MeRrY ChRiStMaS tO aLL....

This year our family enjoyed a very mellow Christmas at home. It was so nice and pleasant. The best part was that Matt had 4 consecutive days off from work. This rarely happens so we were all very excited. Our Christmas Eve was a day of preparation. Matt took the boys for last minute Christmas shopping, while I stayed home and baked sugar cookies. It was so nice to have a moment alone, listening to Christmas music on the radio while rolling out dough and using all my cutest cookie cutters. After the cookies I wrapped presents, then started on Christmas Eve dinner. I made Matt's favorite, chicken cordon blue with real mashed potatoes, corn & Rhodes rolls. We had a fabulous sit down dinner with the boys, who actually ate ALL their food. We threatened them with their Christmas presents. It was great! After dinner Matt & the boys cleaned up the whole kitchen. That was a Christmas present in itself! The boys then each got to open 1 present. Of course this is pj's and not just any pj's...Transformer pj's! Thanks G-ma Nette. They were a BIG hit. We set out our plate of suger cookies for Santa then the boys were off to bed. It was so awesome, I think it was like 8pm. Whatever it was, I know it was way early. This time we threatened them with Santa Clause. Hee Hee! By about 7am the whole house was up and you would not believe it..Santa came during the night. He left us lots of great presents & treats to entertain us all day long. We also received many presents from G&G Taysom, Simcox & Southwick, Great G&G Taysom, Ferrin & Lowry. Thank you & we love you all. Everything was greatly appreciated. That evening we had a family Chritsmas dinner at G&G Southwick's. We ate more wonderful food that went straight to the hips & of course opened more presents. The best part of the evening was shooting our guns that G-ma Nette made all of us. They shot out marshmallows. We were all shooting at each other & laughing until our sides hurt. SO FuN!!!! It was the perfect ending to a perfect Christmas day.

So GrEaTFuL...

We had a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner at my Aunt Peggy's home. She had the table set so nice and the food was mouth watering. I was sad I could not eat much. I was just getting over having the horrible flu-not swineflu! Just regular awful flu. It took me a week to get over it. Horrible! Anyway, back to what I am Thankful for...of course my handsome husband and beautiful 3 boys. Our health. Especially after being sick like I was! Our home. I love it and am so grateful to have a home. My family & Matt's family. They all are so loving & giving. I get to stay at home with my children and raise them. Matt's job, even though it takes him away from us often! Our cars. Food. All the basic necessities of life. My friends who are always there for me. The best neighbors you could ask for. Last but not least, my Heavenly Father who loves me unconditionally.

OuR HaPpY HaLLoWeEn....

We had a crazy, accident filled, fun weekend. With lots of friends, family, candy and fun! We frosted sugar cookies with the neighbors, Halloween parties & parades at school, making lots of yummy caramel, Kirk & Shayna's bloody Halloween party, Mom & Shari's Birthdays, carving pumpkins, trick-or-treating, Crew falling down a flight of stairs at Shayna's, Crew splitting his upper lip open, Crew re-splitting his upper lip 2 more times. Landen had his own upper lip splitting injury, just as we were ready to walk out the door for Cody's school party. Matt actually got to trick-or-treat with us this year. Very exciting! The past few years I have had to go without him. Finally getting to meet Chelsie-Justin's girlfriend. Who is absolutely adorable by the way. Her sister Ashleigh & her husband Ryan Delillo are on So You Think You Can Dance. How cool! You all better vote for them! Now for some of the funnier moments of our weekend-G&G Taysom sent the boys Halloween cards, in each card was $1. We had to go directly to the Dollar store to blow this money! Immediately!!! Landen bought a pack of bouncy balls. We got in the car to leave. I informed them that we still needed to run to 1 more store. Landen asks me, "can I play with my balls in the store!" Ha Ha! It gets better...we get home. I still have not let the boys open their new toys. Landen can't get the package open that his bouncy balls came in. Cody offers to help. Splits the blister pack open says, "mmmm, smells like balls!" Matt & I are cracking up. Did he really just say that! Yes, and it was so funny. Cody had no idea why we found this so funny but continued to entertain us by saying it over & over again. What can I say, boys and their balls! Here are some pics for you to enjoy from our awesome weekend!

HaPpY FiRsT BiRtHdAy CrEw....

Saturday was my sweet little baby boy's first Birthday. So exciting yet so sad. I have such a hard time letting them grow up. I love, love, love the newborn stage. Did I mention I love it! So fun! I do love to see them grow and learn and discover as well. But there is something so precious about newborns. So fresh from God. A little piece of Heaven here on earth. This year with Crew has gone by so incredibly fast. We sure love & adore this little guy. He is so sweet and usually mellow. He does like to tease and will totally go after Landen. Cody & Crew have had a special bond since day one. Anyway...moving right along! We celebrated Crew's Birthday at our home. It was just family and that was just perfect. I had so much fun decorating for his party. I made all the decorations & cupcakes, cakes, etc. We served dinner first then had cake & ice cream after. It was such a great night getting together with the family. We love and missed all of you who could not be there! Thanks everyone for all the gifts too!