Gingerbread House

This year I went with a store bought pre- put together house and we all decorated it together. It was cheaper and easier and took a lot less time, stress, and energy. Although I did miss the fresh baked gingerbread smell in the house this year too. Brent had the camera during this activity and there were so many pictures that I had a hard time picking my favorites not because they were all so great but because they were all so much the same. There were also several pictures of him photographing himself (a normal happening when he has the camera) but this was my favorite one of those. :)

Dance Recital

Cloe's First Dance Recital was on Wednesday and it was a lot of fun. She did a great job! she is just quite the cutie. Brent did get it on tape amidst other wiggly crying children. I was nervous as well because it was my first one to manage all by myself. I sure learned a lot and I hope that they just keep getting better and better. :) It is fun to see Cloe and her personality developing. She did a great job I was really proud of her. One of her favorite parts was the ballarina bun and getting to wear make-up.

Sunday and Saturday Stars

Sunday was a great day of accomplishment for our family.

Dakota Decided to pack her own bag for church today and when we got to church she had a stuffed animal and an orange all ready to go. She asked, "Can I eat an orange?" we thought, "What?" and then there was the orange. :) She sure likes to take things into her own hands. (I think mommy snacks were not efficient enough for her.)

Paige started crawling. Right down and out of the aisle after Dakota's bag. Apparently she liked Dakota's packing job better too!

Cloe gave her first talk in primary. She did a great job. She spoke up loudly into the mic and she held up her pictures. She was very confident and cute. It was very neat to be a part of it. She talked about Jesus being the perfect example of love and kindness and that when she shows love and kindness to others our family is blessed.

Saturday was also fun at church for the ward Christmas dinner. The primary kids did the Nativity Unfortunately mom forgot there costumes they were just winter kids for the nativity in there coats. We didn't have enough to remember Saturday. Getting ready for Cloe's talk and mom subbing Sunday school again thank goodness it wasn't the adults again, CTR 6-7, (which was a lot of fun), we made rolls for the dinner and baked cheesy potato's. I'm glad all the other things weren't forgotten. The kids also got to see Santa and they had a family dance afterwards which was a blast.

Cloe and Santa, you could not tell from this picture but she was very excited to see Santa.

Dakota did not want to sit on Santa's lap but she did anyway, because she really wanted a bag of goodies.I thought Paige would not have anything to do with this. But she wasn't ready to leave Santa, she was taking it all in and she loved the fluffy beard.

UHHHH!

Paige can clap and the grunting is just way too funny! We had to capture it on video! She is almost crawling, but seems to move her way around the room without it anyway. She also loves to put her hands way above her head and we say "So Big!"

We have been busy getting ready for christmas. We are doing our christmas everyday tradition. We have been reading the Nutcracker and we just finished it last night. The girls love all the pictures of the ballerinas. I am done shopping for christmas I just have some last minute finishing gifts and wrapping and all that good stuff. We are going to be making a gingerbread house (storebought this year) and lots of cookies. It has been so cold here lately and the snow and ice are just sticking around. It's been really nice to have the fireplace going.

Trees, Lights, Parades, and Holiday Cheer

We have been busy getting ready for the holidays. For the first time that I remember in my life we went up the mountain and cut down our own Christmas tree. It was so much fun! The years past we just thought it would be too much work with young kids. This year we bit the bullet and just did it and we even had more young kids and it really was a great time. I was sad that I also forgot my camera on this excursion. We found a spot to get out of the car and walk through some trees we got out and we headed towards the trees and the snow just kept getting deeper and deeper it was so cute to watch the kids trek through the snow, I can't believe that Cloe did it all be herself and Dakota got a little help from Dad. I held Paige and finally the saw after dad gave it to Cloe. But she did hold it for awhile trudging through the snow. We walked through the trees where the snow wasn't quite so deep. We found a few trees that could have worked but then the clouds opened up and the sun shown down on our tree. "Hallelujah, Hallelujah!" It was an awesome Hallelujah moment. We walked over to it and Brent started to saw it and then he stepped on it to get it the rest of the way down. Then we had to figure out how to get all these kids, the saw, the dog and the tree out of the woods. It was a very funny sight and I'm glad that we didn't miss it this year. Then that night we had a Lights Parade downtown, the kids really enjoyed and got lot's of goodies. Then we had some friends over for Hot Cocoa and cider. And today we have been decorating the tree and putting up lights, and other decorations. I love the holiday spirit and the feeling of Holiday music and decorations going up. It's been a really nice couple of days off (Brent's Days Off).
Not much more says holiday cheer!

