Our Christmas Card

Make a Smilebox greeting

I know this is super cheesy but I thought we'd wait a couple years until we send out real Christmas cards. Enjoy!

These are a few of her favorite things...

Chips or as we call them chippys...
cell phones...

a comfy chair...

hiding in the closet...

tara's banana chair...

playing in the diaper box...

bath time...

taking pictures with mom, kind of.

Something she doesn't like... taking pictures with Santa. We went to the mall last week to sit on Santa's lap. The 'elf' told us that to take our own picture we had to stand in this crappy spot. They're trying to encourage people to buy pictures because if Santa doesn't make enough money then he can't come back next year. So this is what we ended up with.

The next night we had our ward christmas party. Josie didn't like sitting on Santa's lap there either.

I am Thankful for this Girl

I gave Josie her first purse a few weeks ago, she loves to carry things around in it, especially her cell phone. She likes to walk around and find random things around the house and stuff them inside. Sometimes I find tampons and pads in it, silly girl.

She wants the camera.

This picture is courtesy of Tara (my sister). This is Josie's scrunched nose smile. I haven't been able to get a good picture of it.

Tara came home for a few days last weekend. We went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Then on Friday Tara and I went to Costco for a much needed sample trip.

We celebrated Nicole's Birthday and ate costco chocolate cake, the best cake ever.
And celebrated Tara's Birthday.

I made Tara Black and White cookies....

and Nanaimo Bars.

Russ, Josie, and I celebrated Thanksgiving at the Mower's. We weren't able to stay long but we had a great time and ate yummy food. I made Banana Cream Pie and it was suprisingly delicious. Later we tried to play cards but we were interupted by babies.

My attempt at getting a picture with Josie, she wasn't in the mood. (Oh, I colored my hair this month, I am brunette again.)

Josie was exhausted from our quick trip to Grandma and Grandpa's and slept the whole way home.

Josie loves to go from room to room and pull everything out of the drawers. It's so much fun, especially for Mom.

She wants the camera again.

Happy Halloween and other things...

We've had a somewhat uneventful October. Earlier this month we went to the park and fed the ducks, well Russ and I fed the ducks, Josie just ate the bread.

Josie is getting quite the personality, sometimes she is just out of control and I feel like I'm contantly picking up after her. She loves to pull all the wipes out, throw diapers everywhere, eat toilet paper, and throw things in the garbage, ie. my cell phone.

Last week Josie and Russ were really sick. We took Josie to the hospital on Saturday because she had a really high fever and had trouble breathing, we found out she had Croup. She hated the hospital and freaked out anytime anyone even walked into the room. Needless to say the 3+ hours we spent there were fun. She has since recovered but still doesn't have her voice back. Russ and I think she sounds like Chunk from Goonies, especially when she cries.

When Josie was feeling a little better we took her for a walk downtown to enjoy the fallness, all she wanted to do was push the stroller the whole time, we didn't get very far.

For Halloween we went to our ward party on Friday night, where Josie won the Best Baby Costume. On Halloween night we spent time with my sisters and all their kids. We went trick or treating and ate tons of candy!

Family Pictures

My sister Laura took our family pictures for this year a few weeks ago. Josie was very difficult, which is always fun. However, I think we still got some good pictures. Thanks Laura!

Lions and Tigers and Bears...

Yesterday Russ and I took Josie to the Zoo for the first time. It was Russ' first time to the Boise Zoo too and I think he had way more fun than Josie. His favorite part was watching the Tiger walk around. Josie really enjoyed the monkeys and penguins and I liked the giraffes. The zoo is quite impressive these days, as Russ would say "it's pretty legit."

Random Pics from the last few weeks:

Russell and Josie enjoying the last days of nice weather.
Josie knows she's not supposed to get into the wipes but she does it anyway.

One of her new favorite things, wearing her blocks around her neck. (Yes I know she looks like a boy here)

New York

Russ and I had a great time in New York City. We walked A LOT, so much that every part of our bodies ached. We went through Times Square many times. Russ' brother Dan works in a building near Times Square. On Friday evening we ate dinner at his office and enjoyed a great view of the Empire State Building. On Saturday we spent the afternoon in the Ironbound distict in New Jersey, where the Brazilian neighborhood is, we ate lunch and Russ got a much needed brazilian fix. Sunday was our last day in the city. We spent some time in Central park and then went to check out the view of the city at Liberty State Park. It was a great trip, we missed Josie a lot, but it was great to get away. Here are some pics from our trip.

Anxiously awaiting the Subway.

In front of the Statue of Liberty... it's that tiny thing to the left.

Wall StreetOur first of many times in Times Square.

Wasington Square Park

The ESPN Zone, an obvious must for Russ.

Next to me and Josie (I hope), Russell's favorite person.

Rockafeller Plaza

Russ looking like a cancer patient in the only Pacers memorbilia in the NBA store.

The Manhattan Temple

This is the gift we bought Josie at FAO Schwartz on her birthday. Not sure if she likes it.

Russ found some much wanted Brazilian items.

The Brazilian areaish

Waiting for the train to the City.

Trying out my new sunglasses.

Russ trying out my new sunglasses.

Brazil day in New York City... insane.

Central Park

Park Avenue

Russ and Owen (our nephew)

Russ and his brother Dan

Dan, Laura, and Owen. Thank you so much for letting us stay with you and for all your help.

Liberty State Park

Josie's I love New York onesie.