Brianne's 22!

My little sister turned 22 today! Happy Birthday, Brianne! I know she rarely reads this blog, but I just wanted to take the time to say how much I'm glad we're sisters. We're six years apart, so we weren't really all those close growing up (I mean, how much in common does a senior in high school have with a sixth-grader?), but since she came to BYU, we've become really good friends. I know things didn't really turn out the way she planned as far as schooling, but I'm really glad she moved to Utah and we were able to get to know each other as adults. And she's an awesome aunt! Seriously, this girl is amazing...she's a great musician, a wonderful listener, and, to be honest, one of my best friends. So here's to you, Bri! I hope this next year is even better for you than the 22 before it!

This is Brianne and Joshua before his birthday party last month:

And this is Brianne and my other sister, Kirsti. We went out to breakfast at Kneaders this morning. Should have gotten a picture of the three of us, but it was super crowded and people were wanting our table:

Joshua the Giant

We had Joshua's 2-year check-up today (yeah, I know we're a few weeks late...that's what happens when your kid is born around the holidays), and hoooooly cows...this kid is huge! He's just under 34 pounds, which puts him in the 96th percentile, and he's almost 38 inches, which is in the 99 1/2 percentile. I can't believe how big he is! He's almost doubled his length since birth, and he's more than quadrupled his weight. No wonder my arm goes dead after carrying him for 5 minutes. But hey, anybody who has seen his parents knows he didn't really have a chance at being on the small side...

So, I think it's pretty apparent he's a healthy kid--at least the doctor isn't concerned about his picky eating habits. Somehow he's gaining weight! Everything else looks good, and we don't need to go back again until he's 3 (unless he gets sick, of course...knock on wood). Hooray for healthy, hefty Joshua! =P

Mr. Potato Head

Joshua received a Mr. Potato Head from the Lees (my sister Kirsti's in-laws) for his birthday, and he loves it, obviously...Need I say more?

Welcome 2010!!!

Wow, I can't believe it's 2010 already...time is just flying by! I hope everyone else had a great holiday season. It's strange to think that it's over already, isn't it?

We traveled to my parents' house in CA for Christmas, and it was so nice and warm and so very enjoyable to be with family. Of course, we neglected to take pictures with our own camera (we often unintentionally rely on Kirsti and Rich to take pictures, since they have the better camera...I need to get copies from them!), but it was a great time, trust me. It was a much-needed trip, and it was wonderful to be there for Christmas Day--our first time since 2006. Good thing we got back to Utah before the huge snowstorm hit...

2009 was a good year for us. Cody has been doing well in school, I transferred to a different department at work and have been much happier with my new responsibilities, and our wonderful little Joshua continues to bring us joy with his adorable little antics. What exciting things will 2010 bring to the Alleman Family? Only time will tell!

Just before we left for CA, we finally got family pictures taken, something that we had never done before. I won't overwhelm you with all 70+ pictures, but here are a few of our favorites:

Aren't we all just so photogenic? Happy 2010, everyone! :)

Has it really already been 2 years? :o

Joshua turned 2 this past Friday...can you believe it? We had a small get-together with some friends and family, with a few presents for Joshua and, of course, birthday cake. Enjoy the pictures!And here's a short video of the devouring of the birthday cake...much cleaner than last year!

I'm so grateful to have this little guy in my life. Thanks for coming to our family, Joshua Logan! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Almost Done!!!

Cody is almost done with his finals! It's been a long semester, and I'm sure he's so happy to be just about finished. The only thing that's left is a little memorization for his Saturday math class, and then he's done for the next two weeks! I'm sure he can't wait to have no school for a little bit...he's been going almost non-stop for a year now. Keep it up, my love! =D

O Christmas Tree

Would you believe we found this 6.5' artificial tree, pre-lit and everything, for only $35? That's like the cost of a real tree! So yay, we are now officially decorated for Christmas! I apologize for the poor quality of the picture...this one was taken with my cell phone. We got some better pictures with our digital camera, but I can't find the cord to upload the pictures to the computer. I guess this one will have to do for now.

Oh, and it snowed last night and a little bit more today, so it really feels like Christmas now! Funny how this native southern California girl, who never had a white Christmas until a couple of years ago, is so excited for snow, huh? I'll like it until January, probably. Then the novelty wears off.

Side note: the gift card from "The Human Fund" from my last post? There was no balance on it. We found out while trying to use it to buy this tree. Luckily we had funds in our bank account, but still. Sigh. I'm hoping it was just a mistake and not a cruel joke...