Putting up the Tree

Ryan and I started collecting Christmas ornaments from all the places we travel to. It gets a little ridiculous to be in Roatan, Honduras looking for Christmas ornaments in March, but we somehow manage. Since we lived in NY last Christmas we didn't put up our tree, so this year it was so fun going through all the ornaments we collected. Here are just a few........Niagara Falls
Cozumel, Mexico
Boston
Kauai
Grand Caymen
and NYC
While Tanner and Sean were here the Big Rivalry game was on.....the one between Ohio State and Michigan. We had a couple of Sean's friends from home come over and we had a huge OSU cheering section.....felt like old times.
The weather was so nice on Saturday that we went and played soccer at a park by our house. I must say, my brothers have some serious skills!

Later that night Matt, Kate, Averi, and Elle brought over some yummy dinner for us to enjoy and then we played NERTZ. Kate and Matt schooled us as always. I always forget how much I like playing card games....note to self..... What a fun filled family Saturday!! Love it!

Hudson meets Santa!

On Friday we went to Tai Pan for some much needed Christmas decorations so we could put our tree up. When we first walked in Santa was standing right inside the door waiting just for Hudson. He was one of the best Santa's I've seen! Hudson ,of course, gave his beard the pull test and he passed! He loved Santa!

Santa gave H a candy cane and he had it opened and in his mouth before I take it away from him.
Tanner and Sean came down for the weekend and we took them to one our favorite pizza places, Terra Mia. Sean also brought his friend Jack from Ohio. It was so nice to be able to spend time with them and hang out.

After dinner we had to go to the Sweet Tooth Fairy because we just didn't have enough dessert at my house.....sike, we had tons leftover, but I needed something fresh! After all it was Friday, and everyone knows you must celebrate Fridays!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We spent it with the Nelson's and it was at our house. We put in a lot of preparation beforehand so the day of was pretty relaxed. I went to my "Turkey Trio" workout class which was so fun, it was a 1/2 hour of power pump, 1/2 hour of kickboxing, and then a 1/2 hour of yoga, it was a perfect way to start the day! I got home in time to pull our turkey out of it's brine and stick it in the oven. I wish I would have taken a picture of it and my cheesecake because they were so pretty!

We had Hudson, Eva, Mackenzie, Maegan, Ryan, Baunie, Dawsen, Kim, Blake, Laurel, Allen, and Aimee. It was beautiful weather, which made it an even better day!
Since Laurel wouldn't look at me in the family picture, I told her she had to be in one all by herself, and she was happy to pose for me.
Hudson and Aunt Eva

Everyone chillin before the dessert round.

We love Dawsen! Isn't she so cute! Kim hung out on the floor playing with H forever! Dawsen also loved chasing Moose around the house, which made Moose and Ryan's day!

Thankful for my Little Family

Yesterday I was grumpy, not even for anything in particular, it was just one of those days! Then Ryan got home from work and just took over and let me have a little break, and that's all it took............a little time for me to just be by myself and everything was better. Last night when I was going to bed and saying my prayers I was so overcome by my feelings of grattitude for my little family and the life that we have! We are truly blessed!

Grateful for my Siblings

Sunday was Kate's birthday so we all went out to dinner to celebrate at Brick Oven. Unfortunately Tanner and Sean were up in Idaho, and Nana and Papa are in Ohio, but the rest of us all got together. Things are little crazy with all these little kids but I love it!
I can't leave Ryan unattended or this happens..........
Cam & Nic
Steff, Kendyl, and Nixon(barely)
The beautiful birthday girl, Kate!
Sweet B
Matt, Elle, and Averi

I'm so grateful that I live so close to my brothers, I like to think we are all pretty close, and I genuinely like hanging out with them, and their wives, and children!

Thankful for Music

I love music! I love it while I'm working out, getting ready, baking, cooking, driving, cleaning, and working! I love having it on for background noise, while I'm dancing (obviously) and I especially love holiday and church music. It's incredible how it can change your mood in an instant, make me run faster, or workout harder. It can bring out such strong emotions. It's always funny when you hear a song and you can remember exactly who you were dancing with at an 8th grade dance when it was originally popular. I love being on vacation and listening to Jack Johnson, or when I hear a song playing in a store and I can't help but doing the Zumba moves down the aisle. I was raised by two people who share my love of music and are incredible muscians as well, so I'm so happy that I married someone who loves music as much as me. Even if he is a little bit of music snob and only likes people who write their own music or play the instruments, when nothing makes me happier sometimes than a new Brittney Spears hit that I can dance in the kitchen to!
Friday night Ryan's work had a Music Night and it was awesome! He works with some incredibly talented and creative people and it was a blast listening to them sing and play instruments. Hudson loved it too! He just sat on our laps mesmorized even though it was way too loud and past his bedtime. I hope we can pass our love of music along to him!

Crack Pie & Compost Cookies

Ryan found out very last minute that he had to go to NYC for work, and I was very sad I couldn't go but I told him I'd forgive him if he went to Momofuku Milk Bar and bring me home some treats. I've seen this place on so many tv shows and I've wanted to go there forever! He told me if I brought him back some Hamloaf from Ohio, he would go there for me!
And he did!!! This "Compost Cookie" is one of THE BEST cookies I've ever had, my measly little iced oatmeal cookie will never be the same. It sounds gross, but trust me on this, it's delicious. It has oats, coconut, pretzels, chocolate chips, potato chips, butterscotch chips, and coffee grounds. He brought me three and I already polished off one. I figure if I cut the remaining two into small enough pieces.......who am I kidding, they'll be gone by tomorrow.

