It's Christmas time!

Wow!  Chistmas time flew by.  It came quick, it ended quick.  Our family had a wonderful week. 
 
This will be Ella's last year of *believing*  She asked me over and over if Santa was real or not.  She had heard friends at school saying he was not, and she just did NOT know what to believe.  I needed her to hold on to just one more Christmas.... if she asks again, we will have a talk.  But I was not completely ready for it to be over quite yet.
 
 
Christmas Eve EVE we had our Benson family party at Grandma Bensons.  We had a yummy ham dinner and opended presents. 

 
Ella slept over with her cousins.  I love that she has so many to play with.  We found out the next day that they stayed up until 7 am playing.  Good memories for her.  I also love that they are holding their little stuffed animals and are still little kids like that!
 

 
 
Christmas Eve we hosted a party for the Alley's.  We had a potato bar and play games and opended some gifts.
 

 
 
 
We had a white Christmas!  Yes, that is my husband in boots, a hat and short sleeved shirt.

 
Gingerbread house with Grandma made earlier in December!

We had a Benson family party (extended family) on Christmas eve evening.  More dinner and visiting.

New jammies!!
Ella was excited.  Parker just wanted the box.
 

 
I love my little family.

 

 

 
 
Our babies
 

 

 
 
Christmas Morning!!!
Dustin and I got a great present.  Both kids slept in until 8:30. What?!  Yes!!!  In fact, Parker was up first and went into Ellas room wanting to dance to music.  So we turned her radio on and tried to get her up.  It took her a good minute before she remembered what day it was.
 

 
Ella got uber excited with each present.  I mean, even her pack of gum made her jump for joy.  I love it.  She had many great expressions Christmas morning! 
 

 

 

 
Playing with new toys

 
Grandma and Grandpa Alley's house on Christmas day.  Our whole family was there.
Parker got new shoes and had a hard time walking.  Both kids were completely and utterly spoiled by their aunt, uncles and grandparents.
 
 

 

 
 
 

Their eyes

This kid

I have noticed 2 new things about this kid.

This is how Parker likes to read:

This is Parkers new cheesy smile.  Normal vs Cheesy.

Wrestler

Poor Bear.  Parker is finally big enough to wrestle you.  You have really been taking a beating.  But its so fun to watch.

Thanks week 4

Nov 26- I am grateful for my dad.  I always held him on a pedastal growing up and I actually still do.  He was a great father and husband which led me to make the right desicion on whom to marry.

Nov 27- I am grateful for my choice of husband.  He is perfect for me.  Great husband, great father, great friend. I still don't know how I snagged him.

Nov 28- I am grateful for my 3 brothers.  They all bring different personalities to our family.  I love them all very much.

Nov 29- I am grateful for the gospel.  It is why I can feel joy in this life.  I am grateful for my testimony of the Savior, and temples, and the priesthood, and of prayer, and of eternal life.

Nov 30- I am grateful to be alive!!

Christmas Pics!

The 3 of us had another at home photo shoot.  I saw the cutest ideas on pinterest.  But you know how that goes- they say how easy it was for them to do and how perfect it always turns out.  All I know is that they didnt have a 13 month old :)  It was so hard to get him to hold still.  Solutions?  Teddy Grahams.  That would at least get Parker to sit still.  But then he had soggy crackers in his mouth in every picture.  Oh yeah.  And Parker would ONLY smile if Ella stood behind me and got him to laugh.  The two of them together- he would not crack a smile.  I must not be funny enough for him.

Setting up the lights was easy.  Ella's turn was super easy.  After some trial and error and some photoshopping of crackers.... here are my favorites.

Little hands

These little hands are always busy.  They are always touching, grabbing, moving, pushing, pounding and learning.  These chubby little hands make me want to nibble them. 
These hands will do great things one day.  These hands will be used bless others. These hands will be used to preach the gospel in about 17 years.  These hands will one day hold babies of his own. 
These hands are only going to be small and dimply for a short while.

 

 

 

Photography anyone?

I LOVE love love love taking pictures.  Of my 2 kids I have 10's of thousands of pictures.  I have pictures everywhere!  I love being able to freeze a moment in time.  So I take all these pictures always wishing I knew what I was doing and wishing I had equipment that would give me great results.

Besides always pointing a camera in the face of my kids which they are completey used to by now, I love photographs of the world.  Whether it be nature, wildlife or landscapes.  I think the world is incredibly beautiful and I love (sorry so many loves in this post) being able to take in sights of what our Heavenly Father has created for us.  It stirs something deep down inside of me.  When I stop to notice these creations it builds my testimony even more of the love he has for us.  So I want to capture these images in a photo that will last forever.

I have dreamed of doing this for such a long time, and now I think I can.  Photography is my new hobby.  Ok, I am only on about week 2 of this hobby.  But I love it so much that I want to study it, learn it and practice it, because it makes me happy.  My dad who is an amateur photographer has told me that it takes a lifetime to learn.  To me that is a great hobby.  Getting better everyday but still haivng more and more to learn.

For my own personal records and learning experience I have started a new photography blog.
www.thesefourseasons.blogspot.com (public)  Even though it is for me to keep as records, anybody is free to view it.  I have a long way to go and I know I will love it.

Smile

If i ever have a bad day and need a smile....

Thanks week 3

These are all simple things I am grateful for but I know I take them for granted most the time.  A while ago the country of Haiti had an awful earthquake.  The whole country was displaced, homeless, dirty and hungry.  When I watched the news that showed up close what these people were living like after the earthquake my heart broke for them.  They were without the most basic of needs.  I think about these people every so often. So even though these things are simple- I know there are others that would give anything to have them.

Nov 15- Hot showers and hot baths
Nov 16- Electricity
Nov 17- A soft bed
Nov 18- Grocery stores
Nov 19- Shoes
Nov 20- Vehicle
Nov 21- The ability to see, hear, taste, touch and smell, walk
Nov 22- Washer and Dryer
Nov 23- A full wardrobe
Nov 24- Food in the fridge and cupboards
Nov 25- Toys for my kids

Ella

 

Cute shorts?  Well, they are Parkers church pants.  Yes, my almost 8 year old has the same sized waist as my 1 year old.  A little of Ella being tiny and a little of Parker being big. 

 

 

Ella and her dad had the best date ever.  They went with Grandpa Alley and Uncle Mikey to a Jazz game!  Ella has been wanting to start playing on a basketball team for awhile.  So she LOVED the game.  Dustin said she talked the entire game and asked a billion questions about every single thing that was going on. Now she knows all about the game, she is ready to play.
She also has a small little crush on Gordon Hayward......