got was when I emptied out her stocking and told her it was "candy." She started dancing and giggling. So funny!

"Candy! Yea!"

Michael and I were pretty funny gift-givers. We each got each other exercise videos. :) We had each mentioned wanting that type of thing at some point, so we weren't mad or anything. We just thought it was hillarious. Thanks to everyone for all of the wonderful gifts. We love them all! Here are just a few more pictures of the morning (Jessica, of course).

Michael has been really funny this break about the snow. Growing up in Southern California he never really had much contact with snow. He has LOVED shovelling the sidewalks and driveways. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, he's out there as soon as there's a trace. Too funny. This morning my parent's next door neighbor came out with his snow-blower and "let" Michael use it. I love my silly man. :)

Who smiles this much shovelling?

During Jessica's nap today, Michael, Jonny (my brother), and I went outside to make a snow adventure for Jessica. We built tunnels and mounds and trails all through my parent's back yard. Poor Michael had never had the experience building snow forts and stuff. I'm so glad I'm giving him some real world experience. :) Jessica loved it when she woke up.

This one has got to be my favorite. She thought the tunnel was hillarious, but she wouldn't go through - even after I showed her how. Cutie.

Here we just plopped her in a pile of snow. She thought it was hillarious.

We've had a great Christmas so far. It really is so much more of a fun holiday with a little Jessica-bug running around.

Mr. Smarty-pants brother of mine

I just had to brag about my brother and tell everyone how amazing he is. He just started his Master's at MIT this fall. That in and of itself it bragable. But he just got his grades back for his first semester - straight A's. Wow. Congrats Jon!

Snowman!

I decided to introduce Jessica to another exciting aspect of life with snow - snowmen! So while she took a nap, I made a small one. I figured she'd get bored if I involved her in that part. She thought it was the funniest thing!

Her first look.

Pulling out the carrot.

Taking a taste...

and changing her mind. :)

She has got to be the coolest little kid I know. I'm so glad she likes the snow. So does Michael apparently. It's been snowing all evening. He goes out there every 15 minutes to shovel my parent's sidewalks. He thinks it's "really fun." What a weirdo. :) I had to make it stop after 10pm for our neighbor's sake.

Off to Idaho

We've been in Idaho for a few days now. All I could see as we were flying in was white, white, white. Lots of snow. But more about that later.

Jessica had her first trip on an airplane. Thank heavens for all of us, she slept most of the way. I think I have the cutest little family.

Jessica and Laura

Michael and Jessica

Jessica did SOO well with all of the new people she had to meet on our way to IF. We drove to Las Vegas and flew out of there. She had to meet two sets of great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. She was super nice to all of them.

Idaho Falls has been fun. Michael starts back up at work tomorrow. He's really excited about it because he loves the firm and enjoys the work, which makes me so happy. Jessica has spent her time exploring this new thing called snow. She even discovered today that you can eat it. She's a cutie.

Jessica

Jessica LOVES her gloves! She giggles and giggles when we put them on and then says "clap, clap, clap" as she claps her hands together.

Jessica and Laura
She wasn't as big of a fan of the hat. :)

Jessica
Touching the snow for the first time. So fun!


Jessica
She's looking a little bit devious here. Maybe she understood when Michael taught her how to throw a snowball. :)


Jessica and Laura - two little snow-bunnies.

And finally, here is a little video of Jessica out in the snow.

Colors, numbers, and letters

These two videos crack me up. The first one Jessica's telling me what colors things are. The second one I still haven't figured out if she's trying to count or naming letters. Either way, super funny!

And here are just some pictures that I love.

Jessica in her Christmas dress and me.


Jessica at the park. Getting ready to go down...


Weeeee!


She finally got the rhythm down on this bouncy toy and realized it really is fun!

Play Group

I am lucky enough to have a great group of friends in the area who love to go out and do things. Each week we meet and walk the 1 1/2 miles to this AWESOME park by Mission Bay. People give us some pretty funny looks - a bunch of moms and jog strollers all grouped together. Jessica also has a great time with the other kids. They are probably a little sick of her trying to kiss them though. :) Here are some cute pictures we took last week at the park. Thanks, Amberlynn, for letting me steal them off your blog!

Are you ready for some football? Part 2!

Saturday was the BYU/SDSU football game here in good old San Diego. The night before their away games the team puts on a fireside in the area. It turned out they held it in our stake center, so we were happy to go. A few of the members of the team spoke, as well as Coach Mendenhall and his wife. Back when we were at BYU, I tutored student athletes my last year. One of the football players I tutored (Jan Jorgensen) is now a starter. Michael was soooo happy when I introduced him. He's still thanking me for how cool it was. :)

For the game Michael's parents came down and a few friends from church came along also. The weather was much colder than usual, but it was still a blast. Michael loved being able to wear my BYU letterman jacket from back in the day I ran track.