Entertainment Center

We have been trying to decide for a few months what to do about our TV stand. We like it, but we need more storage in the family room, and the way we have things set up looks pretty bare. We like our couch (that was given to us) but it is pretty deep, so there's not a lot of ways we can arrange things without feeling like the couch is taking up the whole room. So we have been looking around some, trying to decide what we should do, without spending too much. We went to IKEA the other night and picked up a new system. We like how it looks. And we have promised to post pictures up, so here you go!!

The old tv stand (don't mind the mess--we were starting to put the new one together!)

All finished putting it together!

We picked these handles out at Lowes, and I love the way they look on here!! Now we just have to decide how to decorate it and make it look good!! (More color!)

What do you think?

Getting an early start...

Liam found the "Chronicles of Narnia" set on the bookshelf and carried it around for a few days (along with "Matilda"). Nathan started telling him about "The Magician's Nephew" (first book in the series). And Liam kept asking for "Diggory" and always wanted to know what Diggory was up to.


He would pick up the book (he knew which one it was) and would start "reading", telling us what Diggory wanted and what he was doing. (I love his imagination!!)

The "Sixth" Challenge

I am SOOOO bad at doing things like this, but I was tagged by Nathan's cousin, Laura, and saw what picture came up, and couldn't resist.

1. Go to the photo folder in your computer

2. Go to the 6th folder of photos.

3. Go to the sixth picture.

4. Put the picture on your blog and description of it.

5. Invite six friends to join the challenge.



This is a classic picture of Brooklyn. She was always into everything faster than I could keep up! (I would be cleaning up one mess while she was making another!) She was such a busy girl (we called her "spicy"!) I can't even remember what this was (conditioner? some thick lotion?) What fun memories!!


I'm not sure if 6 people even read our blog! But I will tag:

Shelly
Megan
Jackie
Lindsey
Jen
Kris

Hey batter batter batter...

Liam loves sports: football, basketball, golf, tennis, and especially baseball. For his 2nd birthday, Grandma and Grandpa Allison gave him a spiderman baseball bat, spiderman ball and spiderman hat. He plays with them as much as he can.
Currently, the first thing he wants to do in the morning, or when Daddy gets home from work, is to play baseball.

German Apple Pancake

German pancake (aka Dutch baby pancake) is one of my favorite breakfasts.

I was looking through one of the cookbooks I got for Ash and when I saw a recipe for German apple pancake, I proclaimed that "we" should try making this. Of course by "we" I meant "Ashlie".
And she made it.
And behold, it was awesome.

Balancing the sippy cup

The pic of the cup in the boot reminded me of these from Thanksgiving.

The Train Man

Liam LOVES trains! He makes them out of everything! I decided that I needed to capture this phase in his life, so followed him around for about 24 hours and got pictures of a FEW things that he made trains with!

The train man, himself

Chairs always end up in a row! And we all get to go for a ride!

Trains, of course!

I love this one--dishwasher tablets!!

I love that he stuck his cup in the boot!

I didn't get pictures of the forks, cooling racks, pillows, cards, books, boxes, coolers, magnets... that were all made into trains that day!! I love this little way that Liam leaves his mark wherever he goes!!



Update: For those of you who were thinking OCD (you know you were!! :) ), Liam has already stopped making so many trains and is now on to CONSTANTLY wanting to play baseball!!

This about sums it up....

We had lots of fun, late nights. It all caught up to Liam especially. With so much going on over the holidays Liam's schedule got all mixed up. Sadly, this picture about sums up the way he acted during the last couple of weeks! Anywhere. And everywhere. We are glad to be back into a regular routine with a few less classic 2-year-old tantrums!!

The Whole Crew!

