Our Beautiful Zoey!

This last week was probably like most of yours. Crazy!Although each event was special...it made for a busy week!

We had the Beutler family Christmas party on Monday, a Christmas Eve dinner on Wednesday, Christmas on Thursday, the Gray family party on Friday, my high school girlfriend party on Saturday, and topped it off with Zoey's blessing on Sunday! Whew...that's a mouthful! I can't tell you how many times I cleaned my house...I'm ready for a break!

We blessed Zoey in our home with just our family and it was a special event where the spirit was felt so sweetly.

I am so happy to have her apart of our family, and so grateful for the opportunity my husband has to participate in blessing my children.

I know I am her mother, but I just think she's beautiful! I couldn't pass up posting some snapshots of our sleeping beauty!

This was a snapshot of Zoey soaking up the sun while napping on our bed. She loves being warm and I love how she looks so content here in the sun. Just like her mother!

Once there was a Snowman....

We spent Christmas with Brian's family this year. It was several days full of fun. On Christmas day, Brian showed Jackson just how to make a snowman "tall, tall, tall". The snow was perfect and Jackson was having the time of his life. His cheeks were rosy and his toes and fingers were cold by the end of the day, but he loved every minute! Jackson is happiest when he is outside, no matter the conditions!

The finished snowman was over 9ft. tall! The head took 5 grown men to lift it on to the top of the body. Everyone took part in the creation, even if it was just pointing out where the snowman needed to be more round!

Christmas Eve

For us, Christmastime is about traditions and family. Now that we have started our own family, Brian and I have decided to start some traditions of our own in addition to the ones we want to keep from our childhood. One of those traditions we want to start is a formal Christmas Eve dinner that has symbolic meaning of Christ's birth.


This year, we hosted a few members of Brian's family. It was a spectacular event that took many days to plan, all day to prepare, a few hours to eat, and an hour to clean up after! It was a beautiful evening.

The 6 course menu included all extremely tasty homemade food. We had an Hors-D’ Oeuvre (Italian Artichoke Bruschetta), Soup (Potato Bisque), Salad (Star of Bethlehem Salad), Sorbet (Zesty Lemon Sorbet), Roasted Prim Rib and Asparagus Spears in bacon & a red fonesca port wine reduction sauce, and topped it all with Dessert (Christmas Bread Pudding)





Brian makes quite the chef! I wouldn't help him do this if it wasn't for his desire to cook and eat good food!

We enjoyed great company while talking about Christmas memories.

We finished the night by opening our Christmas pajamas for Christmas morning...Zoey had already gone to bed, so Jackson helped by opening her present...and we dressed her up later.

Family Photos

Having a good camera makes all the difference! Our good friend Ben came to take family pictures of us on Sunday while we were all dressed in our best. It was Zoey's first appearance at church (we only stayed for Sacrament Meeting because I still worry about her catching something).

These are just a few random pics he took in between family shots. Jackson had the attention span of only a few minutes, so we were luck to get what we could! We kept telling him to say "cheese," which he would, but not while looking at the camera! Then we would tell him to say "cheese" at Ben, meaning for him to look at Ben while saying cheese. So he said, "Cheese....and Ben" (still not looking at the camera)...It was pretty funny.

We're glad Ben could come take the pictures for us....keep an eye out for ones like these on our Christmas Card!

Jack saying "Cheese!". Look at all of his teeth!

Getting to Know You...Christmas Edition

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends....I tag anyone who is interested in getting in on the fun...Tis the Season to be jolly!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. I like the paper to match the color scheme of my tree

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real. I like tradition- and the smell. Although I do see the benefits of an artificial one- no more taking lights off a dead tree or finding a place to dump it sounds nice.

3. When do you put up the tree? The weekend after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? The day after Christmas. I can't stand the dead tree anymore by then.

5. Do you like eggnog? Nope!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? We had a lot of fun Christmases. But I think my pink Barbie House made by my grandpa is one of them.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Brian

8. Easiest person to buy for? My kids

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail...I love to make my own and I love getting a cards in the mail too

11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Not telling

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Home Alone

13. When do you start shopping? After Thanksgiving, but not on Black Friday...I try to avoid the crowds like the plague.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Maybe a white elephant gift

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Homemade yummies

16. Lights on the tree? definitely

17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night. The words are beautiful

18.Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay at Home- cozy fire, hot chocolate, Christmas music...yum! Way better than crowded airports or long car rides!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Nope, but I'm sure I'll learn when I teach Jack the song

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel, but Brian likes a Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? P.j's on the 24th, everything else on Christmas morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Crowds, traffic

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I decorate my tree in red and white ornaments. I love my ornaments!

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Asparagus and hollandaise sauce

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Clothes...I need some fashion in my life!

Zoey Lynn

It's been almost 2 weeks. I can't believe it. I don't have nearly the pictures of her as I have of Jackson at this age. I'm already getting behind! Her umbilical cord just came off today and I'm feeling that "newborness" already start to leave! They grow so fast. Brian is the best dad ever and he is such a help. I cried when he went back to work, the thought of being home alone with the two was a bit overwhelming!



Although these past few weeks have been, and continue to be, a transitional time for all of us, I have had so much help from family and friends that I don't think I could have survived emotionally without. It's funny how a small, sleepy baby can throw a huge curve in life's routine, but we love her and are grateful to have her in our family. Jackson has had a lot of attention from visitors and that has helped in the transition.

He really loves her and wants to kiss and hold her all of the time, he just doesn't know how to be gentle about it. Zoey has already been carried upside down, fallen on, and hit on the head a few times...she'll grow to be a tough girl with Jackson around! I just can't keep him away from her. I watch her like a hawk and unless she locked up in her room while sleeping, he doesn't get out of my sight either!

Zoey is an Angel. She's a great sleeper. We hardly see her eyes open. She doesn't like a binky, but hardly needs it. She calms quickly, and only cries if Jackson is too rough or if she's too cold, but when she cries, she has a nice pair of lungs to let us know she's not happy! She has feminine ways already, the way she eats and cries. I can just tell she's totally different from my boy! I love it...a girly girl and manly boy. What more could I ask for?