Thursday, January 19, 2012

Living the Dream

 Now that we've been back and settled into our happy little routine I figured I had better get back into detailing the mundane details of our lives.  I have pushed the "Next Blog" button enough times to know that all the things that happen to us are the same things that are happening to about a bazillion other housewife bloggers.  The only difference is that when we do it, it is so much more interesting...right?
For example, this is a photo of Rocky's after nap face. 
I know that she is almost 4 but this girl loves to sleep.  Usually I have to bribe her with the promise of a treat to get her to just lie down for a minute, but then once she conks out I practically have to drag her bum out from under the covers to get her to return to the living 2 hours later.  This moment will forever live on to prove that I am a super annoying mom that barges in, rips off the blankets and takes a picture.  It also demonstrates that Rocky has a pretty sweet just-woke-up face. 
 Daisy is completely enamoured with Kitty.  (She isn't as creative with names as her older sister, but I figured that it is significant that this stuffed animal was given a name considering that Daisy only says about 5 words and the other 4 are foods.)  She uses her big begging blue eyes to convince me that she needs to take it with her everywhere, which is in direct contradiction to the big Marci Rigby rule that toys are supposed to stay home.  Rocky really likes her kitty too, but mostly she just likes to be in the pictures.
 And the biggest thing to hit Eugene since the Ducks won the Rose Bowl was snow.  I almost cried with joy after having such a dry Christmas in Utah. 
 So it wasn't 15 inches, but it was enough for a snowman, and it didn't melt for at least a couple of hours. 


 At least they had the opportunity to look good in their snow clothes and slide on the ice.
 Our little Andrea got married at the Sky Camp Lodge.  She and Daniel are the cutest couple ever and it was a lot of fun to spend such a beautiful day at a gorgeous wedding.

 And then of course, there was this...

I was going to get mad because nail polish is not something that usually is allowed to go unsupervised, but in this case I thought it was so cute that I ducked behind the door and pretended I didn't see them.  I couldn't believe that Daisy was actually sitting still.  I may have blown my cover by pulling out the camera, but even if they think their mean mom has turned soft I guess it is okay because this photo was worth it, especially because of the jammies.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Chillin' with the G-Paws

 The girls love their Abia.  They had a lot of fun making Spritz cookies and marshmallow snowmen with her this year.  Even though she has a lot going on she always has time to spend making fun memories. 
 Rocky helped her grandpa fix the tub.  Hopefully the flooding will stop soon.

Oma and Opa took the girls to the Weber State game so they could see the Alma mater of their old mom and dad.  A special thanks goes to our favorite usher, Aunt Judy, for the good time we had.

 I know that there are always pictures like this but this is what my kids like to do with their grandparents.  I think they've read some of those books a hundred times.  I liked this picture because it shows their Christmas P.J.s which were the cutest. 

Scrimmage

 We went with a bunch of the Rigbys and Mark and Emily to watch the Jazz scrimmage after the NBA finally decided that they were going to have a season.  The game was great...probably the best game that team will see this year.
The real treat, however, was the company. 
Rocky and her first true love, Hayden
 
 We got to see the newest member of the family, Eleanor and she is as cute as can be.
Daisy with Eric and Debbie

Brandon and Mark were too serious about the game to be distracted with a camera.


Hangin' with Jonah

A Winter-ish Hike with Good Company

Thanks to Matt for taking great photos.  They speak for themselves.






Christmas Catch Up....In No Particular Order


 
I started this season off with a resolution that I was going to take my camera everywhere and document all the fun we have during our trips to Utah.  Then, about a day or two in I lost the camera and didn't find it until a day before we came home.  Luckily other people had their cameras and have filled in for my mistake.
 One of the traditions that we always do in Ogden is tour Christmas Village with my family.  There are a lot of things said about Ogden, but it is my home town and it makes me feel proud that it is doing so well.  When I was little I loved peeking in all the little houses to see the Christmas displays, and now I enjoy trying to get a look while keeping up with Rocky.

 I didn't take many photos of the gifts we did this year.  Brandon made these terrariums so that all our family would be able to enjoy a little bit of Oregon.

