kim - i stole your idea

My friend Kim is ready to have a baby anyday now.  And she keeps posting the most clever blog posts.  Maybe she doesn't mean them to be, but they're hilarious and really make me think.  Her post today was about the two books she's read lately.  She joked about how she doesn't read a lot of books.  

And I thought...freak I read a lot of books, I could totally post about the books I've read lately.  So, my awesome friend Kim, I stole your idea.  Hope you don't mind...and hurry and have that baby! :)

(And to my sister Rachelle who is HOPEFULLY in labor now, I can't wait to see pictures!)

What I've read in the last few months:

(Disclaimer - I'm on this really weird YA fiction kick lately.  I don't know if it's my desire to be an irresponsible, play all the time teenager, again or if I just love the clean, cute love stories.)

Divergent:

It's awesome.  I love books about people who take a stand against what they feel is wrong.

Matched and Crossed:

Again...awesome.  Clean, cute love story intertwined with taking a stand

Heaven Is Here:

I'm slightly in love with this Mom blogger who survived a plane crash.  I love reading her thoughts about the gospel and about her accident.  You should read it.

Unbroken:

I love history; especially WWII.  I love even more what helped the main character overcome everything.

The Maze Runner series:

I kept reading it thinking it would get happier...(sorry spoiler alert) but it just didn't.  But I still enjoyed the rush of it all.

And I'm waiting for the 2nd in the Divergent series, the 3rd in the Matched series, and just put on hold Hell Above Earth - another WWII story.  Anymore suggestions?  What are you reading?!  Tell me!

december was awesome

I'm positive all of my blog posts sound the same.  We did this and then this and it was awesome.  Sound familiar?  Sorry my writing is so predictable, cheesy and on the level of a 5th grader.  And on that note...

December was busy.  Several evenings we drove the kids to sleep while looking at lights.  We held a few different "craft nights" where the kids threw paper and string everywhere while James and I pieced together ornaments or decorations. We listened to Christmas music through all the chaos.  Awesome.

 

We spent a weekend in Draper with James's family.  We rode the front runner to Salt Lake and walked around Temple Square.  Luckily it wasn't super cold yet and so it was enjoyable.  Porter had a lot of fun playing with his cousins who he asks about frequently.  No pictures - I forgot the camera!

My parents came for Christmas and okay seriously, it was awesome!  It snowed the whole week of Christmas.  We watched movies, drank hot chocolate, played games, and ate a ton.  I made a huge platter of appetizers for Christmas eve and then a turkey dinner on Christmas day.  On Christmas Eve in the middle of a blizzard we drove to Hardware Ranch - a little farm for the elk in the area.  It was FREEZING!  The second we got out of the car, I started to complain.  And by the time the sleigh ride was over I couldn't feel my legs or toes.

 

we didn't have a sled so James improvised - the kids did not like it.  Can you tell?

Christmas Eve we opened pajamas and a griddle for Christmas morning breakfast!  My parents were surprised they got jammies - if you come to my house for Christmas, you better believe you're getting jammies!

Christmas morning was wonderful.  James and I made a huge breakfast which we had to eat before we opened presents.  It's a tradition from James's family which at first I hated and kept trying to convince him we didn't have to do it.  But I REALLY enjoyed it this Christmas morning so I guess we'll keep it up. :)

And then we opened presents!  James surprised me with a keyboard - which I've been talking about for a few years.  He rocks. 

A few days after Christmas we drove to St. George for New Year's.  It was nice to spend a lot of time with my parents since we see so little of them throughout the year.

  I'm stoked for the new year!  My older brother is getting married in 6 weeks.  And I have a long list of goals that I'm determined to accomplish this year.  Ya know the normal ones - lose weight, exercise more, and a new one - learn how to french braid my own hair!

merry christmas

Thanksgiving 2012

Our Thanksgiving rocked this year!  And this is why...

 

(all packed and ready to leave Draper. Our BF purchases are hidden under all this stuff so the kids couldn't see!)

1. James had off school Wed - Fri.  So Wednesday morning, we woke up, cleaned, packed and drove to Draper!

 

2. I made Banana Creme and Chocolate Creme Pie and they both were freaking amazing.

 

3. I didn't overeat.  It's true.  No stomach ache after dinner.

 

4. I ran while in Draper. (I've been running 3-4 times a week!)

 

5. I DID BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING!!

It was the greatest adrenline rush and I will now be doing it every year.  I scored awesome deals and my Christmas shopping is literally done.  Plus, my inlaws and husband were way too much fun to do late night CRAZY shopping with.

