Nix Family Olympics

Last Sunday my mom decided to have everyone over for dinner and then to have our own winter Olympics. We had yummy beef stew and then got to start our games. Each family got to bring a game to play and mom provided the medals.
We started by bringing in the torch!My Mom's game: First you had to "ski" around her trees and then mogal down the stairs. Tanner and I headed downstairs to watch the events unfold and provide some cheering on the course... but he looks a little unsure or something....All the kids ended up going along the course with each person that ran it. They were so cute and excited... how many people can be on the mogal course at one time...That was followed by "skating" around a table downstairs before taking on the "ski jump."Tanner even took a turn on the course and had one amazing ski jump. It ended by then running back upstairs to the starting line.

Our next event was the "ice dancing" competition. The required dance was the YMCA.Jessica and Landon, Dan and Addy, and Matt and Chloe all gave us amazing free style dances. Easton joined in all those pairs and was a little upset when the music stopped. Here he is joining Matt and Chloe for their bows.
We played some more fun games and enjoyed the change to hang out and have fun. We also had fun presenting the medals. I helped my mom with them and we had fun. They all had a piece of candy on them, so I was excited for the silver the most cause that was a peppermint patty. Everyone got some medals... the kids really mostly got the same medal for each game. Here is all the kids with their gold medals from the first game. Then it was time to kiss those medals... hey they worked hard for them. At the end of the night Chloe was collecting all the medals she could find. She got most of them, after the candy was eaten by the original owners. This was at the beginning of that quest, she ended up with like 20 medals or so.

The Baby is Growing!

Well its been another few weeks since I posted anything and I suppose it is time to post again. Our schedule is still about the same. Scott has been doing pretty well with school and work. I am feeling way more comfortable with taxes. We were really busy a few weeks ago and I did a lot of returns. Things have slowed down a lot so I am getting a few less hours now. While I could use the hours, it is kinda nice to have some extra time off.... I have just gotten so tired lately. When I get home at nights all I want to do is sit in front of the TV, so not too much has gotten done in our house...

We haven't done too much extra fun stuff. Most of our date nights involve food rather than activities. We did have a great Valentine's day. We just stayed at home and had some friends over. We had a cheese fondue and then a chocolate fondue. They were both so yummy! I just have gotten horrible about taking pictures.... I will have to work on that.

I am growing a little. I had actually lost a pound in my last doctor visit, but that was probably cause I was wearing lighter clothes and shoes. But I am still not really gaining weight so I am still pretty small. Most people still don't believe that I am in my 8th month, but it also depends on what I am wearing. I was trying to take a picture of me today and the shirt that I was wearing did not make me look pregnant at all. So I changed my shirt and went to take a new picture, and the camera battery went dead.... the batteries are charging right now. Maybe this means that I shouldn't post a belly picture :) But I will still take another one and try to post it, since so many people are asking to see it.
OK I took a few pictures.... they aren't that good but they will have to do. The first one is a little hard to see since its red on red. In this one I look a little smaller so I figured I would just post both of them.In other news we made our first big baby purchase... We got a travel system so we now have a car seat to bring the baby home in and a stroller to go for a walk with. There were a bunch of sales a few weeks ago so I decided it was time to get that. That was the one thing that I felt was pretty important to buy new so that we can keep our baby safe, but it was nice to find it on sale for a little cheaper. Crazy to think of our little guy sitting in there in not too long.This picture is taken in the baby's room that is so not ready for him. It's been our storage room for so long it is strange to figure out how to reorganize everything, but a lot of the random things in the room are the kids toys we have had for awhile that will need to find a place in the room.

So this last picture is the one from Brian and Meija being here at the New Year that I was going to post with my last post, but that I was too lazy to do. We were being silly and greatly enjoying our very comfortable almost matching PJs.

Yikes! It's been awhile!

So I know that it has been too long since I posted. Things have just been busy. I even started this post a little while ago and didn't get to finish it.

Scott and I have been busy, Scott more busy than me. I am working doing taxes most of the time and then working a few extra hours at the copy center. Taxes are interesting with so many rules, but I really feel like I have the hang of it. The hardest part is usually getting through the end of the return with payment, rather than the return, but there are times I see things I haven't seen before and have to ask questions. Luckily I have a great office with so many people who are willing to help! Scott has started working full time and going to school full time. He usually ends up working over 40 hours. He was taking 15 credits with that, but I convinced him to drop a class and make it 12. It may take a little longer to graduate but at least we will both stay sane.... He is totally amazing and working so hard to take care of our little family. That is one reason I haven't posted in a while.... Even though I am a slacker, I have thought about updating but Scott would be home and doing homework, which usually means he needs the computer, making it a little hard to blog. He is still at work now, but he will need the computer as soon as he gets home, so I figured I should work on this.

We had a great new years. We had Scott's brother and his family come for a visit for a few days and we had so much fun. It was great to hang out with Brian, Meija, Amelia, Roman! We ate lots of good food and had fun staying up late and talking/playing once the kids went to bed. It messed up our sleep schedules a little, but it was well worth it. We all even got different but sorta matching PJs that are SO comfortable. We were very sad to see them go and have to get back to crazy work schedules!

