Potpourri

So here is how I make my homemade potpourri. No measuring! Just throw some fresh orange slices, cinnamon sticks, fresh cranberries, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg in a saucepan cover with water. Then put it on your smallest burner and keep it on the lowest setting. Then make sure you continue to add water so you keep the ingredients covered and don't burn your pan. I think one batch is good for a week or so, you could definitely keep it longer but it starts to look pretty scary. I really try not to stir it to often as well or the ingredients get to pulverized. It smells so yummy!

A Long but Good Morning

My morning started early today. Hannah insisted on sleeping in our bed early this morning because she was sick....again for the third time in a week. So I switched her, I left her in my spot and retreated to her bed to let her sleep in peace in our bed. She wasn't throwing up thank goodness, but has had a fever and severe diarrhea for the last week on and off again! She slept the rest of the morning, me not so much. Hannah enjoyed my bed so much that she slept in until 11 this morning. This is how she looked when she finally decided to get up and have some food. She is so wiped out! Has anyone else had a house full of sick people besides us? It has just been rampant in our neck of the woods. I have had to write down when and who I have been giving tylenol to just to keep track. We have been pumping the vitamin C in supplement form and in Fresh Oranges, they are so good right now.

She was not very happy that I took her picture so she took one of me aswell, I guess that's fair!

Still not happy I took her picture. I had to get a picture of her hair, OH THAT HAIR!?!. She had an incredibly bad rats nest going on that needed to be documented

We are on day 8 of our little Nativity Scene advent calendar and it is coming along nicely. The little angels the kids got to add to it over the last couple of days are so cute. There is one for each of our little angels Hannah, Parker, and Freddie.

I have a new obsession, fresh made potpourri. Anyone else do this also? I made a new batch this morning and it made me so happy and our home smells divine.

This is the back of my car filled to the top with Teddy Bears and stuffed animals. Why you may ask? Well this year Pete and I organized a Charity drive for our Bears to do for cub scouts. It was through Bank of American Fork. Every year they do a Teddy Bear drive and donate gently used or new Teddy Bears to at Risk children in Utah so we decided to try and help out this year. The boys did an awesome job and we couldn't believe how generous people were!! It was such a neat experience for our family and our Scouts. This morning I loaded them in the car to be delivered to the Bank by Dec. 15th(in case anyone else wants to donate) and we will go and drop them off today.

O Christmas Tree......

O Christmas Tree!

Counting down to the TRUE meaning of Christmas*

My mom made this really neat Nativity Advent Calendar for the kids. She has been working on it for a while and brought it over to the kids today along with a book. She has put so much in to this. Thanks Grandma Lu. This Calendar is so sweet and will help the kids remember each day the true meaning of Christmas. Each day they pull out a part of the nativity and start to piece it together. It has all the Wisemen, Shepherds, Angels, Animals, Star, Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus just to name a few of the things. They also get a chocolate coin each day to resemble the gifts given to baby Jesus.

Here is Hannah holding the Palm tree which was the first item they added to the Nativity Scene.

I can't wait to see it all put together with the star and baby Jesus when we get closer to Christmas. The kids think this is so neat and are so excited to see it finished!

Happy Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving this year with Pete's family and it was amazing as always. I forgot take pictures this year so I was glad Gordon snapped these photos. The kids always have so much fun together! Brynn you really outdid yourself this year, I feel so bad for the women who get stuck doing the majority of the meal. So much work for not that much in return. And this year I decided my favorite food item of the whole Thanksgiving meal is the STUFFING. Just thought I would let you all know that really important tidbit about me!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving as well. We ALL really have so much to be thankful for!

The Cabin 2011

Thanks So Much!!!!

Grandma Brynn and Grandpa Gordon

Yes He is SpOiLEd!

Our kids are so blessed and a little spoiled to have so many around that love them and help them celebrate their birthdays each year. But Parker is awesome and we love him so much even if he is a little Spoiled!

We are incorporating a new rule for birthdays

A want

A need

A wear

A read

Those will be their four gifts from us each year. I love this. Thanks Deanna for the original idea, and I have seen this on pinterest lately too. We also some what followed it for Christmas this year.

The Details

For his birthday this year Parker wanted Donuts and Grapefruit for Breakfast. For dinner his favorite French Dip sandwiches with broccoli. Birthday cake Red Velvet. Wish list, Gifts Halo Lego guys, Mario Brothers for wii, a New Helmet, and Soccer Ball.