The Bennett Family: January 2012

Sorry this is a really long one!!

Well this year it was our turn to spend Christmas in Wetaskiwin and we had a great time! We headed out to Wetaskiwin on the 23rd this year. It was the 4 year anniversary of the death of Nick's dad this Christmas season and we all miss him. It was really nice to spend the evening with Nick's family and just be together on this hard day. It is so nice to have such a great family!!

We ate way to much food on Christmas Eve with Grandma Bennett, Katie, and Taylor. It was very quiet but we still had a great time. Entertaining our little man was a little challenging since he was the only kid around that night but he really bonded with his uncle Taylor. It was pretty dang cute!! He followed him everywhere lol!! I made us matching Christmas PJ's this year and they turned out so cute!! I was quite impressed with myself!!

Dex woke us all up at 7:30 Christmas morning to open gifts. I don't think Taylor and Katie were impressed lol!! Nathan got home late Christmas Eve night so it was nice to see him it had been over a year since we had seen him last. Anyways we opened gifts and Dex got extremely spoiled like usual. I don't know what he is going to do when baby #2 gets here. It should be fun... This year was the first time that Dex actually really enjoyed opening his presents. He was actually a little disappointed when he had opened them all . And he had a good dozen to open not including his sock. Spoiled little turd lol!!

After opening gifts we all went to church and enjoyed a wonderful service. Everyone came over for Christmas Dinner (except for Craig he had to work.... boo!!). Dex had so much fun playing with his cousins and was quite obsessed with his new cousin Brody who was only a few weeks old. (hopefully this is a good sign lol!!). It was a long hectic day but it is always fun when everyone gets together. It was really fun to see how much Dex has changed since last year. He can actually play with his cousins now and have a good time. Quite a few of us spent the night and then we had to head back into the city on boxing day. I had to work the 26th and 27th.

On the 28th we headed to Magrath to see my family!! Apparently Dex was super excited to get there because he woke Nick and I up at 6:00am. We tried to wrestle him back down to sleep but he wasn't having it. So we left the house by 7!! This never happens lol!! It was a long trip since I had worked til 5 that morning but I survived. Anyways we got to Magrath and of course Dex needed to open his presents immediately. Everyone was so anxious.

Grandma and Grandpa Chipman spoiled him rotten like usual. They got him a car track, A monkey shirt from Mexico (that he loves lol), and lots of clothes. Auntie Ash and Uncle Matt bought him his first truck. You should have seen his face when he saw it. It was so cute!! Auntie Kinz and Uncle Chanse got him SpongeBob slippers that he never takes off of his feet!! Auntie Kass, Uncle East and Livi got him a SpongeBob chair, SpongeBob shirt, and 2 new books. It was like having 2 separate Christmas's. SO SPOILED!! but we are just as guilty of spoiling him well maybe I should say I am just as guilty lol!!

Anyways it was so nice to spend time with my family!! I love living in Edmonton but I miss my family a lot. It was nice to just hang out and relax. Nick and I love going there because we actually get a break. Dex kind of gets fought over and we love it lol!!

We went out to Ash and Matt's new place for dinner one night and it was a lot of fun!! It was the first time since we had seen them since they got engaged and we are so excited for them. Ash is literally on cloud 9 and it is so awesome to see her so happy!! We can't wait til the wedding in August.

New years eve was fun!! All the Chipman Clan and Grandma Alston came over for dinner and we played games. The men watched the hockey game and the women weren't too impressed but not surprised either lol!! It was so nice to have everyone there and we had a lot of laughs and good fun!! Dex lasted til 11:30 this year but tuckered out right before the new year.

All in all 2011 was a pretty good year. Here are some things that stand out to me that happened.

Dex turned 1!!
Got preggers with baby bennett #2!!
I went back to work (Only have 5 weeks left!!)
I got a new niece who we love to pieces (Livi)
Awesome summer vacation's with our families (Fairmont and Kallispell)
Kinzee graduated and got married in the same year lol!! (We love Uncle Chanse!!)
We lost a very special girl (Nae Nae)
Ash and Matt got engaged!!

2011 made me realize how important family really is and my main goal for 2012 is to try to not take that for granted. Life is short and bad things happen to good people but as long as we have our families and strive to do what's right everything will be okay. A few of my resolutions this year are: Less tv, Less Computer (facebook, pinterest, and just surfing..), Loose this baby weight ASAP (Ash asked me to be a bridesmaid in August so hopefully that will motivate me), Try new recipes and stop making the same things lol, Read my scriptures every day, and just spend all my time with my hubby and kids!! Bring on 2012!!

Here are a few pics from the holidays: