A day at the Cabin

The day after Christmas we headed up Big Cottonwood Canyon to the family cabin in Brighton.  We haven't been there for a few months, and it was nice to spend some time up there with my family and enjoy the beauty of the snow-frosted trees and untouched snowdrifts.

Ethan and Shawn started the morning off with a snowshoeing excursion. I'm starting to think Ethan and I are really going to have to get our own so we can go together.

We played a lot of games, watched a movie and of course, played outside. Ethan and Annie and I hauled in wood for the fire via sled and got stuck up to our thighs in snowdrifts. We had a snowball fight with Ethan where Annie and I had the advantage because we had sleds we used as shields. We roasted marshmallows over the fire and made s'mores.

And of course, we went sledding. We had a few races where no one really one because we were too busy grabbing the other team to slow them down and we all ended up in a jumbled pile at the bottom of the hill.

Don't you love his monkey suit? He looks hilarious in it. It was Soren's half year/six month birthday and though we didn't celebrate it with cake or anything, we took him sledding for his first time. He wasn't impressed. No smiles, just oblivious to everything going on, so we only did a couple runs.

Christmas 2009, from Alison's perspective

We had a wonderful Christmas, full of family, fun and remembering Christ. It was Soren's first Christmas, and although I can't really say he knew the past few days were any different from any others, I know he did have fun being the center of attention through it all.

We started our Christmas festivities on Christmas Eve, when we headed over to the Taylors house for the annual Reed Family Christmas Eve get together. After dinner, each family performed a skit or song or something. It's better if you just watch.

Since my dad worked Christmas Eve and Neil is in Paraguay on a mission, we had a perfect amount of people in our family to perform "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". Soren, of course, was Rudolph (as I'm sure you figured out in the first picture), Ethan was Dasher, Annie was Prancer, Ruth was Dancer, Rachel was Vixen, Sam was Comet, I was Cupid, Mom was Donner, and Shawn was Blitzen.

Here are the other families: (Alison's note: my computer just crashed, so I am going to try to upload them a little bit later)

Afterward, Soren sat on Santa's lap for the first time. He was not impressed.

We had to head home before the festivities were over because it was waaaay past Soren's bedtime, so we missed the annual white elephant gift exchange a la 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. But it was a lot of fun, and we were glad to introduce him to the tradition.

Christmas morning he woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and earlier than usual. Instead of putting him back to sleep we decided to open presents already. haha. He didn't really know what was going on, and he wasn't even interested in the paper! He's had a lot of fun ripping open presents the past couple weeks, so maybe the novelty has worn off a little. I honestly think his favorite part of all the presents was watching other people open them (both his and our own).

 

After our house, we headed over to my parents'. They were all excited to open presents with him, but he wasn't into it, again. However, he was still just as fascinated watching everyone else open theirs!

Soren got something I really, really wanted him to get: the Baby Beluga cd by Raffi. I grew up listening to it, and we've already listened to it a bunch. Thanks Mom and Dad! 

They also gave him some really cute tennis shoes that he'll be able to wear in the spring or summer. Ethan loves that he already has his first Nikes. Haha.

The rest of the day we had a Christmas dinner with the missionaries (one of which is my cousin, who is serving in the Salt Lake Mission) and we hung out and played games . It was a ton of fun to just spend time with everyone together. The day passed by too fast!

 

If only they were REAL houses...

I would totally move in! On Friday we decorated gingerbread houses with my family.

It's a tradition I remember from when I was a little girl that I'd like to continue with my own children.

My mom is a pro at making the gingerbread as well as doing the decorative frosting on gingerbread houses, so we stuck to the basics and just stuck the candy on - gumdrops, M&Ms, peppermints, red hots, snowman peeps and of course, candy canes.

Annie, Rachel, and I stuck with red and green on our house. Ruth and Sam even had a chimney on theirs with Santa in it.

And here's a classic shot of Soren and Rachel doing a "Zoolander" pose. Hilarious.

