Hello

I know I am not very good at keeping this up--and I don't know if that is ever going to change. I will tell you we had a good Christmas, a good New Years, and a nice visit with Terra and Mark on Saturday. Unfortunately, we took very few pictures at Christmas and none of New Years or our visit with Terra and Mark--because I always forget my camera and don't really like TAKING pictures (I like having pictures, but taking them is another story). I do have a few pictures I can post--but I am too lazy to do it today.

Alexis got more presents at Christmas than I expected her to get, but she has been so much easier to deal with lately because she actually has age appropriate toys to keep her busy. The week before Christmas we had about 2 feet of snow in one day, so our ward Christmas pary was cancelled and we didn't have our scheduled Christmas program. This was also the weekend our friends the Millards came to visit--we ended up staying in. Who knew that the weekend they visited we would have the biggest storm in the past ten years? We ate a lot at Christmas and are STILL eating the left over candy and I threw away the left over cookies today.

New Year's was nice--we spent it with a few families from our previous ward. It ended sooner than we planned because none of the babysitting situations were going as well as hoped. We went home right after midnight because our home phone wasn't working--and I was worried about the girl babysitting--that she couldn't call us. We have Magic Jack now ($20 dollars a year for unlimited long distance in the US and everything) but you have to make sure not to exit out of it on your computer. I do have a cell phone again--but I haven't seen it since yesterday and don't know where it is.

Terra and Mark's family is super cute and sweet. Lyla is definitely more well behaved than Alexis (I am evening accounting for the fact the Alexis had NO nap the day we saw them--which she desperately needed). Lyla just stood by the car waiting for her Mom and Dad to unload everything else; if we had put Alexis down she would have started chasing cars. Lyla is kind of reserved when you first meet her but you know she knows the best ways to get what she wants. You can tell she likes to mess with people.

Cameron is super sweet and smart. It is so funny to ask a five year old what he wants to be when he grows up and hear him say, "A Paleontologist" or however you spell it. He loves to talk and he still smiles all the time, just like the time I last saw him (at Lexi and Lyla's age).

Vera is definitely in the top three most mellow babies I have ever met (maybe top two). She is SO cute and small and soft. You almost forget you are holding her because she is so easy going. She smiles a lot and loves her Aunt Laura :)

Terra and Mark are as caring and easy to talk to as ever. Even though our opinions on some issues are less alike than they used to be, I still respect their thoughts and I absolutely still love them. They are very loving, dedicated parents and it was really good to see them again. Terra kept telling me I look "different." Three years can do that I guess.

Jared has been very busy at work and staying late a lot lately. He is interviewing for an assistant right now, and hopefully, once he hires someone, things will slow down a bit and he'll be able to relax more. I Feel kind of guilty staying at home and having so many low key, relaxing days with Alexis while he is working so hard all day.

Anway, Merry belated Christmas and happy belated New Year! I will give more details about the recent events in our family when I find the energy to post pictures.

Love you all!