Sunday, December 26, 2010

Christmas







We had a very nice Christmas this year. We had our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve. It was just the four of us and a yummy ham with potatoes, corn, rolls, pasta salad, and apple pie. Very good and quiet. After dinner we opened our Christmas jammies and cuddled up on the couch for some Polar Express time. After our movie we got in the the truck with our hot chocolate and drove around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights. The kids really enjoyed that. Austin kept yelling, "look at that one"! Really cute. After lights we came home, read The Polar Express, sent out cookies, milk, and carrots for Santa and his Reindeer.
Christmas morning started at 8am (thankful for that!!) with excitement from both kids. Madison was able to read who the presents were too this year so that was fun! Austin got tired towards the end and wanted to be done, but we just kept handing him gifts and helping him open them! Madison was very excited to get her Leapster (the best gift she says), pillow pet, and a barbie car, which were on her Santa list but kept asking where her moon dough was, which was also on her list!! LOL so cute. Hope everyone has a blessed Christmas!! (and hurry back and post Michelle! We all want to hear all about it!)

Monday, December 6, 2010

December.....so far!

Beautiful spot on our way home. Thinking of plopping the kids on the rails for a picture!






Visit with Santa. This is a bad picture cause it is a picture of a picture but you get the idea!


Helping dad paint!
I can't believe the end of the year is here.....already! We've been busy decorating the house, painting the garage, and visiting with my mom. Already it has been a busy month. On December 1st I pulled out all the Christmas stuff from down in the crawlspace, by myself I might add, and the kids and I decorated the tree. There aren't alot of pictures of that this year since I just wanted it all up, but the kids had so much fun helping me color coordinate all the tree parts. Then they sat and complained that I was taking way too long with putting the tree together and doing the lights. They couldn't wait to put the ornaments on!! They had a blast putting the ornaments on the tree, only two got broke :), and they really loved putting the glittery balls on the tree and then rubbing their little hands all over themselves and the house to see what they could make sparkle!! Haha those quickly got moved to the top of the tree lol. Madison has helped me wrap some presents and has taken the scraps off to her room to wrap rocks and her little pets! Garrett spent the last weekend painting the garage white. It looks so good and clean. Its really something we should have done before we moved in so we couldn't have just gotten it done, instead of moving all the garage crap from on side to the other and then back!! So frustrating. The kids want to go out there and help daddy, but there is just no room and they just don't understand! Madison has helped alittle bit and now we need a new faceplate for the switch lol.





My mom came up this weekend and we spent Saturday at the Mall shopping, seeing Santa, and riding the Merry-go-round! Had a great visit with great company. Thanks mom for the visit and dinner. It was great seeing you!! Here are a few pictures of whats been going on. Madison has another sing in on the 16th at her school. This time she asked if Austin could join us. So sweet! Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful season and we will see you all very soon!!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving

she made this at school! i love what she wrote!

Madison's turkey

Austin's Turkey


Our family turkeys!

Before


After!




The turkey was delicious! We had a very blessed day with the family :)



Thursday, November 18, 2010

Barnyard Party












Austin's party was tons of fun, and the cupcakes were so much fun to make! I had so many wonderful people to help me. Thank you ladies! As always he got spoiled with gifts. The kids had fun painting magnets, hitting the pinata, and eating cute animal cupcakes. Aunt Traci came over and spoiled Austin with a new grill!! More pictures to come soon!!



Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Happy Birthday Austin James!













Today was Austin's 2nd birthday! Can't believe its here already...seem like yesterday....So the poor guy has a cold and wasn't feeling good at all! Hopefully its gone by Saturday, his party. He loves the two gifts he got today a bike from me and daddy and a dr. kit from sister. It took him awhile to really get into his gifts cause he's not feeling good and sister was really worried that he didn't like the gift she got him. I LOVE the way he wanted to eat his cupcake, so cute! All in all a good day. Happy Birthday Handsome :)


