Thanksgiving

We have had a great Thanksgiving with just our little family of 3 soon to be 4. This is the first year we have not been around our extended family and the first year we were in charge of our own Thanksgiving dinner. I was impressed with us though!

We had Thanksgiving with our good friends Dave and Liz and it was soo good. They took the hard job of the turkey, but we brought the pies, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and rolls. Yummy. I am so grateful for all of my many blessings.... especially these two (and the one of the way).

We tried to take some family pictures before Thanksgiving dinner but it didn't go too well. Aubrey is pretty sure that she should be the one taking the pictures instead of in them.

Speaking of Aubrey, she is just becoming her own little person and talking more everyday. She has quite the personality. She will tell you too. One of her favorite things to say is, "I'm so funny." 

On Friday we set up the Christmas decorations and wrapped all our presents. I only have a couple left to get and we are ready!

Putting up the lights, or "yites" was a big hit. 

I swear I also grew a couple inches this weekend. Third trimester of pregnancy over the holidays = yikes. 31 weeks and things seem to be doing well. Another thing I am very grateful for!

I love this time of year!

Halloween 2012

For this year's Halloween pumpkin, Steven decided to carve the LinkedIn logo:

It looked way cool and it was a very fitting pumpkin for the Foote family year of 2012. We absolutely LOVE LOVE Steven's job at LinkedIn and it has been such a huge blessing for our family. A year ago, I wondered what we were doing here in the Bay Area. Now I know, and we are in a good place. 

The company is fantastic and there are a lot of perks to working there. Aubrey and I love coming to eat lunch with Steven and help enjoy some of those perks :) 

Here are some other photos from Halloween 2012. We actually did a lot, but I spent most of the time chasing my crazy little girl around and so I didn't get too many pictures. She was a darn cute Zebra through.

We carved pumpkins, went to a pumpkin patch, 2 Halloween parties, and Aubrey went trick-or-treating 3 times. 

We spent a lot of time practicing having Aubrey say "Trick or Treat"... and then "Thank you." But when the time came she wouldn't say anything! She would just hold out her bucket and then wave bye bye. *sigh* All that practicing for nothing. Despite being a mute, she loved trick-or-treating and definitely got the hang of things quick.

Grandpa Kelly

Steven's Grandpa Kelly passed away this week. He was such a sweet and loving man and will be greatly missed:

I know that Steven has many more memories and should probably be the one writing this post, but every time I saw him he was so kind and happy. The above photo was taken at our wedding and I am so glad our photographer captured such a great shot. 

I am especially glad that we were able to go to a family reunion this past June with this side of Steven's family. I remember Aubrey sat on his lap and tried to feed him ice cream. 

The funeral is being held today in Reno. Since I am now entering my third trimester and at a risk for pre-term labor, my doctors advised me not to travel at all, and so I was unable to go. That on top of the fact that I have another cold/flu virus that I am fighting unfortunately mean that I am here resting (and coughing like crazy) on the couch today instead of with my family.

Steven took Aubrey with him to the funeral. As I watched him carry her sleeping down to the car this morning at 5, my heart hurt and I missed them like crazy even though they will only be gone for a day. 

I realized how grateful for I am for family, and how blessed I am that I get to spend my days with my little ones. Even on the really hard days, and honestly with how sick I have been, how hard this pregnancy has been, and how incredibly active Aubrey is... there have been some hard days lately, I cherish the blessings of family and motherhood. 

Losing a loved one puts life in perspective, and having a testimony of the eternal nature of family and that the relationships we develop in this life can last forever, brings such peace and hope.

Steven's grandfather was married for 56 years, raised 8 children, had 38 grandchildren, and now 16 great-grandchildren with more on the way. That is what life is about, and I am grateful that we can be part of such a lasting family legacy.