Ingebrigtsen

6 Weeks

2011-11-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

This little cutie pie turned 6 weeks yesterday. Each week when Tuesday rolls around, we talk about how happy we are that it is the current Tuesday and not the Tuesday that I was in labor :) Lucy is such a great baby and has started to smile and focus on things. The only hurdle we are trying to get past now is reflux. Not fun. She had a really bad night last Friday, so we went to the doctor on Saturday and figured out that this is what she has. She's on medicine, which is helping, but we have to put it in her mouth with a syringe and she hates it. Mom hates it too, but it makes her feel better so we get through it. So, here's to six weeks. We sure love this little peanut!!

Halloween

2011-11-01T09:30:00.001-06:00

Well we had a pretty uneventful Halloween night at the Ingebrigtsen home. I've been sick for the past couple of days, which meant we stayed home and didn't do much. However, Lucy was the cutest little skeleton you've ever seen and she wanted to wish everyone a late but happy Halloween.

Look Who's One Month Old

2011-10-27T12:02:00.001-06:00

Little LucyBug is one month old and really starting to wake up, as you can see.

Month One has been really challenging and really amazing. It's so fun to watch this little girl grow and discover things. Here are some things I want to remember about Lucy's first month:

Lucy is such a good baby with a calm temperament and a very sweet spirit
She has loved having her hair washed and played with since day one
She used to hate baths but is getting much better at them now that she can have the warm water all over her body
She is a great eater and usually goes 3 hours between feedings
She likes it when you blow on her neck (air out those creases)
She is starting to focus on people and things and will sometimes follow you with her eyes
She likes to rock in the rocking chair and likes it when you sing songs to her

We love you so much Lucy and I promise we are starting to get the hang of this parenting thing. Thank you for being so patient and such a good girl. We can't wait to see what the next month brings!

More Newborn

2011-10-27T11:46:00.002-06:00

Here are some more of my favorite newborn pictures, taken by my sister. It's very clear that this blog will now be starring Lucy. She's by far the cutest member of our family, so it only makes sense. There are lots of pictures...I guess you could say I'm a proud mommy :)

2011-10-19T11:51:00.001-06:00

Sneak Peek

2011-10-17T11:53:00.002-06:00

Lucy has a very talented aunt Emily who took her newborn pictures. Here is a little preview. Lucy was amazing for pictures, especially after she pooped all over me. I think that made her feel a lot better about being positioned and repositioned and having her outfit changed over and over. What a trooper. Lots more pictures to come. THANK YOU Emily for doing such an amazing job. We love you and we love our little Lucy Bug!

Getting Out

2011-10-17T11:47:00.002-06:00

We have been loving the good weather so we can get out of the house a bit and get some fresh air. Lucy's doctor recommended lots of walks while it's still warm and we have loved filling these doctor's orders.
Lucy's first trip to Sugar House park.

We really wanted to see the leaves before they are gone, so on Saturday we drove up to Brighton and walked around Silver Lake. It was lovely.

And here are some more Lucy pictures, just because they are cute.

Lucy loves it when daddy plays with her hair.

And this is the result of daddy's hair styling. Ok, enough pictures mom!

She also loves to hold daddy's hands.

BIG yawn! It is hard work to try and stay awake :)

There we go, back to sleep.

Meeting Great-Grammy.

It's true what they say, becoming a parent is the hardest but the best thing you'll ever do. We are slowly but surely getting things figured out and we sure love this little peanut!

Little Lucy

2011-10-01T12:05:00.008-06:00

Lucy Caroline Ingebrigtsen

September 27

6 lbs 1 oz

18 inches

Lots of beautiful, dark hair

She's here! Little Lucy made her entrance two weeks early and is the greatest thing that has ever happened to us. Her delivery was long and a little rough, but she made it safe and sound.

Family of three - we still can't believe it!

Ready to go home!

Yes, we are obsessed with all that dark hair!

First bath at home. She did not love the sponge bath, but LOVED having her hair washed.

Peek-a-boo! Look at that face. We just love this little girl so much!

Daddy is getting her ready for ski season, with her own personalized beanie. What a lucky girl.

Welcome to the world Little Lucy Girl! You bring so much joy to our little home!

I am grateful for...

2011-09-24T20:45:00.004-06:00

great friends! I have really been blessed in this department of my life and I love these girls so much. The best part is that we have all known each other and been friends since elementary school. I hope my baby girl finds an amazing group of friends like mine. They are the best!
Amber threw me such a fun shower at her beautiful home with friends and their moms. It's so fun to see everyone's moms too because I grew up in their homes and it takes me right down memory lane when I get to see all of them.
I just wish everyone still lived in Utah (Nat and Alex - you were seriously missed!)

I am the last of my friends to become a mom, which works out great, because I have so many great mommies to answer all of my questions and teach me the ropes. Bring on the play dates ladies!

Ain't this the truth...

Such a fun night - thanks to the best friends and moms ever!!!

Almost Ready

2011-09-08T21:40:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow = 1 month to due date. Yikes!

My friends at work gave me the diaper bag I REALLY wanted. Yay!!!

Back to School

2011-09-05T12:28:00.003-06:00

Baby girl and I are so proud of her daddy who started his MBA program this week! He spent the week in Phoenix, AZ on campus getting started. They were in class all day, every day (like 8am-9pm).

Good news is that he loved it! It's always nice to feel reassured that you've made the right decision.

We are SO proud of you Erik!

And he got bonus points because he brought home a cute present for baby girl :)

Shower

2011-09-05T12:23:00.002-06:00

Ok, baby showers are WAY fun. Everything is so adorable, I can hardly stand it. I'm getting so excited to meet this little girl and see her in all of her cute outfits!

My dad's side of the family has a tradition of going to Little America for brunch, which is so awesome because it's delicious and the perfect setup for our little group.

Sisters: Love these girls!

Eliza's cute mom came too. It's easy to see where Eliza gets her fun personality from :)

And how about these adorable cookie favors that my sister ordered from her super talented friend.

All things baby girl = Adorable

Thanks mom and Emily for putting this together and to all my cute cousins for coming and for the cute gifts. Such a fun morning!

Jackson Hole

2011-08-18T22:31:00.003-06:00

Well I survived camping at 7 months pregnant. You might say I'm a really good sport for attempting that, but I have to admit that I did my fair share of murmuring. All in all we did have fun and Erik did create a pretty sweet sleeping setup for us in our car. The Element really earned it's keep while we were there. I mean it's no Mini Cooper, but it's finding a place in my heart :)

I'm pretty sure I'll never be willing to sleep in a tent again.

So, the advantage of bringing preggers along is that you always have a photographer! Here they are at the rapid known as Lunch Counter. Pretty intense. You'll be surprised to know that Ashleigh (in the back of the boat) actually stayed in the boat. I think she was completely submerged!

And here are all the happy campers at the end of their ride. They said the water was really cold, so that made me feel a lot better about sitting on the sidelines.

