January

This little button is now scooting all around the house! But in January, she would quietly lay on her pretty quilt which my friend, Katie, made her, and just reach for her toys.
She also seemed happy in her exersaucer while I was cooking dinner or doing laundry.

Like most of Sarah's clothes, this dress is a hand-me-down from her big sister, Emily, and it's one of my favorites! Gosh, this baby's big smile melts my heart.

At the beginning of the year, we started having family fun nights on Fridays. We love it! We just play games (Life and Go Fish are our top picks), talk about the highlights of our week, and laugh.

I used my birthday and Christmas money to buy new bedding. Yea! I don't always have an immaculate house (alright, let's be honest, I RARELY have an immaculate house with 3 kiddos around) but I do make my bed everyday thanks to my mom making it a priority in our home growing up. And while I've enjoyed making our bed with our different wedding quilts for the last 7 1/2 years of our marriage, I was thrilled to finally buy this beautiful set from JC Penney. You'll also find our cute little model posing on the bed in her teddybear cozy from my friend, Michelle. Sarah wore it for many cold winter walks around the neighborhood.

Sarah's first taste of cereal

Free Day at Hogle Zoo with my friend, Traci, and cousin, Britni...good times!

Here's Gibby, Jon, Emily, Etta, and Kyle. monkeying around

Heck, they didn't even mind the snow.

snowy afternoon in Salt Lake = cuddled up in cozies reading books or watching PBS kid reruns

I got this idea from my friend, Jodi. We made Octopus hotdogs on sea weed noodles for a snack in preschool when I taught my ocean unit. It was a hit!

We invited Kiana over for an afternoon to keep us company when Wade was gone all weekend at a Financial Enlightenment Event with his company. I'm joining him for the one they put on in May for their clients. Besides Garret Gunderson, Wade's boss, we'll also hear from Kirk Duncan and Leslie Householder. I'm so excited!

I made my specialty for everyone: Turkey & Veggie Sandwich on whole wheat bread with a spinach salad. It's what I make myself everyday for lunch. Delicious and healthful. I love it.

an original

My friend, Kate, shared these thoughts on her blog, and it got me thinking. I just want to live in a way that is in harmony with my beliefs, my integrity, and my unique personality. I just want to be me. I STILL don't own a pair of skinny jeans because I don't think they look good on me, plus everyone else seems to be wearing them. And I'm not going to do something that makes me uncomfortable in order to please the masses.

I've always felt different whether it was my red hair and freckles, my honest and open approach that intimidates some, the fact that I actually liked school and connected with my teachers, or my happy and positive manner. There were girls in middle school who hated me because they told me I was too fake and happy. Sorry, ladies, I've always been that way. It's just how I am. No pretending here. Are all teenagers supposed to be angry and depressed or something? Give me a break!

Although I have felt different, when I read blogs, I see a world of similarities whether it's a young mom struggling to figure out her 4 year-old, a friend who is homesick and misses her family so much she could cry, or someone who has just lost a loved one, physically or spiritually. I have experienced ALL those things...like many of you. And then all at once, I feel like I'm not alone because there are others like me who understand. More than anything, I blog so I can find those similarities and make connections, while still appreciating the unique qualities each of my friends and family possess.

Christmas at last!

Now that I've blogged about our many December activities, here's (finally) some fun pics from our trip to St. George for Christmas! Now that this post is done, I can get caught up with January, February, and March in no time since we haven't had quite as much going on as we did in December. Don't you guys feel that way, too?

Our first stop into town is always to see Brandi and her boys. I love this girl!

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner with half of my family.

Emily and Hailey thought it was pretty cool to have princess goblets just like on Beauty and the Beast.After dinner, we watched the movie Ruthanne had made for my Grandma with pictures of Grandpa Lang's life since he passed away in July. Then we surprised my parents with a movie we all helped Ruthanne put together of pictures of THEM! It was beautiful, and my parents were really touched.

Christmas 2010 after Santa arrived

coming up the stairs youngest to oldest on Christmas morning to see what awaits them...

a baby doll and crib for Emily

and real make-up...wahoo!

a horse and cowboy clothes for Jonny along with an ocean animal set

making memories

Uncle Austin and Aunt Ruthanne had our names for Christmas, and they gave Jonny a Thomas the Train set, My Little Pony reading books and pony for Emily, and Tai Pan gift card for us. Yea! I have been wanting to buy some new decorations for my house, and now I finally can!
I kept the tradition alive and gave Wade something he already owns...his running shoes...what a lucky husband to have a cheesy wife like me.
My parents gave Hailey and Emily fancy dresses with a matching one for their baby dolls.
They also gave Em a new ballet skirt that she loves!
Cowboy Jonny trying out his new horse and cowboy clothes
We gave homemade cards to Summer, books for Jace, Aspen, and Preston, and a BOX for Nick. That's right, an empty box. There's a hilarious inside story to this, but to be brief let's just say it involves him being annoyed at his crazy little sisters who played in a huge box once for 2 hours. It was 20 years ago, but we always crack up when we talk about it, so I thought it would be the perfect gift.
Nick then decided to play inside the box we gave him. It was the highlight of my Christmas, that's for sure. I could not stop laughing! After he was done playing, I pulled out his real gift, a homemade apple pie I made him.
Here's Sarah with my cute little sister, Ruthanne, who's expecting her first baby in July. :)
After seeing our Great Grandma's loom at the Daughter of the Utah Pioneer Museum, we played laser tag at Laser Mania. What a blast! Here's Taylor and Brooklyn playing air hockey afterwards.

Emily trying to get the apples in the basket

pizza for everyone!

Sarah drooling away getting ready for teeth to come in

One happy family...yep, this is all 30 of us. These guys mean a lot to me!

Merry Christmas!

Bowling Fever

Emily's friend, Zach, asked his mom if he could take some friends bowling just for fun, and we were happy to go. Our kids had bowled once before, so they thought they were seasoned pros.

Oh yeah baby!

"You are 16, going on 17..." or 28 (same thing)

For my 28th birthday, Wade went to the store early in the morning and brought me back beautiful flowers along with donuts and bacon, which we never have at our house, so it was a treat for sure. Cooking for us was an even bigger treat. I love that he knows his way around a kitchen, especially on weekends and special occasions like this.

While I was cleaning the house to prepare for my birthday party, I found Jonny playing with his wild animals on top of the kitchen set. Random, but funny!
For my birthday party, I invited some of my favorite girls over for Papa Murphey's pizza, salad, and Better Than Almost Anything Cake that Kim made. We watched the last 10 minutes of Anne of Green Gables, talked, laughed, and had a 2nd piece of cake..or 3rd or 4th..I can't quite recall HOW many pieces I ate. Man, I love that cake. It's the only kind of cake I like. I usually prefer pie, but not when this cake is around. Those 20 lbs I had lost since the baby was born probably came BACK on that night alone. :)

Best White Elephant Gift ever!

When thinking of a white elephant gift each of us could bring to the Stoney Family Christmas Party, we were blown away when we found this beauty in our friend's DI pile. It's an original Suzanne Somers exercise pole. Pure awesomeness truly. For some reason, Wade's step brother wasn't as excited about receiving it as we were giving it. haha But at least it gave everyone a good laugh at the party. I'll post more pics once I get them from my mother in law.