Through the eyes of Hollyn

For Christmas Hollyn got a camera from her grandma and grandpa. It's a little Fisher Price Camera that you can drop, get wet, and anything else kids might do to it. She loves her camera and has been having fun taking pictures with it ever since. I love it too, because she doesn't ask me to use my camera any more. I just wish I could figure out how to get the batteries to last longer. Any suggestions? Some of the pictures are random and some are really cute.

I love the ER (yes I am being sarcastic)

On Monday I took Paige to the hospital because I was afraid she had RSV. She started getting a cold on Wednesday last week and she just hasn't been able to kick it, and it just kept getting worse. I got to the ER at 11:30 and didn't end up leaving until 4:15. The good news is that Paige doesn't have RSV, she has Bronchitis which sounds a lot worse than it is. The other good news is that I almost finished my book while I was there. I am reading Glenn Beck's book The Christmas Sweater and I really like it. (Thanks to my mom for bringing me some lunch and to my father-in-law for taking Hollyn to play with all of her cousins. She was so excited) Anyway, Paige is doing much better and slowly but surely getting over her bronchitis.
One things I will say for Paige is that she is a trooper. Through the whole thing she has been smiling and for the most part, pretty good natured. Even when she could barely breath through her snot coated nose, she was able to smile and laugh. I love this girl!

New Years Resolutions!

I know many of you have already posted your New Years Resolutions and it was definitely a motivations for me to get on the ball. It seems like every year I usually do the same resolutions and only follow through with them for a few weeks or months and then I fizzle off. This year I decided to post my resolutions, not so much for every one to read but for me to see them each time I post and to be more accountable. So here it goes my resolutions for 2009:
1. Do a sprint triathlon (preferably more than one and hopefully an Olympic one too)
2. Loose the baby weight by July( This one is two fold because I am going to commit to following a workout plan my cousin is making me)
3. Cut sugar out of my diet
4. Follow my eating plan until the summer and then continue eating healthy
5. Read the B of M with Hollyn every night
6. Finish the B of M with Dan
7. Write in my journal once a week


I may add more throughout the next week, but for now this is a good start.

Christmas, Birthdays, Anniversary, Blessing

 

Christmas, Birthdays, Blessing, Anniversary

Most of you know that December is the busiest month of the year for our family. Between birthdays, Christmas, New years, anniversary and add in a blessing there is barely room to breath. We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas. For Christmas Eve we first went over to Dan's parents house for a live nativity with the cousins as the actors. Hollyn was Mary this year and was so serious about her role. Especially when she was holding baby Jesus (baby Paige). You can see from the pictures we improvised a little, mainly cousin Jack who was a ninja wise man. After the nativity story we went to my families Hatch Christmas Eve party which is a pot luck dinner/talent show with my Grandma Hall's siblings and family. There are usually around 50-100 people there. This year Hollyn was so excited to sing while her Uncle John and Aunt Malorie played instruments. Well they weren't able to get here in time because of the storms in Portland so Hollyn was solo. She was such a trooper. Dan didn't think she would do it by herself but she went right up there and busted our Dashing through the snow. If you look at the pictures you can see how she professionally holds the microphone, Hannah Montana style. I have no idea where she learned that, but it sure was cute. That night we did our traditional first gift of Christmas, pajamas. We read the Polar Express and then open one presents.
Christmas morning we opened presents and stockings with my family. John and Mal made it into town late Christmas Eve night so it was great to have them there for presents. For breakfast we had our traditional breakfast burritos with turkey bacon and homemade cinnamon rolls. After some family stopped by we went over to Dan's parents where we exchanged cousin gifts and opened more gifts and stockings. We spent the rest of the day basically kid free because the cousins disappear to play downstairs while the adults sit and chat. The cousins have so much fun together. This was also Paige's first Christmas. She's not into opening presents yet, but she sure looked cute in her Christmas outfit, especially in the one of her smiling.
On the 27th we celebrated Dan's birthday with shopping for jeans and dinner at Pita Jungle. That night we dropped Hollyn off at Nonni's house and then played Wally Ball with some friends. We had a blast and I even have a nasty bruise to proof it. I guess I'm not as athletic as I use to be. The Beagley's were the raining champions. They never lost a game no matter who their partners where.
On the 28th we blessed Paige at Dan's parents house. We had a yummy dinner and then blessed her with family. Thanks to everyone who came, we really appreciate it.
On the 29th we had Hollyn's birthday party at the park. This year we had a Tinker Bell party and a cupcake cake. It didn't turn out as good as the picture in the book, but do they ever. It still was cute though and my mom found a Tinker Bell Candle for the top. The kids played on the playground, decorated mini cupcakes and found Captain Hooks treasure. I can't believe my little girl is already four.
For our 8th Anniversary this year we went and stayed at my parents time share with some friends. Their anniversary is the day after ours. We took the kids swimming and ordered in takeout from Oregano's. It was great to have the Larsen's with us and the kids sure enjoyed the whirlpool bath, except when we turned it on and water sprayed everywhere. It wasn't a romantic anniversary, but we had a great time.

 

December Fun

Before we left for Christmas Break we had an eventful couple of weeks. The highlights were Hollyn's dance concert, work and ward parties (Santa included), Dan finishing his finals and our family Christmas in Nebraska.
Hollyn has found something she truly loves, performing. She loves to sing and dance every where she goes and she never get embarrassed. She is definitely not shy like her mom was. I guess she takes after her father, minus the singing and dancing part, we haven't found where that comes from. (Maybe her Grandma)Hollyn had a fun dance recital and was able to take dance this time around with her food friend Olivia.
We had lots of Christmas before we even came to Arizona for Christmas. Hollyn and Paige saw Santa twice, once at my work party and once at our ward party. Hollyn is really into Christmas and Santa this year. We decided to do Christmas with just our little family before we left for AZ in mid December. It was fun to have a white Christmas and spend time with just our little family. It was also nice not to have to lug all of the presents with us on the plane.
Dan finished his finals and we are officially half way through our law school experience. Hurray!! If any of you have gone through law school you know how exciting that is. Dan is amazing and doing great. We are so proud of him.

December Fun