Photo Jan 16, 7 40 16 PM

Eva is teething again, so she has a runny nose. This picture of sick little Eva is too cute.

Photo Jan 16, 7 41 09 PM

Crazy hair on a crazy baby.

Photo Jan 17, 5 02 58 PM

I got my hair cut this week. It was just a trim because I’m growing it out, but after 6 months-it really needed it!

Photo Jan 17, 10 18 31 AM

We read 5 Silly Monkies over and over and over, every day. Once it’s over, she flips to the first page to do it again.

Now that I’ve finished all of the holiday posts, here are a couple more Instagram photos to wrap it up and move into the New Year!

Photo Jan 03, 7 13 23 PM

We thought Eva would like a little ride on the luggage. She wasn’t too thrilled about the experience.

Photo Dec 27, 9 59 02 PM

We went to this Elf Village on the Levee in Newport. My mom used to take my older siblings to see the Elf Village when it was downtown Cincinnati like 25 years ago, so it was cool that they set it up again for the public.

Photo Dec 27, 9 57 59 PM

We also saw a lego display that was really big and intense! There was a lego Santa, of course.

Photo Jan 03, 7 15 10 PM

This is the cool walkway in the Chicago airport. This is the only good thing about that place.

Photo Jan 03, 7 12 24 PM

When we scold Eva, she makes this face. Ha!

Photo Jan 02, 1 33 27 PM

Eva became quite the recorder musician as the vacation went on. I think we’ve got to get her a harmonica. And me some earplugs.Photo Dec 30, 5 49 48 PM

She pulled out all the clothes and sat in the trunk.

Photo Dec 28, 5 36 48 PM

We love our festive and warm socks!

Some of the Swainhart family Christmas traditions include:

  • Pajamas on Christmas Eve for the kiddos
  • Drinking lots of hot cider
  • Country Ham on Christmas Day
  • Christmas Eve dinner and Mass with the Dorans
  • Visiting Santa downtown Cincinnati
  • White Elephant (Yaaaaaankee Swap!) gift exchange on Christmas Eve
  • French Toast Casserole on Christmas morning
  • Reading the Christmas story together
  • Singing lots of Christmas carols
  • Eating large amounts of goodies

What are some of your family traditions? I have seen a lot of people start the Elf on the Shelf tradition. When Eva gets a little older, we will definitely be participating!

Photo Dec 21, 4 52 55 PM

 

Gingerbread display of CincinnatiPhoto Dec 21, 4 50 44 PM

About to see SantaPhoto Dec 24, 8 17 51 PM

Lots of concerts and singingPhoto Dec 24, 8 19 20 PM

Christmas Eve dinnerPhoto Dec 29, 5 36 21 PM

Eva in her Christmas pajamasPhoto Dec 31, 7 08 50 PMThe Christmas Tree at the Westin downtown Cincinnati

On Thursday, December 13, I went up to Salt Lake with three of my girlfriends to see if we could get standby tickets to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert-Dress Rehearsal. My mom went last year and was able to get tickets without any problem, so we decided to take the chance and if wouldn’t work out we planned on walking around City Creek and getting Cheesecake. Win/Win either way.

We were able to get two tickets, but there were four of us and we didn’t want to split up so we decided to watch the projection of it in the Tabernacle. It was still a great concert and so fun to get out for the night with my friends.

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Photo Dec 10, 9 37 19 PM

On Monday, I was sick and watched Mr. Bean’s Christmas. Love that episode!

Photo Dec 12, 9 56 56 AM

Cute face in the tub

Photo Dec 12, 9 55 33 AM

Hello, adorable!

Photo Dec 08, 3 59 01 PM

With the help of our committees, we had a very successful ward party! Over 70 people attended and the white elephant exchange was so fun!

Photo Dec 06, 1 18 47 PM

Pretty in Pink

Photo Dec 09, 4 43 22 PM

Sometimes my baby girl still lets me hold her and it’s the best!

Photo Dec 08, 4 02 56 PM

Erin threw a “Favorite Things” party. So classy!

  1. Crazy hair on a crazy baby
  2. Eva trying on my old baby Christmas dress… it fits!
  3. While I was watching the Christmas devotional, Eva was entertaining herself on the swing. I can’t believe it’s been a whole year since last year when I was overdue with Eva.
  4. T.J.’s beautiful chalk drawing
  5. Eva’s “Ooooh” face that she makes 98% of the time
  6. Last week I wore an apron while baking and then Eva put it on over and over again for a couple of days. So cute!
  7. Walking around the neighborhood to see the lights
  8. Graham crackers after a hard day of shots
  9. I found Eva’s Christmas present at the DI for $4.00! What a find! Also, for any moms around the area looking for great gifts for Christmas, there are TONS of items like this at the DI right now! I had to limit myself since Eva already has so many toys!

I usually go out on Black Friday, but I decided I didn’t want to do that this year. Other than having zero extra dollars to throw around, I saw this graphic:

Instead, we hung out with T.J.’s family and had such a fun evening playing Kinect, eating fondu, and decorating sugar cookies.

View from Dustin & Lindsay’s home. I love Utah sunsets!

Lots of food to dip into the fondu!

T.J. made a Scrooge sugar cookie. I just made a star and a circle.

Cohen rocking the sun glasses.

Adorable Holly

I was lucky to catch this photo.

T.J. tried to curl Eva’s hair with rollers. She ripped them out immediately.

This was Eva’s favorite face to make last week.

Eva was mezmerised by the Christmas tree when we first put it up. It’s “old news” now and she doesn’t even try to touch the ornaments anymore. Thank goodness.

It was a great weekend!

A hilarious photo Hannah took of Eva when she was visiting

Mark, Cohen, T.J., and Eva at the funeral

Eva the Elephant petting some horses

It’s still Fall here in Provo and I love it!

My big girl Eva and her Daddy

We had an awesome game night with Josh and Lacey last week.

Eva and her cousins

 

Last weekend, we went to Southern Utah to visit T.J.’s family. His uncle has this little pygmy goat. Adorable!

Living it up at T.J.’s aunt’s new house with a theater room

Beautiful sunset on our way down to Southern Utah

I printed these out and hung them up in our living room.

Cutie Pie Face

Captured this photo on my jog on Tuesday. Isn’t fall so amazing?

More homemade decorations… these are for the Ward Halloween party on Friday!

Monday night, I got us a babysitter and we snuck out of the house after Eva went to sleep to see Frankenweenie! It’s definitely one of my favorite Tim Burton movies and was so fun to have a date night with my hubby!

I got that party hat for Eva’s birthday but put it on her from time to time because it’s just so cute.

I painted Eva’s toes for the first time and it got me so excited for all the girly things we will do together as she grows up!

For weeks, I had been craving chocolate chip pancakes. I finally bought a little mix and we had breakfast for dinner one night. I also bought bacon for the first time in our marriage! T.J. was a happy man… even though it was turkey.

Every day we have been spending a lot of time outside because the weather has been so wonderful. Check out Eva’s crazy hair! It can’t be tamed.

Eva bug loves exploring and checking everything out. She loves playing with leaves. And on occasion, trying to eat them.

Beautiful leave on a fall afternoon

I found this for $6.00 at the DI. I cleaned it up and am saving it for Eva’s first birthday.

We also found this thing for $6! Eva could play with it all day!

Last Thursday evening, Erin came over and we made 50 chocolate covered pretzels. We also dipped a couple bananas in the chocolate. Best decision ever.

After dipping the pretzels, we ding-dong-ditched a bunch of them to people in the ward.