Ellianna Michelle Dawson

Adam and Allyssa had their baby girl yesterday December 29th and she is so cute! We love her already!!

Proud Mommy and Daddy

Uncle Brandon and Auntie Lyssa with Ellianna

Just Ellianna and I

Brandon pseudo holding Ellianna.

Congratulations Adam and Allyssa! She is a doll!!

Happy Birthday Lyssa!

That's right, today is Alyssa's 24th Birthday!!! She is sooo old!!! A few more years and its going to be off to the nursing home! She is the best ever and since she is the one who always does the blog stuff I knew she wouldn't do a birthday post for herself so the responsibility falls to me. I would be nervous that I would get a notch out of my man card for this but guys typically don't surf blogs now do they? Anyways, the past year for Lys has been a busy one! She is such a hard worker and has become nearly obsessed with her new knitting/crocheting hobby and is always in the middle of some new project. I would try to post a bunch of pictures of her but she always puts up a fight when you try to take her picture! Lyssa is the best and I'm sure this next year is going to be just as, or more, interesting then this last one! Happy Birthday Alyssa! P.S. It's really only her 22nd Birthday but I just wanted to mess with her!

Christmas 2010

Christmas came way too soon!! This Christmas was a little bit different than the others that we have had. 

The Dawsons, Mom Dawson, Dad Dawson, Bradley and Ashley all went on a fabulous cruise over Christmas so unfortunately we did not get to see them on Christmas Day but we know they had fun! 

Since the Dawsons weren't home for Christmas we were at my families most of the time, so much in fact that we felt like we lived there!! We had lots of fun! Christmas Eve we opened presents (which we got way too many of) and then Nana came over for dinner. Mom made the traditional chimichangas for dinner!! No one can make them as good as she can!!

Maggie's present was to tear apart the wrapping paper! She loved it!!

Dad was being a 'chester' at dinner.

Brandon and I oh and wait....Tyler the photo bomber.

What they do best!

What a noob!

 Then Christmas Day Brandon and I had our own little Christmas Celebration and then headed over to my family's house. Grandpa came over and we had Christmas breakfast! Yummy yet again! Needless to say our Christmas was filled with delicious food, family and fun!! 

 The 'kids' and Grandpa!

Merry Christmas!

A Past Christmas Tradition

For the past 3 years Brandon and I have gone to see the Christmas lights. Each time we go there is a certain place we like to visit! This house is covered in Christmas lights yes we mean covered!!  The front, inside and back yard!! This year was the last year this family was decorating their house so we took lots of pictures!

 The front

 Backyard

What a fun tradition! We sure will miss this!!

Rudolph Express 2010

We did 'Rudolph Express' for our Dawson Family tradition that was started last year! We headed over to Tempe to eat dinner and see the zoo lights! My favorite part was when we saw the trees that were strung with Christmas lights and would flash off and on with the rhythm of the song! 

We didn't get very many pictures but here are the two we did get!

 Anya and Brandon at Zoo Lights!

Brandon and I at Tempe Market Place where they have 'snow'!!

We had lots of fun! Thanks Dawsons/Hunters!! 

Brandon Has His B.S.!

Bachelors in Science that is... Thursday the 16th Brandon graduated from ASU! He has worked so hard to get to this point and I am so proud of him!

They say rain is 'good luck' on wedding days so does that mean it is 'good luck' on graduation days?! The forecast for Thursday was 80% chance of rain and ASU decided to have the graduation ceremony out on the lawn!! WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!?! By the end of the ceremony we were soaked, cold and ready to leave and get dry clothes on! Unfortunately we couldn't see Brandon go up on stage because all we could see were umbrellas but it was exciting to hear his name be called on the loud speaker!!

After the ceremony was over we caught up with Brandon and saw how soaked he was!! His brand new suit and white shirt were drenched because he didn't have an umbrella!! Poor guy!!

Here he is ready to go graduate!

My Soaked Graduate!

Our Great View!

The Rows of Umbrellas!

Bradley showing us how he truly feels!

They weren't ready!

Awww!

Congratulations Brand on ALL your hard work!! You are so awesome and I am so proud of you!!

