Leaves Family Tradition 2012

Last year about a week before this day (November 18th) we decided since I was on bed rest and needed to take it easy that we would just go behind our church at the time and play in the leaves while I just kinda laid there and watched.  I was desperate to get out of the house. We had such a fun bonding experience that we decided this would become a family tradition. So here is year #2.

 Hayden's hair has gotten so long and is so beautiful.

 This picture says I'm All Boy!!

 I love seeing the childhood joy in their eyes!

 I snapped probably about 20 pictures of Abbie.  I love to look at all her MANY facial expressions that she makes!!

 This is her YAY Look.

 One of my favorite Abster looks is when she scrunches up her nose in her little stinker look.  She is such a mix of ornery, silly, with a little bit of content from time to time.

Below is a link where you can watch 3 videos of us playing in the leaves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR4edjOPMRY&list=UUzNsVkVTRvTlaadmUN59I-w&index=1&feature=plcp

I have grown to truly love these moments with my kids!!  I have been listening to Elder Utchdorf's talk and know I still have a lot to learn.

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/of-regrets-and-resolutions?lang=eng

Abigail Turned 1!!

 Abbie is finally a number as her older siblings would say!! On Thanksgiving our precious little Abigail Bonnie turned 1 years old!

 

 I tried to get a family picture before we opened presents.  You can see from the strained look on my face it was not an easy experience.

 Aunt Whitney got Abbie these cute balloons that she loved to play with.

 We thought it would be fitting since her Birthday was on Thanksgiving to have her Birthday cake be Grandma Bonnie's famous Pumpkin Cake Roll.

 She loved it and devoured it!!

 These monkeys would not be satisfied until I took a picture including them.

 Carter insisted that he get his finger #1 in there.

 Abbie seemed intent to not smile or be happy during her Birthday celebration ~ Abbie has two modes: happy and content (sometimes with a little silly goofiness) or just plain ornery. So I was so glad when we got her out of her ornery funk to get a few smiles out of her.

 She can see from her empty plate, the mess all over her and that smile on her face that she really liked that cake roll.

 There's my big girl walking.  It isn't quite her main mode of transportation yet but everyday she is getting better and more confident at her walking.

 She was looking so big to me in Grandma's basement playing so independently with all the toys.vf

 Another looking big moment climbing up on the chair all on her own.

 This was a portion of our Thanksgiving Day - we watched the movie Brave. I loved sitting by my 2 bigger kids and snuggling the whole time. Plus, it was a great movie.

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 This was before all the other festivities began - Abigail opened her presents.  She got a ballapoolza from us and a bouncy little bike and cute outfit from Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Jay.

 The whole crew surrounding her trying to get her to smile or take a picture with her and her candle.

Here are two videos:

The first is of Abbie eating her cake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxHpsw1qNlA&list=UUzNsVkVTRvTlaadmUN59I-w&index=1&feature=plcp

 This second one is of Jay being an awesome Grandpa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HJMQEQrekg&feature=autoplay&list=UUzNsVkVTRvTlaadmUN59I-w&playnext=1

Halloween Festivities

 Hayden loved the Halloween Seasoning!  When we were opening up the Halloween boxes and she discovered all the costumes it was as if it were an early Christmas.  In just one hour she had worn 6 different costumes.

 We have some good friends the Christensen's who have a tradition of having a murder mystery party every year.  It is so fun and everyone went all out this year - the decorations, the costumes, the characters. Matt was the MC of the event and Death. He made the night so hilarious and was AWESOME at MCing - true talent!! I was a one uping Zombie who thought I was the total bomb.

 Here are just some of the decorations.

 Hayden wanted to be a princess.  I had spaced buying her a tierra so the night of our church trunk or treat I made her a "homemade" one.

 Getting a good picture of all three kids together is virtually impossible.

 Hayden would not sit still for one second so I could get a picture of all her ringlets, make up and hair.  She truly looked like royalty that night.

 Our little lady bug.  I totally forgot that we had wings for that costume, darn it.  She probably wouldn't have left them on anyway.

 Carter totally in character!!

 I got to help with Carter's first ever school party - the Fall Party. They paraded around the school though parents weren't really allowed in the hallway during it. Lame, since I remember the hallway of my elementary school was jam packed with parents all anxious to see their little kiddo.  I would have loved it to be more like that.

 Carter's K class.

 It is tradition for Grandma Bonnie to do a spooky meal the Monday Night before Halloween - we also carve pumpkins.

 The actual night of Halloween.  The troops are bundled up and ready to roll.

 Here is our street crew.  We have the BEST neighbors and BEST neighbor buddies.  It is tradition for us to trick or treat together. It is quite the group with some super fast and some super slow.

 Our pumpkins.  The pumpkin on the left Carter designed and carved on his own. He was very proud of his masterpiece.

AND for her debut to our blog - let me introduce you to my doggy niece Luna.  She is Ryan and Whitney's and we LOVE her.  She is so super duper sweet, cute, loving, etc.  Here she is all dressed up ready for her own trick or treating.