Tea Party 2012

This year, Grandma Hansen introduced the girls to one of our favorite Christmas stories, Red Ranger Came Calling.  I like the new Tea Party tradition that we each get a copy of the story Grandma reads us.  I love all the things my mom does for us to have fun traditions for holidays.  And, I love the cream puffs and cocoa!

Elf on the Shelf - Letter From Santa

Thanksgiving 2012

We shared Thanksgiving with the Hansen family.  Per Grandpa's tradition, we went on the Weber River Trail before lunch.  We were so happy to have Great-Grandma Hansen be at dinner with us.  And, we loved meeting and getting to know Jeremy's guests, Lily, Liza, and Bryan.

Elf Debut Coming Soon!

Our Elf on the Shelf is making his entrance to our home THIS Friday!  I am so excited to try this out with Abbi and Noah.   They are expecting a visitor - coming after Thanksgiving and staying all the way until Christmas - but they have no idea who or what it is.  Their guesses are hilarious!

I made this calendar to plan out our elf's shennanigans.  How the heck do you spell shennanigans?

Enjoy.

I don't have a lot to say lately, but...

I'll tell you why Out of the Office October was a success .... the kids and I had fun ... and Jake, too, on Saturdays.  We've been studying, learning, homeworking, Halloweening, eating, creating, exploring, with very little cleaning or laundry mixed in.  I could work on the last part, I guess.  

Abbi seems to be doing her thing with more confidence in herself.  She knows what she likes and what she wants (to do or have).  She loves working along side me in the house and she loves time to herself to paint and create.  Abbi got into the after-school program twice a week and she loves it and looks forward to it.  All the while, she's face a red-headed challenge at school, but it really hasn't phased her too much.  She is still excelling in her academics and staying true to her good girl self.  I have loved watching Abbi really come into herself lately.  It makes me feel so proud of everything she is.

Noah has become a pretending-machine.  Everything he does includes an invisible sword, bad guy, or food.  He moves about the house doing his thing with whoever it is he pretends is along side him - whether it's Wreck-It Ralph, bad guys to fight, or Diego.  He looks forward to preschool, his best friend is Elizabeth, and he expects Jeremy to take him to "Airplanes" for lunch on a regular basis.  Noah remembers everything, whether you said it to him or he was just within 100 feet of you.  He repeats it all the time.  He's a learning machine - which I hope will serve him well.

I have felt so blessed and happy.  Jake is my love and I wouldn't be complete without him, I don't know how I was before.  He takes care of me and the kids so well and without complaint.  I find groceries and a full tank of gas in the mornings to save me the trip.  He cares so much about me and about how the kids are doing.  He loves them so much, and they know it.  I am so blessed to have a devoted husband.  Jake works so hard to provide for us.  His sacrifices for us are large and small, but he does it with no question.

Being at home to experience this season of our lives is the best opportunity I could ever have or ask for.  My blessings surround me.  I don't know how or why I am where I am, but I'll never be able to be thankful enough.

Out-of-the-Office October Success

From my phone: Silly glasses @ Grandpa's

From my phone: Fire Station Open House

From my phone: Anne & E working on her quilt

From my phone: the load Jake bought me for General Conference

From my phone: I cut off my pj's and made a scarf for Daisy

From my phone: Lindsay's baby at Kellie's house

From my phone: Doing Grandma's Dishes

From my phone: More make-up