Sunday, October 31, 2010

Halloween Stuff
































So we've done a lot of halloween stuff since I've posted last. A pumpkin patch with pony rides, which the kids loved. Austin couldn't stop reaching down and petting his pony and didn't want to get off! I was so fun to watch him on a pony, he has amazing balance for his age. Makes me think he might be a horse rider, okay maybe thats more for me LOL. Madison did good too and rode the pony all by herself, which I think is a first. She also loved it :) We got some pumpkins and brought them home and carved them. Madison chose daddy to help her with hers which I must say turned out amazing. Good Job Garrett! His pumpkin even photographed better than mine. I tried something new by using the flat side of the pumpkin and it didn't really pop like I thought it would, oh well right. It took Austin a few minutes before he reached in to get some goop out of the pumpkin but he did it. Madison even reached in the pumpkin this year. We got some snow on Wednesday and Madison insisted we make a snowman. He was a little guy and Madison was sure proud of him. So cute! Thursday was her school party. Garrett and I got to go help and watch her parade. She was so happy that her daddy was able to come and during the singing she sang directly to him the whole time. I got video of it, but should have had Garrett hold the camera...She didn't take her eyes of him. It was neat to see their connection. She did pretty good, but wasn't really into it. Not sure if she was tired or if there was just too many people there. Yesterday we took the kids to the Mall for trick-or-treating since we had a high chance of rain over here. It was fun. The kids enjoyed it, but towards the end it was really crowded and the kids were tired. We almost didn't make trick-or-treating around the neighborhood because it was so cold and rainy, but we got a break and I took the kids down our street with Kesler and his daddy. At first Austin didn't know what to do. He wanted to walk, but with his bag; or I had to hold his hand, but not his bag. Really confusing for me, but once we got over that he had fun. It's so cute to hear him say "trick-or-treat" and "happy halloween". He's such a big boy!! I ended up having to carry him halfway through and was so exhausted by the end of the night! But worth it of course. The kids had so much fun and got so much candy. So thats it for October! Wow that went by fast. We won't do trick-or-treating over here today because its Sunday, but honestly I'm so tired, I couldn't do that again!! Now its time to get Garrett off hunting and work on Austin's 2nd Brithday Party!! Happy Halloween Everyone!

Friday, October 22, 2010

Scouting Trip






















Ok it's time!!

So it's been awhile.....ok a long time since I've posted an update so here I go. I'm going to attempt one, just know that the kids are awake and will be yelling at my feet very soon!!
As most of you know Garrett went on his first Elk hunt last week. He wasn't successful but ended up having a great time in the good old outdoors. He goes again in two weeks to a new spot. I'm very excited for him and hope he brings home some meat for my freezer. He's hoping to get a few of his buddies to go with him, which I think is a good idea. I don't like that he is going out there all by himself, but we did go scouting on Wednesday so at least I know where he is going. Speaking of Wednesday we took an afternoon drive to his spot, looked around the area for a bit, went for a small hike, and cooked hotdogs and marshmallows over a fire. It was so relaxing and free. Just what we needed!! The kids enjoyed running around in the mountain air, playing in the dirt and picking up cow pies!!! LOL Madison pretended to be Darby looking for Tigger and Pooh. Such a creative imagination she has. And Austin enjoyed being her shadow, going everywhere she did!!
Speaking of those kiddos..... Madison is doing so good in school. She doesn't get upset anymore and really enjoys getting to see her friends and read to her teacher. She is doing awesome with her reading and knows about 10 "sight" words. (Words like I, see, run, said, and, this, look, like, is) She has a Halloween party coming up that Garrett and I get to help with. (Garrett has to work Halloween weekend so he's gonna come see her at the party. Luckily we get to go, just the three of us, so that will be really special for her. Austin will be hanging out with our neighbor.) We are working on a few things with her at home, such as hitting when she gets upset and talking disrespectfully to us. That's been changeling but it will be worth it! Its really hard to put her in time out when she's throwing a huge fit when daddy's sleeping, but it's what I gotta do I guess.
Austin is growing up way too fast. He is such a smart little boy. He loves doing puzzles and beads. He's talking in sentences now, here and there. He went from only saying one word at a time to sentences literally overnight!! He's got a mouth full of teeth and knows how to use them unfortunately. He loves to do what his sister does, from dancing to playing. He loves to help me with the laundry and dishes, which can be a pain sometimes!! His new thing is going "potty" which he just likes to sit on the toilet 20 times a day!! He hasn't gone yet, but tries. And he had two different personalities, one when sister is in school, and one when she is home. Its funny to see the difference. He's more laid back and chill when sister is in school, but the moment shes home it's defense mode it seems. Really funny.
I've just been hanging out doing the mommy/wife thing. I did get to escape for alittle bit yesterday and do some crafting with some new friends of mine. Finally I found someone who is into it as much as me, it only took umm, well awhile :) So thats about it. Getting ready for Halloween and then Austin's 2nd birthday which will be Barnyard theme. Can't wait!!! I found some really cute/simple animal cupcakes that I can't wait to try out!! Hope everyone is well and enjoying life!!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

4wheeler Trip to the Towers!

We took a 4 hour 4wheeler ride up to the top of the mountains behind our house. Our neighbors came with up and took Austin while we rode with Madison. The kids did so good for being on a wheeler for 4 hours!!! Austin fell asleep a few times with Jen. We all had a great time. Rode to the top, at lunch, then rode home! Oh man I'm so sore this morning!! More pictures to come. Look for them in your email.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

New Projects

a magnetic frame for fall
scrap wood and vinyl makes good decorations

my autumn blocks


the kids bathroom






austin's sweet dreams sign

countdown blocks!