O Christmas Tree

 We set up our tree this weekend.  I was feeling very uninspired to do any decorating or do anything Christmas-y for that matter, but it had to be done.  So we spent the morning cleaning and then got out all the decorations.  Once we started decorating I remembered how much I enjoy it. 

How could I not with this sweet girl smiling at me.

 I love how each ornament has a story to tell and how we tell the same one's every year.

 Bri put the star on.

 Carly made some adjustments.

 While we were decorating Bri asked me where is Drammy's ornament.  I love that even thought her great-grandma, who we called Drammy, passed away when Bri was just a baby she knows all about her and the special ornament that she gave us.

 This ornament is special too. It was given to me by my Bompy, my grandpa and Drammy's honey.  He kept up her tradition of giving us an ornament every year.  I love all the memories we get to share this time of year.

Another fun tradition we have is a family ornament that my Brother and his wife Misti always get for us.  We look forward to getting them every year. 

Our tree. 

 I really don't understand people who do different themes on their tree every year.  Our tree is 15 years old this is it's 16th Christmas.  Somewhere along the way we wired on lights and every year we say that if some of the lights don't come on we will get a new one, but this year there is a dark spot we just hid in back. I love our little tree, and I'm starting to feel more Christmas-y.

Thankful

 We had such a nice Thanksgiving.  I am very grateful for my family that I love very much, but even more, I like them.  There is no one I would rather spend time with than my brothers and sister  These little guys make it all the more fun. 

Better Late than never.........Halloween

It has been one heck of a month, but here are our Halloween pictures, finally!

My Little snow princess and a pirate.

 I had lots of fun making this one and it turned out better than I imagined

 AArhg, I love my little pirate

 Brianna's class

 Carly in the parade.

Atticus and Henry came to trick or treat with us.  We had a very fun Halloween.

Fall Cabin Weekend

 We spent last weekend up at my Brother's cabin.  We always have such a good time there. 

We went into Vernal for the the day to see the Dinosaur Quarry.

 We went there many years ago when Brianna was 2.  She went around roaring at all the dinosaur bones.

The Quarry has been closed for about 7 years because the building wasn't safe and it just recently reopened. 

 The  whole wall is filled with bones.  It's really worth a visit.

 Grandma came with.

 The girls also got a Jr. Ranger badge.  That is their 7th of the year.

 We also got to see petroglyphes

 And explored a cabin form the 1800's

 More rock art.

 Two sweet girls.

 Last month at a neighbors garage sale Jon bought a raft.  I'm not really a boat person

 But daddy and his girls had a great time rowing around.

We had such a fun relaxing weekend.  We can't wait to go again.

4 Little Pumpkins

We went pumpkin picking the other night.

 Oh how I love these little Pumpkins!

Happy Autum!

lost tooth

So I missed blogging about so big events last month  So I'll play catch up.  Just a few days after school started, my baby Carly lost her first tooth. 

So cute even with a gappy smile.  Love that kid!

When we were on vacation this summer inYellowstone we met a woman at the falls painting an oil painting. I got her card and an when we got home I contacted her and we bought it.

I'm so excited to have it.  I'm not really big on souvenirs, but this is my favorite spot in the whole world and it is really a beautiful painting. 

When we were on our trip this summer I found a boxed set of all the Little House on the Prairie books.  I loved these books and the show when I was young and I couldn't resist buying them for my girls.

So we read a chapter every night and it is my very favorite part of my day.  I love these book and I love snuggling up with my girls to read with them every night.  It's funny to me to see how much Mary and Laura are like my little girls. Tonight we finished the 2nd book and it's kind of a cliff hanger the girls are so excited to start the next book.  I really love to read and I hope my girls are leaning to love reading too.

What are you reading to your kids?

sigh of relief

I know, I know it's been a while, but I have a good reason.  This past week we had our PTA Carnival.  I have been dreading this day for the past year and a half, pretty much since the I agreed to be the president. I have had anxiety and panic attacks, and pretty much though of every thing to get me out of this including hoping for major injury (I was seriously jealous of your broken ankle Stacey!) and even having a baby.
In the end the anticipation was worse than the reality.  I had such great people to help me out and such a strong foundation to build on that things ran so smoothly.  If fact my biggest worry the week of the carnival was that things were going too well and I was sure that I had forgotten something. 
It was stressful and the day of was crazy trying to get things set up in time. There were a few minor glitches, but in the end it was really fun.  Near the end I got out the hula hoops and had the kids do a hula hoop contest.  It was such a great moment to see dozens of kids all smiling and dancing, it made all the work and stress worth it.  In that moment I felt like I had done something good, something that I didn't think I could do.  I'm still kind of on a high from it.  
The past year and a half has been hard.  We've had some big changes around here that I haven't really wanted to talk about here and this night was exactly what I needed, when I needed it to make me feel like I could still do good things.  To see and be seen by people who I haven't been around for a while and have them know that I'm still me and I'm still part of the community. I'm so relieved that it's over, and even though I still have the rest of the year to get through, I feel like the hard part is over, and hopefully I won't be such a stress case anymore.

I blinked

And she grew up.

Carly started 1st grade today. I can't believe my baby is so grown up and will be gone all day.

I guess I'm weird because I have been dreading my kids going back to school. We had such a fun summer and I felt like August was a blur. I need a few more weeks with them.

Her backpack is as big as her!

A goodbye hug form Sis.

She is really excited to be in school, and I'm excited for her. I have just gotten use to having her around she is my little helper and little buddy. Luckily I have to help monitor lunch all week so I will have excuses to see her.

Bri started school yesterday. She is so excited for 4th grade. She really likes the teacher she has this year and I like her too. I think it will be a great year. Fourth grade is a big deal in my opinion, it's when they go from being little kids to little people. Go look at a 3 grade class then a 4th grade and you'll know what I mean.

Brianna's best buddy Lindy.

So both my babies are in school all day now. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself. Oh yeah, PTA.