The crack pie has an oatmeal cookie crust, the filling has the consistency of a lemon bar but has the taste almost of sweetened condensed milk. Incredible! I prefer the cookie of the two. They also sell cereal milk, which is supposed to be the milk left in the bowl after the cereal is gone. But I hate that part of eating cereal so I skipped it. Ryan got some and said he was a little disappointed. So if any of you are ever going to NYC I will pay a portion of your ticket if you bring me home some!!
We are so happy we are all together again! Oh, and we got new couches!
So today we are thankful for crack pie, compost cookie, our new couches, and that we can spend the night together as a family!

Adventures in Ohio

Don't let this cute innocent face sitting by himself at the airport fool you, he was a monster on the plane today! The first leg he was good and fun and cute. From Minneapolis to Salt Lake I would have signed adoption papers had they been close by. I'm just kidding...kind of. I've made a few little observations about traveling with a baby.
1. Everybody is our best friend in the actual airport,because everyone's bored and he was a nice friendly, cute distraction.

2. Once on the plane, I'm everyone's worst enemy! Everyone avoids eye contact with me and I swear I could hear the sighs of relief as I passed their row, obviously sitting elsewhere. And the sudden look of dread and despair as the person I will be sitting next realizes they are stuck with my at very close range for the next 2-3 hours.

3. Men were much friendly and helpful to me and Hudson than the women.
That's all!
We are now tucked in nice and warm in our home minus Ryan, he is in NYC for work, and we sure miss him! Here are a few little pictures from our trip. Friday night we went to dinner with my parents at the Country Club and we were both dressed up nice and cozy! Delicious food too! I always feel a little funny taking a baby into places like that.

I met up with one of my best friends from high school, Abbey. It's always so much fun to see her, and it feels like no time has passed! I wish I could see her more, Hudson loved her!
One day we went to Columbus and did some shopping at Easton in Columbus. It's one of my favorite malls EVER!! I decided we would avoid the crowds at the SLC H&M and stock up in Columbus. Then we ate at Panera and Nana gave Hudson his first piece of bread and he gummed at it for a while, I guess toothed, since he has a tooth now.
Hudson got stocked up on his OSU clothes. We went to a little shoppers bazaar and this little lady had knit all of these sweaters and hats, she was the cutest little lady and they were such cute sweaters we couldn't resist. Who knows where he'll ever wear it, but he has it just in case!!

Today I am thankful for helpful strangers who offered to carry things for me or hold things for me while we were traveling, it made a huge difference in my day! And my wonderful family who is also so helpful to me in my daily life, especially my brother Nic.....but I'll go more into that on another day!

Thankful for Nana & Papa

Hudson has had so much fun with his Nana and Papa this weekend, and we are sad it is coming to an end. I'm afraid he's gotten a little spoiled with all the attention he's been getting here. But I guess that's what Grandparents are for. Yesterday at church my dad made a discovery.......Hudson has a tooth!! You can't see it, it's on the bottom, but I almost cried! I'm not prepared for my baby to be getting so big. I'm am so happy we made this trip, we have had so much fun and have been quite spoiled. Papa watched Hudson while my mom and I went to the gym and did a little shopping on Saturday and they have just been best buddies all weekend. My mom has came and gotten him early in the morning so I can sleep in, and last night she took him altogether and I went into a different room and had the best nights sleep I've had in months! We're not ready to go back to real life..........yuck!

Thankful for Veterans

Grandpa Glenn Schenk- Navy
Grandpa Marion Clark-Army

Today I am thankful for all Veterans but especially these two, they also just happen to be the most handsome ones I've ever seen!

Modern transportation

A few weeks ago Hudson and I decided we needed to visit Nana and Papa but we wanted to keep it a surprise from Nana. So my dad made sure she didn't have to work or have class and we picked a weekend. I got a little worried the last few days that she had found out somehow. So Hudson and I hopped on a plane for a long flight to Detroit, then a layover, then a quick flight to Columbus. Our flight was at 7 am so I was sure H would sleep most of the time...nope not at all. He was so hyper and awake the whole 3.5 hrs on the plane, that's not entirely true, he fell asleep during our descent and then the 20 minutes it took me to walk/run to our gate and then he woke up as soon as I sat down at our new gate. But he had so many women just doting all over him on the plane, and I don't blame them because he was so cute during the flight. The stewardess wouldn't leave us alone, neither would the lady across the aisle. Both were grandmas, and they were so excited when I told them we were surprising my mom. Anyway, he really was such a doll. And in even more shocking news, all of our flights were on time with no problems, it seems like that never happens anymore, the exception instead of the rule!

So papa picked us up and we went to Nana's work to surprise her, the plan was for my dad to just walk in holding Hudson and say, "Look who I found", but she was already on her way out in the parking lot when we got there. The look on her face was priceless as she looked at me in the car and it took a second for things to register who I was. Soo worth the long flight. She had no idea and she was pretty excited! So now we're just hanging out, tucked in nice and warm in Nana's house having her wait on us and take care of us for a long weekend. We can't wait to eat Donald's Donuts, Mark Pi's, cookie dough, get in the hot tub every night, eat lots of popcorn and watch movies!

Today we are thankful that have things like airplanes to travel across the country to hang out with Nana and Papa!

Hudson Loves his Aunt Eva

Today Hudson and I are both very grateful for Aunt Eva! I can not tell you how much Eva has helped us out! She is always so willing to watch Hudson when I am in a bind or just want to go to the gym. I always feel good because I know he is in such good, caring hands! She absolutely goes above and beyond and we love her even more for it!