Thanksgiving Weekend

Life has been busy for us as I'm sure it has for many around this time of year. Tonight I found myself already longing for summer break and lazier days. Sometimes it seems all I'm doing is unpacking what's been done one day only to turn around and pack lunches, back packs, pumps, diaper bags  etc for the upcoming day.
But this post is about Thanksgiving weekend, and to complain about little things like that seems petty and ungrateful, and boy do we have a lot to be thankful for. Just now as my fingers are clicking away Tommy is rushing around straightening up. My sweet girls are all tucked in tight to bed, and I'm able to log these memories with the click of a few buttons so that my girls will have an idea of what life was like once upon a time.
Our Thanksgiving this year was just a nice relaxing weekend with good friends. We decided to lay low this year and not do anything too grandiose. Our friends the Johnsons were our guests for Thanksgiving. Not only are they awesome and our kids get along well, but they know how to cook up a good meal too so our meal was simple but delicious.  The Johnsons suggested I brine the turkey which produced the best turkey I've ever made and it's a tradition I'll continue from here on out.
Here are some of the other things we did on Thanksgiving day.

 Jess helped me make the place settings. I found this idea and thought it was perfect for the girls to help me with. Jess traced and wrote all the names and Tegan decorated a few of them and then we stuffed them with old paper and bags.

Not the prettiest things, but they were fun to make and served their purpose and some...

The kids thought they were there to beat one another with.

The Johnsons

I printed these turkeys off and hid them all around the house. Every time the kids found one they brought it to me and got a quarter. It kept them busy for a good five minutes.

Every time we get together with the Johnsons Tom thinks it's funny to wear his Newport marathon shirt with the medal. I roll my eyes at him, but actually think it's pretty hilarious.


Kristin and I woke up early the next morning for a little bit of black Friday shopping and then we took it easy the rest of the day. We finished up our weekend by heading down south to Eugene to watch the civil war game with the Fullers, again always a good time with good food and friends.
I have much to be thankful for, so much that when I start a post by complaining about packing a lunch I end it feeling ashamed of myself! I love all the blessings we have been given. I love my life and my family and knowing of a Savior who has made this all possible.

Now on to Christmas....but not before I post a few more pics that make me smile.

I love seeing little random things like this around the house.

Meet super Lainey. This girl would put Jillian Michaels to shame with her core workout.

Yes we feed our kids Top Ramen sometimes, but not without a little guilt.  Looking this cute while they eat it, how can I resist??

I got that call today. The one where you find out that one of your kids humiliated themselves by throwing up in front of their whole class. The one where you stop everything you're doing to get to them as quick as you can because home is where you want to be if you're going to be running to the bathroom every few minutes. I left work as quick as I feasibly could and a friend rescued me by picking up Jess until I could get to her. Of course these last minute surprises don't usually go as smoothly as one would like, so just as I was pulling into our house it dawned on me that Tom and I had switched cars this morning and he had the keys to the house, Jess got sick again and we had nothing but a yogurt crusted bowl from the morning for her to use. She was a trooper throughout the whole thing. While waiting in the Mcdonalds drive-thru to pick up a sprite I looked back at my little girl. She was focused on Lainey sitting next to her and I thought about how much I love her profile. The petite features of her face, and the way her hair (now sticky with you know what) frames it. I thought about how much she has changed over the years, but at the same time has always only seemed how she is now. When we finally got into the house The first thing I saw was these little pictures that Jessie had made for each one of us in the family last night. She curled up on the couch and was asleep before I could even offer to turn on a movie for her.
I recently went to TOFW and something Hilary Weeks said struck me probably more than anything else. She talked about how we, as parents will know our children as adults for an eternity, but it is only for a small moment that we will know them as children. That we will have the privilege to watch them learn and grow faster than I'd really like. And so I left the conference wanting to savor more of the time I have to spend with my kids, to listen to their crazy stories, and join in their crazy games, to curl up next to them on the couch when their sick.  To become a little more detached from all the electronic devices and a little more involved in the whirlwind of ideas and things going on in their mind. And if I think about it for just a second or two it doesn't take long for me to realize that as crazy as life can be sometimes with these munchkins, nothing makes me happier.

"The Best Day of My Life!!!"

