A New Year

Favorites of 2010:
*Claire Elizabeth Brog. Born April 8th.
*The holidays with Lilly. This year she finally got them. Halloween and Christmas will never be forgotten.
*Girls Trip to Arizona. Can we please go back?!
*Being a mom. I look back on the year, and it seems like most everything I loved or enjoyed was because of my family. They have brought a joy into my life that I can't hardly explain.

Looking forward to 2011:
*Lilly's first real trip to Disneyland (she went when she was like 4 months old. we don't count that one!)
*It should be an exciting year with Anton's job. I am really proud of him.
*Lilly will start preschool. I don't know if that is really something I am looking forward too though.
*A vacation for just me and Anton is in the works. Can't wait!

Hopes for the year:
*Become more organized, and get rid of "junk". I really dislike my small little house having clutter in it. It makes it even that more small.
*Less TV, More books. For everyone. I read books with Lilly today for about 45 minutes while Claire was down. It felt SO good.
*I want to have at least one day a week day with my kids where I devote the whole day to them. No cleaning, No laundry, No Vacuuming...just them. Well, I will still have to cook - but that's ok! :) This will be a hard one for me. Sad, I know. It drives me nuts to have a messy house, but what would drive me more nuts is to think back one day and say "why didn't I spend more precious time with them". It scares me how fast time flies, and I just don't want to have any regrets with how I spent my time.
*Grow in the gospel. Become more Christlike. Remember all of my many blessings.
*Get in better shape. I am working on it...but, want to work harder.

Here's to 2011...looking forward to another great year!

My Girls

I laughed when I took these pictures, because they are SO typical of their personalities.
Lilly:
So flippin funny.
My sister in law describes her as being "Zany". Perfect description.
She has such a tender heart.
She is hysterically funny.
"What Happen to Wiwwy" is the funniest phrase she says.
Decided the Nutcrackers mouth was the perfect place to put her booger. Sick? Yes. Funny? Yes!
Is such a home body.
Loves to "snuggle on the couch".
Favorite foods: popcorn, chips, grapes
My favorite 2 1/2 year old in the whole world!

Claire:

Has two little teeth that are crooked! So funny!

Does the stinky face on demand.

Shakes her head when we say "No No No!"

Every time I go to put a bow in her hair, she shakes her head No.

"Ba Ba Ba", "Da Da Da", "Ne Ne Ne" is her language.

Doesn't do well in crowds or when people get really close to her face to talk to her.

Finds Lilly so funny

Is really wanting to be mobile. 

Loves her new lamb and play table she got for Christmas

Loves to suck her thumb.

My favorite baby in the whole world!

Christmas 2010

To start off Christmas Eve, Anton played a mean game of racquetball with my brother and I took Lilly with my parents and most of her cousins to go see Tangled. It was so fun!! Each year, I cook a fancy meal and we stay in and watch movies. This year, we decided to mix it up a bit. Neither of us were feeling like cooking a big meal, and cleaning it up, so we decided to go out! If you know us, you know we love Mexican food...so thats what we decided on. Not your traditional Christmas Eve meal, but it was so fun. After dinner, we decided last minute to go downtown and take the girls to see the lights at Temple Square. We chose a good night...it wasn't that cold, and really not that busy. The girls loved it! After the lights we headed home to get working on "Santa's gifts". wink wink. Setting up all the toys and laying the presents under the tree, brought back that feeling of being a kid again. I left the room for a minute, and came back in and when I saw all the presents laying there...I could barely wait for morning. All I wanted, was to see how Lilly was going to react to her special gift from Santa. Christmas Eve this year was so much fun. I loved that it was just our little family. It was a perfect night.

Christmas morning was truly magical. We both went in to wake up Lilly, and she SHOT out of bed. I had to grab her hand to slow her down so Anton could get it on film. Of course the moment she walked into the living room, she said "A Kitchen!". We had to convince her that her kitchen wasn't going anywhere, and that Santa had brought her more gifts. Claire was just Claire...mellow and happy to be with us! She loved the paper and the bows....more so than her gifts. Typical baby! Lilly's new toys have been a life saver for me! She just plays and plays and plays...she pushes her babies up and down the hallway with her stroller, she cooks for them, she is in pure heaven. It is really fun - and quite nice!

