Merry Christmas!!

Today we celebrated Christmas together. Yes, it was 3 days late but we wanted to wait for Hailee to join us and Santa made a special trip just to deliver his presents. It was lots of fun and the girls are pretty excited about their new stuff. Grandma and Grandpa Melville got Abigail a slide and she doesn't stop playing on it.

Hailee was way excited about her new Leapster game and cute horse shirt also from Grandma and Grandpa Melville,

The girls also opened presents from my Aunt Stacy and Uncle David. Abigail got a cute stuffed monkey (which she loves giving loves to) and Hailee opened a cute little chef set complete with brownie mix, mixing spoon, apron and pot holder.

Hailee had me open presents from "Santa" though I'm a little annoyed "Santa" got me anything because we said we weren't going to get presents for each other. Oh well! I got a new robe and pajamas which are going to keep me warm in this terrible COLD weather.

But of coarse the highlight and main event is the presents that Santa brought and I must say that Santa did great this year. Hailee asked Santa at the mall for a growing puppy that was black and white and Santa had to google on the internet to figure out what she was talking about but he found it. And Abigail got a cool new farm animal and barn set. She is trying to make animal sounds and it is so cute, Santa thought it could help.

I would just like to thank our family and friends for such a wonderful holiday season. I am so blessed to have the home that I have, my healthy and adorable daughters and Greg working hard to provide everything that we have for us. I'm thankful for every minute that I get to share with Hailee and everytime I see her I can't help but be in awe in her development and beauty. I am also so very thankful for my little monkey, Abigail. Though she can be a handful, and her busyness is enough to drive you crazy, I love it and I love being with her. I am so thankful for my family...my parents, Greg's parents, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and all. They are so supportive and I am so glad they are all in my life. I am thankful for my friends near and far, old and new. It's so great to have shoulders to lean on when you need it.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

The Past Week With Hailee

It has been a fun week! Last Friday, I drove to Salt Lake City to get Hailee and bring her home for the weekend. We had a lot of fun playing together as a family,

decorating the Christmas Tree

(finally!) and finishing Hailee's bedroom. Don picked her up Sunday evening to take her back to Salt Lake but I wasn't too sad about her leaving because I knew I would see her again on Thursday.

Wednesday night I was so excited to leave for Salt Lake the next morning that I had a hard time getting to sleep and then I think I finally fell asleep after midnight, only to get up at 4:30 a.m. to get ready and then drive. I finished getting ready and went to go start the car when I looked out our front window and saw the snow coming down! I panicked and threw everything into the car, warmed it up and then put Abigail's coat on so we could get going because I knew it was going to be a long drive. We left at 5:35 a.m. and I didn't get to Hailee's school until 10:30 a.m. Hailee's Christmas performance was at 9 a.m. and I was devastated that I missed it. Five hours in the car and driving in snow was not fun but getting to Salt Lake to be with my daughter was worth it. We left Hailee's school once the parents were ushered out because half day was over and we spent the rest of the day at my parent's house in Draper playing, reading and decorating Hailee's new sticker book.

Friday I picked up Hailee from school at 11:30 and we went to the South Towne Mall to play, shop and see Santa. We had a lot of fun and I would just like to say that I LOVE the playground area that they have at the mall. I could sit there for an hour and the kids would be so happy to play and interact with other kids and go down the slides.

Max, Maama, Papa and Felisha joined us while we waited to see Santa. Abigail didn't cry while in his lap but she had a very serious face. Hailee was very excited and asked Santa for what she wanted. Later she told me that she forgot to ask him for what she wanted at her dad's house and what she wanted for our house but I told her it was ok and Santa knew.

Tonite I get Hailee for a few hours so that we can all go together as a family to the Chase Christmas Dinner. I can't wait to see her. Then after that, we wont' be able to be together until Decemeber 28th.

So this is Christmas...

I am happy to report that Christmas...in my book is officially here! Not only is Hailee's stocking up on the fireplace mantel but we finally got snow today. Hailee's stocking is so cute and when it is out I really feel Christmas in the air. I don't know why it just makes me happy.
I was getting jealous because Salt Lake was getting snowstorms already and I couldn't help but feel unincluded from the winter feel of the season but today...we got some. Unfortunately, it's colder out here and the snow quickly turns into hard ice but, hey! It's snow and I am happy to see it (maybe not drive in it but...)

