How silently, how silently

The wondrous gift is given !

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming;

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still,

The dear Christ enters in.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Happy 4th!

Today is our 4th wedding anniversary. We were joking that it seems like such a short amount of time but its been a long time! We called the first 3 years dog years... meaning that we did what most people take 10 years to do in 3. We're excited to have hit the pause button this year. Nothing huge happened, we were able to enjoy being a family and together as much as possible.
I don't feel the need to gush like crazy about my husband because I do it all the time, I am grateful everyday that he chose me.


But.... my family wanted to gush for us:

from my mom:

Well there ~ isn't it hard to believe that four years ago today we were all getting ready for your beautiful sealing/wedding and reception to take place?????
I can't believe your anniversary has rolled around again but it's a wonderful day to reflect on the couple you are ~ husband and wife, parents, children, in-laws, dogs, new cars, sweet home, good friends, health, the truth of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and all that you are blessed with???
Happy Anniversary Wonderful Children!
Here's to "Forever"

and my sister sent us a song:

tomorrow will come and girl I can't wait it's our anniversary{echo} anniversarythe first thing I’ll do is run straight to you it our anniversary{echo} anniversary{chorus}it's our anniversary {echo}It's our anniversary, anniversaryit's our anniversary{echo}It's our anniversary, made for you and meand i've only made plans to hold your little hand it's our anniversary{echo}anniversarythe pleasure's all mine cuz we have seen good times It's our anniversary victoria won't be no secret at the end of the dayit's our anniversary{echo}anniversary a small cup of tea to you and me it's our anniversary{Bridge}All I really want to say my darling today is a special day we call our own so take me in your arms and hold me and tell me you love me and I’ll be there for youdo you know what today is do you know what today isit's our anniversary {it's our, it’s our special day}anniversarydo you know what today is it's our anniversary made for you and metoday is a special day not just any day cause you can have everything you want your way Tell your supervisor your leaving early today and I’m going to pay for the rest of your daydo you know what today is it's our anniversary, anniversary 2xtoday I have lots of fun stuff for you girldo you know what today is it's our anniversary do you know what today is it's our anniversary, made for you and meI know girlI knowit's our anniversary.and I love you in a special wayI remember the first nightI remember the first day

I'm a lucky lady to have the love and support of these three amazing people! (Billy, mom and sister if you were wondering, hee hee)

An anniverary idea

Our anniversary is on Thursday, and since we have spent so much money in the last week (car, Christmas, concert tickets.... life) I thought that I would go and take a cute picture of the girls together in their cute Christmas dresses. Well, it was a nice thought.

This is one of the 3 pictures where Lia actually looked and smiled at the same time.

They were running around the rose garden it was cute.

I think this one looks like a postcard!

I think this was my favorite of the day!

Lookin' a little drunk here...

Ahhh, that's better!

Again, not looking.

And remember the whole idea was to take a picture of them together, well I tried and this is what happened:

Sophie looks like she wants to kill me in this picture!

Happy Anniversary honey, I tried!

We had James, Kristen and their adorable family over the other night and I had this fantabulous idea that we should make gingerbread houses with our kids. We had a blast! We spent probably about an hour and a half constructing them... they came out really cute.
This is Kristen and Topher's, notice the tree Meela bit the top off of.
I think the frosting went straight to James' head!

Lia and I made this beautiful house.

This is Billy's latest pride and joy.

Kristen and Meela working hard. Oooh, and I have to add, Meela is really quick at snatching the candy, seriously you couldn't catch her. She was cracking us up the whole time.

Billy had to work by himself, he didn't want to get bumped.

Everyone should do this, we had a great time and our kids loved it... especially taste testing the candy!

The Ward party

Lia and I went to the Ward Christmas Party, and we had a great time. The food was fully cooked, there was enough of it and she got to see Santa. She didn't want to stop talking to him.

Baby take a bow!

Our little girl had her first dance recital on December 12th. She was fantastic! She had no stage fright and she would yell "Hi Mom! Hi Dad!" when she came on and off the stage. My heart was bursting with pride! We adore her! She was dancing to "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas"

"Baby take a bow"

and "I just can't wait to be King" from the Lion King

she had the best roar!

Billy is going to be mad....

