The Nutcracker

Part of our Christmas tradition is going to Ballet West's Nutcracker on Christmas Eve Day. We have been going for as long as I remember and I love it more and more each time I see it!

Jake was inspired after he saw the men dancing around!

Alexa's Baptism

My sister Lisa's family lives in New Jersey, but our niece Alexa wanted all the family to be at her baptism, and she wanted my brother Jake to baptize her, so they did it in Utah over Christmas. Cutest picture!

Lex was SO excited and proud! She had been looking forward to this day for a long time!The guys
The O'Neil family
Alexa at her after-party :)

Mom and Dad's B-day Dinner

The Reynolds fam went to Willow Creek for dinner for my Dad's b-day on the 22nd. My dad was so cute and called all of us prior with the idea of suprising my mom and celebrating her b-day (Jan. 18th) that night too since we would all be in town. The kids stayed home with a sitter so we had a great night out with just the adults. The BYU game was on in the bar, but everyone had strict instructions not to say a word about the score b/c Teag had it being recorded at my parents house.

How 'bout those Cougars?!?!

O'Neil still managed to act like a kid
My dad with his new Lederhosen apron
All the Reynolds girls
Stevie's b-day present from the O'Neils. We all LOVE the office and of course had a showing of all the Christmas episodes while we were in Utah.
This b-day is a big one for my mom (60!) so we had a fun present for her. We gave her 2 envelopes labeled 'option 1' and 'option 2' and told her she had to choose one. Option 1 was a girls trip to Chicago for shopping on the Magnificent Mile, a taping of Oprah, dining and a play. Option 2 was a girls retreat to Red Mountain Spa in St. George.
She opted for the Spa and we are all SO EXCITED!!!

Santa!

While we were in Utah we had a Christmas party with my mom's side of the family. It was fun to get together with all the cousin's and catch up and see everyone's kids. Santa even made an appearance, and it was a good thing because Dallas hadn't visited him yet!

He was not so sure about Santa at first...

but he reconsidered when Santa gave him a book and a toy

This is Dallie's cousin Ben telling Santa "I want a Spiderman web-blaster that gives you 5 opportunities to blast a web".

Santa responded "5 'opportunities'? Really?"

8 months old!

As of yesterday (the 9th) Dallas is 8 months old! Last night Teag and I were talking and saying how we CAN NOT believe he is this old! It has gone so fast. I wish I could have stopped time at each stage because it is all so much fun. Each new thing he does is so exciting!
What he's doing now:
. standing at the couch
. clapping
. waving bye-bye
. scooting/army crawl EVERYWHERE!
. chatting, chatting, chatting!
. eating all sorts of fruits and veggies
. loves to splash and play with toys in the bath
. still sleeping like a dream for about 12 hours a night
. luckily still gives mommy and daddy loves and kisses

That's my boy! He is always trying to get my DC!

We love Little Gym!

Dallas LOVES his little gym class! He is constantly squealing, clapping and checking out all his little buddies. My mom and dad got to witness this firsthand while they were here last week. They could not believe how much this little guy enjoys it!

4 of the other babies were also in Dallas' Gymboree class, so he has been playing with them since he was 4 months.

practicing standing
fun on the bars
Dallas and his little girlfriend Addison (they were born on the same day!)
pull ups and eating the bar
Dallas and his little buddy Patrick

*Christmas Lights and tree*

So every year I give Teag a hard time and tell him he is a scrooge. When he was playing for the Cardinals he spent a Christmas alone in Arizona and hasn't really gotten into it ever since. (we were engaged, and I have since realized I probably should have stayed there with him...)

Therefore, when I beg him for Christmas lights and tell him it is time to get our tree, he doesn't humor me.

Well, after growing up in the Reynolds home, this doesn't really jive. My mom goes ALL OUT. Last week my parents were asking if we had our tree and lights up yet and I told them the situation to which they responded, "no daughter of ours isn't going to have a tree or Christmas lights on her house!". So, no suprise ,they flew up here, got us lights and a tree, and my dad went to work outside while my mom and I were busy inside!

When Teag got home that night he was actually very pleased!

Once again, thanks mom and dad! You're the best!

Dallas' Blessing

We finally had Dallas blessed while we were in Utah over Thanksgiving.

We had the blessing and a dinner at my parents house with both mine and Teag's families. We missed Teag's brother Judd, Jake and Em, the Francis's and the O'Neil's, but were so happy to have everyone else there!

My dad gave Dallas such a great blessing - I am so grateful for my dad and all that he and my mom do for us :)

ThAnKsGiViNg

We went down to SLC for the holiday weekend to spend time with family.

For Thanksgiving we went with Teag's family to Stacey's house where we ate GREAT food and played some serious games of Guitar Hero.

Then we went to my parent's house for another AWESOME meal and to watch football and hang out!

Dallas was feeling pretty cool sitting up at the table with everyoneTeag and Chad rockin' out

My mom getting the meal ready
Dallie with his cousins Josh and Jer
My mom's gorgeous table - she LOVES to entertain and is so great at it!

iPod shuffle

I saw this on Jamie's blog a bit ago and forgot about it, then saw it again on Liz's.