Remember back when life was simple and all it took was a bag so full of candy you had to drag it around to declare, "This is the best day of my life!!!" I can't really remember that far back, but it was great to hear Jessie say that yesterday as we were out and about searching for just about anything that had sugar in it to stuff in her and her sister's bag. I could have sworn I saw little candy bars in their eyes as they stared up at me in anticipation. Not rain, nor wind, nor cold, nor anything else could take their eyes off the prize. They were on a mission. This will be a day I refer to often over the next year when there pace becomes more sluggish to do other things not quite as exciting. I'll be honest, yesterday was a pretty crappy day for me (for lack of a better term). I'll spare the details, but when I heard those words out of Jessie's mouth all the yuckiness of the day melted away for at least a few seconds. And it did bring a smile to my face getting to see the girls run around in their cute costumes.

At the YMCA

Our tired little zebra

Jessie at her class party

Expressions

Sometimes I have to laugh at some of the expressions we use in our home. It's fun to think about where I first heard something, and why did it stick with me. Some things I swore I'd never say that were ground into me as a child have been carried on to my kids, things like, It's what's inside that counts," or "It's all suck and no squirt" (Tom winces anytime that one is said), or "somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed", and I'd never forget "I've had it up to here with you" (envision my mother holding her hand about 2 cm from the top of her head). I often wondered if I'd ever push her to the point just above her head, and what would be the consequence. Some were derived from movies or other people like, "My dogs are barking!" I think I first heard that on the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles. And "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit." My daughter brought that one home from preschool. And my stepdad's favorite "If you go hungry it's your own fault." These are only the ones fresh in my head now, I know there are so many more just swimming around in my brain waiting to be used. There's something about these phrases that bring a certain comfort. Although often used in a moment of chastening, the message was sent. It was direct and clear. There seems no better way to say it. Maybe that's why in our house I continue to say some of these same phrases and a few others we have chosen to use regularly like "Whining never gets you what you want." or "I'm not going to do something for you that you can do for yourself." or "Because I'm the Mom." Some I have chosen to leave behind with my childhood and adopt a new more sophisticated way such as the word fart. Even to write it pains me a little. It seems so crass and harsh. I took on Tom's family's more gentle term toot which sounds completely appropriate when we're talking with the kids, but recently realized that it's quite juvenile to throw around in a room full of adults which makes me really second guess the phrase we regularly use "Did you let a tooty toot from your booty boot?" Although my kids love to roll their eyes to the top of their head where they linger for a while anytime one of these are used, I know some day I will snicker to myself when I hear one of them say to their kids "There are children starving in China, eat your food!"

Time for cider and doughnuts or caramel apples, or sugar cookies...

I've said it before and I'll openly say it again-I love fall. All the excitement of the holidays to come, family, excuses to bake and eat a little more than usual, holding a hot mug of something, the smells, snuggling up tight in a blanket, watching my favorite shows. I love it all. Actually I don't love it all there is one thing I'm not to fond of, but I'm not going to let the thought of it RAIN on my parade. Since life is spent a little more indoors these days here's what we've been enjoying.

Making a few Halloween sugar cookies and eating lots of sugar cookie dough.

Carving pumpkins. Tegan couldn't care less about carving the pumpkins she just wanted to clean them all out. Wish she was that enthusiastic about her room.

Caramel apples. We didn't have much of a dipping variety, but caramel was all we REALLY needed.

The girls worked like little Oompa Loompas getting those caramels unwrapped.

 We took a trip over to Value Village for our family night to find ourselves some costumes.

 Tom scored with this freaky mask and big blue sleeper to go with it. Guess it was our lucky night. The unlucky part being the smell that we cannot get out of that big blue sleeper. This little outfit won him scariest costume at our friends Halloween party.

Jessie has taken to drawing and writing in her "journal" which I love. I love being at the receiving end of her sweet pictures. This one was for her Nana (my mom).

 We're looking forward to tackling a little trick or treating tomorrow. More pics to come.

Oh yes, Fall is here!

