Day 3

First off, I just realized that my last post was my 100th post! Cool hu!

Well, today for Zoey's book she wasn't a very willing participant. I had to work a little late to get caught up at work and she didn't take a nap at the babysitters so by the time we got home she wasn't in the mood for much. We did open a book, it was a Nativity story one. I read the first two pages before she started grabbing and throwing it! Lets just say she was put to bed early tonight!


For my advent activity I did was I was supposed to do last night. Because I had a really long day at work and then a tough time with Zoey I wasn't in the mood for anything more then sitting on the couch and do nothing. So, I watched the Forgotten Carols by Micheal McLean. If you haven't read the book, heard the music, or watched the DVD I would highly recommend it! I remember when I was younger the first time my Dad read us the story. We were going to read a chapter a night (it's kind of a lengthy story) but we all got so into the book after the first chapter we made him keep reading. I can't remember if we actually finished it all in one night but I know we defiantly didn't stop at just one chapter each night!!! The music is amazing and the story is wonderful. Tonight was actually my first time to watch the DVD and I really enjoyed it (I personally love the book more, but that's just me, I like to read when I can). Anyways, I still feel like I'm coming down with something and I hope this cold or whatever it is goes away soon, I don't have the time, energy, or money to be sick.

To see what I've done, click below:
Day 1
Day 2

Day 2

Since I don't have my advent calendar actually made and displayed I'm allowed to change the activities for each day right?!!! I started feeling a little under the weather last night and I'm still not feeling well. My plan was to watch the Forgotten Carols tonight but I don't have the energy to stay up and watch it. So I'm going to count the Christmas tags/cards I'm going to make with a friend tonight to go on some blankets the Relief Society made at our last activity. We're going to deliver them this next week.

For our book today, Zoey unwrapped one that I got at the Dollar Tree! I haven't actually read all the books I wrapped but this one turned out pretty cute. Some of the rhymes were a little bit of a stretch but we enjoyed it. Since the book was called "A Letter for Santa" I had Zoey write Santa her first letter ever! Ok, so I wrote it and had her color on it.
Look at me! Two days in a row, I'm really on a roll! Hope to see you tomorrow.

To see my previous posts, click below...
Day 1

Do It For Me!

Ok, so my friend had her daughters pictures taken by this cool photographer and she's having a contest where you vote on your favorite picture for the month. If you please go to this website (http://squaresvillestudios.squarespace.com/) and vote for JOSIE (she's the first picture). If you come back and comment that you voted then I will send a mini Christmas card collection, I'll even send them off this next Monday so you'll have them in time for Christmas! This offer stands for each of my friends who helps me out! The contest is only until the 5th so hurry on up and go check it out.

Free cards from me!!! Just let me know by commenting here that you voted!

Isn't she just adorable!

Day 1

Before I start with my Advent activity for the day I wanted to share my Christmas decorations with you. I have an entire closet full of Christmas decorations, it's the only holiday I have decorations for! I own about 40 nativities, I have enough ornaments to fill 5 trees and I have an entire large storage box full of just Christmas crafts and ideas of things I want to do, one day! This year though, this is my only decoration...

I bought this tree at Wal-Mart after Christmas a few years ago for $2.50, it's a great tree though!
This is the only Nativity I put out this year. It's perfect because Zoey loves it and has already spent all day playing with it.
My favorite part of all Christmas decorations it the lighted tree with all the other lights out. I think it's just so pretty and peaceful. I put up so few decorations this year because we're moving the week after Christmas and I really don't have the time or energy to deal with more this year. (I know I'd be putting Christmas up at that time anyways but now I'll have that time to pack other boxes instead.)

