The Wilkinsons: January 2011

Monday, January 24, 2011

2010 reading

I read 6006 pages (of fiction) in 2010. That is probably 5000 pages more than the year before. Maybe not a lot to some people, but it's TONS for me! I have zero time to read. What made the difference last year?

Van nursed less than every two hours until he was 6 months old. That's a lot of reading.
I was having so much fun reading that I abandoned the treadmill for the elliptical for about 6 months because I can read while I'm on it. :)

I'm back to running. And I have no baby to nurse. :( I'm sure 2011 will be more like 1000 pages. Here's to hoping for a 7000 page 2012!

My reading list - just for fun! I really loved all of these books.

The Zion Covenant series - Bodie Thoene (books 1-5)
The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series - Alexander McCall Smith (books 3-10?)
The Hunger Games series
Enna Burning - Shannon Hale
AJ Adams - The Year of Living Biblically

i'm a mormon mommy blogger

i'm a mormon mommy blogger. and proud to be one. i know i don't make an impact like some of the big time mormon mommy bloggers out there, but i hope that at some point i can show someone, somewhere that my life is just as magical as i write it to be. i'm so thankful to be a blogging, baking, diaper changing, almost always pregnant or nursing, tear-wiping, furniture renovating, budgeting master, booger wiping, clearance shopping, meal giving, make believing, laundry doing, foodie, husband pampering, lucky wife, LDS church going stay-at-home-mom.

this article made me so glad there are lots of us who do make an impact on the outside world - even if i don't.

http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/01/15/feminist_obsessed_with_mormon_blogs/index.html

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

hiking, climbing and more hiking

the weather has been amazing here so we've been trying to get out as much as we can with the few hours we get on Saturdays.

here we are at Calico Basin... we did some Chaco climbing too because Emery was so into it. she really is a good little climber. i'd think that even if i wasn't her mom!

standing on a rock she napped on when she was 6 months old

here we are hiking "pyramid rock". on any adventure Dora still shows up. the first one she's singing the Dora song about our adventure and the 2nd one she's singing AND dancing. and so's Aaron. ha.

and last but not least we went hiking with Grandpa on MLK day since dad had to work. boo.

anthem east trail:

extras....

Over the holidays we also went hiking with our friends the Derricks and their cute brood.

i know some of you looking at this picture are suspicious about what is hiding under my shirt. i unfortunately have nothing to report except maybe too many Christmas goodies and an awkward camera angle... though not for lack of trying. :)

And Van made pretty noises all the way home.

And Em went to Primary for the very 1st time! Ahhh!!! Jesus DOES want her for a sunbeam!

Aaron turned 28 and celebrated with his annual apple pie... the BEST apple pie on earth. (especially good the next day after it's been in the fridge....mmm...)

I turned 26 with no pictures to prove it. Though I did have an amazingly successful and fun annual shopping trip with my mom (thanks again, mom!) WITHOUT the kids (thanks, dad!)!

Van got his cast off and a much needed hair cut.

And he learned to walk and somehow managed to get cuter as well. (I'll post a walking video later!)

and we went on a hot date - played raquetball (have you ever done this for a date? you should. it's intensely fun!), jumped really high and ate mexican food. then took me home early to bed with a headache. boo.

UT for New Years

Aaron's only other sibling (and fam) who doesn't live in UT decided to go to UT for New Years so since we had a 5-day weekend we decided to head that direction too! It was so fun to play in the snow and just spend time with our family. We are so blessed to have the best family. Emery loved playing with her cousins too. Aaron and I even got to go climbing for the 1st time in forever.
i happened upon these 3 cute cousins playing and singing "Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam" in the closet

Emery turns 3!

I really can't believe my big girl is three!

We celebrated with Spicy Apple Pancakes with Cider Sauce for breakfast, McDonalds nuggets and play place for lunch and mac and cheese for dinner - all specifically requested by the birthday girl. And a pink and purple princess cake (again, specifically requested) which mom stayed up until midnight making the night before - and you LOVED it. We went to the Lied Discovery Childrens' Museum - dad even got off early and came too! We got Emery a doll house and Grandma and Pa got her a kitchen. She spends ridiculous amounts of time playing with both - we love toys that help her imagination! Grandma and Pa Wilkinson got her a unicorn purse that she's completely obsessed with.

this is a hurricane chamber... since it's hard to tell!

I wrote a huge entry in her journal about how cute she is, but it won't just copy over here so you'll just have to imagine how cute and smart she is - and it's true, she really is!

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

We spent Christmas at home this year. It was fun to make some of our own traditions and continue some old ones - like ebelskivers ala Mel and Britt for Christmas morning breakfast and funeral potatoes for Christmas Eve dinner (yes, there was other food. It's just inconsequential in comparison). My Christmas clearly revolves around food. Anyone surprised? I didn't think so.

dessert for Christmas Eve - a modification of this recipe. aaron and i ate one of them by ourselves Christmas Day. Oops.

Emery loved Christmas morning. She got what she wanted - her Princess Tiana, her horses and a few bonuses like a box of Cocoa Puffs and princess panties. She loved her Camelbak and headlamp from Grandma and Pa too. Obviously (see pic). She wore it ALL day.

Van had neutral feelings about Christmas until this bad boy showed up with Gram and Pa. He wouldn't get off of it. For weeks. I had to move it to the garage so I could stop pushing him around all day (his feet don't quite reach the pedals).

And for 2 years in a row I didn't get a picture of the 4 of us on Christmas morning. I'm terrible. I promise myself one next year.

Pre-Christmas festivities!

Em was obsessed with Christmas lights so we tried to see as many as possible...

At Opportunity Village's Magical Forest...

And the big tree at The District... (and more places not pictured)...

Imperial Beach - Early December

Here goes the catch up!

The kids and I spent 4 dreamy days at the beach with Grandma and Pa and Great Grandma and Grandpa Wimmer. We played in the sand, Grandma, Mom and I sewed doll clothes for our ward service project (sending dolls to Africa - remember that 29th Warders??), took long walks, played at the park and just enjoyed each others' company! It was a blast!