On to a NEW YEAR!!!!

I have never been a huge fan of New Years Eve. It seems like before I got married there was all the stress of what we were going to do and which boys we were going to hang out with.... and now it seems like we can't go anywhere because the kids go to bed early and Scott and I can barely stay up until midnight!!!

This year we got lucky and my little brother Daniel, brought a friend and came and babysat for us. Scott and I ate at one of our favorite restaurants, The Happy Sumo, and then went and saw Sherlock Holmes (loved it, would definitely recommend it). It was the first time in I don't know how long that we went to a movie that was packed full.

It was a nice end to a great year! We have had so much happen in our family in 2009, starting with Bridger's birth last January. Other big events include me and Scott both finishing our Bachelor degrees (me in May, Scott this month). It is so exciting to think of starting this next year with no more late night classes or homework. Dakota had an exciting year finally being old enough to go camping and hunting a lot more with his dad, and starting school.

Looking on to this next year, there are so many things that I want to work on personally. Scott wants me to relax more and not get so stressed out about the house being clean. If only there was a way for me to relax more and have the house just stay clean.

Some New Year Resolutions that I really do want to work on are...

-Reading to Dakota and Bridger more and to spend more time playing with them. (so basically not worry so much about cleaning).

-Start reading more myself (it is something that I used to do a lot of, but stopped with school).

-Continue going to the temple every month.

-Read my scriptures more frequently.

-Run a half marathon, and run the whole thing (me, my dad and Autumn are signed up to run one in Moab in March).

On to 2010!!!!!

Hair Cut and Play Time at Cookie Cutters

This wasn't Bridger's 1st hair cut, but it was the first one that I took the camera to. He is always so good and just sits there. I remember that I used to have to hold Dakota on my lap and have them put the cape on me..... so this is a nice change.!

It was the night before Christmas....

and all through the house......

not a creature was stirring,

not even a mouse!

CHRISTMAS MORNING!!!!

My mom always left our stockings by our door and I have cont. that tradition.

Dakota's long awaited "mummy thing"

Scott got this picture for me by our favorite photographer, Thomas Mangelsen.
It is called Wings of Autumn

I got Scott golf clubs, which he will hopefully have more time to use now that he is done with school.

We had a great Christmas this year, probably the best ever!!!! A lot of this had to do with the fact that I didn't have to work and we got everything put together and wrapped a few days in advance so Christmas Eve got to be spent relaxing.

Scott and I went to the temple and did sealings Christmas Eve morning. Our ward had an asignment that morning and I thought that it would be a good way to start the holiday off. Eventhough Dakota is a lost cause, I thought that me and Scott still needed a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. It was nice and maybe it is something that we can make a tradition of.

Later during the day we went and saw the Christmas Carol with my family. It was pretty scary, so of course Dakota was entertained. We then went to my parents house, had dinner and exchanged gifts. It was awesome, because on the way home both boys fell asleep and Scott and I had the rest of the night to ourselves. We fell asleep watching It's a Wonderful Life, which Scott has never finished and probably never will.

Christmas morning started when Dakota came and got in our bed around 6 am. After that I was so excited I was never really able to go back to sleep. I realized that Dakota doesn't really care about what is inside the present as much as he wants to open them. He opened all of his and Bridger's present in less that 10 minutes. His very favorite thing was his playmobil Pyramid. I got him all of the Mummy movies and he wanted to watch one immediatly and then play along.

Scott and I waited until after breakfast to open our presents, but again Dakota insisted on opening all of them at turbo speed. So much for making Christmas last.... maybe next year. I can't believe that it is all over and now I have to wait eleven more months before I can get started again.

2 days and counting....

(this is Bridger's favorite spot to hang out)

Why do I have to make Christmas so stressful????

For some reason with Christmas being only two days a way I have gone into cleaning overload. I feel that the whole house has to be perfect... the bathrooms have to be clean, the office needs to be dusted, all the laundry needs to be washed, folded and put away and I have groceries stocked up for the next week. I am not sure what I think is going to happen on December 25th, but I am ready. The sad part is Scott and Dakota could care less what the house looks like and by noon on Christmas day it will be a disaster!!!! I really do get so excited about Christmas, just like I did when I was a little girl.... and I am secretly so sad that it is about to be over and I will have to wait 11 more months before I get to do it all again.

