Thanksgiving

November 22, 2012

With all that we have experienced over the last four months we decided to keep Thanksgiving to ourselves this year.  We were invited by a family in our ward to join them but we just wanted to have a casual low key, stress free time.  We have been busy busy busy with this first semester of school.  We had a nice little turkey, yummy dinner rolls, veggies, potatoes and stuffing.  Oh how I love this Thanksgiving meal.  In fact I had to make a Thanksgiving dinner in September or October because I was craving it's deliciousness. 

 One fun thing is that we pulled out some plates that have been in storage at my parents for five years.  I had a little thing in high school where I wanted to have a fifties kitchen with red, black and white with the checker pattern and red barstools, etc.  Coca Cola products fit into this little dream of mine.  The boys were way excited to use the cool plate and silverware.

 Caroline did well hanging out while we all ate our meal.  She is one happy kid.

 For dessert I had planned to make pie, but we had so much cheesecake left over from my birthday that we just decided to eat that instead.  Yum Yum.

There are so many things to be thankful for.  This year I am thankful for education, jobs, family, friends, homes, church, and so many more blessings.  I'm grateful that I have a Savior and that He lives.  I'm grateful for the knowledge I have gained as I study the scriptures.  The list could become a novel so I will leave it there knowing I have more blessings than I recognize.

My Real Birthday Day.

November 19, 2012

My actual birthday celebrations were great fun.  I planned with the McLean girls to go the Denver Museum of Nature and Science for a free day.  As an extra bonus Parker was out of school for the day due to Thanksgiving being that same week.  For an hour drive and to see Georgia friends and do something for free it was fabulous.  I wish I had taken a picture of the guy dressed up like a dinosaur skeleton.  He was walking around outside when we showed up and Lincoln was ready to leave because he didn't like it.  

 We ventured into the space area where they had some videos about Mars.  This intrigued the kids for awhile.  We decided to pull them away so that we could see other exhibits.

 There was a nice guy right when the boys and I arrived that offered to take my picture with them.  I agreed because I figured it would be the only picture with me and the kids on my birthday.  It was true, it was the only one with all of us.  I dressed the boys the same so that I could find them more easily on a busy day.

 Lunch time.  PB & J.  We sat by one of those things where you put your coin in and watch it go around in a funnel until it drops in the bottom.  I had a coin for each kid but many kids had come by to put their coins in and my boys loved watching it.  One girl was even so sweet to give up her own coins so that Parker and Lincoln could have a turn.  Just before we were getting ready to leave a guy and his older son gave Parker a couple of coins to put into it.  Very sweet and kind.

 After lunch we went to the children's area.  We listened to story time and played a piano, did puzzles, played with scarfs in a thing that blew air up so you could see the scarves fly up in the air.  There were many things to do in this area and the kids really enjoyed it.  Everyone got really sleepy and we had a drive ahead of us where we wanted to avoid traffic.  So we left pretty early.

 For dinner we used gift cards from awhile ago and went on a night where the kids got to eat free with an adult entree.  Pretty much a free dinner.  They also had a balloon guy there who made these balloons for the kids; we didn't have to pay (we could donate though).  This was a really fun inexpensive birthday for me.  I'm glad I had my family with me.  Henry picked a penguin.

 Parker had a butterfly.

 Lincoln had an alien in an airplane.

 Thanks for the fun birthday.

Garden of the Gods

November - Birthday Weekend

Well, we have lived in Colorado now for three months and we still hadn't seen one of the main attractions; Garden of the Gods.  For my birthday I wanted to go on a hike because the weather was really beautiful and not every year will it be just this nice on my birthday weekend.  As we stepped out of the car I took a look at the car next to us.  I sighed as I started remembering Georgia.

 Some nice folks took our family picture.

 We packed our lunch.  Really it wasn't a hike at all, just a nice stroll around the area.  The rocks were really pretty.  The boys ate a good lunch.  As we walked around we pointed out the dogs and talked about if they were big or small.  Then as we walked past someone I heard them say that the chip bag that Henry was holding was as big as he was.  It was great.  Henry is one of our smallest kids still being able to wear some 12 month clothes and he's 2!

 We saw some people rock climbing.  While we watched Parker had found this little crevice to play in.  It was pretty cool but there is no way I was going to fit in there.

 The day was splendid and the boys did great.  I'm glad they took a nap on the way home.  Well now we need to make a bucket list for Colorado.  I think we'll go back to Garden of the Gods sometime and maybe we can take our bikes.

A Belated Present

November 2012

I've been talking about putting Caroline's hair up in a ponytail but I need to get the little rubber bands to do it.  Parker had been hearing me talk about it and he wanted his hair done in ponytails.  I used my smallest hair bands and this is what he came out to look like. 

 Henry got a gift from Grandma Joan in the mail.  All the boys were excited to help open it up and to put it all together.  When dad came home they all hid in the boxes.  Henry really had to put up a fight to get to ride in his own new car.  Thanks Grandma for all the fun you have provided in this great car.

 

 

A Quick Visit.

November 3, 2012

About two weeks before this time I got a call from my sister, Jessica.  She let me know that she was making the decision to take her endowments out at the Temple.  Willie and I knew this was a big and very important decision so we planned to drive out on a Friday and go to the temple with her on Saturday.  Then we traveled back home on Sunday.  We had one week pretty much to get a couple of names ready for work in the temple.  In the House of the Lord we do work for those who have passed on already.  I prepared two names, a male and a female so that Willie and I could do the endowment for those two people.  I'm grateful that we were given the opportunity to show my sister that we love her and that we are proud of her for making such  a decision.

Saturday was a very busy day.  We had a birthday party for the two year olds; Reagan and Henry.  They are two days apart.  It was fun to have a party.  My family watched all the kids for us while we went to the temple.  I felt bad for Caroline because she wasn't trained on a bottle yet.  Three-four hours was a little bit of time for her to be away from me.

It seems that we have a small tradition in the brewing.  Parker and Kaylee had Mickey and Minnie cakes as well for their second birthday.  Next in line will be Caroline and Cooper.

Caroline was in the shade part of the stroller.  She fell asleep there on their walk.

After the temple we met up with my family at the Sizzler in Salt Lake.  Caroline was so happy to see me.  I loved that she was able to hang out with some of my family that she may never really know.  My Aunt Nona and Uncle Corey as well as my Aunt Carolee.

The boys really love to play Angry Birds on anyone's phone; something Willie and I don't have.  We are old school and don't have smartphones.  This is one way to entertain our kids for hours.  That's what they did at the restaurant most of the time.  I am very grateful for eternal families.  I'm grateful that we can be sealed and  know that we will see each other again one day.