In Denver for Christmas...

We celebrated Christmas in SLC at my moms on the 23rd. We did this because we had to catch an early flight on Christmas Eve to Denver to spend Christmas Day with Zack's family. We left our camera home since we had over 6 bags with us (loaded to the gills with gifts and some necessary clothing) and therefore I must rely upon his family to share their pics. Above is Natalie with her Grandma Edmunds on Christmas Eve. She is loving it here since her two cousins Carly 4 & Lydia 3 run all over the house with her. I swear I barely see her since she does not care where I am when they are around. I hope to be able to post more of them together when I get some pics.

I hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas. Zack is in heaven since he got Guitar Hero World tour today and I am excited to use my new Wii Fit when I get home.

A little dress-up

Natalie was so cute this morning. As much as I didn't want her to wear pink 24/7, you can't help it when they are girls. I had these pink mary janes that didn't fit...I was supposed to take them back months ago. Well I was pulling down some bags this morning and came across a bag with the shoes in them. Oops. Well they still don't fit so hopefully by summer they will. Natalie insisted on putting them on this morning.

She was acting so girly in them that I gave her her purse with her jewelry in it. She proceeded to put each piece on. It was so funny. Zack and I were laughing more at her skinny legs then anything else. Poor thing!

Christmas Tag

Christmas Tag...Getting To Know You
Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends.Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, & try not to be a SCROOGE! Copy this entire post & paste onto your own new post!Change all the answers so they apply to you. Then tag a bunch of people you know....Tis the Season to be NICE!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Totally wrapping paper- I love to wrap the minute I have a gift.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real for now. I eventually want an artificial especially since some ornaments are to heavy for a real one. However, the nice ones are super expensive and not in our budget right now.

3. When do you put up the tree? Whenever we can get a truck to haul one home we do...starting after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? Not until after New Years. I just love christmas decorations and I also hate repacking it all so I totally procrastinate.

5. Do you like Egg Nog? No...the name alone has always turned me off.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I had so many favorites its hard to say. Barbie stuff definitely comes to mind as that is what Candice and I would go crazy playing with. (until we were like 12 too!)

7. Hardest person to buy for? No one really. I always seem to come up with something. Usually because they will get what I like if I don't know. Zack use to be because we were to poor when we were first married and his taste was to expensive. But not so much anymore.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Natalie. Since it is so easy to buy every toy she doesn't already have, or clothes.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, we have two this year. They are small and Natalie loves to play with them.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail , although I never do.


11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Cheap bath stuff...I never use it and I hate the smells usually.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? As a cartoon it would have to be "the grinch that stole christmas" but "The Holiday " would be my non-cartoon fav I think.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually by the beginning of November. Before that is hard b/c there are still b-days and other things I am buying for. Once it gets cold I get the itch.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, who hasn't. If I didn't like it and I am not going to use it someone should.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? I love the Monkey bread in the morning at my mother-in-law's, but then its all about the fondue. Fondue and wassail has been our christmas tradition at my moms since I can remember.

16. Lights on the tree? Yes!

17. Favorite Christmas song? It use to be "o holy night" by Josh Groban...but I have to say "God rest ye merry gentlemen" by Barenaked Ladies w/Sarah McLaughlin I think has stolen its place.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel this year, actually we usually split at least half of the christmas break between here and Denver.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? I can thanks to Natalie's books.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Nothing right now...but usually its a white/gold Santa.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Busy parking lots.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I love trees that have some color scheme and decoration type...the throw everything on look is not for me.

24. Favorite Christmas dinner? Don't really care...I never care about Thanksgiving either...its not my type of food. Although I love homemade rolls.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? New pair of UGG's and the Wii Fit

We're off to see Santa...

Denise and I decided since its our last day in NYC, we would take Natalie to see Santa. (We kept asking her if she wanted to see him and she said "o tay". While riding on the subway Natalie was all giggly and flirty since Denise's roomates Michael & Tony were with us. (She already has signs of boy craziness- must get it from Aunt Candice.)
Anyway once we got there...she started rubbing her eyes and we thought "uh-oh". We headed to the 8th floor of Macy's where "Santa Land" begins.



It is so cool to go through it...they have so many decorations, its like being on a Disneyland ride (like inside It's a Small World).




Natalie barely smiled when the elves would talk to her. She was a bit overwhelmed and I think because she was tired, it didn't help the situation out. Don't get me wrong though, she was good the whole time....but she didn't want to get down or smile.