....... anyway, back to cleaning!!!

The True Meaning of Christmas

Dakota is so obsessed with presents and Santa, that I have really been trying to push the nativity story and Christmas being baby Jesus birthday. Sadly I feel that I am getting no where with his little 4 year old mind.

A few weeks ago I got him a Playmobil Nativity set and he hated it right away because he claimed that it was a "girl toy". Later that day the wise man used his staff and cut baby Jesus head off. Literally, like it has to be glued back together. I was so mad that I put the whole thing away and didn't get it out again until yesterday.

He seems to like it a little bit more, but for the most part his pirates just steal the "treasure" that the wise men gave to Jesus and then have a battle with them. I tried telling him the whole part of the story of King Hared and the angel coming and saving baby Jesus. Dakota seemed a little bit intrigued, but mostly he just wanted to know which one of his guys was the "bad king"?

A few minutes ago I went into his room to find the angel tied up and being shot out of a CANNON! HELP!!!!

Wishing Everyone a Happy Holidays!!!

the stockings were hung.....

Since we added another member to the family this year, I was in need of another stocking. Of course Target didn't have any more of the kind we had, so my mom said that she could make us some. They got held up at the quilters but they are finally ready to be displayed and I love them. I was smart this time and had my mom get enough fabric that she could make more in the future.....

Holiday Activites!!!

It seems like Christmas is coming so fast this year!!! I hate it because there is so much work and anticipation, and then it is over so quick. This year is the first time that Dakota really understands the whole "Santa" thing. He has a count down stocking and every night I put a little something in it (which I tell him is from Santa's Helpers). I swear that it has caused him to start waking up earlier just so he can run out and look. On Sunday I left for work without putting something out for him, so Scott decided to write him a letter from Santa.... telling him that he would not get anything else until he started being nicer to Bridger. Dakota was so sad and made sure he was good and didn't get another note. Now that I have put some presents under the tree, Dakota can barely stand it. He is constantly wanting to open them and I am constantly telling him not until Christmas. He keeps telling me "it's hard to wait!" I really don't know how we are ever going to get him to go to sleep on Christmas Eve!

The past week has been full of different Christmas activities. Dakota has seen Santa at least 3 times, and he tells him something different that he wants every time. I have had to tell him that Santa is done making all of his toys, and Santa can not make SNAKES. Which he responds that "Santa can make the cage and he will just catch one to put in it." Lucky for me Bridger is as happy as can be to just walk around and unplug my tree. I have to keep telling myself not to get him very much for Christmas since he could really care less.

I am pretty much done with all of my shopping and that is a huge stress reliever. Scott on the other hand hasn't even started. I guess he does best under pressure. Today he is taking his last final and then he is officially done with his degree. It seemed like the day would never come and I am so excited and so proud of him.

So here are some pictures from the past week.....

Santa's sleigh, which he happens to park at my parent's house.

Noah and Dakota on the trailer ride to the LIVE NATIVITY

Dakota was actually excited to see baby Jesus
(this made me happy because one of the wise men cut off baby Jesus's head in the nativity that I got for Dakota to play with.... & he thought it was a dumb girl toy!)

Making Gingerbread Houses at my parents.

The Learning Dynamic Preschool's Christmas Program.

Our friends (Ryan and Tami) anual Christmas Party.

Saturday Duck Hunting

Scott is always bugging me to go duck hunting. Last Saturday I finally gave in and the whole family went to Bicknell (by Capital Reef) for a day of duck hunting. It is almost 3 hours away! When we got there we drove around until we saw some ducks. Then we got out in the freezing cold and walked up and down a river. Scott shot a couple of ducks, followed by Kenai dragging them out of the river. The highlight of the trip was a Bicknell burger which consists of a home-made bun, 2 patties and 2 different types of cheese.....seriously so good. Finally, we drove the three hours back home. You would think that all of that driving wouldn't be worth it, but Scott and Dakota were thrilled! Mission Accomplished!!!!

This is how Scott hunts when he takes Dakota out.... scary I know!

