Addi's Big Screen Debut

On Saturday we decided it was time to take Addi to her first movie at the theater. Jillian and I have been debating for the last few months how old she needed to be to enjoy it, be enthralled by it, and let it transport her. We've asked friends, watched movies with her at home (slowly working our way from shorts, to 15 and 30 min cartoons, and eventually to feature length movies), and decided that now was as good a time as any to do a trial run.

We picked "Tangled," and Addi was SO excited to go see a princess movie! And truth be told, for her first adventure, she actually did remarkably well. We shared a bag of popcorn and a drink (and may have snuck in some cookies, crackers, and fruit snacks to keep her preoccupied). She stayed in her seat throughout all of the previews and the first ten minutes or so of the movie, and then climbed down, and stood and watched (much to the chagrin of the grandpa sitting in front of her, I'm sure!)- the whole time amazed by the big screen, the lights, the colors, the animals, the princess, and on and on. After 30 minutes or so, she ventured out into the aisle, and onto the stairs, but held onto the railings and continued to watch the movie. She eventually got distracted by the theater itself and set to exploring, but every once in a while she would check in with the princess and the chameleon and the horse, and run over to us and point at the screen and smile with glee.

I honestly can't tell you that I enjoyed the movie all that much, and that has nothing to do with the movie itself. I LOVE DISNEY MOVIES! But I spent the entire movie so enthralled by how Addi's first experience went, that I missed a lot of what was going on on the screen. And that was just fine with us- we'll buy it on DVD and watch it together for years to come, because yesterday, our little girl fell in love with Disney and princesses and movie theaters.

Yes, even movie theaters have candy machines! (Addi is obsessed with these when we go to the mall)


Watching the previews with Daddy


Our princesses

Pictures of the Week

I just found some pictures from this last week that I wanted to put on our blog. I love having my pictures and memories stored for me here.

Watching "Yes, Virginia" in the morning with Daddy



She's so funny. She likes to sit in her doll's stroller, on the couch, to watch TV in the basement!



An exciting Jazz game!



Listening in on the huddle from our seats beside the team


No words for this

Christmas cookies & last day of school

A few weeks ago we decided to make some ginger snaps on Sunday because we wanted a treat. So I put on my apron and of course Addi wanted hers and she wanted daddy to wear one too! So we were all geared up and we made cookies. I was so surprised how well Addi did in helping me. She washed her hands a few different times because she doesn't like things on them. She was such a big helper and loved rolling cookies in sugar and then watching them bake in the oven. We are so excited for her to keep getting older and learning more each day.

Loved this





Couldn't wait for the cookies to be done


Addi has been going to the BYU-Idaho toddler lab here in Idaho Falls for 9 weeks. She has loved going once a week for an hour, and let me tell you, those college kids put a lot of work into making sure the kids have fun each week! The semester has come to a end and on the last day they invited the parents for popcorn and to watch a video they put together of all the fun things the kids had done. All of the kids were in the video a few different times, and they loved it! When Addi's picture came up she stood up and said "Oh! Addi!" and started laughing. It was so funny and everyone in the room got a kick out of it. It's so funny what these little ones do. It's so fun to watch her big personality come through!

Playing with blocks


Daddy was able to come for a few minutes


Her class was the Rockin Roosters

Papa and Grandma visit Idaho

This past Saturday my parents stopped by for a quick visit, really quick visit! They were on their way to Burley to see their brand new grand baby. They only stayed one night but we will take what we can get! Addi loved having them here, she sure loves her Papa for "some" reason! It was so cute to see her playing with my mom and dad! I honestly couldn't ask for anything more to make me happy than to have my parents in my home! I'm 27 and I'll admit right now because I'm not ashamed- I talk to my dad EVERY DAY, whether he wants to talk to me or not!! I usually talk to my mom when I can, she's a BUSY woman but I know where to find her if I need her! I haven't been feeling well lately and I think it makes me miss them even more and need them even more! I hope that Addi will have the relationship with me and Steve, that I have with my parents. They always call at the right moments or send a surprise for Addi just when we need it! I wish they didn't live so far away and that we were able to see them more often. I also get so homesick for my Grandma and Grandpa Snuffy too. I've developed such a great relationship with them as well! Just to sum this up it was great!!

