This week...

Monday:

Blake and I started a new thing..... So I loath doing the kitchen dishes and Blake, if he could choose only one room that I kept clean it would be the KITCHEN! Ugh, hate that! So we mad a deal... I do dishes week days and he does weekend (Friday is included on the weekend). It has been going real well I have been able to stay on top of the dishes all week and in turn it has help me stay on top of the rest of the house too.... :) I like a clean house... who doesn't!?!

Wednesday:

We all woke up to the snow coming down...

Maycee immediately wanted to play in it...

Friday:

We had some visitors!!!

Blake's cousin Tiffany and her husband Jordan and Tiffany's parents, Uncle Shea and Aunt Bet, stayed with us for a night before J and T moved into their new place they will call home for the next two years. Jordan has decided to start the same program at school that Blake is doing. They have a 3 week old, ins't he cute?! T Rush Tenney.

Maycee really enjoyed holding him and just seeing a brand new baby. (Lydia really did too). One of his little socks came off and I showed it to her, pointing out that it was so tiny, she had the cutest reaction! (she is not doing it in this picture, she wouldn't repeat it for the camera) She threw her hands to her mouth with a gasp and an "awwwe" You know like girls do when they see something so tiny and cute. Loved it.

And then there was Lydia right there giving this face...... glad I caught it......

not very cute.... but not cute in a way that makes you laugh so hard! Its like on of those "fat booth" pictures that people do on there phones..... still laughing about it!

Sunday:

Look closely at the picture....

Here is a close up of whats going on.....

Thats right..... The girls BOTH fell asleep watching football with dad... they like the game about as much as their mom :)

Nothing better than a baby that falls asleep in your arms, I LOVE THAT!

Also I wanted to give a shout out to "Uncle Bet" and "Aunt Shea" wink ;) wink ;) (I know I got it backwards... you had to be there) Thanx so much for coming this weekend and having a good time with us! My girls LOVED having you here, especially Friday night. They were loving being the center of attention! Thanx for bring a couple of things, that really helped :) And thanx to Uncle Shea for doing the dishes after every meal. Blake got off easy his first weekend of dishes duty :)

Guess who's 1 TODAY?!

Happy Birthday Sweet Lydia!!!

Can't believe my baby is 1 today! This last week its seems like all the sudden she has just grown up. her personality is starting to REALLY come through and girl, she will just about snap a "z" for you! What I mean is that she is just not scared to tell you what she is thinking ( I guess is the bast way to put it). She uses a a lot of tone, and fluctuation when she jabbers. It is actually really cute. She can show you were her nose is. She can tell you what a chicken says. She is walking all over and is very curious about everything. She will climb on anything that she can. She is a real tease too! Just so different than Maycee.... At stake conference today she was making friends with ANYONE that would look at her. I mean "real" friends, asking for there treats, or there crayons, or just want to sit on thier laps. A real Chamer. Really not familar with Stranger- Danger. It is so fun to have a little one that is so out going!!! Oh we love her!!!

We made today special for her....

Does it look familar?? It is almost identical to Maycee's 1st cake.

Blake insisted that the cake "maker" get her picture taken.

Lydia loved her birthday gift!

We celebrated over at the "other" grandparents house. (thanx Lance and Danene)

She was so excited for her cake!

She did not hesitate at all! She jumped right in!

(there is a video at the very bottom of the post that you may be able to watch)

Our great neighbors had a little gift for her, she really liked watching it! Can you tell?

The night ended with 2 baths! First was with dad and the dishes!

She loves helping!

...and Maycee does too...

2nd bath was with sister. These 2 really love eachother.

We sure LOVE having Lydia in our family. She is so special to us and we all love her so much!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYDIA!!!

I also have to add this, while im at it. While we were over at our "other " grandparents house, Lacie commented on how Maycee is a great Multi-tasker. I quick grabbed a picture...

taking notes. caring for baby. talking on the phone.

she usually has some kind of phone anytime of day.

Then while we were all admiring her (without her knowing) she jumped on the horse yousee behind while.... WHILE CONTINUING TO DO THE OTHER 3 THINGS!!! It was awesome! We all had a good laugh :)

ALSO...

I have to brag on myself a little....

This is what was keeping us busy during Christmas.

We made 5 of these, a lot of work and a lot of fun!

Holidays are OVER!

WOW! What a crazy last few weeks!

Here is the the 5 min. over view....

Girls are growing up! This here is Lydia's Favorite place to hide lately....

And loves to play in Maycee's toy car...

We were lucking enough to spend all the "Holidays" with family. My Grandmother (on my dad's side) past away just before Thanksgiving which opened up a window of opportunity for us to make it home for Thanksgiving. (to attend the funeral)

Please let me say a few quick words about my Grandma Ruth Mickelson. She was pretty amazing! live to 93 and a half, was an AMAZING seamstress, spent her life serving others and was one of the most Christ like people I know!

My awesome dad was looking out for all of his daughters and was able to pick out a piece of jewelry, that was my grandmothers, for each one of his daughters.

Here we are showing them off!

The same night of the funeral we had our first Mickelson Family Talent Show! It was a blast!

Aunt Ruthie's Talent was this....

She sewed this adorable dress for Maycee and had her model it for everyone! She did awesome and Maycee was so cute!

Thanksgiving was in the valley but with Blakes Family, and I am sure like everyone else's there was TONS of good foods :) I miss it all ready :)

It was a long drive home but we were happy to get here....

Then, all of the sudden we got to jump back in the car and drive back to the valley for Christmas!

Christmas was with my family.

Every Christmas eve my family goes Christmas Carolling... we all put on santa hats and head out around the neighborhood....

Here is Maycee getting ready....

Here is all of us!

Look at these two cuties...

And these girls look all right too :)

CHRISTMAS MORNING!!!

Okay, so if you know my mom, you know that she has a tendicy to get cold when she is doing work at the computer.... my dad thought it would be nice to get her some really warm pj's this year..... so..... he did....

Can you see them there in the back round....

(and I dont know what was with Kurtis and the sunglasses)

here is a better shot....

My mom is awesome!

And if you know my sister Ruth, you know she LOVES shoes! Remember this?? (scroll down)

Well she spoiled Lydia with two pairs of shoes for herself and it looks like Lydia LOVES them...

Grandma Kathy made these for ALL of her daughters/ grand-daughters/ great-grand daughters!

These girls loved all of their gifts!

The drive home was long again but we were happy to get here :)

Blake and I were able to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary this last weekend! Thanks to Blakes parents for coming to watch the girls so we could get away for the night. We drove into Durango and road the "Steam Engine". It was a beautiful ride!

(check out the sun flairs Angie! Are you proud??)

The scenery was AMAZING!

It was a wonderful weekend and Wonderful holidays! We were so happy to see all the family :)

Next up..... SEA WORLD!!! That will be at the beginning of feb. To bad its a 13 hour drive :(