Christmas Time Is Here!

Decorating for Christmas has always been a big deal for my family. We always decorated together when we were kids and now that most of us are grown and gone, we still come home to decorate for Christmas.

Adam and Tessa loved helping Pa decorate the tree. We always love seeing the tree after the kids have decorated it. The bottom is FULL of ornaments and the top is bare. Mom and Dad have to redecorate the tree after we leave.

Tessa said, "I did it!" after putting an ornament on the tree

Uncle Danny helped Adam put the star on top

Soon to be Aunt Amy was sweet enough to read Adam a Christmas book

Our favorite family tradition when decorating for Christmas has to do with our stockings. We all still hang our childhood stockings up at Mom and Dad's house. Years ago we started the tradition that when we pack our stockings away, we write down our favorite memories from the past year and goals for the upcoming year. We stick that paper in our stockings to read the next Christmas when we decorate. We are always excited to see what we wrote. That is something that we still do in our little family. It is always fun to remember things we have forgotten and see how well we did on our goals. Our tradition of doughnuts and hot chocolate is also a favorite!

'Tis The Season....

The kids and I headed up to the mall this morning to see this.....Santa arrive on the chopper 5 helicopter. We didn't get to see him this year.

This is what we saw instead....very unhappy children!

It was only about 15 degrees this morning and I was doing my best to keep the kids warm. Santa was about 45 minutes late, and after waiting for about 20 minutes, poor Adam couldn't take any more cold. His toes were frozen and he was miserable. So we left. Adam kept asking if we could try again next year.

They were happy for about 10 minutes and I got some cute pictures before the ice started forming on their poor noses.

Thankful....

I have been thinking a lot this week about how blessed I am and all the things I am thankful for. I could spend all day doing this...so I will narrow it down to a few things.

I am thankful for this wonderful man! Thankful that he took a chance on me and that we have a wonderful marriage! I can't imagine life without him!

I am thankful for these monkeys! They keep me on my toes and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am so thankful to be a mother.

I am thankful for wonderful families. I am SO grateful to have awesome in-laws!

I am thankful for my family...as strange as we may be:) I am thankful for my wonderful parents who taught me to value the things that bring me true happiness.

I am thankful for food:) It makes me happy!

I am thankful for talents and hobbies...and thankful that I am actually good at a few of them.

I am thankful for music. I am thankful that I can play it, sing it, and listen to it. It calms me down and picks me up. I love my music!

I am thankful for the gospel! I am thankful for the knowledge that families are forever and that we have a loving Heavenly Father who hears and answers our prayers! I am thankful for living prophets and scriptures to guide me. I am thankful for the temple and the truths that are taught there. I am so thankful that our family has been sealed for eternity!

I am thankful for my phone and computer. I'm thankful that I can communicate and keep in touch with people so easily. I am thankful for texting...it allows me to talk to Jodi like 100 times a day:) I'm thankful for you Jodi.....don't know what I would do without you!

So thankful for our home! It is such a blessing to be in a house! We love living here!!!

I am thankful for books and that I am able to read to my kids. There is nothing quite like those quiet moments when we read together.

My list could go on and on. I am thankful that we are so blessed and that we have learned to look for the blessings in our trials. The Lord has been so mindful of us and while not everything is perfect all of the time, we know that He is aware of us and wants us to be happy. I am thankful for this time of year and the opportunity it give me to reflect on all of my blessings.

Little Indians

I had such good intentions for some fun Thanksgiving activities this week. Needless to say, most of them have not happened. This afternoon we had some free time to have some fun. We made some Indian vests and headbands with some thankful feathers. Adam said he was thankful for dinosaurs, big books, animals, and things that fly. Tessa said she was thankful for Cinderella, nursery, fruit snacks, big brother, and her "night night" (her blanket). It was so nice to spend some quality time together since Mommy School has been way off track since our move.

Random

Just a couple of random pictures to share....we moved and survived! A big thank you to all those who helped us! The kids came down with the stomach flu during the move and Eric and I got it the day after. Not the best move we have had, but we are loving our new house! Adam has already started asking for a pet and when I tell them to quiet down, Adam's response has been, "But Mom, we live in our new house. We don't have to be quiet anymore."

our little princess

adam got creative with his pretzels

watching curious george together

Happy Halloween!

We had a fun Halloween! Adam was a BYU football player and Tessa was his cheerleader. Trick or Treating was exhausting, but the kids loved it! We were grateful the rain stopped for us.

Tessa was NOT in the mood for pictures

Off they go!

They had lots of compliments on their costumes....some people even gave them more candy because of their costumes! GO COUGARS!!!

Examining their loot

Happy Halloween!