Christmas Time is Near.............

**Polar Express**

Last weekend we went to the Polar Express in Heber with Nate's brother and his family. Aubree loves playing with her cousins Braunson and Coco. We decided to make a weekend of it and stayed overnight at the Homestead Resort. We really had a lot of fun. They have a "Crater" that we swam in, its a natural hot spring and looks like it is down in a volcano shaped hill. It was pretty cool for a one time thing. We went out to eat and went swimming again in the regular hotel pool. I would love to post some pictures of the actual Polar Express event but some body, and I won't mention any names..... (JADE), is not sharing any of the pictures that she took. Of course just because I got a new camera doesn't mean that I remember to take it to the important places.

We aren't really sure where this new fashion idea came from but after we couldn't stop laughing she thought she was the funniest thing ever (she kind of was). She even helped Coco get her outfit put together just right.

Thanksgiving 2008

I know it's been a month since I have posted anything but I have had some technical difficulties in the camera department. My poor, poor digital camera that we got when Aubree was a baby that is a true dinosaur took its final picture. We had to put it in a home and get a new camera. It has been a busy month too. We went to Disney on Ice and had a activity at Aubree Pre-School, all of which went un-photographed. Needless to say we are back in business just in time for THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Thanksgiving couldn't have been more perfect, well maybe, if Nate's family had been with us too. We are on the every other year routine and this year we were with my family so we went to my Dad's house. My Dad and Karen go above and beyond to make the holiday special. All of the food was delicious and of course we all ate way too much of it. We have had a tradition in our family for as long as I can remember. After we eat we always do some kind of Christmas craft project, like making an ornament or a decoration of some sort. Now that I am all grown up and we all have kids of our own we keep the traditional alive, but it's kind of hard coming up with new ideas every year. I don't know my Aunts did it for so long. This year we did gingerbread houses and kids were in heaven. We had nine kids and nine gingerbread houses spread out all over and the table was an inch thick in frosting and candy. We sat around playing games and hanging out. I even brought a book about Thanksgiving and what we have to be thankful for and my Dad read it to the kids. The big boys said it was "torture" but the little kids loved it. At any rate it doesn't hurt anybody to take a step back and remember what they are thankful for on this holiday. I am thankful for so many things, of course my husband and daughter on the top of my list. I am married to most amazing person ever!!! He loves us so much and finds a way to show me everyday. Aubree could not have a better Dad. She is the light of his life (and mine too). She is getting so big now and I know that I am supposed to be teaching and guiding her but it is amazing how much I learn from her. She is a precious little girl that I thank God for everyday. I am thankful for the rest of my family too, we don't see each other as much as we should but I love all of them. I am thankful for my wonderful friends. I have been blessed in my life and have always had a lot of friends. Life wouldn't be the same with out you. I am thankful that I have a home and a job, a lot of people in our country are struggling with these basic things. I know I have a great job and work for great people, I am just lucky to still have somewhere to go every morning (even though I don't always get there in the "morning"). Enough blubbering from me. I hope you all had as good a Thanksgiving as we did. Christmas is right around the corner..... Good Luck!!!!

Thanksgiving Pics

Off to Grandmother's house we go......

There was a "kids" table this year, for Aubree, Madi and Ryker. Aubree was pretty excited to see that her salt and pepper shaker was Tinkerbell. My step-mom Karen collects Disney salt and pepper shakers and Aubree loves them.

This is my nephew Tavis, he getting so handsome but too grown up.

The kids at the kids table.

My Dad and Karen fit out entire family on one table (a really really long table) by clearing out their living room and dining area.

My oldest sister Stacy.

Story time with Grandpa.

Madi and Jeret. Madi looked like Shirley Temple, she was adorable.

This is Karen taking a picture of me taking a picture of her. It was kinda funny, guess you had to be there.

From left to right-Kyle (Kiera's "friend"), Kiera, Aubree, Ryker, Tara and Baby Kam on the bottom.

This is the beginning of Gingerbread House building. So fun!!!!

My nephew Kade.

Aubs and Bubba.

Nephews - Tavis and Payton

My neice Taryn, she is sooo cute!!

Jeret, my sister Keri and Madi

Kam was just tuckered out, she had to take a rest.

Aubs taking a break with some rootbeer

My cute husband - Nate. Trying to work off that extra turkey.

