Christmas Morning!

Christmas morning was the ultimate at our house!!! Our kids are at that PERFECT age where they can't even W-A-I-T until Christmas morning to tear through their presents. Santa pulled through AGAIN and made everyone's dreams come true! Macy got her walking/barking puppy that she's been dreaming about, a Barbie airplane jet and a Teacher's School Kit. Karlee FINALLY got the Dora talking backpack, a Polly Pocket camper, her own Squinkies, a LadyBug that shines stars on her ceiling and a Belle doll. Nicholas wanted cars, cars, cars! So that's what he got; lots of Cars 2 cars, walkie-talkies, a Hot Wheels car hauler and a Hot Wheels MEGA garage. Santa must have thought I had been good because he brought me my first pair of UGGs and a new lens for my camera. Love! Love! Mark got a Kindle and a remote control helicopter, which in his words exactly was the "BEST present EVER!" He's like a kid again flying it around.

We played all morning, danced to Just Dance 3 on the Wii, had buttermilk pancakes for breakfast and attended church. We combined with another ward so there was quite a large crowd. During the meeting, Nicholas leans over to me and says, "Mom, where's Jesus? I don't see Jesus. Why isn't he at his party?" This made me laugh! So, SO sweet! At least he remembered the reason for the season, which reason we are so grateful for, the gift of our Savior. That was the greatest gift of all!

Holiday Traditions!

Every December, we our finding ourselves looking forward to what are quickly becoming holiday traditions. First of all, girls-night-out at the Nutcracker ballet (Mark & Nick hit the bowling ally), second; driving through the Pepsi plant lights every chance we get and third, going to Storybook Land in Albany. Storybook Land is held at the Linn County fairgrounds inside a huge expo center. It's full of lights and Christmas trees and little scenes depicting various Disney movies and Mother Goose rhymes with a holiday flair. The kids LOVE it and there is always Santa at the end!

Macy's 1st Piano Recital

Macy started piano this Fall and had her first piano recital in December. She was first to perform and didn't seem at all nervous. She looked so cute up there and played wonderfully. I was so proud of her. I absolutely love that she's taking piano. She LOVES it too but hates practicing. She told me she's figured out that she only needs to practice TWO days before her piano lesson to get her songs down. We'll see how long that works for her. Let's just say there is a reason I am NOT teaching her lessons. We tried that. Me, helping her practice, is conflict enough. Needless to say, she has a FANTASTIC teacher that inspires her and keeps the music fun and interesting. I told her she has to take for eight more years. I think we settled on six. I'll take it!

TRICK -OR- TREAT

Halloween has to be one of my favorite holidays, second to Christmas! I love putting up decorations, carving pumpkins with my kids, Halloween parties with friends, spray painting hair, doing make-up & GLITTER, trick-or-treating and picking out my favorite candy bars from the kids treat bags. What is not to love about this holiday? It's a great kick-off to Fall.

Macy was an Oregon State cheerleader. GO BEAVERS!!!!

Nicholas was Spiderman (in red).

Karlee was a "Rainbow Fairy Princess" (her words exactly). I had to get creative with this one but I think we got it right! She was delighted!

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!!!

Pumpkin Patch Time!

Today, Nicholas and Karlee had their first field trip to a pumpkin patch with their class. It was so sweet and they were so excited! Nicholas's favorite part was "the tractor ride" and Karlee's was, "getting an apple." They had a great time running around in the mud, picking out their own perfectly sized pumpkin and going on a tractor ride.

After picking out pumpkins, it was back on the tractor and over to the corn maze where all the kids, MOMs included, got totally LOST. Half of the kids were crying by the time we got out. Seriously?!?!? What were we thinking dragging our 3 year olds in there?

Happy to be out of the maze! : )

Pink! Pink! Pink!

We moved the girls in to the same room together and what color did they chose for the walls? You guessed it...PINK!!! Well, actually, Karlee chose pink and what Karlee wants...Karlee gets! They couldn't be happier being together and all I hear are giggles and laughing at night when the lights are suppose to be out!

Karlee loved painting! She stayed by my side the whole afternoon watching and helping me paint! She was so excited for her new room! I know, I know... some of you may think I'm crazy to let my 3 year old help, but she was so very careful and actually did a really good job!

Macy jumped in too!

I LOVED putting this room together start to finish! Before it was a bonus room that we were using as Macy's bedroom/toy room. While I was in Utah, Mark framed in a closet and built shelving and everything with help from a good friend. Now, this room is ALL GIRL and fun! The girls LOVE it!

I LOVE it!

I love this closet! It has literally changed my life! I needed storage desperately and I finally feel organized now that I have it! Oooo...I love being married to a handy-man!

Home Alone!

I never thought the day would come when I would have everyone in school and I'd be home alone with the house all quiet, staring at a few hours all to myself! I had a day like that last Thursday and it was WONDERFUL! I love my kids and all but I haven't heard "quiet" in my house like that in over 3 years. It was sweet, sweet bliss!

So what did I do, you ask...well, my neighbor came over and we put up raspberry jam and had a very nice, uninterrupted visit! I showered, actually DID my hair...curled it, no less...and ate lunch. Wow! I've forgotten that it used to be like that! I know I will miss those days when my little ones were running all around me, needing me every second for this or that, but until I miss those days...and for now, I'll enjoy my peaceful...quiet... bliss if only for a few hours!

Macy is officially a 1st Grader! Wahoo!

When I asked her what her favorite part of 1st grade was, she responded, "Lunch!" She seems to be loving it. I miss her a TON when she's gone & we all get so excited when it's time to go pick her up. Nicholas & Karlee miss her especially!

Karlee and Nicholas started preschool and are loving it, too! They've been waiting rather impatiently for their turn to go to school. Their day finally arrived. They couldn't be happier & have no problem with me leaving them. They've already made lots of friends in their class.

The End of Summer!

So, I kind of had this "Summer-To-Do" list with the kids. Things like playing in the water fountains downtown, meandering through the Saturday Farmer's Market, eating lots of snow cones, picking berries for jam and swimming almost every day. I think we did it all!

One particular thing on my list, that I was NOT going to not let happen, was a day at the beach. Well, if you know anything about the Oregon Coast, it's not the type of beach where you go and lay out and bask in the warm sun and swim in the ocean. First of all, the temperature is usually in the 60's, sometimes 70s and the water is ALWAYS freezing! So I was kind of dreading hauling my kids out there but they always love it. Sand is sand and the ocean is always something majestic. So with my mom still here, we took off for an afternoon and had a great time at the beach, building sand castles and looking for seashells. Of course, there was chowder and fish 'n chips at the end of it. That's worth a drive to the coast alone!

I hope when my kids remember summer, they remember these kind of days!