A year in review 2014

Better late than never right?  :)

January: 

So much happened this month but really the only important one was when we became parents!  (Jenson's birth story Part 1, part 2, and part 3) Do I seriously almost have a 1 year old?! sheesh! 

February:

We got used to life as new parents.  Spent way to much time in the NICU. Lost a lot of sleep. Said good bye to my mom. Grandma and Grandpa Hunt came to visit. Enjoyed lots and lots of cuddles!

March:

Jenson got his first cold that made us really nervous, lots of dr. trips.  My sisters came to town.  We toured around KC.  I surprised my family by flying back with them to Utah!  Jenson's new born pictures.

April:

Jenson turned 3 months.  We took pictures in some of dads old clothes. The first of many trips to the KC zoo. Easter. Moved across town.

May:

Trip to Utah/Idaho.  Jenson's Baby Blessing.  Baby shower for Jenson and I in Idaho.  More zoo trips. Karl came home from his LDS Mission in Japan.  Enjoyed family time.  Brielle turned 23

June:

Trips to Deanna Rose Farmstead.  We updated our Hunt family pictures.  Jenson's first time to a swimming pool.  We went on lots of bike rides.  Tried new yummy recipes! Even got a Zoo pass and suffered through the heat and humidity!

July:

4th of July. Jenson tuned half a year old (video).  We toured around KC with the Watsons. Went to the top of the Liberty Memorial. Multiple craft projects!

August:

We celebrated our 3rd anniversary.  Jenson got the snip snip.  Found a piano in the trash. Started our summer vacation (Nauvoo and HERE).

September:

Drove to Philadelphia (and HERE) to visit Marsall, Amanda, and Grandpa Hunt.  New York day trip (and HERE).  Ending vacation in Utah (and HERE) and Idaho (and HERE).  Ogden Temple open house.  Ran a 5K.  Jenson got his first big boy hair cut. I babysat my sisters kids for a week while Matt went to school.  

October:

Halloween (and HERE).  Pumpkin patch. Babe turned 27.  Jenson got a big boy carseat.  Updated our family pictures.

November:

Thanksgiving in Texas with the Watsons.  Another big boy hair cut.  Babe ran a Half Marathon.  Jenson 10 months old.

December:

Decorated for Christmas.  Christmas in Utah.  Karl and Natalie's Wedding.  Family time.  

Could this all really happen in just 1 year? Wow!!

Jenson-11 Months

I figured it was about time to post Jenson's stats since he is almost 1- (SERIOUSLY!?!?)

Jenson is such a independent active boy.  I swear it's his red headed personality shining through more and more but his personality is coming though more and more.  He is so good at walking around, but still only while holding on to things.  As soon as you let go of his hands he will just drop down and start crawling again.  He has 7.5 teeth (4 on top, 3.5 on bottom).  Jenson's sleep schedule was messed up a little from vacation but we are finally getting on track again with naps and his bed time.  We put him in his bed around 7:30/8 ish but he wont always fall asleep right way.  He takes a nap around 9/10 ish and another one around 1/2 ish.  Jenson is so content to play by himself is makes it easier for me to get some things done around the house.  He will clap when you say "yay!!", waves good by and will blow a kiss (but hardly ever when you want him to...).  He can go up and down the stairs, down still scares me so we keep the baby gate up still though. He refuses to sleep while being held, making church extra hard. He loves to sleep with his favorite blanket and binki (he only gets the binki at nap and bed time now.)  He can stand unassisted.  He says "mom" and "dad" constantly we are working on getting him to say "grandma, ball, car, and cup"  but really he just looks at us like we are crazy ;) He sort of signs "more" and what seems to be "please" but I am sure he is meaning something else that we haven't quite figured out yet (or he is just really polite!) He loves food, if you are eating he wants to be also!  

He loves to eat:

puffs

bananas

bread

veggie straws

sweet potatoes

green beans

potatoes

noodles

avocados

whatever mom and dad are eating and will share

Likes: cars, food, noisy toys, getting into things he shouldn't, piano, foam blocks, mr. potato head, his push toy, playing catch, shopping with mom, facing forward when in a shopping cart, facetiming, people watching, balls, playing chase, bath time (splashing, and drinking the water mostly), books, brushing his teeth (but only the lower teeth...) his laughing Curious George, theme songs, being outside. 

Dislikes: empty bottle, when you say "all done" while eating, diaper changes,  being told "no", getting cleaned up, 

Guessing:

Weight: about 23lbs

Height: about 29 inches

And still has the flaming red hair!

Merry Christmas, from the Hunts

I wish I could send everyone a Christmas card but sadly we don't have the money for that, but know that we love you and are thinking about you this holiday season!  

Merry Christmas!

He is the Gift- If you want to know more about the real meaning of Christmas and watch a short uplifing movie about our Savior, please do so by going HERE

Throwback-

Pictures of dating and into our first year! enjoy!