This year my WHOLE family (all 11 kids!) was in town for Christmas! It was fun to have everyone together. My mom had lots of activities planned for the 2 1/2 weeks we were together (movies, games, adults out to dinner, bowling, Salt Lake day, Provo day, and she made dinner every night... Thanks Mom!). My brother, Steve, and his wife, Mandy, and their two girls stay at our house. We love having guests (if anyone wants to come and visit! :) )

Liam got pink eye just in time for pictures!! (It went through 6 kids and one adult! As well as colds....I guess you expect that with such a big group!! )

All the cute grandkids (and another boy coming in March!!)

Awww.... Don't they look great?!
I love sisters!!

Roommates

Allisun, Janny, Natalee, Ashlie

It had been about 10 years since we had all been together. Natalee flew into town and arranged a get-together via Facebook (gotta love it!) We had dinner at my house and we had so much fun remembering the good ol' days of college!! Thanks girls, it was fun! Let's not wait another ten years to get together again!!

Cookie Party With Grandma

Nathan's mom does a cookie party for all of the grandkids that they look forward to every year. This year they used varying sizes of star cookies to make Christmas trees-- so cute!

She read/told the story of The Giving Chest, and took the kids caroling and to give treats to the neighbors. And she had goodie bags for the kids! Thanks Grandma for the fun party!


Mom got a cute Willow Tree ornament for each of the sisters. She put a lot of thought into making each one personal for each of us. She is always so sweet and thoughtful!

Santa

I thought Liam would be scared. When it was our turn, he walked right up, sat on Santa's lap and couldn't stop talking!! He was telling Santa about what he liked and everything he saw! Brooklyn is just too cute in this hat from Aunt Becky!!

Brooklyn's Christmas Party

Brooklyn really wanted a Christmas party this year. We were talking about it on a Monday and decided that Friday would be the best day, so it was a busy week getting things ready! She had 12 friends come. We made Gingerbread houses, and had a gift exchange.

I wanted to have the girls do something to get them thinking about something besides themselves. I had them each bring a t-shirt that we made into newborn hats for babies in Haiti for Mama to Mama that I had seen the week before. I showed the girls a map of Haiti and we talked about why we were doing this project. We ended up with 21 newborn hats!!

It was a fun party, and I am so glad that Mom stayed to help!! I couldn't have done it without her!!

My Boys and Their Guitars

The Teddy Bear Tree

My parents have a 10' tree that they decorate with Teddy Bears. There's probably 100. The kids LOVE it!! Brooklyn was talking about it for weeks and SOO excited to help set it up! Here's the finished product!

Family Pictures

This amazing photographer (who just happens to be Nathan's sister, Joanna,) took some family pictures of us at the Utah State Capitol the other day. Here are a few of the pictures that she posted on her photography blog. Thanks, Joanna! You're the greatest!! Didn't she do a great job?!

The end of the Bink

Last night when I was putting Liam to bed, I handed him his binky and he threw it and said "My done with binkies!" (That was a surprise, as this kid always knows where he can find one!) Today we were in the car and out of habit Liam said "I need my binky and my blankie" then thought for a minute and said "My blankie". He napped without a binky today. We have successfully made it 24 hours without one! My little binky boy is growing up!!

Liam's Cake

We had a family party for Liam the other night. He loves trains, so I made him this Thomas cake. As soon as I set it down, Liam and Lucas ran over and started eating the chocolate chips and M&Ms off of it! (Can you blame them?!) He was spoiled with lots of train, car and sporty things! Thanks to all who came and made it great!!

Happy Birthday Liam!!

Liam is 2!! I can't believe how quickly the last 2 years have gone! From his crazy birth in the car in the parking lot of a gas station to my little man who talks all the time, and raises his voice an octave to sing to me! He is such a joy in our family! We love how he says "close-it" for closet, always wants his binky and blankie, and gives great "sqeezy" hugs! We love you little man!






Happy birthday, Liam!!

His favorite book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar (he likes to tell it with me-- so cute!!)
Favorite food: Macaroni & Cheese and pancakes (the only things he will eat!)
He LOVES trains, all sports (and has been able to tell the different sports apart for months-- and taught Brooklyn who could never keep them straight!!) and is such a fun boy!