On Saturday we rented a boat and rode around Jackson Lake. We also stopped and had delicious pizza for lunch. It was beautiful and pregnant-friendly. Just try to ignore the fact that I was swelling up like a balloon at this point. The hot weather really did a number on me, but you'll be happy to know that the swelling has since gone down (like anyone cares but me). I strategically cropped my ankles & feet out of all pictures. Not a pretty sight. The scenery on the other hand was gorgeous!

Chad was really getting the full experience

On the way back we stopped at Jenny Lake, which was equally beautiful. I also soaked my balloon feet in the freezing cold water and it felt amazing. Sorry for all the prego references, I guess it basically consumes my life right now.

And I'm super excited to say that we actually saw some wildlife! I feel like I'm totally jinxed in this department because I never see wildlife, but we were on a roll this year.

You can't see him very well, but that brown thing in the trees is a bear.

And then a few minutes later we saw a moose with her calf. It was awesome - nature at it's best!

So, that was our trip. And once again I have camping checked off of my list for another year. Yipee!

Birthday Boy!

2011-08-14T21:04:00.006-06:00

Erik had a birthday a couple of weeks ago, so I've been a major slacker on the blog, but better late than never right? Plus I'm finding that being 30+ weeks pregnant has turned uncomfortable and exhausting. I'm not complaining though, overall pregnancy has been amazing. So, back to Erik. We celebrated all weekend long for this guy who is now 26 - so old, right? If only he and I could switch ages, I think that would be a lot more fair :)

On Saturday we had a pool party and dinner at my parent's house in Midway with both families. It was lots of fun. Erik's dinner menu choices consisted of Cafe Rio salads, Mexican sodas, fruit and cheesecake. It was delicious!

Birthday Boy enjoying his soda.

This little munchkin liked them too.

Brothers.

A BIG thanks to these two, as always, for providing such a wonderful getaway in Midway.

We also had a party at the Ingebrigtsen's House on Thursday (I accidently forgot my camera) and the traditional Sunday dinner in Erik's honor at my parent's house on Sunday. It was a party weekend!

Uncle Erik is so cool.

These two crazy kids who are living out of state drove home for the weekend and totally surprised us. No one knew they were coming. It was so fun to see them. I can't wait for them to move home this week.

Happy Birthday Erik!!! Thanks for being so awesome and keeping me young and adventurous. I was so smart to marry a younger man :)

Erik is a kid at heart and has some MAJOR life changes coming up. I could not be more proud of him and he is going to be the best daddy ever.

Love YOU!

Project #2

2011-07-14T20:44:00.000-06:00

Yay! Another project successfully completed for Baby Girl's nursery. I found this beauty at the D.I. and thought, I'm going to give the whole DIY stuff a try and see if I'm cut out for it. This rocker was brown with orange cushions when I bought it. A little paint and new fabric and voila!!! Thank goodness for Vera to help with the sewing, but we had so much fun and the project didn't even involve any swear words on my part. That's a true success in my book. I'm getting so excited to meet this little girl!

Birthday Girl

2011-07-14T20:36:00.002-06:00

I just had to post this picture. My adorable niece turned 2 recently, so we celebrated in red, white and blue! My sister had the cutest party for her. And is this not the cutest red,white and blue outfit you've ever seen? Seriously, I was dying when my sister found this. It's safe to say I'm kind of obsessed with this little peanut!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATE!!! We love you!

We Love Ice Cream

2011-07-07T21:25:00.002-06:00

What's a pregnant girl to do when she's in need of some ice cream?

Call her pregnant friend of course! And she was in luck because her pregnant friend just so happened to be craving some ice cream as well. Thank goodness for Iceberg to take care of just these types of situations. And that is a "mini" shake in my had, although it is enormous.

I'm just jealous that Caitlyn gets to meet her baby girl on Monday!! and I have to wait until October. Good luck Cait!

Nursery

2011-07-07T10:04:00.002-06:00

Baby Girl's nursery is underway. We are having so much fun getting ready for her! Erik put the crib together last night which made it even more real. Here is one of our first completed projects and I'm so excited about it! This dresser was in the the room that my sister and I shared when we were little. We tried our hand at spray paint and it turned out great. Now I have that pop of turquoise in the room that I hoped for. It is actually going to be our changing table, but we don't have all the accessories yet.

It's a good thing this project went well, it gave me the encouragment I need to tackle a couple more. I'm just feeling so domestic these days - the next few projects involve sewing (yikes). Thank goodness for Vera. Wish me luck!

My Belly

2011-07-01T16:46:00.001-06:00

I feel weird about posting this picture. I don't know why, because I think prego pictures of other people are adorable. Anyway, this is for the few friends/fam who are not in Utah to see my body-expanding-transformation in person.

And on another note,

HaPpY 4th of JuLy weekend!

Hope you all have some fabulous summer fun!

Home and Mostly Recovered

2011-06-23T18:28:00.000-06:00

I am home and after a few days of laziness I'm almost feeling back to normal. My trip was incredible and exhausting. I think my favorite country was Italy, although each place was amazing! Italy is just so picturesque and there are so many beautiful and well-dressed Italians - everywhere you look there is something lovely to take in.
We went a couple of days early and got on the ship in Sorrento, Italy so that we could get everything ready for our group of about 575 people that would be boarding a couple of days later in Rome. We took beautiful, very narrow and winding roads to get to the ship. I don't know how there aren't car/scooter crashes all day long. The scooters just dart through traffic, it's crazy!

Next it was off to Rome and I was lucky enough to go on a tour of the Vatican. All I can say is mind-blowing! Especially St. Peters Basilica. Seeing these places in person is so amazing. It took me right back to Mrs. Woods AP Art History class!

Unfortunately I didn't have time to get off the ship at the next stop which was La Spezia, Italy, but I did get some beautiful shots from the boat.

Next it was Portofino, Italy. This was my favorite. It was so quaint and beautiful. I'd like to frequent this town when I have millions of dollars and travel around the world on my yacht.

That was the final stop in Italy, next we were off to Monte Carlo, Monaco. One day we went on fabulous tour to a perfume factory and to some little shops that were actually in a French town bordering Monte Carlo. Italy was my favorite, but France is pretty lovely as well.
I LOVED this carousel. It was right outside the restaurant where we had lunch. I just might have to frame this pic for Baby Girl's nursury.

I didn't get to see much of Monte Carlo, but this is a shot from the ship.

After a couple of days in Monte Carlo, our last stop was St. Tropez, France. This town was equally beautiful but a lot more crowded. It had lots of great shopping though! My boss found a Baby Dior binki so baby girl now how her most expensive accessory!

The cruise ended in Barcelona. Although our attendees were very nice for the most part, I was not sad to say goodbye to them. We took the day to unwind and tour the city before flying home the next morning. Barcelona was also incredible and had some amazing architecture.

We drove up to the top of a hill to look over the city. I was amazed by how crowded it looked.

Despite the fact that we were working alot, it was an incredible trip. I can't wait to go back one day with Erik. 12 days was a long time to be away and it is nice to be home.

