Laura's Top 10 of 2007

#10. Pretzels, pretzels, pretzels

For some reason this was my big craving during my pregnancy with Mabel. I bet I ate more pretzels this summer then I have eaten throughout the rest of my entire life.


#9. Water

We loved anything and everything water this year. From running through sprinklers in our yard, splashing in friends pools, going to places with water like water works in VA and Alabama Adventure. If it was wet and we could get in it. . .we loved it!!

#8. Pottery Barn Kids

We had so much fun going and playing at Pottery Barn for kids. They have such cute kitchens and accessaries. Emmeline would play there for hours if I let her. It also had cute things for me to look at.

#7. Five Guys

They have delicious affordable burgers and they are very generous with their world class french fries. Plus all the peanuts you can eat. What more can you want from your family burger place?

#6. My blog. It has been really fun writing different things on my blog and a great way for me to see what family and friends have been up to as well. Yeah for Blogger.

#5. Tums

These amazing things saved me from months of discomfort throughout my entire pregnancy. I still use them all the time even after Mabel is born. I will forever be grateful to the inventor of Tums.

#4. Twilight Books

These books are very fun. A great combination of romance, action, misery, friendship, and true love. Ah, a girls dream.

#3. Birmingham Zoo

We had so much fun throughout the year at the Birmingham Zoo. We loved the water fountains, the petting zoo, the animals to see, the birds to feed, the train to ride, the carasel to ride, Boo at the Zoo, Zoolight Safari. We love the zoo.

#2. Birth of Mabel Jane Pickett

There is nothing as wonderful as having a brand new little baby, a precious spirit child of Heavenly Father. Someone who is so pure and so innocent with a spirit so strong and connected to Heaven. It is truly amazing.

#1. Brett Pickett

Yes the number 1 thing in my life has been and always will be my Brett Pickett.

I cant wait to see what 2008 has in store for my family.

The Magic of Trains

I've always wondered about little boys fascination with all trains. I've recently discovered that the magic of trains is not gender specific. Emmeline loves the train at the zoo, which I can understand because its like a ride. However, it turns out that any kind of train is cool. Right now at the McWane Center they have a display all about Trains. "Mo Choo Choo, mo choo choo." For some reason watching the trains go around and around their tracks is mesmerizing for Emmeline. They do actually have some pretty neat displays including a model of the Hogwarts Express traveling around Hogwarts and the town of Hogsmead. I guess no one is ever to old to appreciate a good "Choo Choo"!!

McWane Your Brain

For Christmas this year, Brett surprised me with a year long family pass to the McWane Science center here in Birmingham. At first I was a little skeptical thinking. . ."A science center. . .I have a two year old and a 4 month old. . .what in the world am I going to do at a science center?" Well let me tell you what in the world we do at the 'science center'. They have a great area for young children called "just mice size". Emmeline and I just call it the mouse house. They have lots of fun things for little kids to do including a water table with flowing water and lots of fun water toys (this is probably Emmeline's favorite display right now), a big jungle gym play ground, a pretend shopping mart complete with shopping baskets, plastic food and cash register. It also has a puppet theater, tons of great puzzles and games, a sandpit, and lot of other little things to explore. All of that is just in the mouse house. There are also a lot of other exhibits which are great. They have a nice aquarium which is pretty cool. In one colorful tank they have a bright green, 5 foot eel. The worker said that eels are nocturnal and that they usually dont come out much during the day, but the last time we were there (yes, we've already been more then once and we've only had the pass for a week) the eel came all the way out of its hiding place and we got to see it in all of its lengthy splender. As he was coming out Emmeline started hissing. .sssssssssss. I suppose it sort of did look like a snake. :) Anyhow, there are so many great things there. Plus it is temp controlled which will be a great feature during the summer!! Here is the question of the year. . .which Christmas gift will get more use during 2008: the Wii or the Science Center. Hmmm, Maybe I'll make it a poll.

Mo Fish

For Christmas this year Brett received a Nintendo Wii. We have really been enjoying it. Even Emmeline gets in on the action. Her favorite game is "fish". Every day she will say "mo fish mo fish". Then she'll run to the unit where we keep the controls and she'll say, "fishin pole". It is so cute. She has to have her own controller--dont worry she loves to put the wrist strap on. It is her "fishin pole bracelet." What an awesome new toy!!

An Apology

You've probably noticed the lack of pictures on our blog as of late. . .I am sorry. We have currently misplaced our camera. As soon as I find it I will post all sorts of great photos!!

