Christmas!

Wow, the whirlwind of the holidays has just left us sitting in our house which is now a disaster area thinking of all the great memories that were made this holiday season and the past year.  In true Jared and Michelle fashion we forgot our camera just about the entire holiday season wherever we went.  Luckily my sister takes a lot of pictures so we were able to capture some of the moments!  We had a whopping 6 days in a row of Christmas Celebrations - and loved every minute of it.  I guess the nice thing about it that I love is that no where we go we don't have to get all dressed up and act all formal - it's all family, it's all comfortable and just a plain ol good time.

This was Tenley's first Christmas as you know and she had a great time.  She very much enjoyed seeing all the people every day and getting passed around and ooo'd and ahhhhh'd at constantly - she loves the spotlight.  This has is downfall now because today when Jared and I left her to play by herself which she usually does just fine, she keeps calling out "why is no one watching me!" so it will be a trying couple of days, but I'm sure she will get the jist that it's back to the old ways.

Tenley is getting more teeth which also makes whining more common then usual.  Tenley now loves to stand up while hanging onto a chair or toy or whatever you put her hands on. AND  drumroll please.....SHE FINALLY ROLLED OVER! (from her back to front - front to back she has been doing)  It was a Christmas miracle! haha.  She has only done it a few times, but at least she knows she can now.  She is eating like a champ still and very smiley and interactive.  She loves when people sing, bouncing on our legs, and "THE CLAW" coming at her to attack her.  She also loves talking and making weird sounds with her mouth that she likes people to make back to her.

Jared got a bunch of Tri stuff for Christmas and I got a little of everything.  Overall it was great to have Jared home from work for so long and hang out with the fam.

Here are some pics:

Getting our tree!

Decorating the Tree

Waiting to see Santa

Jared's AMAZING gingerbread house complete with Santa on the roof

First presents!

The Kids

Stockings!

Tenley got her first string to follow at my mom's (my favorite family tradition!)

Presents!

Relaxing at Grandma's

Grandpa

Pool Tournament Ultimate Loser

Aunt Erin & Emmett

Tenely got to FINALLY meet all the Up North relatives!

Ready to go Swimming at the Condo!

Sledding!

Hanging out

Family Pictures!

I've said it before and I'll say it again...Anne Jansen is an amazing photographer!  We were supposed to take these outside, but it was freezing and we didn't feel like having Tenley look like Rudolph in all the pics...we ended up with AMAZING pictures anyway!  Seriously if you need pics taken CALL HER!  I have her info if you need it!

6 Months - WARNING picture overload!

Tenley Update!
Well as you can guess by the title of this blog... TENLEY is 6 months old!! (as of yesterday)

• She is getting teeth on the bottom
• She sits up great for a LONG time by herself
• Rolling sometimes from front to back (not at all back to front- we're working on it)
• She is VERY smiley
• LOVES people watching 
• And said her first word........Dada. - she doesn't know what it means yet...so I'm not sure when people count it as their first word - is it when you can make out a sound that means something to us or when she knows what it is... we don't care we are marking it down as Dada!  Tenley and I have been working on it for a while so I was very proud when she said it as she was sitting with us on the couch yesterday!

Here are some pics for your enjoyment:

Holding hands :)

Hippi Maybe?  Dad trying to find the right bow

All smiles

Loves her Dada

Loves her new hat!

Loves Grandpas hat

Out to eat at El Burrito! YUMM

Thanksgiving Hair clip from Grandma

She's a Turkey

Hanging with her big cousin Tillman

cashed out

Hat from Grandma!

Doing her chores - taking Duke for a walk in the park

Hanging out with her cousin in their matching hats!  (notice the difference in leg think-ness haha)

Why Wait?

I find it interesting to think about how at a time of tragedy everyone who ever knew a person comes out of the woodwork it seems and says so many nice things about the people.  This is awesome and I am glad that this happens - don't get me wrong.  My question is WHY are we waiting until this happens to say and do all these things?

Why aren't we showering people with compliments and telling how much they mean to us all the time.  Why don't we brag a little about our friends, their great traits, what amazing people they are.  Why don't we tell our friends what great parents they are, how they inspire us to be better people, the impact they have had on our lives no matter how small.  What if we all just laid it all out there all the time and let people know that they mattered to us.  I see people and talk to people everyday and I rarely stop and think what that person really means to me, I'm getting better at it because I have been focusing on this lately.

I always think I would love to have my funeral while I was still alive, because I want to know what people have to say about me, not wait till I am dead to hear it.  So I am trying, like I said, to let people know what they mean to me a little more.  What would I say at their funeral and why don't I tell them those things now.

It's just weird - why not talk positively about people now... why wait?