They're Engaged!

Congrat's to Rob & Jenesse who got engaged on Wednesday!

baking

Granma is a fabulous cook, just like her Grame was. The kids all enjoyed "helping" (?) with Grame's cinnamon roll recipe.

Gingerbread Artists

The final products! left to right: James created a natural disaster home where a flood distroyed his home and everything in and around it. Adam went with a more traditional theme and Elizabeth put on whatever frosting and candy looked good.

Hawaiian Haystacks

While visiting with a cousin at a recent family get together, she was surprised to learn that another cousin had received his mission call for our church. She then expressed more surprise that I already knew this. I explained it was because I'd read it on his sister's blog. She isn't too familiar with the blog world and concluded it was great that you could keep in touch with such trivial and up-to-the-minute information as what eachother had for dinner. Yeah, it IS great keeping in touch- and just so you know, it was hawaiian haystacks

my artist

James lOvEs drawing. Here are a afew of his recent photos. above:his little brother (no, no announcement here)
2 pictures in the middle: "step 1: you put candy in a jar. step 2: we grab the candy and eat it all up."

And this last picture is a lion, giraffe and an elephant (like you needed that explanation- check out the neck and trunk!) What are the dotted lines you ask? So we know where to cut it out...

Going to Bethlehem

Lest you nursery teachers wonder what the point is in trying to give a lesson to two year olds who seemingly don't listen and certainly don't comprehend...
Our conversation after church today...
Elizabeth: "Where are we going?"
me: "Where should we go?"
Elizabeth: "To Bethlehem."
me: "Why?"
Elizabeth: "to see Mary, actually to see baby Jesus."

A Plug

So I have to put in a little plug for my friend's art! Check out her darling work! http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5317715

2 girls, 1 love

It is hard when sisters share the same love. Anna rarely gets to enjoy her avacado in peace.

Cousin Christmas Party

And PaRtY we did! THANKS Aunt Donna for hosting the annual event. And Thanks to Jimmy for driving 4 hours only to be there 2 (then wake up early and fly the next morning). What a trooper. He knows how much i LOVE being with family!!!

Elizabeth warmed up to Cindy and enjoyed playing army guys with her. James LoVeD building with Lincoln Logs and was especially grateful to have Ethan, a BOY cousin arrive!

Elizabeth also practiced really hard to say "Lily" which is difficult since she can't pronounce the "L" sound... And while going around reviewing names and relations, James bursted into laughter after Amber stated her name. "Ha ha! Her name is hamburger!!!" -shhh although her cousin Ashley heard, she didn't...

Anna and Maddie enjoyed babbling to one another- hopefully we can get these two together in the future- just one month (and 5 inches of hair) apart, they'll be great buds!

family fun

let the celebrations begin!

50 tons of manmade snow, 45 minute wait to visit Santa, hot cocoa and a horse-drawn hayride... what a party!

Oh what a difference a day makes

ok, a day and 779 miles... We left grandma and grandpa's 5+ inches of snow to return to70+ degree weather where the kids even caught a butterfly with the neighbor!

Christmas Advent Calendar

Here is a link to an advent calendar we used last year and are printing out for Family Home Evening tonight. A cute reminder of what the season's about I thought your family might enjoy, too. http://lds.about.com/library/bl/puzzles/christmas_advent_calendar_bw.pdf

ice, ice BABY

The best distraction for Anna on our not-as-short-as-it-should've-been flight was ice.

Travels

Oh, the joys of traveling with 3 kids. All three were actually very well behaved ...until we were delayed 2 hours... The extra hour in the airport on our layover wasn't too bad- James and Elizabeth played with each other, we grabbed some over priced food, and there were few travelers on a Saturday night so I wasn't too worried about us bothering other people. Southwest has new boarding procedures, even for moms traveling alone with an infant and two rascals, but it was fine because we got a row together and were settling in when they announced a minor mechanical issue that would be looked at "soon". An hour and 6 bags of peanuts later, we were finally cleared for departure at which point Anna gagged on her mini pretzel and threw up all over both of us (luckily I didn't give into the same urge during both bumpy decents). We had incredibly helpful and patient people sitting around us who helped out with Anna and distracted a screaming 2 year old who can unbuckle that seat belt faster than I can cinch her back in. As I was gathering up children, toys and notebooks in preparation to deplane, the lady in front of us rallied all the people around "c'mon let's help this lady! You take that kid, you get this bag, I'll get his hand..." I know some complain of how insensitive other travelers can be who expect all children to stay locked in their bedrooms, never travel and just glare at rowdy kids but my experiences have been far different, for which I am grateful. This was all worth it though, when I saw the security guard standing outside in his hat, winter coat and gloves, as the truck thermostat read 67degrees outside. Ahh yes, we'll take 9 hours of travel to enjoy this kind of weather with our daddy any day.

Merry Christmas from your favorite elves!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1118459914

Baking with Aunt Lisa

Sissy misses her baking buddy!

nocturnal creatures

Elizabeth: I'm excited to see Santa!
James: You can't see Santa. Santa is nocturnal.

Happy Birthday, Turkey!

In addition to celebrating Thanksgiving, we had a fun time celebrating Jimmy's birthday with family!

Anna lovin'

All the pictures I took with family this weekend are on a different computer, so I'll have to continue my blogging tomorrow with the rest of the photos. But here are the few that I did capture with our own camera... All of adorable Anna...
She was LOVIN' cousin Ariel- and then attention from Pa.