Bridger had a hard time walking with all of the extra layers

Look Who's Walking...

Patterson Family Pics

Our Thanksgiving Holiday.....

My dad, hunter, autumn & me after the TURKEY TROT!

Dakota eating his pumpkin pie (the only part of dinner that he ate)

What he was doing during dinner

It seemed like this week flew by with Thanksgiving in the mix, followed by Black Friday, followed by 2 days in a row of working!!!!

Scott and I were given a fun opportunity this week to have the boys sleep at my mom's house and have the night to just the two of us! My mom volunteered to have Dakota & Bridger sleep over Wednesday night because Thursday morning, Scott and I ran the Thanksgiving Day 4 mile Turkey Trot (along with Autumn, Hunter & my dad). This year I made a goal for me and Scott to go to the temple 1 time per month & we have done pretty good. So for our date night we decided to go out to dinner, to the temple and then to a movie. We got all dressed up and headed out just to find that the temple closed early and there was still hours until the movie. We then went home, changed and headed to the red box. It was so weird to just be able to change our plans and not have to worry about the kids. I can't believe that 4 1/2 years ago that was our life! I didn't think anything about it then, but it was really boring, and sadly we only made it through about the 1st 20 minutes of our movie before falling asleep. It was only 9 pm!!!!

We had a good Thanksgiving, starting with the Turkey Trot and then breakfast at my parents house. I sadly had to work from noon to 6 pm, so Scott went to his parents house and had dinner there. The day before Dakota and I went to Scott's mom's house to help make pies and he was so excited to get to eat his apple and pumpkin pies. Sadly he fell asleep on the way, so Thanksgiving dinner consisted of Scott, his parents and his brother Jason (& Bridger of course). Scott's parents do an amazing dinner, so I was excited for the left overs when I got done with work!

Friday morning me, my mom, Autumn & McKenzie headed to the mall for the big shopping day!!! There wasn't anything in particular that we wanted, but it is a fun excuse to get to go shopping, and there were some pretty good sales. But all the money I saved did not equal out to the money that my little shopping trip ended up costing me..... due to the fact that at some point during the day I lost my car keys, which wouldn't be the world's biggest deal other than the fact that they were my only set of keys!!! (Scott has been telling me forever to get a $2 spare key made!) Why would I do that? My life couldn't be complicated if I did something that simple! I called a lock smith and they said that it would be about $250.00 due to the holiday weekend to get my car re-keyed. If I wait until Monday it will still be around $150.00! I decided to wait the weekend out.... so here I sit at work, while my car sits at Target!!!

My new Blog look!

You have probably noticed my super cute new Christmas blog design!!! I got it, along with my old design from designerblogs.com. They do completely custom designs or they have premade ones (like my Christmas design) ready to install. I love it because after the holidays I can just have them reinstall my old layout. Any way, they are having a sale right now..... so check it out!!!

4 Years Ago.....

Today is Dakota's actual Birthday (which was very confusing to him since he has pretty much had 4 days of birthday.) This morning I told him that 4 years ago he popped out of my stomach. He of course thought that was the silliest thing he had ever heard (obviously only Bridger came out of my stomach, Dakota on the other hand, has just been in our family forever). The more that I thought about it "popped out" was not the case, in fact just the opposite! After a 48 hour induction & about 90 minutes of pushing, he did pop out. I told Scott that had I known how crazy Dakota was going to be, I might have driven a little slower to the hospital and enjoyed those hours of labor knowing that they were the last break that I would get!!!!

But really we are so happy to have him in our family. He has changed so much over the last year. He is now about 36 lbs. and 40 inches tall. His talking has improved greatly and a once very serious little boy.... he has gotten a hilarious sense of humor. His big thing now is to say "kidding". example: "mom, I peed in my toy room!" me, "you better not have!" "KIDDING MOM!!!!" (but don't think that I didn't go check just in case).

To finish the big birthday celebration Scott, Bridger and I took Dakota to Pirate Island Pizza. I told the waiter that it was his birthday and Dakota was so scared that he immediately denied it and then hid under the table while they sang to him. It was a fun end to the longest Birthday ever!!!

Here are some past Birthday Parties!!!!

3 years old

2 years old

the big 1 year old!