New Years Eve...Ringing in 2011!

We were ready to ring in the New Year and we partied "families with kiddos style": Early! The Powell's (my sis and family) got to our house that evening...maybe 6ish...(It was 12 days ago after all. I can't remember everything! Yes, that is right the date on this post says differently, but I am just now getting to New Years Eve on 1/12...I posted the title and saved it so that it would be back with my 2010 posts...).We had the snacks already and the Gariety's came to party with us. Jake and I were the only ones that ended up staying up until midnight (well I am sure the Gariety's did too, but they headed home early to get Morgan and Cole in bed). Aunt Tina and Uncle Allen gave up a little after 11. They had just gotten back from Colorado so jet lag was setting in...not to mention they drove 8 hours to get to our house...Also, when you have kiddos, it doesn't matter what time you go to sleep, they always get up early! We also partied early because Aaron had to leave for work at 9. How do people work these crazy hours and schedules all the time? We are only going to be doing it for a couple years and we are counting down until life gets back to normal!!!!

All the kiddos playing. Sam is a pro at smiling for the picture, but just at the last second going to a crazy face without you knowing...Can you tell which one is my funny nephew Sam?
Everyone...
..except Cole-he couldn't fit in the picture! Wait a second...Where is Morgan?...
Ben and Uncle Allen. Ben is sporting one of Jake's hand-me-downs. Looks pretty good for boy #4. That is what I call getting your monies worth out of it!
Cranberry ginger ale in my favorite fancy glasses. I think of my mom every time I use them because she got them for me for Christmas last year. The straw wouldn't stay put but it was still fun!

Happy New Year! May 2011 bring more wonderful memories with family and friends!

Wrapping up the Seattle trip in a "Picture Post"

I have tons of pictures (this isn't all of them) to post and not much time to type...Get ready for a picture post and a few of my ramblings to go with it...

More of our fuzzy friend.

Jake working on school work we brought along since he missed 7 days of school.
Working hard at the mission office.
The Lego Store. Even the Lego store didn't have the Harry Potter Lego set Jake was hoping for, for Christmas. We made 3 little people to take home with us.

The giant Christmas tree at the mall.
Outside the Mission office. (Most of the times I had my camera ready were on outings and Papa wasn't able to come to all of them with us. You will see him more later I promise.)
Putting "warm fuzzies" (a pom-pom for every good deed you have done) in the jar being sent to President Monson the end of 2010.
Jake and Nee outside Deseret (spelling?..) Books. Jake got a new "Missionary in Training" badge and we had a laugh at how he pinned it on compared to an experiences missionary like Nee...
Jake and Nee posed on the giant piggy bank at the world famous Pikes Place Market.
We traveled all the way to Pikes Place Market and where did we decide to eat? Subway...We were hungry and decided to go with what we knew.
The world famous sign at Pikes Place. (You have heard of it right? If you watch the Travel Channel, Food Network, or anything like that you know what I am talking about.)
Some views from inside Pike's Place:

This is where they throw the fish. You have heard of that right?
Jake and the Balloon Man.Remember in "Sleepless in Seattle" when they are shopping for produce? This is the place! I need to watch that movie again...It is one of my favorites.
Snack break...
Seriously yummy...We got 7, as big as your head pastries, for $8 and something cents.


The Space Needle was pretty impressive, but it was $18 per person to go up so we just enjoyed it from the outside. I have to admit I was surprised by how "70's" it looked to me. I guess it would be hard to update the Space Needle....If I remember correctly, I was practically laying on the ground to get this shot. :)
A cool Christmas tree made out of giant ornaments. I bet it looks pretty at night all lite up. I wonder how much taller Jake will be in August when they get back from their mission...He is at Nee's chin in this picture...

A cool statue near the Space Needle.
Bringing Jake and treats to Papa at the Mission Office. Nee and I went back to the mall to "exchange Nee's makeup, which would be so boring for Jake". That was code for: exchanging Nee's makeup and then going to the Lego store so I could buy Jake the Lego Harry Potter characters he wanted for Christmas.
Snowflake Lane in downtown Belle View. They have a sidewalk parade and it "snows" soap suds. I had a ton of pictures of this, but here are just a couple.


