Where did Christmas go???

So... I haven't been super great at staying on top of all the fun we've been having- so here's one big post to sum it all up!This is Brea sitting on Santa's lap (obviously) at the Meadow's family Christmas party. This was the first year we'd had Santa come and it was a huge hit! I didn't have to take Brea to the mall to sit on his lap and pay $20 bucks for a picture of her screaming (like last year). The reason I look so funny is because Brea was SO excited to sit on Santa's lap that she was hyperventilating in my ear and I am trying to stop laughing long enough to get a quick picture in!

Brea wasn't too thrilled to be taking pictures... she just wanted to go back and see Santa!

Brea and papa Bill. This was her face right when Santa walked in!

Now on to Christmas Eve at the Cummings party...

Our sweet little mix-n-match nativity. All the kids just loved sweet little baby Bella as Jesus!

Brea and Beckett fighting over the same empty brown cardboard box... pretty much sums up little ones at Christmas!

Christmas morning we headed out to my parents house after Andrew and I had opened our gifts to each other. This is my sister Nichelle and Brea. Nichelle got Brea a Sleeping Beauty tea set and she loves it! Such a cute pic but how sad is this... I have no other pictures of Christmas! I have video... but for some odd reason I subconsciously decided I'd had enough with the picture taking and when I came to put this post together I realized I didn't cover Christmas too well. SO... there you have it. Lots of pics with ONE on the actual day itself. Ooops! We had a great day even though I didn't cover it. Bill and my Mom bought Brea the "Elmo live" and I have to admit that I'm pretty sure the adults had more fun with it than Brea. We had (another- by my request) turkey dinner, and I think I'm done with turkey for the next 8-10 months- so good, but I think I'm on turkey overload! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. (I'm also hoping your just as reluctant as I am to take down your Christmas decorations- our house is going to be so boring!!!)

Tradition!

Andrew and I always make sure to visit Temple Square at least once each year at Christmas time. I was so excited to take Brea again. Last year she was just too young to really get what was going on or pay a ton of attention to the lights- so she was just really unhappy the majority of the time since she was just freezing her toosh off for no apparent reason. This year was a lot better. We got to listen to many of her sweet whispered "Wow!"s as we walked through the beautiful lights and we took her to see the Christus. So far all she says is "G" when she see's Jesus... we're working adding the "sus" to the end! We also got to watch Bailee in one of her chior concerts. I can't believe that girl is a senior in high school... makes me feel so old!Brea and her all grown up Aunt Bailee... do you see where she got her dimples from?!
The Butler family posing for one last picture and trying to keep up the smiles even though I think each and everyone of us was muttering under our breath to hurry up and take the gall durn picture already!

Scared me to death!

I almost died yesterday- really. I'm trying to clean up the constant chaos that is Andrew & my room. Suddenly I hear slow loud thudding footsteps. I am totally freaking out wondering where in the H is Brea because I can't run from this horrible monster who is about to come around the corner into my room without her. Suddenly all my mommy fight instincts are kicking in- even though, sad to admit, but it's the truth, I know that there's a pretty good chance that in any fight I would #1-Probably curl up in a ball and cry. Or #2- Scream for Edward -oops, I mean Andrew- until I remembered that Twilight is just a book and proceed to #1. But I'm trying to be brave until this is what comes around the corner...

Scary- I know. Notice the shoes... mine, not Brea's, hence the loud slow thudding. I truly believe she knew EXACTLY what she was doing. How could she not... look at that smile?!

Thanksgivin'!

We had so much fun this Thanksgiving. We decided to switch off between the Butler's and the Meadow's/Larrrabee's every year. The holidays were just getting to be too crazy dragging Brea everywhere. We spent the night before Thanksgiving with my family and had a blast eating yummy Chicken Tortilla Soup- awesome recipe by the way (Thanks Recipe Zaar!) and watching Hancock- funny movie. Thanksgiving day was spent with the Butlers. Although we missed my family, it was nice to relax and know there wasn't a dead line for us to make it to another house. My first cheesecake ever. I tried to copy the caramel cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory... not so much...

