10 Below and Ready to Go

Or . . . how we dress in the winter up north.

First you start with a long sleved onsie. I like this one with mitten hands, just in case I forget her other mittens.

Then you add long pants and socks. The pants don't have to be too long. Let's face it, 20 inches doesn't leave you much to cover. Thanks Aunt Debbie for these super cute butterfly pants.



Then you add the fleese suit. Almost all Jills cloths are pink and lime green, so it's easy to match.

Last, and most important, one cute hat!

Okay Mama, we're ready to roll.

Oh Tananbaulm

Last year Matt and I spent Christmas in Texas with my family. My mom and sisters put together a stellar open house to celebrate Matt's and my very new marriage, and we partied of 3 days my family style.

Before we left though, and even before we were married, Matt got a permit and we chopped down a Christmas tree off the side of a very cold and dark mountain. (We went after work one evening at the end of November. We decorated it for our first Family Night with the spare and sparse ornaments we both owned. When we got home, we had a grand little after Christmas party to open the presents we left there.


Oh, here it is. Our cute little tree of 2008.

Here is a lighted view.

This year we decided to sit tight in Idaho and enjoy our first Matt and Sarah Family Christmas. Matt and I went to a great lot north of town where you could cut a fresh tree, and we cut down the biggest tree there. Our decorations are exacrly the same, just much less coordinated with our wrapping paper than last year.

Merry Christmas 2009!

One more good thing . . .

Having the Computer Room and the Nursery be the same room has some hidden advantages. Internet Radio is one of those advantages. The perfect background noise for nights when I don't feel like running the vacuum until midnight.

And speaking of baby music. I got a tip off from a baby site about this fun and funny series of CDs: Rockabye Baby! Lullably Renditions of . . . pick your favorite rock/pop band. Check them out. They are pretty fun to listen to.

First Friend

Thank you my friend Heather for this fun friend. I thought he was a horse, but he's a giraffe. Best of all, he plays music.

First meeting:

Offering the hand of friendship:

Startled amazement:

Over stimulation:

Don't worry though. She's a little young yet. I think she actually likes Mr. Giraffe a lot.

First Sewing Lessons

Sewing days are fun. Last week I got a project done that had been sitting in my closet for the past 9 months.

Thanks to the Milloway Family, Jill sews right along with me in this beautiful ring sling.

See - she's already a pro at sleeping through her lessons.

How we spent our 1st Anniversary

I know, you veteran parents will say something like, "Yah, get used to it; this is the way it is with kids." But here we go.

How we spent our 1st wedding anniversary:

5:00AM - Early Breakfast with Jill.

6:00AM - The Svedins chat it up about how wonderful the last year has been and how fantastic the next million years will be.

7:00AM - Matt made breakfast for me.

8:00AM - Matt held Jill as I wrapped presents.

9:00AM - I held Jill and took a nap on the couch while Matt wrapped presents.

10:00AM - I fed Jill and continued my nap on the couch.

11:00AM - Matt made cookies for our Sunday School class while I tied bows on gifts. Jill slept though it all.

12:00PM - Lunch for Jill while Matt got ready for church.

1:00 - 4:00PM Matt went to church and Jill and I hung out and talked about how wonderful her daddy is. We also baked potatoes for dinner and dressed for the party. . .

4:30PM - Matt came home and grilled steaks. (Yes, he had to knock 2 inches of snow off the grill to do it. The love he put into those steaks alone made them the best ever.) We ate dinner and opened presents.

I got my wonderful husband a new soup/stock pot and a sweater, and he got me a tortilla press and a book.

5:45PM - We loaded up in the car to go to tithing settlement, a wonderful tradition where once a year we get to state that we are giving back to the Lord all that he asked of us in Malachi 3:8-12. (And deserve the blessings he offers in return.)

6:30PM - Matt and our Sunday School class go out in the cold to deliver Christmas cookies. I stay home to have second dinner with Jill.

7:00PM - Our Sunday School class stays a little while to play games.

8:00PM - We get a surprise visitor for evening snacks . . .

Uncle Daniel holds one month old baby Jill

10:00PM - Everyone goes home and gets ready for bed.

11:00PM - Everyone is asleep except Jill, who is ready for late night snack.

Funny thing is, very few of these events have anything to do with being a parent. All the same, thank you everyone who visited for sharing our happy day with us!!! We love you.

Cuty Pants

Oh my goodness. I love baby jeans. Thanks Aunt Becca for sending these way took cute blue jeans to keep us warm on winter days.

Jill's First Movie

I have to start by saying, I haven't read any of the Twilight Saga all the way through. As a librarian I had lots of opportunities to skim, read reviews, and talk to everyone about them. I know the whole storyline, but don't care to actually read the entire series.

Now, the movies on the other hand, I find very entertaining.

So entertaining that when my friend invited me to see New Moon, I couldn't pass her up. So three of us (and Jill, she made four) went to the late show.

The lady in front of us was a little annoyed by the noise we were making. But Jill wasn't the problem. We were just discussing who was cuter, Edward or Jacob.

Jill wasn't impressed though. She slept through the whole thing, except the wolf fights. Those scared her a little.

One Year Later

President Monson said, "Choose your love; love your choice."
A year ago today, Matt and I got married in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple.

12 months of love and learning later,

We've learned that love takes patience, long suffering, kindness, meekness, and a willingness to say you're sorry.

We've also learned that loving someone this much bring more joy and peace, happiness and laughter to your life than anything else.

I am so excited to spend more years learning these things over and over again!

I love you Matt. Happy anniversary!

Super Dad!

Matt is a super dad! Especially when he sings to baby Jill. Yesterday I heard him singing as he rocked her to sleep. You all know this old favorite:

Rock-a-bye baby in the tree top.
When the wind blows the cradle will rock.
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall . . .

but you might not be familiar with the last line, which Matt assured me is part of the original "daddy version" of the song:

But Daddy will catching you and your cradle and save the day!

Go Super Dad!!!

One Month

Jill turned one month old today! We can't believe it . . . time flies when you're having fun.

Sewing Day

Friday is sewing day.

Last week's projects included:

Mr. Svedin's grill cover, 1/4 completed

baby gifts, 1/2 completed

things for my baby

100% complete