Christmas is in the air!!!

The kids at the 4-D Polar Express show

So today the kids and I went to Seaworld to see the Shamu Christmas show. It was so wonderful! the kids LOVE it! We had such a great time and the weather was beautiful! I am quite the cry baby though. We've seen the various Shamu shows 30+ times and I still cry every time. I am such a sucker. The kids always put their arms around me and say, "It's ok mom. This is a good part." They are adorable.
We had a neighbor friends over for FHE tonight and as we were finishing a nativity craft he looked at me with sweet innocent eyes and said, "Isn't December kinda magical?" They all proceeded to have a little 6 yr. and under discussion on the magic of Christmas! I loved it and I agree...it is magical.
Have a Merry 21st of December.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy Birthday Chase!!!

My little boy has officially turned 5! It was so adorable...he came running down the stairs the morning of his birthday and he said, "Mommy, mommy, my legs are even longer!"
I am so grateful for Chase. This year has been such a fun year. He now has two little brothers that adore him and look-up to him and he loves them right back. One of Chase's favorite things to do is draw. It is so cute to watch him try to teach Ayden how to "draw" his name.
Something else Chase LOVES is dogs. Chase talks about dogs, draw dogs, pretends his little brothers ARE his dogs. If he can name it a dog and play with it he will! So this year Chase really wanted a dog birthday party, of course! It was so fun! I made cardboard dog houses ahead of time and created Doggy Adoption certificates so that when Chase's friends arrived they got to choose a dog, a dog house and then before they got their adoption certificate they had to make sure that their doggies had all their shots and were bathed and groomed. After all of this they signed the certificate then they could paint their dog house and make it their own.
We had such a great time! Birthday parties are an event at our house but I really wouldn't have it any other way! I look forward to them, the kids plan all year for them and we all have such great memories from them.
I know that five will be a wonderful year for Chase!
Happy Birthday sweetie!

Jaron and the kids eating birthday cake!!!

The family

Thomas and I on the bus at the zoo

Nothing beats the day at the zoo

Chase with his birthday breakfast...fruit crepes!!!!

Chase is FIVE!!!

Chase and mommy filling-out his puppy adoption certificate!
His was a dalmatian named Pup.

Friends!!!

So we played this game where you tie one of those long balloons to the back of your pants and then the kids chase each other trying to pop the balloons! Jaron also made the kids some balloon animals!

Chase and I with his puppy cake. This one took FOREVER but it's was all worth-it when Chase said, "WOW mom your amazing!" They make me feel so special.

Chase and his friends! This puppy was a Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Dog!!! Lots of fun!

Fall does exist in Texas!!!

I HATE when the kids climb the trees...I hear too many stories from Jaron. I just have to pretend it doesn't bother me so much because they LOVE it!

Out hot dog moment. The kids thought it was hilarious that mom was eating a hot dog!

Jaron and the kids finding little fish...(Ayden tried to step on them...hmmmm...I guess that's ok).

Mr. T and myself just soakin' in the sun and the fall"ness"!

What a Day!

Thanks to the advice from good friends, our family was finally able to get a "taste" of fall! Yes, fall does exist in Texas and I think it seemed more beautiful than ever!
Jer, the kids and I went to a beautiful state park here called Lost Maples, this past weekend. It was so great to get away and enjoy a taste of one of my four favorite seasons...Fall! We had wanted to camp-out but we had to be back for early morning meetings so we stayed until it got dark and then came home and camped at our house! What a great day! I even enjoyed the hot dogs, ("healthy" hot dogs, of course)! One of my favorite parts was watching Ayden try to eat his S'more! I think he got in two bites then ran off to play! Can't wait to go back!

Halloween

We had such a great Halloween! I've always loved Halloween. I love the costumes, the excitement, the haunted houses, the only thing that I have a problem with is all the CANDY!!!

Our Halloween started last Saturday with the church trunk-or-treat! The RS did a
cupcake walk (one of my favs.) so I got to help with that. The kids were hilarious helping me frost the cupcakes and make the sign! They are big fans of Halloween too! Jaron and I decided to be Napolean Dynamite and his "girl" Deb! I actually found a "Vote for Pedro" shirt at Goodwill!
Unfortunately I forgot our camera!
It was quite the night! The kids got WAY TOO MUCH CANDY!

THis past Friday Jer, the kids and I went to Seaworld! Let just say that as we drove home the kids said, "We love Halloween! It's the Greatest! There were "monsters" all through-out the park (Chase scream at each monster and ran in the opposite direction). There was a great 4D show about creepy creatures and we topped it off with Trick-or-treat lane in the Shark house!!!! (Morecandy!!!)

LAst night we had the missionaries over and our neighbors! We had a freightful meal of Mummies, witches fingers, eyeballs, tater-tot people, Boo-nilla Shakes and Ghoulash Punch!!! (I love theme cooking!)

Trick-or-treating is completely different here in texas! I think it might be their favorite holiday! There were people dressed in costumes walking up-and-down the streets with saws and swords and a huge sheet on the wall on this home with scary scenes and music! ( a little over the top for our crowd)!
The best part was putting my kids too sleep that night and my little boy saying to me, "Mommy, I had fun!" Then closed his little eyes and was OUT!
I must admit I am so not the mom that sneaks her favorite candy too eat, (I leave that to Jer), but I did contemplate putting a large portion of it out on the porch for the late-night trick-or-treaters! I resisted, but I will find a way to "reduce" it. There is no way my little guys are eating all that candy!

Happy Halloween!

The house with the scary music and movie screen

Trick-or-treating

Chase and a very large spider

the kids with our friends the Hansens

Ayden...our Spooooky ghost

Thomas...the little Squirt from Nemo

Miaja...Little Red Riding Hood

Our Little crew

Chase...a very enthusiastic Frankenstein

Ayden just wanted too eat!

Miaja

Chase

Halloween LUNCh:
Pumpkin sandwiches (PBJ/H)
Goblin Toes
and
Witches fingers!
Yummmmmm!

Just havin' a good time!

I LOVE when they lick their plates!

The cook

Miaja's always my great eater

Halloween Breakfast:
Pumpkin "Spider" Pancakes
with
Witches Brew Juice

We thought of Aunt Lola when we saw the flamingos...

Seaworld....

Four kids and medical school/residency behind him and he still catches my eye!

The BOYS!
Happy Halloween!

Back-to-School!!!

Miaja

Chase & I...Miaja was our "photographer"

The crowns

The dinner
(Miaja and I did the decor!!!)

Chase

Back-to-School Night!!!
Jer, the kids and I had such a fun time welcoming in
a new school year!
We had a great dinner (I even broke-out the wedding china...which we NEVER use).
The kids all got to design their own crowns and then we talked about our family theme for the year...
Strengthening Our Eternal Family!
The kids each got a picture of the San Antonio Temple
(I "refurbished" some really cool frames from Goodwill)
Then Jaron gave the kids blessings for the school year!
The favorite part of the night by far was the
"after party"!
We bought the Hannah Montana CD with a gift card we were given
so we had a dance...Miaja was the dance organizer so it was a BLAST!
She'd made tickets and decorated!
I love my family and I love that
we get to have so much fun together!
Welcome school year 2009-10!

Our trip west...we had such a blast!