Baby's First Christmas

OK!! This is going to be long, but I have a lot to say. Rebecca's first Christmas was absolutely fabulous. Of course she doesn't know it, but it was. We were gone Dec. 22-26. What a trip. I was a little nervous about how she'd do with all the people and commotion and sleeping in different places. But she did just great! She was so patient with being passed around in so many groups of people. She slept at just the right times. She was good at church. She hardly fussed at all! She is just the perfect baby, we are so lucky.
We had our own little Christmas at our house on the 22nd. Rebecca woke up and ate, we put her in her walker and then opened presents. Seth was throwing wrapping paper and bows at her, she didn't even blink. She was so tired! It was funny. Seth and I got some nice gifts. I love Christmas. It is fun to surprise the ones you love.
Then we headed to the farm in Bancroft for the traditional Danish dinner at Seth's parent's house. Here are my cute nieces Emilee and Eve with "baby Rebecca" as they call her.

Here's the Danish dinner, it is so good! The little pancake puffs are called Abelskievers. Very tasty, with apples inside.

We usually do a pinata on Thanksgiving, but most of the kids weren't there this year, so we did it for Christmas. Rebecca got to go first. The kids were so cute and excited.

We did a white elephant gift exchange. It was fun. We ended up with really decent stuff, and got rid of a hideous lamp that has been in our basement.

Seth's mom and all the kids put on a Christmas pageant. It was really neat, with beautiful costumes. The kids all did so well. I love the Christmas story. Jesus came from humble yet magnificent beginnings. Rebecca got to play baby Jesus, which was so special to me.

And here she is, smacking on her fingers (upside down of course) having a great time with Grandpa Wistisen.

Here we are in our house opening gifts before we left.

We got Rebecca a walker for Christmas. Boy was this hard to find! I hate Winnie the Pooh, but we pretty much had no options. It is actually pretty cute, and Rebecca loves the toys. The only problem is her feet don't touch the floor so she just kind of hangs there. I wonder if her feet go to sleep.

My parents gave Rebecca this high chair. She loves to be right there while we are eating.

It was pretty funny to watch her suck on this candy cane. It has the wrapper on, but all of a sudden her expression changed...she made it through the wrapper. She liked it after a minute.

Here we are on Christmas morning opening presents.

Rebecca liked the wrapping paper the best.

I can't remember the last time we had this much snow at Christmas. It was so beautiful on Christmas day-tons of snow and a bright blue sky.

Every year on Christmas day, we go to my grandparent's house in Bountiful for yummy food and singing Christmas songs. I never knew how much I loved this until I was on my mission. I returned from my mission the next Christmas (Dec. 23) and was so glad I only had to be away for one Christmas. I'm not the best singer, but I love to listen to these beautiful songs about the Christ child. I'm impressed with my Grandma's piano playing skills. She is so good!

This is the last year we'll be there in Bountiful on Christmas day. I'm a little sad about that, since it's the only time I really ever see my extended family anymore. I'm looking forward to starting my own traditions with my little family though.

Above: Rebecca's legs are so strong! She stood up against this couch for such a long time and smiled and laughed at my mom. So cute.

Below: 4 generations!! Rebecca Lynn, Me, My Mom and my Grandma Nelson.

Merry Christmas! We sure had a great one, it was so nice to spend it with all the people we love so much. We are so blessed to have wonderful families.

5 Months Old!

Last Christmas was not so good. I was horribly sick--morning sickness. When we got out our 4 foot tall fake tree we've been using, the stand was broken, so Seth bungee corded it to a nightstand so it would stay upright. We put the lights up and that's as far as we got on decorating last year. Let me just say, it was pathetic! Anyway, this year I was determined to do better. Way better. We got a great deal on a new fake tree and it is 7.5 feet tall and really nice. My favorite thing is that it is pre-lit. That is the only way to go!! So nice, just put it together and plug it in. I love my ornaments and I'm a little worried about next year. Rebecca will be old enough to do damage. But this year was good, all she could do was look! And she loved it! It's so funny to see her looking at lights, it's like she can't decide which one to look at. So cute.
So here is our little Christmas baby on Dec. 12-five months old.

