When I count my blessings, I count you twice...

I love how busy life can be sometimes...but every now and then it's good to take some time to reflect on how much there is to be grateful for. My family is the best blessing in my life, and I can't believe how much has changed in such a short period of time. Our little girl is now 19 months old but acts like a little teenager already! She's got her mama's attitude, and her daddy's good looks! So you can just imagine how busy our little life is!

With all there is to catch up on, and again with how little time I have at the moment, I must say that these are a few of the things we have been up to in 2010. Vacations, early mornings, summer days, and family time... enjoy!

Family photos 2010

Just learning how to run

Raymond parade looking like a hillbilly!!

Fun in Arizona

Happy birthday little lady!!

Mom and Sum :)

Getting messy...

Edgson family.

Holy crow look at all those people!!

Just Us Girls

So, Thomas had to leave us on January 3rd for 9 weeks to go up to Edmonton for work! Geesh...that is a long time! Anyways, I have been trying to be dilligent in taking photos and videos of our growing girl so I can keep him posted while he is away. It just so happens that she is literally growing like a weed! The day after he left, she crawled for the first time, the next day she stood up on her own, then she said "dog" and now she feeds herself! I don't know what has happened, but my baby is getting SO big!Summer has become obsessed with her new toys...there are some she WON'T let go of!
I love you daddy! Can't wait to see you soon! I hope you bring me some presents when you come see me... :) -love Summie

Christmas 2009

This year was Summer's first Christmas, and it was such a great time!! She just LOVED all the toys she got from her family. Her aunty Ashley came over on Christmas eve for a little pre Christmas event where we had a ham dinner and then opened presents from the Edgson side of the family. Summer got a couple really cool toys that she loves and we had a really great time watching her excitement...I can only imagine what next year is going to be like - SO FUN!
Christmas day was great too. We were out in Fort Macleod with the Gunderson side of the family and it was so nice to have a relaxing morning and watch a few of the grandkids open presents. It really is amazing to see how excited children get for Christmas, and I can totally see how it is going to become my favorite time of year as I have little kids.

Spending time with friends and family was great...we really missed everyone out in PG for the holidays, but we are excited to see you all in the new year. The bit of time we got to hang out during the Christmas break as a family was much needed and fantastic memories were made. In the end, we all got spoiled and had a wonderful Christmas...Can't wait until next year!!

Santa Claus Parade

This year, as every year before, there was the Santa Claus parade in Fort Macleod. As per usual, the weather was chilly, but not as windy as I have seen in other years. It was actually a nice, sunny day and we got a great spot at the front so that we could be done sooner!!
We bundled the kids up and set up shop for the hour or so that it took. We got some GREAT hot chocolate, and settled in for the show to start.
This year it seemed to be all about dogs. Well at least that is what I thought was the coolest part. I got some great photos of them!!












And the bands were great too. Totally brave if you ask me! They must have been freezing their butts off!

The best part of all was spending time together. We are just so excited for the Christmas season to be here and for Summer to have her first Christmas. I know this is a tradition that we will definitely keep up!

Summer with Santa

Oh wow! What an experience taking Summer to see Santa for the first time...She was in her stroller, happy as a clam, when all of a sudden mean mommy and daddy decided to put her on some strangers lap who was covered in hair and totally unfamiliar. Geesh, did she ever let us know how she was feeling! She SCREAMED, and cried and was SO incredibly sad to be on his lap. Poor guy! He was like, "ummm, take your little baby off my knee now!" (he didn't actually say that, but I could tell what he was thinking!) Anyway, we now know of her fear of the scary man, but I am sure once Christmas comes and she sees what she gets from the guy, she will be less and less afraid as the years go by! At least that's my hope, cuz i don't want all her Santa pictures to look like this one! Ha ha!
Well, we are definitley in the Christmas mood here in Lethbridge! It has finally snowed and things are looking more and more like a regular Canadian winter! Crazy Alberta with it's messed up weather!! Anyway, we set up the tree a couple of weeks ago, and so far Summer has stayed away from it!! That's great news as far as I am concerned! Now it gets to stay pretty all over, instead of just at the top! But yes, I have a thing for Christmas and getting in the spirit of things...I have already watched Home Alone, and the Santa Clause more than a few times, and by the end of the season, it will have been like 100! Gotta love it :)
These are our family photos of the begining of the holidays, and I'm sure there will be many more posts to come, so stay tuned!

Young Women in Excellence

As a member of the church, I have been given the absolute privilege and blessing of being the 1st counselor in the Young Women's presidency. It is SO great to be able to associate with these amazing ladies, in that they are great examples and have the sweetest spirits! I only wish I was half as strong as they are...In these days there are so many hardships to overcome, and these young women truly are trying their best to stay strong to what they have been taught! I just LOVE them!!
Last night was Young Women in Excellence where the young women get up and talk about their 10 hour projects they have been working on. The theme was 'Academy Awards' and so it was all decorated (by the miamaids) and then the girls were given little statues of a young girl holding the scriptures as their 'Oscar'. It was a pretty great night, and I got some sweet shots of the girls all glamed up...