Family Date Night

There is a park in Fayetteville, about 30 minutes from our home, with a large display of Christmas lights. We decided after dinner this past Friday we would drive out there to look at them before they put them away after the New Year. We made some hot chocolate and headed out on our family date night. I did not bring the camera with me so there wont be any pictures of our field trip but we did have a lot of fun. When we got to the park we moved Sophie up front with us so she could see the lights better, and we all sipped on our hot chocolate as we drove through the park. It was fun to watch Sophie point to different characters she recognized from different movies they had displayed around. She loved the giant Santa waving, and the cool tunnel of lights we got to drive through. The neatest thing in my opinion was when we pulled up to the nativity set and she pointed to all of the statues and told us who they were. She know why we have Christmas, and who we celebrate this time of year.

After the lights we put Sophie in her car seat again and drove home. When we got home we all got in our Pajamas, and then Stewart made us a bed out of blankets in the living room so we could sleep under our Christmas tree before we put it away the next day. We all snuggled together with the glow of the Christmas tree lights and watched a VeggieTales movie, It’s a Meaningful Life. We only watched half of the movie before both Stewart and I were tired, so we turned if off and told Sophie it was time to go to sleep. I know I fell asleep before her so I don’t know when she finally decided to follow our lead, but I do know it was after 11:00pm! Teach us to give her chocolate milk after dinner.

The next morning we ate fruit loops and finished our movie in our makeshift bed. It was a fun family date, and perhaps a new family tradition. 

Christmas 2012

This is the first year we have spent away from family with Sophie. The last few years we were blessed to be with our families for Christmas, however this year it was not so. That is not to say we had a miserable Christmas, truth is we had a fantastic Christmas. Christmas Eve was spent at a friends home with their family and the missionaries. Christmas morning was spent together just the three of us, opening presents and enjoying the spirit of the season. We Skyped with my family and spent a good portion of our afternoon mingling with friends over Christmas dinner. It was a fun day, and we enjoyed being together the most.

We bought Sophie a piggy bank. We used the twelve dollars she received for her birthday and exchanged it for the same amount in various coins so she would have something to fill her pig with. We thought she would love feeding her pig since she enjoys feeding mom and dads pig, but it did not go over as well as we thought. She received a few stuffed bears from different people in the ward and our neighbors. My sister Margie sent her some cool fruit that is velcroed together until you use a wooden knife to cut it apart. My parents gave her a few movies and some simple toys as well. Put all that together and the piggy bank was not as cool as everything else. Stewart and I exchanged notes of affection, as we are saving our money for a small vacation after Stewart graduates in May. We hope to see some of the sights we have been unable to explore before we move out west (hopefully) before residency starts in July. 

Looking over the contents of her Christmas Stocking

Helping Daddy pass out the gifts

Cuddling her new bear given to her by a nice family  we know from church

Opening gifts with moms help

Playing with her cool new Velcro Fruit Aunt Margie gave her

And Because I want to brag... here is Sophie's Snowman pancake I made her Christmas morning 

Graham Cracker Houses

We had fun making graham cracker houses again this year. I made a outhouse, I was not feeling creative so it is lacking in color. Stewart got bit buy the rainbow bug because his house had enough color to make up for mine and then some. Sophie got to make a Picasso picture using melted white chocolate for a canvas with pretzel rods as the frame. She then put in whatever candies she wanted to until the chocolate hardened. After that she ate the candy… way to much candy. We did have fun, it is a blast making memories. 

Merry Christmas from the Norths

Family and Friends,

Merry Christmas from the Stewart North clan! Stewart and I have been talking about this past year’s events and have come to the conclusion this was one of those “one-day-at-a-time, nothing super mind-blowing happened” kind of years for us. So if you want to stop reading right now, no worries we won’t be mad. For those of you who are suffering from insomnia keep on reading you will be asleep in no time… that was a joke. Stewart, Sophie and I had a great year full of fun adventures.  Here are the highlights:

·          Stewart passed his second set of board exams and officially started his last year of medical school this past July. YIPPY!

·          At the end of July we packed up the car and drove to Idaho for my sister Emily’s wedding. Sophie is an excellent traveler and for the most part endured the trip well. She, like the rest of us, was happy when we did not have to spend all day in the car.

·          Stewart and I separated for two months (NOT WHAT YOU THINK), so he could do two one-month interview rotations at different residency programs he is interested in. He did one in Greeley, Colorado and one in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He will officially apply for residency programs sometime early next year; we should know where Stewart will do his residency by late march. 

·          Sophie turned two on October 1^st. She had a fun birthday complete with a small play date party with her friends and a Cookie Monster cake made by her mom. She loves telling people she is one and then as a second thought changing her answer to two.

·          Stewart is serving as the ward mission leader in our current ward in Beckley. He enjoys working with the missionaries. This past year the mission president split our ward boundaries into two working missionary areas. We are excited to have four amazing elders working in this part of the Lord’s vineyard.

·          I am serving as the Young Women President at current. I am enjoying this opportunity to work with the YW and have learned so much from them so far. I hope they are learning just as much from me. (Stewart’s note: the YW also love Becky. I can tell that they look up to her as an example)

·          Sophie loves nursery. She is one of 4 kids in nursery, and one of the more outgoing kids as well. She loves singing songs and playing with her favorite toys: a plastic gorilla figure and a toy police car (she seeks both of these toys out every Sunday without fail).

There you have it folks, our past year in a nutshell. We hope you all have a Merry Christmas and of course a Happy New year. May this next year be full of many blessings to you and yours.

Hugs!

Stewart, Becky, & Sophie

A few Sophie-isms (just for fun):

·          While changing her diaper she told us “Stop it, stop it, you need to Repent!”

·          During the night Sophie woke up upset, saying “mom took my sandwich… and threw it!” She was dreaming.

·          Stewart’s stomach made a loud angry-sounding noise to which Sophie said “oh thunder” Stewart told her it was just is tummy, and she replied by saying “no thunder” a few minutes later Stewart’s stomach gurgled again, with wide eyes Sophie looked up and said “oh scary, thunder!” 

Oh Christmas Tree

It is tradition in our home to put up our Christmas tree the first Monday in December for Family Home Evening. This year it was so much fun to put up our tree with the help of Sophie. She was so excited when she woke up from her nap to find a tree in the living room. I hope you enjoy the fun video I took of her and Stewart while we decorated our Christmas tree. Sophie is indeed at a fun age. And for all of you wondering if our tree still as decorations on it the answer is… yes. So far Sophie is not that interested in taking her decorations off her tree.