Here we go...

So much has happened in December that it's gonna take a little to catch up here. First thing that has happened since my last post is that A.J. is now walking! YAY! He loves every second of walking and doesn't want to stop. Here is a picture of Lauren with her gingerbread man...she was so excited!

 Then one night we went to the tree lighting in the Village, just me and the kids...here they are waiting.

On December 17, Todd's cousin got married and we were able to attend without the kids, all day! It was a Catholic ceremony but Michelle was able to personalize it as well by adding a solo that was taped by her mother who passed away many years ago, she sang "It's only just begun", it was really emotional since she's been gone for 23 years, it was really special. After we went to a restaurant called Castaways in San Bernardino, it was really nice but because of some unforeseen circumstances earlier I did not eat lunch and we sat waiting for dinner to be served for a long time. So I ended up not feeling very well and we left right before dinner was served, we had frozen pizza at home, oh well. We would of had to leave anyway even if I didn't feel well because we told our sitter we would be home at 8 and it was already after 7. Anywho, overall it was a good day to see family and enjoy in a couple's new chapter.
Then the next week was Christmas weekend, which was craziness. I cleaned all week and packed since we were flying Christmas morning to my parent's house in Brigham City. But we were still hosting my in laws for a couple days right before and also having a Christmas Eve get together in the afternoon. So Friday came and Todd was officially on vacation, yay! To kick off the weekend we all met to walk Thoroughbred and it was fun overall, there were so many people there that we all got separated at one time or another, at one point I was by myself! The next morning was Christmas Eve, we treated it like Christmas morning and Todd's parents stayed the night and got to enjoy that morning with us. (This picture is after all the presents were opened)

 My Christmas surprise...I teared up when I opened it up, I was shocked, to say the least!

 Then we all went over to Kirk and Kristy's house and joined the extended family for a party. We left early because we were flying in the morning and had to get all the last minute things packed up and get the kids to bed.
Christmas morning came and we were all headed to the Long Beach airport at 6:30 in the morning. I took Lauren with me on my flight and Todd was on a later flight and he took A.J. with him. I was supposed to go just me and the kids but Todd's parent's bought him a ticket so he could come to Utah with us. Here are the pics and a video.

Besides a diaper explosion with no change of clothes before Todd and A.J.'s flight, everything went perfectly ;) I felt so bad for Todd and I'm grateful for the blessed man who sat next to them on the plane, offering his lap for A.J.'s long legs when he napped and being so kind the entire flight. My mom and my brother Paul picked Lauren and I first and we left the airport to find somewhere to eat lunch, after many stops (remember it's Christmas morning) we found Burger King, we weren't the only ones celebrating that morning at the King. We brought food back with us to the airport to pick up Todd and A.J. and after a long drive we arrived at my parent's house where a Skype conversation with my brother Ryan was about to happen. My other brother Mark and his wife Ashley and her parents joined us during the conversation and we were all standing in front of the computer talking to my brother in South America. I'm so grateful for technology and that my parents have been able to talk to all three sons when they were on their missions. My parent's were so happy in that hour and I could see the love overflowing in my mom's eyes, for her at that moment everyone was together on Christmas. It won't happen again for another two years since we alternate holidays so this was really special.

Right after that, we all headed to my grandparents home for dinner and to open some more presents. We were joined by my Uncle Jeff's family. After that we went back to my parent's house and opened some more presents, A.J. went to bed before opening his presents so he got to open his the next morning. I was worried that Lauren would begin to think we'd be opening presents ever day from now on! After A.J. opened his presents was when everything went downhill...all four of us got sick and we didn't get better until five days later when Todd went home on his flight. Because we were sick, the kids didn't sleep well so that meant we didn't sleep well and five days of sleep deprivation took a toll on us so there was a change of plans, Todd took A.J.home with him for the next five days while I stayed with Lauren at my parents. It ended up being a blessing in disguise, Todd and A.J. bonded over those days and now A.J. will go to Todd just as much as he comes to me when he needs something. Todd still talks about those five days and how he misses them, it was just his little buddy and him, a short sweet time for a bond to form between father and son.

For the first time since I've met Todd, we spent New Year's Eve apart, but at least we each had one child with us :) Lauren and I went with my parents to my grandparent's home to eat dinner then we went home.

(sorry about this pic, all my pictures for new years turned out this way so I'll just put up one of them, Lauren spent the whole time playing with the trains.)

After Todd and A.J. left, I had a lot of work to accomplish in those short days while I was still in Utah, I still had to throw a baby shower for my sister in law and prepare for A.J.'s first birthday party which happened two days after I got back. The shower was on Monday and just in time too, Claire Chiah Erwin was born that following Saturday! Three weeks early! Here are the pictures of the shower.

The diaper bike my mom and I made for Ashley. Below is the table, you can also see the Christmas gift we gave my parents, well part of it. (the pictures, not the flat screen tv hahaha)

On Tuesday I finally got to meet up with my closest friend left in Brigham, Holly. She brought her youngest two girls, her oldest was in preschool. Her middle child is Olivia, same age as Lauren. I wish I thought of taking a picture of us, that's the one regret I have on this trip. Holly was our wedding photographer and we have been friends since I don't remember, after elementary of course. (maybe Holly remembers, ha). We became really close when we started High School and worked together at the Yogurt Factory. It was so fun catching up and seeing her kids and watching our daughters interact with each other, so funny. We met at a park, even though it was cold, very cold and the kids played on the playground while we talked. I'm so grateful for my friends, especially Holly, one of the sweetest people I know. Before we left the park and headed home, the girls gave each other a hug, unfortunately they fell down next to the car and both started crying, they were fine. We laughed about it and said our goodbyes.
Then on Wednesday, Lauren and I flew home. Todd and A.J. came to pick us up and we went home and relaxed as a family. Whew!