Bon Voyage

2011-06-07T14:14:00.000-06:00

When I looked at changing jobs last year one of the major selling points for my current position is that we would be planning a Mediterranean cruise for following year's incentive trip. How could I pass that up? Well, to be honest, the past year has been good but not all awesomeness and putting this event together has been A TON of work. But, tomorrow is the big pay-off folks! I will be spending the following week in...

ROME, ITALY

PORTOFINO, ITALY

MONTE CARLO, MONACO

ST. TROPEZ, FRANCE

BARCELONA, SPAIN

I am SO excited. I just hope my prego body can handle the long flights.

The only sad part to this story is that this guy won't be there with me...

Luckily he has lots of friends to keep him company and he won't have his wife here to hound him about how much golf he plays. So really it's a win/win.

MANY pictures to follow!

A Lovely Weekend

2011-06-07T14:00:00.000-06:00

To celebrate our anniversary we basically did the same thing we did last year... but that's because it's so awesome and relaxing and you can't beat a free getaway. We spent a lovely weekend in Midway, complete with some shopping in Park City, dinner at the Gateway Grill, a beautiful walk and Martinellis on the back porch. Just lovely!

I love pink trees...

Two Down

2011-06-07T13:48:00.000-06:00

I can't believe that two years ago from yesterday we were doing this...

And now we're getting ready for this...

My how time flies!

The past two years have definitely been the best of my life and I'm so excited to start our family and meet our baby girl.

I LOVE YOU ERIK!

Thank you for everything and for being a perfect balance to my craziness.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

It's a . . .

2011-05-23T19:54:00.001-06:00

G I R L!!!

I subtly mentioned this in the previous post, but wanted to officially announce the big news.

To say I'm excited would be a huge understatement.

Erik is also very excited :)

I just love all things girl and I am going to have to practice some serious self-control. Planning for Baby Girl's nursery is underway and so far I am inspired by the following. The turquoise/bright pink combo is really speaking to me. You may see a lot of blue in these pictures, but trust me this girl will have plenty of pink.

Oh my goodness, what fun this is going to be! Let's just hope Erik doesn't see this post. I think he's worried about me going a little overboard. I don't know why :)

Mother's Day

2011-05-23T19:29:00.002-06:00

I had the most fabulous Mother's Day this year for the following reasons:
1 - I have such a wonderful mother and grandmother and I was able to celebrate with both of them
2 - I was spoiled by my cute husband
3 - Best of all, I now hold the wonderful title of MOTHER

Four generations (counting baby Ingy)

My sweet mom and Grandma Shumway. They are both such incredible examples to me and have such a wonderful mother/daughter relationship. I feel so luck to also have an amazing relationship with my mother. It makes me excited to create this special bond with my own daughter :)

These pictures were taken at afternoon tea that was held to celebrate Mother's Day where my grandma lives. We had raspberry tea, cucumber sandwiches, chocolate covered strawberries and cheese & crackers. I felt like just like Fancy Nancy!

Earlier in the week Erik told me to keep Saturday night open because we had a date. I just love surprises and he had a bunch in store for me - what a sweetheart. The first surprise being these beauties:

Then he took me to dinner at Ruth's Diner. This is one of our favorite spots and the weather was perfect to sit out on their patio. It was just delightful.

After dinner he surprised me with a cute headband and some new sunglasses. I couldn't believe it. He really went above and beyond. We finished up the night with a movie. It was perfect. The pressure is on for Father's Day!

Thank you Erik, for making me feel so special on my first Mother's Day!!! I love you!

Vegas

2011-05-15T22:13:00.000-06:00

My next weekend getaway in April was to Vegas for a little girls trip with my dad's side of the family. We don't get to see all of my cousins very often so it was lots of fun to catch up. I was one of three pregnant gals, so we had a lot to talk about. My favorite part was spending time with my mom and sister. We always have a great time together.

We had lots of delicious food, did LOTS of shopping, went to a movie, played games and went to the Beatles Love show. All of which were so much fun and just what we needed! Thanks for all the fun memories ladies - and we missed everyone who couldn't be there!

Texas

2011-05-15T21:56:00.002-06:00

April was the month of weekend getaways and it was AWESOME! I finally made it down to Houston for the weekend to visit my dear friend Natalie and her cute family. They were such great hosts and it was so fun to see their beautiful home and have my first Texas experience.

One night they were nice enough to get a babysitter so Natalie, Jackson and I could go downtown for some dinner and shopping. It's so fun to stay in someone's home when you're friends with their husband too. We had a blast and Jackson was kind enough to be our photographer.

Hello HOT MOMMY! I hope I'm this hot when I become a mother in a few months. Nat is so stylish and as you can see, has such a cute family. These two cute girls were both sick while I was there but were still troopers and took me around to all the great sites. I miss them so much!

I thought this duck had some awesome hair on top of his head. Hope it isn't the result of some awful accident. Either way - he was the coolest duck at the pond by far.

On Saturday Natalie and I decided to check out the butterfly conservatory at the Museum of Natural History. It was awesome and there was also an orchid display going on. I know I totally sound like a nerd, but I was in heaven. So this might bore you, but I'm kind of in love with flowers and these were BEAUTIFUL. The butterflies were amazing too, except that when we walked in, we were hit by a wave of hot, sticky humidity. As I was dramatically telling Natalie that I couldn't breath she said she was happy I could experience what true Texas weather feels like (they had abnormally comfortable weather while I was there). So, I now have complete appreciation for what they deal with during the hot summer months. I don't know how they do it!

This place was awesome. I felt like I was on the movie Bio-Dome. If you haven't seen it, you're missing out (if you are a Pauly Shore fan that is).

The temperature was much more comfortable at the bottom of the conservatory.

And seriously folks, how were we supposed to walk by this perfect photo opportunity and not take advantage? It was just like we were 12 years old again :)

THANK YOU Natalie and fam for such a fun weekend! I loved every minute and can't wait to see you again soon. Although I loved Texas, it is still too far. I need Natalie time much more often. I wish I could make a monthly visit at least :) You just don't find friends like Natalie every day!

What Do You Do For Girls Night Out?

2011-04-09T13:59:00.001-06:00

Well we figured out that all you really need is a bag of pipe cleaners - we are easily entertained. Thanks to my niece for being such a fabulous model.

Then we turned the camera over to this brightly accessorized princess . . .

And in a very rare moment, I got a kiss from this little munchkin. Love her!

We also went out for a lovely dinner while the men were at the Priesthood session. Thanks for the fun gals (and my cute nephew, holding down the fort with all these women)!

We Are Norwegian

2011-04-09T13:49:00.002-06:00

We had a little Norwegian family dinner before Heidi moved back to England.

We miss you Heidi!!!

Big News

2011-03-26T09:40:00.001-06:00

I guess this is the month of large announcements for the Ingebrigtsens. We are really changing things up at our house, which is why we will be having one of these in October!!!

