Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!

The boys have had the best time playing in all of the snow (while Laynie and I stay safely tucked inside my parent's warm house!). They have built snowman after snowman and have shoveled the sidewalk and driveway of every house on my parent's street. They especially love being pulled behind the 4-wheeler on their sleds!

On Saturday, my parents, the brave souls that they are, decided to take Jacob and Ryan snowshoeing by their cabin (It is just too bad that I had to stay home and watch Laynie, I was just dieing to go with!) My parents could not believe how well the boys did. Ryan told me he was a trooper, and my parents agreed. It was so cold that even their water bottles froze!

So, while my parents and the boys froze to death on top of a mountain, Laynie and I played at home in her new exersaucer (her Christmas present from my parents. How in the world are we going to get this thing home?) We hope you are enjoying all of this cold weather as much as we are!

Utah

Well, we made it to Utah safe and sound. Our plane ride went very smoothly and the boys have had a great time playing with their cousins. Layna just bought a new camera and was happy to find willing models to practice her picture taking skills on. Here are a few of my favorite pictures:

This Week

This week has been one of the busiest I have ever had. On Tuesday night we had our Relief Society Christmas Progressive Dinner which I, along with an amazing leader and committee, was in charge of. It was so much fun, but so much work! Then we had our craft boutique which Lindsay, Heidi, and I hosted. We also had Kelly's work Christmas Party at our house on Friday night (I didn't find out about this until Monday). So, between making Potato Balls, more Relief Society stuff, decorating our house for Christmas, cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning, finishing projects for the boutique, making meatballs, and babysitting for friends, this has been quite a week! Thank goodness it is done. And, if I didn't have Ryan reminding me constantly that I have not even packed and we are leaving for Utah on Thursday, I might even be able to relax a little!

So, to get me in the holiday spirit, I dressed Laynie in her over-the-top Christmas outfit for church today.

Wouldn't you be happy to find this adorable girl under your Christmas tree?

Jacob's Map

Earlier this week, Jacob was not feeling well. As he was "resting" on his bed he drew a map so that Kelly could easily find him with the much needed Sprite (why is it that all kids think a little Sprite will make them feel so much better?). It really is hilarious, especially the part about it being written in blood. The map directed Kelly through the "Food's Square" (kitchen) past the "Guitar Center Place" (music room) and up the stairs to the "Sick Man's Layer" (his bedroom). Kelly did indeed find the "sick man" and he was soon feeling much better!

First Snow!

If you know my boys, then I am sure you can imagine their excitement when they looked out the window this morning! SNOW! They have checked each morning for the last few weeks in hopes that snow would be covering the ground. My nightmare is their dream come true! They were thrilled to rummage through the winter box and put on their boots, gloves and favorite winter hats (thanks great grandma!). I hope you enjoy this day as much as I know Jacob and Ryan will. As for Laynie and I? I think we will wrap up in a blanket and stay close to the fire!

Mmm Mmm Good!

Busy

I have been very busy getting ready for a holiday boutique that my friends and I are hosting the weekends before and after Thanksgiving. I was hoping to get a happy, smiling picture of Laynie wearing a onesie and skirt I plan to sell, but she has become so distracted by the red light on the camera that she will no longer smile for pictures. I am hoping this is only a phase. Please check out the blog we have created for the boutique when you have a chance, and if you live in the area I hope to see you there!

Today's the day!

I know there are a few important things happening in this Country today, but around our house nothing is quite as exciting as Laynie turning six months old! We waited many years for her to join our family, and now that she is here we are so blessed! She is such a sweet baby with a fun personality. She loves her brothers and tries so hard to get their attention. She laughs at them and makes noises until they will acknowledge her. And, they are great big brothers too! They love to hold her, can't stand to see her cry and always roll her back over when she gets stuck on her belly. We are a better family because she is here. We are having so much fun watching her learn and grow!

Happy Halloween!

On Thursday we had our last swimming lesson. In my quest to turn my children into the next Micheal Phelps I put them back into swimming lessons. I could not find lessons at the same time, so we have spent an hour and a half at the pool every Tuesday and Thursday for the last month. It has about done me (and Laynie) in, so needless to say, I have decided that my boys will have to find other ways to become Olympic Gold Medalists because I did not sign them up for the next session of lessons!

And, in preparation for Halloween we finally carved our pumpkins.

They carved the pumpkins all by themselves this year and did a great job!

And now on to Halloween!

Although the kids where not able to celebrate Halloween at school, Jacob's teacher held a fun luncheon today. Lots and lots of food (and sugar) to start the day out right!

