Christmas x 3

Lately I've really hated blogging, sorry kind of negative for a Christmas post. But I'm just letting you know why its so late and I didn't feel like sugar coating it (I had enough sugar coating over the holiday). While our 3 Christmases doesn't quite match up to Vince and Reece's movie charade, I assure you it was just as busy, chaotic, but absolutely more fun:)

We spent Christmas Eve with my Mom and family. Because my mom always wants to "do it easy this year" with a ziti casserole (I'm being 100% serious), Dave and I decided to take matters into our own hands. We (mostly Dave) prepared a seafood fest with king crab legs, muscles, shrimp and enough mashed potatoes to feed a small army. We both enjoyed being able to choose what traditional foods we wanted and not eating ziti casserole:)

My mom with Oakley. It was nice to get out of changing so many diapers!



As you can see Oakley was super excited for her first Christmas.


Christmas Day was spent with my Dad, brother and his family. Issac, my nephew, really enjoyed opening presents this year. I'm excited to see how Oakley reacts next year. Most of the day was spent relaxing and making a yule log. My dad is a really good french cook and most of our holiday feasts include a few french recipes.

This Yule log requires about 2 dozen eggs, 6 sticks of butter, and 10 hours of labor, but so worth it!! And yes, I did make those meringue mushrooms, they were delish!



Grandpa gave Oakley her first Cornell hoodie, the first of many no doubt!!


A super quick family pic before saying good-byes. Hey that rhymed!


After a second frenzy of present opening the next day at my mom's, we were off to the Pringle's house for our third Christmas. We were probably there 10 minutes before we tore into our third round of presents.

Breakfast with Nana.


One more shot of that little stinker:


Here's a picture of my very first Christmas, I was 11 months old. Still think Oakley looks like Dave? Okay she does a little:)

A post from Dave

SO,
after a year and a half of nagging from Elise to contribute to "our blog" I have decided to write a little tidbit. As a preamble, I need to tell anyone who reads this that anytime I use a journal/diary/blog, it is usually to rant. I will ask forgiveness first for what is about to come, and hope to keep this rant as short/nice as possible.
Hmm, how to bring this up and make it so people keep reading? How does one keep another persons' eyes from rolling?
I know! A PARABLE!
(commence eye roll)

Once upon a time there was this nice family of 3 who did everything in their power to choose the right. They would go out of their way to donate their time in the community. They would give of their substance by paying tithing to the church they went to. They would try their hardest to follow every law of man. They wanted to raise their child, and future children, with morals and a strong sense of what is right.
Over time this family realized that doing what is right, even though some times harder, is very rewarding and ....


AWWW Screw it.. I can't make this nice. sorry.

WHY DOESN'T ANYONE RECYCLE!!???
PA makes it sooooo easy. You get a tub, put garbage that is not really garbage in THAT tub. You take it out the same day as garbage, and SHAZAM! you just recycled. Are people AGAINST recycling? Are you against NOT throwing away aluminum ? a non renewable metal that was dug from the earth. Are you against not throwing plastic bottles ? which need 1.5 million barrels of oil a year to create. I know that in Utah it's like impossible to recycle... but now that it's easy, does being from Utah give you a pass so that you still don't have to do it? Does everyone know that it is a LAW in PA?
"Recycling is mandatory for every resident, business, office and institution in the City of Pittsburgh (City Code 619). "
I understand lazy. I am lazy. I epitomize laziness. But seriously! you are already going to take this stuff to the curb on Tuesday anyways! Just do it. If Dave Pringle can do it...

Any questions on how or what to put in the recycle bin click HERE

calming
calming
calm

OK then. such a nice parable.
comments welcome, just know that if anyone says anything about not recycling because the earth will be cleansed with fire, prepared to be scoffed and laughed at.
your truly,
Dave

EWWWW Gross!! This is what happens to the plastic bottles you don't recycle. Its called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and its formed by ocean currents that cause marine trash to accumulate in an area twice the size of Texas!!

Donate-a-Day

Happy New Year! I'm sorry not to have any family posts up yet but we just got a new camera and I'm a little overwhelmed with the massive amount of pictures I have to sort through. But this post will be equally as exciting, I promise.

New Years resolutions: We've all made them and broke them, and then made the same ones again. This year I've decided to do something a little different. Inspired by the movie "The Cove", I realized what I needed to do. As much as being a stay-at-home mom brings me more joy than I ever imagined, I still find myself searching for something else to define who I am. I've tried sewing bags for additional income or going to yoga classes to improve my body. Nothing has really filled that void until I came up with this plan:

Donate-a-day:
I am going to donate one day every month to a charity for the next year. Whether that be working in a soup kitchen or helping to build a house, I want to better the world we live in. One day a month doesn't seem like much but its a start. I'll keep you posted on what I'm doing for the month and if you live in Pittsburgh you can come along! Want to join in? You should! Why not resolve to help others this year instead of helping ourselves. (You can even get a free ticket to a Disney theme park)


JANUARY:

Ever since the 2nd grade I have been infatuated with the ocean and marine life. I started out as a marine biology major at BYU and spent two months in Monterrey, CA studying our ocean's creatures. I've been scuba diving a handful of times and cannot even begin to describe the high I get from viewing ocean life up close. I even got engaged in an aquarium!! Marine animals will always have a special place in my heart and that's why after seeing "The Cove", I felt the need to do something to help. You can help too! Watch the movie "The Cove" (rent it at a redbox for $1) and check out this website to see what you can do to help stop the unnecessary slaughter of dolphins.


Scuba Diving with some classmates in Monterrey. (I'm the short one)


Salt Lake City Aquarium, where Dave proposed.

Random dolphin fact: Did you know that dolphins are one of only four animals that are self aware? Only elephants, apes, humans and dolphins can recognize that they are looking at themselves in a mirror.

Here's the Plan:
As a farewell to my sewing site, I still have to get rid of the rest of my inventory. I have three diaper bags left and I will be selling them for $15 each!! (I'll even pay to ship them) All the money made from the bags will be donated to Oceanic Preservation Society. E-mail me if you would like to purchase one of these bags at elisepringle@yahoo.com. First come, first serve!

***All the bags are gone, thanks for supporting a great cause!!***