CRAZY!!! I know! We are so excited and terrified and everything in between. We must have done a really good job convincing people that an Ingy Baby was a LONG ways down the road, because we got some really surprised reactions. It has been so fun to share our secret with friends and family and we can't wait for this new adventure!
The night I found out I was pregnant, Erik was at a Bachelor party at a cabin in Sundance, which meant he didn't get home until 2 AM! I was dying!! He thought it was very strange that I kept texting to ask when he'd be home, seeing as I've usually been unconscious for hours by that time of night. When he finally did get home, he was greeted with this:

And here is the proud father the following morning, with his gift, after letting the idea soak in for a few hours. His face isn't showing the complete shock that it showed the night before :)

I just can't wait to find out if this little baby is a girl or a boy so we can get down to some serious planning/shopping/decorating!!

Congratulations

2011-03-12T11:16:00.000-07:00

I just want to congratulate my hubby for recently being accepted to the Global MBA program at Thunderbird. I am SO PROUD of him for working so hard and achieving this goal.

CONGRATULATIONS ERIK!!!

Michael's Winter Adventure

2011-02-23T19:16:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago my brother Michael announced that he would be planning an awesome winter adventure for anyone who dared participate. My first reaction wasn't super positive, but my husband was psyched, so we were in. The date was set for President's Day and the plans began. Michael settled on a snow shoeing adventure which was a first for Erik and I. Luckily my sister-in-law's parents have a basement which is apparently like their very own REI (so I hear, I haven't had the privilege of seeing it first hand) so we had plenty of snow shoes to go around.
When the day finally came it was down to our fearless leader, Jeff, Eliza, Erik and I. I think the 6:45 am start time may have deterred some of the others :) So, we were off on a beautiful hike up Millcreek canyon.

Spirits were very high at this point - the camera was out, we were enjoying the scenery, no big deal.

Unfortunately somewhere along the way when I started to realize that this hike had become much longer and harder than I expected I began to murmur (don't you just hate that word, yet it's such a good description of what I was doing). I hate being a negative nelly but I just don't know that I'm cut out for winter hiking .... luckily though when we finally reached the top it was all worth it. AHHHHH, the heavens opened and I was happy again. It was a winter adventure miracle!

Best winter adventure leader ever! Thanks for an awesome morning Mike. Maybe one day I'll grow to love climbing mountains as much as you :)

We also returned to an amazing breakfast cooked by Vera. It was just what we needed . . . and then a nice nap.

THE END.

Sunset

2011-01-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law started a tradition in our family of monthly temple night. I love it because it helps us all keep up on our regular temple attendance. A couple of weeks ago when we pulled up to the Bountiful Temple, we were greeted by this sunset.

An inspiring way to enter the temple!

And here are the happy campers at dinner after.

Ahhhhh . . . Nature

2011-01-29T15:23:00.003-07:00

A couple of weekends ago we headed up to the Ingebrigtsen's cabin. It is always so nice to get away. I mean seriously get away (no cell phone service).
It's so fun to have Heidi back home for a little visit. Erik and I hadn't seen her in over a year. On Monday morning she joined us for a little cross country skiing and it was just as fun as the one time I did it last year :)

Erik was really feeling in touch with his inner cowboy. We're hoping the folks over at Marlboro might come across my blog and offer him the big bucks to be their next Marlboro man.

It really is so beautiful up there. I mean don't you half expect Mr. Tumnus to come hopping around one of those trees? I know I did :)

They have this pole with the mileage to places all around the world (each one with significance to a family member). Quite an impressive group of places if you ask me. Here we are pointing to our special places:
Sara - Tokyo (hope you didn't all forget about my awesome days in Japan)

Erik - Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic

Heidi - Wuhan, China (She currently resides in England, quite the world traveler)

They even had a little birthday celebration for yours truly.

It's been a LONG time since we were all together as a family, definitely time for a picture of the whole crew.

It was just the refreshing weekend that I needed!

Holiday Recap!!!

2011-01-13T20:24:00.001-07:00

My oh my, where does the time go? The holidays were so wonderful, but they always come and go so quickly and then they're over and it's back to normal life and yucky January :) I can't complain too much though because I got a nice LONG break from work which was heavenly. So, here are some of the highlights:
Erik and I were in charge of the Monson family Christmas party (adults only). Because our cozy little condo is a just a little too cozy to host 10 people for a full dinner party, we went to Fat Cat's for a little bowling and pizza. Afterwards we came to our condo for dessert and prizes. It was a really fun night. I decided to give everyone a bowling nickname, so this is what they were presented with when they arrived:

And before you go thinking I'm super creative for coming up with these nicknames, they are actually all nicknames of real professional bowlers. Everyone was thinking I was super duper random before I told them that.

My favorite award went to Ger-dawg for his "triple hop" technique. It's pretty sweet and works really well for him - you should check it out sometime.

Here's the whole famdamily enjoying the festivities:

On to the big day - unfortunately I was too busy relaxing to remember my camera so I had to steal from my sister, thanks Em!

Here are the boys showing off their new shirts and ties (what a bunch of cuties):

And here are the girlies showing of new scarves and bracelets. And, I have to explain the bracelet because it was one of my favorite gifts. My mom had them made from spoons that came from my grandma's flatwear. They are SO cute and so sentimental. I love mine!

We are so silly:

The week after Christmas I did alot of relaxing, spending time with friends and family, eating, etc. etc. It was awesome!!

And then as the grand finale of the holidays and the year, my birthday. I had a good attitude this year and tried to ignore my increasing age. I was spoiled by my cute husband and was able to celebrate with my family. It was great. Here we are at Trio on the big day for dinner:

My husband resembles a lion in the next picture, but a dang cute lion at that! If you are a fan of the super long curly locks, you'll be sad to know that his wife convinced him it was time for a trim. He does still have a mustache, however, for all of you facial hair lovers.

Other notable holiday highlights:

The birth of the first Ingebrigtsen grandchild - Congrats to Stein & Ashleigh!

My husband gave me an awesome new camera for my bday - get ready for amazing pics.

My mom and I literally got snowed in at our house in Midway.

Boxing day dinner prepared by Helen.

2010 - A GREAT YEAR INDEED

Christmas Devotional

2010-12-07T18:32:00.001-07:00

The Ingebrigtsens were able to get tickets to the First Presidency devotional at the conference center on Sunday. It was so much fun to be there in person. I'm always amazed at the size of the conference center. The choir was incredible and the talks were amazing. Such a great reminder of what is really important at this busy time of year.

When it was over we decided to walk through temple square (along with the hundreds of other people who had the same idea). It was totally worth it though. Awesome fog + beautiful lights + the Salt Lake Temple = some cool pictures. Plus temple square is a holiday must.

Christmas Cards

2010-11-22T17:21:00.002-07:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, my sister is a very talented photographer. With the holidays upon us, she is once again doing photo Christmas cards and this year I designed some of them for her! Here is a sneak peak at some of my favorites:

5 x 7 front

5 x 7 back

5 x 5 front

5 x 5 back

5 x 5 front

5 x 5 back

5 x 7 front

5 x 7 back

To see more cards and get details on how to order, pricing, etc. visit her blog HERE

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

The Monson Family

2010-11-13T14:29:00.001-07:00

Once again I am so grateful to have a photographer for a sister. She took some family pictures at my parent's house a couple of weeks ago. Aren't we cute - the kiddos have almost outnumbered the adults.

