over the rainbow

Note: You should probably play some Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole to read this post. I promise it will enhance the experience :-).

We took the little dude on his first vacation to Kauai Hawaii the beginning part of June for freeeeee, thanks to the extreme generosity of Scott's mom and step dad!! Thanks Mark and Martie!! It was a whole family vacation with the Steele siblings and parents and it was so much fun!! 

I have to say I'm a huge fan of getting to hang out with my hubs and baby for 24 hours a day for a whole week!! I was not a huge fan of being the XL with all the XS women though! I know I just had a baby and really I'm not that self conscious about myself (at least I'm not when I'm my regular weight of M/L), it just made me wish for the body I had when Scott and I got married. I gained 55lbs with my pregnancy and have only lost 40lbs of it, plus the 15lbs I gained after the wedding trying to get knocked up...looks like it's time to get my butt in gear!! OK, no more body woes & back to the vacation! Here are some of my favorite pics of the week:

Hanalei Bay, my favorite place on the island!

I think Scott was jealous he didn't have a matching hat :-)


In case you didn't know it's pretty hot & humid in Hawaii. I think it's funny the boy was just laying like a lump on a log here (aka daddy). It took us all a day or two to adjust to the weather.

Shrimp tacos!
 
Queens Bath
 

Ollie doing his Braveheart yell...or yawning

Waimea Canyon

I'm pretty sure this is my husbands first selfie in his life, so I had to post it. Haha!


Waterfalls everywhere!

(can you tell my husband is the main picture taker)

Ocean fun!!

Babies first ocean experience...don't mind the cleavage :-)

 

 Pool time!

We went on a plane ride around the island!! It was soooo cool!!

  




Look peacocks!!

My cute boys

 

Aloha!!

Christmas festivus season

Christmas decorations are my favorite!! Christmas lights are my favorite!! This season is my favorite!! I just felt like Buddy the Elf saying that. Haha! My favorite decoration I did this year is my snowflake hallway. It's so magical!! Too bad I was struggling with my camera to capture it, but you get the jist.

 
In other Christmas festivus news I'm on my way to DC and NYC to see all the Christmas festivities the big cities have to offer!! I'm so beyond excited!! It's been a dream of mine since forever to see New York at Christmas. Yay for me!! The main reason we're heading out east though is to visit Scott's daughter Alyssa (who's 15 now). She lives in the DC area and was adopted by an amazing couple that were kind enough to let Scott still be in her life. She knows Scott is her biological father and he has been able to fly out and visit her from time to time. In fact we're all friends on Facebook which is cool! I'm a little nervous to meet her so wish me luck that I won't be a big dork.

Isn't she pretty!! Totally confirms that our future kids will be cutie pies! Stay tuned next week for DC and NYC Christmas pics!!

fall strolling

Thanksgiving is around the corner and the last week that I want it to be Fall. I know that I said Fall is my fav and it is! I just have another fav time and that's Christmas! I think part of the excitement of Fall is that's its the beginning of all my most favorite things! Fall trees and cardigan wearing to snow covered grounds and sparkly lights! So goodbye to Fall and Sunday Fall walks. Which speaking of Fall walks, Chicago has some of the best tree lined streets for taking strolls! 

You know you have a good hubs when the walk ends up with him carrying the nieces and holding the dogs leash! Haha!

Serious cuteness!

Also, you need to take advantage of an un-raked yard every chance you get!

(same thing with an untouched snow covered yard)

Goodbye pretty Fall trees and being able to walk around without a jacket.

Until next year!

Notre Dame

While in Chicago we went to the BYU vs Notre Dame football game (the hubs is a BYU Football fanatic). Fall football is always fun, but I was most ecstatic to tour the campus! I've always wanted to see an old Eastern campus in the fall (maybe next time I'll get to see Yale or Harvard campus?!?). I was not disappointed in Notre Dame though! Here are some of the million photos I took.

  Papa Steele and some of the Chicago Steele clan (Jer, Mel, & Hunter)

 Touchdown Jesus!

 Unfortunately BYU lost, but it was so close!!

First Steele Christmas

This was my first Christmas away from my parents and siblings....I may have cried once or twice. It's not that I was sad to be with the Steele family, it's just that I've never not been at my parents home for Christmas and I missed our traditions and the way their home feels during the season. Christmas Eve is a big hullabaloo at the Van Hoose house! We have Christmas dinner Fondue style with lots of sparkling cider to go around! It starts with a cheese fondue appetizer, then onto eating as much steak and shrimp as you can manage (cooking it yourself with the fry daddy in front of you on the table), and lastly we have a chocolate fondue dessert! To end the night my parents always teach us something or tell a story that has to do with the Christmas season and Christ. All of it's really special and dear to me.

Even though I knew I was going to miss my side of the family I was really excited to be in OUR home for Scott and mine first Christmas together. We got to sleep in Christmas day...well as much as I could. I had to wake up Scott so that we could look in our stockings and see what Santa brought! It was just awesome to have some alone time and to enjoy each others company on our first Christmas together. I made my mom's traditional Christmas breakfast, we drank sparkling cider & OJ mixed, opened presents, played with our awesome new Cannon 60D camera, watched a Christmas movie, took a nap, then met up with the family in the evening. It really was a perfect Christmas! Honestly I loved all the quality time I got with Scott over this whole Holiday. We shopped together, delivered presents together, went to the temple, lounged in front of the TV, and were pretty much just being an awesome couple!!

He's so talented! We sang Christmas songs he played  on the guitar (and Beatles songs).

 

I really did enjoy the fun times with the Steele Clan this Christmas as well! They made me forget about not being at my parents and we just had good times! We played dodge-ball on Christmas eve! How awesome is that!?! I tried super hard to get Scott, but that boy was too good (or I'm not as good as I think I am), so I had to hit him with the balls after the game at close range..with his back turned. :-) Along with the dodge-ball there was lots of yummy food we ate, more games we played, family chatting, plus the kiddies acted out the Christmas Story (which was so super cute)! All in all, I'd say it was a successful good Christmas!

Seriously how cute is this baby!?! Half of my pictures may or may not be of this little girl.

  I love being a Steele! This family is serious awesomeness!!