Happy New Year--2008

We had a lot of fun bringing in the New Year. We had some friends over and mostly played our new Nintendo Wii the whole time. Everyone brought a treat to share so we were surrounded by good food and good friends. At 11:45 we all shot little confetti filled cap guns and yelled happy new year. . .okay, the the new year wouldnt be official for another 15 minutes. . but we decided to let our guests beat the traffic and get their kids to bed. I wish you the best of luck with your new resolutions. I love the feeling of wiping the slate clean and getting a fresh start. Happy New Year.

There and Back Again. . .Merry Christmas

Well, we've made it back to Birmingham and started settling back into the old routine. I've decided thats the hardest part about the holidays. . .getting back to normal after they are over!! We had a great Christmas in Virginia. We went and bought a Christmas tree and Emmeline loved helping choose which tree to get. My mom is the ward choir director in her ward and she put together a lovely program filled with music and scripture. She even roped my two sisters and me into singing a trio. But it was very nice.
I loved playing Santa this year. As much fun as it is to get presents on Christmas, I think I am filled with even more anticipation over seeing Ems and Bretts reactions to what "Santa" got for them. That was the best. It was great to spend a leisurely day with no worries or cares. It was great to visit with my parents and brothers and sisters. We sang a lot and laughed a lot. It was wonderful. And it was great to send Emmeline and Mabel to an aunt or uncle or grandma to play with. I probably shouldnt admit this. . .but I only changed one diaper the whole week. Thanks grandma. Oh and I saw two movies in the theater: Enchanted and National Treasure two. Brett and I dont make it to a lot of movies these days, so that was a great treat. Our last evening there, my parents took us out to Samuri, a Japanese restaurant where they cook everything right in front of you. Our chef was hilarious and tossed shrimp around for us to each try and catch with our mouths. It was a great show and the food was pretty delicious too.
Anyway, we had a lovely holiday. Merry Christmas everyone!! And now. . . .it's back to real life!

Holiday Earrings for Everyone

I love visiting with my family. They are so fun and really liven things up. My mom (and really my whole family) are so enthusiastic. This morning as we were all getting ready for church she came running through the upstairs yelling, "The German Pancakes just finished and I have holiday earrings for everyone." It was so cute. I ended up with the cute pair of snowmen. Thanks mom!!

Birmingham Christmas

We did a lot of fun things in Birmingham to help us celebrate the season. On the 14th we went to Zoolight Safari at the Birmingham Zoo. It was a lot of fun. Emmeline especially loved the train (choo choo). Then we attended our ward christmas party on the 15th. That was also pretty fun. The primary was planning to do an elf skit and a nativity song. I was running around trying to get things going with that stuff so I didnt get to sit and enjoy dinner with everyone else, but I think it turned out alright and its over now. In the future I'll remember to make sure the primary only is involved in 1 activity. lol. But the cultural hall looked pretty and Santa did a good job (even though Emmeline refused to go stand up and see him.) On the 16th we sang Christmas songs with the ward choir and if I do say so myself, we sounded really great. I'm sure it was the spirit sending us an extra measure of talent, but we'll take it and be grateful!! On Monday we attended a white elephant exchange with some friends in the ward. I was proud of Brett--he picked up both of the gifts we took and both of those gifts were stolen at least once. Good job Brett. It was fun. We ended up with a new santa hat and a cool make it yourself scarf. lol. Tuesday through Thursday we were getting our christmas gifts put together and sent out. With all our family living away from Birmingham, the post office was pretty scary. We also got all packed up for our trip to Virginia where we will be spending Christmas with my parents. We didnt want to take Emmelines "big" present with us so we let her open it Thursday night. It was an easel with a magnetic white board on oe side and a chalk board on the other. She loves it. What a crazy and yet exciting time of year.

Sunbeam in Training

Right now we are up in Virginia visiting my parents. Today we went to church with them. Apparently in their ward, during the month of December they let all of the nursery kids go and sit in with the primary during closing exercises. They were all called Sunbeams in training. Even though Emmeline wont be a sunbeam for another year, she was so great. I went to pick her up and there was still about 5 minutes left of primary so I snuck into the back and watched. She sat quietly in her chair the whole time. Sure she turned around and leaned over the back for awhile but she was quiet and in her chair. And of course she folded her arms when it was time for prayer. I was so proud of her. (several of the other sunbeams in training were running around and not being so reverent.) She was the cutest Sunbeam in Training ever!!!

An official PhD Candidate

Brett had his first presentation of his dissertation project before his committee last friday. Apparently he did a great job and they say he is good to go. Since he passed that, he is now an "official" PhD candidate. I'm not sure what that made him before. . .an "unofficial" PhD candidate?! But we are happy that he so successfully jumped through one more hoop. Only 2 and a half years to go.