Northern Brown Christmas Party

At the party this year we had a carmel tasting. A lot of us use our Mom's carmel recipe, which I found out, that Mom got it from Aunt Nada about 45 years ago. Oh and by the way Nada tasted one of my carmels and she said I did a great job. Anyway, back to the party. So McKay, myself, Kanani, Alvin and Brant all made some carmel. It is so interesting how we use the same recipe,  but they all turn out a little different. Everyone's was great and it was fun to do.

The annual Northern Brown Christmas party was last night. This year was our turn to host. I have four siblings who live in Utah Valley and every year they have a little Christmas get together. We also have a brother who lives in Rock Springs who was able to come down since they are only a few hours away. Then there are also two nieces that are married that came as well. So there was supposed to be 38 people in all, but one brother and his family were traveling and were not able to make it. We missed Robert and his family. But he gave us a call to tell everyone hello and share some crazy news that their oldest Terence had just got engaged. So that was a fun surprise.

Anyway, so I think we had about 29 people in our home which is not the biggest group but some were a little late so we were able to eat in shifts. I was amazed that we got everybody in. We had breakfast for dinner this year, the food was yummy and I am grateful for everybody's contributions. Photo above, has in the back Lois, Ella, Larsen, Lindsay, Abbey, McKay and in front, back of head is Brittany and then Wade.

After dinner we moved downstairs to our family room for the white elephant game and another present game. Wade Peterson was the winner for the funniest white elephant gift. He brought a "Big Bull" DVD, not sure the name of it, it was some hunting video and it was in very high demand. Both Alvin and Shaye wanted it and Alvin was the winner with the last steal. Pictured above is McKenzie, Lindsay, Abbey, McKay and Kaleb.

To start off the games we had all the presents in the middle and Kaleb ran around them in a circle while everyone clapped. He is such a show off, he loves to have parties. We took apart our sectional and put the seat all against the wall to fit everybody in, and it actual fit everybody which was very nice. Again thanks for everybody coming we had a great time and I am glad I don't have to host again for a few years! Pictured above is McKay, Zach, Kanani, Scott, McKenzie, Sydney, Kelsy, Ashley, Shaye, and Wade.

Kaleb's 2nd Birthday

We headed up to Logan to celebrate Kaleb's 2nd birthday. He had a great time. He loves Curious George so I wanted to make him a monkey cake. I searched the web for ideas and found out how to do this cake which seemed the easiest to do. It turned out great and Kaleb liked the cream! I made a banana cake of course, and then just frosted it with whipped cream, to make it brown, cocoa did the trick.

Here is Kaleb tearing in to his gifts. Mummi spoiled him, and we knew it would be that way so we only got him one gift because we knew he would get plenty from everyone else. He loved all the gifts and thank you to all you who gave him the wonderful gifts.

This is the first time he has blown out candles and he loved it. I had to light the candles 4 or 5 more times so that he could blow them out over and over again.

In this photo he is saying one more time. Meaning he wanted me to light the candles again so that he could blow them out.

We had a great time and Kaleb loved everything about the day. He loves being at Mummi and Pappa's and he loves his uncles. We are grateful to our family and for all of the love and support that they give to us. The ride home was alot easier than the way up, we hit a little storm in the canyon but things were clear on our way back. We now to brace ourselves for Christmas!

Snow Play

I believe this is the first time that I have let Kaleb go out in the snow and play. He had a great time. He first ate some snow.

Then I showed him how to throw it.

Kaleb loves the camera, every time I would go to take a picture he would say CHEESE!

He then tried out sitting in the snow and he thought that was pretty fun. It was cold outside but Kaleb had a good time. The only way I could get him to come back into the house was to bribe him with a piece of candy!

Friend Christmas Party

This year the annual girlfriend Christmas party was at our home we had great food and a good time. This party started probably back in 2003 a bunch of us single girls who hung out all the time started our annual party with always having a memorable white elephant game. The above picture has Annmaree, Uyen, Kelli and Mikko in it. (Men are now invited to the party)

Here is Michelle, Lori and Amy. Michelle for the past few years has added a fun game she buys all these great gifts, some are great, some are funny and we roll dice to see if we get to pick a present. When all the gifts are gone we open the ones we chose and then we go around 3 more times and roll the dice and we have a chance to steal others gifts. It is great fun, there usually is one or two gifts that are always being stolen. This year it was a potpourri set and a 80's trivial pursuit game. We won the game in the end yeah!!