The month of December has been wonderful. I can't believe it's almost over already. Rebecca is growing and changing every day. She is getting so strong. She sits up pretty good by herself, for a little while (she still falls over a lot). She makes loud wet noises when she is happy, it is pretty funny. She takes much shorter naps and loves to be awake and doing whatever we are doing. She loves her toys now and reaches for them. She can pass toys from hand to hand. She lights up when Seth comes home from work. She loves music and sways back and forth while standing on my lap when music is playing. She has the sweetest little smile and such a great personality. She is so easy going and fun to be with. She is a great shopping partner too! We love our little baby so much. Here are a few of her accomplishments this month:

Rebecca sucks on her fingers upside down. It's so funny looking!

Here she is rolling over!!!

And she found her feet. Lately she loves putting them in her mouth.

Thanksgiving

I have been thinking about my wonderful life lately. I have so much to be thankful for. My heart is so full of thanks at this time and I wanted to write down the top ten things I'm thankful for this year.
1. This beautiful world. Specifically my little spot of this beautiful world. I love Idaho Falls. It is such a good place to live. I like how there are so many nice parks to go walking at. There are always fun events in the community. And plenty of good places to shop. The temple is 3 minutes from my house.
2. My body. I have been amazed with it over the past year. It has grown a child, delivered the child, and now makes food to feed the child. Amazing. I'm grateful my body is healthy too.
3. Marriage-what a blessing. I'm so glad I have someone to share this life with, to work towards worthwhile goals with, to laugh with, to struggle through trials together with, to take care of and to have take care of me.
4. I have a husband who cleans! I do not know anyone else who can say this. All my friends complain about their messy husbands. Not me. Just last week, Seth got down all my decorative plates and pitchers off the top of our kitchen cabinets and cleaned them. Then he cleaned all the windows in our house. Also, he is a handy man. That is the only kind of husband to have, in my opinion. A neat handyman-I'm so blessed!
5. Children (specifically mine!) Rebecca is the sweetest little person I have ever known. What an honor to be her mother, to help guide her through this life. I have so much to learn from little children-they are so trusting and innocent and carefree and honest and loving and forgiving. Children just make the world a better place.
6. I am grateful that my little Saturn still runs! Oh, we have had way too many car troubles over the past year. My car has a horrible transmission problem, but it still gets me where I need to go. I'm tempted all the time to curse my car, but I'm trying to remind myself lately that I'm glad I have it. Without it I'd be walking!!
7. I am grateful for commandments. I'm so glad our Heavenly Father didn't send us to this Earth and then leave us alone wondering what we're supposed to do. Commandments keep me safe and happy and I am glad to follow them, because of all the blessings I've received. I know God keeps his promises. Over the last few months, I've gained a stronger testimony of tithing. The windows of heaven have truly been opened and we are ok!! I know we always will be because God will take care of us if we do our part.
8. I'm grateful I was born in America. How awesome is that? I could have been born in Afghanistan and be in the middle of poverty, disease and war. I love my free country and I'm so grateful for those who put their lives on the line to keep it that way.
9. I'm grateful we were able to insulate our house a few months ago and so now I won't freeze this winter.
10. I'm grateful I'm not pregnant, because last year on Thanksgiving, I was barely pregnant and I think I ate a roll and a few bites of potatoes. I'm going to pig out this year!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!! BE THANKFUL FOR ALL YOU HAVE!!!

Fabulous Fall!

I love the fall. September, October, and November are some beautiful months! I love the leaves and the way the air smells. I loved the beginning of the school year all the time I was in school, wearing new clothes as a child and using my new school supplies, learning new things. I love jacket weather, coats are too big. I love it when your hands and cheeks are cold and you come inside and it's so warm. I love the holidays-Halloween, so spooky, tricky, goulish and fun. Thanksgiving, so warm and cozy with good food and the people you love. I love getting out the recipes I only make at this time of the year (they usually include pumpkin).
Anyway, this fall has been beautiful. It hasn't been really cold most days. I've taken the baby walking every day, and it is so good to be outside in the fresh air with the beautiful fall colors to look at. What a good life I have. Here are some of my favorite pictures from this fall. Fall is almost over (sniff) and then...winter. I can't say I like winter. I hate to be cold. Thank goodness for Christmas to brighten things up for a while. I think January and February are so dreary though. Oh well, what can you do? They're coming anyway.

Here she is, 4 months old in this picture!! She was having fun shaking these fake leaves.

We planted a garden for the first time this year. What a mess. We planted so much stuff and nothing grew but these pumpkins! We got 10 pumpkins, most of them are still green. This is our biggest one. We're pretty proud of it.

