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Snow, Lights & Laughs

We've had some fun this past weekend, enjoying the holiday stuff :) Yesterday Dave's mom brought over our "package" for the week. It was a cute stocking filled with spring topped headbands (w/ santa, snowmen & reindeer on top). They were for us to wear while we went around looking at lights. WELL ---- We decided to go down to temple square on Sunday night to see the lights, and Dave had the great idea that we should wear our headbands around the square. Okay, so I'm a little self-conscious about things that make me stand out in an unusual way... so this was somewhat EXCRUCIATING! It was fun and the kids got a kick out of it, but I was totally embarrassed, walking around with wobbley santas on my head! A few people commented, others chuckled, others stared...... <> but, it was pretty funny to see the kiddos. Sadly(or fortunately) my camera broke before we could get a family shot. So - you can see how cute Dave, Hailey, Derek & Jenna look w/ their holiday headbands :) (Yes, Jenna is wearing them, under all her layers... )

This one is a little fuzzy since I had to take it w/ Dave's phone.

Derek kept wanting to stick his hands (gloves & all) into the fountains all over the square... He thought it was GREAT fun!
Isn't this one adorable of the kiddos?

Sunday morning after the snow hit, the kids were determined to make a snowman. They got a base done, and had used all the snow up.. so they were out of luck. :)

Although this video is a little dark, you can totally hear Jenna laughing it up - SO FUN!

Hailey's Choir performance

Hailey had her first choir performance tonight - they sounded GREAT! They did some Christmas songs, but also a variety of others they had been working on, like "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah" :) It was super cute! I'm so glad she wanted to join the choir, because she has such a wonderful voice! Go Hailey!

Holiday fun!

Dave's mom has been spoiling us this December with fun little surprise packages. Last week she brought miniature christmas trees for each of the kids, each with their own colored bulbs - Pink for Jenna, Purple for Hailey & Blue for Derek. They have loved having their own little trees in their rooms! Tonight - she brought over a care package with some cute snowmen decorations, and then the kids got to cut out some snowflakes, and make some snowflakes out of tortillas (the yummy ones from Costco!) - covered in powdered sugar. THe kids (& us) had a great time!

We had our ward party last week - and the total highlight was SANTA! When he walked in, Derek was standing on Dave's lap waving FURIOUSLY yelling SANTA, SANTA, SANTA Come see me! Come talk to me Santa! It was really cute! He could hardly contain himself to wait in line :) The kids had fun seeing Santa. Derek told him he wanted a red kitchen and lots of stoves.

Look at the excitement! on that face!

Gratitude

We just returned home after a nice long holiday at my sister Melanie's. We had such a great time! I always love spending Thanksgiving with their family -- as do our kids!

I have so much to be grateful for - wonderful family and friends. Health, the gospel, living in a free country, education... there are SO many things I'm grateful for! Below you'll find a little recap of our trip... I slacked on the pictures, but you'll get the gist.

Here's Hailey & I w/ my neice Abbey after her performance of The Nutcracker. She is SO talented... and so adorable w/ all her animated expessions on-stage :) I was totally cracking up at how expressive she was!

Mel (my sis) Britt & Abbey

Britt & Hailey :)

BLACK FRIDAY!

Okay - I have to elaborate here a little - we totally knocked out a new method for avoiding all chaos in stores on black friday! As soon as we would walk into a store - my mom would immediately go get in the front of the line & let one person in front of her at a time while my sis, niece & I shopped - then, When we were all ready, we just went to the front of the line where she was waiting for us :) So we hit... Kohl's at 4am, Old Navy at 5am (OMGosh! - 50% off all Jeans!! Yay!), Target at 6, and the Mall afterwards (where I got Jenna the CUTEST christmas dress that is White w/ black polka dots!)

I love this tradition of going shopping the day after!

Hailey & Abbey gearing up the "kid" table for Turkey dinner!

My favorite part - Dave & Bill (my BIL) doing the dishes after dinner... also one of my favorite parts of THanksgiving :)

My Nephew Ben playing w/ Derek - arent' they cute guys!?

Brandy & Koby & kids - a family in my sisters ward - came over for dinner - and Brandy made the dang cutest little place setting pieces - Turkeys out of Oreos, candy corn & whoppers :)

My mom & Mel - gearing up for the final touches of food :)

Hailey & Abs were so good at keeping Jenna busy while we were getting the food rolling! Yay for good helpers!

If I can find the pictures from our TUrkey Trot 5k from Thanksgiving morning I will post them - I was pretty tuckered out... only did it in 30.15... definitely not my best time - oh well :) It was a great run, and a great tradition that we do to start off the day! :)

Oh my stinkin' cute!

Okay - here are Jenna's official 3 month pictures. I can NOT get over how DARLING she is! I love when good pictures just capture how sweet your child really is! Once again - I "heart" Dana Holcomb - she did a great job w/ the pictures ;)

Not to toot my own horn, but... HONK!

Okay - so today I got my oil changed, and I had a headlight out. They wanted like 25$ just to replace the light. I told him I'd take care of it myself... he looked at me like yeah right.. So - I went & picked up the light... changed it - and.....

...VOILA!... Light's a working :) I love it when mechanics treat women like imbiciles... seriously! Although I prefer not to be a grease monkey - I can figure out a thing or two... :)