Playing with Grandma. Addi kept saying "gin" (again).


Teaching papa the ipad


They are so fun



my piano player


Our ward party! (yes they had us sit on the floor)

Running wild with friends

We recently found out that Idaho Falls has a little Recreation center that kids can come and play in their gym on certain days for a couple hours at a time and only pay $1.00! It is fabulous and I'm so glad that I have some amazing friends that are up for getting out and letting the kids run and play their little hearts out! Let me tell you, with it being this cold and dreary out it is nice to have somewhere warm and fun to play! We've only been once and it was great! Addi was in heaven, she's still learning how to play with other kids and not always having to have mommy play with her. She is adorable and loves all of her friends very much! She loves Delilah because she is usually willing to follow Addi, or hold Addi's hand and go where Addi wants her to! Like I've said before I have such fun friends that always seem to be there for me when I need them and when I need OUT of the house! Enjoy the pictures of our fun day! My favorite is the kids holding hands and then the one where they are running away!

 

A night with the Jazz

This past Monday Steve called me and asked me if I wanted to go to the Jazz game that very night! He told me I had about 5 minutes to decide and that we'd have to leave in like 30 minutes!! CRAZY! I was supposed to babysit that afternoon so I called my friend and asked her if she could find someone else, which worked out! We were planning on taking Addi with us because I didn't know what else to do, and I was fine with her coming! My good friend Jeni and I were talking and she asked about me leaving Addi with her, I thought about it for a minute and I decided Addi would have way more fun playing with them, and not being in the car for hours and sitting still at a game. We got Addi all packed up with her pillow and blankies and Jeni came and got Addi and we were on our way! The first half we sat on 2nd row and the second half we were front row, two seats away from Jerry Sloan!!! It was awesome I was able to high five a few players and made some small talk with the assistant coach next to me! It was a great experience and I'm so glad we got to go! I put a little collage together of my favorite things! The players stretching, Jazz bear, William's explaining why he didn't foul a player, Jazz cheerleaders making Santa a dirty thing, and the entertainment those guys were high in the air! We hope we get to keep going to the Jazz game because we LOVE IT!!!

 

My oldest sister had her little new baby last week so Steve was so nice and offered to watch Addi for me on Saturday and Sunday so I could go down to Burley and visit baby Brynlee. I wasn't gone very long but I loved going and playing with my sister and her family, I love going to their house and I always have a lot of fun! I missed Addi and Steve so much though! Here are a few pictures that I got while I was there. Baby Brynlee is so cute and so are Ashlyn, Logan and Kennedy!

Mommy and Brynlee (4 days old)


Ashlyn


Logan


Kennedy ( I made her do this)


Brynlee

Thanksgiving 2010

We had an awesome Thanksgiving this year. We went to Dawn and Nate's house and were joined by our friends Molly (Nate's sister) and Chris and their kids Eva and Lincoln. It was so fun to be with family and friends and spend the day with them. Needless to say we stuffed ourselves in rounds--first the FOOD and then the pies! Addison found a coconspirator with Eva, she is only a month older than Addi and Addison just loved her and wanted to copy EVERYTHING she was doing. We finished the night with games, and decided as we drove home (a little too late for Addi :o)) that we have so much to be thankful for!

Adult table



Kids table


Addi loves babies, (I hope she really doesn't have his hands in her mouth)



Crazy girls were like monkeys








2 glasses of popcorn


Last picture of the night, these two were tired

Just hanging out

I love this time of year. It seems like we get to see more of Steve and also more family and friends. We have been doing a lot of playing at home and lounging around and we love every minute of it! I've also been getting crafty! I'll have to post pictures later of a little rag doll I made for Addi for Christmas!

