Warning!!! I am finally updating our blog and so there is a lot.

I just love this time of year and I have had so much fun just spending time with my kids.

The weather has been crazy with one day warm and the next freezing.

We love to snuggle up and drink hot chocolate.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and wish we could be with all our family and friends.

Last week school was cancelled for a day due to slick roads and the kids just

loved staying home and slipping on the ice.

Thanksgiving

We had 22 people at our house

this year for Thanksgiving and we just loved it.

My kids loved spend some quality time with their Nana and Papa before they had to leave.
We are so glad that we live so close to them.

Nana gives our family a Christmas book every year and we opened it the night before they were to leave. The kids loved it.

All the cousins made gingerbread houses.

Here's the older kids eating Turkey dinner.

Carlee wanted to make sure a good game of Volleyball was played while everyone was here. I don't know how good it was but they played and had fun.

Halloween

We had a Great Halloween this year playing with our friends.

I helped my great friend Angie with a Halloween party and it was so much fun. We carved pumpkins, bobbed for apples and had a donut eating contest and of course there was a ton of fun Halloween treats. The kids had a blast!

Taylor wasn't going to dress up this year but changed his

mind last minute and went as a nerd.

He looked pretty good.

Jaren wanted to be a Hobo and I thought that was great since I did not have

to make a costume and he was missing his two front teeth.

Abby reused a costume Carlee wore a few years ago.

I think she looks sooo cute!

Carlee went as Pippie Longstocking and Grace was a Pirate.

They were both cute and all the neighbors would comment

on Carlee's hair when they came to trick or treat. It was

great!

Happy Halloween!

I just wanted to share a few of my favorite Halloween pictures. Hope you have a Spooktacular Day!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!!!

The kids and I are so happy to have Dave/Dad in our lives. He is always making us laugh and creating memories for us to keep. We thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite moments with you. We Love You Dad!!




Dave loves to play in the snow with the kids. He has made 2 igloos, a sled to be pulled behind a car and many snowmen. And of course with the snow comes many many snowball fights. Unfortunately we enjoy most of the snow when we are out of town. Taylor's Christmas wish this year is that we will have a white Christmas. That would be Awesome!!

It was a fairly cold day in San Diego but that did not stop Dave and the kids from playing at the beach and going into the water.

Dave jumped right in this picture. His favorite Disney Character is Eeyore.


Here you go. This is a good example of what Dave likes to do. He thought this was so cute/funny that he had to wake me up to show me. Grace was only two weeks old.

While I was at a meeting one Sunday night Dave and the kids decided to choreograph a song with Carlee as the lead singer and Dave, Taylor, Abby and Jaren as the back up singers and dancers. They went all out. Notice the uniform look of the dancers :) It was hilarious!

Just a week ago I finally charged the corvette's battery. We have had this corvette for about three years and every time I pull into the garage Grace goes over to it and tries to get inside. Sometimes she would just sit in it and listen to music. Yes, it has a radio. Crazy! Of course Dave had to take a turn after all the kids went for a ride. He did not get very far. The battery had to work over time and did not last long. Sorry kids, the fun is over. I'll have to charge the battery AGAIN!

Celebrity Morph by MyHeritage

Dave and I were out to eat with some friends this past weekend and as we were walking to the car my friend yelled out,"THAT'S IT! You look like Sally Fields!" I have had many people tell me that throughout the years. Well here it is, you be the judge.

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celeb

Happy Birthday Grace!

Sweet little Grace turned 1 and we had a great time celebrating. I made her a little bath tub cake knowing this was probably the last time I would have the opportunity to do so. Next year she will want a barbie cake or something a little more girly. Here are just a few pics from the party.



We had my brother Tyler and his family and Dave's mom over to help us celebrate. The weather was perfect and we sat outside and barbequed and played little kiddie games. I couldn't ask for a better night.









Pin the tail on the donkey was so much fun to watch. Grace's little cousin Ella whose also a year old won the prize, the blue bouncy ball. Isn't she just the cutest!! Notice Jaren standing next to her with his arms folded, he was so mad that he didn't win. He tried all night to convince me that he should get the ball and when Ella would drop it Jaren would pick it up and tell me that he found it laying on the ground and so he should just have it.
I don't think so buddy!!
Would you believe that he has about 50 of those balls in his room and they never get played with?



I always let my kids dig in to the cake when they turn one. Grace was a little hesitant until she licked her finger for the first time and then she dug in. Carlee made this little birthday hat for Grace and she wore it the whole time she was eating her cake. It was so cute!



These next two pictures show a little skin. Grace opened her presents with only a diaper on since Dave decided to hose her off after eating cake. Fortunately she loves water and thought it was great. She absolutely loves her presents, especially the ones that make noise. :)








Here are a few more pics of Grace doing some of her favorite things. I promise this blog is not just about Grace. Enjoy!

Playing Dress up and House with the kids!!



Bubble Baths and Swimming!



Listening to Dad play and Climbing Stairs!

Messy! Messy! Messy!

Where's the Dog??

When the four older kids were little we had a dog, Sadie. I need her back so that she can be my vacuum. If we were to drop a piece of food she would be there to catch it before it hit the floor. I'm not quite sure how to handle all of the food Grace leaves for me to clean up every time she eats. I feel like I have to sweep and mop after every meal. YUCK! I find myself wanting a dog again each time I have to clean the floor and for those of you that know me, you know that I don't want a dog! I do however love the stage she is in. I love hearing her talk, seeing her walk around, and going up and down the stairs and having her eat mostly table food is pretty nice too. I just Love Her - Love Her - Love Her and so I will continue to remind myself that this phase of being completely covered from head to toe with food will pass.

**

Grace insists on feeding herself. She holds a spoon in one hand and uses her fingers with the other.

Can you say BATH!

She loves those too so I guess she is the all around winner!

Still cute with spaghetti all over.

Back To School!

Jaren (7) 2nd Grade
Abby (9) 4th Grade
Carlee (11) 6th Grade
Taylor (13 in 5 days) 8th Grade


The kids are back to school and now I feel like I might have a few extra minutes to actually do something with this blog. I can hardly believe summer is over, where does the time go?
Okay, so I wanted the pictures to be below my writing but I can't figure that out. You will have to just suffer through with me as I learn what to do.