Let it Snow

Yes, let it. We have had so much snow the last couple weeks and it's been freeeeezing! This afternoon we got to go play in the snow with Brooklyn and Craig's sled. Brooklyn and Bucket had tons of fun bounding around the yard. It was a workout for me and Craig! We had so much fun!

Bucket chased the sled everywhere. He even got to ride once with me and Brooklyn, but there was no one to take a picture!

She loves being outside! This is her spot at the table where she looks out the window and says, "Snow! Outside!" Happy child.

A White Christmas

I love snow. That is one reason why I like Utah. It's just so much fun to have a white Christmas for reals! We had a great Christmas this year, and it was especially fun because Brooklyn knows who Santa is now, and she is a little older and gets more excited about presents. Here we are at Great-Grandma and Grandpa Davis's on Christmas Eve. 

Our lovely stockings. This year Craig and I got key charms to represent our new house, and Brooklyn got a Rapunzel pin because she loves Tangled!

Christmas morning was a lot of fun. I think next year will be a little more exciting because she doesn't quite understand that Santa comes during the night and we get to open presents on Christmas. It was still fun though.

She got some fuzzy socks in her stocking, and she wants to wear them every day!

I got an iHome! Perfect for playing music in my kitchen so we can dance around!

Craig's stocking was filled with Milky Way Midnights. I guess Santa knows our inside joke!

After opening presents at our house, we went to Craig's parents' house and had a lovely breakfast, read the Christmas story in Luke, and opened presents with his siblings, parents, and Grandpa Ellis. It was great! I got new dishes, snow pants, steel measuring cups, and more. Craig got a sled, snow pants, snow boots, and more. Brooklyn got a giant stuffed dog, a Rapunzel doll with her horse, some cute outfits, and more. Haha.

Later in the day we went to see the new Les Miserables, which was great. Even Brooklyn behaved herself (for the most part) through all 3 hours of it! It's always sad to see the Christmas season come to a close, but it's also a relief. Now I can get rejuvenated for next year! Whew!

A brown Christmas

Being a native of Nevada (sort of), I am used to having a brown Christmas. Never white, just.... brown. Obviously, it's a desert, and much more of a desert than Utah. Every year, during the week before Christmas we go down to Henderson to have a little Christmas with my parents and Matt and Jen. This year it happened to be during Brooklyn's and my birthdays! We had a great time, even though it was a short trip. We went to see the cactus garden with all the lights - the pictures don't do it justice. It was beautiful.

Brooklyn had a fun time with Grandma! 

We went to Geisha's Steakhouse (delicious!) to celebrate my birthday. And Matt's. And Jen's. Our birthdays are all so close it was a joint celebration!

Brooklyn was in heaven with Grandpa Hanks running around as Santa. She followed him everywhere when he was home. 

Waiting for her birthday dinner! She had fun playing with Aunt Jen.

Happy birthday to me and Brooklyn! I turned 27. Yikes. I feel like such an oldie! 

My dad has a show at the Fashion Show Mall every year, and this was our first time seeing it! It was so cool! Here is a pic of Santa, his elves, and Brooklyn.

People crowd around the runway to see this show. Dad does singing and dancing, and he looks mighty fine! Brooklyn loved it too, of course.

Doesn't he make the best Santa? Yes. He does.

Happy birthday, Brooklyn!

My beautiful, sweet little angel Brooklyn just turned 2! I can't believe how quickly the time has gone (sort of).  I cannot imagine my life without her; she is such an important part of our family and we are better people because she is in our life. Anyone who knows her always comments how happy and pleasant she is. She got her daddy's temperament and her mommy's good looks. ;) She has the innate ability to make people laugh, and watching her get older and discover her own personality is such an adventure! 

She is such a gentle child, and loves animals. She loves to watch movies (her favorite are Tangled, Lion King, and Toy Story 3), and loves going "ousside". She talks a lot, babbling everywhere she goes. She likes to say hi to strangers, and adores her grandparents. This year she learned who Santa was, and she shouts his name whenever she sees him. She is such a blessing in our lives and reminds us of the power of laughter! She makes me laugh every day! 

December 15, 2010

December 15, 2011

December 24, 2012

We got a double celebration this year for Brooklyn - for the Utahns and the Las Vegans! We had a birthday party at our beautiful home for our sweet little darling girl!  

She loved being the center of attention this year.

With Mom and Dad

In her new booster chair! Now she sits at the table with us like a big girl. No more high chair!

She also got a baby and stroller, which she loves.

Teaching baby to play the piano

Our Las Vegas celebration! This was her actual birthday. We had a combined party since my birthday is tomorrow. We had a delicious ham dinner followed by red velvet cupcakes! Yum.

She got a Rapunzel doll from Matt and Jen, and a cute birthday outfit from Grandma and Grandpa Hanks.

Happy birthday to the sweetest 2-year-old on the block! 

The best month of the Year

December. It is the most exciting and exhausting month there is! And I'm so excited for it!! We started out the month with our Christmas card pictures. Here are a couple.

Tonight we had our annual Hanks Family Talent Show at Grandma Hanks's. It was a lot of fun, as usual. My barbershop had our first performance. The kids who are taking lessons play a song on the piano, and the younger kids sing. Then we all gather around the piano and sing Christmas songs! This is probably my favorite part about the Christmas season. Getting together with family and doing what I love most (singing, of course). It's the best tradition! Everyone had a great time.

Also, it's Matt's birthday today! Happy 29th, Matty!

Housewarming Party

 Woo hoo! We had such a successful housewarming party! The food was delicious, a lot of people came, and the house was actually ready! That was a relief. I knew once we set the date there was no turning back, and although I was ready to pull my hair our an hour before it started, it magically came together. :) I had each of the "before" pictures in their respective rooms so people could see what improvements had been made. It was really neat!

Melissa, Taylor, Rick, Deleen

Nancy, Grandma Hanks, Clara, Chad and Irelyn

Robert, Craig, Ken, Karen

Julie, Steph, Berto, Angela, Kendra

Amy and Eric

Melissa and Jennifer

Sam, Ian, Carter

Adelaide, Wyatt, Jayli and Joselyn

It was a late night for us, but we had fun. Especially Brooklyn. See below.