Ugly Christmas Sweater Party....

This was the 1st annual "UGLY" Christmas sweater party. All names have been kept private to protect the innocent sweaters. I'm really sorry to all those school teachers that may have a duplicate...just know that I won for the ugliest. I know, how rude...I totally wore one I got last year on sale, I thought it was so up-to-date. We took old "prom" style pictures...with a nice fade, a little staring off in the distance, and a little tilt.

Finally, after an intense white elephant game...we were visited by the "WHITE ELEPHANT ELF"! What a treat...and then we cut him off from the egg nog!

(who knew a white elephant gift could be so engaging? I hope it hadn't been worn before!)

It's official...Suunto press release....

SUUNTO NAMES NEW DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
Nate Randle to Implement Innovative Sales and Marketing Programs for Suunto North America

OGDEN, UTAH – January 7, 2009 – Suunto North America announces Nate Randle as their Director of Marketing. Randle will start January 19, 2009 for the award winning manufacturer of precision sports instruments.

Randle comes to Suunto North America with 10 years of marketing and sales experience most recently with Carlsbad, Calif. based Callaway Golf Company. As the Senior Manager for Integrated Marketing, Randle was awarded Callaway’s highest employee honor for his leadership and innovative marketing ideas. Randle led a team of managers, both domestic and international, to develop and deploy Callaway’s global marketing plans. Prior to his work for global marketing, Randle was the Brand Manager for Callaway’s Top-Flite.

“Suunto is the top in their field – for me, personally and professionally, it was the perfect fit,” Randle says about moving to Suunto. “Working for the premier brand, we get to set the pace–all the others get to chase. Even in a downward economy, Suunto’s senior management team are hiring and moving the brand forward,” Randle says, “That shows Suunto has a solid consumer base and a strong brand loyalty.”

Randle will be moving to Utah with his wife Allyson of 9 years and his two children, 6-year-old Ella and 15-month-old Zach.

Matt Kaplan, Suunto North America’s vice president and business director, say’s the addition of Randle “will focus the commanding line of Suunto products in the U.S.” Kaplan also states that “Suunto’s market share is steadily increasing …Nate’s innovative marketing efforts will only solidify Suunto sports instruments as a leader for those involved in outdoor sports and an active lifestyle.”

Suunto is a leading designer and manufacturer of sports precision instruments for training, diving and outdoor sports. Prized for their design, accuracy and dependability, Suunto wristop computers combine the aesthetics and functionality of watches with sport-specific computers. Headquartered in Vantaa, Finland, Suunto employs more than 500 people worldwide and distributes its products to more than 100 countries. The company is a subsidiary of Helsinki-based Amer Sports Corporation with sister brands Wilson, Atomic, Precor and Salomon.

Moving to Utah....

The latest Randle family news....Nate accepted a job with AmerSports in Ogden, Utah. He will be the new Marketing Director for SUUNTO. (click for more info about his company)
We are so excited to be going back home by our family, and extremely sad to leave our great friends in California.
For the past couple of weeks I have tried to soak in all the thousands of things that I love about this place...it's funny how you really appreciate the small things in your life, when you know that they will all be changing soon.
Here are the things I will miss the most:
-The best friends EVER....
-The most fantastic ward...if you have never seen the video of our Kate, this ward was my life-vest
-California SUN on my walks
-Disneyland, Legoland, the Zoo, Wild Animal Park, Seaworld, and the beach (yes, I really do like it, just not the sand!)
-My house
-My Kate tree that always blooms the week she died in April...these great beautiful purple flowers
-Did I mention my friends?
-Birthday lunches
-Canon ball dives at Glenn Ivy
-TPing with the YM presidency (wait, I was not involved)
-My daughters BFF Julia
-My swing set that Callaway employees bought and put up for us
-The SUN, again! On the bright side...there is a lot of shopping to be done for winter clothes
There are so many more...but mostly just the people that I love here, that helped me grow as a person, taught me how to throw fantastic showers, 30th b-day parties, bake, cook, grill (that one is all Todd C), play the organ, give voice lessons, become a (practicing) photographer, and xmas card maker...whew...just THANKS!
I will mention my two UN-FAVORITE things about California that I WILL NOT miss:
1- property tax...how is this state in bankruptcy with us all paying billions in property tax?
2- the CRV tax...really, I can't wait to buy Diet Coke without the $1.90 additional tax so that my 12-pack that says cost $5.00 really costs $6.90...sneaky, sneaky.
I am excited to have my hubby around more, have a basement (hahaha), and have family around to babysit (just kidding family..sorta).
Here's to 2009, being the year that everyone comes and skis in Utah, and visits!

