Christmas Celebrations

On Christmas Eve Al went snowboarding with his sister Lexi and brother Trevor.

While I got left behind I went to the mall with my mom and looked for the dreaded maternity clothes that I told myself I wouldn't buy. Motherhood Maternity was so helpful and let me try on a belly to be band to see how I big I would be in 2 months. I couldn't help but laugh when I strapped this thing on.

Here is my expected size at 9 months.

We went to Temple Square that night with my mom and Ryan to see the lights. Apparently all of Utah goes on Christmas Eve because I've never seen so many people there. We even saw a proposal at the reflecting pond.

Al really put those 2 coats I packed for him to use. I don't know how he survived without a coat.



and our yearly picture in front of the temple. Next year it will be with a baby!!
Christmas Day was crazy. Splitting time between 2 families is never easy. We started the morning off at my moms and had breakfast.

Look at those perfect teeth

Our next stop was Al's parents house where we had our 2nd breakfast and got to exchange presents with each other. Al showing his mom how to use her new camera.

and Al IV in his new Lululemon shirt.

Our next stop was Als grandparents where all his aunts, uncles, and their kids go for dinner. I think there was 45 people there. After that we went to my Aunt Mary's house in Layton for a 2nd dinner (I think I gained 5lbs that day). Everytime Blake sees me he asks me for gum, so this year I bought him his very own gumball machine!!

It was a busy day and so much fun to see everyone. Merry Christmas!!

Friends & Family

We went to Utah for Christmas and it was so nice to stay for more than 3 days and fly for once. We got to spend lots of time with friends and family. My mom took me to her work party at Ruth's Chris. It's good I can finally eat steak again.....I couldn't even look at it the first 5 months I was pregnant.

Dinner with my family at Market Street.

Time with Abbey and Ryan. Ryan loved trying to feel the baby kick as you can see in the picture below.

Breakfast with Ashlee

while Al went skiing with our friend Chuck that also lives in LA

and then he went skiing again after Christmas with his cousins.

I don't know he is so good at skiing. I can barely go down a green and I lived in Utah for 25 years...lol

While he was skiing with his cousins I went with their sisters to lunch and a movie.
Dinner with Stacy at Epic which was one of our favorite restaurants when we lived together. Dinner with Dayton (Als misison companion) and his wife Brooke at Cheesecake factory. Good news there was only a 1 hour wait...lol Dayton wants Al to move back to Utah so he bought him that California shirt he's wearing that says "you can't afford it"
A quick trip to visit Danielle and Crue, but I only got a picture of Cecil their bulldog in his Large sized Michigan hoodie.
and I was soooo excited Aspen had her baby before I went back to LA. I got to meet cute Aurora Grace when she was a few hours old.
Aspen was one of those lucky girls who only had a 1 hour labor. I'm crossing my fingers that happens to me.
and family pictures with the Camerons. Unfortunately we picked the only day it was a blizzard while we were there.

Merry Christmas 2010

For those of you that didn't get a Christmas card from us....Merry Christmas!!

LA Christmas Lights

Al and I picked the perfect night to go look at Christmas lights with pouring rain. It was probably the fastest walk around the temple, but at least we had an umbrella. I loved the palm trees with lights.

I'm not really sure how many people are usually looking at the lights on a Friday night, but we were the only ones there, but again who wants to walk around in the rain.

One of my many coats that won't button up. I promise my butt hasn't gotten that big.

It's definately no Temple Square, but that's on the list for next week. Hooray for Christmas lights and spending time with Al!!

Christmas Cookies

I love to bake sugar cookies at Christmas time, but this year I discovered this amazing new recipe in Better Homes and Gardens....Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies. It's super easy and they taste amazing. I wasn't sure about the green food coloring, but I decided it makes them Christmasy.

Ingredients
1 (1 pound 1.5 ounce) pouch Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
6 drops green food color
1 egg
1 cup creme de menthe baking chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
DirectionsMix cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg in bowl, until soft dough forms. Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks. Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

So yummy, enjoy!!

Montrose

There is a sleepy little town about 10 minutes from us called Montrose. A couple weeks ago we drove by and I spotted christmas lights lined up and down Honolulu Avenue. I talked Al into going to dinner so we could walk by all the lights.

We picked an Italian restaurant called Cucina Rustica.

I got a yummy chicken pasta

and Al got some meat lovers pizza which turned out to be pretty good.
Since we don't have a Christmas tree this year we got to admire theirs. I loved Cucina Rustica and we will definately be going back, maybe with a baby next time.Here is my 26 week picture. Thank goodness for leggings and whats better than that? MATERNITY LEGGINGS. If I could wear them to work I would live in them 24/7.

Our 2010 Christmas ornament that I have to hang from our wall.
and a pretty winter sunset. We have been having these every night along with the best weather ever. I'm excited to go to Utah for Christmas!! I hope it snows so it will actually feel like Christmas time.

15 More

My friend Ashley in Utah was sooooo awesome and went to the Shade clearance sale for me and got me tons of maternity shirts.
8 shirts and a swimsuit. Every item only $1 each!! How amazing is that? I love good deals especially on clothes I hopefully won't wear until my next pregnancy!!

On Saturday Al and I went to pick up my glider!! It's so comfortable I don't want to get out of it. Baby Alex is going to love it!! Pictures to come soon.

Here I am at 25 weeks. I got lots of compliments on this dress at church, but what people couldn't see is how I only had it zipped up half way. When I got out of the car I heard it rip and then I had to sneeze and I heard it rip again. Yep won't be wearing that one again. I'm determined to find out why all the maternity dresses have to be made of that awful spandex material that clings to every part of your body it shouldn't. Why can't they just make normal dresses in normal colors and fabrics?

I'm wondering where all the extra weight will go in the next 15 weeks? I'm running out of clothes to wear to work and I really don't want to buy any. I want Mexican food everyday so that has to mean he will speak Spanish. The guy at Subway knows me so well that when I walk in he says " We have Spinach for you today." He knows I'm not a happy customer if they only have shredded iceberg lettuce. I don't know what I'm going to do when we are in Utah for Christmas because none of my coats will zip up over my stomach...lol I've also decided pregnancy is much more glamorous when it's not happening to you. Here's to Week 26!!