ThanksGiving

Dad and Cloe and the thanksgiving dinner table. Grandma always makes things so nice. Rachel and Paige

Mom and Paige and her first thanksgiving and first try of turkey and Stuffing. She loved it!

CLoe and the picture she made with aunt lee lee.

Dakota and Grandma Nessi

Thanksgiving was really nice! We got to visit tons of family. First we went to Great Grandma Carols house and while we were there we also saw, Aunt Lee Lee, Aunt Andy, and Grandma Nessy, Grandpa Jack, and Grandpa Tom, Aunt Leslie and Uncle John, Uncle John, Aunt Marci, Aunt Polly, and Unlce Ray and my Cousin Rachel. We had fun visiting and we had thanksgiving dinner and then we went to Uncle Darren's and Aunt Brenda's and had yummy desert and went to the movies. While we were there we also got to see cousins Stacey and Autumn, Uncle Steve, and Aunt Ruth, Grandma and Grandpa Casey, and Uncle Brice. They got to go to Basketball and Football games. I got to do some shopping on black friday and then we started our drive home and we stopped in casper and got to visit Pop and Grandma Dot. So we definalty got our fix of family and the kids slept the rest of the way home. It was a really nice trip. It was nice to see everybody. We don't get to see everybody enough. I forgot my Camera so thanks LeeAnn for the Pictures.

Hump Backs

Beware of scary Hump backs!! (But the photography is much better this time.)

Eight months Old

She's not quite eight months old in the picture she's about a week away but very close. Paige is not crawling yet but she is very close here is a video of her bounce forgive my sideways photography I realized this near the end, I don't ever seem to remember when I start to take a video or if I do I forget about it half way through. She does move around by scooting and rolling and also pulling herslef over her knees when she is sitting. She loves to play with anything and everything she can get her hands on so beware. When I was walking around in the kitchen the other day she grabbed the juice by the handled and pulled it off the counter. Luckily Brent was there to calm me and clean it up. :)

Owl Spotting

Brent just got some new work shirts (he can wear them during the night shift) and he also got his bullet proof vest, which makes me feel better about the dangerousness of the job. And I'm going to have to add that I really like the new ensemble; he's a stud. There was an owl on the telephone wire just outside our house the other day. That was the first time I'd seen one in the "wild"(you know the wild right outside our house) it was really neat. The girls loved it too. And I'm beginning to think that he might live in our tree on occasion and drive the dog nuts, there are many creatures living there and they all drive the dog nuts.

Hair Cuts

I got my hair cut, a really sweet nice lady in my ward cut my hair and gave me a tip on stripping it with Apple cider vinegar. Which worked like a charm in my hair. My hair is just so thick that it had so much product build up and so my hair felt so nice and soft and clean afterwards. I cut cloe's hair and Dakota's bangs and straggle hairs. They loved it! Being like mom and dad. :) Dakota First Hair cut.

Fun Fall Photos

Here was the attempt at three ladybugs it was too cute I had to capture it.

I was having fun taking some fall inspired pictures. We have been bringing in the fall by decorating, cutting wood, playing in leaves, and getting out the winter clothes. I do like fall because the brisk outdoors and the always surprising weather and daily changing wardrobe.

Hunting Success

Way to go Brent!

The girls were a little nervous, but they were more excited to have daddy home then to see the Elk. I was more excited to have daddy home too.

Happy Halloween!

We had a great Halloween and here's how it went...
We carved pumpkins...

Paige was lovin the goo. It was so cute and it was very entertaining for her. Paige was getting so into it that she was flinging goo and seeds and she got one stuck on her head we were cracking up.

The other girls were really getting into it too, they did a great job of getting out the goo.I got to carve a face this year the girls drew out there faces, they looked great, even dakota's sideways face and Cloe's two noses.Then we got dressed up...I have got two ladybugs and a Queen Witch...I did have three ladybugs but Dakota had to be a Queen Witch and so she was.Then we went trick or treating...and to the Harvest Party!!!

Great Night! Happy Halloween!!!

You're Four!

Cloe turned four and she keeps asking, "How old am I again?" she is really excited to be getting older and she is really coming into her own and becoming more confident. I really love her and appreciate her in our home. I enjoy her and love spending time with her and I can't believe that she is Four. It's nuts. She had a great birthday she even loved her cake. I know it's a little "homemade" looking but I do enjoy making cakes. I will have to take a class or something so that I can do a better job.

Pumpkins Float...

...and we found some to take home. The girls had fun finding their pumpkins and they switched theirs out several times but they found some really cute pumpins in the end.

Seven Months

Paige is now seven months old and I'm just going to say what a cute sweet baby!!!