Christmas Exchange List

I think I'm a little late on this, this year. I've been busy and still can't believe Halloween is this week already!

As I wrote out all the names for the gift exchange drawing, I noticed that for the first year the kids outnumber the adults. Even if mom was on the list, there'd still be one more kid! Ten adults, eleven kids. Pretty crazy! :)

Adults
Dan---> Carrie
Amy---> Sally
Dana---> Dan
Katie---> Miranda
Eter---> Jeff
Sally---> Dana
Jeff---> Eter
Carrie---> Katie
Miranda---> Amy

Kids
Tatum---> Eli
Jane---> Lucia
Emma---> Campbell
Eli---> Jane
Dallin---> James
Holly---> Tatum
Sadie---> Berkley
Campbell---> Holly
James---> Emma
Berkley---> Dallin
Lucia---> Sadie

Other items up for conversation:

• Are we going to try and get a family picture taken this year? Please give your feedback either way.
• Do we want to beach camp this year? If so, which month? If not, where else should we go?
• In the summer we talked a little bit about maybe renting the group site and making it a Swan reunion...I personally think that would be fun.
• anything else?

pics

here's some of my latest pictures that I wanted to show you.

they're also on my blog but nobody ever looks on it and I wanted you to see :)

btw this is Emma

Beautiful Berkley!

Amy and I were lucky enough to fly to Vegas and visit our new little family member!
She's about the sweetest thing you can imagine.
 

 Of course we loved visiting the new parents too!
 

Carrie's was doing a great job getting accustomed to the whiles of being a new mom.
1) Nursing and pumping at least 50% of your day).
 
2) Trying to catch a few winks when the baby sleeps (hard to do, esp. when you have guests).

3) Doing a lot of baby holding and loving :)
 

But Amy and I gave her as many breaks from that last as we could.
 

My turn please :)
(As my kids would say...AWWWW!!!)


Then I got some of Jeff holding her since he didn't have much to do. And he loves posing for pictures!
 
Just kidding- he was very obliging with all the pictures I took of him holding Berkley. He said several times how he actually does find himself interested in a newborn for the first time in his life!

It was pretty cute since she's so tiny next to him. Here's my favorites of times he had her:
 




On the second day, we noticed her long eyelashes- so of course I tried to get a picture of them.


This position worked out better...
 

Amy got the honor of giving her, her first sponge bath.
 

Babies don't normally like being unwrapped, naked, and wet but she barely made a peep!
 


It may be partly because she's a preemie but I'd be surprised if she gets really fussy later. She's sooo mellow. Amy and I started singing the "Miracle Child" song to her from "Joseph, King of Dreams".

 And last, her tiny, cute legs and wrinkly knees...
 

She's got a good appetite and (literally) some big shoes to fill gene-wise, so I know she'll grow fast. I feel lucky I got to be part of her very early days and I know Amy feels the same way! Thank you Jeff and Carrie for being the gracious hosts you are :)

Congrats on your little sweet-pea!

The BIG Four-Oh :)

Yes, I am blogging Amy's 40th birthday for her. She doesn't blog and I wanted to put some of her cute pictures up. So for those you that weren't here for the fun...

She decided to have a little 40th party. Amy Fra. and I mainly planned it. It was dinner and then go to a fun (and clean) improv club here called "Jesters". Well Dana's Uncle Neil died and the funeral ended up being that same day, so we only got to go to the dinner portion. But here are a couple cute pics from Joe's FG.
 

Randa brought Amy some baklava!
 

Amy got a few old lady presents :)
 
Those who went to "Jester's" afterward all said it was a fun time.

The next day was Sunday and Randa spend a lot of time making us each our own cupcakes so that I could have GF/DF ones. So sweet! Literally- mmmm.
 

The night before the big day one of Amy's really fun friends had the idea to decorate Amy's yard with "40"'s and balloons and a big poster. So 3 of us went and decorated at like 9:30 pm.! So funny!
By the time I was dropped off and came in the house and looked on FB, Amy had already posted pictures of herself in front of the sign. We really live in the era of insta-share:)

Then on the big day we went to our usual free breakfast at the delicious "Liberty Market". We brought our adorable side-kicks along with us.

Sadie took about 5 of us like this. She needs a little practice with the iphone apparently :) That's a good thing I guess.
For lunch Amy's friends got together again for those that couldn't come to the party. Yes, I crashed that party too. I can't turn down those free birthday meals! But I didn't think to take a picture. Amy Fra also brought a little book there for everyone to write notes in for Amy. Seemed like a pretty good 40th to me!

Happy Birthday to our beloved (sister, daughter, mom, aunt, and wife) Amy! We all love you so.

emma

ive been posting on my blog.....hint hint   *cough*     (comment)

Family: The Best Gift of All!

Each year, my favorite part of Christmas is having our family together. I'm so thankful that everyone came out and we had some time where we were all together. Here are some cute pictures I took that I thought I'd share. :)

Temple Lights

Sib gift exchange

Christmas Eve- Nativity and Lanterns

Cute Shepherd (or Wise Man?)

Christmas Morning

I love this one!

Cute Baby!

So I got mom's email tonight about Shaver Lake and it's good that we have to decide on that by Monday since we have to decide on beach camping by then too. I mapquested Shaver from here and it was 10 hrs. I don't like that part about it, but if that's what people want to do, we'll be up for it. It looks like the same time  frame we were thinking for beach camping (It's July 27th-Aug 2). Mom, do you know how much that costs? 

Alright. Lets figure this out :)

emma

hi im just saying that im gonna try to post more often so feel free to look and comment.