Hardware Ranch

It has been on LONG, LONG winter. Coming up with new things to do when the weather was so cold was a challenge. I wanted to take Charlotte to Hardware Ranch to see the elk back in December. The weather was so miserable for two months that we didn't make it there until the last weekend they were open in which was in February. My parents and sister and her husband came with us. Charlotte liked the horses pulling the sleigh more than the elk.

Charlotte has an obsession with little chairs and benches. She finds all kinds of little places to sit. When we were in line for the sleigh ride she found this little bench and HAD to sit on it.

 

After all that she wanted to come home and play with her diaper box. Love what kids are entertained by.

Where to start

Since I went back to work I have seriously neglected our blog. I am only gone one day a week, but it seems like lots of evenings and weekends when Matt is home I spend time working. Plus being pregnant it seems to take me twice as long to do everything so needless to say some of these pictures are old. Things are going great, though. The holidays were great. It was nice to be close to family this year. We miss things about being on our own but it was awesome to be close to family again. Despite the bitter, bitter cold, the winter was good. Although I never fully understood why stay at home moms complained so much about the winter until now. Being able to go outside is a HUGE blessing with a toddler. 

Cousins visit from Denver for Christmas.

Our Christmas service project was going to Build-a-Bear and making bears for the kids at the women's shelter in Salt Lake. Hearing about people in need really makes me grateful for all I have and makes any problems I have seem petty. I really am so grateful for all the Lord has blessed us with.

We discovered she loves mittens. I can put them on even now (in April) and she will wear them.

We went with the ole' grandparents to "This is the Place" state park for their annual Candlelight Christmas. Matt and I love it up there at Christmas. All of the buildings are set up like pioneers back in the day, they have reindeer, a live nativity, a train ride, Santa, and lots of fun stuff for kids.

Charlotte's idea of helping with Saturday chores.

Matt's grandma has a Christmas party every year and this year was a Who party. We looked ridiculous but it was for a good cause, right??

Christmas morning with Charlotte was a blast. She was still too young to really care, but she loved the lights and that she finally got to be close to the tree.

Aunt Christi always finds the best accessories!!! She LOVED her Ugg slippers. They finally turned her on to shoes.

Playing with cousin Eli. I didn't get a picture, but this was the night they painted each others faces with diaper cream. It is amazing what they can get into in 1 minute if you take your eye off of them.

We finally made it to temple square at the end of December. Our friends from Omaha, Dave & Dahlia and Matt & Lisa were home for the holidays so we went to dinner and to the lights.