So onto our activity for the day: I didn't put out any of my nice ornaments because this is really Zoey's first year with a tree and though she did well today I'm still not sure how well it's going to turn out. I also thought it would be cute for Zoey to decorate some ornaments! I love all the foam activities you can find at the craft stores so I got these cute wreaths and Zoey had fun putting the foam stickers on a few of them (we only got 6 made)
I've also decided this year to start a tradition where Zoey gets to unwrap a new Christmas book each day leading up to Christmas. Today, of course, was out first book. She did a great job unwrapping it and she loved sitting and reading it oh, 5 times or more!
The book was about Humphrey the Camel who lost his beloved blanket. Throughout the book he does everything he can to get a new blanket and at the end he wraps baby Jesus in his new blanket. So, to make the book come alive I showed Zoey how to wrap Cookie Monster in her blanket. It was so much fun to spend the afternoon playing with Zoey. The best part was she didn't ask for Dora once while we were doing our activities!
Well, my goal is to do this every night with what I've done, we'll see how well I do! Good Night -

Yeah, I know

So, it's been too long since I've blogged. I have a ton of stuff I want to catch up on and I might still so if you see park pictures in the middle of the cold winter you'll know it's just me catching up! Anyways, instead of getting overwhelmed with all I should have done I'm just going to start now with where I'm at and be satisfied with that! I'm SOOO excited for Christmas, it's probably my favorite holiday. I have bought all the gifts I need and only have a few more that I need to finish making. I wanted to make an advent calendar for myself but I haven't gotten around to it. I do have a list of what I wanted to put in each day so I'm still going to go ahead with all my plans even if I don't have a cute way to display it on my wall. So, that's what I'm going to post about everyday this month (hopefully). This of course will be in between work and taking care of Zoey and all the other things I have going on. December will be by far the busiest month I've had in a while, work is CRAZY busy and I have tons of Holiday things going on and we're moving at the end of the month (just to a smaller unit) and I'm so totally excited! Anyways, on to my Advent activity blog... (see above)

Zoey's New Obsession

Yep, Zoey has found Dora. We're not sure how this happens because we don't watch Dora much at our house and neither does the babysitter but somehow, Zoey has fallen in love with Dora.

She has Dora shoes that we got at a clothing swap that are her new favorite now. I caved and bought her a Dora book while we were shopping the other day. When I'm home she asks to watch Dora all the time. When an episode ends she throws a huge fuss and wants more. I have to distract her with her Dora book!!! We went shopping this afternoon and we were walking down the isles when all of a sudden she started pointing and saying "Dora, Dora" at first I couldn't figure out what she was pointing to but she saw a Dora bike helmet, you could hardly tell it was Dora on the helmet from where we were but she saw it and she wanted it! Luckily we got out today without anything Dora! Don't worry, we don't let her sit and watch Dora all day, we limit her Dora intake, but I still think it's cute that this is one of the first thing she has loved and attached too (I think she loves Dora even more then she ever did Jack's Big Music Show which has been her favorite since she was 9 months old).

Updates...and Christmas

Am I the only one already planning out my Christmas? I feel like I'm jumping over all the holidays but I can't wait for Christmas! I'm already almost done with my shopping and have a weekend coming up where I get to do all my craft projects for Christmas. I'm so excited!!!! Anyways, I know I should have been updating more but it's better late then never right? So here's a few pics of what we've been up to...


This is Zoey in the beanie hat Wade got Zoey from Brazil. She's really good at putting it on herself. We taught her how to say "Waz Up" when she puts it on. It's totally cute!



The weekend before General Conference I went down to Houston to visit family. While I was there I got to set up a few play dates for Zoey. We played with Cami and her daughter on day and then my Mia Maid YW leader Caroline and her son another day. This is the only picture I really got! We had a blast except when Zoey started to get rough with the other kids.

Daddy's getting even better with Zoey's hair. Here's one of our favorite styles, pig tails! Her hair's even long enough now to go in a pony tail, it's so totally cute!

I made homemade Oreo cookies last week. Zoey LOVES cookies and is always asking for one. She really enjoyed these cookie!

Zoey likes to color. When we were in Houston she found one of those boards that you color on and then it erases when you swipe the thingie at the bottom (I totally can't remember what they're called right now). Anyways, she carried it with her everywhere she went the whole weekend, so of course I had to go out and buy her one. It's one of her favorite toys right now! She goes around the house saying "color".
One of her favorite things to do while coloring is to trace her hand (or ours if she's in a good mood).

Well, that's what we've been up to besides work and more work! I have a lot of fun things planned for the next few weeks and hopefully I'll get some good pictures and actually blog them! Until later - Enjoy -