Play along if you like!

Instructions: turn on your iPod, put it on shuffle, list the first 10 songs that play. No skipping!

1. Another Lonely Day - Ben Harper
2. Big, Blonde & Beautiful - Hairspray soundtrack (one of the best soundtracks ever!)
3. And Your Bird Can Sing - The Beatles (there was bound to be a Beatles song b/c Teag out every one ever recorded on my iPod!)
4. Two Step - DMB
5. Glamorous - Fergie
6. Trish-Trash Polka - Baby Einstein (Dallas' music, but I do enjoy it!)
7. Pass Me By - Pete Yorn
8. What Time Is It - HSM soundtrack (another top soundtrack)
9. SexyBack - Justin Timberlake
10. L.O.V.E. - Ashlee Simpson

ELF Yourself!

So this seriously might be one of the funniest things I have ever seen...

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9540435972

PLEASE do it for yourselves and post on your blog! Too funny!

Yay for Kelley and Emily!

My BFF from college, Kelley, and her CUTEST baby girl, Emily, came to visit for the weekend! Kelley and I met on a study abroad to London about 10 years ago, lived together at BYU, were in each others weddings, are both now mommies, and have had so many fun times and memories along the way!

-

Kelley left her 2-yr-old Mason home in Walnut Creek, CA with her husband and brought Emily, who is 10 days older than Dallas.

Being older and wiser, Emily was showing Dallas the ropes. She is such a doll!

Dallas and Emily had so much fun playing together! They were laughing and smiling at each other all weekend.

They were pretty good at sharing toys, but of course always wanted what the other one had!

We had SO much fun hanging out and chatting, having treats and drinking plenty of DC, having lunch at Cheesecake Factory and Bajio (closest thing to Cafe Rio in Boise), watching our kiddos play, laughing and reminiscing, and even managed to squeeze in a little shopping between naps and feeding the babes!

-

Love you girls and thanks for such a fun weekend! Come again soon!

7 months!

Dallas LOVES being in his high chair
Learning to use his sippy cup
EVERYTHING is still going in his mouth...
-
Last Friday our little guy turned 7 months. I can't believe it!
He is as sweet as ever, gives us loves and kisses when we ask for them,
has started scooting around and doing the little army crawl,
LOVES his cereal and is starting veggies and fruit - he is doing great and knows what to do when I tell him 'open big',
our poor little buddy has his top 4 teeth all coming in right now - lots of sleep and baby orajel and a little fussiness,
has so much fun at GYMBOREE & LITTLE GYM ,
he loves being read to,
loves BUBBLES (the ones from gymboree are the best!),
and he can't sleep without his little green blankie and his cozy puppy!

Watson

This is Watson, my cutest Grandma's new little guy. He is 1/2 bichon frise and 1/2 havanese. I haven't met him yet, but word is he is ADORABLE and so, so sweet!

Totally Tagged!

So I was tagged-my first time...kindof fun!

JOBS I'VE HAD (last to first):
* mom - my all time favorite, best job!
* Pharmaceutical Sales - the reason we moved to Boise, but then about 6 months later I got laid off - right after we bought our house and right before I found out I was pregnant. But it has all worked out perfectly :)
* Insurance Claims Adjuster - not my fave
* Gap - my job in college, LOVED the discount!
* Nordstrom - yes Jen, loved this one too! We were in high school and a few of us friends worked there together-it was great

JOBS I'D LIKE TO HAVE:
* High school counselor
* MAC counter
* personal shopper

MOVIES I'VE WATCHED OVER AND OVER:
* Grease
* Can't Buy Me Love
* Pretty In Pink
* High School Musical
* Reality Bites
* Bring It On
* The Notebook

BOOKS I LOVE:
* Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse - definitely Edward!
* Great Expectations
* any book on babies, kids, parenting, etc.
* The Runaway Bunny
* 14,000 Things To Be Happy About
* Og Mandino - A Better Way To Live (I am my mother's daughter!)

FAVORITE THINGS TO DO:
* Gymboree and Little Gym with Dallas
* travel
* shop
* read
* watch football with Teag (but going to a game with him is better)
* take bubble baths
* cook - I am getting better!
* hang out with family

PLACES I'VE LIVED:
* Utah-SLC, Provo, Lehi
* London, England
* Boise, ID

FAVORITE FOODS:
* candy - favorites are chocolate-covered cinnamon bears and sour patch kids. Teag tells me I am like a little kid because I love candy and treats so much!
* sushi and other seafood
* green apples with crunchy peanut butter
* a good salad (Kim always makes a great one!)
* chicken marsala (the very best is at Carmines in NYC)
* Thanksgiving Dinner

PLACES I'D RATHER BE:
* on a girl's trip with my mom and sister's
* Hawaii with Teag and Dallas
* Newport Beach with the Reynolds fam
* Greece (never been, but hope to!)

WORDS I LIKE:
* fabulous
* bitchin' (sorry to copy Jen, it is a favorite of mine as well...)
* onomatopoeia
* punkin

TAG:
* Aimee
* Erin Gurr
* Amberlynn
* Nat