Temple Square

Kent's sisters stopped at my parents house on their way from Parowan visiting Grandma Hulet and going back to BYU.

Kaycee, Annika, Me (looking very pregnant), Kent & Julie

We stayed at Grandma Berrie's house in Salt Lake the night before we flew back to D.C. We were able to go to dinner with Nicole then go see the lights at Temple Square.

Annika, EB, Mom & Nicole


Mom & Dad

The Salt Lake Temple


Annika on the airplane. We had to wake her up the morning we left. We did plan on changing her into clothes when we got to the airport, but she refused to take off her new pajamas and Dora slippers Grandpa & Grandma gave her. She was all set for the plane ride with the toy MP3 player Michael gave her and the pink ballerina backpack from Melissa & Richard.

Another Santa Visit

We took the kids to see Santa again. Annika was still not afraid, but this time she told him she wants a baby and a stroller, something she already has, but we are thinking twin baby dolls and double stroller might be a good idea! I think Annika liked this Santa even better, he gave each child a bag of candy and a can of "bubbles" (that's Annika's word for soda pop). She kept showing everyone and telling them "my own bubbles!" She never gets her own can!

Melissa, Bella, Richard & Annika. The matching sweaters were from Lisa.

Christmas Trees & Early Christmas Presents

It has been a tradition for the last few years to go up in the mountains the day after Thanksgiving to cut down our own Christmas trees. I have not done it since 2002, the year Kent & I were married, since that was the last time I was home for Christmas. It was fun to do again this year. We had to improvise on the snow boots for Annika, we used plastic bags, but she thought it was so much fun to have people hold on to her as she skied down the road!

Kent, Annika & Mom

Kent & I holding Annika as she skied!

Annika looking on as Richard cut a branch with his very own mini saw Grandpa Crane gave him

Melissa & Annika

Since all of my sisters & I will be at our in-laws for Christmas Eve, after we got back from getting Christmas trees my parents had some presents for us to open. Annika had a few extra because we will not see them at all at Christmas time.

Melissa, Annika, Bella (eating the bows), Nathan & Richard waiting to open the presents

Bella had more fun with the bows than anything

The Christmas pajamas with matching robes!

Annika with Nicole and the Cinderella crown she gave her!

Wearing the crown and using it as a mask!

Prince Richard showing us how tough he could be wearing a crown!

Thanksgiving Day at the Chamberlains

All of my sisters and I were able to be at home for Thanksgiving, except Melanie & her family, but they will be there for Christmas and we will not. It was fun to have so much of our family there, plus Grandma Chamberlain, Cathy, Grandma Berrie, Judy, Sheral, Mike, Jodi, Bree, Kate, Nadine & Brad. It was quite the group, 29 people including the kids. We had a big dinner, then we played Bonkers and won some great Dollar Prizes. Then when everyone else was tired out, Melissa, Richard & Annika put on a show on the "stage" (the front entry way). I have a picture of their dances, but I'll post videos later.

A lot of the family enjoying the show!

Richard & Annika dancing. (Melissa is down in front directing them!)

Lisa, Kent & Nicole

Grandma Berrie, Sheral, Annika & Melissa

Utah

Annika & I spent 3 weeks in Utah in November. It was my last trip before the twins are born. We had lots of fun, but mostly it was nice having help taking care of Annika and not having to cook every meal. She had lots of people to entertain her, along with lots of toys and a big back yard. The weather was unusually warm, so we spent as much time outside as we could. Kent came the day before Thanksgiving and was able to spend the last week with us.

Annika & Lisa after Lisa cut her hair.

Sunday hairdo by Lisa. Our church is at 9 am so Annika is usually lucky to get a bow in her hair before we walk out the door. Since my parents church was at 1 pm Lisa had time to curl all of Annika's hair and Annika sat still and let her do it as long as she was feeding her Twizzlers!

Richard, Annika, Bella & Melissa visiting Santa after Melissa's dance performance at a craft fair. Annika is not afraid of Santa at all this year. It is just the opposite, she walked right up to him and told him she wants a green bike! A bike because her friend Ches has a bike and green because if you ask her it is her favorite color. She will pick anything as long as it is green. When I was Annika's age I started crying at the doctor's office, not because of a shot or anything, because they gave me a green sucker when we were leaving. I did not like green at all, especially not green suckers!

Annika telling Santa about the green bike!

He's thinking about her request I guess or trying to figure out what the duck shooter is that Richard wants!

Melissa with Santa

Election Day

I thought I was going to miss the crowds by going to vote around 10:30 am, no such luck, it still took me 2 hours to get through the line. Luckily Annika was tired that morning and slept in the stroller almost the entire time and I caught up on some reading for book group. Annika woke up in time to help me push the buttons to vote and get a sticker that said "I Voted" She wore the sticker all day and it got us free hot chocolate at Giffords Icecream shop!

The line wrapped all the way around the fountain at the Village Center.

Halloween Activities

We celebrated Halloween for at least a week! Annika was Cinderella and a duck this year. They were both cute, we couldn't just pick one. I think she went trick-or-treating at least 4 times in that week.

These were taken before and after the Friendship Heights Village Center Halloween activity. Annika was very happy to get another pumpkin on her face!



We carved pumpkins at the beginning of the week with the Christensen family. Tiana is a professional carver (the scary face on the left), I just did what I could. The husbands sat watching tv, CJ claims to not like the smell of pumpkin and Kent said he needed to keep him company, we we were on our own.



This is trick-or-treating at the Mommy & Me activity at Congressional Plaza with Buzz Lightyear (Ches) and a pink poodle (Ellie)

Trick-or-Treating at Brightwood, the retirement home near our building. The elderly people thought she was darling, of course!

Halloween Day -
Trick-or treating on Embassy Row. Some of the playgroup moms brought our kids to trick-or-treat at the embassies. Ours were about the only kids. None of us knew that it was really a college thing to do. It was still fun, the kids were the center of attention at all the embassies and even just standing in line. All the students ooohed and aaaahed at how cute they were in their costumes.



Inside the S. Korean Embassy


Annika's favorite place to ride is with Ches on the back of the sit and stand stroller. Sometimes it causes conflicts, but most of the time they think it's great to sit together.

Halloween night
We went over to the Stirling's house, they have the greatest trick-or-treating street in the Palisades. We went over there last year too and they were nice enough to invite us back. Annika loves Jane & Calvin and was so excited to go trick-or-treating with them.



Annika & Jane

Indiana Jones Calvin, Flamingo Nancy, Hairspray Jane & Ducky Annika. The little skeleton is a friend of the Stirlings that I can't remember his name.


Annika showing off her latest trick - rolling her eyes ALL the way around!

This is not a normal every day outfit, this was my costume! All the college kids knew who I was!
I'm Juno, from the movie "Juno" It's the best we could come up with with my big belly! (Notice the Sunny Delight I'm carrying, Juno always carried it around in the movie)