A Grandma's influence

If I say so, mom is lagging a little behind on her blogging. She's been busy, and a good part of it is because she's been being such a great grandmother.

For example:

She's already working on helping him become an excellent ladies' man. The other day I caught her watching the long version of Pride and Prejiduce with him. And now, this:

Chocolate. Don't worry, she didn't feed him any. Mostly she is just trying to subtly rebel against Ethan, who told her last night, "Don't let me EVER see you feeding chocolate to my son." Of course, those of you who know my mother will know that is like asking her never to kiss him. Anyway, she won't feed him any, at least not until he's much older.

For now, she'll just let him play with the packages and smell it.

Wheeler Farm

Last weekend we went to Wheeler Farm because the younger Reed children had never been and it was a BEAUTIFUL day for some fall activities.


We checked out the duck pond, the animals, the treehouse, went on a hay ride, successfully completed the corn maze (it wasn't hard) and picked pumpkins from the pumpkin patch.




Annie even climbed an apple tree and picked us all apples.

And of course, Grandma got some grandbaby time in. :)

little pumpkin

My mom knitted this cute pumpkin beanie at work for Soren a couple weeks ago. So cute! Thanks, mom. :)

Hanging at out Northcrest

Reed Family Reunion

Saturday we went up to the Reed Family cabin in Brighton for the first ever Reed Family reunion. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and we loved the drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon. There was not a cloud in the sky and the leaves are just beginning to change colors.

We were all there because my great-uncle Chick asked to have a family reunion for his birthday this year. He just turned 88, and I think he really enjoyed seeing the family all together like this.


It's funny. My family has always been super close with the extended family on my mom's side, but I've never met anyone outside of my cousins and aunts and uncles on my dad's side. So quite a few people who were there I'd never met before. It was great to meet people and learn more about them, as well as about my Grandpa, Uncle Chick and their two brothers. They lived through the Roaring 20s, lived through the Great Depression and they all served in World War II. We saw pictures of all of them and we listened to Uncle Chick tell stories about what life was like for all of them.

We got a picture of everyone who came. Maybe, someday, our own posterity will look at it the way we looked at pictures of our own ancestors. Maybe we'll tell stories of what life was like for us.

Here are some more pictures:





My cousin Ashley and I are only six months apart. She got back from her mission to Romania two days before Soren was born, so we haven't really spent much time together in the past few years. Back in our little girl days we used to play on this rock outside the cabin, pretending we were mermaids or eating otter pops. The aspen trees have overgrown it now that it's had years of disuse, but we were happy to remember the good times we had there.

In the past year or so I've really come to realize even more how important family is - ancestors, posterity, extended family, all of it. It's important to keep in touch, be aware of your heritage, and build those relationships. I think this Reed Family reunion is going to be an annual affair now, and I am glad.

Shawn is off to Hawaii

September 10 we said goodbye to Shawn, who took off for BYU Hawaii. He and Soren matched in their tie-dye shirts Shawn and I made before he left.



He is majoring in biochemistry and his goals are to go on lots of hikes and wilderness adventures, visit the beach once a week, to meet a lot of people and to get good grades. He also wants to start working at the Polynesian Cultural Center starting Winter Semester. Currently, his job is doing early morning custodial work.

Soren's blessing day/Shawn's luau

originally written on 9/6/09


Today was a big day for Soren. We blessed him in my parents ward and were joined by my family, Ethan's entire family and their families and a sizeable chunk of our extended family.


Soren is a special child, and Ethan gave him a special and wonderful blessing. We were so grateful to everyone for making the effort to come and share in Soren's special day.

After church we headed up to my parents' house to have a luau to celebrate Soren's blessing, as well as my brother Shawn's departure for BYU Hawaii next week.







Here are the two men of honor:

We also took the chance to take some pictures of Soren with his grandparents. My mom sewed his blessing outfit, and it turned out wonderful. I loved the adorable vest and bow tie!


It was a great day, a great blessing, a great family get together, and great to see everyone.