I started my own private blog this morning (to post videos and stuff on) and selected this cute background.... and added it to this blog on accident. I'm sorry honey. I was trying to be good I swear.
But its cute right???

Everyone in this picture is so proud of Nernie!!!

I would like to speak for everyone in our cute little family to be the first to say how stupidly proud of Erin we are! This woman can accomplish any goal she sets her mind to. We can ALWAYS rely on her for anything, she has taken care of all of us in some way or another, she helped our dad in ways that none of us ever could, she's a great roomie for our mom. We'd be lost with out her!

She's the sister you pray to have, the friend you're lucky to find, the Aunt you want to see everyday, the daughter you thank your lucky stars you get... she truly is amazing and I don't think I tell her enough.

Congrats on finishing your degree, this is only the beginning!!!

(For those of you who don't know who she is, she's in the white shirt holding Sophie, my mom is on her left, the our nephew Mitch (yes I know he's incredibly good looking) on the right, then me, then Elise (again, incredibly good looking) holding Lia and my brother Geoff and sister Tam in the front. )

Proof!

If you ever needed proof that my husband loves me more than anything... you should see the email I just got.

We're going to see the Elton John and Billy Joel concert in March. AHHHHHHHHHHH!

I am a HUGE, LONGTIME, DEVOTED, LOYAL Elton John fan. I saw the concert a few years ago with my mom, it was AMAZING!!! And I still talk about it, it was hands down a tie with my Queen concert (only because that one was a dream come true!) Anyway, I have converted Billy to the love of Elton John music ... he always loved Billy Joel.

Sing us a song, you're the piano man!!! Wa-hooooo!

Ahh, Disneyland!

Victory- red!

Yes dear friends and family, Katie got a victory-red Chevy Aveo for her husband last night. Sorry this picture is all pixilated, but I used up all of the memory on my camera taking a video of Lia and Billy playing in the snow at DL and am too lazy to go download it.

Back to the real story. Billy's car had paid its dues, it got him back and forth to work for 6 years, plus college plus all of the pain in the butt things you had to do to just get in, get it started, the gas tank lid.... plus the $485.00 we spent just to get it home the other day along with the $2,500.00 job estimate to get it functioning correctly plus it wouldn't pass smog.....

Yes, after tons and tons of prayer, budget re-working and research. Billy has ended up with a really cute, fun to drive, exactly what he needs, mama loves drivin' it and the girls look cute in the back seat little commuter car that is just perfect for him.

I still couldn't sleep lastnight. Not because I had buyers remorse, I was really happy for Billy. Here's the funny part... the catch you might call it. Its a 5-speed, Billy can't drive one, so I've got it until I can teach him this weekend. Ha ha ha ha!

