Mathew's Feeling 09'

Mathew has really "blossomed" per-say the last two weeks! A lot of my friends and family have told me funny stories about all the crazy mischievous things their kids did growing up! Well folks that day has finally come! Mathew is as busy as ever and has to be watched like a HAWK. It all started a week and a half ago when he followed me into the bathroom, when I left the room to grab something, by the time I got back...less than ten seconds later he had unrolled an ENTIRE roll of toilet paper! A new one too! I was so tired I just threw the unrolled TP in the garbage! I should have taken a picture, there will be a next time I'm sure.
That was just one story out of many! No matter what he does, I can't help but laugh it off! He's just so dang cute! I love him so much and cannot believe how big he's getting! This last year has gone by so fast! Mathew's birthday's coming up stay tuned for birthday pics!

New High Chair

Mathew got a new high chair from Grandpa Dan and Amy and let me tell you...we L O V E it! It is the best high chair I've ever seen! It has a lot of awesome features like wheels, a removable tray for easy clean up and best of all it folds for storage! Our kitchen isn't the biggest so I wasn't sure where a new high chair would even go. Problem solved! We just fold it right up after Matty's done grubbing! I highly recommend this high chair for anyone who'll be purchasing one in the near future! Click here if you want to check it out HERE.

On another note.....I've been trying to introduce more food into Mathews diet and could use a few tips. I give Mathew juice in a sippie cup but he doesn't know how to suck the juice out, he just chews on the spout. How do you get your baby to learn to drink out of a sippie cup? And out of a straw for that matter?

Also, I've been giving him different foods lately and sometimes he chokes, not completely but enough to throw up all over the place. They were small bites but he's still learning how to chew. What's the best way to introduce more textured, chewable food to your baby???

Thanks again Dan and Amy for the high chair!

Madelyn Rose Odonnell-Hugo

My good friend Molly had her baby December 26, 2008. Madelyn is such a beautiful baby! She is so tiny and sweet! Molly is a wonderful mom! Savannah is exited to have her little sister here and I hear she's a big help! Congratulations Molly and Jason, we love you!

Merry Christmas To All

James, Mathew and I had such a great Christmas...once we were able to leave our house!
We got stuck just as we were backing out Christmas Eve, I guess I forgot how compacted the snow was! That was it, we weren't going anywhere! James had to drive from his dads to our house with HORRIBLE roads and dig us out! We finally arrived at James' dads aka Grandpa Dan, just in time for dinner! It was so great to see everyone, I had no idea how much I missed them! A lot of the family hadn't seen Mathew since he was just a couple months old so it had really been a long time! Mathew had so much fun opening presents and being cute with everyone, we can't wait to see them again! He got some really cute outfits and A LOT of toys! James' Grandpa also made me an absolutely beautiful jewelry box, he does a lot of woodwork. I feel so special to have received one of his pieces!

Christmas morning we had a yummy breakfast with James' mom Linda aka Grandma Linda, Mathew really loves her sticky bread....sadly I do to! I contribute my Christmas weight gain to these. Thanks Linda! Mathew got a really cool train from Santa that he won't sit on but will push around all over the house. He got a bunch of other toys that are so fun! He has more toys than he knows what to do with, which is pretty great for me so I can get stuff done :) The rest of the day was very nice and relaxing. It was so wonderful to spend time with James' family, we really don't see them enough! That is definitely one of my New Years resolutions!

We had such a great Christmas, we were very spoiled. We're very grateful and feel truly blessed for all our wonderful families and love and miss you guys so much! We all hope you had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Looking forward to 2009 and what it will bring!

Ode To Julia

Julia called today and received her new mission calling! She will be leaving February 18, 2009 and heading to Hartford Connecticut for 18 months! This was the best picture I could find and it looks spectacular! I'm going to try really hard to get Mathew and I to Salt Lake for her farewell.

Julia has helped me out SO much over the last six months . I knew she would be a great nanny but I really had no idea what an impact she would have on us! Julia would play her guitar and sing for Mathew, dress him up in crazy wacky costumes and always made sure he ate all his fruits and vegetables! Even though I'd do just about anything to get her back here, I'm so happy she's taking this big step in her life! I know she'll be a wonderful missionary! Every time I ask Mathew "where's Julia?" he peeks his head around the corner to find her. Our home is definitely boring without her here, but I wish her the best!

Julia, you have no idea how much you've done for me, I can't imagine what our lives would be like without you! We will always remember all the fun times we had and can't wait to share more!!!! We miss you and love you a ton! We're so proud of you! Congratulations!

"Baby It's Cold Outside"

Finally thank goodness the snow stopped.....for now! I decided to venture out to go get the mail and drove to the end of our street and saw a car stuck in the snow ahead so I parked the car and walked. I was going to take my camera but forgot so the pictures you see are from my patio! It looks like I'll be spending another couple days at home, but I WILL drive down to Tacoma if it kills me for Christmas. The snow is so beautiful I had to post more pictures! This doesn't happen every day around here! Mathew isn't phased what-so-ever! He's enjoying playing with his toys and making messes all over our apartment!

Snow In Seattle!

Although it happens about twice a year, we're never ready for it and when it hits it pretty much shuts down the whole city! This was the best picture I could get because one, it's way too cold to walk far from my house and two I'm lazy and didn't even want to walk off my padio. So there you go! It's beautiful and I love it but it makes for really bad driving conditions. Being from Salt Lake I know how to drive in snow, however these roads are next to imposible to drive on! The only streets that are plowed are main highways! The side streets are covered with ice and until it warms up or you go pour sea salt-Molly that one is for you, outside on the ice it's not going anywhere. We have about 8 more inches coming our way so I'm looking forward to being stuck at home for two or three more days and am praying I can drive down south in time for Christmas!
Take a look see at the picture I've posted below. I managed to snap this as I was driving to my office yesterday and WOW is all I have to say! People really don't take precaution and take it slow when it's icy outside! If you can't tell what it is, it's two tour buses that went through a wall almost falling onto the major freeway I-5 in Seattle.