Holidays: Max's First Christmas!

Max woke up so happy on Christmas morning! It was so cute, like he knew something was up! (this is the crib I slept in when I was a baby by the way!)


Christmas jammies . . .

We opened presents at my parents house with my younger sibs Jonathan and Annie.
Max loved the Pez dispenser he received in his stocking.

and of course the wrapping paper!

Later we went to my Grandma Savage's house to see more family.
My niece Audrey got an American Girl Doll for Christmas, I LOVED my Samantha doll growing up. So many great memories! I was so excited for Audrey, I thought this was a cute picture with my mom.
My 2 year old niece Eliza received a 1/32 size violin for Christmas (her mommy is a violin teacher). So cute and tiny! (hello Lamar Odom in the background, haha)
We ended the day with late night Tetris on the N64, a holiday tradition! Jared's getting pretty good, ALMOST better than me! :)


and finally I just thought this video was cute, my brother is playing the piano . . .

almost caught up with the holidays whew!

Holidays: Max's first Christmas Eve

A few photos from Christmas Eve . . .

Snow was falling outside! Although you can't really tell in the picture.

Hanging out with Dad by the tree

We broke all Christmas Eve traditions and went to Denny's this year for dinner! Yep! Denny's! It was great, the kids could go crazy b/c hardly anyone was there. We didn't have to cook and we didn't have to clean up the mess!
Eliza, with the carpet sweeper!Max loved the hashbrowns we gave him.My sister in law Marisa and niece Scarlett


My Family does the nativity every year with a short version my mom has from when my oldest brother was in preschool. I look forward to it. All my nieces and nephews like it too. I have to say I felt very privileged to get to be Mary this year, and Max was the cutest baby Jesus. (i wish these photos turned out better, maybe if any of my siblings see this and have better pictures you could send them to me?

p.s. I know my blog banner is kind of funny looking, once I got the photo all edited and "White" put on there, it uploaded weird and it will take me awhile to re edit the photo, it's on my to do list!

Favorite Food Blogs

I like to cook yummy things, even if they may take time. It's nice that Max goes to bed at 6pm because I have time to make a thought out dinner and usually I get to enjoy it with my husband. I've been really good at meal planning lately too. You know, looking to see what we have that needs to be used, finding recipes, grocery shopping for needed ingredients, planning the meals out in which order I should cook them, using the store advertisements to get a good deal . . .etc.

I use many food sites, as well as some of my favorite cook books, to find recipes. Here are some of my favorite food blogs:

Delightful Delicacies
Mrs. Harding Cooks
Just Cook Already

I used Just Cook Already for my latest meal plan, tonight we had the Lettuce Wraps and they were delish! You'd think they'd be complicated but nope, really easy, and I had most of the ingredients on hand! They'd be especially tasty on a hot summer night.

Just thought I'd share, so what are your favorite food blogs?

Holidays: Rub a Dub Dub . . .

Every baby needs to bathe in the laundry room sink at least once! Max fit in it perfectly, he kept trying to climb out of the tub at Grandma's so we did the sink for most of the trip, he loved it.
This may possibly be my favorite photo from the entire trip!

I posted a video of his sink bath, but it showed a little too much nakey -ness, sorry! it was cute though!

Holidays: Dancing with Eliza

The Tuesday before Christmas I got to go help in my niece Julia's class for their holiday party. It was so fun making crafts with the 2nd graders! Such cuties. Julia's mom, my sister, Becky babysat Max, so he got to play with his 2 year old cousin Eliza, he loves the older kids! I captured this cute video of them playing. Max really loves to bounce when he hears music, I'd like to think he got it from me!


Hanging out at Grandma and Grandpa Wright's
Don't you love this vintage highchair? It was my little sisters.

One of my bestest buds Athena came home from her mission in September and we were finally able to see each other while I was in Utah, LOVE this girl! If you're ever in the UVRMC Emergency Room (which I hope you are not) you may see her, she is a nurse there.

Holidays: pre-Christmas

Yep, I told you (err, myself) that I would get caught up on here! We went to Utah for Christmas this year to see the Wrights. Max had his first plane ride and actually did pretty great, even though that morning he'd woken up with his first runny nose ever! I didn't take a picture, I probably should have. One thing that really helped was that the other lady on our row on the plane was a grandma going to see her grandkids and really loved Max, she was even playing cars with him! I did all the things friends suggested, got a couple new toys he'd never seen, some new finger foods, and had him eating during take off. He fussed a little but not too bad, and hey it was only an hour and a half, I didn't even have to change his diaper.

We arrived at my parents home and of course the first thing we did was take Max out to see what he thought of the snow. Eh, not really interested, he'd rather watch the cars outside. I don't know why he's not wearing shoes, seriously though, he's such a warm body and never even complained about being cold.

The Sunday before Christmas we had a family dinner at my brother Joel's and his family's house in Cedar Hills. I honestly just wasn't getting any good pictures of the kiddos, or adults, not even candid shots, and just decided after a few to do some video. It was busy busy with all of Max's cousins. My cousin Karin was there too, which was so great b/c she has had two kids since the last time I saw her!
Cousin Scarlett in her Christmas dress, her mom made it. Isn't that collar to die for?

Great Grandma Savage

and the video:

sorry for the fuzziness, we didn't bring our "real" video camera, just the point and shoot, or "snappy" camera as I call it.

Fun at the Park

Just before we headed up to Utah for Christmas we spent an afternoon with our friends the Cluffs at the Uni Hills Park (I feel I've lived here in Irvine long enough to call things Uni, instead of University, haha). We took some pics for them for their Christmas card and had fun playing.
Gordon and Max, just 6 weeks apart in age. They really are little buddies, even if they like to poke each others eyes, grab each others hair, crawl on top of each other and occasionally steel each others toys. Well, maybe it is just Max that does all these things, thanks for being a good sport Gordon! I guess he's used to it a little with two older sisters.
Jared with the babies.
Playing tag.
My handsome man

Driving the trolley
Max loves his daddy!


These last videos are super cute. Max loves to "bounce" lately, especially when there is music. I also love Gordon's sister Jilly's cute voice in the background.

He loved the little slide!

Max meets Santa

Max met Santa for the first time at our ward party. It was past his bed time but I didn't want to have to wait in line or pay at the mall. I got there as early as I could, snapped a few pics, took Max home and put him in bed and then went back for dinner. Jared was home anyway working on a paper. Maybe he'll like him a little more when it isn't past bed time?

Carefully being placed in Santa's lap . . .

Initial reaction, not so good . . .

Oh, you have a bell that makes noise . . .
I guess you're not so bad, though a little funny looking!

Thanksgiving and November

YES that is right, I know it's January, but I'm really determined to get caught up. Before I can get all my Christmas stuff up here I want to finish up November.
This is one Sunday before church, Max is wearing a little outfit for the first time that I bought for him before he was born. Taken with our camera's timer.We were so excited that Auntie Jess and Uncle Chase were in town for Thanksgiving! Here they are visiting us with Grandma.Thanks for letting me play with your cup Uncle Chase!Max being loved by his Aunties, he can't get enough!
The White Family on Thanksgiving Day.Yummy dinner, Max ate some of the turkey on his first Thanksgiving, which he gobbled right up.
When we said what we were Thankful for this year I mentioned that I was so Thankful for a healthy baby and that everything went well with his delivery, also for many many answered prayers and for a husband who will do anything to make me happy.
I love this dude!

and some video from November . . .