Throwback to the night we first met

 Our first date

 Our first Inkom trip together meeting his family as the "girlfriend" 

 Our attempt to go ice skating but ended up rollerblading instead

 One of our many road trips 

 Late night Applebees dinner date

 My first time having a "Space Burger" at Tastee Treat 

 Birthday party for our good friend

 Another rollerskating picture :)

 General Conference in SLC

 Going to AZ with the Hunt extended family for great grandma's 100th birthday party 

  

Hike up adams canyon, coming down in a crazy rain/lightning storm!

 General Conference 

 More road trips!

The night we got engaged!

After our Inkom reception 

 On the beach in Cancun 

 Cancun 

 Heading out for the day to tour around Mexico

 touring around Chichen Itza 

 Free Lagoon trips 

 Jackson Whyoming

 Our first Christmas being Shepherds in our family nativity

 Karaoke/ dance party night

 Yellowstone

 Halloween pumpkin walk

 Yellowstone, looking at the Tetons 

 After the first family pictures with Babe in them!

 Waiting for our best friends to come out of the temple as husband and wife!

 Going to work with Babe- (riding the bus from Rexburg to SLC and back...)

 Christmas friend party

 Hike to the ice waterfall

Sometimes this all seems like another life.  I am so thankful for all these memories, and many more!  I love you Babe! XOXO

Thankful

I have never had to go without, I have always had food on the table (even if it was just top a roman), I have always had a warm coat and clothes to wear.  I am not without blessing.  But sometimes life gets hard and I tend to forget all that I have.  With Babe being in school full time and me with Jenson full time the only "real" income we have is Babe's tutoring job bringing in a whopping 40$ a month or so.  I am so thankful he still works to support us but I am also extremely grateful for student loans right now- weird I know but that's our "income".  Funny how that all works out isn't it... I am thankful we live in income based housing, I am thankful for the help of the government (which we don't take lightly.)  There were times that that extra money was all we had, and for that I know that my family will never have to go hungry.

I sound really shallow when saying this but I LOVE getting presents, it's my love language ;) I always joke with babe saying that I want everything for Christmas (even though I have everything I need and don't even know what I want... haha).  And honestly he does just that, year after year I get things I didn't even know I want.  Long story short I am the annoying needy one who wants to give and get presents and Babe is the selfless humble one who just wants time with family (don't get me wrong I want and NEED that too!)  This year for Christmas is different though.  I am trying really hard to focus on the things that really matter.

I am so thankful I already have a ticket home for Christmas or I am not sure we would be able to make it down because of unexpected car troubles.  I am focusing on the positive instead of the negative.

Positive:  I get to be with my family for Christmas
Negative: We have had to spend over $1, 500 on Howard (our car) in just the last 2 weeks to make it possible to drive home (or anywhere...)

Positive:  It was a blessing we went on a shorter vacation to find out that our car needed help in the first place so nothing would have happened while driving across the country on a much longer trip.
Negative:  We wasted $300 on Howard to "fix" the problem that wasn't even the problem.

Positive: Matt is able to carpool with our good friends so our lack of car isn't as big of a deal as it could be.
Negative:  Not having a car for 3 days...if not more.

Positive: Jenson being so young, and not caring about what Santa will bring him.  It kills me not to give him everything I want to, but I am thankful for a Husband that talks since into me and makes me realize it's all just "stuff" and he really just wants love.
Negative: Not being uber rich right now (like we will be in the future) ;)

Positive:  Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and knowing the He is The Gift.  He is all we really need.  I am thankful for that knowledge and the peace it brings me.  I am thankful this year to be completely broke, forcing us to look at the true meaning of Christmas, instead of the the gifts (or lack of gifts..) under the tree.  It really isn't about the money, I am thankful for that stressful lesson I am learning right now.
I am thankful for a hard working husband who does everything in his power to make us happy and support us.  I am thankful for a giving family who helps us most when we need it, and when we don't.  I am thankful for the constant reminders from Jenson that all we really need is to cherish the time we have with each other. I am thankful for the things I have and cherish.  I am thankful for my talents (if I can call them that...) and for learning new skills, things I would have never done if I wasn't making some gifts this year! :)
I am thankful for a patient husband who everyday I strive to be more like.  I don't know how I got so lucky to be with him, he is my biggest example, my rock, my best friend, and my teacher.  I wish I could give him everything like he gives me.

I know this post has been really random and probably confusing to most, I just feel like I have so much on my mind these days that I had to write it down somewhere or my head would explode.  I didn't mean any of it as a pitty party either so sorry if it came out that way.  I really am so blessed to have everything I do!  So props to you if you actually read it.. haha

I am thankful for this Christmas season and for the chance to really focus on our Savior. It is a time to slow down and really focus on the things that matter most.  

What do you or your family do to really focus on Christ?

How do you get into the Christmas spirit?