Our December so far....

We've been super busy this month! (Mostly trying to get our basement finished before Christmas---which I think is going to happen! Carpet is scheduled for Friday!! WOO HOO!)

At our church Christmas party, a special visitor from the North Pole came.........
Preston was NOT interested at all.....sorry Santa
Ella was shy and didn't tell him anything that she wanted.

Aaron wasn't shy and said right away that he wanted a snowmobile. Why not shoot for the stars right? :)

And Ashton told Santa he wanted Light Sabers. :)

Aaron had his Christmas music concert at the nursing home. His teacher is the little Hispanic gal kind of behind him (Aaron's in the blue jacket in the front). I'm really liking his teacher now.

Singing away!

OK---for everyone who lives near me----or if you want to travel a distance to come see----Pocatello's newest and most amazing park ever....Brooklyn's playground!!!!!! Talk about amazing in every way!!!!! We are going here lots from now on.

They had a whole section just for little kids. Preston could have spent the whole time right here.

Ella and Aaron on a fun spinning thing

Adam and Livia

Livia climbed up high!

A beautiful princess looking out of her tower!

Ashton made some friends and spent the whole time playing football instead of playing on the playground. I thought that was funny- and then afterwards he complained about not getting to play on the playground for very long. Sorry buddy--- We will be back here soon.

Hi Preston!

Lights, Lights, Lights!!!

Adam and I got to go with our church youth group to Salt Lake City and see Temple Square, and the beautiful Christmas lights!! It was so much fun- and the lights were just amazing.

We got down early enough on Saturday to take some tours first. We started with the church history museum. (I could have spent all day there).....This is neat though----Adam and I were in different groups for this museum and we each only took 1 picture in the entire museum--and this is the picture that we both took-----it stood out to both of us.......

It says, "What E'er thou art, act well thy part." And it is a magic square on the bottom. (vertically, and horizontally-they add up to 18 in this square)---It just means, whether you're a 2 or a 10- you're important, and needed--and without you, it just doesn't work. We both just loved this.
Then we went to the Assembly Hall. BEAUTIFUL!

Adam was admiring the masonry (naturally)

Out of order, but this is when we first walked outside and saw the Christmas lights, and the lights of the temple. Breathtaking!

Back to the right order---Next we went to the Tabernacle

ok- another picture in front of the temple

Here's the tabernacle---Such an incredible building!!! And it was neat to see the famous organ. This is where the Mormon Tabernacle choir sings every Sunday.

I just couldn't get enough of the lights.

(We texted that picture to the kids who were with Adam's parents, and Aaron says, "They went to Disneyland without us!!!" hahaha---he thought at first that it was fireworks over the castle. ) Silly boy, we wouldn't go to Disneyland without you......or maybe we would. :)

And we set up our Christmas tree--and admired those pretty lights!

I love this picture---Preston was just staring and staring at the beautiful lights, and tree. It's so magical to the kids, and I just love that.

I hope everyone is enjoying all the beautiful lights this time of year. And keep in mind the reason we celebrate this wonderful season. Christ is the Light of the World. I am so grateful for my Savior.

Thanksgiving

We spent our Thanksgiving with Adam's parents and sister's family this year. Yummy food and about a pie a person is how his family does it. That's ok with me!

Preston was loving the cheese whiz! haha--right out of the can! A far off pic, but this was the closest the girls would let me get with a camera! Brooklyn and Livia had a lot of fun playing.

These are out of order- but WE ARE FINISHING OUR BASEMENT!!!! And can you tell I'm just a little excited?! After 7 years of unfinished--I am looking forward to more comfortable living space down there. I'll post more pics in a bit---but I thought this was cute.

Preston is learning how to hold a pencil properly

He learned from the best. :)

More basement pics to come---today we are going to tape and texture it!

Ok- back to Thanksgiving....

Hello Dad!

Ashton loves running around grandma and grandpa's house. (He spent most of his time in their elevator. I'll get a pic of that next time!)

And Ella spent most of her time on the clavinova. That is a fun piano!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! We have so much to be grateful for.

Ouch!

Livia had a "run in" with the wall yesterday, and got quite the bonk on her forehead! Luckily she wasn't running too fast, or I'm sure we would have had stitches. We are counting our blessings!

The funny part is, I told her to go show her brothers her forehead, and I went with her----they look at it, Aaron gasps of course and is near tears for her----Ashton's comment....."THAT'S AWESOME LIVIA!!!! YOU LOOK LIKE HARRY POTTER NOW!!!!" I laughed pretty hard.

Liv loves her big brothers! They always look on the bright side of things! haha!

A corn maze and Halloween!

We've had a busy Halloween weekend-(Which means lots of late nights) but it's been worth it. We went to a corn maze in Shelley on Friday night and it was a blast. We got our money worth out of the little train ride. The kids road that train probably 6 times!

Sorry for the cell phone pics, but we didn't think to bring any other camera--- Here is the long train (pulled by a tractor) Ella and Livia in the train cart

Preston climbing on the hay

Ella, Aaron and Ashton at the beginning of the maze. We opted to do the "short maze". It was about a mile and a half. :) It took a while.

Adam and Preston

Ashton in the train cart

Aaron in the train cart

And Halloween! We went down to Downey- which has been our tradition over the past several years, and the kids had a blast. I think Adam's parents had fun too. (Adam's mom LOVES to trick or treat! She would go all night, and the kids love it!)

Ella as Hermione

Aaron casting a spell as Harry Potter

Ashton was a super scary vampire

Ahhh! Look at those teeth!

Livia was a cute little lady bug

And easily distracted

Forced smile by Livia. hahaha

I actually wasn't going to even dress up Preston (Party pooper I know- but he's in a stroller all wrapped up--and it's a fight to put a costume on. But our neighbor let us use a pea pod costume--and as you can tell, Preston loved it........or not.)

Grandpa gave him an apple to hold and that helped. He held it the entire night. I'm serious.

What a scary bunch! :)

They weren't interested in pics- they wanted to head out the door!!! Can you blame them?

Happy Halloween everyone! (The kids managed to point out yesterday that we didn't even carve pumpkins. oops!)