Week 1, Project 365

I am so excited about this project! It really embraces my feelings of wanting to capture each day and store them in my heart. A new year and 365 days of memories to fill.

This past year my letter of the year was "W" and words like "wonder", "why", "wisdom", "well" and "willingness" became a part of me.
Now, since I'm going backwards in the alphabet one letter a year, 2009 is the letter "V". Usually the word of the month just pops out to me; "Vitality" and "vamoose" are particular favorites this month. While looking through the dictionary these words seem to hold significance to me: vivacious, valiant, validate, value, visualize, verve, and verily. This way of focusing my attention on one word has helped remind me reach beyond my limits in little ways and try harder to be better. Here's to 11 more months of verve!

Eat more Chickin

Liv and I went to Chick-fil-a today. This was the first time she has ever played on an indoor playground at a food establishment. I wish I had a video camera! We were walking inside (practically running) as she was saying: "WOW! WOW! Whoa! 'lide! (slide)" It was awesome. We were able to order our food only because she was temporarily distracted by the masses of balloons everywhere. We sat down outside the playroom. She was so excited she could barely sit.
Little did we know that we hit the jackpot of all days to choose to go to Chick-fil-a: it was the store's anniversary! We were given frisbees, stuffed cows, balloons, stickers and treats!
But even with all that, the playground tantalized just beyond the windows. She turned to me and grabbed my face and said, "Pay (play)?" and "Peas? (please)" So when Liv stuffed 2 chicken nuggets in her mouth when I told her she could go play as soon as she ate her chicken and drank her milk, I couldn't refuse. It was a Wow day.

Holiday Highlights

I took some time off from blogging during the holidays. The time was well spent and everything was so meaningful and merry! It was such a lovely season for the whole household. PeaPod's most repeated words between Thanksgiving till New Year's were:
1. "ights" for lights
2. "Whoa!. Whoa." whenever appreciating any Christmas decorations or presents.

Here are some of the holiday highlights:
Having an awesome hubby put up the Christmas lights!
















Decorating the house and setting up the nativities everyday after PeaPod would redecorate
Going to the Messiah Sing-a-Long at Abravenal Hall Riding the Tracks with Auntie Krissy to see Nana serving her hostess mission uptown at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building
Unexpected visit from Auntie Loralee and cousins!
The Christensen Christmas Bowling Party
Excuses to wear Reindeer Antlers and Santa Hats



















Seeing the Christmas Lights at Temple Square (once with family and once with the Young Women)
Getting loads of snow on Christmas Day Losing our power on Christmas Morning





















Attempting to go see Santa at the mall and failing twice, but winning in the end with precious photos outside the mall just when it started to snow!



















Winning the Ugly Sweater Contest Party hosted by Will and Erika. Our greatest competition: lil' Milo, of course!
Painting and making gifts in the garage like crazy...the garage is still a mess...
Visiting many family and friends like long-time-no-see-Michigan-friends, the Heatons and their twins! Too two adorable.
Trying to get those Christmas photos at Kiddie Kandids twice...
Mom making us the the Christmas Mouse and writing a poem to go with it (post it later!)





















Seeing Christmas through the eyes of a 21 month old.