Thanksgiving Recap

Here's a family picture in my mom's backyard on Thanksgiving. We had such a great time in Utah and can't wait to go back for Christmas too! Since our families live only five minutes apart, we split our time and went to both dinners - totally worth it. I know that some people prefer to choose one place/family to be with on holidays, but splitting the time works for us (at least for now and when there's more kids in the mix I might change my mind).

With all the grandkids together, we had to snap a picture with Grandma & Grandpy Hale. (Cannon, Val, Rach, Brynn, Nancy, Kennedy, Mason)

Oh, some good news to share ... my brother and his wife, Cindy, are expecting a baby in June, so Rachel will have her first cousin on the Parker side! Wahoo - we love cousins! Keep 'em coming!

Just a classic Rachel face.

We are loving our new place and really loving living in Arizona. We go to the park and play outside lots. Here's Brandon and Rachel playing in the backyard and pictured below checking out the neighbors dog. Check out B's new glasses - pretty styling, right!?

Rachel's has already got two presents for Christmas. One was a play kitchen from Grandma & Grandpy (she absolutely loves it!) and the other one is a little tricycle bike that I found at a garage sale. It's the kind that I can push/steer from behind. She's still learning and isn't sure she likes it yet, but she's still little.

p.s. I photoshopped her boogies out of the picture above. Is that cheating? Hope not - I'm completely obsessed with Photoshop elements and Brandon's pretty good too, so he helps me a lot. I've been really busy for the past couple weeks designing Christmas cards for family/friends and it's been so fun. Nothing fancy... I'm totally a beginner ... I caught the bug back here when I completed my first one. Soon, I'll put together a gallery or something and share my work.

And how could I resist not posting this last picture! :) I have to laugh everytime I see it. I'm part of a cooking blog with some friends from Chicago (anyone can join and there's no pressure to participate every week, it's just for fun) and I made these cookies and needed a quick picture. Well, Rachel climbed up onto the bar to get some and I told her "no" - that I needed to take a picture first. Here was the result. I just love this girl - tantrums and all.