Awww... the cute "newliest" weds- Whit & Kyle. I felt so bad for Whit... I tried to keep track of how many time she was asked when a baby was on the way for them... I remember the days and I also remember getting to the point (especially at family parties) when I just wanted to scream "NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Andrew always wanted to say "OH- we were actually just trying before we came." I'm not sure which was meaner.

Brea with Uncle Jon- she loves him to death! Alex- making fun of Andrew's tendency for major lazy eye in EVERY picture (See photo#1), and beautiful Ashleigh. Yes- we have two Ashleigh/Ashley girls married to the Butler boys. A.K.A- Ashleigh #1 & Ashley #2, Duke & Larrabee, etc. but still most of the time we either both look or don't look at all when our name is called!
Brea with aunt Bailee and yittle cousin Brandon... not so little anymore. Brea loves his earrings...
Uncle Jon half smiling, Dad & Mom Butler. We love them!!! Last but not least- I love my Brea Marie's smile. I am so Thankful for my family everywhere!

12 - 0 BABY!!!

Yeah! The past week of stress and stomach aches has totally paid off. The Utes are 12-0! Hoping they go to the Fiesta Bowl so we can head off to Arizona! We had Mom, Bill, Jon, Ashleigh, Alex & boys over for some gamin' fun!

Brea & Daddy making caramel corn for yummy game time treats!

Brea & Grandma!!!

Andrew, Ashley & Brea! Big happy smiles after a GREAT game! GO UTES!!! The game really made up for my total disapointment with the Twilight movie- YUCK!!! I will totally be keeping MY version of Twilight in my head!

Photo Tag!

So- yeah!- this is my first official "tag", it's from Ashley Mackay, and I'm not quite sure how this works, so hopefully I'll get it right! This is the 4th picture from my 4th file. This is at the Cummings family cabin trip this summer. Brea was having her first experience with Cheetos- love the classic orange ring around her mouth! So now I am tagging Ashleigh Butler & Whitney Butler. The rules are to post the fourth picture from your fourth folder!

Horsin' around with the Taggarts!

Our friends and neighbors, the Taggarts, invited us with them to go care for their horse in South Jordan. Brea and I hopped right on and had a blast! Andrew had never been on a horse before and just wanted to help us ride around. After a while he wasn't so nervous and actually got on himself!
















Thanks again Taggarts! We had a blast!

Halloween Fun- Belated... I know!

It was so fun to watch Brea really enjoy Halloween this year. She didn't totally get what was going on so she didn't have the pre-Halloween spaz stage. But once we were out it was hilarious to watch her. She loves just watching people and taking them in. I loved watching her watch other people and I could tell she was trying to figure out why everyone looked so crazy!

Halloween Eve we had a trunk-or-treat with the neighbors. I'm proud to say it was not only Brea's, but my first trunk-or-treat as well! It was so fun to see our neighbors and friends. We got to see Grandma & Grandpa Meadows and Sheller later on that night for yummy chili and corn bread- Halloween tradition!
Brea & all her Baker buddies!

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Lynds, Ben, Ash & Brea

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Halloween afternoon Brea and I got together with Ashleigh & the boys, and Grandma Butler & Aunt Bailee. We went to the SLC downtown library and the kids had SO much fun. They listened to spooky books, watched a puppett show about a cute witch, made their own candy bag, went trick-or-treating around the library, and -Brea's favorite part- danced to the Monster Mash! Brea just loves to shake it!

Mason, Brea & Ian cheesin' for the camera!

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That night we all got together for a driveway BBQ at Alex and Ashleigh's- THANKS AGAIN! It was so much fun to be there with the whole Butler Family. We even got to see Laurie and Dawn for a few minutes so they could spoil her! I was amazed at how quick Brea caught on to trick-or-treating... Mason and Ian have taught her well!

I have stomach ache- is that normal?

Okay- I think I may have this finally figured out thanks to the phone service that is Heather & her helpful assistant Camie. Don't worry Ameriprise, your planning assistants are hard at work- helping me! I'll just blame them if this is a total mess. And I'll admit that worrying over what my first post should say has totally given me a stomach ache. Heather says you stop thinking about it. Hopefully that's true... otherwise I may not be able to keep this up due to health reasons!