Christmas!!

Christmas was really fun with Jacob this year. He didn't really "get it," but we still had a great time!

Christmas Eve we went to Linde's family. Heidi and her family were there along with Grandma and Grandpa Safsten and Great Grandma Bastian. We had dinner with everyone.




Read the Christmas story, and then opened presents from Grandma and Grandpa.


Samantha made sure they had a gift to bring to "Baby Jacob" for Christmas and he loved it!



Trying to get at the stuff on the table from underneath, since Mom and Dad won't let him touch it from the top.


The next day was Christmas! Jason has now entered the official world of being a dad at Christmas--putting the toy together!


Waiting for Santa...is he going to come?


He came! Christmas morning...


Opening presents...


....and he still prefers the paper!!

It was a fun morning!

Santa even visited mom and dad...don't you love how great we look!










Somehow I'm sure I'll look back on this picture in 20 years and see how good I actually looked compared to 20 years later!

After his morning nap, we went over to Grandma and Grandpa Wong's house. All of Jason's brothers and sisters were there with their kids and we read the Christmas story...
Josh helping Angel Emma say her part

Everyone ready to walk to Bethlahem

One of the "Wise Women" Sarah playing her part well.


Jacob as baby Jesus...





...only able to handle the part for a short time.








We played with cousins.



Opened presents.

Still loves that paper....

We all had a very fun time!

Jacob loved everything he got at Grandma and Grandpa Wong's.

At the end of 2 full days of celebrating Christmas, our little Jacob was dead tired and spent much of Friday catching up...after all, New Year's Eve is now less than a week away!

Kicking Back

About a week ago, I went in to check on Jacob. I found him propped up against the side of his crib on his bumper pad. I tried to be quiet because I didn't want him to move...but he was so comfortable, he let me take all the pictures I wanted without moving at all.



This is his bed head when he wakes up...

How Life is Marked....I miss it a bit

If you have been a faithful reader of my post (mainly about Jacob) you'll remember back in August how I posted that, after 39 years, I wasn't going back to school for a new school year.....how that seemed strange.

Now, as I read posts about being excited for Christmas break (mainly from my nieces who are in H.S. or at BYU)....that finals are almost over and that, as of tomorrow (Friday), they are done for at least 2 weeks, it makes me miss having a stopping point of my own sometimes.

I love, love, love Jacob, but I am realizing how "addicted" I had become to the "markers (meaning time bound events that had me stopping what I was doing to begin doing something different)" in my life....Thursday always meant Friday was coming, which meant the weekend (stop work, start the weekend)...Thanksgiving, which meant Christmas was around the corner, Christmas break, President's day, which meant the school year was more than half over, Easter break, which meant End of Level testing (and huge stress) was about to ensue.....winding down to the end of the school year, summer break, etc.

As a mother my markers are no longer ALL ABOUT ME! :) Now my life is marked by Jacob eating his first solids, crawling, getting teeth, sleeping through the night, pulling himself up on things, crawling over to me to be held, realizing that if he doesn't like a new food...he can make gagging sounds which stops mom from trying to feed it to him, smiling, laughing, etc. Days blend into weeks which blend into weekends, which blend into months, etc. Nothing stops and starts, it just b-l-e-n-d-s from one new event to the next.

I'm having to adjust from start, stop...to blending...if that makes any sense. :)

My reason to b-l-e-n-d my life now.

'Tis the Season, Ho-Ho-Ho, No-No-No

It is the season in Jacob's life where he is hearing both Ho-Ho-Ho and No-No-No. He tends to hear the Ho-Ho-Ho much better than the No.

Here are a few things he hears No about all day long...even if you try to baby proof.

Paper--he loves to crinkle it and EAT it.

You'd think he was low on fiber the way he takes off after a piece of paper. Then if he gets in his mouth his lips are sealed like Fort Knox! (Note to reader: I am not trying to take paper out in this picture--thus the open lips to display his "fiber filled meal.")

We say no to shoes


No to the fireplace

He loves to "browse" through our music collection and has figured out how to open the CD player--no to that. (We now have our banana chair set up in front of it so he can't get to it--will be fine until he is old enough to crawl over it.) :)


No to this--the sharp objects--not the scriptures, but we probably say no to that too since they are made of paper.


No to pulling down Christmas decorations--though this one isn't too hurt when Jacob gets to him










We say yes, to him crawling over to play with us. As you can see in the background--he has nothing of his own to play with--poor boy. That is why he finds such joy in all the above mentioned items. :) Such a funny kid.

Our Visit To Santa

On Monday night Draper City had a visit with Santa. They had some fun things. Kids could decorate cookies, write a letter to Santa, make a craft and visit him. They also had the high school choir and children's dance groups. We skipped everything else and went straight to the big guy. It was 6:30 p.m. and Jacob was in a good mood so we (we meaning Linde) wanted to try and get a photo with Santa. His first one--I even bought a new onesie for the occassion that says "Baby's first Christmas."

(I know, my scanning abilities need help)

He was willing to sit on his lap and we tried to get a shot before the look of fear (that you see here) turned to tears. :)

When we got home I took some more pics by our tree.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my dad's 77th birthday! He is a great father and has always set such a good example of how a person should live. He always worked hard to support his family and loves to have fun!

My blessing day and having fun with dad.


His motto is "Do a little something everyday that you enjoy" and he does. When he taught school (he taught art) he had his own projects he would work on a little bit each day. At home he works in the yard each day to keep it beautiful. Then there are his daily naps and The Price is Right that he enjoys. :)

He loves to do projects with the grandkids and loves having them around.


Dad is always supportive of his children you know he'll always be there for you.


Jacob and I have been able to stay with mom and dad when Jason goes out of town and we love our visits with him.






Thanks for all you do Dad. We love you!