Hello Cyber World! I'm Back...

Our Family, Thanksgiving 2010

I don't know if anyone out there still checks my sad little blog, but after 4 neglectful months of Cyber-nothingness, I am back and trying to catch-up on our crazy, life-changing past few months (so warning to all, this will be a way-too-long post...I totally understand if you decide to move along to another blog's less-long post). My goal in 2011 is to actually keep up my blog, especially since we now live so far from many of the family & friends that we love. I know I LOVE to read your blogs and see what's happening in your lives, so for those who still care about the Buckleys (maybe only Sum & Shan), I will try to do better here.

The year 2010 brought many changes to our lives. The best was the birth of our sweet little Elle Sherrie, who now at 8 months old, is so darling in all her chubby glory! I truly look at her every day and feel so thankful to have a daughter---maybe it's because my Mom is gone and I crave the Mother/Daughter relationship, but no matter the reason, we're so glad she's here! Elle is just the most pleasant, happy, smiley baby and to top it off, she rarely ever cries! Seriously, I went to IKEA with a friend earlier this week and when she dropped us off at the afternoon's end, she commented on how she had only heard Elle cry out once the whole day and it was right at that moment since Elle couldn't see me, her Mom. Don't get me wrong, I adore my boys, but this mellow, quiet personality thing is something I could get used to! Eric says "it's the Buckley in her." Ya, that's it. Since anyone who's met Eric knows what an extremely quiet guy he is. :) (Love ya, honey!)

Please excuse the Oatmeal face, but these pics show the happiness that can most often be found on the face of my sweet baby girl! So delicious!

The other HUGE change was our September move to Salt Lake City, Utah after only 13 months of living back in Tucson. This change came suddenly and super fast! I was still mourning the loss of my GV2 Mesa gals and now I also miss my wonderful Tucson friends! So, Tucson ladies, enjoy partying it up on Bunco nights---roll a dice for me! And Mesa gals, have an extra Barro's cheese slice for me! :) I truly miss you all! But by far the hardest thing about this move was leaving the close proximity to my sisters, Summer & Shanon. In Mesa, I was living by Shanon for the first time in our adult lives and in Tucson, Summer and I shared a block (and almost daily in-face chats!) Thank goodness for phones but I still miss being with you both terribly!

Now, I'll stop being such a Debbie-Downer and will say that we have moved into the best neighborhood here in Utah and are really enjoying settling in. We live 3 minutes from my Mom's sister Jana, and are only minutes away from my Grandparents, my Aunt Robin, and several of my Peterson cousins. Everyone has been so welcoming to us and make us feel like we are right at home. We are very blessed! Thank you all!

-Halloween at my Aunt Jana's House-
Before Trick-or-Treating, we ate dinner at Mark & Jana's with her kids and grandkids. Pictured are my 3 kiddos with Jana and her 3 darling granddaughters (Ashley & Nate's little ones).

Tye & Spencer are loving what they call "real Winter" life. While I have a panic attack every time I drive in the snow, my boys can't get enough of playing in a backyard full of it! Being native Arizonans, we are all freezing, of course, and look like Stay-Puff-Marshmallow-Men (and Women) anytime we leave the house with our packed on layers, but this has been a fun change for our family to experience. Eric has even bought scarves and looks very handsome in all his sweaters, too! He is really enjoying his job as the Marketing Director at a medical/healthcare company. It's nice when your man comes home from a job he likes! Another note, one of my worst fears (truly, one of my WORST FEARS) was realized last Sunday when our Bishop called me to be a Gospel Doctrine teacher!!! This is the most terrifying thing to me as I feel like an Infant in a room full of Wise Adults. I am thrilled that we are studying the New Testament this year and hope to do a good job as I learn more about our Savior. But...Ugh!

We had a great Christmas even though it was our first one without our families in AZ. Due to Eric's work related trips the week after Christmas, we had to stay in Utah and do our own Christmas week activities. So, we went to Temple Square to see the lights, ate delicious meals together (if, as the cook, I do say so myself!), went shopping & to movies, and talked to Eric's sister Stephanie who lives in Taiwan. It was really a lovely week together!

CHRISTMAS MORNING
Our three adorable blessings!Yes, Santa did surprise us all and brought Tye his first 22-gun.
Oh that Santa! I need to have a little talk with him...
Spencer opening his Santa gift---a Nintendo DS.
Check out the pure joy in pic #2!
Elle opening her gifts with help from her handsome Dad.

TEMPLE SQUARE
Elle and I outside the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.
What a darling baby! (I know, I'm bias!)
The lights at Temple Square.

I know it was FIVE months ago (yes, it's been forever since I've blogged!), but another adventure in 2010 was our summer trip to Disneyland. Okay, let me share that Eric & I simply love Disneyland. WE L-O-V-E LOVE IT! We go there with the kids, we go without the kids---we just LOVE to go to Disneyland! So, we decided to do a 5-day Disneyland Parks vaca and wondered if that would be too much time with the Mouse. Answer: Five days is awesome at Disneyland! We never felt stressed since we could do all the rides we loved over and over as many times as we wanted. Each day we'd get there early, leave to go nap at the hotel & miss the afternoon heat, and then go back at night and stay until the Fireworks' smoke was gone! What a joy! We highly recommend a total Disneyland Parks trip to anyone who loves Mickey's place as much as we do! Good times! Our next destination: Disney World!

Waiting for the Parade to begin.
Awwwww, sweet! My Prince! :)
Tye climbing up Tarzan's Treehouse.Drum-roll for the ride we did most?
It was a toss between the Thunder Mountain Railroad and Pirates of the Caribbean---each done six times! So fun!

Purchased on Day Two, these Mickey Ears never came off of Spenc's head! They were even slept in! Best $10 spent of the week!Meeting the Man himself: Mickey!

And finally, I have to blog about these 5 sweet girls...
Shortly after my Mom died, my Dad said he thought that my Mom was going to help send down a batch of daughters, one for each of their 5 kids. Sure enough, over the next 4 years, we each had a baby and they were all girls! So, they were all given the middle name Sherrie (or Jono used it as his gals' first name) in honor of my Mom. We took this picture of the five of them at little Sherrie Anne's baby blessing in September. So special!

-The Five Sherries-
Adam's Savannah Sherrie (3 1/2 yrs), Shanon's Lily Sherrie (3 yrs), Summer's Claire Sherrie (2 1/2 yrs), My Elle Sherrie (5 months), and Jono's Sherrie Anne (1 month).

If you're still reading, I hope I didn't bore you too much with my monster post. Again, my goal for 2011: keep this blog up-to-date! Here's hoping! :) Enjoy your New Year and please give us a call if you're ever in SLC!