Catch Up 2014, er... 2013

Egads. I'm the worst. Smart phones and Instagram have killed my blog. I mean, I've had a freaking baby that my blog doesn't even know about. Sorry, Hugo, SO! Let me try four blog posts to sum up the year. If I make it reasonable like that, it just might happen. Right? RIGHT? Here are a few shots from 2013 to finish up THAT freaking year. Oh brother. I may have posted a few of these before, but I'm not going to let that stop me. Blogger for life!

My mom took me to see So You Think You Can Dance Live in November! We are mega-fans of the show, because it's awesome. I think we both pine for long lost dancing careers... snort. I've always loved to dance, but enjoy watching truly talented dancers even more.

Eleanor started Pre-School in the fall of 2013 and freaking LOVED it. Miss Julie with Alphabet Adventures was a perfect fit for our social girl.

Eleanor holding her cousin once removed (or something), Eva Thueson. Pretty little dolls.

Halloween happened and Eleanor was our Ariel.

And Winston was our Sebastian!

Right before Christmas we sold our trusty car, Geoff, the Focus. I had him for 10 years! We bought a bright blue Ford Fusion and have yet to take a picture of it. Or give it a name! I guess it's hard to get over old relationships.

I took the kids to go see Santa and ride the carousel and Eleanor was as photogenic as ever.

Winston didn't fall off!

Christmas Eve they opened their pajamas and I got really good pictures of them together by the tree. Oh wait, that's right, I totally didn't. Tried and failed. Eh. They were happy.

The kids were suitably dewy-eyed and adorable on Christmas morning.

Eleanor was delighted to find an orange amongst all the chocolate and candy canes in her stocking. Ever our health nut, I don't know where she learns it.

Here is my project I made for my mom. Each branch is a month and each leaf or apple is a name with the birth date engraved on it. I still haven't finished it a year later, ha. Typical me, sorry, mom.

 

Clayton and E at Grandma and Grandpa Firth's house for Christmas.

Winston fell in love with his cousin Caleb King. He talked about "Cabin" for ages afterwards. During their stay he just followed him around and quietly stalked him like this. 

Caleb was super-sweet about it.

Winston did NOT enjoy the fire show at Tepanyaki for Clayton's birthday. Eh, kids.

Oh, the horror!

Adam and Marie. They had just been dating a month or two here. Now... well, I don't want to take all the fun news away from future blog.

Shagan!

Mom and Dad.

Clayton's cake! I think he made some good wishes, as we've had a really good year.

September/October 2012

Once again, 7 or more months behind on the blog. Swear words. Oh well, catching up!

 After the second Saturday session of fall General Conference, Monica and I took the kids to a pumpkin patch. Here are cousins Natalie, Kadin and Eleanor.

 

 Eleanor, thinking she could lift an awkward, 25 pound pumpkin by herself. I let her try.

 Poor thing, she tried soooo hard.

 Kiddos posing. Natalie kills me, she's 6, and every time the camera goes near her she hits a perfect cheer pose.

 See! Every time she totally nails it. She needs to be on TV.

 Winston stayed behind so we brought him back a little one. Or, as he said (a thousand times), "BALL! BALL! BALL!" And then he would chuck it across the room.

 Back in Provo, I had to get a shot of him in his new cardigan.

 He's so cute!

 Cuddling with dad on the couch.

 Wearing his Winter hat. He wore it quite a bit around the house but not once in the snow.

 Eleanor, being happy and beautiful. To be honest, I'll settle for either one on most days. Either dressed and presentable or orphan and happy. Lately her favorite response to my asking to do her hair is, "I want orphan hair today!" (Any guesses as to who says, "You look like an orphan." every time her hair isn't brushed? Which might be every day?)

 I love this shirt of his. Jenni and Megan got it for him when he was brand new. I was so excited when it finally fit.

I mean, come on. Look how adorable!

 Couldn't stop snapping pictures of him in his freaking cute outfit.

Early in October Clayton and I took the kids to a pumpkin patch for FHE. (P.S. We felt like heroes for doing anything as a family, and for having FHE.)

 Any attempt at a picture together ended up like this.

 Until an airplane flew overhead.

 Cuties.

 He just wanted to run, and when we stopped him he gave us his best grumpy face.

 My boys.

 This place was fun for the kids. They had a giant haystack "castle", a giant "sandbox" made out of feed corn and a few different farm animals to see. Like this enormous pig that Winston was excited about.

 Eleanor climbing to the top of the castle. It was pretty high for a 3 year old. She is standing 5 or 6 bales high, I think.

You can kind of see how high it is from her perspective. This was down on 4th south in Springville.

 Yes, you are cute. Down below you can see the sandbox of corn feed that Winston is playing in. He is the grayish tan dot in the middle.

 Ohhhh, fun. Not gross at all.

Cute boys again. I think Win found another airplane.

 

 A few days before Halloween we carved up the pumpkins. Oh wait, I carved up the pumpkins and Winston played with the gross bits and Clayton and Eleanor watched TV. I love those blogs where the whole family is adorably doing things as a family. In reality, at least for us, any charming scenario I dream up or family tradition I want to start gets dashed to bits pretty fast. Please tell me I'm not alone here.

 But look at how cute he is in the pajamas! They used to be Eleanor's and I love them. The bones glow in the dark. (Am I being weird about all his clothes? He's just so cute in his little outfits!)

 Trying to get a shot outside of the pumpkins lit.

 Halloween! Eleanor wanted to be a Neverland pirate so I went for a theme. Winston is obviously Captain Hook and Eleanor went as Izzy. What? You don't watch Jake and the Neverland Pirates? Your loss.

 He was the world's cutest Captain Hook.

 And here is Izzy!

 You can also see our pumpkins better. The giant white thing around her neck is a bag of pixie dust that Izzy has.

 And our most successful shot of the two kids together. Holidays are hard.