Fun Weekend!

Lots of pictures from our weekend w/family. Dad and the girls drove up from Omaha, Nebraska for a holiday visit. It snowed buckets and we had below-zero temps the whole time, but we still managed to have a nice time - despite being trapped inside! (You'll notice in these pictures that our baseboards are still off and the windows are still missing trim. Hopefully these projects will be completed after the holidays!)

And a little side story:

Natalie recieved a Barbie movie from her grandma a couple of weekends ago. The kids were watching it and I found this picture drawn on the magna doodle that was sitting next to Mason. I asked him if it was Barbie - since that is what he was watching - to which he responded in an annoyed tone, "No, it's Batman. I know that looks like hair coming down from the head, but it's actually his cape."

I guess that would be a pitiful looking Barbie!

Christmas traditions...

I've been wanting to start a Christmas tradition for my family for a couple of years. This year I found it! I heard about The Elf on the Shelf and immediately knew that my kids would love it. You know what? Sometimes I wonder who loves it more - me or the kids! I've had so much fun with this little guy whom Mason named Jofin (you'll get to name yours, too!). He hangs around our house keeping an eye on the kids for Santa. He reports back to the big guy and lets him know who was naughty and who was nice. If you have young kids and do not have The Elf on the Shelf, GET IT!

We first found our elf sitting on a shelf in the basement. He brought a box of candy canes with him for the kids to put on the tree and a storybook explaining all about him and why he was at our house. What a generous elf!

Here are more of the places where Jofin has shown up in the morning:

On this particular morning, we woke up and found that Jofin had decorated our tree with Mason's underwear and a few pairs of his socks. Silly elf!

Yesterday morning he brought each of the kids a new pair of pajamas. They were quite pleased and can't wait to see what he does next!

What have YOU done?

This is fun...If you copy the list, bold the ones that you've done yourself. Makes me realize how much more living I have to do!!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie/commercial/tvshow
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Turkey Day!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I would've taken more pictures of the day, but my camera battery was dead and wasn't charged until after dinner when we decided to play games. So much fun! We also found out that Chad's brother and his wife are expecting their first baby! We are SO thrilled for them and the new adventure that they are beginning. God has truly blessed all of our family this year!

Chad's cousin Ashley and her little girl Riley came over after dinner. Natalie and Mason had fun playing with her.

Children's Museum

During our 2-week visit in Michigan we stopped at the Children's Museum in Marquette with Grandma Lisa. The kids had a ball and could've spent the whole day there. Mom, on the other hand, never wants to spend a whole day at a children's museum unless it offers adult beverages and snacks. Hmm...now there's an idea!

Silly girl...

Happy Birthday Mason!

Mason turned 5 on November 15th. We were in Michigan for his birthday since the 15th is also opening day of deer season there. Poor kid shares his birthday with one of the holiest days of the year!! Hopefully he'll enjoy hunting as much as his dad, grandpas, and uncles do and will celebrate birthdays at deer camp!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're still away from home visiting family in Michigan. While fun and great to see everyone, I'm looking forward to getting back home - back to our routine, our stuff, our own beds. I think everyone feels that way after almost two weeks away from home.

I think posts without pictures are boring so I'm keeping this short. I hope everyone has a blessed and yummy Thanksgiving! We're heading out to the Carter camp where we'll eat like kings and get to play fun games this evening. I'm also anxious to try a new dessert that I made - Butterfinger Cake. It looks awesome!

God Bless!

If you're happy and you know it...

A few things I saw this week that made me happy:

Life is good!

Spook-tacular!

Mason's preschool class had a Halloween party on the 30th. I offered to help with it and I'm glad I did! The kids had a lot of fun and we had a good lunch...jack-O-lantern shaped pizzas and Spider Brew.



Two Native American girls

Halloween-themed games...

A few group shots -

Spider Brew that I made...evidence that I do have a crafty side!

Natalie and I after the party -

Halloween Day/Night -

We had visitors for Halloween! My mom, Jason, and my grandma drove from Michigan and my sister and brother-in-law flew in from Florida. So nice to have a house full of fun and conversation! The guys left on Saturday for a few days of hunting in South Dakota and us girls (Mason & Jason, too) hung out at the house, did some shopping, ate way too much and played dominos. The biggest treat of it all was finding out that I'm going to be an aunt next June!! I'm so excited I can hardly stand myself. And I kept saying that to my sister - "oh my gosh, aren't you SO excited?! I am!" I think she wanted to hit me after the 10th or 20th time!

One of our neighborly's gussies up his trailer and loads up the nieghborhood kids on Halloween. He drives them all over, stopping at each house. The kids love it. This year their was even a second trailer for the parents...table, chairs and, most importantly, BEER! I stayed home and passed out candy this year, but next year I'm hoppin' on the trailer...