California Again...

Visiting California this time of year has become a tradition for us. Taking a break from the snow and cold helps us get through the winter. We had a great time visiting my family. It rained the entire time we were there, but that was a lot of fun! Mason and Ellie had a ton of fun playing with Grandma Trish, Grandpa Mike and Aunt Brooke. We ate good food, visited the great grandparents, played the Wii, experienced an 8 hour power outage and watched three seasons of Battlestar Galactica. A vacation couldn't get any better.

Grandpa, Mason and Ellie playing one of many games of Uno.

Grandma and Mason

Mason and Aunt Brooke

Ellie and Aunt Brooke

During the power outage we had to entertain ourselves

somehow, so Mason and Ellie decided to have a

dance party showing off their cool moves.

Ellie dancing in the dark.

Mason and Dad keeping warm next to the fire.

Ellie's haircut

Ellie had her first haircut today. Her hair was getting quite long after almost 2 1/2 years. She did really well, no tears at all! Here are some before and after shots. It was a pretty dramatic cut, a little shorter than I wanted, but hair grows back! I still think she looks so cute!

Before

After

Mason got a haircut today as well. He insisted on a

picture of his new haircut, though it looks pretty

much the same as the last 3 years of his life.

We're having a...

GIRL!

I'm posting this next ultrasound picture because

I think it's so cool, even though it's kinda hard to see.

I've never had a 3D ultrasound of my kids before.

This was the best one the technician could

come up with, because our little girl was so wiggly!

I like this one of her face, because she

is sticking out her tongue! Amazing!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Our gingerbread house!

Opening pajamas on Christmas Eve

Ellie on Christmas morning

Mason and his new toy

Mason covered in silly string, a gift

from Grandma Nancy and Papa Steve

Ellie and mom opening gifts

at Grandma and Papa's house

Christmas Time Activities

We've been staying pretty busy this holiday

season. Here are a few pictures of

the things we've done!

Getting our Christmas tree. Mason feels so

grown up "helping" Dad with things like this.

Playing in the snow after one of the many

storms we've experienced this year

(I'm ready for it to be warm again).

Here the kids are walking around the City

Christmas Lights which Dave has

renamed "Daddy's Magical Wonderland."

One of our activities was making reindeer antlers.

We went to see the lights on Temple Square in Salt Lake.

We picked one of the coldest nights at only 15 degrees! It was freezing!

I think this picture is hilarious. Ellie was quite the

goof when taking our Christmas card pictures.

This face was pretty typical in most photos.

I'm pregnant!!!!!

Baby #3 is due May 20, 2010!!!!!

Happy Halloween!

Another fun Halloween

Ellie chose to be a piggy (we think it was because that meant she could where nothing but pink), and Mason was a doctor.

Dr. Mason

Ellie the pig

We went trick or treating with cousins Cade and Connor in

Grandma Nancy's and Papa Steve's neighborhood.

Cousins

Trick or treating

This is Dave's masterpiece.

Arizona Trip

We spent this last week in Arizona. We had fun visiting friends and family and remembering what it was like to live down there. It was relaxing and Mason and Ellie really had fun spending so much time hanging out.

Mason and Ellie hanging out in the pool.

Ellie trying to warm up after spending an hour in the pool.

Mason relaxing in the pool.

Mason and Dad

Mason was really interested in all the different kinds of cactus in Arizona. Here he and Ellie are standing by their favorite. They decided to call the saguaro the "banana cactus." That seems like a suitable name.

Mason by the paddle cactus.

Mason by the "pink" cactus.

While we were in Arizona, we got to spend some time with our good friends, Nate & Suzie. We ate a lot of pizza and wings and got to be there for the blessing of their baby boy, Lincoln.

We also got to visit Great Papa Stan and Great Grandma Gail. It was great to see them and their new little dog.

Vacations are so awesome! We can't wait for our next one!

He's Four!

Mason celebrated his 4th birthday on September 30, 2009.

He was so excited about everything. He is

growing up so fast and learning so many things.

Mason, the 4 year old

Playing his new recorder from Uncle Geoff & Aunt Erin

Crazy teeth from Uncle Cameron & Aunt Brittany

Birthday Cake

Again, I put in a little more effort this year for

Mason's cake. Pretty cute, huh?

Mason had a little "friend party" this year. It was a dinosaur

theme and included games like the pinata, a dinosaur egg

hunt and pin the dino skull on the fossil.

Mason opening gifts from his friends.

Mason got a big boy bike for his birthday from Grandpa Mike & Grandma Trish. He absolutely loves it! He can't ride it enough. He's always asking to go outside. If I even try to reach out and help him steer or slow down (because I'm a nervous mom) he grabs my hand and pushes it away. He really feels independent on that bike!