Christmas Eve

We enjoyed an awesome Christmas Eve with our great friends the Stangers, and my cousin Peter Larsen and his family.

Here is the beautiful Stanger Family:  Julie, Andrew, Jack, and Emma.

 These are the Beautiful Larsen Gals: Arielle, Tiffani, Kelly (their niece) and Francisca.

 Here's my Mom and Peter...he is her oldest brother Don's son who lives here is Houston as well.

 

 Besides playing, the kids decorated cookies for Santa!

 After reading the Nativity Story from the Bible, Eli, our elf left his usual bag of wares on our doorstep.  The favorites this year were silly socks for everyone, sneaker balls for the men so their shoes wouldn't stink, light up necklaces for the girls, and light sabers for the boys.

 After our guests left, the kids were ready for bed...but not without opening their Christmas PJ's.

 Ryan wasn't sure what he thought of them.  He often accuses me of buying him girls' pj's and then I have to go on-line and show him it's actually the girls wearing boy's pj's.

This guy was excited to open his pj's as well!

 

Are they pants...or a headdress?  I guess he can't tell!

 Merry Christmas Eve....can't wait to see what Santa leaves under our tree.

Christmas Sunday

My favorite Sunday of the year...full of music and joy, and oh yes....new Christmas dresses, and even a new suit for Ryan.  It's about 3 inches too long, but I'm positive within three months it will fit perfectly.

 So now for the truth.....Callista hates this dress...she claims it's itchy, however, she claims most clothing items are itchy.  Lucky for her...she only had to wear it for the picture since she'd been running a fever for a few days and wasn't even going to church, so I get to take it back and this time let her pick a dress (that isn't itchy---haha...good luck with that) that she will wear more than 10 minutes for a picture.

Santa

BELIEVE

Ryan Is 11

Wow...11 years has gone by super fast, just like his delivery.  It was a busy day on his birthday.  All three siblings had their band concert that night.  After the concerts, we grabbed take out from his favorite fast food restaurant....What-A-Burger!  Then it was time for presents and cookies!

 Chloe got him this crazy yet cool magnetic putty.

 Paul and I got him a new batting helmet and Nana got him a new "batbag".  As you can tell...he's very eager to get it filled.

 

I got him a set of "minecraft" books..he was super excited and ran around the room screaming "whoo-hoo".  It's nice to know your kid likes your gift.

 Callista got him a Satr Wars Lego set...I think she's just as excited to help put it together!

 After going to NASA this summer, Ryan was fascinated by the T-38 trainer that the astronauts train in...lucky him...he got a model of it, it just hadn't arrived in time.

 Paul playing with the settings on the camera...pretty cool.

He's such a simple kid....he just wanted chocolate cookies for his birthday with candles in them...

so here's to 11 years, 11 candles, and 11 cookies!

 Happy Birthday Bud...we love you and can't wait to see what great things you will accomplishment in the next year!

41 and Still Going Strong

Here is where we say we might miss the Navy, a little.  Any other year, Paul would have taken his Birthday off to go play, but this year it was a typical working day.  We did go out to dinner at Saltgrass Steakhouse though, and then returned home for some presents and Birthday Cake.

 Callista got him a date to go out for Frozen Yogurt 

(she also threw in a trip to the pet store, clever girl).

 Ryan got him a gift card to a local golf course so the 2 of them could play a round of golf sometime soon.

 For the past 3 years Chloe has given him movie tickets for a date to see the various Hobbit movies, so it was only fitting that this year she got him the DVD so they could have a movie night date with a treat.

 He got some Cologne, which smells extremely good, even if he is making a goofy face!

 Since his birthday was just a few days after Thanksgiving, he could not decide on a birthday cake.  Knowing my husband as well as I do, I decided on an ice cream pie since I know I can never go wrong with him and ice cream.

 Happy Birthday honey...I look forward to making you many more Birthday Desserts!

Happy Thanksgiving 2015!

Giving Thanks!

Each year our "Thankful Turkey" gets sillier.  This year we were thankful for Dr Pepper, Days we don't have Science, Harry Potter, a Graphing Calculater, and ....CLEAN UNDERPANTS.  

Of course there were a few more spiritual ones such as President Monson, Family, and The Plan of Salvation.

We had the privilege of having Greg and Valerie join us this year for Thanksgiving

It was a beautiful day...in the 70's, so we had some fun outdoor time while the Turkey was cooking.

 AND...there may have been a little Football watching as well!

 Chloe (with a little help from Grandma) made a beautiful and delicious Sour Cream Apple Pie.  It's her "must have" for Thanksgiving Dinner, and she even passed off some Personal Progress for making it.

 Keeping in tradition, we made our Gingerbread Houses following Dinner.  Nothing like filling up on candy after you've eaten a huge Turkey Dinner.

 

 Here are the finished products.

 It was a joyous occasion sharing it with Grandparents, just as a Thanksgiving should be.

Welcome to Hogwarts!

This year for Halloween all 3 kids were characters from Harry Potter.  

 

Presenting Hermoine Granger

  

The Malicious Draco Malfoy

 The Charming Ginny Weasley

 Watch out Draco...it looks like a Wizard's Duel and Ginny definitely has the upper hand!

We started our rainy, drizzly morning out with Pumpkin Pancakes and shortly after began the carving.  Chloe and Callista wanted Star Wars Jack-o-lanterns.  Ryan had carved one earlier in the week at a friends house so he wasn't up for it, so I gladly took his over and used the drill to make holes in it.  No one has as much fun as Paul though...something about him and knife just seem to go together!

 Mine's the "holy" one on the top, Chloe's is the Darth Vader one, and Callista's is Darth Vader.

The rain stopped just in time for trick-or-treating, and our new neighborhood was the perfect place to be.

Happy Halloween!!!