 And although I didn't take photos I do want to write down what everyone made for the sake of posterity.  If you aren't interested, skip this part.
For the ladies in my family I made a letter picture.  The ones for Kristin and Jill were made out of old jewelry, my mom's was made of bottle caps and buttons for the little girls.  We made a hidden book for Jared and Brandon made an awesome Legend of Zelda perpetual calendar for Ethan and a mini skeeball game that sort of worked out for Caleb.  Everyone else got terrariums and jam. 
We received a bunch of nice homemade things too.  Kristin made bags for my girls and they also gave us a great picture of the 80's ABCs and an Anastasia music box that was a great find.  Jill made the guys skinny ties and the girls nest jewelry that totally rocks.  She also made soda bottle soap dispensers and a completely unbelievable one-of-a-kind pop-up-book for Ethan that floored us all.  Aynna made me a great pair of fingerless gloves, Indee and Debbie made pot-holders, and Hayden made a University of Oregon duct tape wallet.  It was awesome.
At the very beginning of December when we were still at home we went to the light parade in Salem.  It was super fun because Brandon was done with all his tests and we just were able to kick back and enjoy being together.  It really wasn't a big thing but I just want to remember it forever.

 The Howard ladies got all gussied up to go see the Nutcracker Ballet at the Egyptian Theater.
It was a lot of fun and the Rocky especially liked the beautiful ballerinas.  The only hitch was a little before the intermission when she said in a very loud voice, "This is too long...Do you have any snacks?"  The people around us all got a pretty good chuckle, and I especially think that the dude on the end of our row agreed.  It was perfect though because afterwards we had specialty cupcakes to calm her hungry stomach.
We bonded with Grandma and Grandpa Howard and he read us the book that Jill gave him. The book was one he had loved in his younger days and it was the best Christmas gift period.  We wanted to get a photo with the grandkids and great-grandkids but as always it is impossible to get one in which everyone is looking.  Oma finally told the little kids that if they didn't cooperate for the picture that there would be no Christmas for any of them.  We got the shot but there are some pretty concerned little faces.

The pinata for the year was a protester, of course.  It makes me wonder if any of them will still be out there camping next year.  If they do we'll just have to lengthen the beard next time.
Jill really outdid herself this year with the special touches being the ponytail and the hat that Kristin crocheted.
Rocky felt a special kinship this year with Santa.  When she sat on his lap she told him that she wanted him to give her a bicycle.  But, then, when he gave her pom-poms instead she said, "Well, maybe next year on the bike."
Daisy was having nothing to do with good ol' St. Nick.  Maybe she had heard bad stuff about him from Krampus, who remains a pretty constant houseguest this year.  She tried to sneak up behind him and steal a present, but I was mean and tried to put her on his lap.  Hopefully these fun Christmas traditions only leave minor emotional scars on my kids.


Speaking of scars...check out Rocky in the background of this picture.  She's obviously terrified.  It is also pretty cool that Jared is wearing pom-pom hair.
During the nativity pageant Rocky really wanted to play the part of Baby Jesus but they gave it to a doll instead.  What a ripoff.  Instead she opted to be a shepherd.
Daisy agreed to be a shepherd too and wore the traditional blue bath robe, but she wouldn't do it unless she could bring her fruit snacks with her.
I still need to get the pictures of the Rigby nativity play because Rocky was upgraded to the role of Mary.  She rode in on a bigger cousin dressed as a cow.  In that one Daisy was a sheep and her crowning moment came when she stole the baby Jesus and stood on the edge of the stage proudly waving her prize.

And what is a Christmas without the Grinch?
 
The only bad thing about our trip this year was that everyone was sick.  But, with a few days in bed and some antibiotics we came through it no worse for the wear.
These girls were lovin' on Caleb and Becky the whole trip.

No wonder I feel completely exhausted.  We had a ton of fun this Christmas spending time with family and good friends.  Although it is always a whirlwind of craziness to pack up and spend a few weeks away from home it is always worth it because it reminds us how lucky we are to have such special people in our lives.