Friday, February 19, 2016

Elsie and Valentine's Day!!

Well, life is busy busy as usual!  Winter has never been my favorite... however, we have been so blessed and have made so many wonderful friends here, so it feels as though winter is zooming by!  I welcomed February quite happily since January just feels dreary and I usually can't wait to see it go...but if I could slow time I would.  My kids are amazing and wonderful and are growing at an out of control rate.  Though I am trying my hardest to enjoy every little moment they are just happening too fast.  Jane is reading Harry Potter and just about anything else she can get her hands on now.  She had a crush on a boy and can do a perfect cartwheel..Beckham rides a bike without training wheels, reads like a champ and doesn't want to cuddle with me anymore...and Elsie tells us what she wants...and we understand her, dresses up like a princess and has little best friends.  I feel like all these things weren't happening just months ago...

Time keeps passing and more and more I feel so blessed and lucky to have such an amazing family!! 

With Jane and Beckham in school, Elsie and I have been having some fantastic one on one time! We have a super fun little group of mommies and kiddos that we frequently get together with to have lunch and do crafts with!!  Here is Elsie doing a winter craft!! She made a pretty fantastic deconstructed snowman!!


 Elsie and I love to have tea parties together with ALL of Jane's barbies and stuffed animals!
 She loves to dress up and be girly!!
 When Jane and Beckham are home, Elsie just wants to be one of the bog kids and do whatever they are doing :)
 There is a wonderful little reading time at the library and Elsie and I tried out!! Her favorite part was definitely the amazing bubble machine they had...

 We had some fantastic Valentine's Day fun at our house!! In October, we won our ward chili cook off and I those a dozen chocolate covered strawberries as my prize!! Valentine's Day felt like the perfect time to redeem my coupon!! They were oh so yummy.
 Elsie quite enjoyed hers and cried when it was gone- hehe!
 While the kiddos had their Valentine's Day parties at school, Elsie and I had a small V-day celebration with our craft buddies!! The kids got to decorate their own candy bags with  yummy smelling Valentine's Day stickers and hearts.
 We had a delicious lunch!
 Then the kiddos handed out their Valentines.  It was oh so cute!!
 My favorite part was when the only little boy in our group was such a gentleman and gave each of the little ladies a flower!
 Elsie's favorite part was the chocolate!
 Then we attempted some pictures...this was the best I got.
Time may be zooming by, but I am enjoying every moment of it!!

Friday, January 15, 2016

Merry Missouri Christmas!!

 Winter took its time setting in here in Missouri!! It felt like we were still in Cali because it was almost 70 degrees on Christmas Eve and was sunny and beautiful!! We took advantage of the beautiful weather and went on a very neat hike!! There were some beautiful rock formations that the UCM students carved and painted!! Here is a face in the rock. The kiddos thought it was so neat!
We loved making believe that we were having grand and magical adventure as we hiked. And the surroundings were perfect for such an adventure!! So beautiful!
 I can't wait to come here in the summer...
 Beckham loved climbing up and around all the cool cave like areas!!

 This was such a perfect way to spend a sunny Christmas Eve :)

 During Christmas break with the kids, we had a lot of fun!! We went to dinner at the dinosaur restaurant!! It was very neat, the dinosaurs moved and made noises and every 30 minutes there was a meteor shower :)
 We decorated cookies with our good friends :)

And of course decorating gingerbread houses has become a tradition in our house!!




 Here's our gingerbread village!!
 The kids are always excited to open up their presents from our Elf since he goes home to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. Elf Eric always brings the kids new jammies and this year was Elsie's first year getting hers!!
 Beckham got Star Wars jammies.  We saw that movie over Christmas break, too and loved it!!
 Of course, Jane got  My Little Pony ones :)
 Cute kiddos!!!
 Everyone always looks forward to our traditional family shepherd's dinner!!
 We read about the Nativity and have a special picnic style dinner similar to what the shepherd's would have eaten :)

 The kids spread their reindeer food in the front yard...
 and set out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer!!
 Christmas morning was wonderful!! I love having little kids on Christmas, it keeps the magic around :)
 Elsie got some dress ups which she puts on almost daily :)
 and a lovely soft green bunny from grandma and grandpa Dick!!







 These darling towels are from my mom!! So cute :)

 The kids only request was to stay in their jammies all day long! So they did!! We had a delicious Christmas dinner, too!!

What a wonderful Missouri Christmas we had.  We are so so blessed :)