Kaleb was a ham of course, he loves it when there are guests in the house he was rolling the dice for everyone. He would hold the dice and shake his arms around for the shake and then drop the dice and he was pretty good. He actually got doubles and 7's for the participants more than they did. And when he rolled the double or 7 we would all cheer and then he would just go crazy and laugh and dance around.

This was the winning gift for the white elephant game. Kristy made some Pad about slippers, it was pretty funny! They would last about 1 minute as real slippers.

Vaulting Exhibit

Saturday we braved the snow storm and headed on down to Utah Valley for Lindsay and Abbey's (my nieces) vaulting program in Salem. I should have actually taken some pictures of them but I totally forgot. Anyway vaulting is basically like gymnastics done on horseback. They do certain positions or poses while the horse is trotting around. When we got there it was still snowing and I was hoping it was going to be warmer in the stable, but I was wrong. It was freezing and McKay did not tell us that we should be wearing a base layer. But we survived. Anyway while watching the girls do their thing pretty soon Kaleb wanted to get in on it. He started climbing on the little fence and he would put one leg on the fence and then would raise the other leg into the air while holding on to me. Then he would say "taa daa". It was so cute. The cold did not seem to bother him. After the show we made it up the big hill to McKay's and we visited, played games, ate dinner and waited for the storm to pass. We had a good time and we are glad McKay, Lois and family invited us out but next one we go to I think we be the spring show!

Lights on Temple Square

Thursday Kaleb and I went and picked up Mikko at his work then we went to Macaroni Grill for dinner. When we were being seated someone called my name and it was an old mission companion of mine, Anita Haberlach. It was nice to chat with her for a bit. After dinner then we went to temple square to see the lights, Kaleb just wanted to run around.

We forgot to bring the stroller with us. I have it in the back of the car but I always forget to get it out. So needless to say we ended up carrying Kaleb around. He is over 35 pounds so it is not too fun to lug him around, but he had a good time.

Daddy and Kaleb in front of the reflection pool. The lights are always beautiful and I am glad we got out and did something as a family.

Ward Christmas Party

Mikko was asked to narrate the little Nativity scene they had. He was told that he had the perfect voice for the job. It was funny that night I also had a few people come up to me and comment on how great Mikko's voice was for this kind of thing. Oh great one more thing for him to think that he is good at. :o) Just kidding I love him!

Kaleb is the one in the maroon jacket, he was not part of the Nativity but as more and more kids came into the scene he thought he needed to go stand up there with them as well.

At the end of the night one of the bishopric counselors dressed up as Santa for the kids. Kaleb was a little unsure at first as the picture shows. But we said "Kaleb Santa will give you candy" and the other two pictures explain his reaction.

Oh candy, well then I will stay on his lap.

Kaleb is all about the candy no matter what kind it is. We had a good time at the party and Kaleb loves being around other people and playing.

Many Personalities

Just a look at Kaleb's different personalities. Above is our handsome big boy. We did his hair in a fauxhawk and he was more than willing to pose for the picture.
A favorite of Kaleb's lately is to wear Mommy's necklace. I think he is trying to pull off some gangster look. The other day he wore it and would not take it off and we decided to go out to dinner. I did not want to fight with him to take it off so we went out with him wearing it. I am sure there were a few people thinking that we were strange but I don't care.

Hear is Mr. Snorkel dude. Kaleb likes to wear Mikko's snorkel gear every once in awhile. We hope he tries all kinds of things and is a well rounded child.

Mikko's Tranformation

For Mikko's new job with the LDS Church he had to shave off his goatee. You can have a mustache but not any type of beard. So we said goodbye in stages to see what he would look like. Mikko was not at all sad that he had to get rid of it. When we dated he told me he could not grow any facial hair and I told him that I did not believe him and that I really LOVED facial hair on a man. So it was pretty funny that next weekend when we got to see each other he had a little goatee growing. He really wanted to impress me! I am sad that it is gone because I think it made him look older and even better looking than he is. Secretly he misses it too because it hid his little double chin.