I feel like this year has been very kind to us weather-wise. When I was pregnant the temperature never got unbearably high. The summer had a few scorching hot days, which uncomfortable as it may be, I think is necessary. And we had a record 87 days without rain. So long that it almost felt like it might be gone for good. It made me extra grumpy when it did start raining the other day. Life is back to soggy pant bottoms, rushing the kids from point A to B outside, and wishing for an umbrella that floated along right above our heads since there are not enough arms at this time to actually carry one. But not to fret in a short 9 months the sun will pop its head out once again.

Believe it or not I actually am excited for the fall even if that means more rain. I love the festivities that come along with it and all the anticipation for the holidays and family. Here's what we've been up to so far.

Jess went to a pumpkin patch with her 1st grade class.

Tegan got to celebrate her birthday with her and Jessie's best friend Aneliz. They voted on dinner and a movie so we went to see Brave.

The girls both decided on matching haircuts.

Played in the leaves out back while they were still dry. The one enjoyable part about having leaves that fall in our yard for at least half the year. I curse our oak tree.

And a trip to our favorite pumpkin patch Bauman's. These girls didn't let a few sprinkles get in the way of their good time. 

Las Vegas

This past weekend Tom, Lainey and I found ourselves in Las Vegas for my brother's wedding. Not a place I would normally choose to go, and after being there probably not a place I will ever go back to, but we LOVED seeing family and being there for my brother's special day. 

Lainey's first plane trip. She did us proud.

A little pool time with my brother Jared. 

Jared and Tom at the Bonneville Dam. Loved this place it was beautiful.

Dinner with some of the family

The blushing bride and groom (New sis-n-law Sara and my brother Scott) Congratulations to the both of them. They make a handsome couple.

Brother Shane and sis-n-law Julie dancing it up at the post-wedding festivities

Although I felt a little out of my comfort zone in Vegas, it really was so great to see everyone. We had delicious food, and I was impressed with the elaborate hotels. My one regret, not skydiving with Elvis.

Happy Birthday Teegsters!

Well she's been talking about it for a year and the day has finally come, Tegan turned 4! Her birthday party was delayed because of some birthday virus that decided to visit her right before, but in usual Tegan style she took it all like a champ. Four things I love about Tegan:

1. When she belts out the popular new song from the radio.

2. She goes through a minimum of 3 outfits a day.

3. She has become my little helper at home now that Jess is at school. She follows me around helping me do all the catch up on all the chores that need to be done.

4. When she sits by me and links her little arm through mine during story time. I hope she's never too old.

Tegan is one little firecracker full of affection and silliness. We never quite know what she's gonna say only that it's sure to make us laugh.  We love you Tegan!

Let's Just Talk about the Blueberry in the room

I happen to have a daughter that can get a little worked up and worried about things from time to time.  Remember a few weeks back when we read the book Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and then watched the movie? Remember the part where Violet the habitual gum chewer eats the gum and turns into a blueberry? That part has been haunting my poor girl for weeks now. Several times we have had to reassure her that it's impossible for her to turn into a blueberry. That her full stomach is only because she finished a big meal. That the blue in her veins is the blood running through her body. Yes my girl is a worrier. In her sister's prayers it has now become routine for her to ask that Jessie not be turned into a blueberry. It seems silly. Tom and I often pass looks to one another trying to suppress a smile or a laugh, but how scary it really must be to think your body is going to turn blue and blow up to the point that you have to be rolled around and juiced to get back to normal and even then not truly normal because your skin stays blue. This silly movie has become like a horror film for the girl, and frankly at this point for me too. I will think twice before introducing them to one of my childhood favorites. Movies like Never Ending Story and Goonies will just have to wait their turn because for now we're sticking with Tangled and Curious George.

A Little Bit of Spookiness

Normally we go with more of the fall decor rather than anything too Halloweeny, but this year I just got the bug to add a little spookiness to our home. Maybe it was all the cute things I've seen floating around on pinterest...either way the girls are always on board for a craft or two so here's a few we had fun doing.

This tree in our front yard is perfect for these little ghosts. The girls favorite part was making the little faces. I got the idea from this site.

Next was these scary bats. I traced them onto paper and Jess had them cut out in not time. I love seeing these things every time I walk into the dining room. They just seem to flow with the curtains and chandelier. I'm tempted to leave them up year round.

Next were these fun monster pumpkins. The girls love any excuse to paint and use googly eyes.