Thank you Emily!! She is awesome - check out her photography blog HERE

More Halloween Festivities

2010-11-13T14:11:00.001-07:00

We had a lot of fun this Halloween. Here are some of our lovely family members in costume:

NINJA CHAD

A BAKER and A BUN IN THE OVEN (Gold star for creativity and effort)

BARB as a WITCH

JEFF & ELIZA JANE the JESTERS

TENNIS PLAYER and CHEERLEADER

In search of a Halloween costume, the night before a party, I happened upon this little number in one of my parent's closets. Yep, it is Vera Gene's Bear River cheerleading uniform!! For some reason I had never seen this before and was thrilled to find it, but even more thrilled that it actually fit! Yay mom - thank you for the awesome costume!

I stole these last two pictures from Eliza and Jeff's blog - they had a super fun fondue party with some of her friends. It was awesome, except for the scary movie (that was not scary) picked out by Erik and I.

NOW.... On to the true holiday season!!!

Murder Mystery

2010-11-13T11:22:00.000-07:00

One of Erik's friends always throws a murder mystery party for Halloween. This year we were supposed to dress from the 40's and for Erik that = straightened hair. Not sure why, but it was a fun experiment. It took about 30 min. to tame his curls and I'm proud to present the finished product:

***Disclaimer: the cigarette was all part of his character. Don't want anyone thinking the Ingebrigtsens are experimenting with new lifestyles.
Now, the real question - have we found Erik's celebrity look-alike?
Unfortunately, no luck on my side of things. Dream on, right!

Stay tuned to "E" for this season's new hit, "Keeping Up with the Ingebrigtsens" :)

Anyway - back to the murder mystery. I'm always hesitant about these parties because of the fact that they can really put you outside of your comfort zone, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. It was all based around the murder of a movie producer, so we all had to find a team with a producer, director and actors and then at the end we had to act out a scene from our movie. I'm very proud to say that I was on the winning team.

Here is a shot of the whole group:

And some couple shots - sorry some of them are blurry.

Some very impressive costumes - Erik and I weren't nearly as creative as most.

Washington DC

2010-10-18T21:03:00.001-06:00

What makes work trips awesome - when I also get to visit friends who live on the other side of the country. I've been promising my dear friend Shannon that I would come visit her ever since she moved home a few years ago (I'm a horrible friend I know), but flights can be expensive so when I found out we were having a meeting in DC I was SO excited. A free trip to see my friends!!! In addition to Shannon, I also got to hang out with my friend (and Shannon's cousin) Rachel and my good friend Leslie who is working in DC. What a great time we had.
Even though this was my third time to DC, I've never seen the sites - weird I know! So, Shannon and Rachel were kind enough to take me all over DC with their cute kiddos. We started out with some shopping and lunch at Georgetown and then we hit up the monuments. So fun and such a beautiful place!
Shannon and I enjoying lunch at Johnny Rockets.

Shannon, Rachel and me with their cute kids.

Ahhh, the history!

Cute Shannon with Chloe (Rachel's daughter)

Utah pride!

Jordan (Shannon's cute son) was the only one who would make the trek up the steps with me to see Lincoln. It was the last stop on our walk :)

It was also SO fun to see my friend Leslie while I was there. Shannon and I took the metro to China Town (where Leslie lives - so cool) and had dinner at a place called Ping Pong (also very cool). I wish I had taken a picture of Leslie's apartment. It was so perfect!

I also became friends with Rachel's GREAT DANE! See how friendly we are being - he actually kind of terrified me. I'm not comfortable when animals can stand face-to-face with me. No offense Rachel - he wasn't nearly as scary when he wasn't standing up :)

THANK YOU SHANNON - for being such a fabulous host. I love you and your cute family and your cute house. I also love that no matter how long it's been, it feels like no time has passed when I see you and I can talk to you about anything and everything. You're one in a million!

The Stache

2010-10-18T20:35:00.001-06:00

I told Erik I would post a tribute to his mustache because I made him shave it for family pictures on Sunday... tear. He grew it for the Dirty Dash in the previous post, but then became very attached to the mustache. Every time someone complimented him on it, he was sure to tell me in hopes that I would have a change of heart in the facial hair department. Although he is always cute, what can I say - I like a clean shaven face. So, here it is, in all it's glory.

The Season is here - GO JAZZ!!!

The Dirty Dash

2010-10-18T20:29:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago my husband participated in the Dirty Dash 10k race with some friends. I wasn't sure what to think of this event, but as you'll see in the pictures it definitely lives up to its name.
This is the before shot of Erik's team - mustaches were part of the uniform, according to Erik.

I was there to cheer him on and even got an honorary team shirt, but I was more than happy to stay nice and clean on the sidelines while taking pictures.

The Dirty Dash mascot - enough said.

Here he comes - now it's all making sense, right? The course is full of obstacles and mud pits. Fun, huh? Like I said, I was very happy to stay nice and clean with the spectators.

This is the last huge mud pit after the finish line.

The after picture:

It was quite the event. I couldn't believe how many people participated. I must say I am super proud of Erik for running a 10k. He did great!

We're ALIVE!

2010-10-16T21:49:00.001-06:00

I thought I'd never be one of those people who goes months without posting something on my blog, but turns out life can get super busy! I have been doing a lot of traveling with my new job and when I'm home it's nice to just spend some time with my hubby and relax. But, we have been up to some fun things over the past couple of months, so here's some catch up...if anyone still checks this blog :)

We had a lovely time in Midway over Labor Day weekend. It's rare to get most of the family up there together because of everyone's crazy schedules, and so it's nice when we can get most of the group up there at the same time (we were missing Jeff and Eliza who spent the weekend in Sun Valley and were greatly missed!)

One of the highlights was a late night trip to the Midway hot pots. We had heard about them and decided we needed to be adventurous and check them out. They are definitely H-O-T! Ryan, Emily and I found the experience to be very painful. Michael and Erik on the other hand must have a different core temperature or something, because they found the heat delightful...

Here's our attempt at a group shot, although the lighting was a little dark we were lucky to get all the kiddos to cooperate.

THE WEDDING

2010-08-17T19:48:00.001-06:00

We have been so busy this summer. It has been full of birthdays, graduations, new jobs... it has all gone by too fast. The highlight of the summer was my little brother's wedding. It was so much fun from beginning to end. I still can't believe my little bro is hitched, but we love Eliza so much - they are a perfect couple.

A couple of nights before we had a dinner at the Soldier Hollow club house in Midway. It was a great night, full of surprises. The two highlights were a song that my brother wrote about Eliza and that fact that neither of them eat fruit and then Jeffrey lip synced a song for Eliza. Good times! So, here goes...

This is not the best picture by a long shot, but it's the only one I have of Erik in his cute outfit :)

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Monson. We love you two!

4th of July

2010-07-10T21:54:00.000-06:00

We had a great 4th of July weekend in Midway. Love this country. Love my family. Life is good!

Cutest 4th of July baby girl award? I think so!