 

6. We went to the temple as a family.

 

7. I got to see my college buddy, Katie, my singles ward friend, Kim, AND my Logan friend, Natalie.

 

8. Watching Porter play with his cousins was hilarious.  From their very intense conversations about the paper they were holding to their races around the house - it was all too great.

 

9. Paige and Porter practially entertained themselves the entire weekend.  Grandma's house is way too much fun.

 

10. We came home to a clean house at a decent hour. (I swear we're usually rolling into Logan at 10pm!)



October is gone!

I can't believe it's already November!  And there are way too many things for me to tell you about.  Really, these Eldridges did some pretty exciting things in October.

We carved our pumpkins.

We went to the American West Heritage Park for their Fall Festival.  We ate kettle corn, got old fashioned candy, played in some hay and walked through a corn maze.  It was a lot of fun!

Over James's fall break he had this idea to go camping.  I am a water-side, middle of the summer, kind of camper.  So I was very against this idea from the beginning.  But...I decided we could try it.  It was actually a lot of fun up until bedtime.  Finally about midnight, James said, "Do you want to take Paige home?"  I happily drove home with Paige and we each slept in our warm, comfortable beds.  Porter of course slept through her screaming in the tent and James said he slept through the night.  Awesome.

We've been doing lots of "art projects" lately.  This is painting with pudding!

Halloween....oh Halloween!!  I'm a little crazy and wanted to do as many trick or treating events as possible.  I just wanted to show off my kids cute costumes.  I made them myself - with a ton of help by my friend, Shalisha.  We went to a trick or treat at a grocery store the Saturday before Halloween.  Then on Halloween we went trick or treating to the mall, a retirement center, our church, and then to a few houses.  Ah!  We got so much candy.  And our kids were happy all day.  Each time Porter got one piece of candy, he would say, "Mom, I want more candy!" And Paige was determined to walk and hold her bucket all by herself.

My parents came for a night a few weekends ago.  It was a fast trip but it was nice to watch them play with my babies and treat us to Aggie ice cream comes.  It's the best ice cream around.  Promise.

And even though it's November...my really good friend Kim and her little family came to play today.  We were super laid back - ate pizza for lunch, walked to the park, played with our kids in the living room, and then made roasted chicken and mashed potatoes for dinner.  (It'll be on my food blog soon!)

OH! And did you know Home Depot does "kid workshops" every month?  We had no idea!  When James and Porter were there today Porter got an apron, and made and painted a Thanksgiving napkin holder.  It is adorable and he was VERY proud to show it to me!  Gosh I love him.  He really is such a sweet little boy who insists on pleasing those around me.

a pumpkin patch

Earlier this week we went to TWO different pumpkin patches.  Pumpkins are insanely cheap in Logan (gotta love the agriculture here!) and after we stopped at one patch, we saw ANOTHER one with a kiddie maze and toys for the kids.  So we stopped there too.

Paige kept trying to pick up every pumpkin.  She'd put her arms around one and go "Oh!"

 (The second patch...)

And I promise my little Porter has shirts that fit him. But we got this very large Toy Story shirt as a hand me down and it's all he ever wants to wear.

And Paige always pulls her clips out...I do try and fix her hair everyday.

 We haven't carved our pumpkins yet...to be continued :)

AND...Have you ever stared at your kids and thought, "Wait, when did you get so big?" Or when did you learn those words, sounds, funny actions?  I've been doing that lately with mine.  Every time I turn around Porter is telling me something new, or making me laugh even harder.  And Paige...she is just a doll.  Hilarious and beautiful and she will do anything her brother does - it's too much sometimes for this Mom to handle.  I can't get in enough kisses, or hugs, or tickle time.  Please stop growing up.  I really do love this stage - two happy energetic toddlers :)

You love them huh? (Porter says that at the end of every sentence, "....huh?"

our friends

We've made some awesome friends in Logan.  Specifically - Keagan and Remington.  They're twin boys, a little older than Porter.  We met at the park last time we lived here.  Porter asks for them to come play and prays for them at night.  Paige squeals and touches their tummies when they come over.  We love our friends.  And we do A LOT together!

 We watched the USU Homecoming Parade together...