December Highlights

1. A baby shower on December 8th! There were so many people from my new ward in Mesquite who came. I was surprised to realize how quickly we have gotten to know so many people and what wonderful friends we've already got here.

Unfortunately, this was the only picture we got

I also had two showers in Utah when we went up there for Thanksgiving. It was wonderful to see family, friends, and many of my Nauvoo sisters. I got lots of great advice, and Lizzy Jo got lots of presents!

2. Getting my hair cut on December 12th! This is the shortest my hair has been since...birth, probably.

From the front

And showing the back

The first couple of days I kept saying to myself, "What have I done?!" And then saying, "But it will be cute when I figure out how to do it!" I've never had short hair like this, so I am learning. I am totally happy with it now.

3. Christmas with my husband! We realized that this year will be the only year (at least, for a very long time) that we will celebrate Christmas with just each other. In the past we've spent it with his family or mine, and in the future we will have our children to celebrate with. So we just enjoyed each other's company all day long. Slept in, had pancakes for breakfast, opened presents, went for a walk, played with our presents (I got Empire Builder! Fun!!!), ate good food, listened to music. It was relaxing and, oh, so fun!

4. Seeing family before and after Christmas! Dave's sister and brother-in-law came to visit us the weekend before Christmas and we had a lot of fun playing games and going bowling. I won the second game with a 138! That's my highest score ever, I think. But I am pretty sure I strained a muscle in my abdomen/groin during that game because it was kind of tender for a couple of days after. I guess that's what I get for setting a PR throwing a 9-pound ball at 37 weeks!

We also got to see Dave's dad, Geoff on December 26th. He is a trucker and was driving through Mesquite, so we had him over for breakfast. It was a short visit, but it was so good to see him!

5. Reaching 38 weeks on December 26th!

This is actually me today, at 38 weeks, 3 days

6. Getting about 30 seconds worth of small, teeny snowflakes in Mesquite on December 26th!! I NEVER thought I'd see snow in Mesquite. I was so excited, I ran up our stairs and into the house to tell Dave he needed to come out and see. I was yelling his name, and he thought I was going into labor! :D

7. Seeing Les Miserables last night! It was BEAUTIFUL! After reading the book this year, it's hard to fully appreciate the musical, because there is so much that had to be cut out to make it work. But that's how it is with all musicals. You have to make it about the MUSIC. And the music in the movie did not disappoint. I loved Javert/Russell Crowe, and the Friends of the ABC. And I think that some of the music was even more moving to me than when I saw the stage production, because I knew more of the story from the novel, even if it didn't come out fully in the production. All I have to say is, there was a GREAT cast and I am really impressed!