Fun with sparklers, glow sticks and a fireworks - all from the comfort of my parent's back porch. Such a fun night.

SUMMER

2010-07-02T15:12:00.002-06:00

For our anniversary, Erik and I spent a wonderful night in Midway. It is so peaceful up there. On the way up we stopped and did the Alpine Slide and the Coaster. Very fun - especially the Coaster which is surprisingly awesome. We also went for a little bike ride once we got to Midway. The weather was perfect.

We also spent last weekend in Jackson Hole - another one of my favorite places. My brother Jeffrey and his fiance Eliza decided they wanted to go on a river trip one night and luckily Erik's brother Stein is an expert river guide and has his own raft! So, we didn't waste any time planning this little getaway. It's always fun to spend a weekend with some of your favorite people.

Here is the whole group, just before getting on the river. We love having our own personal river guide in the family! It was a blast. The only bummer was that their boat got a hole in it and so we were only able to go down once.

We also spent a day at Jenny Lake and rented kayaks. The lady told us that if we had never been on a kayak before, they wouldn't let us go out because the water was so cold. Super extreme sports haha! Doesn't it look dangerous :)

Finally, we went for a little hike. Jeffrey and Eliza were brave and got in one of the lakes to cool off. It was too cold for me though. I wish I had a picture of them.

I'm wearing Erik's "Shaka" hat, which means hang loose, thus my choice of pose in this picture. Erik probably thinks I'm a nerd for explaining that, but I didn't know what shaka meant.

So, thank you Stein, Ashleigh, Chad, Jeff and Eliza for such a fun trip. I'll always remember our special time together at the camp ground, our awful waiter at Bubba's and our wild trip down the river!

Year One

2010-06-08T16:55:00.000-06:00

Erik and I celebrated our one year anniversary on Sunday. I can't believe how fast this year has gone by.

Our wedding was SO much fun. I wish I could go back and experience it all over again.

I love being married to Erik! We have had so much fun this year. I can't wait for all of the years to come.

Happy Anniversary husband!!

Past Due

2010-05-25T18:45:00.000-06:00

I'm way late on posting this and I think it's because I still can't come to grips with it. My dear, dear friend Natalie has moved to Texas...tear. It's just so weird to think she's so far away because she's ALWAYS been right there when I've needed her. We were seriously attached at the hip from when were little girls all the way until marriage. There's not a better friend in the world than Natalie. On multiple occasions she has proven to me that she knows me better than I know myself. So be good to her Texas. She's one in a million!

Here are some pictures from an adios party we had for them.

And, I just have to post some pictures of these cute kiddos. My friends have such adorable children!

XOXO Nat! I love and miss you so much!!!

Last Ones, Promise :)

2010-05-20T15:57:00.000-06:00

We kind of went picture crazy in Hawaii, but I promise this is the last of them.

These first ones are from Waimea Canyon. It's been called the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific". It was a long, winding road to get there but totally worth it. We made two stops, one is just the canyon side and the other is at the very top where you can see the canyon run into the ocean. Very cool!

Another day we went to Secret Beach. We had to hike down the side of a hill to get to it but it was awesome and hardly anyone else was there.

Here is a tribute to our golden Mustang convertible. Erik it really missing this car.

We also went to an awesome rope swing that went into a beautiful, natural pool. Here's Erik, striking a pose.

We also discovered the most delicious hot dogs in the world. They were SO good. They were completely surrounded by bun on all sides, so they just slip the dog down in through a hole in the top. Then they add their secret sauce, Hawaiian mustard and relish made from different tropical fruits. I have no idea what was in any of these sauces, but WOW! They were amazing.

The last day we rented scooters and drove all over Princeville. Not having much scooter experience, I was a little nervous but got the hang of it real quick. It was a blast.

And last, but not least, a tribute to the wild chickens that are EVERYWHERE on the island. The provided some good entertainment. I'm pretty sure this guy has got to be the oldest rooster on the island.

THE END!!!

Sorry for the picture overload, we probably won't go on another trip this cool for many years to come.

Kauai Part II

2010-05-18T20:30:00.000-06:00

More Hawaii pictures!

One day we went on an incredible hike at the top of the island, along the Na Pali Coast.

The hike ended at a beautiful beach. I love the color of the ocean in these pictures.

We saw a lot of beautiful waterfalls. I think this one was in Jurassic Park.

Another day we kayaked up the Wailua River and then hiked to another awesome waterfall.

Ok, that's all for tonight. I'll get the last of them up tomorrow. Aloha!

Kauai = Paradise

2010-05-17T17:56:00.000-06:00

We just got back from an amazing week in Kauai. We fell in love with this island. It is BEAUTIFUL and there is so much to do. It has a history of being very rainy, but we were blessed with perfect weather all week. It might take a few posts to get through all the pictures, but there are just too many fun memories to share.

We stayed at the Marriott and it was an incredible resort. The room was great, food was delicious and the pool was incredible - all right on the beach too!

On Sunday we went to Po'ipu Beach. It was beautiful. Erik did some snorkeling and I was reminded, AGAIN, that snorkeling isn't really my thing. I'd rather observe fish from dry land :)

I felt like everywhere we went it looked like a postcard. I was constantly snapping pictures from the car (which happened to be a mustard yellow, mustang convertible - ya baby. Pictures to follow)

This road was under a tunnel of trees. Very cool.

Ok, that's all for now, but much more to follow. Sorry to gush about our amazing week in Hawaii, but we loved every second!

Birthdays All Around

2010-04-24T15:19:00.000-06:00

Two very special people in my life are celebrating birthdays today and I want to wish both of them the very best!

This is my dear friend Amber who joins the always awesome 27-year-old-club today! I just love announcing that for each of my friends so we can all enjoy our age together :) Amber is one of the most talented people I know (I'm sure you'll agree if you saw the flowers at my wedding), incredible mommy to 3 beautiful children and a true friend. Happy Birthday Ambino!

Today is also my mother-in-law, Barb's birthday! Barb loves her family so much and she is always planning fun things for us to do together. She really knows how to enjoy life and I love that about her. It is so much fun being an Ingebrigtsen and I can't wait for all the fun years to come. Thanks for being such a great example and friend Barb!

I'm sure these two women had no idea that they share this wonderful day, but they are both very special to me and I want them to know how much I love them!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU TWO!!!

A Walk Through Sugar House Park...

2010-04-19T17:53:00.000-06:00

Saturday was the perfect day for a walk.
We saw a lot of these guys...

And a lot of these guys...

We also saw quite a few shirtless guys...

A super fun time for these guys...

And a great way to spend some quality time with my favorite guy...

Who just so happened to send me this awesome text message on Friday...

Sometimes the best weekends are the simplest weekends.

Easter

2010-04-06T17:02:00.000-06:00

We want to wish everyone a late, but Happy Easter. I love this holiday and what it represents. It was so nice to have it paired with conference weekend. It reminded me of how grateful I am for my beliefs and for my family. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend.

Erik's adorable grandparents.

I am so thankful for them and for my sweet grandma Shumway.

