Christmas 2009

Christmas was fun this year! I had a Christmas tree in my front window...I have been wishing for that for so long!

We made gingerbread houses at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Katie spent so much time and was so careful as she worked on her house. Jace just ate candy.
We didn't have an entirely white Christmas, but there was some snow on the ground. This was taken a couple of weeks before Christmas when we had a pretty decent snowstorm.

On Christmas Eve we ate dinner with my family and then had the Christmas story at our house. (Sorry, no pictures of that.) The next morning Jace woke up at 7 and asked for breakfast. He had forgotten all about Christmas! We put on some cartoons for him while we waited for Katie, but we finally went and woke her up at 8. I think she would have slept all morning! Katelyn and Jace loved all of their gifts and played with them non stop during the next few days. Gage thought his toys were okay, but loved the wrapping paper and ribbon. So easy to please! Later that day we went and had Christmas dinner with Scott's family and the kids got to play with their cousins. It was such a nice, relaxing day...and now we get to enjoy a whole week with Scott home on vacation. Hooray!

Merry (late) Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas Fun

We have had a lot of fun decorating for Christmas the past few days. The kids loved decorating the tree and looking at all of the ornaments. Everything looks so festive! I love Christmas decorations!

We made these cute reindeer hats at an activity the other day. Katie and Jace love to wear theirs and dance around to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. It's pretty entertaining! I thought Gage made a pretty cute little reindeer, although he looks like he's not sure what's going on.


I vowed last year that I wouldn't make sugar cookies with the kids again (it was a disaster), but I couldn't resist...and we had a blast! I'm glad I gave it another shot.

A fun weekend!

We had a great Thanksgiving! The kids got to play with their cousins, the adults got to relax and visit, and we all got to eat lots of yummy food!


Today we went up to the mountains with my family to cut down our own Christmas tree. It's been a family tradition for as long as I can remember. Katie and Jace loved playing in the snow...luckily there was just enough to sled a little. However, Gage didn't love it and spent most of the time in the car with someone. Oh well...next year he'll have fun. The pickings were slim this year as far as good trees, but we were able to find one we liked (thanks to Scott's hiking and hiking and hiking...). I love mountain trees. They're pretty sparse looking compared to store bought ones, but I just love them! We're looking forward to decorating the house tomorrow!

Let it snow!

We finally had snow that stayed! When the sun came out this afternoon we put on all our snow gear and went outside. The snow wasn't sticky so there was no snowman building, but the kids still had fun throwing it and stomping through the piles.


I came into Gage's room the other day to find this happy face. He had just woken up in the morning and Jace decided to go in and put all of his toys in there with him. What a nice brother!

Projects

I have been busy doing some projects lately. I don't do this often so I'm probably good for at least another five+ years. : )

Family home evening board with frames displaying the kids' artwork.
I used my sisters vinyl machine to do some letter blocks. These ones say 'Give Thanks' on one side and 'Fall' and 'Autumn' on the other side.
I also did blocks for all of the kids to put in their rooms. It's their one and only decoration right now.

Yummmmm!

I have been doing a lot of this lately....

Home made fruit leather and dried fruit are so good! And it's a great snack for the kids...they eat it up!I'm hooked on dehydrating now. I've been using my mom and sister's dehydrators...and now I want one of my own!

Trick or Treat!

We had a great Halloween! Holidays are always so much more fun with kids...their excitement is contagious. Katelyn was a pink kitty and Jace was a blue dog. The costumes are clearly homemade, but the kids looked cute and they loved them anyway.

For the big night we ate a delicious chili and breadsticks dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Allen's house and then went trick or treating with cousins, coming back with lots of loot. Yummy!
Now we are tired and ready for bed. Thank goodness it's daylight savings time and we get an extra hour of sleep tonight. Hopefully our kids remember that too. (Yeah right!)

Pumpkin carving time!

Even with a house full of sick kids we were able to have some fun carving pumpkins. Jace wasn't too sure about pulling out the insides, and eventually gave the job to me...

...choosing instead to eat some chocolate chip muffins. Much more fun.Katie wasn't feeling too great that day, but still had fun carving pumpkins with Grandma and Grandpa Allen there.Katelyn requested six teeth in her tiny pumpkin and Scott the dentist delivered. Gage was there but was not happy. Too hungry and too tired.

End result!

Happy Halloween!

The Pumpkin Patch

This evening for FHE we went to the pumpkin patch to pick out our Halloween pumpkins. It was windy and cold so we didn't stay long, but the kids had fun running around in the straw maze and picking out their very own pumpkins.

Don't we look cute?

Gage did not love the pumpkin patch, but still had a smile for me when I peaked in on him.

Scott and the kids climbed up on a big stack of straw bales next to the maze. Katie was scared, but Jace loved it. They were pretty high up...I'm not sure I would have liked it either.

They had little wagons to pull around and put your pumpkins in...

...and mini tractors for the kids to play on.

We had a great time! I have never picked out pumpkins at a pumpkin patch before, but it was worth going, and this one was great. I'm sure we'll be visiting it again next year.

Duh!

So...I just realized that when you turn on the Comment Moderation feature and don't leave an e-mail address for comments to be sent to, that you actually have to go find your comments under...you guessed it...Comment Moderation and publish them there. I guess I thought they would go where my comments have always gone, but only I would be able to see them. DUH! I have been feeling sad for a week or so now thinking no one read my blog anymore! I guess when I add something to my blog I should find out how it works first. I'm so glad I really do have friends!

Changes...

I finally decided to get rid of the old, take forever to load, beginners background and use something someone else made that is much cuter. So glad for thecutestblogontheblock.com!

Lately...

We really are here, I just haven't been in the blogging mood lately. Too many other things to do with three kids running around. But here are a few 'lately' pictures we've taken...

Gage is really getting big. He's sitting up now......most of the timeHe's also eating solid foods and interacting with everyone more. He's so smiley and a lot of fun.

Katie and Jace are doing great too. If only we could get Jace to stop sucking his thumb.

This is one of our last warm days. It is certainly fall now, but I love it. It gets me excited for the holidays and being warm and cozy in my house.

We also took family pictures recently. I was happy with how they turned out. With three kids it's a job to get everyone looking with a good expression.

Happy Birthday Scott!

We love you!!!