Family Photos Finally

We finally got some family pictures done thanks to our friend Peter. I think they turned out very good. He did an excellent job. Some of the pictures are on our Christmas cards, which if you would like one let me know your address so I can send you one.

Kenzie's #3 Birthday

December 3rd was Kenzie's 3rd birthday. We had a princess party for her. I was going to do it for Eliana but since we are going to be in Vegas for her birthday I figured we would do it for Kenzie. We had her cousins that live around here and one of her friends come for a couple hours to do some activities. My sister in law took Porter so that was really helpful. This next part is details on the activities which it might bore you so it just mainly for me for future reference or if you want to know go ahead and read more. (If not skip down to the pictures.) First we had a tea party with the girls tea set (with of course just water). Then we read the Princess and the Pea while everyone sat on their own pillow and played a game where you hide a ball under a pillow. Since they all found the ball (pea) under their pillow eventually they got a tiara which they then decorated with stickers. After that we played pass the teapot (like hot potato, but the teapot was filled with candy and when it stopped on you you got one) but the girls were a little young for that so it didn't last long. Next we read the Frog Prince and played Kiss the Frog (like pin the tail on the donkey). We attempted to then play "Frog, Frog Prince, but again a little young. Then each girl got a different princess to color that we then used to play "Princess Walk" (like a cupcake walk but their prize was a necklace). We than just danced and played while I got stuff set up to make their own pizzas. Obviously we then ate, but by this time the parents arrived and joined us. Lastly we just did the usual and had cake and ice cream and visited. I wish I could of got more pictures but it was hard to run the activities and take pictures.

Some of the princesses, well all but Eliana which was sad about something and is the reason they aren't all looking.

Coloring their princesses.
Princesses Alyssa and Kalo.
Princess Eliana and Siosi and the back of Ainsleigh.
Happy when we are singing to her.
Loved being sang to, but didn't like the candles lit. She stood far away even to blow them.

David cutting the castle cake.Kenzie was excited about getting this book.
She loved this doll she got she gave it a hug.
Kenzerella opening another gift. She got tons. Thanks to everyone who got her a gift, she loves all of them.
Kenzie woke up and wanted to get ready for her princess party. She started out as sleeping beauty but then changed to Cinderella for her party. I love this picture also because it captures what Porter likes to do to the tree, unplug the lights. He totally has a mischievous look on his face.
Princess Kenzerella showing off her party dress and ready for guests to arrive.
The table decorations, actually Eliana took this picture along with the one above of Kenzie.
The castle cake. Turned out ok. Needed flags and a better frosting job, but oh well.
All ready for her party first thing in the morning. What a beautiful little princess she is.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

We had a great Thanksgiving this year. We had way too many pies though, we are used to more people and bigger eaters I guess. I did well though and actually lost a lb. this last week. I don't have any pictures of Thanksgiving because we forgot our camera. We spent this Thanksgiving with David's family: his parents, brother Dan, sister Aleta and her family and our friends the Packs. We had a relaxing day of eating and visiting. I just love Thanksgiving. The day after I arose early and went and picked up a babysitter so I could actually go shopping this year and David could still go duck hunting. He actually got a few ducks that day too, which he didn't get any the next day. Then after we both returned we got this lovely Christmas tree. We decorated the house for Christmas and enjoyed the evening together. I love this time of year.

New Addition to the family

On Halloween we bought the kids their first pet, two fish. (I guess technically it is their second, we got a kitty a while ago but it ran away after a few days to the neighbors and they said if it kept running away to them they were going to keep it cuz they didn't like the fact that we kept the kitten outside.) We got this whole set up and two fish for $30 off of Craigslist. We had gone to the store the night before and priced things, and this was a good deal we found so we got it. They kids named the fish "Shiny" and "Dawn". I think they got the names from Dinosaur Train, a show on PBS. We plan on getting a couple more fish sometime soon.
Eliana by the tank. The fish seem to be scared of people and hide a lot. Hence they are behind the building thing when Eliana is near.

Shiny
Dawn

Happy Halloween

We had a great Halloween this year. David got up early and went hunting and the kids and I enjoyed a delicious breakfast of crepes with Nutella and bananas ion them and scrambled eggs. Then in the afternoon we headed to a pumpkin patch with David's family. Then we had everyone over for pizza and headed out treat-or-treating. Afterwards we had hot chocolate and apple cider at our house.
Playing by the hay fort.


Porter didn't want to be held through the corn maze and he doesn't like you holding his hand either so he had a hard time walking in the corn maze as it was extremely muddy. He fell a few times.
"I've fallen and I can't get up""Why am I covered in mud, please help me"

At the end of the corn maze they have a castle with a slide.

Me and the kids plus a niece.
The gang ready to go trick-or-treating. From left to right: Alyssa the witch, Owen the pumpkin, Eliana the dog, Siosi the elephant, Kenzie the chicken, and Kalo the ladybug. In back we have Aleta with Alisi in front pack and David holding Porter the monkey.
Porter and Kalo in the stroller.
My little monkey.

Carving Pumpkins

For Family Home Evening on Monday we carved pumpkins. David made us carve the green pumpkins we picked from David's parents' garden, because we wanted to save the others for eating.
Cutting tops off
Cleaning it out. Eliana had fun doing this.
Kenzie didn't like the whole idea of cleaning out the pumpkin, but we finally got her to do it.
Watching the process.

Eliana and my classic pumpkin.
David helping Kenzie carve theirs.

The girls by their pumpkins.

The finished products. Kenzie did a face and a "K".
All lit up.