Christmas Eve

Brent was up all night the night of the 23rd with the flu, so he spent Christmas Eve in bed and missed out on all the fun. And Katrena was at Scott's, so it was just me and Ava.

We spent Christmas Eve at my parents house where we had dinner and just visited. My Grandparents came over and my Brother and his wife were there, as well as my mom, dad, and two sisters. Dinner was yummy all of my favorites: ham, turkey, corn casserole, funeral potatoes, fruit salad, rolls, pie. I know there was more, but I couldn't tell you exactly what because these are the items I couldn't get enough of. After we ate we just visited and watched a movie on the halmark channel. Ava and I didn't stay that late and read the usual Christmas stories, we thought we should probably get home to Dad.


Ava with her Great Grandpa Watts

Tyler and Joy

Ava and her Great Grandma Watts

Ava with Aunt Kayleigh

Ava with her Great Grammy Ann

Ava with her Aunt Karey

Our Christmas Tree?

When we moved to AZ we brought only a handful of decorations knowing we were short on space, but we made sure we brought all of our ornaments because we all know how important the Christmas Tree is, right?

Well, we didn't bring the tree!!! So we thought that as it got closer to Christmas when someone from the family came out the could bring it. Well every time someone came-they brought baby stuff instead.

Now its Christmas, we have no tree here, we can't justify buying one, and well there really is no space. So we have the ugly plant (no offense to my mother-in-law) that my MIL gave to Brent to use a decoration until we moved here. The trunk of this plant looks like it has camel or gorilla hair on it!!! And it won't even stand up by itself!!!

And so the plant becomes the tree. We put it on the table, wrap lights around it and start to put on some of the smallest ornaments, no go the leaves start breaking. The only thing that would work was 3 snow flake ornaments. So off to Walmart I went to buy more snow flake ornaments.



Ava's first Christmas Tree

Katrena with the plant (AKA the Christmas Tree) she so desires to throw away.

I have know idea why everything in the beginning is underlined, I can't get it to not be. It probably has something to do with typing with one hand and a little foot that keeps hitting keys.

Christmas Dresses...

With money tight, we went the simple route with Christmas Dresses this year, but I think the girls still looked adorable.

And when Katrena's dress was $15, and Ava's was on clearance for $7. You just can't go wrong.

Katrena's "Winter" class party:

On December 18th was Katrena's class party. We had yummy snacks made a reindeer ornament and played musical chairs to Christmas songs. We had a lot of fun, and Trena loves to have her sister come to class.



Katrena's teacher

Katrena's crush: John

Trena's craft

Katrena's best friend: Sarah

Pre-Christmas, Christmas Fun...

On December 6th we went to the Electric Light Parade put on by the power company here in Phoenix. Other than the fact that we got there WAY to early, it was really good. We weren't too cold and Ava did wonderful. We had been there about an hour and half when the parade finally reached us and Ava was just starting to get fussy, but once she started seeing the floats and costumes all lit up she was in awe just staring and taking it all in. Katrena really loved it too. It was neat how even the band members costumes were lit up with lights. The one down side, to Katrena at least, no candy. It lasted about an hour, and was totally worth it. If we are still in Phoenix next year we will definitely go again. By the way forgot to mention, It was Ava's first parade and crazy mommy forgot her camera TWO days in a row.


The next weekend on the 12th we went to Brent's brother's ward where they were having their ward dinner. It was call Christmas in Nauvoo and was very beautifully decorated and the soup was wonderful. We sat on the ground to eat as they would have, and the kids were able to make sugar cookies, ornaments, wax candles and a toy.

Katrena and Caleb making ornaments

Dad and Ava at the ward dinner




(Not a very flattering photo of mom)
Here we are at the ward dinner



After the ward dinner we went to the Mesa Temple to see the lights. They were beautiful and it is always fun to see Christmas lights on palm trees.

Mom and Ava

The beautiful Mesa Temple

Gary, Jody, Cameron and Caleb (Allie was babysitting).

Ava turned 5 months on Christmas Eve...

Our beautiful little one is 5 months old already, so hard to believe. She is such a smiley baby and loves to soak up all the attention.
She really enjoyed all the Grandma's and Grandpa's and Aunts and Uncles while we were in UT. She barely spent any time not in someone's arms the whole two weeks we were there, and her nap schedule well, you could now say what nap?

A few random moments and milestones from Ava's 5th month...

12/14/08

I have discovered that I really like my thumb, possibly more than my binkie (which I only use to go to sleep), but when I am asleep and get jostled a little or start to wake up, I like my middle and index finger the best. My Mom says I just want to say I love you to everyone in my sleep. Sometimes I get really creative though and I put my thumb from one hand and my fingers from my other hand in my mouth at the same time, now that's a mouth full.



I can hold my own bottle, if I feel like it. 12/2/08

I started eating cereal on 12/4/08, not so sure about it at first, but now I LOVE IT!!! I want more and more. I will even lunge for it.

12/7/08

Just me, but guess what I learned this month...
I learned how to roll from my belly to my back.

12/13/08

When I wake up from my long winter's napI always have puffy, swollen eyes, and I am covered in drool. Mommy thinks I must be dreaming about my bottle.

I smile really big when my Dad says he is going to get me in my "Big, Big, Big fat belly". You have to hear my Dad say it he almost sounds like a chicken bawking when he says "Big"

I also giggle really loud when my mommy kisses my cheeks over and over again.

We sure love having our Little Sunshine at our house.

So I am slightly behind, again...

See what wonderful vacation does, over 200 photos and so much to say...

I will try to not overwhelm you with new posts as I try to get caught up. I will try and keep it to just a few a day.