Happy New Year, welcome 2012!

I figured I had better blog before the angry mob starts sending me nasty e-mails :) I was hoping as the holidays wound down that we would have more free time, but of course that is never the case! We had a wonderful Christmas though, it was so much more fun this year now that Payton (sort of) understands what is going on.

This used to be mommy's wrapping paper bin. I thought it was funny to dump everything out and climb in :)

She knows who Santa is (but won't go NEAR him to get a picture!), and loves playing with our stuffed snowmen, she gets really excited when she sees them. We tried telling her that Santa was going to leave her some presents this year, but I think that is one we'll have to work on for next year :) She must have understood more than I realized though, because when family started showing up on Christmas Eve with presents to put under the tree, she screamed "TOYS! TOYS!" and started running around like I had given her an IV of sugar water. She was obsessed with the presents, picking them up, touching them, moving them from one side of the room to the other. We tried to have her play "Santa" and help pass the gifts out, but she kept taking them from people's piles and moving them around. She was into unwrapping them at first, but after a few (because she is very blessed and had many!) she got over it and just wanted to play with the toys she had unwrapped.

Look at all the presents!

Helping Uncle Tanner

We had Christmas Eve at our house, so that we could get Payton to bed at a decent time but still all get to hang out. It was fun hosting our first family event at our new home.

We had a lot of family and gifts!

Reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" with Grandma Joy

My new Christmas jammies from Grandma Jo :)

After Payton went to sleep, Kyle and I got to work. Payton's big Santa gift was a kitchen, and we also got her a little fold out couch to hang out on.

Tada!

At first Payton only noticed the little stuffed Elmo we had gotten her. Out of all the gifts, she picked the least expensive one! But then she sat on her couch and thought that was pretty cool, and we asked her if she had seen the kitchen yet. Then she looked at it and said "kitchen!"



Coffee anyone?

Hanging with Elmo

My couch turns into a bed--fun! :)

My new kitchen comes with a phone, so I got deep into conversation with... someone!

Grandma Joy got me a ball pit for Christmas, which has been a blast!

Daddy climbed in with me!

My new dress was a huge hit at Christmas dinner! So cute, thanks Grandma Jo!

Unfortunately I was on call for the weekend. It was something I anticipated and understood since I was a new employee (we get the crappy holidays), but I am very glad it's over and I won't have to work Christmas again for several years. I just didn't want to get called Christmas morning, I really wanted to see Payton's expression when she saw her big gift. Luckily, I got to enjoy Christmas morning with my family, at least for a while. It ended up being a busy weekend, but not during the times I really wanted to be with Payton, so that was good.

The following week my parents and Chelsea came down, and even though I had to work, it was so fun to get to see them, and for them to get tons of Payton time.

Drawing in some of my new coloring books with Grandma Jo

Washing my hands before I make everyone some food

I played on the drums while Grandpa Scott practiced his bagpipes!

I wish everyone could have stayed longer, but they had to head back on NYE. After Payton went to bed we had Rick, Sue, Bryan and Lindsey over for drinks and games. We were having so much fun that we didn't even notice when 2011 ended and 2012 began!

This week, it's just been adjusting to real life again. Kyle's back at work, and he was given some exciting news. They are going to hire him part time next semester as a math teacher! He's going to be helping the kids that are struggling with their math proficiencies, and since he will have classes every other day, he can still sub too. He will be an official staff member at West Albany High School, which is a huge step in the door for him. We're hoping that when a social studies teacher retires (and there are two slated to retire in the next year!) then they can give him a couple social studies classes and then he will be full time. We have been so grateful for all of the opportunities he's received at West, and since that is Kyle's dream job, we're really keeping our fingers crossed that everything works out! Kyle's also been keeping busy by helping coach freshman girls basketball, which he is really enjoying. I take Payton to their games whenever I can, and she LOVES going! It's nice because the high school is literally down the street from us, so it's easy to come and go. Whenever I say the word "gym" she looks at me and says "basketball?" :) She just sits there and watches, which is pretty amazing. Hopefully being exposed to sports so young will help her be much more athletic than her momma!

2012 is shaping up to be a good year so far. No big trips planned, but a couple weddings so far, and I have a birthday party to start planning already :) Plus my sister asked me to be her matron of honor, which I am so excited about! Lots of wedding ideas to discuss! Kyle and I would like to plan a long weekend together somewhere maybe this summer, so hopefully that will work out too. This month marks a year I've already been at my "new" job too, which is also crazy to think about.

I have to confess, I have a new obsession which probably hasn't helped my lack of blogging. I decided that since I made a lot of money working call over Christmas, I would splurge and finally buy myself a kindle. I've thought about it before, but haven't had a lot of time for recreational reading, and I wasn't really sure if I would like reading on a screen instead of a book so I've put it off. Well, I LOVE it! I've had it less than two weeks and am already on my fifth book. I'm just sorry I didn't buy it sooner! Kyle laughed at me and asked me the other night who I would save in a fire; him or the kindle? I had to think about it :)

Anyway, hope you are all enjoying the new year! Talk soon!