I went to visit my parents in Utah and was there on Halloween day. We watched the kids' Halloween parade at the school where my mom works. There were some great costumes! That brought back fun memories of Halloween when I was little. My mom LOVES Halloween, I think she has more Halloween decorations than Christmas. She always made me the best costumes. Some of my favorites are the tooth fairy and a unicorn. Thanks mom, for letting me be whatever I wanted! I think if my kids are that creative, I'll say..."how about being a witch? Or a ghost? or dracula?" Something I can do! My mom is great though, I always knew she could make any costume I wanted.
Do you like the arrow going through mom's head? Very nice. And all she had was a headache from it.

This is Rebecca and Samuel. We go walking with Samuel and his mom Pam every day.

I had fun making this headband for Rebecca. There is a spider on top, I love it!

Look at her!!

Well, I know I am biased, but I think Rebecca is brilliant. She is not even 4 months old in these pictures and she is sitting up by herself!! I'm so proud!

Seth the Builder

Lots of people ask me about Seth, how he's doing, how the house he's building is going. So I thought I'd talk a little about my hard-working husband and show some pictures of the house. First of all, I must say that this house is beautiful. Every time I go out to see it, I love it more and more. Then I go home to my little house in town and wish the big house out there in Rigby was mine. Eventually I stop wishing for things I can't have right now and be grateful for my cute little house in town again. But I sure hope that one day Seth can build a house like this for us.

The house sits on one acre. I always think an acre looks huge, but once you put a house on it, it doesn't look so big anymore. I think it is the perfect size, especially since we live 3 feet away from our next door neighbors. Space is good! And then you have room for a garden and a shed and lots of room for the kids to play. I like this subdivision, it is really nice.

Aren't the arches pretty? I love them and there are 3 in this house. Seth has gotten to be quite the little pro at tile lately too.

The house is full of nice big windows. Lots of light.

And here is the master bath. Notice the bench in the shower and the rounded tub deck. If you go to the left there is a huge closet. My clothes would take up 1/4 of the space, I think. It's big.

I'm so impressed with Seth and the quality way he builds his homes. He does so many extra things to make the home nice and unique. He told me recently that there is nothing he would do different if he was going to live in it himself. I know a lot of builders cut corners because it's not for their family, so they don't care as much-just get it done and sell it. Not Seth! That is something I really admire about him. He really does take pride in his work and try hard to make a product people will be glad to buy.

Good job Seth!! I love you and am so grateful for all the hard work you do to provide for our family.

SO CUTE!!!

To my vast audience of blog readers (ha ha) : I just have to show off these darling bracelets that my sister Kerstin made. I'm lucky she is so crafty, my baby wears them every day, and I get compliments on them all the time.



These pictures don't do the bracelets justice, I couldn't get the camera to focus very good. Aren't they beautiful though??

Rebecca is never completely ready for the day unless she has a bracelet on and a bow in her hair. I must say, I love having a girl! It is so much fun to doll her up.

Kerstin has made a bunch of these bracelets to sell, and I'm selling them for her too. Get this--they are only $5.oo each. That is a deal. I have seen them in stores for $9-12.oo each. So, if anyone is interested, let me know and your baby can be as darling as mine!! :) They make great, unique gifts too. And we have all sizes, 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months, and on.

Now, this is awesome. Kerstin also created these binky holders. They are so pretty. I have this one and one with flower beads. So fancy! Everyone compliments me when I have these clipped to Rebecca's clothes. And I love it because then the pacifier doesn't get dirty as it constantly is falling out of Rebecca's mouth. Everyone needs one of these. They are also a killer deal at $15.oo each.

And just check out how cute they are on!!! I love these bracelets so much. Thanks, Kerstin, for all the work you've done to contribute to my baby's cuteness!!

How crafty are we!

Last Saturday, Seth's sisters, mom, and I got together to make Christmas cards. We each came up with a card idea and brought enough supplies for each person to make five of our cards. So we all ended up with 30 beautiful cards. I was really impressed with all of them--everyone did a really nice job on their card ideas, I thought. Here are all the cards we made.


We started at 1:30 and didn't get done until about 5:30. It was an all day event, and I loved it! I love crafty things and creating something fun to share with my family and friends this holiday season. We had Christmas music on the whole time. It was fun to get into the holiday spirit.

Just look at what a mess we made though! Good thing mom put up another table so we could spread out more.

Here we all are! It was a fun day, good to be together. And Rebecca was so good the whole time too. Whew!