Once we got in to see Santa, she lost it. They tried to have her sit on Santa and she cried. So, we gave up and left...maybe next year!

Below is me at my companies cosmetic counter at Macy's. I had to represent.

Macy's had the ball that drops on New Years Eve out for display - so that is what i am standing in front of.

To conclude our morning outing, we walked down the front entrance of Macy's. They had all these red stars hanging from the ceiling. I started singing "twinkle twinkle" which was Natalie's cue to put her hands above her head like she is waving a star around...pictured below.

This pic is from last night when we took her to the giant Disney store.

Central Park Zoo

Denise and I woke up this morning to a beautiful day...it rained all day yesterday so Natalie and I stayed in. However, today is a high of 50 (the warmest its been) and sunny. We decided to throw our clothes on without showers and hit the Big Apple. Natalie has been an angel the past few days. She is totally adjusted to life here. She is happy on the train, sits in her stroller, and likes to walk around. (The sad thing is that Zack left Saturday which is when she had just started to be good.)
Anyway we planned on walking down 5th Ave and visiting the huge Disney store but we got there too early- it was only 9:30 and they didn't open till 10. So we headed back to Central Park to bide time. We ran into the Central Park Zoo and through the gates you could see a big Seal tank. Natalie loved watching them so we decided what the heck- lets go to the zoo since it was only 8 bucks.

Don't you just love it- here we are looking at monkeys and in front of us is these huge skyscrapers...it doesn't get better than NYC.

The zoo was small. But the main attractions were the Penguins, Seals, and Polar Bears for Natalie.

We happend to pass by a fish tank with this giant catfish-like fish. Natalie went crazy, if it swam to the bottom Natalie would get down and lay on the ground to be close to it...then when it would swim up she would stand up. It was dark inside so the pictures didn't turn out but it was super funny!

Thanksgiving Party

Here is the gang...well almost all of them from our Thanksgiving with my sister. Since not all of Denise's friends go home for the holidays, they get together for a Thanksgiving among friends. Our day began with Natalie waking us all up at 7am. We had not gone to bed until 2am so, we were just a little bit out of it. Denise's friend JP stayed the night so the four of us (Zack, JP, Denise, and I) headed to Brooklyn Bagels a few blocks away. We attempted to revive ourselves with coffee and food but, Natalie was throwing a fit. In our despair we headed for home praying that she would go back to sleep so we could too. When what to our amazement...she did and so we all resumed our slumber party. Take 2 of our Thanksgiving began at noon when we all got up once again in much better spirits. Natalie ended up taking another nap, and still went to bed by 7:00 that night. With all the commotion and people to show-off (which she did plenty of) she was wiped out. It worked out perfect because our Turkey wasn't done till 7:30 and by then she was in bed so Zack and I could eat in peace.



Above is me making Corn Salsa, Michael (roommate) still drinking the morning mimosa's, and JP her friend from the city. (Natalie loved JP- they became totally buddies.)



Above is Kim who loved to play with Natalie while the food was being cooked. The princess hats are from float night.



This is Kim and Michael....who was Denise's former roommate and bestfriend from college. His family owns a grocery store in Missouri so they shipped us our Turkey's- how nice. Michael was suppose to come over early to cook with us but he didn't show up till 4:41 which is part of the reason the Turkey was late getting done!

And last but not least....here is Natalie being the syrup kid that she is.

A new day....

Natalie has finally adjusted (just in time for Zack to go home). We had about 10 of Denise's friends over for Thanksgiving and Natalie loved all the attention from everyone. She has been the biggest show off. Best of all, we got her to ride in the stroller today which makes everything alot easier.




Natalie took a morning nap today and so Zack and I headed into the city to hang out. Denise stayed home with her to clean up from our Thanksgiving part. After we strolled around for a bit we ended in Central Park. Denise was suppose to meet us there but she got stuck doing laundry at the laundrymat with Natalie longer then anticipated. So I talked Zack into iceskating. It was so much fun...I wanted to ice skate in Central Parl when we were here for Christmas before but, we never did. By the time we finished Denise and Nat were there to greet us.




Then we walked around the park and Natty loved the leaves. We would toss them in the air and she would giggle.

