Four Christmas and a Tired Baby

Our first Christmas was Saturday the 21st with Paul's Dad and siblings.  We had pizza and sushi and lots of gifts.  It was great that we were able to get together for a few hours. 

 












Then on Sunday we drove up to Utah for a few days and did a great few days and Christmas Eve with Paul's mom and his siblings.  It was great to have a lot of time together and play games.  Paul's mom even watched Jude so Paul and I could go on a date.  It was amazing!

 Then on Christmas morning the three of us got to do our own little Christmas which I must say was my favorite.  Santa brought Jude a play saucer for Jude which he loved.  He played with the mat that came with it until he passed out.

 









Later in the morning we headed to my parents house for a huge breakfast and the cousin/sibling Secret Santa exchange.  We then headed home for a long nap before meeting up with my family again for our                                                                    annual ping pong tournament.

Best Christmas Ever!

Oh Christmas Tree....

   This week for FHE we went to pick out a tree.  It was Jude's first time so we thought it was only fair to let him pick out the tree.  Thankfully it didn't take him too long cause it was really cold and I felt bad having Jude outside.
  We decorated the tree the next night and I think it is beautiful.  I love real trees!

Saturday is a Special Day!

                               

  Last week on Saturday morning we met my sister and her family at Bass Pro to take pictures with Santa.  The guy was legit.  He had a real beard a nice suit and was really kind and jolly just as he ought to be.  Jen got there early so we cut in line and were the like third or so to see Santa.  Jude did so good and didn't even cry.  After we got pictures with Santa we walked around the store for a bit and bought a Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce that we saw.  We have already tried and think it is pretty good although for the price probably wont get again.  After walking around we headed to the mermaid tank to see Santa scuba-diving.  Paul had told me about it and I didn't believe him but was glad it was true cause it isn't everyday you see something like that.                    

  We then went home and took a long nap before having lunch and heading out yet again.  The first weekend of every month CCSD employees get free admission for themselves and a guest to The Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay so we went.  We met up with Jen and her family again and Kyle and his family for the adventure.  It was fun but way better due to the fact that we got to go for free.  There were lots of fun fish and sharks.  I was bummed that the piranhas only feed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays but besides that it was a great time.
  Once it got dark we went to see lights at Quiver Pointe with Kyle and his family, Bo and Abigail.  It was cold but worth it.  I love going down there and hope that one day we can go all out with decorating our house for Christmas.
  We ended the night with a quick dinner with Bo and Abigail then headed home.  It was a long day but a great one.  I love that Paul now has Saturdays off.

Surgery

  Last Thursday Paul had to get surgery on his broken arm.  It was suppose to be about an hour long surgery and ended up taking about two and a half hours.  The plate they wanted to put on his arm didn't fit up against the bone correctly because his bone had a slight bow to it due to a previous break on the same arm.  Besides that and a longer recover off the anesthesia, which caused Paul to have to spend the night in the hospital, the surgery went great and this RoboTeacher was able to go back to work on Monday.

  Paul is pouting in this picture I made him take with his stockings and socks cause I thought it looked hot!

Early Anniversary.

 Paul and I will be celebrating our 4th anniversary next week.  It has been a great four years.  Being married to your best friend is like have a sleepover every night but way better.  I am so glad that he took a chance on an old lady and that I liked younger men.
  Anyway we celebrated a bit early this year cause I had a great surprise for Paul.  A few months ago while driving to Phoenix twice in three days with a friend Paul got hooked on Justin Timberlake's new album.  I knew Paul would love to go see Justin in concert and that I would love surprising him.

  The plan was in set, we got a babysitter and headed to the MGM to go to a new restaurant "I had heard was really good" when in all reality I just Googled a cheap place to eat in the MGM.  Turned out Project Pie was amazing and will be revisited sooner than later.  We order a pizza and a dessert pizza with nutella and berries.  Both were amazing!  I hide the tickets under the pizza and Paul found them while we were finishing up.  He was so excited but played mad that I had masterfully tricked him yet again!
  We finished up and headed to the arena.  The show was awesome and probably the second best show either of us have ever been to, Sufjan still takes the cake.  But that Justin is a beautifully talented man I tell you.  He can sing, dance, play the piano and the guitar.  The stage was amazing and part of it even detached and went over the crowd across the arena.  It was so much fun and JT played a good mix of old, new and cover songs.  I was surprised at how many of the songs I knew.
  It was a great night to celebrate yet another great year!

A Thanksgiving to Remember.

  This year we were in Hurricane for Thanksgiving.  It started off a bit rocky but ended up being the best Thanksgiving.
 