Ella's Card...

(Sorry, most of these are for my mom so you'll have to take it!)

Ella's classmates have started sending home Christmas cards for her...so with my new found business I decided to make her, her own special card to hand out to her classmates. I think it turned out just how she wanted it! (stay tuned to my photoblog after Christmas and I'll post all the other cards that I designed!) Jenn call me and I'll do one for Merrick, Fischer, and Campbell! :)

Twas the month before Christmas...

Twas the month before Christmas, and I was hired by one of my friends husbands to make client gifts for him this year. So after the process of trying to find the "perfect" box. The perfect color of ribbon to match, and designing a sticker to match the whole thing, this is what I came up with.
71 boxes filled with home-made soft carmel corn...you can imagine what my kitchen looks like on a given day...but only 21 more to go.
Poor Zach gets stuck in the Karo syrup on the floor and gets so mad he can hardly stand it! :) At least he hasn't tried to lick it up yet!
Life is good, we spent 10 fun-filled days in Arizona for Thanksgiving this year with my sister's family. It was great to be with my family...and even better that my sister and I went to see Twilight together...twice! :)

Disneyland in Dec...

If you've never been to Disney in Dec. you have to go....it's so beautiful and festive...and pretty crowded. But it is worth the trouble, and has become a tradition in our family. Here are some pictures (mostly for my mom Beth!) :)

Here are the highlights...













The huge Christmas tree in the front...
























Ella with the flowers....
























Ella and tink, they have a new area to meet and greet the Pixie Hollow fairies....
























Snowing on Main street....

















Small world all lit up!

Cinderella's castle with lights and snow...

10 - 0 Next Stop...San Diego!

Happy Halloween...

It's that time of year again...trying to find a costume that your kids will ulitmately end up hating and wanting off. So here they are!

Ella really getting into the whole "witch" thing..



Ella and Zach...Thanks to aunty Sarah for letting us borrow her amazing lion costume for Zach...she made that for her first born Garrett 7 years ago!

Ella's camera work...

Ella got a camera for her birthday from Grandma last year. It's one of those pink Fisher-Price, non-breakable ones. Well, yesterday she told me she was going to start practicing her photography now, so that when she was bigger she could be a great photographer like her mom! (AHH!)
So off she went taking pictures...saying the exact same things she hears her mom say.
"Nope, too blurry!"
"Bad shot, you're in bad light!"
"Umm, get tighter in the picture mom"
"okay mom, you pretend to look at your phone, while I take a picture!"
She's a total natural! Isn't it funny how much our kids really pay attention and LISTEN to us. She can quote full sentences right out of my mouth.
So I thought I'd share a few of her photos....

This is Ella taking her picture in the mirror...


Mom and Zach


Grandma Davies sent this "tickle-me-cookie-monster" for Zach's b-day...Ella really wanted to get him framed in the shot!



This is my very favorite one...she said "look mom, I wanted to get the feet shot like you do!" How great is that!




Here's the one where I'm pretending to be on the phone, and Nate was supposed to look at the witch..



Zach outside hanging out!


Little Ella getting her picture done...WELL DONE! I think you are on your way to success! LOVE YOU!

Happy Birthday Zach....

I can't believe my baby turned one yesterday! Where does the time go? And why doesn't it go this fast when we are pregnant?
Zach has brought so much joy and love into our home again. Ella as a big sister is the greatest, and Zach just loves her. She makes him laugh like NO one else can. He has this huge belly laugh just for his sis.
What we know for sure... when you know deep saddness, you know great joy! We love you ZACH! Happy first birthday!






POINTING AT HIS FAVORITE THINGS....AIRPLANES!



Here is what we started with....


And this was the end...he really didn't go crazy, he just ate the frosting layer, and a tiny bit of cake! So much work for a few bites, and then off to bed!