Advent Ideas

Once Thanksgiving is over it doesn't take me very long to jump right into Christmas.

We stay pretty busy with activities, baking, crafts and lots of other holiday fun.

One thing that we started last year was an advent calendar and it was a blast.

We had a different Christmas related activity every night and it really brought our family closer together and provided a lot of fun, quality time together.

So I thought I would share some of the things we have planned for this year.

There are a lot of different ways you could set it up.

You could put everything in a jar and pull on out each day or plan the activities around your schedule.

I took a cookie sheet and covered it with Christmas scrapbooking paper.

Then I cut out 24 rectangles and folded them in half.

On the inside I wrote the activity and on the outside I wrote the date.

Then I taped them on the cookie sheet.

I had put magnets on the back of the cookie sheet to hang on the fridge but they weren't quite strong enough to hold it up.

So this year I think I will tie some ribbon on the back and hang it on the wall.

Once I get it hung up I'll take a picture for you to see.

Anyway here's what we'll be doing in December.

Learn a new Christmas song

Make homemade marshmallows and cocoa mix

Make a snowman

Make garland

Make reindeer cookies

Make a nativity

Drive around and look at Christmas lights

Do a service for someone

Have a Christmas music dance party

Watch Elf

Read the Christmas story

Write letters to Santa

Make Christmas cards

Make a ornament

Visit a friend

Watch a Christmas movie

Have someone over for dinner

Make Christmas goodies and deliver to someone

Write letters to family that's not around

Take kids to get gifts for each other

Make gift tags

Sing Christmas songs

Play a Christmas game

Make reindeer food and cookies

So that's what's on our advent calendar.

We also read a Christmas book every night

and incorporate Christ and scriptures into our activities as much as possible.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas of fun things you can do with your family during the special month of December

Thanksgiving Fun

I have had so much fun the last few days.

It would have been a perfect few days but my little mad has been sick.

I started with Thanksgiving at my grandparents house.

I went to my families while Reed watched Mason, then he went to his Dad's while I snuggled with my little man.

Then I ended the day and started the next morning with some black friday shopping.

I didn't have a lot on my list but my competitive side can't pass up fighting people for things.

The long night of shopping was followed by a long nap on Friday

then we headed out to the Mad Ants game.

The Mad Ants are the D Leauge basketball team in Fort Wayne

and lucky for us Reed's company has second row seats that no one was using.

I LOVE basketball but mostly just college basketball.

GO DUKE!

The game was pretty good but I can't stand all the whining from the players.

The players questions and complained about every. single. play.

That's a litle pet peeve of mine.

But I won't get one that soap box right now.

The best part of the night was the halftime show.

They had Quick Change for America's Got Talent!

It was so awesome!

I thought that maybe sitting so close we would be able to see something to get an idea how they do it but nothing. Everyone was left in awe.

Seriously awesome.

And today we had Thanksgiving at my Dad's house.

Crazy crazy fun happening around here.

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend and now it's time to go back to normal mode.

Wait Christmas is next month!!!

I guess it's time to start making gifts!

I'll have some to show you soon.

Day of Thanks

Last week our computer died.

It's been a long hard battle for all of us involved.

We thought we had lost him for good but then he came back to us for awhile.

Then last week he finally stopped fighting.

It was for the best though.

And on Monday we brought a new baby home!

I can now type with two hands because I don't have to hold the power cord in place every minute that it's on.

And it stays on for more than 10 minutes at a time.

We are all still getting used to the change but I'm sure it won't take us long.

Ok now for the real post :)

With Thanksgiving being tomorrow I wanted to write about a few things that I'm thankful for.

It's kind of hard to pick out just a few because I have been so blessed.

So to start off I am thankful for my amazing family, especially Reed.

I am so lucky to have married the most amazing man.

He is so understanding, loving, and patient.

He loves me with all his heart no matter what and I know this because he is so good at showing me.

He is the perfect father to our children and my best friend.

My children are my world.

