Decorating for Christmas!

We just love to decorate our house for Christmas! The Spirit of the Season is everywhere!

We have 10 stockings this year!! It fills up the mantel so beautifully!The kids were dancing around and decorating the tree. Matti did the lights, Zane was in charge of the ornaments. Scott put the lights and Santas up in the dining room door way. It all looks so beautiful!

Have a joyous time this Holiday and don't forget the Reason for the Season! Merry Christmas, 2008! Love, the Mickelsen's

HALLOWEEN ~

We had a fun Halloween. Everyone changed costumes from the Trunk or Treat party on Saturday to Halloween night - except Gabe and Maeli. Mauri was a butterfly, Zane was a beautiful Chines girl, Gabe was a pirate, Maeli was a hippie or a rock star, we weren't sure which, and Matti was ... well... she started out as a hippie too. Tanner, Maymi, and Mylei handed out the candy. We had tons of little visitors!

Mauri (our little Matti)

Mauri (3) was "bull yidin'" with her daddy the other night before she would go to bed. She was saying "outside boys" and he would buck and buck until she fell off. After a couple of times he paused and said, in a really deep, announcer style voice,

"Live from Wausau, Wisconsin is Mauri Mickelsen, the best female bull rider ever..." before he was done she said "outside boys". The next time Scott asked her to wait until the announcer was done introducting her. She said okay and off they went again.

"Live, from Wausau, Wisconsin! The best female bull rider in the business, here's...." and before he could finish Mauri said,

"Dad, who are you talking to?" We laughed and laughed and laughed....

Only Matti

For those of you who know Matti, and for those of you who don't, here is a little introduction.

We were reading the scriptures the other morning. Scott was reading while we were doing breakfast - yes, it was one of THOSE mornings. Anyway, we were reading some of the inserts from Isaiah about the "hautiness of men".

Matti asked what that meant and Scott explained that it meant "Proud, conceited, thinking they were better ... etc".

Matti said,"Wow, that has a whole different meaning than today." We looked at her a little puzzled when she added, "Now days, doesn't that mean really, really cute?"

We finally understood that she thought the scriptures were talking about a "hottie".

Only Matti!

Maeli's baptism

Maeli was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints last night on her 8th birthday. She was so excited. Her brothers and sisters helped with the program.

Her daddy baptizes and confirmed her. We had a fun party at IHOP afterwards and then went home to open her presents. Maeli says she had a super fun day!

CHINA

We saw Chinese acrobats and a Chinese Kong Fu show. We visited the Great Wall, Ming Tombs, the Forbidden City as well as ate a lot of Chinses food. We went to the Jade Market, the Pearl Market, and Tien'neman Square, and met some great new friends that we will never forget!!

We had a wonderful vacation/work trip to China. We were gone from Sept 16-29. We loved it and had a fantastic time sight seeing as well as visiting blind schools, blind federations, and especially joining Hadly-China School for the Blind as they celebrated their 20th anniversary in Fuzhou.

My blog

Okay, I am finally going to try this. I guess I have to join the throngs of people that are "blogging". Please send any suggestions and ideas my way, because I don't know what I am doing. But, I do want everyone to be able to see my gorgeous children!