Anton and I don't really do much for each other throughout the year, so we take the opportunity of Christmas to really spoil one another. And, I tell you what...every single year, I think "oh man, he is going to love what I got him", and then he always manages to up one me. He is so sweet with how much thought he put into my gifts. I just adore him.

This time of year can be hectic with going from here to there, making sure you have gifts for everyone, schedules are off etc., but really the best part of the holidays is the time spent with our families. We don't get to see Antons family very often because they live in St. George, so around the holidays they always come up and it is great to see them. Lilly adores her Grandma (and pompa of course!), and loves every moment she gets to spend with her. It is also so fun for Anton to get to have his family around for a few days. There are always tears shed between Lilly and grandma when it comes down to saying goodbye, but we are grateful they come up to see us for a couple of days during this crazy time of year. And, we are grateful that they live in St. George and not farther away! I am so mad at myself for not getting pictures with them this year. There is always next year!

I am so in love with my little family, and this Christmas could not have been any better. It really, truly, was a magical Christmas...one I will never forget!

Woodward Christmas 2010

Another year, another fabulous party!
My parents Christmas party is now one of my very favorite Christmas traditions. I get so excited when the party is near. Lilly absolutely loved every moment of the night. She adores her cousins, and is so in love with her Nana & Pops. The evening started with a delicious meal my mom cooked (to be honest, I had the flu so I didn't eat much, but I heard it was SO delicious!), then the grandkids did the nativity scene, followed by talents. Lilly showed everyone her special trick of winking. Talented, I tell you! Then, it was time for presents. Too fun!
This Christmas tradition is so special, and so fun. I adore it. There is just something special about that night.
Thank you Mom and Dad for yet another fabulous Woodward Christmas party!

A Visit to Santa

Lilly was THRILLED to see Santa! She let him know what she wants most for Christmas: a Teddy Bear. Claire's feelings about Santa are obvious from the pictures. Maybe next year!

Friends

Yesterday I got the sweetest email from one of my longtime friends. It was sent to a group of us girls, who are still friends after years and years of knowing one another. I still keep in touch and get together regularly with my friends whom I have known since early elementary school. It is so fun to see where all of our lives have taken us, and feel blessed to still call them my "dear friends". We have seen each other move away to school, get married, some divorce, some have children, some have great sadness with their children...but regardless of the different paths our lives have gone, we are still dear friends. I can always count on a good laugh when I am with them, and I love that I can show up in my pajamas with no makeup on and no one will care how I look. Not only am I lucky to still be friends with my girlfriends from high school, but since I have been married and and lived in this home/ward, I have met some truly remarkable and dear women who I am so lucky to call my friends. They are such wonderful examples to me, and I am so lucky to have my girls grow up with their children. They are the type of mothers who just get it. I will never have to worry about Lilly or Claire being at one of their homes, and in this day and age, I feel like that is so rare. And, I can't speak about friendships without mentioning these women: my mom and sisters. Don't get me wrong, I adore my brothers and dad, but there is something about your mom and having a sister. I was over the moon when Claire was delivered and the doctor said "It's a girl!". All I could think about is how lucky Lilly was to have a sister. Being the youngest of 5, I was never very close with my sisters (who were the two oldest), it wasn't until I have been married and since had children that I feel so close with them. My sister called me the other night, so sad and upset...and after I hung up the phone from her, I just thought how glad I was that she felt like she could call me and lean on me when she was so sad. Then there is my mom...she gets me, she knows me, and she loves me...unconditionally. Is there a better friendship than that? I don't think so. I don't have to act a certain way with her, I can just BE....and to me, that is the best feeling. I have mentioned before how for the birthday's in my family, my siblings and my parents get together for lunch. Just recently, we got together for my brothers birthday's. We spent a good two hours talking non stop about everything from books, movies, our children, funny stories, sad stories...you name it, we covered it! I love this tradition! I love the relationship and friendship we all have as adults.

I hope and pray that Lilly and Claire will be blessed with good friends, and that they will one day understand the importance of good friends. I don't want for them to strive to have lots of friends...I just want them to have good, dear friends. Because I know that my life has been better because of all the wonderful and dear friends I have.

#2

Meet "Squirt #2"!
These girls are keeping me on my toes lately!
She was so super proud of herself for pulling out the brand new roll of paper towels!