The last of the Christmas season

Before we start a new year, here is what I captured with the last of December.  We had a wonderful and simple holiday here at home with our little family.

Makenzie performed in the Nutcracker this year with her dance/tumbling group.  They always put on such a great show.  This year she was a mouse.  They were the cutest little mice I've ever seen.

 She was disappointed that she didn't need her hair and makeup done, as part of the performance.

 We were graced with several packages for the holiday season.  One was a big box of Washington apples from Tyler's future employer.  Ellionna wasted no time in enjoying those!

 The box is always so much more fun to play with than the actual package that was sent. 

 It got a little out of control within just a few minutes and mom had to call it quits!  We had styrofoam peanuts all over the house!

Mom had a birthday, too!  I was spoiled and showed much love.  I love how my kids are posing for this picture with their true personalities! 

Tyler was able to score free VIP hockey tickets from the hospital.  Now I'm really not into hockey or professional sports that much, but I didn't mind the excuse to have a date with my hubby!  We had a lot of fun.

Christmas Eve was spent tracking Santa,

 making Christmas crafts,

 and watching movies.

We ate way too much yummy food, too.  Santa came and I didn't get a single picture of it.  The kids were spoiled and we have enjoyed playing with all the new toys.  We wish we were closer to visit family, but it just didn't happen this year. 

 Merry Christmas, and to all a good night! 

December Activities!

We have been enjoying the Christmas season!

I made this Santa Clause when I was in 5th grade.  

It's suppose to be a door hanger, but Gavin enjoyed using it as a mask.

 Yes, an Elf FINALLY found our house!  Oh, the kids were soooo excited.  "Red" has brought a lot of fun and mischief each night.  We captured some of his actions.

 

He decorated the tree with toilet paper!

 

He got a girlfriend and raced the night away in her hot pink convertible!

He used his artistic abilities to transform the kids into something else.  

Can you tell who everyone is?

He took pictures of himself while everyone was sleeping!

And he even watched a movie!

And in other news....

Here are Ellionna's first pigtails!  

Isn't she cute?

 

This is Ellionna's favorite place in the house.... on top of the table or the island counter top.  

She LOVES coloring!  She tries so hard to follow after her older siblings when they are doing their homework.  Just look how she is concentrating!  Love her!

November

 After some technical difficulties with our computer and having some grabby hands misplace the camera in the back of the closet, I am finally updating the blog!

Our trees were a golden yellow at the beginning of November.  

They sure do shed a lot of leaves! 

But before you knew it, the cold set in and we got our first snow... a dusting!   Our poor kids don't know what real snow storm is yet, but they will take what they can get.  Luckily the sleds still went down the hill!

Ellionna was completely frustrated with her mittens, so she took them off.  Then she was even more confused and angered that her hands got so cold so quick!

This is the only picture that I got on Thanksgiving... Gavin with the turkey!  

We had an enjoyable holiday weekend at home. 

We decorated the tree!

  It's always a favorite.  

All the kids with the finished product. 
Makenzie is throwing a grumpy face for some reason, but it was short-lived.

Halloweening It!

We had a fun Halloween week!  We spent one night carving some pumpkins.  Gavin was more interested in coloring blood on his pumpkin with a red marker than anything else.  Ellionna loved playing in the pumpkins goo.

 Tyler helped carve Jordan's pumpkin.  Jordan has got a good friend who actually enjoyed cleaning out the insides, which Jordan refuses to still do.

 

Makenzie enjoyed designing three faces on her pumpkin this year.

The finished results….



We had a church Halloween carnival.  It was a lot of fun, especially watching the kids eat a donut on a string.



Happy Halloween!


We introduced Harry Potter to Makenzie this summer, so it was a given that she would want to be Hermione.  I ordered a wand, but it was cheap plastic.  She was pretty disappointed.  The more authentic wood ones were more than $30!  Tyler so lovingly volunteered to carve her one out of a free tree branch.  He still wants to stain it, but I think it turned out pretty well!

And this is exactly how I feel after all the craziness of this week!  I always have to capture the times when he falls asleep because it doesn't happen often!  He's such an angel when he sleeps. :)

October activites!

 We went to Tyler's co-worker's annual Halloween party.  Can you tell what we went as this year? 
The operation game!  You don't see me in scrubs very often!

 The kids enjoyed doing a fall activity with all the leaves they found outside.

I found this on Jordan's Wii the other day.  It made me smile.  We have been reading "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle" with school.  One of the stories talks about a selfish kid labeling everything he owned.  

 Do I dare say that we live in a very PRIDEFUL community?  It's nuts how much they rally up for all the high school sports.  We can hear all the hype of the football games from our house each Friday night.  We promised to take them to a game, so here is the proof.  Makenzie and Tyler are the only ones who lasted the whole game.  It was a chilly night.

I also took the kids out to the local state park for an evening of Halloween activities.  They took us on a night hike where we met several nocturnal animals...(costumed characters that told us about each animal).  It was very well done.