Another LONG catch up post

Here I am playing catch up again. Oh well, I guess that's life these days. Where has November gone? It has been such a whirlwind month and December isn't looking to slow down any. But, we are still pushing through, smiling and enjoying the journey together. The weather has officially turned cold and Christmas is in the air! I LOVE this time of year! Love the holidays and the spirit that comes with them. But, before I get to Thanksgiving (no pictures, sorry) I better fill you in on what we've been doing. And, in true to myself fashion, I'm way too lazy to go back and put the pictures back in in the right order so I'll just tell you how it went!

While in Arizona, we did a little combined birthday party for my mom, my little brother Collin, Chloe and Mason. Chloe loved her cupcakes.
I tried to make Mason a huge cupcake but since I had very limited time and I was too cheap to buy the $30 giant cupcake pan at Wal-Mart this is my attempt. I LOVE this picture. Look at his eyes!
Apparently my brothers Pork and Collin thought it was taking him way to long to dig in so they decided to help him out.

Ummm, Pork........

Collin?

I don't think so! Mason has gotten super shy around crowds and my brothers were slightly too much for him to handle. Daddy tried to step in and help but....
It was over. No cake, no ice cream. Just huge tears! I thought this was the funniest thing ever. Pork and Collin kind of felt bad but it was too funny to see Mason react to them.

Presents however, were another story. Tons of kids helping out but it was fine. In fact, for this kid, the paper and bags were fine.

Logan and Mason got Chloe a microphone. For those of you that know her, she is our little singer girl. This has been perfect.

Some dolls from mom and dad along with a sit and spin, a doll from granny, puzzles from Chandler, Emily and Jared and way cute hats from Aisley and Rigdon. Don't forget the jammas that saved us on the way home from the Hawkins crew!

So here is the snow we got about two weeks before Thanksgiving. There was a little more but not much.

The kids still played in and ate it.

Before all of that jazz our Maser Racer boy got his first haircut. This kid is a champ! He just sat so still, never cried. It was awesome!
I know this doesn't look like much but there was tons more on the floor. I just wanted a picture of how long it was.

Is this not the cutest thing ever?! LoVe this kid!

The weekend before Thanksgiving Seth had to work in Arizona so the week before the kids and I headed down with my mom and the girls that had spent the previous weekend at my house (I know, totally confusing right?). It was such a blast to have most of my sisters here as well as my mom. Seth was gone to Utah for a conference and we just hung out, shopped, late night run to Dairy Queen and just spent time together. Love my family.

So for Thanksgiving we stayed in Pima and had our big meal with Seth's family. It was so fun to get together with everyone that was there. We played games, the guys went shooting, and just got to spend some much needed time together. Our families are getting so big and busy that it is rare that we get to just be together. It was such a nice weekend. Friday we did family pictures with my family and Sas and Kolby blessed baby Carter Grace on Sunday. We headed home in the ice and snow and are now trying to get back into somewhat of a routine.

We are so excited about Christmas time and the spirit that comes with this season. We are looking forward to time with extended family as well as with our own little family. Love to you all!

What Fun!

So, I guess I should start off the weekend with Friday. It was my birthday. The kids sang to me all day, I got a few phone calls and Seth surprised me with a real date....dinner AND a movie! The girls at the office told him he had to and one volunteer to babysit for us. It was so fun! I got to sit next to him in the truck and everything! Woohoo! The show was over about 9:15 and we were beat! Are we really that old now?! It was a great day overall. I am so blessed with such wonderful family and friends. If this is what getting older is like, then its not so bad!

Seth's office has a lab guy that has a lake and he told Seth to bring the family out whenever and come fishing. He guaranteed us a catch! So, Saturday we headed out to fish. It was so much fun! This is totally our style. We loved it!

This picture is by far my favorite! Is this boy not his father's child?!
Chloe and I caught a fish (these things were huge) and when it started flopping around she kept saying, "Mom, its getting me! Its getting me!" It was so funny!
Seth and Logan caught one too! These things were huge! It was such a blast!
Mason mostly played in the dirt. This is his first happy place, to be outside.
When he started to crawl away, we strapped him in his car seat and gave him some rocks to play with. Don't worry, they weren't choking size! Great parenting techniques huh! Hey, he was happy! So sad I didn't get a final picture of him. He would get the dirt by the fist fulls, put it on his head, then pat his cheeks! So cute! Man I love this kid!
This is the orphan looking Chloe. She fished for about 5 seconds and after holding the fish realized that Mason's dirt was so much better! That's my girl! Love her!
And this boy couldn't get enough! He was all about this! LOVE LOVE LOVE this kid!
And the final catch of the day! This was our dinner that night and was a TON of meat! The kids ate about half of it themselves! They loved it!
However, there is a sad ending to this story. I didn't get to actually cast, hook and reel in my own fish and I didn't get to gut it either so I can't mark those off my list! I did get my own fish but it got away before we could grab it with our hands out of the water. Seth said it doesn't count! Oh well, guess we'll have to go again! What a great day. I am so in love with this little family of mine and so grateful we got to spend this time together. Much much needed. The next few months are going to be so crazy, it was nice to just slow down and enjoy what God has given us!

101 update

Just a quick update......

I really am working on this! I am on track for my standard works reading and have started my Oh Remember Remember journal. We are going fishing on Saturday so here's hoping I'll catch one and have enough guts to gut the thing! ;)

Really quick though, the few things I'm working on has already taught me so much. I feel so humbled. I am so richly blessed and am embarrassed at how long it has taken me to see the little miracles in my life. And now, more than ever, I feel not only motivated to complete my 101 list but that it is achievable! The only thing left to say is that I am so grateful. Is it easy, no, not always. But is it worth it...yes.

Busy busy busy

As always, things are moving at record speed around here! It seems like everyday something is going on and sometimes more than one something! We are keeping afloat though and still livin' the dream. Between a tax prep class I'm taking and taking care of kiddos I had the chance the other day to do pictures for this awesome family! Seth works with the mom and she is great, as well as her family!

I had a nice little get away in October and went to Time Out for Women in Phoenix with my mom, grandma and some of my sisters. I flew in ALONE (that's right, no kids) Friday and spent that night and all day Saturday at TOFW. It was AWESOME! Granny and Papa wanted to see Logan's primary program so I drove home with them on Saturday night. I had never left the kids and while it was great, I was really ready to get home to them! Papa took a nap Sunday afternoon and Chloe thought her sunglasses would help him out!
Two weeks later we were getting ready to head to AZ for Seth to work that weekend (he works down there every 3 weeks) and this time we all got to go. But, before that, he couldn't sneak out of the office Halloween dress up contest! The girls (I LOVE the girls) decided they'd do a Toy Story theme and the docs got to be Buzz and Woody. It was so funny! Seth even tucked his pants into his boots! This picture doesn't do it justice!
AZ was super busy as well (surprise surprise). We got in late Thursday night. Seth went to work Friday and I went to the Fort to see my new little niece Miss Carter Grace! So cute! I had a Shelf Reliance show that night and on Saturday (after Seth got home from work again) we went out and took Jonathan's senior pictures. I cannot believe this kid is a senior!? He's a young senior but none the less! Cutie huh!
Then (are you exhausted yet) we rushed home, dressed up our "yittle talking witch", our grumpy skunk (he was grumpy and didn't want the hat) and Zorro (what a stud huh) and headed out to the trunk-or-treat. We were wiped by the end of the night but LOVED every minute of it!
Now we are home, trying to keep ahead and making plans to do it all again in a few weeks! What can I say, just another day in paradise!