It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas.

This past Sunday we all helped put up & decorate the family Christmas tree.

Carlie testing the lights to make sure they taste good.

Daddy stringing lights on the tree.

Ethan putting the tree topper on.

The tree all lit up.

All the tree decorators.  One not so happy to be in the picture.

And that's all the pictures Carlie wants to take.

Kalin demonstrating how to wear your Christmas stockings.

*pics taken 12/1/2013

Halloween 2013

This is Dracula's wife.

She's got some cool glow in the dark teeth.

Me, I'm a witch like every other year. :)

This is our little pumpkin.  She left the hood on long enough for the picture and that was it.

Ethan went trick or treating as himself.

Carlie and I went trick or treating with the family for about two blocks then we went home.  My hands were just too cold.  It was sprinkling the entire time we were out, but luckily Carlie was in a jogger stroller, nice and warm with her blankets.  Her siblings were nice enough to share candy with her.

Lexi dressed up as a witch again and I didn't seem to get a picture, but this is her after taking a warm bath & drinking hot cocoa.  Look at all that candy mommy gets to eat. ;)

Ethan ate a lot of candy as he was trick or treating and it looks like the sugar has finally gone to his head.

This is our candy monster.  She loves to eat candy.  Can you tell?

*pics taken 10/31/13

Shooting

We decided to go shooting on labor day with Jessie, Barry and our kids & it was a lot of fun.

This is Kalin shooting with her dad.

  

Matthew and I went shooting together in Aug. when the kids were in school.  We decided to throw clay pigeons with a hand thrower.  Well, let's just say that Matthew ended up throwing them himself because all I could seem to do was throw them at him or not at all.  That is one talent that I don't have--throwing clay pigeons.  To top that off, I got this lovely burn when one of the 9mm shells popped up and got stuck into the side of my sunglasses & burned my face.  Lovely.  So much for eye protection.  It may not seem like we had a great time shooting, but we actually had a lot of fun, laughing and all.

*pics taken 8/29/2013 & 9/2/2013

Easter Activities 2013

Carlie wasn't quite sure what to do with the Easter egg.  She was more intrigued by the grass she was sitting in.

This was the best picture I got with everyone & Ethan wanted to make faces in all the pictures.  Silly boy

 Lexi & her colored eggs.

Kalin & her colored eggs.

Ethan getting ready to color Easter eggs.

We made tie dye eggs this year.

And iridescent colored eggs too.

*Pics taken 3/30/13

Yellowstone 2012

It was cold and windy the day we went to Yellowstone, but as you can see, that didn't stop our kids from smiling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Faithful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we were leaving the park we got to see some bison up close. 

 

When this one put it's head up and looked at us, we were all quite ready to move on.

 

 

These were a little less intimidating.

So cool, that we were able to see them up so close.

 

 

*pics taken 10/13/2012

 

Fishy Food

This is the fish that Matthew caught...

This is the fish that Matthew grilled.

These are the kids that suffered through eating it (except Carlie)...

This one in particular was at the table for a few hours,

and we found most of the fish on the floor.

P.S.  The fish was really yummy, we just have silly kids.

*pics taken July 22, 2012