Daddy and Addi lounging. Love her little toy box


Just a cutie


Look at that face


She's a daddy's girl for sure

Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Things have been pretty snowy here for a couple weeks and we are loving it! The first snow fall was a really wet one so of course I had to get out and show Addi how to make a snow man! We had a lot of fun! Addi was so cute trying to help roll and kept telling me how I needed to do things. I hope there will be many more snowmen made this winter. Right now there is actually too much snow in our yard- I don't know where to start! Enjoy our pictures.


Addi rolling


Snow Addi


We decided the kit was a little big for this one and so we decorated it different


"Snow Mommy" as Addi called it


Had to have a little snack


Only way Addi would let me lay with her, I checked the weight limit people don't freak out!

"Encouragement for Ghosts"

"It was, as I have said, a fine autumnal day; the sky was clear and serene, and nature wore that rich and golden livery which we always associate with the idea of abundance. The forests had put on their sober brown and yellow, while some trees of the tenderer kind had been nipped by the frosts into brilliant dyes of orange, purple, and scarlet." Just as Mr. Irving wrote, this Halloween, though a bit cold, was nevertheless the perfect weather for Addi's trick-or-treat debut.

This was Addi's first year to really indulge in the Halloween festivities, and trust us when we say Addi is a Halloween girl!

I have to give it to Jillian, I didn't think she'd get the costume put together in time. I thought we'd be running to the store to find whatever toddler sized dragon, crayon, or Toy Story 3 costume that still had enough of its parts to pass as complete. But she picked the fabric, cut it, sewed it, and made Addi into an adorable Pebbles just in time for the big days.

Yes, I say "days" because apparently sometime between our youth and our child being old enough to participate, Halloween has grown into a multi-day event (not unlike Lent) meant to balance out the fasting anyone who celebrated that holiday 6 months earlier had to endure.

Our Adventures began three days before Halloween when Mommy took Addi to the library for dress up story-time. Mommy came home with frightening stories about overcrowded, pushy people who had brought their children. You can't win them all, but Addi loved it. She found out that people just give away candy (or "Condy" as Addi pronounces it) because you hold your bag open!

Friday was Trick-or-Treat day at Daddy's work. If you have never experienced Halloween at Melaleuca, you have missed out--different parts of the company decorated a different theme: Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, the wild west, Candy Land, Toy Story 1-3, and How to Train Your Dragon. And when we say decorate, we mean that you literally can't tell where you are in the building at times. Addi loved walking through it, holding her bag open, and getting more candy!

On Saturday, we went to Addi's friend's costume birthday party and had a ton of fun decorating cupcakes, going on a scavenger hunt for candy, and making trick-or-treat bags, as well as playing with friends! We also went to Boo at the Zoo, a fun event where the children walk through the zoo and trick-or-treat to different community businesses. That evening we went took Addi trick-or-treating. We honestly didn't know how Addi would do - she is generally pretty shy around strangers. So we walked her to the first door, rang the doorbell, had her open her bag, and said "trick-or-treat!" As soon as that first lady put candy in Addi's bag, she was hooked! She and her friends ran from door to door, ringing the doorbells, yelling trick-or-treat, getting candy (and even shouting "thank you"), and running to the next house.

Needless to say, after returning home, Addi was worn out, content to help Dad hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters, and fall asleep with candy in her little fist.

Sunday passed quietly, with just a few trick-or-treaters, and a delightful feast of suckers, chocolate, and other goodies!

Addi's inspiration


Addi haunting our house with Daddy's mask


Dress up day at the library


Stopping to do some work while trick-or-treating at Daddy's work


Daddy's version of Booster from "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command" for his department's Toy Story theme


And that's the real Booster (the big red guy)


Decorating a trick-or-treat bag with Daddy at her friend's birthday party


the cupcake she decorated


Boo at the Zoo with friends


Trick-or-Treating