   After only hours of being there Paul decided to try to go down the hill on his mom's street on a long board, even though he hasn't been on a long board for a few years, and unfortunately fell and broke his arm.  We rushed to St. George were he got x rays and a splint to hold him together until we got home and talked to an orthopedic doctor here.
 
  Anyway on Thanksgiving day Paul's mom cooked all the food and our cousins the Hallewells came over with the dessert.  It was possibly the best Thanksgiving meal I have ever had. Then Paul and I went to the movies on a hot date.
 
  The next day we shopped a bit and then spent the rest of the day and night playing games.  It was tons of fun and such a great weekend.

Chunky Monkey with a Mullet...

 Jude is packing on the pounds he is 8 1/2 weeks old and is now 10 pounds.  It is crazy how fast he has gained 2 pounds, he looks so different.  I think it it is super cute and hope to start seeing some rolls soon.  Also we have noticed that his hair seems to only be getting longer in the back forming a pretty sweet mullet.  Yeah I guess you could say our baby is kind of awesome.

Jude Wallace Tatum

   Jude had his baby blessing on Sunday November 3, 2013.  The whole Jenkins Clan in Las Vegas came as well as Paul's brother and sister who live here.  We were also lucky cause Paul's Mom and little brother came from Utah and his Dad and Grandparents came from California.  It was great to have so many friends and family members out to support him.  Jude has a lot of people who really love him.

 *  I love this picture of Paul and Jude cause Paul looks so annoyed.  Paul had told me not to take out Jude's binky cause he would cry but I did it anyway cause I didn't want a binky in all the pictures and sure enough as soon as I did he started crying and this is the awesome face I got from Paul for doing it even though he told me not to.  Too funny!

Up!

  This year for Halloween we decided to dress up as the characters from Up. We love the movie and had first seen it while we were dating.  That night is the night that I knew I wanted to marry Paul.  It was just a perfect night and so the movie has a special place in my heart.  Anyway, Jude was Russell the wilderness explorer, Paul was Carl Fredrickson and I was suppose to be Ellie Fredrickson.  We had a great time even though like every year most people didn't know who we were suppose to be.

Tell Tale Pumpkin...

                                                                                                                                            The day before our ward trunk-or-treat we decided to carve our pumpkin.  Every year Paul reads me an Edgar Alan Poe story so this year we decided to make our pumpkin in honor of him.  The whole time we didn't think that it would turn out well but when we dropped the candle in it and turned down the lights it looked awesome, it looked
good enough that even Bo knew who it was!

Boulder City...

  Saturday we decided to head out to Boulder City for the afternoon.  It was nice to walk around and see a bit more of Boulder City than just simply driving through it.
  We decided that we would go look through a few antique shops and we had heard of a bookstore that we wanted to try to go to.  After a few antique shops we had a win it was a moose that was a salt and pepper shaker.  I thought it was super festive and so that was our buy of the day.
  After a few shops Paul was ready to go to the bookstore so we tried to go to where we thought it was and we couldn't find it.  I popped into a store and asked where it was and the lady told us it had just closed down.   Paul was a bit bummed and to pour salt in the wound it was turned into yet another antique shop.
  We decided to take a break and go to Grandma Daisy's for a treat.  We got an oreo candy apple and a birthday batter shake.  The shake obviously looked good to Jude cause as soon as we sat down he dipped his hand right into the whipped cream.  It was super cute.  The snacks were a great end to our time out there so we decided to head home.
  When we got back to town I took Paul to Barnes and Noble before going home cause I felt bad about him not getting to go to a bookstore in boulder.  He was, as always when in a bookstore, in heaven.
  It was a slow paced fun day that made me want to live in a small town. Especially as we drove through some of the perfect little neighborhoods that had the cutest homes.  Maybe someday we will live in a small town but I am just happy for now we love the community we live in and think it has that small town feel to it.

It's Great to Be Eight!

  On September 28th Vanessa's oldest son Noah was baptized.  I can't believe he is already eight!
  I remember the day he was born like yesterday.  I was flying from California to Spain for my mission.  I called Vanessa while in an airport cause I knew she would be having her first baby any day.  She told me that it would actually be later that day that she would be having her Noah.  I was so sad I couldn't be there even though I was so very happy with what I was doing and where I was going.  It blows my mind that has been eight years since that call.
  Then October 17th, Seth's actual birthday, my nephew Seth was also baptized.  I am so proud of him and the great  little man he is becoming.  He is so sweet and kind.
  Seth often wears bow ties to special occasions such as his baptism so Paul and Jude thought it only appropriate that they did too.  It was a great service and amazing to have so much family there to celebrate.
  The church has brought me all the best things in my life and I am thankful that many years ago I too made the decision to become a member.  I look forward to seeing all the great things that come to and from these two young men in the future.  I know I will be in awe.