We voted no to the Reno 911 look!

Then we vetoed the mustache, he just can't seem to pull it off.

And here is what he looks like now. He looks 18 again. But the job is worth it and he is still handsome.

Mummi and Pappa's

We went to Logan for an overnighter at Mikko's parents. Mummi and Pappa is what you call grandparents in Finnish. Kaleb had a great time and I am glad we were able to go visit. Above Kaleb just got out of the sauna, see the red cheeks. Sauna is a very traditional thing. Almost every house and apartment in Finland will have their own sauna and they visit it weekly. So it is natural that Mikko's parents built a sauna in their home. When we visit we like to get in to relax and sweat, it is nice.

Mummi and Pappa have a huge tree in their front yard that deposits a ton of leaves every fall. Kaleb had a good time playing in the leaves. Mikko was photographer and he was trying to get some action shots and these dang digital cameras take to long to snap the picture so sorry they are a little fuzzy.

He had a great time as you can see.

Wish I knew what he was thinking right there looks like a cross of relaxing and fear. Thanks to Mummi and Pappa for letting us come visit and for all the good food they fed us while there and watching Kaleb for us so we could take a visit to the temple!

Self Portrait

This is Kaleb's first portrait he has taken of himself as well as the first pic he has taken at all. Back on Halloween he got a hold of the camera and took a bunch of pictures. Now when he gets the camera he just enjoys turning it on and off. I still think he is a cute boy even upside down.

Scary 80's

For my friend Lori's 30th birthday (Lori is to the left of me in the purple) she wanted to have an 80's Prom and her buddies pulled it off for her. This has got to be the scariest thing you have seen, besides my actual prom photos that truly happened in the 80's...1989!

This is my prom dress that I wore to my Jr. Prom back in 1989. My mom made it for me and it was a great dress for the time but now it is just scary. I must say that I enjoyed my date more this time than the one back in the 80's (Shane) not that I am knocking him it was just fun to dress up with my hubby and dance with him since he does not really like to do that dancing thing. The truly sad thing about this is that I can fit into my high school prom dress but I can't fit into my wedding dress! I need to loose 25-30 pounds. But I keep telling myself that I will do it when we are done having kids and since Mikko wants at least one more I keep telling myself that I have more time. It's sad I know.

Panu and Leah

November 8th Mikko's parents had a celebration engagement dinner for Panu and Leah. We went to Ruby River and had a great meal. Thanks Seija and Seppo. Panu is Mikko's youngest brother. He got engaged to Leah a few weeks earlier. Leah is from Australia and Panu met her down at BYU while doing his Masters. They are getting married in May in Australia then plan to stay there for a few years then decide what to do after that. I am jealous, I have always wanted to go to Australia and we are very excited for Panu to get married and to have this great adventure. Mikko's parents and brother Pekka will be going to the wedding. We wont be able to most likely at this time as Mikko is out of work, we just might not be able to afford that luxury. We will miss them but hope for the best for them.

Halloween

Kaleb joined his neighbor friend Macie at a Mom and Tot dance class. He really enjoys it and most of the time does his own thing, maybe someday I will actually join the class.

I put these up in the wrong order but oh well. Here is Kaleb enjoying some of his candy that he got trick or treating. He was not quite sure what was going on but he did not mind people giving him candy. After we got home he really got into giving kids candy when they came to our home. He stood by the door with candy bars in his hands, a worried look on his face and making some noise and wondering why no one was at the door at the time.

The back of Kaleb's cute lion outfit. I originally borrowed the lion costume from my neighbor but her sister decided she wanted it. I did not want to try and think of something else to dress him up as and he looked so dang cute in this one so I found one on Ebay and got it shipped to us on the 29th.

Lion Kaleb does a great roar he is just too cute.

Wednesday before Halloween we carved our pumpkins and Kaleb was really into the pumpkins once we lit them and put them out side. He is so cute and say punkeene.

Kaleb just kept staring and the flickering lights.

Tried to get Kaleb too match the expression on the pumpkin, we think he did pretty good.

He was not to thrilled about putting his hand inside the pumpkin to take out the "guts", but we made him try it out. We had a good time this year and I am sure it will be even more fun next year.