Grandparents are the best!

Girls Night Out

2010-04-04T21:48:00.000-06:00

I love conference weekend because of the wonderful talks and how uplifted it leaves me feeling.

I also love conference weekend because of girls night out while the men are at the Priesthood session. It is so fun to spend an evening with the wonderful women in my family and all the cute kiddos.

And you can't beat Sizzler and it's Malibu Chicken. I'm serious, it's delicious!

Don't I have cute nieces and nephews! They are so much fun.

B-Day Dinner

2010-03-24T17:34:00.000-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNY!

Thank goodness for great friends

Ingebrigtsen Family Ski Day

2010-03-24T16:55:00.000-06:00

If you know me at all, you know how comical it is that this is my third post about skiing. Anyhow, I did marry a skier from a skiing family. This was my first year at the annual Ingebrigtsen Family Ski Day. It was great because it was lovely weather and free after 3 at Alta. Luckily I was able to keep up with the group and I was most impressed with Erik's parents who can both tear it up on the slopes.

Thinking we're way cool :)

It was a great day.

More Winter Sports

2010-03-08T18:08:00.000-07:00

I guess I did well enough cross country skiing that I graduated to the real thing :) Actually, Erik's brother and his wife were nice enough to let us use their passes to Solitude while they spent the weekend in St. George. I did survive and I did have fun - the two goals of the day. Erik is a great teacher and I think he was impressed with his wife's athletic ability... or so I like to think.

Proof that I didn't spend the entire day on the bunny slopes. Erik didn't take me straight to the double black diamonds like my dear friends did back in high school, but I do think I graduated to intermediate level.

Too bad I can't get the video to work, so I can impress all of my skier friends. I'm just glad it was a good experience and now I can say that I have shared my husband's greatest passion with him.

Viva Las Vegas

2010-02-24T18:15:00.000-07:00

When my husband decided to go on a little ski vacation with his brothers, I didn't waste any time planning a weekend getaway of my own. Good thing Vera is always up for a quick vacation. We flew to Vegas on Friday morning and packed in 2 days of fun and relaxation. It was wonderful!

After a full day of shopping on Friday, we had a delicious buffet dinner at the Bellagio.

Loved those crab legs!

After dinner we went to the Bellagio atrium display. It was an Asian theme and it was incredible.

After an evening on the strip, we decided to switch things up and spent Saturday morning at the Las Vegas temple.

And last, but certainly not least we went to a Cirque Du Soleil show on Saturday night at Treasure Island. It was awesome. They do such amazing acrobatics and make it look so easy. It was very entertaining.

It was such a fun weekend. Thanks for a wonderful time mom!

And here's what my husband spent the weekend doing:

We had very different but perfect vacations!

It's Official!

2010-02-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

My little bro is getting hitched! I could not be happier. We love Eliza so much and can't wait for her to join our family. I also can't wait for another summer wedding. Let the festivities begin! Love you two :)

Who said I don't do winter sports?

2010-02-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

After a long day at work on Saturday (busiest day of the year for massages) Erik and I spent a very relaxing weekend at his cabin in Woodland. The highlight of the trip was a little cross country skiing excursion. Although it involved snow and skis, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was a beautiful day and the scenery was incredible. My in-laws were all very relieved that I returned home in good spirits, seeing as they are avid winter sports enthusiasts.

Yes, my jeans are stuck to this barbed wire fence. I'll leave the details up to your imagination.

Overall, a great day!

Valentine's Day

2010-02-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Valentine's weekend everyone! We celebrated with a little dinner at the Dodo with Eliza and Jeff.

And the Valentine's Day movie. The movie was exactly what you'd expect and a great little flick for the weekend of love. Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

p.s.

2010-02-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

I realize my last post was a little vague :) The beautiful picture is of Kauai! Thanks to a little contest at work Erik and I were able to plan this lovely vacation. We are so excited for this trip because we never would have dreamed of going to Hawaii during our first year of marriage. So, Aloha everyone! Wish I could take you all with me.

To The Beach!

2010-02-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

I WILL survive the winter...

...because in May we're going here!

Sorry, I haven't been to the beach in a while and I'm a little OVERLY excited.

Happy Birthday Cat

2010-01-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

I just love it when each of my friends has the wonderful opportunity of joining us in the 27 year-old club. It's a great club to be a part of, but I just cringe to think that in only 3 years it will be the 30 year-old club. You know what, forget I said that ladies :)

On Friday night we celebrated Caitlyn's birthday with a delicious dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. It's always a nightmare to get in there with a large group, but the Baja chicken tacos are oh so worth it!

I just want to take a minute to tell my dear friend Caitlyn how much I love her. Cat has an amazing sense of humor, she's the best running partner ever, a true friend and an incredible mommy to little Diem. Thanks for everything Cat - Love you so much!

Here's a picture of my favorite ladies (minus poor Amber who is on strict bed rest and our Chicagoan, Alex). I have great friends :) Thanks for a wonderful night ladies.

TRADITION, tradition

2010-01-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

I think I officially became an Ingebrigtsen last night. Erik and his siblings have been requesting a TRUE Norwegian dinner that their grandma used to make. I'm so sad that both of his grandparents passed away before I could meet them, but they left a lot of Norwegian tradition and pride behind with their posterity. One of those traditions was the meal we shared last night with a VERY specific menu, which consisted of:

Cauliflower Soup

Kjottkaker (meat cakes)

Boiled Potatoes (with gravey or melted butter)

Corn

Oranges

Peas (affectionately called "bullets" by Frank's family)

Mac and Cheese (this was an addition for their grandchildren, once they came to America)

Norwegian waffles for dessert

I must say it was delicious! And it was so fun to learn more about their Norwegian traditions and Frank's family. I love my new last name and the flavor it's added to my life :)

We also all dressed the part. Erik's grandma made all of these sweaters, which I think is amazing!

I loved hearing more about Frank's family and the country of Norway. I hope I can see it myself one day, I've heard it's one of the most beautiful places on earth.

So, here's to TRADITION! Thank you Barb and Frank for the cultural experience and delicious food.

Tubing at Soldier Hollow

2010-01-11T19:06:00.000-07:00

As a Christmas present this year, Erik's parents took us all tubing at Soldier Hollow. If you've never done this, I highly recommend it. You don't have to hassle with bringing your own tube and you don't have to hike up any hills :) It's just one fun ride after another! I'm not big on activities that involve snow, but this was great. Thanks Frank and Barb!

Here's an action shot, about to head down the hill.

The hill wasn't super extreme, we connected our tubes and Erik was able to take this picture about half way down the hill. It was super fun though!

On one run we made a train of 7 people and realized that's the way to pick up speed. We ended up running into the fence at the bottom, but all came away unscratched.

Thanks for a great night Ingebrigtsens!

Birthday

2010-01-05T20:22:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I can be a real party pooper when it comes to my birthday. Being born on New Year's eve does have its benefits, like the fact that there's usually no school or work. However, I've always felt that this birthday would be more suited for someone who loves to party and stay up late, for obvious reasons. As my husband has discovered, I don't fit either of those descriptions. But, despite my attitude in the past, I have to say my birthday this year was quite lovely - if you ignore how disgustingly old I am :) On my actual birthday we went to dinner at the Bombay House with my entire family sans children. Luckily everyone enjoyed the Indian food, even the skeptics.

