Grandpas are Great!

Jaiden always loves to pretend to take a nap with Grandpa Byrd.

Grandpa Lyman gets as many bear hugs as he can while when Jaiden comes to visit.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Justin and I both received a bluetooth from each other.

Finally Done :)

I always forget how long it takes to make a quilt. I wanted to give Jaiden his very own quilt to put on his new bed (that he won't have until next year). So I decided to make one in time for Christmas and I just got done with it today. It was close but I did it...with the help of my mom of course.

This picture didn't turn out too well, but I wanted to show the little race cars on each square.

There are race cars on the back too. Thanks Grandma Lyman for helping me pick out the material and thanks Grandma Byrd for helping me tie it and finish it up.

She Shall Bring Forth a Son by Liz Lemon Swindle

The Nativity

So, to focus on the true Christmas spirit, I wanted to post some of my favorite Christmas things throughout the week. I am starting today with my favorite movie. This is such a simple and beautiful movie about the Savior's birth. (You might want to turn off the music at the bottom before you start it.)

The Weather Outside is Frightful

We were hit with a big snowstorm yesterday that left about a foot of snow on the ground.  I love how it looks when the town is covered in snow.  Jaiden has loved playing in it all morning long. It is supposed to continue snowing here until Thursday.  

We have the kindest neighbors who plow our crazy long driveway whenever more snow piles up on it.

Jaiden was laughing so hard because the snow came up to his waist.

Jaiden's First Encounter with Santa Claus

Well, me and Sara took the kids to the annual Tree for All here in Blanding and stood in line for Santa for about a half an hour.  Jaiden seemed so excited to see Santa the whole time he was in line. I even had him practicing what he was going to say to him when he saw him. That all changed when it was his turn to go sit on his lap.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Mmm, Thanksgiving dinner

The Lyman family (except for Mike and Amber's family)

This is why we haven't posted in awhile

So I have just come to the conclusion that Jaiden is just like his Dad and doesn't like to get any pictures taken of him. He will actually run away from the camera when he sees one. So while we were in California for a week, I was trying to be persistent thinking in the end I would get at least one decent picture of him in his new Christmas outfit and this is what I got...

I just don't know what I am going to do.

Well, things have been pretty slow around here lately so I haven't really been blogging that much but I was looking at old pictures of Jaiden tonight and thought I would post some of my favorites. He is so small in these pictures.

We love our little Jaiden boy!

Tagged Again

Well, it's been awhile since I've been tagged and I actually haven't done this one yet so here it goes...

1. What is your husband's name? Justin Edward Lyman

2. Who eats more? regular food, Justin...junk food, me

3. Who said, "I love you" first? He did.

4. Who is taller? Justin, thank goodness

5. Who is smarter? He is

6. Who is more sensitive? I am.

7. Who does the laundry? me

8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do

9. Who pays the bills? I do. (I mean I write the check :), Justin earns the money though, not sure which is right here.)

10. Who cooks more? I do.

11. Who is more stubborn? oh that might be a tie..

12. Who is the first to admit they are wrong? hmm, we're both bad at that

13. Who has more siblings? Him, by one. He has 7 I have 6

14. Who wears the pants in the relationship? Justin. He keeps this crazy house under control

15. What do you like to do together? Watch movies and our favorite TV shows, go to the park, go for drives, eat smoothies, laugh and be weird

16. Who eats more sweets? oh that's definitely me

17. Guilty Pleasures? expensive hot cocoa and smoothies

18. How did you meet? that's a tough one that could need many answers. We were in the same ward so we always saw each other but we were both shy. I talked to him once in our sunday school class. My family invited his family over for a BBQ. (but I still wouldn't talk to him there, at all) we went on a winter hay ride around town with the youth and I sat by him so I guess that could count.