(Hailee's stocking is the big smiley face, it giggles! And there's Abigail)

Three days until I get to go to Salt Lake and pick up Hailee for the weekend! I cannot wait and I'm so excited to see my little girl. I love her so much and miss her when she is gone. I try to talk to her on the phone but it's not the same as being with her and talking to her together as mommy and daughter. She is so important to me and I'm so greatful that God blessed me with her in my life.
I will add pictures in the morning of the beautiful snow and mantel but I need to finish studying for all my finals that I have this week in school. Ahhh....the semester is almost over, YAY!!! Just had to take a break and update.

(our backyard)

Thanksgiving Weekend

Wow! What a busy and fun time we had! Thanksgiving vacation started a little early for me when I went to SLC to pick up Hailee from school. On the way out of town, we picked up Max to come to the Basin with us. He slept over at Maama and Papa's house but of coarse he came over to play.

The main event for the holiday was going to my parent's house Wednesday night to kill (or watch my dad and Lincoln) the turkey for dinner the next day. That was neat and I hope we do it again next year. How many of you can say that you had that fresh of a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner?

I was going to post the pictures of the whole process of killing and everything else we did to prepare the turkey but I didn't want to turn anyone's stomachs. The turkey ended up weighing 30 lbs. The Betty Crocker Cookbook didn't even have instructions for turkeys that big, haha!

But this was the finished product and it turned out great! Hailee and I made the pies (pumpkin and apple-cranberry), stuffing, yams and rolls (homemade!). I felt very involved this Thanksgiving and I love baking so it all worked out. Hailee was a great help and I'm so glad she was with us. Raelynn and Lincoln came down Wednesday night and left shortly after dinner on Thanksgiving. They were here for only a little bit but I was glad that they came down. I think that this was the first, or at least one of the few where Thanksgiving was just our immediate family. It was great. We missed Laura, Kipp and Asher though but we will see them at Christmas.
For the rest of the weekend, we played a lot at Maama's and at home. Our house is still a major disorganized mess because we are fixing up and painting the front room, Hailee's room and our room. I just finished Abigail's room today. Yay! Only 3 more rooms to go!
Here is Hailee (with Max's help :)singing her Thanksgiving song that she learned at school. I just love her singing and she is doing so much more of it since starting school.

And if you ask Hailee what her favorite thing about Thanksgiving was and she says, "getting the turkey dead..." she never watched the killing of Tom the Turkey, I promise!

Pictures of me and my girls from Target Studio

I'm so excited to finally get these and share them with you. It was so much fun doing pictures with Hailee and Abigail. They were gorgeous and the pictures turned out so good!! I love my girls and I am thankful everyday for having them and the blessings and joy that I receive everyday from having them so near.

Photo shoot at International Peace Gardens and The Great Salt Lake

Yes, the photo shoot was really for Raelynn's bridal pictures but if you know me, I couldn't help but pull out my camera and take a few shots of my own of my gorgeous girls and the beautiful scenery and sunset.

Visiting Salt Lake City

We are in Salt Lake City for the next week and I'm so happy to be spending time here with Hailee and planning to visit friends and all.

Last night we had our annual Chase Thanksgiving Dinner feast. It was funn seeing everybody...Ward, Paula, Tyson, Marilyn, Jordan, Chelsea, Cameron, Gene, Kathy and Paul. Plus there was all of us who are staying at the Draper house for the week...my parents, Raelynn, Lincoln, Max, Grandma Chase, Felisha, her friend Brandon and then me and my two girls. What a big crowd! And the food was great! I ate too much, as usual....I just love Thanksgiving food though. Oh well.

(Top Pic: Kathy, Paul, Paula, Grandma Chase) (Middle pic: Marilyn, Tyson, Brandon, Felisha) (Bottom pic: Lincoln and Raelynn

(Top pic: Grandma Chase and Felisha) (Bottom Pic: Max)

(Top pic: Abigail and me) (Middle Pic: Me and Hailee) (Bottom Pic: Papa playing with Hailee)