On Saturday, my sweet husband who knows me so well, took his party pooper wife on the perfect surprise date. After a delicious dinner at Squatters in Park City, he totally shocked me with a night at the the Mountain Side Marriott. It was perfect! The room was awesome and they have amazing hot tubs that are connected with mini waterfalls.

Thank you Erik! You couldn't have planned a better birthday surprise. I love you!

Princess & the Frog

2010-01-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

Over the holiday weekend we went on a little girl's date to the new Disney Movie The Princess & The Frog. Before the movie we had a true princess style lunch at McDonalds :)

I love my cute nieces. It was so fun to spend the afternoon with them and it's always fun when it's just the girls.

It was a cute movie and enjoyed by everyone. Thanks for a fun outing girls!

Monson Holiday Party

2009-12-30T18:24:00.000-07:00

My sister threw a super fun holiday party at her house this year. It was so great that it's become the newest Monson family tradition. Holiday sweaters always help add to the holiday cheer too. My posts are a little out of order, but I just got these pictures from Emily. It was a wonderful evening.

Erik took home the title of Best Christmas Sweater. I think his awesome hair and Deer Valley turtleneck really helped him achieve the victory. I've never been so proud :)

In this game you had to only use one hand each to wrap a present as quickly as possible. We were not the fastest, but I think ours turned out the nicest. It really brought out everyone's true colors.

My sister's house looked so cute! I wanted to steal all of her decorations.

The only bummer was that Eliza got stuck at work and missed most of the party. Other than that it was such a great night. Thanks again Em!!

Christmas!

2009-12-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

Our first Christmas together was great! We had so much fun with family, friends and a some new traditions of our own. I love this time of year.

Erik looking hard core with his new pink skate board.

Love my new watch from Erik!

Erik sporting his new ski boots. I still feel bad he didn't marry a skier. One day...

Chad looking very posh on Christmas morning.

Grandad opening his gift from us.

Grandad 5 minutes after opening his gift from us. Adorable!

Barb with her Christmas necklace that actually lights up.

Showing off their new books from grandma.

Cute nieces.

Emily insisted that Erik show off his new backpack like you do on the first day of school - by looking over your shoulder. This is what she got. What a pose!

Last, but certainly not least, Michael showing off his fit bod and rockin his new spandex biking outfit.

Merry Christmas to All!

A Christmas Story

2009-12-15T20:47:00.001-07:00

This year Erik's parents got everyone tickets to A Christmas Story at Pioneer Memorial Theater. The movie is such a classic and the play did not disappoint. It was very funny and had some great acting. It definitely got us in the Christmas spirit. Thanks for a fun night Barb and Frank.

The Ingebrigtsens are really talented at posing for pictures!

Christmas Slumber Party

2009-12-15T20:47:00.000-07:00

My friends and I had so much fun on our girls getaway to Midway, that we decided to do round two for our Christmas Party. This time husbands were invited. I think the men were a little hesitant about a "slumber party" with everyone but the night was full of good times and lots of laughs. It was a great evening!

The night was made complete by the fact that Alex came into town a few days early and was able to make it. It was so fun to see her and catch up.

I think everyone was skeptical of the game I planned, but there were a lot of classic moments and great laughs. Games really bring out the best in people.

Thanks for coming everyone. I had such a fun time and I love chatting and hearing all about your cute families. Luckily Jenny brought her Wii, so the men were occupied while we got in some good girl talk. Such a fun night!

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night!

2009-12-07T19:15:00.000-07:00

What made our Saturday night awesome? Well let me tell you...

1. This adorable bowling alley

2. The Heber locals who kept the jukebox rolling with great tunes

3. Some friendly competition between husband and wife, "Erock vs. Spara"

How about those game faces? And yes, it always helps to have a pink ball match your pink shirt.

It was close, but Erock took game one.

We both choked in game two, but overall a great night. Thank you Holiday Lanes and Heber, Utah!

Firsts

2009-12-01T23:10:00.000-07:00

Isn't it funny how when you get married all of your "firsts" become so exciting, even though they're things you've done a million times? Well I have to say one of my favorite firsts has to be our first Christmas tree. There was just something so fun about picking ornaments and decorating OUR tree however we wanted. Not that it's super special, but it's ours and we love it! Bring on the holiday season.

My favorite part of the tree is our bright green star. I just love the color and I'm obsessed with glitter lately for some reason.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

This year Thanksgiving was extra special for the Monson family because we were able to celebrate at my parent's new home in Midway. We have loved spending time up there. It's the perfect getaway that's not too far away. The food was wonderful and it was fun to catch up with relatives from my mom's side who joined us. My mom did a fabulous job decorating and because I was randomly feeling crafty, I helped with the place cards.

We had our dinner early in the afternoon, so everyone could head to their in-laws after. Gotta love multiple Thanksgiving dinners!

Jeffrey and Eliza Jane

Ryan, Emily and Baby Kate

Michael with some of his cute kiddos

Matthew, getting kisses from Mom

After dinner we were off to Thanksgiving #2 with the Ingebrigtsens, at Grammy and Grandad's house. Lots of running around, but we are so blessed to both come from wonderful families and we loved every minute of it!

Barb, looking festive as usual with her Turkey apron.

Stein and Ashleigh contributed gummy worms to the meal - a little untraditional, but enjoyed by everyone.

So, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This year I am especially grateful for my sweet husband Erik. Life is so much better with him. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday as well.

New Moon

2009-11-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

Although we did not have plans to see New Moon on opening weekend, we decided to go for it when our Saturday night was looking rather drab. My nice husband was sweet enough to go with me and we also met up with Jeffrey and Eliza. Naturally I liked the movie more than Erik, but neither one of us left overly enthused. I think Erik's expression is a perfect depiction of his excitement towards his enormous Diet Coke (they totally sucker you into it with their crazy pricing) and the movie he was about to see. Love it! Overall a great night and the latest we've been up in a long time.

Slumber Party

2009-11-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

My friends and I decided we were in need of a little getaway and decided my parent's new home in Midway was the perfect spot for some much needed R&R. We headed up Friday evening, ate dinner at a great little cafe and then spent the rest of the night chatting about anything and everything. It was a PERFECT evening. I felt like I was back in high school, just hanging out with my favorite girls.

The two babies were troopers for their first slumber party. Aren't they cute?

I love the attempts at self-shots. Here's the closest Amber and I got to a centered picture.

What a fun night! I think it was just what we all needed. I love you girls. p.s. Not sure why I'm in a black & white mood tonight.

Happy Birthday Bailey!

2009-11-15T16:05:00.000-07:00

My cute niece, BAILEY, celebrated her fifth birthday on Thursday. She is such a smart, funny and beautiful girl. We love her so much! Happy Birthday Bailey Bop. Love, Auntie Sara and Prince Erik