19. Who asked whom out first? He asked me to Prom for our first date. Pretty good, eh?

20. Who kissed who first? well, he asked me if he could have a kiss and I kissed him so i guess it was both of us.

21. Who proposed? He did.

22. His best features and qualities? He's so smart. He can adapt and figure out almost anything that you need him too. He has a great smile and a funny (and sarcastic) sense of humor. He is great with kids. There isn't a baby that doesn't like him. He can always make them smile even if they don't know him. And he always knows how to make me smile when I've had a bad day (or even when I've had a good day).

Freezing But Still Having Fun!

The fall chill has finally come to Blanding.  Jaiden still tries to have fun outside everyday even if it is freezing. 

Our first snowfall. Jaiden loved it! He was in Arizona last winter so he didn't really get to play in the snow.

Blessings

I am feeling really blessed to be living in Blanding right now. We have a good home, we both have
some family here and Justin has a good job. The Lord has definitely given us so much to be thankful for. Last week, I added two more things on the list of blessings.
1. My visiting teacher (I only have one instead of two right now) has been so good on looking out for me and helping me when I need it. She mentioned to me that she needed a grader for her English papers. (she is a college professor) I told her I could definitely help her out. So I am now editing English papers in the afternoon while Jaiden takes his nap. It's good that I can help a little bit with the finances now.

2. The bishop came by to our house and asked if I could be the Young Women 2nd counselor in our new ward. I was so excited because that was the same position that I was in down in Douglas and I am so glad to be working with the Young Women again. I will miss the Sunbeams though. They were the cutest kids.

So I am happy to be doing what I am doing now. I am SO much more busy now than I was a week or two go but it is a good kind of busy and I am thankful to Justin for being patient with all of the craziness that is going on now.

Happy Halloween!!

We had sort of a rough Halloween this year, because Jaiden is going through a phase right now where he doesn't want to sleep. So he wasn't in the best of mood for Halloween night. That being said, I didn't get very many good pictures. Sorry. But he's still looks cute in the ones that we did get.

Jaiden getting into his costume.

We were practicing before we left and he couldn't figure out why I put 

the candy in his bag instead of giving it to him.

Cookies!

Made my annual pumpkin chocolate chip cookies today. I love making these every Halloween because they are still festive but not too sugary. Plus I don't really like cutting out sugar cookies so this is a good replacement cookie. Here is the recipe:

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 c. pumpkin
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. milk
1 c. chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
Nuts (optional)

Dissolve baking soda in milk; set aside. In large bowl add pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg; stir. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda mixture. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla. Spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees 10 to 12 minutes or until done.

Best Deal Ever

Last weekend, I went to a scrapbook yard sale. The lady  doing the yard sale had previously owned a scrapbook store and was trying to get rid of everything she had left over.  So me and Justin went at noon when they were about to clean up and scored a big box of scrapbook paper and a bag of about 30 sheets of alphabet stickers and threw in two gamecube games on the side all for $27.  The box of paper alone probably would've cost over $700 if we would have bought the paper new.  Justin let me buy it hoping that I would never go scrapbook shopping again.  I think this paper might actually last me that long. Now I just have to sort it all out.

Sunshine Getaway

Last week we were able to go to Orlando, Florida with Joe and Sara. Justin was going to an NBAA conference over there with Joe. Me and Sara and the kids were lucky enough to get to tag along with them. We also took a little trip to the beach while we were down there. Jaiden loved playing in the sand on the beach. Oh, and we forgot our camera so we had to steal all of the pictures that Sara took of us to put on our blog.

Me and Justin posing for the camera while we wait for our food.

Jaiden always had to keep his eye on Emily.  

Anytime she wasn't nearby he had to ask where she was

 to make sure she was okay.

Jaiden showing off his new hat.

He was always so patient with us taking him everywhere.  

Playing with his trucks in the restaurant.

The beach at Ft. Lauderdale

Okay, I just have to show the very unhealthy lunch I had 

the first day we were in Florida.

(But it tasted so good) Waffle fries with nacho cheese and bacon, 

plus sour cream and ranch on the side. Yum!