Our little cage fighter. This is our little girl after her cousin got a hold of her. WHAT A CHAMP!!!

As Christmas draws closer we are getting excited, and enjoying celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. We have taken opportunities to reflect on the true meaning of this season, and less on the commercial aspect of it. Just over a week ago, Aric and I went out for the night and enjoyed the Millwoods Stake Choirs rendition of Handel's Messiah. It played for 2 nights, so we made a switch with Chelsea and Daniel. We babysat for them on Saturday night and they babysat for us on Sunday night. What a wonderful production. I missed seeing my mom up there singing. In Calgary she would sing in it just about every year.

The next night for Family Out Evening we headed to The Bethlehem Walk put on by the West Edmonton Christian Assembly. We invited Chelsea and family to join us. It was quite neat. We started outside the gates of Bethlehem with the shepherds and watched as the angels announced to them that Christ was born. Then we got permission from the city guards to enter the city. Once inside the city it was very interactive. Shops of every kind were set up. We got to try the bread made withe dead sea salt, honey, dates. There was a petting zoo... and right next door was the butcher shop. I got a kick out of that. There was all sorts of things for the kids and adults to look at and partake in. I didn't do much as I was trying to maneuver the stroller through the mass crowd. Eventually we make it to a large building and from there were were herded into narrow corridor that lead to the stables. We saw very large cows, sheep and of course Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. Looking at that made me think back to last year when Aric, Naomi and I played those rolls. That was special a very event for us I must say. Well once were out of the stables we entered their big amphitheater to "enjoy" some christian rock, hot chocolate and cookies. Over all it was a fun evening. it definitely helped to bring the focus of Christmas back to Christ.

Well now on to the showing off of our beautiful child. She just loves to read these days. Once morning as I was getting her breakfast I set her up in her chair and she read until I was ready.

Our little scrapper is still loving things on her head.

She rediscovered her blanket this week and I put it on her head as she loves things on there. She loves to walk around in her "Mary" look. She is just too cute.

Going through a box of clothes... well playing witht he box ta

More things on her head, and looking for dad as he ran out to the car.

Our ward put on a wonderful Christmas dinner and even had Santa Claus come and visit with the kids. I'm pretty sure Naomi was the only kid who bawled!!! But we got her first official picture with Santa. This is exactly why I didn't take her to the mall Santa. Who wants to pay for a photo like this?

Well we hope this season finds you all happy and healthy. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
Love you

Odds and ends

Life has calmed down quite a bit around here, thank goodness. Aric's boss has relaxed in her expectations of Aric. He had some rave reviews after parent teacher interviews, and she couldn't ignore that. He has put some really long hours in and it seems to be paying off. As last month was Movember Aric jumped on the band wagon and stopped shaving. He grew a goatee then on the last two days of the month he tried 2 different styles. The first was the old fashioned handle-bar... super sexy. When he went to school the vice principal said "you need a cowboy hat and a picture right now.' Then the next day he took off the hooks and did the traditional stash. I called him "Merv the Perv." He was so cute. The kids in his class loved his "Mario" mustache. First thing this morning... the stash was gone. He felt disgusting wearing it.

Now comes the point of the blog that we show off the our little munchkin. Looking back at photos of Naomi and I realize how much she has grown. Her hair is getting really long. She is such a little girl now. She is walking and "talking", well more like just jabbering. But she is such a delight.

Here Naomi had stolen mommy's milk at breakfast and devoured it.


Where she learned to eat like this... I don't know, but it is funny.


Sharing her food with her cousin McKay.


She snuck a Ricola cough drop and didn't unwrap it.


We went to Calgary the other weekend for many different excuses. One of which was to see B.J. and Kyle. Here Naomi is having a pow-wow with Jo under the laundry.


Now many people in my family know me as the "Hat girl", because I always something on my head as a child. We may just have another one on our hands. She will often find some kind of hat and ask me to put it on her head. This next photo she wanted her cat hat from Halloween costume. She then squeezed herself between the two ottomans and sat to play.


She loves putting this basket on her head and walking around.


She handed me one touque... then another, so I put it on top of the other one. What a nut case she is!!! Makes me laugh.


Her new snow suit. It's a bit on the big side, but it should last the whole winter season... hopefully.



Aric sure make bath time a hoot for Naomi. He encourages her to play with the water as it comes out of the tap. Here he had taught her to drink from the tap.
My little water baby.


As for me, life is just the same. Little Sylas (in the tummy) isn't moving to much. I think I felt him move today for the first official documented moment. He is a pretty chill guy so far. I'm counting down until I'm done work again.


The following is another example that Naomi is happy to anything on her head. In case you are wondering, those are McKay's pajama pants.

Oh one more story. On Monday night we went over to our friends the Palsky's. The Boys went to the Oilers hockey game and the girls stayed in and put the kids to bed and then watched movies. Well we decided that were going to bath Naomi and Jake together. I put Naomi in the tub first and Jake followed. Once Jake was in, Naomi spun herself around so Jake couldn't see her. It seemed as though she was trying to be modest. Oh we giggled pretty good. Then later in the bath she decided that Jake needed to taught a lesson, so she grabbed on of the tub toys and started hitting him in the head. Jake just looked at her like "well this is my tub... what's wrong with you". Oh it was a fun night.