Christmas! ... Where to Start?!

This Christmas was spent in Hermiston with Tyler's family! All of the kids and their respective spouses and children were there. It's the fullest the Bendixsen house has ever been on Christmas morning! (Just wait until there are more grandkids!) We had a great Christmas. It was so nice to see all of Tyler's siblings and to be able to spend time with them and get to know them better. I am so lucky to have such great in-laws that I get along with so well. I love them all so much!

Christmas Eve we went over to the Earl's (Tyler's cousin) house for festivities. We had a prime rib dinner, santa came to visit, we played Christmas Bingo, and talked! It was so fun! After the festivities there were over we went home and had a family Christmas Eve time. Dad talked about a story from the Book of Mormon and we got to open our Christmas Pajamas!!! We got matching jammies! So fun!

Christmas morning Addy slept in until 7:30... which means everyone slept in until 7:30, lucky! After I fed her we went and woke up her Aunts and Uncles! I think everyone was very happy with what they got for Christmas! Addy loved the baby food in her stocking and scratching the wrapping paper on the presents. After opening presents we dropped Addy off at Aunt Sheila and Uncle Gary's house so that we could go see a movie with the fam. Thanks you guys! :)

We had such a great Christmas and are so lucky that we were able to spend two whole weeks with family! I love that Tyler's family does some of the same traditions that my family did while growing up. It helps it to feel even more like home to me.
I am so grateful to have such a wonderful family (on both sides)! I am glad that I married such a great man who has the same beliefs as me. We are grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and for the life that he lived. We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

Welcome to the Family Holt!

Tyler's little sister got married Saturday, December 19th. The wedding was gorgeous! She got married in a barn in Hermiston. The decorations were gorgeous and Tess' grand entrance was fantastic. I was lucky enough to be a bride's maid! I was so excited! We got to wear pretty dresses and be in lots of pictures! Unfortunately... I didn't take very many pictures, so I will have to wait until Tess gets hers and steal some. :) Tess was a gorgeous bride! Everything turned out perfectly and we couldn't love Holt (her husband) more! He fits right in with the family. It was good to see lots of family and celebrate this special day with Tess and Holt! She is now officially Tess Morris (say that with a lisp). haha

Surprise!!

Tonight Addy was chewing on my finger and I decided to feel for teeth! Come to find out she has teeth!!! When did this happen?! They have just barely come through, but they are sharp! Wow... 2 of them on the bottom! If you push back her tongue and pull her bottom lip down you can see them. So cute! I wish I could get a picture, but it's just too hard right now. What will happen next with my little one? It's all happening so fast... I wish time would slow down and I could just keep her at this cute, fun age for a little longer. I guess that's why you have more kids though... right?! haha

My Little 6 month Old

Addelyn turned 6 months old on the 9th! I have no idea where the time has gone since she was born. She just had her 6 month checkup and she's thinning out! She is no longer over the 100th percentile... which I guess is a good thing. Here are her stats:

Weight: 17 lbs 3oz 75th%
Height: 26 3/4 inches 75th%
Head 44 cm 85th%

She is growing up way too fast though. Here are a few of the things she does.

~Army crawls (on her tummy) EVERYWHERE... if we leave anything on the floor it is free game for her little hands. She has loved taking all the bows off the presents under the tree.
~Has also started getting up on her knees a ton!
~Stays sitting for quite awhile on her own.
~Drinks water out of a sippy cup.
~Is eating fruits and veggies.
~Puts herself to sleep at night without crying when I put her in her crib!!! (my favorite) We are still working on naps, but she is getting better.
~Bed time is 8:30 and she sleeps until 7!
~She is such a ham! A little social butterfly... she knows when to smile at people to melt their hearts.
~Loves to talk to her toys and herself.
~Gives the best hugs and kisses ever!
~She's kind of a mommy's girl... which, I don't mind at all!

Addy loves, loves, loves mirrors. Monday night she was having a ball playing with herself in the mirror. We love her so much!!

I LOVE....

This Man!

This Little Girl!

This Family!And these girls!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree!

We got our Christmas tree last week! I LOVE it! I am so glad that we both agree that we will never have a fake tree in our house. We were hoping to go cut down our own tree, but with Tyler's school schedule it is just too difficult. So, we went to Fred Meyer and got a beauty! It smells sooo good! Luckily, I have a great collection of ornaments from my childhood that helped fill our tree.
My friend, Marissa, and I decided to do a little Christmas craft and make tree-skirts for our trees. It turned out so cute! I am so glad that we decided to do it and that she got it going. We kind of made up the pattern, and luckily it worked out!
Surprisingly, Addelyn has left the tree alone for the most part! Occasionally she will scoot on over and just run her little fingers over the needles. She is more interested in the presents that are under it, than the ornaments.

Many Thanks!

This year we went to Utah to spend Thanksgiving with my family! I loved seeing my family and having the chance to spend time with them! I'm not sure when the next time I see them will be, and that makes me sad. Thanksgiving was full of food, games, family, and fun! I realized after returning home that I need to be better about taking pictures. I don't have much to show for it. However, I do have some cute ones of miss Addy.
Addy and mommy on Thanksgiving day.
Addy sporting Uncle Andrew's In N Out Hat.
Uncle Seth feeding Addy her rice cereal (Tyler also taught him how to change a diaper... so cute!)
The lovely table set for yummy Thanksgiving food!!

Addy at the boys Turkey Bowl... the 2nd years won!

Another Month Gone!

This is a little overdue... but 5 months already! Seriously? I have no idea where the time has gone. This little girl is growing so fast! We took her in to the doctor on the 7th of November and she weighed 16 lbs 14 oz! Which means that in 22 days she gained 14 oz. I have no idea how she is adding to her weight... oh wait, maybe it's the fact that she eats almost allll day long! haha
~She loves her rice cereal! When I feed her she always dives for the spoon and I cannot get the next spoonful in her mouth quick enough. She is eating more and more of it.
~Addy loves to give kisses! They are the sweet open mouth kisses... but surprisingly not slobbery! I love, love, love them!
~She has started reaching for ME! One of the best feelings!
~Addy is now a champion roller. She rolls EVERYWHERE! Before, I couldn't wait for her to roll over... now I am wishing she would have waited a little longer. haha
~She loves to stand. At work we have a toy that she holds onto and plays with while standing there on her own. (I sit behind her of course, just in case.)
~Addelyn is a social butterfly! She smiles at everyone! If someone is talking she will smile at them! (they don't even have to be looking at her or talking to her specifically.)
She is changing sooo quickly, I cannot believe it. I love being a mom and am so glad that she is such a good, chill baby!

Dipping Chocolates

Tyler's grandma has been dipping chocolates for over 50 years! This weekend his mom and sister came into town to spend a weekend up to their elbows in chocolate! It's nice for us that Grandma Oldroyd and Aunt Jan live close, so we were able to join in the fun. We had blast! I learned how to dip and think I am getting better at it! It was Tess' first time as well. Someone has to carry on the tradition!
We made sooo many chocolates! I will try to list them... but am sure I will forget something.

~Chocolate covered caramels
~Chocolate covered gummi bears
~Mint Patties (kind of like Yorks)
~Almond Rocha
~Chocolate covered cherries
~Peanut butter balls... kind of like Reeses (my fav.)
~Peanut Brittle
~Cashew Clusters

Beee Happy!

Happy Halloween! This year for Halloween we decided to go out in our costumes. We went bowling with a bunch of friends and then out to eat. We had a blast! Addy and I were bees (Addy was way cuter... of course) and Tyler was a bee keeper!


Our little bumblebee was so cute! Her costume even had a little stinger!