Holiday Cheer

I would like to apologize for not getting Christmas cards out this year. I slacked and in reality there was no picture that I felt good about sending our 50 closest friends and family. We will try and get out a family card when the baby is born next month. Just because I dropped the ball on cards doesn't mean we haven't been having some holiday fun around here! Since we are far from home this year I have tried to start a few little traditions or at least do fun things with Easton and as a family. We kind of went crazy with the advent calendars...we have a chocolate one, a cloth nativity one and one with little doors on it:


Obviously we let Easton put the little cloth figures where ever he pleases...hence the star in the manger and several other out of place items. But he loves hearing about the Christmas story and asks for "Mommy talk Jesus" a lot.


I got this advent calendar box last year at an after Christmas sale. I struggled to find something to put into the boxes/doors but finally found these plaster ornaments.



I decided I would have Easton paint an ornament each day before Christmas. It has been a fun activity that he looks forward to each day.


Our tree is now full of colorful plaster ornaments!



We also went out for a little Christmas night downtown. We decided to take a horse and buggy ride around the city center. Despite the fact that Easton's sippy cup fell in a huge pile of horse poop, the ride was great. Easton loved it and even got to sit on the horse after the ride was over.





We also enjoyed a visit from Rob's dad. We went to the Christmas market on the Dublin docks where we browsed the shopping stalls and Easton got to ride on the carosel.




We are really grateful this Christmas for all of our many blessings. We have a beautiful and healthy son, one on the way (who, by the way, my doc thinks already weighs about 6 and a half pounds!!) and many friends and family members who love us and support us. We are also mindful of the Savior and happy to celebrate His birth and reflect on how much He means to us. We hope that you all know how much we appreciate you! And we wish you all a meaningful and Merry Christmas!

We Have a 2 Year Old!

We have been celebrating Easton's 2nd birthday for about 3 weeks now. After 3 parties in the states we celebrated on his actual birthday here at home in Dublin on the 8th. Easton and I went to a little Christmas parade at a toy store with Easton's buddy Wyatt and then opened presents and had cake and ice cream when Rob got home. Easton has been pretty jazzed about his birthday for the last little while and sings "Happy Easton Birthday" to himself several times a day so it is kind of sad that it is over for the year.
It is hard to believe that we have a 2 year old! Wasn't he just born? The last two years have been so great as we have had the privledge of raising our little guy. We love you Easton!

Easton and Wyatt at Hamley's Toy Store

And We're Back...

It's been a good long while since I have posted anything on the blog. But I have a good excuse. We just got back from a 3 week visit to the states and then a weekend away to the West Coast of Ireland. Easton and I took off for Colorado in early November...we survived the 12 hour flight with very few setbacks and minimal drama. We spent time with my family and friends and Easton loved pestering my mom's dog and my dad's animals. He became a pro at feeding the animals and finding poop in the yard that needed to be picked up...what a helper! We also celebrated Easton's b-day (twice) and I did a lot of Christmas shopping. Maybe the most exciting event was that I finally got a haircut, believe me, it was necessary! Here are some CO pics:


Easton's pretty smile


Helping Grandpa rake the leaves


Reading with Grandpa Rob

Rob came out 2 weeks after us and then we headed to Utah for Thanksgiving. It was more of the same there...family, friends and food. We ran (well, Rob ran and I walked with Easton in the stroller) a 5k up in Bountiful on Thanksgiving, visited The Discovery at the Gateway (the kids museum there), had another b-day party for Easton and saw some movies. We got to see lots of friends too...even Easton got to see his long lost BFF, Josh, and he also got to play with all of his cousins. Here are SLC pics:

At the Discovery

Easton and Josh

The 5k crew...us along with Rob's dad, bro Jeff and his wife Sara, their baby Syd and Sara's fam.

Us making these cute turkey cookies on Thanksgiving...thanks to my sister-in-law, Sara for the idea and supplies.

These are Easton's turkey cookies...not perfect, but you get the picture...

We got back from SLC and 2 days later headed to the west coast to the Ashford Castle in Galway for Rob's works holiday party. It is a big castle that has been converted into a hotel. It is beautiful. Rob got to go to a school of falconry and clay pigeon shooting and I got a facial and a massage. Pics:








It has been a great month but I am exhausted and ready to lay low for a while. We'll spend Christmas in Dublin which I am actually excited for. I need some time here to prepare for this little baby who will be here in about 5 weeks!