A few pictures

So, I just realized that we never posted any pictures of our trip to Utah right before Christmas, so here's a little remembrance of our very short week back in Davis County.

Jason and Libby...Eli and some friends


We got Jaxton to wear this coat (Kylee's) when we went to see Temple Square. We convinced him it wasn't a girl's coat. :)


Linzi found a new boyfriend or something while she was there.


Sorry Kristin...but you were smiling so I thought you wanted me to post it.


Playing games at the Browns


Kylee's prized Christmas present.


My prized Christmas present


An early "Christmas Morning" with the Karrens


Breakfast at Market Street Grill...simply delicious




Let me tend your kids and I will find a way to get them into a small side-table. Eli loved it and it was pretty cute.


And the one you all really want to see...Linzi at 28 weeks. We can't believe that we're just a few months away from meeting Squishy...we can't wait!

Oh the Places (er...Place) You'll Go

So the countdown to the match is down to 10 days. I'm getting pretty excited/nervous/anxious to find out where we're going to be spending the next 5-6 years of our lives. Did I rank the programs correctly? Where are we going to live? Is it going to be somewhere that we can lure family and friends out to visit?

It's like waiting for the most anticipated Christmas day as a kid...but honestly being unsure if Santa was going to bring you exactly what you asked for or a big piece of coal. He never let me down in the past...

Anyhoo, where would you like to come visit us? Or, if you have some incredible intuition, where do you think we'll end up? I'll be sure to let you know on the 24th!

In no particular order, here are the possibilities:
1. Utah, SLC UT
2. Wash U, St. Louis MO
3. SIU, Springfield IL
4. New Mexico, Albuquerque NM
5. SLU, St. Louis MO
6. Minnesota, Minneapolis MN
7. Arizona, Tucson AZ
8. Tennessee, Knoxville TN
9. Penn State, Hershey PA
10. Indiana, Indianapolis IN
11. Geisinger, Danville PA
12. Missouri, Columbia MO
13. NEOUCOM, Akron OH
14. Rush, Chicago IL
15. Case Western, Cleveland OH
16. Iowa, Iowa City IA
17. UIC, Chicago IL

The man in my head.....

So I have been meaning to post this for a while, I admit it is purely for my own amusement and because I want to be able to remember that it happened.

The other night we were in bed sleeping and I woke up and Chris was talking in his sleep so naturally I asked him what he was taking about. He opened his eyes a bit at me and mumbled something and smiled and said, "the man in my head said that."

Linzi: "Excuse me? The man in your head?"

Chris: "Yeah, the man in my head"

Linzi: "Do you hear yourself right now? Are you awake?"

He then proceeded to laugh and say, "man, we are both really tired."

(yeah, "WE" are both really tired. I was not the one talking or listening to a man in my head!)

You might be pregnant if.....

*your husband asks you (in the most loving way) if you would benefit from a trapeze bar (you know, the kind that overweight patients have in the hospital to help them sit up) when you are trying to sit up and get comfortable in bed

*your husband starts referring to you as Roley Poley the beached whale (not saying that this is what Chris called me.....)

*you scratch your abdomen like an old beer bellied man (why does it itch so much?)

*you can say, "I have gained 12 pounds" in a mere few months and no one even bats an eyelash (I have learned that holiday eating + working night shifts + being pregnant = crazy scale numbers!)

Creches and Carols

Linzi and I got to visit Creches and Carols this afternoon. It is such a fun tradition here in St. Louis where they display hundreds and hundreds of nativity scenes at one of the nearby ward buildings, and have different performers performing Christmas music as you look at all the creches. We couldn't take any pictures, but definitely admired all the different depictions (ranging from VeggieTales to a miniature city of Jerusalem taking up a quarter of the gym) of this important moment in the history of the world. I love this time of year, and especially events like this (or the First Presidency Christmas Devotional later tonight) that help to focus our attention on the true importance of this season. This type of event and the spirit it brings, more than the presents or hot chocolate, is what makes Christmastime so wonderful.

Also, check out our newest Christmas decoration. We got a sweet deal on Craigslist a few weeks ago and were able to get this Nativity scene that we've wanted for years. Thanks Craig.

A time for thanksgiving.......

Thanksgiving 2010 will go down as one of the most perfect ever (minus the fact that I had to go into work that night).

-Chris got up and played mud football in the cold, wet, rain with the boys, I stayed home by my space heater and made some rolls and pie

-We headed over to the Allen's for an incredible meal made by Jackie and Natalie (two of the most incredible woman that I have the opportunity to be friends with).

-As we were sitting down to eat, Jackie went to open the door to let some cool air in and it was snowing. Beautiful, large flakes, just enough to cover the ground. The kids went crazy.

-We ate and chatted about the past few years and what the future holds for each of our families.

Check out the beautiful table (see if you can find creepy chris)

The "fun" table

These are the place cards I made

Future mr and mrs Allen's

This is Vivian. She calls me Linzi Brown. I love her.

-I am thankful for opportunities that come our way, when we least want them to (like moving here away from family and friends) but without that, we would not be who we are today because our lives have been enriched by the friends we have met. I am thankful for the knowledge that I am going to be a mom. I am thankful for my parents who make me want to be a better person. I am thankful for sisters who are strong and brave and beautiful in their own ways. I am thankful for Chris and for the way he can make me laugh. I am thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a great day. It makes me think I need to be thankful more often.