Brazil Porto Alegre South Mission

Last Friday December10, 2010 Bradley got his mission call to the Brazil Porto Alegre South Mission and reports to the MTC in Brazil on April 20, 2011. I will never forget how strong the spirit was when Bradley read aloud his letter; I had never heard it before which made it extra special. Bradley is such a great example to everyone around him and I know he will teach and change so many lives in Brazil!

Congratulations on the call Bradley!!

The sunset right after we left the Dawson's

(Video to come soon!!)

Glendale Glitters Spectacular

Saturday night Brandon and I enjoyed the night in Downtown Glendale! It was very fun and there was a lot to look at! Every year they have regular Glendale Glitters but this weekend it was a Spectacular! We walked around and looked at all the trees decorated with Christmas lights, got a frozen chocolate covered banana with nuts (so yummy) and looked at the different games/rides they had going.

Our delicious frozen chocolate covered banana with nuts!!

Some tree lights

These kids crawled in this ball like hamsters!

A Moda Chic Boutique Update!

Hello everyone! My boutique has been official for a couple months now and it is looking pretty good! I appreciate all the support with ideas and such and look forward to more!! Right now on the blog we have warm winter scarves, super cute headbands and a few newer additions coming later this week! If you haven't stopped by you should!!

http://moda-chic-boutique.blogspot.com/

Have fun and thanks for looking!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving was a little bit different for our families (well I guess it just seems like it is for me). This was the last Thanksgiving we would have with Mike and Bradley for 2 years!! Sure I may be a little dramatic but to me it is a big deal!! I cannot believe we are getting down to the wire for these boys! I'm getting nervous and sad at the same time!!

This Thanksgiving was similar to all the others. Thanksgiving morning the Dawson family typically goes on a Turkey's Trot... this year Brandon and I were the only ones there! So we kept the tradition alive.

I was VERY cold!

There he is!!

Our First dinner was at the Dawson's! It was very yummy and there were lots of good foods around! We had fun giving thanks for the many things we have!!

Our second dinner was at my families. My Nana and Aunt Teri came over to celebrate with us. I felt like a paparazzi because I was taking pictures of Mike when he was not looking (he never poses for a picture but this is typical with our family). So I was surprised when he posed for this one!! Awwww!!

There were other pictures I got of him but I promised I would not put them up!

Proof that I do help!

Brandon and Ty had matching shirts on!!! (:

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Our Anniversary

This year we didn't go to Prescott like we wanted but we still had fun! After getting back from Douglas the night before we were a little tired so we slept in! Around eleven o'clock is when we started to get ready! (Yes! It was sooo nice to just take a breath and not have to be anywhere or do anything!! I loved it!!) So for lunch we headed over to our favorite place... Cheese Cake Factory! We had a nice lunch and shared the Pasta Carbonara with Chicken and NO Peas! After Cheese Cake Factory we headed over to Scottsdale Fashion Square to take a walk around. Later that night we remembered we had some Martinelli's in the fridge from 08 new years eve! It was yummy!!

Here we are at Cheese Cake Factory

It had been raining earlier that day and we caught this picture of a rainbow.

The drink.

I was surprised when I started drinking because it was actually grape juice... I was expecting apple!!

Our cool cups from our Honeymoon in Cabo!

2 Years!

Today is our 2 year anniversary! I cannot believe how fast the time has gone and I feel like we have done so much! It has been a great 2 years!

Happy Anniversary Brando!!

Ya tebya lyublyu!!

Douglas

On Friday morning Brandon, My Mom, Ty and Me headed down to Douglas for the 70th wedding anniversary of my great grandparents! This was Brandon's first time in Douglas and he said he has fun! So much fun that he wants to move there! (: The first night we were there we ate at Little Mexico and then went to set up the anniversary party! My Dad and Mike came down that night and got there around 10 because my dad had to work. The next morning we had family pictures at one of the parks and then went on a drive around Douglas to show Brandon the town! Douglas is a small town but there was still stuff to see!! Then we went to La Fiesta the best Mexican food place in town! Next was the anniversary party and then we headed home! Our trip to Douglas was short but we still did a lot!

'D' is for Douglas!

Welcome to Douglas!

Yes, that is a helicopter

They have their own Dairy Queen but, it closes in the winter!

The boys helping set up for the party!

Our cute little room!

My grammy's house!

My great-grandparents house!

La Fiesta! Yummy!!

Our Safe Driver!

He couldn't see his ipod unless he did this!

Cute Chanel Ty!