Ringing in the New Year

For New Years we got to stay at the Porter's and hang with our girls for the week! On New Years Eve Kylie, Eric, and Hallie came up and partied with us. Eric's family has a tradition of making tin foil hats every New Years Eve and parade around in them when the New Year comes. I wish I could tell you the story because it's AWESOME, but I could never do it justice...you'll just have to ask Eric sometime. Anyway, to make you hat you can be as simple or as complex as you want, and you can use anything to make it...only rule: the entire hat must be covered in tin foil!

These are pictures of Eric's family from a few years ago...they go ALL OUT! It's nuts...I love it! Thanks Eric for introducing us to this ridiculous yet AMAZING tradition!!!

As you can see everyone got into it, and the kids LOVED it...even Hallie!!!

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Finished Products:

Princess Jenni

Emily the Rockstar

Jessica and the Tower of Awesomeness

Tiffani and The Spikes of Doom

Me and my attempt at a Medusa hat...

Chad...GOLF...are we surprised?! Although I was really impressed!!

Eric and his Joe Dirt mullet...oh my gosh I just about died! It was amazing!

Hallie's cute little Flower Headband

Kylie, Eric and Hallie -- What a cute little family!

Welcome 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR...just a little late

Christmas Spirit

This year was pretty sad as far as Christmas spirit goes...we didn't even put up a tree, or a single decoration. However, we managed to make it to the Nuttall Christmas Party which is always SO much fun! Right wafter we went to the Nuttcracker on Ice. Tiffani was the Sugar Plum Fairy! She did AMAZING...she's 11 years old, has only been skating for a year, and she landed a double axel!!! Way to go Tiff, you are awesome!!! When we got there we found out that Shelby, Chad's cousin, was the Nuttcracker! It was so cool to finally see her skate! She is INCREDIBLE!

We even got a picture with Santa and his Elves!

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I have babysat the Porter girls since I was 12 years old and they are just like family. I feel so bad for my future children. You know those crazy mothers who are always in the stand making a scene whenever their kids have a game or perform? That will be me! I am so pathetic, it already IS me...when Tiffani skated onto the ice my eyes welled up with tears, I was just so proud of my little girl!! I was cheering and sobbing...it was ridiculous!

I took about five million pictures. I kept yelling at her trying to get her attention...my poor kids!

Her biggest fans!

Isn't she just beautiful?! You are awesome girl, way to go!!! We sure love you lots!

Washington D.C...Part 3

Sorry for yet another post, but I had to break them up...mainly for my sake. Where were able to actually go to Quantico, VA and onto FBI headquarters! It was such an awesome experience! Some of my favorite things I saw there were the monuments they had up all over. I am so grateful for the amazing men and women who protect this land!! To all of you...THANK YOU...words cannot express!!

Right in the center of the FBI Academy was this memorial. On the side of the tower it says, "Dedicated to the courage, spirit, and sacrifice of those who perished in the struggle to save others and those who persevered to protect freedom Sept. 11, 2001".

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Later we finally made it to Union Station. They actually had their Christmas tree lit. YAY!!

**Note: I didn't have the camera...but blurry or not, it's the only documentation we have. :-)

On our way to the airport we stopped to visit my buddy Albee. I love this guy, and I couldn't leave without getting to stand in his lap!

Tiger had to jump up there and get a picture too! :-) Love that crazy lady!

It was a SUPER fun trip...sorry it took so long to post it!

Washington D.C...Part 2

On the second day, my Mom and Dad, Lonny, and me and Chad were able to do a session at the D.C. temple. From the first time I saw this temple when I was 12 years old I was convinced it was the most beautiful temple I had ever seen. I have always loved this temple and it was so incredible to go inside and do a session. Afterward, we were also able to help a couple out with some sealings. It was amazing.

We came back on another evening to take more pictures...per my request...thanks dad for humoring me! I also had to go BOTH ways so we could get pictures from the bridge. I couldn't help it, it's so amazing! What a GOREGEOUS temple! However, I was entirely incapable of holding my sad little camera still enough to get a good night shot, and this is the best one I got, out of literally 20. I'm so glad we got to see it though, sorry I can't share more pictures!!

