A well loved guinea piggy 🐷

"homemade"(?) Cards from Chelsea

I'm not sure people understand how much work goes into making these cards.  It takes a lot of effort to look this creatively cheap!  First I gotta save old cards like for forever.  Wedding cards,  birthday,  baby showers,  etc.  Then I gotta chop off where others have written on them.  Then rewrite the words on the cards so it somewhat makes sense. Then find an envelope ✉ that's only semi-used,  so the post office doesn't reject it. Then put stickers alllll over. 

SO MUCH EFFORT TO SHOW MY LOVE!!

Thanksgiving morning 5K fun run

So much fun!!

I registered 18 of us to do Dan's Turkey Trot.  Expensive but worth it! This is our second year.  We'll have to make it an annual thing! Lucked out with perfect weather. 🍂🍁🍂🍁

I didn't race it - I just went with Courtney. She needed piggy back rests every few minutes :) Brianna too :) Bennett and Charity stayed back.  

Maybe next year I will train and try to win it or maybe I'll just keep being happy with staying with my kids the whole time :-)

Nativity setup

We have about 6 nativity scene decorations,  but this one is the most fragile so it gets a special safe spot.  

Loving the Christmas decorating!!

Christmas begins!

Last night we put away everything Thanksgiving 🦃  and took out everything Christmas! 🎄

We only got about half done putting everything up so it looks like  a Christmas explosion 💥 in our front rooms.  

It was so sweet seeing the kids excitement.  There was lots of "hey,  remember this! I remember it!" exclamations.   I'm so grateful & excited we have established some traditions they recognize and love.  Good healthy family traditions are so important.  

Looking forward to another day of setting it all up! 

Young but capable!

Killing time at the mall

Reading our Thanksgiving books

Brought Julia to Art Class!

Grandchildren Ornaments

Sent these to Brian's mom for her birthday!

I've been planning this gift for many months.  Super excited we finally made it happen.  I just had to park myself in Fred Meyer at the photo kiosk,  put Charity in the drop in childcare play area next to it,  so I had no distractions.  Took forever to print,  size,  cut and insert photos correctly.  Broke 3 ornaments in the process (fortunately had backups). Shipped it next door at Post Net for more than the gift cost to make! 

Totally worth it!!

I love making gifts for people that I'm proud of and excited about! 

Lil turkeys

They'd be adorable this Thanksgiving morning all snuggling and snoozing together... if they hadn't been responsible for keeping me up half the night with their various "needs"....

I love them and am grateful for them anyway!!

Level 2 gymnasts!

Feedin the bunnies 🐰

We throw scraps outside - including flowers - and watch them munch! 

💤 💤 💤 😴

Best Sunday of the year!

The kids did so great! Charity got a big laugh out of the congregation when she loudly yelled into the microphone 🎤 : "I AM BLESSED WHEN I KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS!!! "

Plus her adorable random arm waving and head bopping with her cute little pigtails swishing around. Can't she just stay 4 forever?!

Brianna, Bennett, and Courtney did awesome too. They had their parts all memorized and they spoke them with total confidence. Proud mama day!

Birthday friend

Courtney was SO excited to attend her bestie Kristin's birthday party.  Cute pajama theme.

Funny how she's just 3 months older,  but almost a foot taller! 

Bennett was crushed he wasnt invited too.  Tough life lesson  - some parties are just for girls! 

Just going on a walk

Super sweet little sisters cruising the neighborhood on foot

Courtney Rose

No, that's not her middle name. But it should be, with how obsessed she is with roses! If you wanna make Miss Courtney's day, bring her roses. Pink ones especially.   Bonus: she'll keep them in her room and sniff them before going to bed because somehow she believes it ensures good dreams. 

Bro & Sis

Sleeping baby on handsome Daddy

Tootoo cute

Arizonians have aaarrrriiiiived!

Let the games begin! 

Popped in on Brianna 💯🔢🔣☑

I was actually just at school for Courtney and Bennett's art class,  but when I went to put away supplies in the art room,  I walked in on Brianna's math class! Because she's in a combo,  they separate for the main subjects.  I love this. I think it's such an advantage.  They get a specialist teacher,  and a 10-1 ratio! 

It's so fun seeing my kids in their school environment,  so I can picture exactly where they are and ask better questions in the evening when we chat about their days.  

SuperPoser

Well this is a new one...

Cousin Duet!

I love their enthusiasm for music & piano!

18th Bday gifts for my girls

By "my girls" I mean the girls in my YW group at church of course :) But I sure hope I get to make these for my own girls when they turn 18 someday! And I hope they are making the awesome choices in life that Hannah is!

It was so fun going over to the Fullmer's home tonight and presenting the video slideshow. Got them bawling.  Mission accomplished.  Video link: https://youtu.be/eGZzyQkC2Zk

This is my 4th I've done - first Camryn, then Calli,  Jinna,  next month is Liliana! 

This is a screenshot of Hannah's text to me.  But NO,  she did not write that over and over... My phone does this all the time! Randomly with different people! spazzy phone,  ugh.  SO WEIRD.  

My big girl is still my little doll....

Brianna's Christmas dreams coming true involve getting an American Girl "Truly Me" doll! 

Tot Shots

Crafting queen 👑

TaDa!

I made this for Meg's Bunco hosting night!
It was our 2nd Bunco night with the neighborhood ladies. We were both hesitant to join, since it's on Monday nights. But just once/month, and only 2 hours, so it's worth it for the chance to get to know our neighbors better.
I have to host in March! Good motivation to get my house and hostess skills fine tuned :)

Can never get enough of her 😍

A great day to be born!

Sammy is 38 today! 

We had a good little chat.  I told her how grateful I am to celebrate another birthday with her.  She told me I'm her favorite sister,  and actually favorite human ever. 

Well that's what she was saying with her beautiful amber brown eyes anyway.  

I love that my little Charity Samantha shares this day with her super special aunt! 

Brianna's bump

She learned the hard way that she shouldn't climb countertops.  Ouch. 

I'm so so grateful it wasn't worse!! 

Sweetest snugglebuddies

Last night with my 3yr old

She'll be 4 tomorrow!

Waaaaah🙁😰😩😨😧😦😥😟😱😲😞😒😭😖😔😪😓

My heart hurts if I think about it too much.  I'll never hold my 3yr old baby again.  She's 4 in a few hours. That's like basically official BigGirl status.  Ugh.  And she barely knows her letters! 🔤 

We're not ready !!! Time,  slow down! 

But I really can't complain too much.  I've gotten to spend pretty much every minute with her,  every day. Including most nights,  ha! There will never be any regrets looking back on this girl's baby and toddlerhood.  We've soaked up all the moments. 

Looking forward to many more with this big girl,  who will alwaysalways be my baby 💕👶 

Obsessed

I don't think it's normal to love your children's school pictures as much as I love mine. Just crazy about them!

Thanksgiving decorations coming out!