Our Christmas fun 2011

Having family in town for Christmas is the BEST!!!

Photo OP at the Broadmoor

Next year there will be a little baby in this photo

All dressed up

The best kind of gift

Poop shirt and monkey hat

Poppy drawing things on the mini doodle

Ohana in blankie bliss- thanks Auntie Shel!

Construction blanket went straight to his big boy bed!

Happy Birthday Jesus- we are so blessed and thankful!!!!!

Ohana is 22 months!

Ohana you are becoming such a little person.

You grow and learn each day.

You can now say all your ABC's with just a couple of errors.

You can sing twinkle twinkle with only a couple of errors too.

You can count to 10 but for 6,7 you say "second" which is precious.

When we ask you "why"? you say "because", plain and simple.

You can climb in the bathroom cabinets to turn on the water and brush your teeth.

You love horses and farm animals.

You name baby Jesus in the Nativity.

You name mu jewelry daily and are disappointed when I'm not wearing earrings.

You can put a shirt on by yourself.

You are full of joy and hugs and kisses.

This is your "big eyes" face

Showing all your teeth- getting 2 more right now

You love Piper and hug her every day

You are so funny and make everyday bright.

You love candy and food in general.

Sometimes you change your shoes 2 times a day which is funny now, but trouble for your teen years;)

WE LOVE YOU OHANA ISABELLA!!!!!!!!!

O Christmas Tree 2011 edition

We had a wonderful Sunday finding and cutting our tree up in the forrest.

The mentor mom from my MOPS small group invited us up to their property to bring home a tree. The kids were so excited and so was Piper since she got to come along!

Fresh cut

Loaded on the car

Decorated with love by the kids

Ohana's clump of ornaments...

Stockings are hung

Holiday mantle

My heart

Advent activities!

The kids love opening each envelope of our Advent calendar

especially when it says "let's go to the zoo!"

It was a very cold day which meant our own feeding of the giraffe with nobody else!

They loved us

Boyd didn't like the tongues in his face

More long tongue

Don't worry, the giraffe was able to reach the lettuce

Good imitation!

They also love an activity that has to do with dessert!

Cone Christmas trees!

Decorating with "num a nums" as Rigel calls them

Just before they ate them!

I think a 10.0 earthquake hit our house!

It's a snowy day so I thought, let's work on the gingerbread house today!

It has simple instructions on the back of the box.

Well, simple if you're Martha Stewart, or maybe an engineer.

I already knew ours wouldn't look like the box, but it's probably the farthest thing from it.

I put so much icing to hold it together...

But it kept falling.

I got it to stay for about 10 minutes and finally brought it to the table for the kids to put the candy on it...

Oh well... we can just start eating it that much faster...

I'd love to say my toddlers did that icing job, but it was me... you can laugh, I did.

If we do this again, Boyd gets to build it.

November Craft by and for the kids

My November crafting is about holiday decorating.

You find some fun stuff at the dollar spot at my favorite store

TARGET!!!!!!!

The kids decorated the trees and flakes and I made the garland to display them.

Real beauties aren't they?

This is our first annual Advent calendar. Each envelope has a little activity that we will do.

Things like decorate our tree, look at lights, make hot cocoa, and learn about the nativity.

Next Monday we are going to the North Pole!

There are so many very fancy and crafty advent calendars you can make, but I like our simple one. The kids are already so excited for each one.

A holiday tradition in the making!

21 months old and going large

Yesterday our sweet girl turned 21 months!

She is getting so big and fun!

Ohana can say her ABC's to K.

She loves to sing and dance.

She loves to make "coffee" and draw.

She has so many words, over 150 if I had to guess.

Her multiple word phrases are off the chart too!

She loves pointing out eyebrows and chins as she learns more body parts.

She can now climb into her car seat all by herself and is desperately trying to put on her shoes, socks and zip her coat herself.

We love you so much!

Mommy could kiss you all day and often does.

Your brother loves you very much too even though it doesn't always seem that way.

Photos taken by Nat Windsor Photography

... soon to be party of five

We are expecting our third child early June 2012.

It was a blessed surprise for our family.

We found out just in time to get this shot done by Nat Windsor Photography

along with our Fall family session I won at my MOPS group!

Here's some faves...

Brands for Nov 10 on 10... barely

Today was just a rough day all around.

I almost skipped doing 10 on to but it's part of my goal for the year.

So here are my bad photos of the brands that got me through the day.

I'm not a coffee snob.

Why I'm not a coffee snob... lots of cream!

Used dum dums for the kids while waiting our turn at the DMV.

My fave

Always makes my kids half eaten bananas taste better!

In the mail today.

40% discount so something for the kids and me too.

We had stir fry tonight for dinner.

My computer screen is filthy... but this show is funny in a sometimes stupid kind of way... at least there are minimal commercials on hulu.

A fresh tube to end the day... goodnight!!!!!!