I can't live with out these girls~

Really, they make me laugh constantly!
And they really grew up on our little trip. I knew Lia was getting really close to being potty trained, but I didn't want to hassle with it on the trip and I always knew I wanted her to be potty trained and not me doing it for her. I knew one day she would wake up and it would all work. Well, she decided on the trip it would happen. I kept her in a diaper, but she would come and get me everytime she had to go. It was really funny at the casino in Reno. I picked her up and went jamming through the casino to find a bathroom and she was mad at me because we didn't find it in time.
Yesterday was the true test. I put her in her Dora pannies (as she calls them) and we went to the bank, costco, target, Nernie's work and my moms house. There were NO potty accidents. There was an accident of another kind, but we'll work on that. Until then I am just so proud of her. She is becoming very aware of her surroundings and remembering places and people. On the way up we stopped at Schatts (who doesn't) and then walked over to the park and fed the ducks and played for about an hour... well we did the same thing on the way back. And when we pulled into the parking lot at Scahtt's she asked if we were going to play with the ducks on the bridge again?? Then one day we were out touring the otherside of the lake and had breakfast at the Biltmore and when we drove by it a few days later she asked if we could have breakfast again?!! I know I shouldn't be so surprised, but I think the day you stop being surprised and in awe of your children you are taking your children for granted.
Then my little Sophie. I have said all along that she is my plotter. If there is something she wants she will sit there, watch and figure out a plan. She has figured out how to climb on to our bed. Which those of you who have seen it can verify that I need a pole vault to get on to it. But she figured out how to brace herself on the footboard, push up with her legs and pull up on the bed spread. It about gave me a heart attack. Then at the Cal-Neva she found a little candy machine and decided that she had to have the Reese's in it. She watched other kids get them, then saw some younger kids with their moms getting the candy for them, so she came over to me, pointed at me, then pointed at the machine, then me, then the machine and so on. Until she came over tapped my leg and screamed at the machine. I would have done it the first time she pointed I just wanted to see how far she would go to get them. She's also started talking. Just a few words, but I just love her adorable little voice. Oh and did I mention the dirty looks? Yes my child will stare you down.
OH! And she grew more hair on the trip, Billy could not believe it! We are just truly grateful for these two little ladies.
And I want to add a few more things I'm grateful for.
1- friends! We have been blessed with an amazing circle of friends. They gave us a great place to stay on vacation. The night before we left my mom got to go the Lakers game and sit courtside! Yes, like right next to Leo... ooooooh and the one I was jealous about was Kevin Connely (E from Entourage). Friends have also helped me out over the last few weeks when I was sick and when we got back and found out that the new sewer line the city put it burst along the side of my house!!! They helped me keep my courage and house smelling nice.
2- Knowledge and Prayer- I am grateful that we are sent here to learn and to grow. But most importantly to know when to turn to Heavenly Father. Last week my cousin was in an accident. Not a car or motorcycle... a helicopter! I believe because he was properly trained and because his sweet wife said an extra prayer that day he was able to survive unscathed! (And if you guys are reading this, I have been thinking about you since this happened and am so glad you are all ok.... well, your nerves might not be yet)
3- everything. I truly am grateful for everything I have or don't have. All of my triumphs and all of my trials. You name it, in some way or another I am grateful for it all.

Pati-O fun

We could have locked the girls on the patio the entire trip and they might not have even noticed. The latch to open the gate was perfect for Lia to open and shut, so she was totally entertained. Doesn't this remind you of that kid in A Christmas Story.... "I can't move my arms"

Locked Sophie out again!

Snow Pirate, definitely a fav!

Do we all react like this the first time we put on gloves?!?!!

Who loves digital??? I DO I DO!!!

We just returned from our wonderful trip to Lake Tahoe/ Incline Village. It was amazing and I took 397 pictures and videos, thank heaven for digital!

Lia wrote a letter to Santa, she asked for a cow, a mouse and a kitty. The Cal-Neva had this cute form for them to fill out then they turned it in and got a teddy bear! Sophie LOVED the tree and its trimmings!

This was our crew- we seriously laughed the entire trip!

The tree was huge, and real even! You don't see too many of those in So-Cali.

Livy's in CA and Lia is in Nevada.

We took a little trip to Donner Pass, its a beautiful monument, but you feel very somber the whole time you are there.

Donner Lake

Two of my cuties!

Its hard to imagine snow that deep!

The Bill's and fog.

Here is Lia at the Atlantis fountain in Reno. We went with Bill to pick up Billy at the airport. Lia LOVED the fountain!

This is why we went to the Atlantis.... the buffet! I hit the money jackpot, but we all scored with food! Seriously, it was the most incredible thing I have ever seen! Shrimp as far as the eyes could see, mongolian bbq, mexcian, italian, chinese, japanese, salad bar and then the dessert section! OMG, all you have to tell me is soft serve and I'm sold. Well they did have soft serve, but they also had a gourmet bakery with every pie imaginable, finger pastries, beautiful cheese cakes... ahh, my mouth is watering!

Here's trouble! Thanks Bill.

Here is the golf course our friends live on, my mom had taken the girls to go play on the hill of the sand trap, when some guy pulled on to the course and told them to leave. My mom asked if they were allowed to play, and he said oh yes, of course, but he had just had a 400 LB BLACK BEAR WALK IN FRONT OF HIS CAR AND GO INTO THOSE TREES IN THE BACKGROUND! So she called me and asked me to come pick them up.

Love it!

I wanted to have a little fun, so I covered the stairs in blankets and became a sled for the girls. We had so much fun. I don't think I've ever seen Billy laugh so hard in my life!

Nern with the girls.

Lia was so excited for her daddy to come meet up with us. We called him numerous times a day to tell him all of the fun stuff we had done and in one conversation she was telling him about the playground and then she got all excited and said

"DADDY! There's a BIG slide and I slided it!"

And this is us.