Snow Day!!!

It snowed about 8 inches!
(That is a TON of snow for here)
It was a lot of fun and that snow shovel that we just happened to bring with us really came in handy! We were lending it to all the neighbors (who were outside using shovels - the metal kind you dig in the dirt with (not so great for snow)). Braden loves being on the couch and looking out the window and this morning he was amazed that everything was covered in white!
He has seen snow before, but I'm sure he doesn't remember it at all, so this was kind of like his first real experience with the snow. He wasn't sure what to think of it...but it was a fun new experience anyway.
It snowed Friday night and most everything was shut down until the Wednesday afterward. It was quite fun! Church was cancelled, schools were closed and the government offices were all shut down.

We didn't really have snow clothes for Braden, so we put together the few things we could find...

...and yes, those are oversized church shoes he has on! Ha ha! We just don't have anything boot-like for him! The most snow-resistant shoes he owns are a pair of church shoes that are too big. It was pretty funny!

"What is this stuff?"

He just stayed there in one spot and wouldn't move his feet. I think he thought he was stuck there!

Brrr....it's cold!!!

I think the snow made Justin miss his snowboarding days last winter (he worked at Beaver Mtn Ski Resort). I walked down the street a few blocks to visit a neighbor and her daughter and we made snow angels together. It was so much fun! It has been a LONG time since I have made a snow angel. Then the little girl asked me how to make a snowball. (they really don't get a lot of snow around here)

On a funny side note, I mailed Justin's snowboard to my brother last week (we are definitely not going to get any use of it around here - there isn't even a large hill anywhere nearby to use even when there is snow) and everyone who saw me lugging it around acted astounded. I got comments like, "wow that is one big skateboard!" "going skiing, huh?" "what is that thing?". Most other people just looked at me like I was pretty weird. It was really, really funny!

Just hangin' out

Ice Skating

EVMS sponsored a free night of ice skating for the first-year med students. Justin and decided that was a perfect (and free!) date for us to go on so we found someone to watch Braden. We had so much fun - as did Braden.
Justin and I had never been ice skating together before (it had been more than ten years since I had even stepped on the ice!) and we had a blast. Justin did a lot of roller-blading in his younger years, so he was a little more natural than I was and even managed some twirls. I tried my best and looked very ungraceful trying to spin around, but I was quite proud that I never fell on my butt! Yay!
It was outside and they still had the lights us from Christmas, it was such a cute atmosphere! I felt like it was a seen out of a movie - ice skating in the city with the lights around. To be totally honest, going ice skating with someone I loved has always been on my list of "totally sappy melt-my-heart romantic things I want to do someday". What can I say, I'm a hopeless romantic. It was so simple and fun and sweet that I pretty much grinned the whole time we were there. Afterward we went to Starbucks and got some hot cocoa and caramel cider with a gift-card Justin had received. Free dates are the best! :)

I love the other two med students in the background posing! Haha! I didn't even realize it until I was posting this!

Reading Time

Braden loves his room and is really into sitting on chairs these days. He thinks he so cool sitting in his rocking chair all by himself! It is really cute.

He loves this little puppy - he's had it since he was a few months old and always has it to sleep with.

And also in his room is his chair. It has been just sitting in his room since he was born waiting for him to be old enough to sit on it. He can't get up on it by himself yet, but he really loves it. He points to it, and bounces up and down saying "puh puh" (that is his "up, he just has it backwards, haha!). Then after I set him up there he points at his books and, after I give him one, he sits there and looks at it.

I'm so glad our little guy likes to read!

Christmastime with the Monsons...

Christmas was so fun! We went home to Washington, had a much-needed break and spent some wonderful, quality time with family! I really can't describe how great it was. After some days of warming up to people and getting adjusted to west coast time, Braden had a lot of fun with Gma and Gpa! Justin and I even got to go on a few dates and to the temple - which was amazing! It has been a while since Justin and I got out without Braden, and it was nice to know he was in good hands and having fun playing while we were gone. It was heavenly!

Braden loved having stairs around to climb - Justin and I are very happy that we don't have stairs in our small little home to worry about! He constantly wanted to be on the stairs. Luckily he only fell down them once, and even then it was only a few. I thought maybe after that he would be a little more timid about them, but after a minute of consoling he grabbed Grandma's hands and started walking down them like nothing had happened. Definitely his father's child. :)
Grandpa was Braden's bud and would play one of his favorite games - get a ball and throw it down the stairs. Then sit and point at it and call out until someone downstairs came and got it and threw it back up to them. He did this for a long time, and Grandpa was just happy to be there for it all! It is a lot of fun to see my parents as grandparents.

Grandma and Braden snuggling before bedtime. They had a great time together - building block towers and knocking them down, dancing to the "clap-on" music box, and most of all eating homemade chocolates and bits of Oreos. It's a tradition in my mom's family that if you are a Grandma, you always have Oreos on hand. The tradition continues and I'm sure my kids will grow up loving it just as much as I did!
It was the best Christmas break! Thanks so much Mom and Dad for spoiling us all and making some great memories! We love you!

We took more pictures, but sadly they are on my parent's camera, so maybe I'll get them in the future and put them up. We did get some fun videos though:

Christmastime with the Petersons...

Christmas was amazing and a ton of fun. With Braden's b-day, Justin's b-day, Addi's B-day all in December, Kylee's not far behind in January, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and all the traditions and partying that goes along with each one (whew!) it was literally one party after another! It was a blast. As Jeremy (Justin's bro) said, "Geez, it's been like Hanukkah since you guys have been here!" It really was. It was awesome!

We celebrated Justin and Braden's birthdays (and yes, that is a Bob Ross painting kit Justin is holding (as well as cute little Kylee) - he's taken up painting, Bob Ross style. He's pretty amazing at it, but I am a little biased...)

With all the birthday and Christmas stuff going on, Braden became a champ at ripping open gifts!
He's still not so sure at first about the whole chocolate cake thing...

But Braden is definitely sure that he loves dogs. He thought Cody (the dog) was the coolest thing ever and the best toy over at Gma and Gpa Peterson's.

Megan bought him some comfy pants that match her own! So cute!

He eventually tried and enjoyed the chocolate...

Justin and the kiddos playing on the floor. Yay for uncle Justin! Addi (on the right) loves to come and ask Justin to do the "elbow dwop" and hits her elbow - for any unfamiliar with the elbow drop, it is a pro wrestling move. Apparently you hit your elbow and then jump on top of the other person. Obviously he does a modified version, but Addi sure loves it and wants to do it again and again! It really is so cute to hear a little 3 year old say elbow drop.

Braden and Kylee are only 6 weeks apart and it is so fun to see the similarities and differences in their personalities and fun things they are doing! Kylee is so sweet and mellow and laid back. She is just a doll! I didn't get a good picture of her smiling, but she is just all smiles and so fun to talk back and forth with!

Sad-faced Kylee

All the babies jump on Grandma! I love this picture. Doesn't that look like a happy Grandma to you? Braden is one lucky little boy who will never want for much when he's around his grandparents!

Proud Grandparents! Well, I know it looks like Mom Peterson is about to take a bite out of Braden's head, but I promise that isn't the case! :) She was laughing or sneezing or something when I snapped the shot. Oops!

This is almost everyone in the fam. If I had the time I would edit these two into one, but since I don't, just pick out the good faces in each! :) Love you guys!

Thanks for a great holiday break!