Mike, Britt & Evelette

Christmas this year was so good! We were busy trying to split the holiday between three families, but we were able to spend a good amount of time with each of them. I was so thankful we were able to go to Utah this year to be with family. Last Christmas we had to stay home because Evelette was about 3 weeks old and we weren't supposed to travel with her, due to her being born so early. SO needless to say, all three of us thoroughly enjoyed being in Utah, well besides the fact that Mike has been sick THE WHOLE MONTH OF DECEMBER. He just can't seem to get better, one sickness after another. I sure hope he feels better soon, so we all can be healthy!
This post is mostly going to be pictures, and a lot of them. That's just what happens when you mix Christmas and my mother. :)

Her first gingerbread house. She loved picking everything off.

She is obsessed with candy canes

Meinzer girls

I am so lucky to have these two in my life.

Aunt Tara

Grandma Blackwell with the three cute grandaughters

Temple Square with my family, was fun but freezing! At least Evey was warm!!

She LOVED all the bright lights and the beautiful temple

I loved putting this cute lil Santa hat on her, she loved taking it right off! :)

"helping" to decorate the tree... haha

I love her face expressions!!

Yep, pretty much what our life was for two weeks. LOVED EVERY SECOND!!

Stockings hung with great care :)

First time getting her stocking. All she cared about were the bells on the bottom.

Gotta love the Christmas Eve Jammie's!!

Christmas Eve tradition....of course Mike wins!

Playing shirtless in her new Dino tent!! She loves it :)

Guess this is what I get for asking for a tissue. hahaha

Aunt Brianna.

Hope you all had a good Christmas!
Happy New Year!!

We have done lots of fun, festive things together this season. It has been so much fun having a baby, makes the holidays THAT much better! I can't wait for the next couple years, when she actually knows what is going on. We went and saw Santa at the mall, obviously Evey's FIRST time!! She just sat there and stared at the elves and Santa and looked super confused.

This little girl has been BUSY, BUSY getting into all kinds of stuff, well pretty much everything she can get her tiny hands on. It has been quite the task keeping up with all her messes. I love that she is curious though. If she sees something out of reach, she does EVERYTHING in her power to get to it, and I mean everything. She cracks me up by the hour, and by the minute. I love this little climber.

For the last couple months, she has been really good at balancing and standing up in the middle of the room, or anywhere, by herself. We have tried everything to get her to take a step on her own, she just won't do it. Sometimes I don't blame for it, she's probably like "hey you guys... I'm not a DOG!!" haha I will admit, we do try to bribe, still doesn't work. I can't complain too much because I am barley keeping up with her messes as it is. I usually am not the kind of person to push people into doing things, so when she is ready, I will be waiting. :)

Trying to grab the camera, nothing new

Doing what she loves, making messes!!

Such a freakin' cutie!!


Getting very angry that something is on her arm. haha she cracks me up!!

We LOVE Chick-Fil-A!!!!

Evelette's 12 month check-up, yes I HAVE A ONE YEAR OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You could say that I am quite in love with my daughter. I love this big-bellied, big-eyed, big personality baby girl of mine!! About the only thing big about her! She weighed in at 17 lbs 7 oz. (5%), is 27 inches tall (8%), and her head measured 19 inches I believe (92%). haha love it. She seriously WOULD NOT hold still!! She tore that paper to shreds. She was all giggles and smiles until the nurses came in with the shots. Pretty sure it made me more sad and upset than it did her. Poor thing. Glad those are over...for a few months at least.

We did a big party for her a couple weekends ago at Grandma's house with all the family and friends. So on her actual birthday we just celebrated with a little cake and let her go crazy with it.

This little girl is such a great helper, helping mommy make a bunch of yummy Christmas goodies!! I made some caramel, fudge, choc. dipped oreos and pretzels, peppermint crunch cookies (recipe below), gingerbread cookies, toffee, just to name a few. It's usually a tradition to do all this with my mom, but she is still busy with school and I could JUST NOT WAIT any longer. I know I'm mean right? hehe Evey and Mike don't think so.

Peppermint Crunch Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies:
2 1/2 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. packed brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs, room temp.
7 oz. milk chocolate chips
7 oz. Andes Peppermint crunch chips
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Using a stand mizer with paddle attachment, beat together the sugars, butter and vanilla for 2 minutes.
Beat in eggs one at a time until incorporated, stir in flour mixture followed by the choc. chips and peppermint chips.
On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into quarters. Shape each quarter into a log 9 inches long. Wrap logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 24 hours.
Reheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with wax paper. Slice log into disks 3/4 inch thick and place 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets half way through, approx 10 minutes.

And last BUT NOT LEAST, Little Miss Evelette took FIRST PLACE in the Snowflake Baby Contest here in Rangely at the Christmasfest!!! The age group she was in for the girls was 0-36 months. She was such a little princess on the stage, and definitely knew how to melt the judges hearts. Mike walked her down the little stage and stood her there, and she turned RIGHT towards the judges and started waving her arms. The crowd started clapping and cheering and she joined right in, started clapping and yelling. It was SOOO cute. Too bad my camera SUCKS and didn't get the best pictures, but at least we got a few. It was a fun little event!