Grandpa and Aubree

My brother Bart and Kamryn

Busy Weekend in October

SATURDAY:

We went to Nate's brothers house for an amazing Halloween party. Jade always delivers in the party department. When we first got there each kid colored their own sack to put all of their treats in. She made a ton of food, all of which was Halloween themed and very cute. The games were amazing. There was a hay dig and I am not kidding when I say Aubree got 2 pounds of stuff out of the hay. The kids partnered up and sprayed each other with silly string (to make mummies out of each other). They had a relay race which included a sack race, carrying candy corn with a severed arm, bobbing for apples and eating a donut off of a string. They were all dressed up in their costumes which always makes it more fun. Anyway, Thanks Jade it was awesome.

This is the cutest Kitty Cat ever! Braunson and Keifer. Keifer brought his costume with him but never put it on. I think he thought he was too old for it but of course they are never too old for the candy.

Nate had to sort through her sack from the hay dig. It was 80% hay. She was just grabbing hand fulls of whatever she saw.
The cute little witch here is Coco.
I thought this was so precious. Aubree pretty much thinks she is Gracie's mom half of the time. She loves her so much.
Gracie is a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.... oops, I mean San Diego Chargers. Just Kidding-Uncle Mike!

Kaid said that this hat kept everybody from reading his mind. Another example of too old to dress up but never too old for the candy.

Braunson was......, um I forgot what he called it exactly. But he was super cute!

Piper was a dead bride, the cutest dead bride ever.

This little kitty cat and witch love to play together. I wish we lived closer to them.

FRIDAY:

Syracuse City has a pumpkin walk every year for Halloween. They have over 1,000 carved pumpkins all set out to display. The line is always forever long and it is usually pretty cold out but that is part of the fun. The kids love looking at all the different pumpkins and there are some pretty amazing ones. I have decided to make it a tradition to go to our house after the pumpkin walk and have pizza, and do some kind of fun Halloween thing with the kids. This year I bought really cute pumpkin kits from Walmart for the kids to decorate their pumpkins with. It's a ton easier than actually carving them because the kids get to do it themselves. The funniest of all is the donut game. This idea came from Aunt Heidi of course. You tie a donut on a string in front of them and they have to race each other trying to be the first one to eat the entire thing without any hands. It is hilarious!!!!

Roedy said that the blue pipe cleaner on his face was his beard and he was really proud of coming up with that idea. Shadie cracks me up...look at that face.

Kenlee wasn't able to come to the pumpkin walk, she had a previous engagment (another Halloween party). She is growing up so fast. I am glad Kenlee and Darby got to come over later, we really don't get to see them that much.

Shadie's pumpkin was a pig, it even had a tail.

Please take note of the many faces of Shadie, she is adding a new face to every picture.

Kamryn is so adorable, she just walked around checking everybody out. She is always so happy...unless you are at the pumpkin walk. Then you better watch out.

K, funny story about my Ryker D. I am sure everybody knows that he is really allergic to eggs. Well the only donut that we could find that he could eat is the raspberry filled powdered sugar ones. He was so excited that he actually got to play this game with the other kids. So there they are all 3 of them lined up in a row ready to go. And he just starts bawling... hard. The kind of cry that just breaks your heart. After a few minutes of trying to figure out what was wrong it came out that he just wanted to eat the donut and was pissed he couldn't use his hands. We were all laughing so hard but trying to hide it from him because he was so upset. After he ate the entire donut with his hands we let him do it again and this time he did it right. His face was covered in powdered sugar and he couldn't have been happier.

It was so sad, after they were done Kenlee's neck hurt from eating her donut she was crying for a second. She got over it fast though.

The tongue is the key, just ask Shadie. Oh yeah, and you have to put you hands on your hips.

I am pretty sure this is Shadie, could be Roedy though.
You'll never guess who these turkeys are. Gosh, they're cute!
Baby Kam didn't catch on to what was so cool about the pumpkin walk. She pretty much told all of us that we have a few screws loose for standing out in the freezing weather. She insisted STRONGLY that she be taken back to the warm truck for a cat nap.

Funny thing about the picture: we have no idea who the guy is behind Shadie. Guess he wanted in on a picture? Who knows.....

On top of all of this stuff we did, Aubree and I also went to see High School Musical, and loved every minute of it. It is really cute and kept her attention too. All in all we had an awesome weekend. We love Halloween at our house and all of the friends, family and traditions that come with it.