Thanksgiving Weekend 2009

Thanksgiving Weekend was fun. We had some friends come in from Minnesota and Matt's brother came up from Provo and my sister and her roommate came up from Provo. So we got to do some fun things. We went out to eat a few times. We got to see a Planet 51 (kids movie) and 2012 (Adult show). We also had a few nights just hanging out at our house, talking, letting the kids play, and watching movies in the theatre room. Thanksgiving Day was great too. Kinda small this year. Just me and Matt and our kids, Toph and Britt and their little girl and Mandy and Regan and their 2 girls, oh and my sister came with her roommate Rochelle. We had a few other family members on Matt's side. We took family pics, then ate around noon, and we ended up staying at Nan's to watch half of the DALLAS game. Then we went home and Matt finished the game, ALONE, in his theater room.
That night, we made some more goodies, SMOKIES and a chip dip. And we watched another movie.
Friday, Me and Corey and Becs and Rochelle, went to the mall. We are not crazy shoppers, but just wanted to get in on a little of the action. Then Becs had to go home.
The rest of the weekend was just our little family. Corey had a dance recital where she performed SPLISH SPLASH at this craft fair called NOVEMBERFEST. She was so cute and did so good. She gets stage-fright. Hopefully she will outgrow that. And of course, my video camera was all charged and ready to go and when I went to film it was a black screen. SUCKS! Then 5 minutes later Matt got it to work. I just have the worst of luck with our video camera. Oh well, it is a memory in my "forgetting" brain!
Then Sunday, we decided to go down to Salt Lake and see the lights. I loved it and so did Cade and Casen. Corey and Matt are a little harder to impress. I feel like today kids are not impressed as easily as I was when I was young. I think she liked it, but she is my whiny one and always finds something to complain about. Casen loved it. He looked so cute all bundled up. It was pretty crowded, but we got there early enough that it was not too bad.
The kids went back to school Monday and Matt back to work and that was hard after a long weekend. I love Christmas and am so excited for the holiday season, the smells, the decorations, the parties, etc. The kids are back in school for a few weeks and then the BIG DAY is here and over with so fast. SO SAD when Christmas is over! I just love the spirit that Christmas brings.

Winter Pics of the Kids

Yeah, So I was starting to pick out my Christmas cards and pics for this holiday season and I could not find any recent pics of my kids to use for the Christmas card. So we got out the camera and matched some outfits and took some pics out in THE COLD. I tried to do the CUTE "NO SHOES BAREFOOT" Look, but the kids were whining so bad that I bagged that idea and got the boots out and the winter hats and scarves. So here we are! OH, You might notice Casen's big front teeth growing in too. He is growing up too fast and getting to big. I am so sad! He is about 10 1/2 months already. Corey is 6 1/2 now and Cade is 4 1/2. They are all getting so big. And Corey is finally getting more photogenic. I am so thrilled! Casen was such a busy body taking these pics. He was so funny! He had to keep looking at every car that drove by. SO NOSY! The kids thought that was funny! Anyway, the photo shoot is over and I got the results I wanted. ENJOY!

3 Visitors this weekend- my sisters and a SURPRISE visit from MOM

So this last weekend was so fun. I knew my 2 sisters were coming up late Thursday night, so I waited up for them until 12:30 in the morning. When a 3rd person walked in, I just assumed it was my sisters roommate, but as I looked closer, it was MOM! She flew in from CA to surprise me. My sisters knew about it and kept it from me. I was complaining about my kids and me being sick the previous weeks and so she flew up because "her girls needed her." But I did not want to catch up on sleep while she was here, I wanted to hang out and start Christmas shopping.

So that is what we did. We did hang out everyday till about 1 PM because everyone, but me and the kids were taking advantage of sleeping in. And then we would get ready and go shopping or go get something to eat or just hang out! We also stayed up till midnight or 1 AM every morning watching movies and talking. We had fun! We went shopping, went bowling, Becca did her 2000 piece puzzle (obsessed) , and mom and I went over to her Mom's gravesite. So we had fun! The best part was just having them around and talking and seeing her and my sisters with the kids. We tried to have a dance party a few times, but my kids all of a sudden turned shy. WEIRD! No, Corey is always shy in front of others, but not her family! The kids did have to go to school, but that time went by so fast. We also went over and saw Mandy and her new baby. And we went and ate lunch with Corey at school. She was so proud to have us there. IT WAS CUTE!

We did get some Christmas shopping done. And we went to Hobby Lobby, the craft store a few times. A FAVORITE OF OURS!

It was alot of fun and it makes me sad that everyone lives far enough away that we can't hang out more. We really missed Steph too. She was in CA. this weekend and she was sad she could not come up. But they will all be home for Christmas time together and I will not be there. So they will have there moment together too.

I am always sad when my parents go or when my mom leaves. But this time I did OK, because I know I will see them in 5 weeks. They are coming up after Christmas. My mom and sisters were in love with Casen. He is just so cute and growing so fast.

I love my sisters and my mom. It was so fun to have them here and such a SPECIAL SURPRISE to have my mom come. I always feel like we get closer on these trips and get to talk so much. I have never been surprised like that in a long time. It was awesome!