Brittney's visit to Baltimore

I stayed a couple extra days in Utah so I could fly back to Baltimore with my sister and niece! I love visitors! 

Here's us on the plane (a little blurry)

Lily didn't know what to do with all this baby stuff around, ha ha.

It was rainy and cold most the time Brittney and Kholee were here, but we still made sure to visit a few places. This picture is deceiving. It looks all bright and warm, but it was NOT. By the time we made it from where we ate lunch to the far side of Inner Harbor I had a freeze headache. So our trip walking by the harbor was very fast, but the kids did well all bundled up.

One of the pictures from our trip to Washington, D.C. As usual, we made sure to see something new, and made it to the American History Museum this time.

We also went to see the temple. Picture taking was really funny... it was raining so I don't think the man we asked to take a picture was too thrilled, but he didn't say no. This is the best one we got from him. Half the temple, cut off at the top, with his umbrella in the picture. Ha ha!

Then we tried to do a selfie. Uh, maybe a little better.

I love this picture. I think we look so genuinely happy and it totally fits the laughter of trying to get a good picture. Brittney does not like the close-up. Sorry Brittney, I posted it anyway.

It was so so fun to see Lily interact with Kholee. Kholee was only 4 months old and it made Lily seem so big. Lily is going to be a good big sister some day. She wanted to make sure Khloee had what she needed, so she would hand her her binkie, burp cloths, etc.

And of course we had to make some bows for our girls!

Thanks for visiting Brittney and Kholee! We love you guys!

Morgan's farewell

 A short two months later we were on our way back to Utah. Morgan's decision to go on a mission to the point of leaving was a fast whirlwind for us. I can't even imagine what it was for her and her parents. When they visited us in the middle of October, she was still undecided. A couple weeks later she decided she was going to serve a mission, her papers were in around Thanksgiving, her call came just before Christmas, and then her farewell was at the end of February before leaving for the Guatemala MTC March 5. Woah! Barrett's parents flew us out so we could be there for the farewell and we were so grateful!

As usual, a little break to focus on Lily. We couldn't believe how different she seemed going to Utah in February than she did in December. Packing was a little different with her walking and climbing in everything :)

She spent most of her time on the plane playing with the window cover and peaking around the headrest at some cute young boys who were playing with her.

How she slept on the plane! To me it made her seem so grown up to be sleeping in my lap instead of in my arms.

Okay, tangent done.

 Going to dinner one night while we were in town.

After Morgan's farewell. She gave such a great talk!

Saying goodbye. We were so sad we couldn't be there to see her off at the airport, but we were happy we could at least say goodbye in person.

Oh, so sad!

I already love reading her emails each week! The perfect blend of detail about the mundane, everyday life, investigators, and spiritual learning. She is a strong woman!

Merry Christmas!

You wouldn't believe how many pictures I had from Christmas! I put a lot in this post and I didn't even scratch the surface of all that we have. Here are the main events of our Christmas in 2013.

Since we were going to be in Utah for Christmas we decided to do a little Christmas of our own at home before we left. We are continuing on a Yates tradition and giving our children a new ornament every year on Christmas Eve.

Lily loved her sheep ornament. She carried around all day.

"Christmas morning" at our house.

Lily still frequently plays with her Little People barn.

I had been looking for stockings every Christmas we've been married and could never find any I thought were worth buying! I asked Barrett's grandma to knit us some stockings (and started a bad chain reaction in the making of great-grandchildren stockings) and they turned out beautiful! She is already making more for our future children and I love how they look!

It was Lily's first time participating in the Nativity and she got to do it twice. Isn't she just the cutest cow??

This is her expression after hearing it ring, ha ha

Christmas jammies!

We slept over at the Yates' house on Christmas Eve and spent the morning with them.

I wanted a picture with Lily by the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. This is how well it turned out. I still love the picture.

 More of Morgan's amazing photography skills.

We got together with my family the next day to exchange presents. This is the darling beanie my mom crocheted for Lily to match her coat. I got so many comments about how cute it was throughout winter.

 Penrod family photos

 Just for the heck of it, I thought I would label the names of everyone. Back row, left to right: Jon, holding Milo, Melissa, Jeff, me (Erin), Barrett, holding Lily, Ryan, holding Khloee, and Brittney; front row: Ethan, Seth, Korver, Grandpa Leo, Grandma Christy, Caden, Maliya, and Logan.

Our family is getting big!

The grandchild photo

And you gotta love these type of pictures!

To document that my grandpa spent the day with us. We all need a sweater like his!

My sister Brittney had Kholee Mae Bradshaw on November 1st. I was SO excited to meet her when we came to town. (One of the hard things about living far away from family). She planned Kholee's blessing while we were in town and I was so grateful we were there to be a part of it.

The three young cousins. They are going to have so much fun playing together as they grow up!

We were happy there was snow while we were in Utah so Lily could play in it. Well, she was fine with it... until she learned it was cold and wet (so for about the first 2 minutes).

 Can you see the tear on her cheek? So sad.

This is how she spent the rest of her time, watching the other kids play.

We were also happy we could go to our friends' annual white elephant party! Ha ha, this picture!

And last, but definitely not least, a big event we were there for: Morgan receiving her mission call! Although everyone else was anxious for her call to come, we were excited it waited until we were in town.

Reading her call to the Guatemala, Coban mission.

We also found out that she was leaving March 5. So soon! We already started making plans to be back for her farewell, which is up on the blog next time.

I rarely have pictures with just me and Lily, so here's one to sign off with.