They make me laugh every day and I can't even describe how blessed I am to have such happy, healthy children.

I am also grateful for my Mother.

She is one of my best friends.

We talk almost every single day and I love it.

She listens without judgement and knows exactly when to give input.

She is such a blessing to my life.

I'm grateful that I have a sister.

Everyone needs a sister.

I'm so thankful that even though she is 10 years younger we can hang out and have a blast.

And it doesn't matter what mood I'm in if she comes around she brightens my day.

There are so many blessing in my life but I would be so ungrateful if I didn't express my gratitude for my Savior.

I'm so thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the guidance it gives me.

I can't imagine going through life without my Savior to help me every step of the way.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving

and takes this opportunity to take a day to think of the blessings in our lives.

Baby No More

Today is my baby boys 1st birthday.

So I feel that I should tell you the story of Mason.

When we found out I was pregnant with Mason I was really upset.

It wasn't a planned pregnancy I really felt that I wasn't ready to take care of another child.

After he was born every fear I had just melted away.

Not because of his squishy cuteness but because of the joy I felt when he looked at me.

He was the happiest baby ever and I actually feel that it is easier with 3 children instead of 2.

Since he's been born I've never had a question about him belonging in our family.

He makes me want to be a better Mother

and I know that my Heavenly Father was watching over me

and knew that I needed him in my life.

And I am so grateful to be entrusted with raising him.

I just wish he would grow up a little slower.

So here are a few pictures of the squishy cuteness that's so fun to look at and more fun to touch.

 I really don't know why this picture won't rotate.

So go give your babies a hug because we all know they grow up way to fast and there's nothing we can do about it.

I Got In A Fight

I have a love, hate relationship with the shower.

I love to get clean and warm up with the hot water but

I hate having to do my hair.

Maybe I hate my hair more than my shower but that's not important.

My shower is having issues right now.

It has decided that water pressure isn't important.

It feels like laying back and doing as little work as possible.

Well remember that hair I have issues with?

It's kinda long

and thick

and it NEEDS water pressure.

Not only is the shower lazy

it's started taunting me.

Yeah a little spit in the face every morning...

Literally.

When I turn the water off it shoots a nice strong burst of water at me before it turns off.

I know it's seriously cruel.

So today I yelled at it.

Yep, got in a fight with my shower.

Now if we wanted to analyze the situation I would say I'm probably more upset about that it's been over a week and I still don't remember it's going to do it.

Or it could be that I really hate my shower.

My Goofy Goofs

I have had a lot of time lately to just enjoy my family.

Well some of the time we are enjoying and sometimes we are running around like crazies.

But no matter what we are doing I can't go a day without thinking about how grateful to have the family that I have. I've been having tailbone problems for about a month and it's really limited what I can do but Reed has been great about it even though it means more work for him. 

And when I see the kids playing together and getting along it just melts me. 

Yesterday Ava was asking me how to make the letter e. Before I could even say anything Braeden jumped in "Come to the chalkboard and I'll show you." When I went into the toy room later it was covered with letters that they had been writing together.

So to give you an idea of what I see on a regular basis I recorded them playing tonight. If you watch it 500 times in a row you'll get an idea of what my night was REALLY like.

I know they are seriously nuts!
 And because we can't forget the little man here's a little video of his new talent for our family that's not around here. Sorry you have to tilt your head. I'm not sure why I thought you could flip it.

I know I am seriously blessed!

Ava's Turn

Well I'm a week late but here are the pictures of Ava's first day of preschool.

My mom made her backpack and it was a huge hit! She was so excited to go and begged and begged to leave the house early so she could get there. When I dropped her off she went right in and didn't care at all that she was leaving me. I even had trouble stealing a kiss before I left.

The second day of school she wanted me to take more pictures so here they are.

Sorry about the sideways photos. I've rotated them twice but it's just not sticking :(

So a week later she is just as excited to go to school as she was the first day.

Hopefully this week I will get past the sad feelings of being home with just Mason and enjoy all the things I can get done.