Starting Traditions

This is a year where I feel many Traditions are beginning and renewing.  My kids are getting to that fun age where they remember the old and enjoy the new.  I am having the time of my life watching their excitement with each tradition!

I made Cole and Sadie these Christmas pillowcases and gave it to them on the first day of our Advent.  They LOVE them!  My mom made Kevin and I some when we first got married and we still use them!  I was able to monogram them with my friends Embroidery Machine.  Thanks Lara! 

 I stumbled upon this Santa fabric in Walmart for $3 a yard and couldn't resist!  There are patterns all over the Internet to make them.  I used the pattern here.  Way easy too!  If you are not an experienced sewer, I know you could do it!   Plus your kids would love it too!  Cole loves to tell people that I made them.  And he really enjoys his name on it.  I do too. ;)  

It's Advent Time!

I LOVE Advent calendars and I wish I could collect everyone I see!  I've seen so many cute tutorials online I want to make them ALL!  This year I started to make one(the stack of squares in the picture).  I embroidered the numbers on all the pockets but need to finish it.  A task I will have to do next year!  It is killing me not to finish it!  I am a finisher when it comes to sewing projects.  But as you can see, I have others to use in the mean time.  My plan for the one I'm making is to have it be an ornament Advent where each pocket will contain a small ornament that the kids can add onto their own small tree each day until Christmas.  

For my Christmas Tree Advent I am planning on putting in things we already do together as a family for Christmas.  My list so far is this: (in no particular order) 

Christmas Pillowcases

Get Tree

Decorate Tree

Set up the Christmas Train

Sledding

Ice Skating

Make Ginger Bread Houses

Drive around to see lights

Visit Temple Square

Family Movie Night (Polar Express)

Caroling ? (would be the first for us)

Decorate Sugar Cookie for Santa

Visit Santa

Read Christmas Stories

Sub for Santa

I am planning on filling some pockets as I go depending on parties or fun things that may come up during the month.  I found a GREAT blog called Uncommon Grace.  She has a long list of suggestions for activities to put in your Advent.  I need to lengthen mine.

Are you into Advent Calendars?  What are some traditions or ideas you do for your Advent?

Busted!

One of MaryJane's favorite things to do is to pull out all the shoes out of the kids' closet and throw them on the floor.  Well the other day, she discovered the garbage can with the top that flips. Yuck.  It didn't occur to me to look in the garbage can when I found her standing at the closet until I saw her try to put a shoe in there.  Well, I took off the lid and counted 7 shoes she had thrown away!  Oh she thought she was sooooo funny!  I can't believe she is pulling tricks on me before she is one!  Smarty pants!;)

Just the Girls!

On Saturday, we met up with some of my family for a girls day at Gardner Village!  I had so much fun spending that time with Sadie and my family!  I know it meant a lot to Sadie.  A day out I don't get to do enough!

Amelia, Megan, Kate and Sadie

Stacey, Kate, Sadie, Me, Nana, Amelia, Megan, Grandma, Jeanine

I love all the cute things they put around for the holidays!

The newest member of our Family.....

Meet Buddy Jingle.

He came to live with us for the next little while.  The kids LOVE him!

Have you seen this book and small doll?  Our cousins, Brent and Stacey's kids, got this last year and it was all Cole could ask for!  One appeared Saturday morning and he was SO excited!!  We sent a letter to Santa last year to ask for one!!  This has provided so much excitement, questioning, good behavior and comical exchanges!!  The book explains all the rules in a cute story and  we get to chose a name for him.  Cole's first suggestion was Snowball, then Jerry (because he LOVES Tom and Jerry), Red the Elf, and now Buddy.  Which I think we will stick with!  It is just HYSTERICAL to watch the kids talking to him when they think no one is around.  Every night, the elf flies to the North Pole to report to Santa of the kids behavior that day and when he returns, he is in a new spot.  When Cole woke up this morning and found Buddy in the kitchen on a shelf.  He immediately turned on his joystick game on the T.V in the kitchen for the elf to watch him.  And as the music started,  he looked back at Buddy with a head nod like, Watch this!  Ha Ha.  This is going to be so much fun!!  

**UPDATE!  Cole has decided that Buddy is not the name for our elf.  So upon getting on the website (which is the CUTEST thing EVER!!)  We have found a new name for him.  Jingle!  I love it!  The website shows the North Pole and how the elves fly.  It is so cute!  So believable!  We registered our elf's name and printed out the Adoption certificate.  And Santa left us a letter as well congratulating us on adopting Jingle!  

Thanksgiving 2008!

Wow it's been awhile since I've blogged.  And there is only one excuse.  Well, a main excuse.  I've been sewing!  Advents, Banners and Pillowcases.  Seems like I can only focus on one thing at a time.  

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family!  I'll have to add more photos when I receive them from my Aunt.  It was great to have my Grandmother, Aunt and Cousins come for the holiday.   We had fun playing games watching movies, and eating yummy food! 

For as long as I can remember,  My family would do a fish pond on Thanksgiving.  I made this fish pond a few years ago to continue the tradition with my kids.  It was a perfect activity while we hungrily awaited for the Turkey to be done.  Cole got Perler Beads, his new fave and Sadie got a Barbie magnetic dress up doll.  