I'm trying to think what other news we have for this month. My brother Dave came for a visit for work and got to bring his youngest boy, Jared, who is two. I picked them up from the airport and we stopped at In-and-Out on the way home. It wasn't too long a wait so that wasn't too bad. I think it is crazy the amount of time people will wait in line for that place...When we were there the line didn't leave the drive through area so I was okay with it. I am just not a person that would wait in a line that goes into the parking lot and around behind other stores... Anyway... I got to spend some time with Dave and we had fun! Scott had a blast while Dave was here and all the guys in the family went snowmobiling. It is good for him to have guy time! I think it is sometimes better for me not to hear the stories about things that can happen on those trips.... I don't want to worry when he goes. Everyone returned safe and in one piece without any broken snowmobiles.

We have had fun hanging out with friends on some nights... mostly Saturdays since we can sleep in on Sundays. We also went to a family birthday party for my niece Chloe who turned 6!

The baby is doing fine. I am growing a little, but I am still really small. I will try to take a picture soon... but I am really lazy right now and don't feel like getting the camera... hence no pictures with this post. He moves around alot and likes to settle in my ribs! It is crazy that it is only about 2 months away. We haven't really done anything, we are still waiting to get a better feel for what we need, we may go out for another summer and that means that we will be traveling really light for the first few months of this little guys life. My mom is starting to get ready for the baby shower. It will be March 13, if anyone wants an invite let me know, just leave a comment or something. It will be rather low key, but still fun times!

So that is about all from here for now. Scott just called to say he is on the way home, so I guess I finished just in time!

Profile and Christmas Day

So I have had lots of requests for pictures of my belly... well I don't really have one. Ok, thats not really true, I am showing a bit now. It doesn't help that I usually wear fairly big shirts that hide what little bump I have. No one believes that I am due three months from tomorrow when they see me... This is me on Christmas day, about 26 1/2 weeks. I made Scott take the picture when we got back from my brother's house. Right now the baby in the family is Tanner and we are all so excited when we can hold him, you kinda have to wait in line for the chance. This is Tanner and Betsy with Tanner fast asleep... I got a turn too. I'm sitting in between my parents who aren't really paying attention. We had a fun Christmas day with the family. Scott and I got some nice gifts... things we need. I got a new hair dryer, he got a white shirt. Our little guy got a basketball bank and as a family we got a baby swing! It is hard to believe that our guy is coming so soon... so much to do!

Christmas Morning

So I need to vent for just a minute.... You can skip this part if you want, just go down to the pictures. OK... if you know me in the morning you know that I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON! I just don't wake up until the last moment... sometimes after that. It annoyed my mom growing up and it annoys Scott now. No matter what time it is hard for me to get up.... every day of the year except Christmas. Most of the time that is just fine. I can remember waking up when I was little and running down the stairs to find out if Santa had come yet and then waking up the rest of the family. But this year I wanted to sleep in and I wanted to let Scott do that too. We have both been working most days this month and were looking forward to this day off. Plus we know that once this baby comes the days to sleep in will be limited. So I wake up at 7 and I just can't go back to sleep. I was in bed for another hour, spending some of that time texting my mother-in-law trying to fall asleep or waiting for Scott to get up and thinking about writing this post. Oh well.... I still like Christmas morning! Scott did finally get up around 8, I guess I woke him up with my texts... he wasn't the happiest the first little bit, but he came around and we had a great Christmas morning.

So here is the traditional Christmas morning picture of the two of us.The tree after Santa has come.We decided that we needed to get our little boy a little something for Christmas. I think this kid will be a little spoiled, we're not the only ones who got stuff for him and he isn't even here yet. And we have the traditional pictures with the Christmas loot! We still have to do family gifts... my family is today and Scott's family will be next week when Brian and Meija come.

Getting ready for Santa!

So when we got home from my brother's we had to finish getting ready for Santa. Scott had to do some wrapping for me and I had to finish making cookies. Over the summer Scott fell in love with some cookies that our neighbor would make and share with us. I decided that for Christmas I would try to make him some, and we thought that we could share some with Santa. They are sugar cookies with chocolate chips in them. I think they turned out pretty good for my first time.... but they don't compare with Ashley's cookies. Santa did seem to enjoy them! They were all gone this morning. After getting the cookies ready we played some games and then headed into bed. We started watching a movie, but I didn't last very long. I was tired.

Family Christmas Eve: The Nativity

So all of a sudden I feel like I have a lot to post. I guess that is what happens with the holidays. Yesterday Scott and I worked in the morning and then we headed up to my brother's for a little Christmas Eve party. We ate soup and watched a video of the family slides from before I was born... that is what I get for being the youngest! Then we put on the Nativity. Chloe wanted to be Mary so she could hold baby Tanner/Jesus. Matt was Joseph, Addy was an Angel, Scott was the donkey, Landon was a dog, and Easton was a train... not sure when those last two joined the Nativity, but it kept the kids happy.
Mary, Joseph, and the donkey on the way to Bethlehem.And Baby Jesus is born.The Angel announcing the good news.The group.So Scott always seems to get worn out at family gatherings... he is the favorite uncle, or maybe it's just the favorite jungle gym. Sometimes I feel bad for him, but he is already trying to teach our son to pounce me. He got me last night and tried to get the little guy to get me from inside! I think I might be in trouble in the years to come.So I have two more cute pictures to share. Here is my mom holding Tanner on his first Christmas Eve.I also have another very cute little nephew. Here is Easton eating his Dutch pancake that is Betsy's family tradition. They were yummy and Easton was excited to eat his.