When we got back Chad and I went to the Air and Space Museum. It has always been my favorite Smithsonian and we only had time for one, so this was it.

Washington D.C...Part 1

Because we got to D.C. a day before everyone else, and since Chad is the only one who hadn't been before, while everyone was travelling we spent the entire day walking the mall to see the monuments. We originally planned to start at Union Station but went the wrong way. As we are walking up the road I decide to look at the map to make sure we are still going the right way. I got all confused because I see what 'looks' like the Capitol Building. I was so confused because we turned the complete other direction so I couldn't figure out what building this could possibly be. We get closer and closer and I am still convinced that although it look EXACTLY like I remembered the Capitol Building looking like, it's the other way. So what is the logical thing to do...call dad. "Hi um dad, we just walked out of the hotel and we are walking toward Union Station, and there is this huge building that looks like the Capitol but I know it's not, but for the life of me I can't figure it out." Dad, "Are you SURE that's not what it is?...tell me more about what it looks like and where you went when you came out of the hotel." Me, "I'm POSITIVE it's not the Capitol, we turned the complete opposite direction." Finally, he gave up and told me he wasn't sure what I was talking about....Meanwhile we keep walking, and we get to the parking lot and I said to Chad, "I don't know what building this is, but it's beautiful and we need pictures of it." We go take pictures and as we are walking away I decide I am just going to go ask the guards...luckily, on my way I ran into a sign that said something like "Capitol Building stairs closed". Wow!!!! I'm awesome! Finally, I was convinced that we turned the wrong way, and it was in fact the Capitol! :-)

**Please Note: Although I admit I'm not great with maps, this map was HORRIBLE...not as bad as I thought however once I figured it out. It didn't even have the Lincoln Memorial on it...YEAH...see what I mean? Retarted!!!

The one and only, yet somehow mistakable...National Capitol Building.

One thing that I have learned having travelled so much with my mom is that when things don't go according to plan you laugh and make the best of it. Our original plan was to take the metro to the other side of the mall and walk back...This is where the detour began and we started at the other end! :-) Later we were lost inside a building...in places i'm sure tourists are not supposed to be... and while Chad was frustrated as ever I just laughed and found myself saying, "It's part of the experience, enjoy it!" and then thinking about the MANY MANY times I've heard those words from my mom when we were lost on our butts!

While we were lost in this building...I can't even remember what it was, I saw these awesome stairs, and while Chad was like, we shouldn't be here we need to go...I started taking pictures of the stairwell. :-) Once we finally made it out we went to the Supreme Court, and listened to their speil which was really cool. Then, the Library of Congress, and then to the National Botanical Gardens.

I had never actually been inside but it was way cool. There was sections of like jungle, desert, forest, tropics...it was awesome, and everything was beautiful.

These little wooden sculptures are nestled among all of the plants and flowers. They are made out of little tiny pieces of what looks like parts of pinecones. They are incredible!!

The Smithsonian...which we actually didn't have time to go in...but here it is!

The beautiful Washington Monument.

The further we got down the mall the gloomier it got. Between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial it started to rain a little bit, but mostly cleared up while we were inside luckily.

The Lincoln Memorial

I loved being able to see Chad's face when he saw this. He just lit up, and he was so excited. It was SO cute! He told me how cool it was to have seen pictures and pictures of this and now being able to be there in person.

This memorial always touchs me and everytime I see it I get teary. What an incredible country we live in. We are so blessed!

The World War II Memorial (which also was not on the map...when we passed it the first time, we didn't know what it was). We could see the Jefferson Memorial across the river, but just didn't have the motivation to get over there so we decided to head for the White house. We wanted to see the Vietnam Memorial but, yet again, not on the map!!! I knew we were close, but we never saw it.

On our way to the White House we saw them setting up the National Christmas tree. Unfortunately they didn't light it until the day we left...go figure, and the state trees weren't setup yet.

Final destination of the day...kind of...The White House. We actually saw a helicopter land and President Bush was inside. As close as I will ever get to the president of the President...hey, i'll take it! :-) By this time everything was closed...although we kept going up to doors of museums to see it they were unlocked. No such luck, so we headed back to the hotel and got there just before everyone showed up and we went to Outback for dinner!!! Quite an eventful first day!