a random, very random, sampler of my holiday

Dillon (Jordan's little brother) gave us a "date" for Christmas, which included babysitting! We cashed it in yesterday and it truly was wonderful. We headed to Logan for bowling, pizza and a movie. But on the way over, I asked if we could stop and grab a few pictures I've always wanted of this marshy area that you pass through to get to Logan. It turns out the pictures I really want can only be captured by canoe or other means of really getting "in" to the wetland. So I settled for a few shots from the shore. The above is my favorite from the day. Nothing says beautiful like dead weeds right? But really, I like it. I SO missed the mountains while we were in CT.











Here's a photographer heading out to get "the" shots.


Okay, now jump back to 2008, the Friday after Christmas, when I grabbed these shots with my new mom camera. Temple square is really spectacular regardless of what you believe. But of course, if you're with me in thinking that Christmas really is and should be all about Christ and all that he did for us, then the newly added (new to me anyway) nativity scene set in the reflection of the temple was simpy stunning.







And here we are last Sunday, Ella in her new birthday dress, not wanting to leave on her birthday hat. Typical. (The picture quality now downgrades to "regular" so no logo needed, right. I even used flash on the shot below. But that's what my mom camera skills are all about right..)






Grandma Leslie painted Ella's toe nails for the first time at the Lodge this past weekend (we rang in the new year Idaho style) And I agree, her foot looks a little weird in this picture, but I assure you it's absolutely adorable in real life...



And finally a bunch of pictures from our New Years Day sledding outing. Don't you love Jordan's hat? He won it at a white elephant party this year. For some strange reason, I find it totally sexy.

















Ya, this is my sister and her boyfriend Nick. They're still waiting on the ring, but hopelessly in love...








I'm on the bottom, all in red...



My little bro Andrew...






See the faint remnants of Jordan's hat? My baby is buried in the middle of this all...





And here's Drew asking Nick if he'll "catch" him when he goes off the jump...


Ya. Not quite. And this one hurt.


This was a chain link run for a while...






Can you believe what my daughter has to go through for the sake of a fun picture... Okay. She's offically "done" in this one.