Dad and the Turkey.

Cole enjoying his feast with the giant serving fork.

There is so much for me to be Thankful for EVERYDAY!  I love this holiday to completely focus on those things!  To name a few, I feel so blessed to have such abundance in ALL things!  Family, Friends, Freedom, and Shelter!  I love being a wife and mother and I'm so thankful to be living!

Twilight Hangover!

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

I'm just going to write a few of my thoughts on the movie.  So if you don't want ANY feed back before you see the movie, maybe wait to scroll below until you do.

I've been so excited to see this movie!  That being said, I was just planning to see it maybe over Thanksgiving.  But Stacey had called me saying that a friend had rented a theater out for the 12:00 showing on Thursday night and she had an extra ticket!  All I can say is THANK YOU to Stacey for allowing me to have that ticket!  I LOVED LOVED LOVED the movie!  It was so great to see the book come to life!  I think throughout the WHOLE movie I was either smiling, laughing, or squealing with excitement!!(along with all the other young girls there)  If you are a fan of the book, I don't think you will be disappointed with the movie.  The cast was PERFECT!  If you are unsure of liking Edward, don't worry, I think he will easily convince you. :) I can't wait to see it again! And again and again!  My sister Jill saw the Titanic movie at the box office 5 times!  I can't wait to see how many times she'll see this!  I'd happily see it 5 times at the box office!! And own the movie so I could watch it 5 times a day!  Okay, I need to CALM DOWN!  Now quit blogging and get your tickets!  Go see the movie NOW!  And then call me! ;)

Finger Puppet!

How cute is this adorable finger puppet?  Can't wait to make this with the kids.  

Go to Skip To My Lou for instructions. 

A Year of Crock Potting

For dinner yesterday I made a yummy post roast in the Crock Pot and it turned out sooo yummy!!  And now I am in the "Crock Potting" mood because it was so easy.  And because it's fall/winter and I'm always motivated to cook in the fall/winter months!  I follow this blog called A Year of Crock Potting.  Her goal is to Crock Pot everyday in 2008 and she blogs about it!  I have stared so many of her recipes I can't wait to try them!  She makes everything from Yogurt, Beans, Soups, Meats, Casseroles, Chicken Nuggets, Desserts, Baby food, Pudding, Peanut Brittle, the works!  Today she made homemade Granola!!

Yummy!!  Can't wait to try it!

And her Dips!! Oh my!!

I can't wait to try some of her Dips that she makes in her cute Little Dipper Crock Pot.  Which is on my want list now!  Hint Hint.  The one pictured here is called Chocolate and Marshmallow Fluff Fondue!  Others that sounded good were, Cheese fondue, Salsa, Edemame Dip, Cream Cheese Sausage.  Maybe I should just stop there.   Oh the possibilities!  This would be such a fun Crock Pot for Family Fondue night!  

So go check out this blog.  Hopefully it will inspire you just like It has inspired me!!  I'm ready to start cooking!!

A little misunderstanding.

Yesterday, Cole was playing his usual questioning game of , "How old will I be when MaryJane is 5?"  And the ages keep escalating until he's satisfied.  Anyway,  it lead us into a different direction.  

C:  How old will I be when MaryJane is 16?

Me:  21, you'll be coming home from your mission. 

C:  Where will I go on my mission?

Me: I don't know yet. (I was just getting ready to explain the process when he replies...)

C:  Well, will I have to drive the jet or whatever there? 

Me:  What?

C:  Do I have to drive the rocket or jet to my mission? Or will someone drive it for me.

I finally get it. He's thinking of a mission to space.  Too much Little Einstein.  

Am I a  complete failure?  He knows what a mission is. I think we were not on the same wavelength.  Because after I explained what I meant, his face light up with understanding.  Oh, mission.

I Can't Keep Up....

With this busy little squirt!!

So this morning I'm sitting on the couch downstairs checking my email and MaryJane is playing at my feet.  I hear her venture down to hall to go play in the toy room which is next to the stairs(which she usually picks the toy room over the stairs).  She can't even do stairs yet anyway!  So I thought.  About 30 sec. goes by and I realize her babbles sound awfully happy and echoey(from the stairwell).  So I DASHED to the stairs and find her just two steps from the top!!!  I just about freaked out!!!  Our stairs our steep!  And she didn't fall!  We have a gate, and I use it a lot!  But when are all downstairs she NEVER explores the stairs!!  I guess those days are OVER!  The gate is now up and will remain up for the next while!!!  Whew!!!

Between the stairs, her constant race to play in the toilet(which my other kids never really got into) and emptying out any basket she finds,  this little girl is certainly keeping me on my toes!  ;)

MaryJane's new discovery!

Walking with this push toy that all my kids have learned to walk with.  She just squeals and giggles with delight as she does this.  She thinks she is so big!!

Here she's showing me her "So Big" one handed as she says her new favorite sound she makes when she sees something of interest.  "Wooo, Wooo"  

It won't be long before this little girl begins to walk!!  She already loves to just free stand and balance!

** I just found MaryJane trying to put on Sadie's tiara!!  Smarty pants!!  Sadie must be grooming her to be a princess when I'm not looking! ;)  It just shocks me that she understood that at this age!  Absorbing everything she sees!