Meltdown City

Well, yesteday was not a good day in the city. This is about the only picture you will see of us all smiling. We were zombies by the time we made it home. Lets just say Natalie did not want to see the sights and made that perfectly clear. We attempted to get a stroller and put her in it...that didn't happen. After screaming for 5 minutes we gave up and used it as a coat rack. Then we took her to a really cute Childrens Book store with specialty books (old classic folk and fairytales which was so cool- its fun to see the books we grew up reading or older) and a cupcake cafe inside. Well she did like looking through books but when we got cupcakes it all went downhill from there. She didn't want it, wouldn't eat it, wouldn't sit at the table, wouldn't put on her coat, wouldn't walk outside, sit in the stroller, or want us to hold her. She proceeded to arch her back in protest and cry all the way home. Yes we made a beeline for the subway and I ran several blocks home with her in my arms desperate to get there.




We think between her still being semi-sick, her sleep schedule has been off, and just to much stimulation to soon set her off. On a good note. We put her to bed ontime last night (more from desperation to get away from her. In fact Denise and Zack said the shutting of the closet door when I put her down was the best sound they had heard all day.) made for a happy child today. She went to Starbucks with us this morning to get our cup of joe, no tantrum, and then walked to and from the grocery store around the corner with no complaints. So, when she gets up shortly we will take her back into the city and we are confident it will be a pleasant one. (You better be listening Universe!)
On a side note- Denise felt so bad for us that she sent Zack and I back to the city in our despair while she stayed home with Nat sleeping. We even made it to Serendipity (although we have decided the Frozen Hot Chocolate just isn't what its cracked up to be). The atmosphere and other goodies yes. We happily made it back on the subway before midnight- which is a good thing since the N train is having some repairs to its track and shuts down at 12:01 am...it would have sucked to get stuck in the city after the day we had.

We have arrived

So, I haven't taken my camera out much since we got here...I don't have pics to really post yet. However, I had to blog the beginning of this somewhat chaotic experience. Two days before we left Natalie woke with a 103 degree fever that would not go down. I had to take her to the dr. and then to Primary Childrens for some tests to make sure she wasn't getting secondary infections from a cold she has had. Well, she has the adenovirus they told me Friday morning. Great...the dr informed me we could travel but she could have a high fever like 103 or more for up to 8 days. And they can develop pneumonia really easily.
It would have cost more then 400.0 to change our flights and so we boarded our 8:30 am flight saturday moring with our contagious child. (sorry to those on the plane) Suprisingly it went really well until the hour before we landed when Natalie arched her back and started crying really hard because she was so tired by then and refused to sleep on me. 10 minutes before we landed she fell asleep. The flight was extremely bumpy the last half hour and if anyone knows how Zack is...he was ready to puke...mind you the lady behind us did. To put it mildly we were so ready to get off the plane and get to Denise's we would have sold a kidney to do so.
Natalie's bed in the closet has worked out extremely well. It took her the first day to get use to it but now it is her quiet sanctuary. Yesterday was our first trip into the Big Apple. Denise stayed with Natalie while she napped and Zack and I went to see "Wicked" which was AMAZING. I have loved the soundtrack and the book so it was refreshing to finally see it live. Then Denise & Nat met up with us afterwards and we ate at her roommate Michael's work. The whole time Natalie had a stony look of silence as she processed all lights and people (not to mention culture shock- lets face it, Utah is not diverse ethnically speaking). Did I mention how nice it is to hop on and off the subway with no carseat.




This morning we took her to a park near our apartment in Astoria (Queens NYC) and she chased this squirrel. Its by the fence in this pic. Then we found used SideWalk chalk and she did what she loves to do best....color all over!

If you look through the trees you will see good old Manhattan...thats the east river dividing us.

I will post more this week once we get back into the City to see more of the sights with our little protege.

I couldn't help it...

Well I did it...I broke out some of the Christmas decorations and its not even Thanksgiving yet! In my defense I will not be here for Thanksgiving as I leave this Saturday for NYC and won't be home till December 3rd. On top of that Zack is out of town till Friday and Natalie and I didn't have anything else to do.



I have this Christmas frame of Zack and I on Santa's lap from our first Christmas together. Natalie spotted it and just kept pointing at Santa and saying his name over and over. She is obsessed with all things Santa. Christmas is going to be so fun with her this year!



Then I had my Santa and Snowman dolls out and she went and gave them a hug and picked them up to kiss. It was so stinking cute. I can't wait to take her to the Macy's Christmas display to see Santa in NYC.