You are supposed to be able to see the "snow" in this one but it didn't show up...Just trust me, it looked just like it was snowing!
A picture of Mom and I at the Temple...Not sure what my hair was doing in this picture...We walked to the Temple book store after and spent 2 hours looking around in it, while we waited for Papa and Jake to come pick us up after selling one of the mission cars. We probably could have looked even longer!
Papa and Jake playing Wii Fit Plus. Papa was really into it. Notice the air mattress leaning against the wall. :)
A couple pictures I couldn't resist taking while I was setting up the camera for group shots of our Christmas.

Before gifts....
...and after gifts. Jake is wearing a home made snuggie. If you saw the Christmas post already, than you know that Aaron has a matching one.
At the Ward Christmas party, with the Grinch. It was so fun. The play was a mix of the nativity and the Grinch...It is something I will remember if I am every on the activities committee at church.
Jake sneaking a couple of notes into Nee and Papa's "air mail box" as they call it. They don't get much mail delivered to their apartment address. They get more at the mission office...But we definitely need to do better about writing letters...
And that (in a quick version) is a recap of our awesome trip to Seattle!

All things Christmas in the Harmon Home...In One Big Post...

It came and went in a blur...Christmas. I have to say this whole year has been the same way. Every event is like an after thought. Work (Aaron's crazy schedule of 3rd shift and school full time), homework, eat, clean, sleep, repeat-BUT WAIT-Jake's birthday is this weekend!?!...Repeat crazy schedule for a few months and BAM!!!... it's Christmas...And it's over...I want to give some major props to full time working mom's, because as a part-time working mom I couldn't seem to find enough hours in the day to get psyched for the Holiday season...You probably already knew this if you read my post on not wanting to give Santa any credit...I think I faked it pretty good, but I am thrilled that after only having the tree up for 2 weeks it is coming back down tomorrow...In 2011 I will be ready for everything and pumped for every holiday...2010, well lets just say many traditions crashed and burned this year. I like to think it was because of President Uchtdorf's talk during the October General Conference, when he talked about simplifying and choosing "better...best" (there are a lot of really good things that we don't have time for so we have to choose what is the best way to spend our time). But it is really just because every event seemed to pop up out of no where...BUT, that just means new, better ones can happen next year! Thinking positive....And on to the pictures that I hope are self explanatory because my words are used up for now...I know you are shocked that I don't have to add one more thing...Oh, I guess I just did...Okay, maybe I will add a few words...

These next few shots are literally the only pictures I have of us decorating the Christmas tree...and Jake singing and dancing like a crazy person while doing it. Aaron and Jake are sometimes pictures taking party poopers. This was one of those days....


Skip to Christmas eve and baking....




Yes, I was there but the pictures are very unflattering and this is my blog so I choose not to post them. :)


Oh wait! There is my hand and the ginger bread version of me...
Not as fancy as last year's but this wasn't a kit so we had to use our own skill...
Christmas Eve...



Jake in bed hoping the night will go by quickly!
As I...I mean Santa...was filling the stockings and putting out the last of the gifts I turned on the TV and this is what was on one of the channels. It was called the "Yule Log", and this was the scene while they played Christmas music (it was on this particular channel pretty much all day and night according to the menu)....I didn't watch it but I did tape a few minutes to show Jake and Aaron. They didn't think it was as amusing as I did.
Our lovely tree, gifts and all. Only every other pre-lite section actually worked....
Christmas morning....Lego Harry Potter characters.
Santa answered...and so the lie is perpetuated another year....

Jake got me the dishes I have been drooling over at Target for months now. I was surprised...Can you tell?
Aaron's Seattle shirt and some candy in his mouth.
The gift I was expecting.
The gift Jake was wanting but not expecting at all. Good Job Daddy. :)
Aaron opening his home made Snuggie from Nee and Papa....
...followed by the Snuggie dance.
Star Wars Lego set from Daddy...another surprise. It was a Lego Christmas.



Packing the gifts to bring to Spartanburg.
Forgot to take out the camera for pictures of the unwrapping so I pulled it out at the Church for a few shots when we were eating dinner.




Cousins...
Aaron torturing Riannon with the game where you try to slap the persons hands before they pull them a way....
It started snowing on Christmas day!!! Aaron's first ever white Christmas! He said it didn't count because it didn't snow until the evening and you have to wake up to snow. Party pooper. I say for the South, it totally counts....

And the day after Christmas we woke up to this...And we were all so tired we didn't even go out and play in it! We did throw a couple of snow balls...does that count?

Christmas 2010. The end....