This is my attempt at a scary Halloween dinner. It was supposed to be a mummy, but Jacob thought it looked like Frankenstein in bandages and Kelly thought it was a Skeleton. At least I get an A for effort, right?

Finally, here are the kids in their costumes. Laynie dressed up as Minnie Mouse for the Monster Mash, but it seemed like a lot of effort for tonight so tonight she just wore her pumpkin shirt instead.

Here are the boys trying to scare the trick or treaters! Ryan did win an award for the scariest costume at our school's Monster Mash last Friday! We had a great day and hope that you did too!

P.S. I know to some of you it may sound like no fun, but for us, our solution to the Halloween Candy is a life saver. The boys get to eat candy on Halloween night and then the day after they "sell" their bag of candy to us for $10.00 (it is great having children who think $10.00 is a small fortune!). They get to buy a toy and we don't have to deal with the sugar induced craziness that usually follows Halloween!

Silhouettes and Capes

My sister reminded me of the silhouettes we used to make in school as kids. She had read about an easy way to make these and so I decided to give it a try. I absolutely love the way they turned out. It really was easy and the best part? It didn't cost a dime.

Last night Kelly, Laynie and I went to a fun Halloween party. We had a great time, and how could we not with this gal in charge. We were asked to dress up as Super Heroes. I made a Super Mom Apron for me, a Super Princess cape for Laynie, and Kelly went as Psycho Therapist (a villian!).

Instructions for making silhouettes: Take a side profile picture of each child in front of a plain background with your digital camera. Download, change to black and white, and print on cardstock. Cut out along the edges of your child's profile. Paint entire picture with black craft paint (I turned mine over and painted the plain side). Let dry and glue silhouette to another sheet of cardstock. Place in frame. (I had white frames that I spray painted black). Am I right? This really could not be easier. I am kind of embarrased that you know how simple it really was. It doesn't make me look half as crafty!

Cammi

Kelly is blessed to have a wonderful, kind, and generous sister. She is my sister too and I feel blessed to have her in my family! She has the sweetest, most well behaved six year old twins and that is a testament to what an amazing and attentive mother she is. Laynie is named after her and we only hope she can be half as kind, organized, creative, and considerate as Cammi is. Tomorrow Cammi and her family leave for Pittsburgh. You can read more about why she is going here. She has a long rode ahead of her, but we know she has the strength and courage to meet all of the challenges that may come her way. We look forward to the day when she can make the trip to Denver to visit us. We want her to know that we are praying for her and hope that you will too!

A Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

I could show you pictures of us making these cute Halloween shirts, the boys marching in the Homecoming Parade, and Laynie eating rice cereal for the first time, but instead I gave our camera a little dip in the washing machine. Several weeks ago, while trying to multi task, I brought down a load of laundry with my camera on top. A few minutes after I had the laundry going I remembered my camera, and found it in the spin cycle! By the time we rescued it water was literally dripping from every crevice! Now it is being repaired and in the meantime, life is still moving on (with only a disposable camera to capture the moments with).

Thankfully, a good friend took pity on me and loaned me her old camera for the weekend. We visited Berry Patch Farms . . .

where the boys played Marimbas,

picked raspberries,

ran through a hay maze,

went on a hayride and chose pumpkins.

When we came home, we made smoothies with our raspberries,

and Laynie tried a little more rice cereal (yum yum!). The boys and Laynie are wearing the Halloween shirts we tie dyed for Family Night a few weeks ago (another Family Fun Magazine project which looked alot easier than it actually was!).

And finally, here is the Fall wreath I made for our front door. I saw a similiar one created just for Halloween and decided to create one that could last all season long. This was such an easy and inexpensive project (and I think it turned out pretty cute!)

Welcome October!

To celebrate October we . . .

made pizza,

watched It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,

and ate donuts and drank apple cider.

**Fun inspired by the amazing blog: http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/

One Last Trip

(Cammi, Jacob wanted me to take a picture of him holding Laynie on the four wheeler just to scare you. I promise he did not actually take her on a ride!)

Well, we decided we had not done nearly enough during our "track off" so we made a quick trip to Utah to spend the weekend at my parent's cabin. The weather was perfect and the leaves had turned the most amazing colors. We went on lots of walks, rode the four wheelers, and ate our favorite cabin foods: Mountain Dew Chicken (thanks, Brandi!) and s'mores.


On our way home from the cabin, we stopped at my grandma's house. I have the most amazing grandma, and the boys absolutely love spending time with her. She spoils them rotten and will not let me tell them "no". What's not to love?




While there, we picked bags and bags of apples, peaches and plums. So hopefully my next post will be about all of the canning we have done (or, if not, how we are dealing with the smell of rotting fruit in our house!)