Gingerbread house mania

I think they are eating more than they are decorating!

Hard at work!

This is fun mom!

One of our favorite family Christmas traditions is decorating a gingerbread house together.  I think more candy goes in the kids tummys than on the gingerbread house, but they certainly have a great time.  Now we just need to wash all that frosting off the furniture and out of the hair!

Annual visit to Ethel M

Doesn't Colton look like he he having fun?

Parker looks at some cool lights

A cute girl

Look daddy!

Now Parker is thrilled...maybe it's just because mom is hugging in public!

Megan asked for lip gloss, Colton a train and Parker a snake...ack!

Since we don't have temple square, we love to visit the lights in the cactus gardens at the Ethel M chocolate factory.  It is a lot of fun wandering thru the pathways, seeing the lights, visiting with Santa and getting some free chocolate!

Decorating the Tree!

What a cute girl!  Love those smiles with the missing teeth!

Brian getting into the spirit of things

Aw...aren't big brothers great!

Parker hanging his hockey ornament



My silly boy!

 Well, even though our temperatures are hovering at a balmy 70 degrees, it is time to get ready for the Christmas season.  The kids were so excited to decorate the tree that we had to get it up on November 29th!  It's so fun to decorate with kids...I love how all the ornaments end up on the same branch and how little boys think the decorative balls are for kicking!  Ah well, everything turned out great and kids are in bed...now it's time to sneak down and do a little rearranging of the ornaments...lol!!

Visit to the Natural History Museum

A bunch of wild animals.....

Brian in Africa

Megan digging for dinosaur bones

Ahh dirt...my favorite!

Building pyramids in the Egyptian Exhibit

I want my mummy!

In an effort to help the kids be more thankful for what they have, I created a Thanksgiving advent calendar this year (see earlier post).  Each day has something we are thankful for such as, "We are thankful for books...go to the library and check out a book"  Last Saturday, it was "We are thankful for our car.  Drive to a museum or activity together.  The kids chose to go to the Natural History Museum because we haven't been there yet.  One of the favorites was the ocean, or fishy room, as Colton called it.  The kids got to watch the workers feed small sharks and rays.  Colton did NOT like the life size T-rex in the preshistoric room that moved and growled but the other kids did.  They also had an African room, a rain forest, children's discovery area, animal room, Egyptian exhibit (my favorite!) and a Nevada room.  We had a great time and were defiantely thankful to spend time together.  I have to say that I don't think the kids took the "We are thankful for our mom" day very seriously.  I think we had more fighting and whining that day than usual.  Oh well, it's the thought that counts right?

Trunk or Treat

Witch and crayon

Fireman and hockey puck

Cute kids!!

Hockey player and hockey puck

Our ward had a hotdog and sloppy joe dinner for Halloween.  Afterwards we combined with another ward and did trunk or treat.  Fun and plenty of candy was had by all.  I was glad Brian decided to dress up this year.  Colton was really good at saying "treat or treat" this year.  Parker had fun skating around to get his candy and Megan was way too cute to be a witch.

Pumpkin Carving fun

Megan and her cat pumpkin

Jack Skellington!  And two cute boys!

Pirate Pumpkin!

Our family had a lot of fun carving pumpkins the other night.  Here are the results of our labors....

Things I've been up to...and crazy boys!!

Cute Halloween wreath made with black burlap.

Thangsgiving advent calendar I designed.  Each day has an activity associated with something we should be thankful for...ie we are thankful for Dad...do something nice for Dad today.  Hopefully it helps the kids appreciate what they have!

I have really been in a crafting mode lately.   These are my latest creations, along with the Christmas presents I have been making.  We have been really busy lately with dance, hockey, scouts, pee wee soccer, art,  etc, etc.  I feel like moms taxi but it's fun to see my kids progressing in their talents. 

I have also been having fun with toddler boys and the fun things they do.  Here is just a sampling:

1.  Peeing on the floor at costco.
2.  Streaking through a pack meeting.
3.  Burping and fluffing all through his older brother's school presentation on a famous Nevadan.
4.  Rearranging the Happy Halloween blocks with his older brother to spell "Pee on Al"
5.  Playing Hamster ball.

Gotta love him....it's never a dull moment.