Christmas and New Years Eve!

It's been over a month since my last post.  It's been crazy with Ryder, the holidays, and Kevin being out of school!  Kevin had his last final on December 17th.  He did very well on all of them.  One of them he even got the second highest score in the class, a 99%  (especially impressive considering the class average was about 70%)  I'm so proud of him!!  It's been so fun having him here all the time to hang out and help with Ryder.  Ryder has LOVED having Kevin here more.  He loves playing with his daddy so much!  He lights up whenever he sees Kevin :)  Kevin starts back at school again on the 10th.  It's going to be very hard on all of us after getting used to having his undivided attention for a couple weeks.   Kevin is taking a painful 17 credits this next semester.  Last semester we already never saw him and he was taking 3 credits less than he will be... So on January 10th, I will pretty much kiss him goodbye and say, see ya in May!  It's very hard, but I really am thankful for such a smart, hardworking, driven husband.  As we speak, he is taking the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) test so that he can apply to the Engineering Masters program at the University of Utah.  He has been studying a lot this weekend for the GRE and I know he's going to do awesome.

Christmas was awesome.  We were spoiled and had so much fun spending time with both our families. We had the Rino Christmas party on the 23rd for Kevin's side.  It was a lot of fun, with lots of good food, desserts, and a gift exchange. On Christmas Eve, we went to the Nelson's 2nd Annual "Ugly Sweater" Christmas Eve party.  It was a lot of fun.  I love seeing what crazy outfits/sweaters people come up with.  Kevin and i were really excited to "help" Santa this year.  It's very fun to be on the parent side of Christmas.  Christmas morning came, and Santa had brought Ryder a baby laptop.  It was an instant hit!  It has 9 buttons that play music or say words when you touch them, and a screen that lights up.  He loves it!  He is always trying to grab the laptop when we are using it, so we decided he should have his own :)  He also got a play cell phone because that is another "toy" he always wants to play with.  Other than that, he got a couple other toys and mostly new clothes.  He had fun unwrapping presents for about 5-10 minutes, and then got too overwhelmed.  We got to talk to Kevin's brother, Casey, who is serving a mission in Atlanta, Georgia.  After that, we rushed down to my parents' house to talk to logan.  It was really good to talk to him.   

 

Decorating gingerbread houses

Our finished house

Our sweaters at the Ugly Sweater Christmas Eve Party

Colby and Rashell's sweaters

My uncle Mike, who won "ugliest sweater" for the guys

Chantelle, Riley, and my mom

Aunt Joni and baby Leah

My cousin Crystal

Cousin Jeremy

Neice Payton

Aunt Kim and Uncle Chris, wearing sweaters they found out of each other's closets!

Cousin Cassidy holding cousin Leah

My mom and Ryder

My grandparents!  Check out my Grandma's awesome sweater!  She won for the girls.  I LOVE them!

The nativity

Christmas morning.  I got a sweet new digital SLR.  It's a Canon Rebel XS.  It's a beginner digital SLR, but it's soooo much nicer than my little point and shoot!  I love it so much.  The pictures from Christmas morning on out are from that camera ;)

The new camera!

Kevin and Ryder

Ryder loved playing with the wrapping paper

New shoes for Kevin

Ryder became overwhelmed and then very tired!  He loved Kevin giving him arm tickles to help him fall asleep.  He's definitely zoning out in this picture.  He's such a sweet baby!

Christmas day at my parent's house.

Payton's hair cracked me up

Chillin with Grandpa Nelson

Grandpa with the babies

Pater playing with Ryder's cell phone

Ryder eating some lunch

Kevin and Ryder hanging out during the week after Christmas

Ryder showing off some of his new clothes

Me and my baby boy :)

Ryder playing with his new laptop

Playing in the tub.  In the baby tub we have, you start them in a little mesh sling when they are a newborn.  When they can hold their head up you move them to the reclined side shown opposite of Ryder above.  Then when they can sit up, you move them to the seat Ryder is in.  What a big boy.  Not too long until he is a little better at keeping his balance and we will move him out of the baby tub altogether!

Ryder loves relaxing in the water!

He's concentrating on trying to grab the water stream from one of his new bath toys

After bath time, playing with his "friend"in the mirror.

New Years Eve was fun.  We stayed home so we could put Ryder to bed early.  We had some yummy soups for dinner and played games.  Kevin and I continued our tradition of drinking our favorite energy drink called "Bawls"   I can't believe 2010 is over.  It was a big year for our family with the addition of Ryder and the struggles of him being in the hospital, being poor and trying to get through school.  I know we are learning a lot and our little family is growing closer through these hard times.  We couldn't make it without the help of our families.  They do so much for us, we are so blessed!  We have also had amazingly happy times this year and it has been a year I definitely will never forget!

Kevin with his drink

Showing some of the Martinelli's we'd be drinking later.

Hanging out

Playing games. 

A toast to the new year, 2011!

Ryder in a sweet new church outfit from my mom.  Doesn't he look adorable!  He has just enough hair to comb it over.  I love my sweet boy!  He is now 7 1/2 months old!

The next week is going to be a very busy one!  My brother Loagn is coming home from his mission on Wednesday, the 5th.  I am so over the top excited!  I have missed him sooo much!  I think everyone in my family has a special soft spot for Logan since he is the youngest.  So on Wednesday, we are picking him up from the airport, and going back to my parent's house to open presents, since we waited to have Christmas until he was home.  That weekend is Logan's homecoming talk in church.  We are having a lunch afterwards with family and friends.  The next night is the wedding dinner for Colby and Rashell.  Then, Tuesday, the 11th, is Colby and Rashell's wedding day!  Also, Kevin starts school on the 10th... so it's going to be a little crazy.  We are so excited for everything coming up though!